Hot Revenge Box Set 4

Chapter 37

“Charlotte, could you set an extra place at the table, please.”

“Sure.” She pauses, her hand full of cutlery. “Who are we expecting?”

“Georgie’s joining us for lunch…”

Her mouth opens in a silent Ahhh…

“… Is that alright with you?”

She moves table-mat, knife and fork to one side, clearing enough space for another setting. “Of course it is, Master. I know how much it means to you to have Georgie speaking to you again. I’ll do my best to make friends with her.”

“Thank you.” I kiss her forehead, tilt her chin up. “For what it’s worth, she said something similar.”

*****

The doorbell rings.

Charlotte stands. “I’ll go.”

She returns a minute later with Georgie, who offers her a bottle of wine. “I wasn’t sure what everyone likes, red or white, so I brought a rosé.”

“Good choice.” I gesture towards the fridge. “It’ll go well with the salmon we’re having. Just pop it in the fridge for now to chill, then take a seat.”

She hovers by the table. “Any particular place I should sit?”

“I set your place there...” Charlotte points. “… next to your Dad.”

Georgie takes a seat, having the look of one floundering. Then, spotting Cara on her playmat on the floor, patting at a dangling pink and blue ladybird. “Are you enjoying being a Mom?”

Charlotte beams. “Oh, yes. But I'll be glad when I’m back to my proper shape again.”

“I suppose you can use the gym in the hotel. Get plenty of exercise.”

“There's that. And I can ride too. That's good exercise.”

“Ride? You have a horse?”

“That’s right. She was a Christmas present. Can you ride?”

Georgie blows air. “I’ve never been on a horse.”

Credit where it’s due, Charlotte’s hesitation is infinitesimal. “Would you like to try? You could… You could borrow Charlie. I'm sure my Ma.. your dad would teach you.”

Georgie swings around to me. “Would you?”

“If Charlotte is happy for you to ride Charlie, I’d like that very much.”

“When can we try?”

“No time like the present. After lunch?”

*****

 

Klempner

Abandoning the abattoir above me, I make the quick climb down again, hanging from the rail of the lowest balcony to let myself drop to the ground. Landing on my toes, the rifle swings against my shoulder then jogs against me.

“Ah, there you are, Larry. I was beginning to worry you might have taken a wrong turn.”

The voice comes from behind me and despite myself, I startle, spinning to face the grinning Juliana and, by her side, a stranger with a gun in his hand. In the poor light, I can’t make out the model, but since the dangerous end is waving at me, that’s by the by…

I look more closely, but not at the weapon: his face.

A bit of a pretty boy: his hair is slicked back to a fetching ponytail and he has that slightly oily look that says Pimp.

No… not a stranger…

Now I look again, it’s Cash-Counting-Man from the night Wonder Boy led me here the first time.

While Juliana was making cow’s eyes at another gang member…

Cash-Man hovers close to Juliana with a slight proprietorial air…

Thinks he’s got her?

Another one?

Must have worked her way through half the fucking city…

Be walking bow-legged if she’s not careful…

And now I think on it, I have Cash-Man’s photo in my phone…

Wonder if Hickman made any progress on that?

Juliana’s wearing that manic grin that is so much a part her sexual allure and Femme Fatale appeal. “So sorry, Larry. Weren’t you expecting me?” She fishes into a shoulder bag, producing a mobile, then tapping the screen to life.

WTF?

Calling for backup?

She’s opted for redhead this evening…

Deliberate?

Probably…

… with green eye make-up which I’m guessing is supposed to give her a delicate mermaid air, but in reality reminds me of one of the characters I saw in the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies movie.

Oddly, Cash-Man seems attracted to her. I cannot see why. But she’s repeated this pattern now again and again.

the fuck does she pull it

Flattery?

Appeal to the machismo?

Good in the bedroom?

she has the knack to sucker a certain kind

Sola. He’s dangerous.”

he speaking in

is a bit thick

benefit? Put

if he knows she’s screwing

when they’re all

“… how dangerous can he

pointing skyward. “D’you know all your friends

snorts. “Yeah… Right… You killed them all of them, did you? All

pocket is the one responsible. Did you let her dole out whatever they were

about?” His voice is slurring just a little. He glares, moving toward me and now, closer, I see the

can

Seriously?

it be for her to slip a little something

a bit of something different

While she still has a

Give him

Superman complex?

says nothing, simply smirking and fiddling with her phone as he speaks. “I don’t believe you. You think I’m

who’s a user

talking to buy time, time to think. My

Deja vu…

is the second time I’ve been found at the spot, and under

How did she know?

Waiting for me…

stories of balconies, windows and human

All overlooking this alley…

look-out? Watching for the police

Or me…

not stop me halfway down? Throw me off the

Or try to…

camera somewhere… One I

Ah… the phone…

linked to

she’s tapping

have thought of

No-one’s infallible…

her face twists. “Don’t let him

He raises

Not like that. I told you. I want him

rifle over my shoulder. “You think that’s any good for up close?” He grins, advancing, pistol

match for the glint on the edge of my blade. “No. This is what I use for up close.” I nod down to his pistol. “And how much use is that when she wants

gun. “She said alive,

“No!” It’s Juliana again…

glance her way, and it’s all I need. Darting forward, slapping the pistol to one side, I lean the other way. Sure enough, it fires, the round blowing a hole in the wall of the apartment block before skittering to ground

And I’m not about to give him time to regret

swing a foot

I’ve nothing against the style. Each to his own. For myself, I prefer my hair

statement follows him down. Snatching at it with my free hand, I yank upwards, halting his fall… kind

from the knees up. He can’t get up, can’t get down and now, shoving the knife into my belt for

his neck creak. Hard enough to pull him upright now that I have

I think she gives a shit about him, but at least his body is shielding mine while I

Is she armed?

see anything except the mobile in her

nonchalance, smirking. “That’s it, is it, Larry? You think you have the

you ask Speeding Gonzales

I can avoid it. He’s hardly the first to be suckered into doing what she wants. But, something about

figure what the card is she holds in her hand

Someone else here?

left and right… back, front…. up.

infuriating Juliana giggle. “Larry, look at

hair, keeping Jose immobile,

to my jacket pocket. “Yes, your phone. You've got incoming,

but… she knows something

occupied, I push the muzzle of my gun into the back of Jose’s neck, tugging

obeys: suspiciously calm. Juliana’s gaze follows him down, and now

to the base of his

… and turn cold…

usual accept/deny button, there's an image

image. It’s moving: a live feed. And

James’ home in the mountain. Mitch and Jenny are there, sitting at one of the tables. Their backs are turned to me, but they’re clearly talking together, body language relaxed. James and Michael stand nearby, leaning against a wall,

move between the two men: first Michael, then James. Then drifting, as though by

live feed

be, Larry? Your bitch whore or your bitch daughter? I can take the men too, but they’ll be

Where the hell's Hickman?

his

him

picked off one at a time. Or my sniper can simply mow them all down in a few

Christ…

dramatic silence…. “…. Or are you going to be a

Don’t panic…

…

Think…

watch as Juliana mutters into her phone, grinning as her eyes flash to

give the order

my surrender, then

Mitch…

Jenny…

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