Sharks - Matt Rogers (classic books for 11 year olds txt) 📗

and considerable bonuses, maybe a holiday house and a boat, too, but it was exactly what Slater had said the previous morning.

It’s human nature to protect what you’ve got.

For some people, nothing would ever be enough.

He sent wire transfers out, twenty million dollars at a time. His fingers flew over the keyboard. He’d spent most of the previous day compiling a list of reputable charities, cross-checking them with watchdog organisations to ensure his money didn’t go to waste. He sent money to help everyone — the disabled, the starving, the underprivileged, the homeless, the terminally ill, the addicted, the illiterate, veterans’ support. When it was done he sat back and stared at an empty account.

A considerable difference for one man to make.

His phone lit up immediately. He thought about ignoring Gabriel’s calls, but figured one last conversation would do wonders.

He answered.

Gabriel said, ‘You must be under duress.’

He was livid.

Slater said, ‘I assure you I’m not.’

‘What are you doing?’

‘You can see exactly what I’m doing.’

‘You’d better have other accounts elsewhere. I’ll have you know you owe our branch transfer fees to the sum of—’

‘I’ll stop you right there,’ Slater said. ‘I’m not paying you another penny.’

‘If that’s the case, we’re well within our rights to—’

‘Gabriel?’ Slater said.

Silence.

‘Think carefully about your next words.’

Gabriel said, ‘I don’t know who you think you are to try to skirt around our fees, but that’s not the path you want to go down.’

‘You want your money so bad?’

‘It’s not a question of what I want. It’s what you owe.’

‘Okay. Come and get it.’

A long pause.

Gabriel was no doubt remembering the angry bull of a man that had walked into his bank all that time ago.

Slater said, ‘Will that be all?’

‘My superiors will be in touch.’

Slater let the advisor stew on his words, thinking about them, acknowledging the tension through the line.

Slater said, ‘No they won’t.’

He hung up.

Went back to the kitchen, accepted a perfect espresso from Alexis, and kissed her on the cheek.

‘It’s done,’ he said.

She nodded. ‘How do you feel?’

‘No different.’

‘I thought as much.’

‘Any change of heart on your end?’

‘It’s not my money,’ she said, repeating King’s words.

‘Even so…’

‘No,’ she said. ‘No change of heart.’

He sipped the crema off the top of the coffee.

She said, ‘Can’t change a heart that knows exactly what it wants.’

She was staring right into his eyes.

He stared back.

Smiled.

King and Violetta came in a moment later. Caught Slater and Alexis in their private moment, turned and made to leave simultaneously.

Alexis laughed. ‘Get back here. You’re not intruding.’

Her arm around King’s waist, Violetta said, ‘There’s something you two should know.’

‘Oh?’

Violetta looked up at King.

He couldn’t take his eyes off her.

They exchanged a smile, but it was different to anything Slater had seen. There was total solidarity there, not an ounce of uncertainty. Absolute dedication and commitment for what was to come.

Alexis said, ‘What is it?’

King laid a hand on Violetta’s exposed abdomen.

Violetta said, ‘I’d had symptoms for days, so I took a test that second morning in Freeport.’

Silence.

All-encompassing.

Slater thought his heart had stopped.

She said, ‘In nine months there’ll be a new King.’

KING AND SLATER WILL RETURN…

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Books by Matt Rogers

THE JASON KING SERIES

Isolated (Book 1)

Imprisoned (Book 2)

Reloaded (Book 3)

Betrayed (Book 4)

Corrupted (Book 5)

Hunted (Book 6)

THE JASON KING FILES

Cartel (Book 1)

Warrior (Book 2)

Savages (Book 3)

THE WILL SLATER SERIES

Wolf (Book 1)

Lion (Book 2)

Bear (Book 3)

Lynx (Book 4)

Bull (Book 5)

Hawk (Book 6)

THE KING & SLATER SERIES

Weapons (Book 1)

Contracts (Book 2)

Ciphers (Book 3)

Outlaws (Book 4)

Ghosts (Book 5)

Sharks (Book 6)

LYNX SHORTS

Blood Money (Book 1)

BLACK FORCE SHORTS

The Victor (Book 1)

The Chimera (Book 2)

The Tribe (Book 3)

The Hidden (Book 4)

The Coast (Book 5)

The Storm (Book 6)

The Wicked (Book 7)

The King (Book 8)

The Joker (Book 9)

The Ruins (Book 10)

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Meet Ruby Nazarian, a government operative for a clandestine initiative known only as Lynx. She’s in Monaco to infiltrate the entourage of Aaron Wayne, a real estate tycoon on the precipice of dipping his hands into blood money. She charms her way aboard the magnate’s superyacht, but everyone seems suspicious of her, and as the party ebbs onward she prepares for war…

Maybe she’s paranoid.

Maybe not.

Just click here.

About the Author

Matt Rogers grew up in Melbourne, Australia as a voracious reader, relentlessly devouring thrillers and mysteries in his spare time. Now, he writes full-time. His novels are action-packed and fast-paced. Dive into the Jason King Series to get started with his collection.

Visit his website:

www.mattrogersbooks.com

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amazon.com/author/mattrogers23