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.

it’s only sticking-plaster over the

there’s a chasm

creep through the panes, I give up on sleep and moving as quietly as I can, pull on some clothes and

this life if, full of care, We have no time to

calms me. The long slide of grassy slopes down the

Soul food…

inside, I am

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

I wait and I watch as the rim of the

Pull yourself together man…

casting blood-red across the

seen her

you’d never

clouds, a

You have everything…

Everything else…

“Master?”

my lips to

slippers and a

I’m just watching

“Would you like company?”

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

*****

catches my eye. And of course, I know what she

Anyone else around?

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

“Yes, Kirstie?”

“James, about….”

the back office with a file. “Am I interrupting you, Mr

I was just chatting

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

you. I’ll put them in the

Gillis nods to me. “Mr Alexanders.” Then

“She’s um… she’s got a bit

God save me…

thing? Kirstie, please. Tell me that’s a

twitches around her mouth and eyes. “Not a joke. She’s

hate to break this to you, but

chuckles, then turns serious

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