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.

fuck does she pull

Flattery?

Appeal to the machismo?

Good in the bedroom?

is she has, she has the knack to

careful, Sola. He’s dangerous.” Cash-Man seems genuinely

speaking in

accent is a bit

benefit? Put up a

he knows she’s screwing

it matters when they’re

at him. “… how dangerous can he be when

a finger, pointing skyward. “D’you know all your friends up

killed them all of them, did you? All

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

little. He glares, moving toward me

can he

Seriously?

for her to slip a little something extra into the mix for

bit of

still has a use for

him a

Superman complex?

her phone as he speaks. “I don’t believe

who’s a

buy time,

Deja vu…

and

How did she know?

Waiting for me…

stories of balconies, windows and

All overlooking this alley…

look-out? Watching for the

Or me…

me halfway down? Throw me off the

Or try to…

camera

Ah… the phone…

linked to

she’s tapping at the

have thought of

No-one’s infallible…

her face twists. “Don’t let him get

He raises

Not like that. I told you.

“You think that’s any

teeth. It’s not a bad 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 me alive? It’s

raising the gun. “She said alive,

“No!” It’s Juliana again…

lean the other way. Sure enough, it

wrist. Certainly, it jarred it. And I’m not about

swing a foot around his ankles, he’s off-balance and he topples, ponytail

own. For myself, I prefer my hair long enough to provide a bit of padding against blows, but short

it with my free hand, I yank upwards,

firmly on the ground. But dangling where I hold him by the hair, he’s almost horizontal from the knees up. He can’t get up, can’t get down and now, shoving the knife into

now that I have control. The muzzle of my gun pressed to his skull. “You’re coming with me, Juliana, if you don't

him, but at least his body is shielding mine while I figure how to get to Juliana

Is she armed?

don’t see anything except

She stands there, all nonchalance, smirking. “That’s it, is it, Larry? You

you ask

to murder the poor sap if I can avoid it. He’s hardly the first to be suckered into doing what she wants. But, something about Juliana’s manner is unsettling. “I know you don’t care if I blow his brains

figure what the card is she

Someone else here?

dart glances left and right… back, front….

fucking infuriating Juliana

his hair, keeping Jose immobile, the left is occupied holding

her chin, eyes slanting to my jacket pocket. “Yes, your phone. You've got

she knows something I

With both hands occupied, I push the muzzle of my gun into the back of Jose’s neck, tugging down on the ponytail with the other.

as he obeys: suspiciously calm. Juliana’s gaze follows him down, and now she’s definitely

gun muzzle to the base of his

… and turn cold…

usual accept/deny button, there's an image on

live

towards the terrace of 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, mugs in

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

feed from rifle

infuriating, sickening sound. “Which will it be, Larry? Your bitch whore or your bitch

Where the hell's Hickman?

his fucking

gut him for

Jenny? Or Mitch? Or maybe the guys? I can have them picked off one at

Christ…

in an overplayed dramatic silence…. “…. Or are you going to be a good boy and put the

Don’t panic…

…

Think…

Jose’s head, I watch as Juliana mutters into her phone, grinning

she give

surrender, then

Mitch…

Jenny…

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