Contracts, Matt Rogers [phonics reading books TXT] 📗

always done.’

‘And that is?’

‘Our best.’

She brooded, still pacing back and forth.

Mulled over what to say next.

The seconds ticked away.

One.

Two.

Three.

She said, ‘I — and by extension, the government — would like to maintain this partnership. You’ve proven yourselves to be morally rock solid time and time again. So we’ll let this slide. Thank you for everything you did in Nepal.’

‘Are we done?’ Slater said.

She nodded.

He got up, brushed past her, and said, ‘I’ll give you two some alone time. I’m sure you have a lot to talk about.’

He was deep in his own head by the time he made it to the front door, and barely noticed someone following in his wake.

When he turned around with his hand on the doorknob, Violetta was there, staring up at him.

She said, ‘You’re a good man, Will. I don’t want you to forget that.’

‘I try to be,’ he said. ‘It’s the only thing I can hold onto after… you know…’

She said, ‘Ruby is looking down on you. I’m sure she’s proud.’

He nodded.

Tried to stop himself from showing emotion.

She said, ‘If you’re feeling alone, you know you can talk to someone. We have many respected therapists—’

He looked past her, and saw King hovering at the other end of the hallway.

They exchanged a wordless, knowing look.

Slater said, ‘Don’t worry. I’m okay. I have all I need.’

I have a brother.

He turned and walked out, and closed the door behind him.

92

They stood at opposite ends of the corridor. The space felt a hundred times larger.

King put his hands in his pockets and bit his lower lip.

Violetta folded her arms over her chest.

He said, ‘Does that wrap up the professional side of things?’

She said, ‘Hard to move straight on from something like that.’

‘We knew what we were getting ourselves into when we agreed to this. We knew it wouldn’t be a smooth road.’

‘I didn’t think it would be this bumpy.’

‘That’s the life. That’s the job.’

A pause.

She said, ‘What if that had gone differently? What if it had taken a turn south? Where would we be right now?’

‘It didn’t.’

‘But it could have. You said it yourself. You aligned with Slater.’

‘He’s my brother.’

‘What does that make me?’

‘It’s different.’

‘Is it?’

He said, ‘I love you.’

She froze. ‘Do you mean that?’

‘Yes.’

‘But you would have waged a war against me if it came to it.’

‘I know.’

‘No apology? No explanation?’

‘I can’t apologise, and I can’t explain.’

Silence.

He said, ‘It’s just who I am. I stand up for what I think is right. I don’t waver. If I did, I’d never forgive myself. If I did, I wouldn’t be here.’

‘What does that say about the future?’

‘I don’t know. I don’t care.’

‘You don’t?’

‘If life’s taught me anything, it’s to live in the present. I might not be here tomorrow. That’s the nature of what I do for a living.’

‘And you’re at peace with that?’

‘As much as I can be.’

‘How do you think that makes me feel?’

‘I was never going to be the perfect partner, Violetta,’ he said. ‘I’m just who I am.’

‘Do you ever think about quitting?’

‘Not anymore.’

‘You could. I could. We could go to the Caribbean. Spend the rest of our lives making love in a beach hut.’

‘Sounds idyllic.’

‘But it’s not for you.’

‘No. I tried it.’

‘And you ended up right back here.’

‘I can’t escape it.’

‘Does that disturb you?’

‘Not anymore.’

She said, ‘I think I’m stuck doing this forever, too.’

‘You don’t have to be.’

‘But then I’d have to leave you.’

‘You could. If you wanted to. You deserve better.’

‘But I’m good at what I do. And I’m in love with you. So where does that leave me?’

‘Right here. You can’t escape either.’

She shrugged and said, ‘At least we’re both as fucked up as each other.’

He smiled.

‘How about dinner?’ he said.

93

It was one of the most exclusive Japanese restaurants in New York City, but they waltzed right in.

Violetta was nearly unrecognisable in a gorgeous black off-the-shoulder dress, showing off her pronounced collar bones and tantalising curves. King had gone for a simple button-up shirt tucked into a pair of smart dress slacks. She’d told him in no uncertain terms how his wardrobe selection showed his own physique off in all the right places.

They stepped inside and the shadows draped over them, elongated by the soft romantic lighting.

Before they were greeted by their waiter, she patted him gently on the behind.

‘Damn, you look good,’ she whispered.

An attentive man in his twenties showed up and wordlessly ushered them to a private booth up the back. When they were seated, he said, ‘The usual?’

King nodded. ‘Thanks, Jack.’

‘Not a problem, sir.’

He bled away into the aisles, and less than a minute later another waiter brought over a bottle of outrageously expensive saké for the table, and a neat whiskey for King.

He sipped at the blend and smiled. ‘I missed this.’

‘We never did discuss exactly what happened in Nepal,’ she said, pouring herself a generous serving of saké. ‘How was it?’

‘Brutal.’

‘As brutal as usual?’

‘Worse.’

She sipped her drink and mulled over it. ‘How do you think Slater pulled up?’

‘He’s fine. He’s always fine.’

‘You know he’s not. And you aren’t either. You can’t hide from the consequences forever.’

He swept a hand around the restaurant. It was a packed house, but the patrons were accustomed to fine dining, and suitably respectable. There was only the low murmur of private conversation, the soft clinking of glasses, and the distant muffled sizzling of hot plates.

He said, ‘Do you see where we are right now?’

‘Yes,’ she said. ‘It’s beautiful. It’s a fine life. But you’re competent enough to do a thousand other things and make the same amount of money. That’s not why you do it.’

‘You know why I do it.’

‘Is it worth the cost?’

He shrugged and said, ‘Let’s not talk about that. I prefer to enjoy simple moments like this than worry about the future.’

‘But you know pain is coming.’

‘Pain is always coming. Slater and I are worth eight figures each — Slater more like nine. If we wanted to, we could live the rest of our lives in absolute hedonism. It takes a lot of effort to avoid getting