Outlaws by Matt Rogers (phonics books TXT) 📕

most important gig of my life, and I need someone who won’t fuck it up. You’re right — there’s a thousand spec-ops washouts I could find. None of them are like you.’

‘Don’t make me choose between who I owe.’

‘You owe me,’ Coombs said. ‘You know you do.’

King said, ‘Care to enlighten me?’

Coombs turned. ‘It was during BUD/S, at the Naval Special Warfare Command Centre on Coronado Island. I walked in on Will and our best-looking female instructor in a supply closet. It was enough to kick them both out of the military. We barely accepted an angry glance during training. They both would have been out on the street if I did what I was supposed to. But I didn’t. Because I saw potential in your friend here. Turns out my judgment was right. But he relied on me, and now I’m relying on him.’

King glanced at Slater, and instantly he knew it was true.

5

Now it was King’s turn to think.

In truth, he didn’t need long.

As much as he hated to admit it, there was a code. He and Slater had shared it the whole time they’d known each other, and they’d never once broken it. Never even considered it. If you worked in their world, you needed reassurances. You had to know you could rely on your brothers-in-arms.

Loyalty trumped everything else. It cut through every arrangement, every agreement.

You owe someone in their world, you never turn it down.

So he knew why Slater was squirming. The man loved Alexis with his whole heart, but this was the brotherhood. Coombs had played his ace, and now there was no going back.

Don’t make me choose.

King couldn’t let him.

He knew how badly Slater needed time away. He knew how effortlessly the strings of sanity could be cut in their world. King knew he himself was in a good place. He could take the verbal barrage from Violetta he knew would come. He could be the fall guy.

So he said, ‘I’ll do it.’

Coombs met his gaze. ‘No.’

Slater stared at him too, but it was a look of profound and silent appreciation.

King said, ‘You said you needed Will. I’m the same thing. Cut from the same cloth. And I’m available.’

Coombs shook his head. ‘It’s the principle. I wouldn’t ask that of you. I don’t know you. You owe me nothing.’

King jerked a thumb at Slater. ‘I owe him everything.’

Coombs went quiet.

King said, ‘It’s not just a vacation. For the first time in his life, he’s giving his time to someone he cares deeply about. He’s never done that before. The job has always come first. Don’t rip that away from him.’

Coombs stayed quiet.

King said, ‘I’m free. And I’m willing.’

‘You’d do that for him?’ Coombs said.

‘We’ve done a whole lot more for each other than that.’

Coombs nodded.

King said, ‘What’s the job?’

‘My biggest client,’ Coombs said. ‘Sam Donati. He needs protection.’

King registered the name. It was familiar. ‘Donati Group?’

‘Yeah. The king of logistics. You know… transportation and shipping. He’s worth a few billion, at least, judging by the size of his empire. I’m on a trial period with him. He’s going to Moscow to negotiate a deal with a rival conglomerate. He’s paranoid that they’ll try to take him out over there. I’ve had a look over the dossier compiled by his security — leads they fished from the dark web — and I’m convinced it’s legit, too. The man’s made his fair share of enemies.’

‘Is it justified?’ King said. ‘Is he playing by the rules?’

‘As far as I can tell he is. In fact, I think it’d be right up your alley. It seems like he’s the only clean fish in a dirty pond. That’s why he’s being targeted. Because he refuses to follow the trend. You’d think that’d put him out of business, but it hasn’t. He’s lingering, and he’s pissing off his global competitors, and they’re a little more… unsavoury. They’re willing to do something about it.’

‘I’m not a bodyguard,’ King said.

‘The future of my business rides on this,’ Coombs said. ‘Donati is the ultimate client. That’s why I’m pulling out all the stops. I was going to turn to one of the spec-ops boys you mentioned. But they’d do a subpar job, and you know it. Donati is meticulous. He needs to be impressed. In all likelihood, nothing will happen over there. But I still need to go for broke. I don’t think it was a coincidence that I ran into the pair of you at such a pivotal point of my civilian career.’

King went quiet.

Coombs said, ‘You’re right. You’re not a bodyguard. But you’re the best. And I need the best.’

‘You don’t know anything about me,’ King said. ‘We haven’t told you anything at all, if you really think about it.’

‘You told me the nature of your line of work. You told me you’ve been doing it for nearly fifteen years. And you’re sitting here in front of me, still breathing.’

Silence.

Coombs said, ‘You two are the best.’

King temporarily disregarded the old man. He turned to Slater, made sure he was looking him in the eyes. Slater stared back.

King said, ‘Do you owe this man?’

Slater said, ‘Yes.’

‘Then that’s all there is to it.’

‘There’s something else,’ Coombs said.

King raised an eyebrow.

The old man hunched over and leant forward like he was about to share nuclear launch codes and said, ‘It’s lucrative. I didn’t share that at first, because I wanted to make sure you were in it for the right reasons.’

King looked at Slater, and they both smirked.

Coombs sat back, perturbed.

‘What?’ he said.

King said, ‘How lucrative?’

‘Donati’s offered me a hundred grand for the best,’ Coombs said. ‘I’m happy to charge full fee, knowing I’m contracting someone like you. I’m willing to give you seventy-five percent.’

Again King looked at Slater.

This time, they laughed.

Again Coombs said, ‘What?’

This time with a little more verve.

Now it was King’s turn to hunch over and lean forward. He beckoned Coombs closer and lowered his voice and said, ‘Keep it.’

Coombs said, ‘What?’

Like a broken record, unable to compute.

King said, ‘We