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?

it is she has, she has the knack to

dangerous.” Cash-Man seems genuinely

he speaking in

a bit thick but perfectly

benefit? Put

if he knows she’s screwing

matters when

can he be when I have you

is it?” I raise a finger, pointing skyward. “D’you know all your

You killed them all of

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

His voice is slurring just a little. He glares, moving

can he

Seriously?

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

bit of

While she still has a

Give him a

Superman complex?

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

a user

buy time, time to think.

Deja vu…

been found at the spot, and under just these conditions, as I descended

How did she know?

Waiting for me…

stories of balconies, windows and

All overlooking this alley…

Watching for the

Or me…

halfway down? Throw me

Or try to…

likely a security camera somewhere… One

Ah… the phone…

linked to

tapping at

thought of

No-one’s infallible…

something on her screen, then her face twists. “Don’t let him

problem.” He raises

that. I told you.

that’s any good for up close?” He grins, advancing, pistol in hand. I reach

my blade. “No. This is what

snarls, raising the gun. “She said alive, not

“No!” It’s Juliana again…

one side, I lean the other way. Sure enough, it

may have broken his wrist. Certainly, it jarred it. And I’m not about to give him time to

trying to recover from his mistake, but as I swing a foot around his ankles, he’s off-balance and he

prefer my

my free hand, I yank upwards, halting his fall…

from the knees up. He can’t get up, can’t get down

hard enough to make his neck creak. Hard enough to pull him upright now that I have control. The muzzle of my gun pressed to his skull. “You’re coming with me, Juliana, if you don't

shit about him, but at least his body is shielding

Is she armed?

except

don’t think so.” Her reaction is weird. She stands there, all nonchalance, smirking. “That’s it, is it, Larry? You think you have the upper

you ask Speeding

poor sap if I can avoid it. He’s hardly the first to be suckered into doing what she

trying to figure what the card is she

Someone else here?

dart glances left and right… back, front…. up. There’s no-one

Juliana giggle.

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

chin, eyes slanting to my jacket pocket. “Yes, your phone. You've got incoming, Larry. Take a

knows something I

muzzle of my gun into the back of Jose’s neck, tugging down on the ponytail with the other. “On your knees,

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

of his skull, I

… and turn cold…

usual accept/deny button, there's

a live feed. And of a view I know

Their backs are turned to me, but they’re

my mouth dry, crosshairs hover. Gliding across the screen, they move between the two men: first Michael, then James. Then drifting, as though by accident, they pass over Jenny. And then, finally, they settle squarely on Mitch's

live feed from rifle

be, Larry? Your bitch whore

Where the hell's Hickman?

doing his fucking

him for

maybe the guys? I can have them picked off

Christ…

Or are you

Don’t panic…

…

Think…

Glock still to Jose’s head, I watch as Juliana mutters into her phone, grinning as her eyes

give

my surrender, then

Mitch…

Jenny…

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