Masters & Lovers Box Set Three

Chapter 16

After Finchby and Yakovlevski leave, Bech still wears that ‘just sucked a lemon’ expression.

“Something to say, Bech?”

He scowls and looks down. “No, sir.”

“Good. Remember who's in charge here. And who's already made you a rich man.”

“Yes, sir.”

I turn to the girl where she cowers at my feet. “Tell her she can write a letter. Make sure her family know it’s her.” Luuk translates.

“Thank you, sir.” She launches herself at me, wrapping her arms around my ankles, weeping incessantly. “Thank you.”

Bech lashes out with a foot. “Get back, you little bitch!”

Disentangling myself from her grasp, I stoop, looking her in the face. “Remember, they have to pay for you. And they have to outbid the others. I’m a businessman, not a charity.”

“They will, sir. They will,” says Luuk.

*****

 

James

Sleep escapes me. My green-eyed Love lying next to me, my friend beyond her, I toss and turn in the dark, my mind churning.

Georgie…

Family matters…

Michael was right to pull me away that day. He enjoys a drink as much as anyone but doesn’t normally overdo it.

When did I last see him drunk?

?

When he believed he was losing Charlotte…

… to me…

He’s right, partially at least. It helps blot out the worst for a few hours. And he went there with me. Stayed with me.

only sticking-plaster over

a chasm inside

give up on sleep and moving as quietly as I can, pull on some clothes and head for the kitchen. Then, coffee in hand, I go outside to sit

care, We have no time to

long slide of grassy slopes down

Soul food…

am unquiet. I cannot

enough that the sun has not risen, the world bathed in the grey light of the predawn, but Venus, hanging low, heralds the dawn and is already fading against the rising glare on the

wait and I watch as the rim of the world

Pull yourself together man…

rises, casting blood-red across the low mist writhing over

not seen her for

never

seeps into the clouds, a gash in the

You have everything…

Everything else…

“Master?”

twisting my

wearing slippers and a

I’m

“Would you like company?”

join me. But put some proper clothes on. It’s

*****

course,

Anyone else around?

quiet. We have a few moments of what passes for privacy in

“Yes, Kirstie?”

“James, about….”

with a file. “Am I interrupting you,

at all. I was just chatting

beams up at me. “Here’s the visitor list for today, Kirstie. There’s a couple more confirmations to come in, but

you. I’ll put them in

Gillis nods to me. “Mr Alexanders.” Then she waddles off back to her

her ‘til the door closes behind her then, “She’s um… she’s got a bit

God save me…

thing? Kirstie, please. Tell

and eyes. “Not a joke. She’s awfully sweet don’t you

to break this to

turns serious again. “James,

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