Messiahs by Matt Rogers

Author:Matt Rogers [Rogers, Matt]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-07-26T16:00:00+00:00

48

Maeve sat King down in one of the rattan chairs in the sitting room and shooed her husband away.

Dane melted into the background and disappeared through a doorway, and then it was just the two of them, alone.

She said, ‘Tea?’

King said, ‘I’m okay, thank you.’

‘You must be tired,’ she said, ‘so I’ll keep this brief. I hope you don’t mind me sending your friend away. I think he needs rest. I wanted to speak freely without hearing retorts to my every word.’

‘He’s cold until you get to know him,’ King said. ‘Then he’s the loyalest person you’ll ever meet. He’ll do great things for your … movement.’

She hesitated. ‘Why did you pause?’

‘I was thinking of the right word.’

She smiled, and he couldn’t detect any hint that it was a performance. She was damn good at her job. ‘Were you going to say “cult”?’

He shook his head.

She said, ‘It’s okay. I won’t bite. You can be honest with me.’

He said, ‘I don’t know what to call it. But that’s not the word I would have chosen.’

‘It may seem like a cult from the outside,’ Maeve admitted. ‘I wouldn’t judge you if that’s what you thought. It’s a valid concern. But you only found out about this world hours ago. I want you to know that the principles and philosophies I’ve discovered are life-changing. With time, I’m sure you will take advantage of them. And … do you mind if I speak freely?’

‘Please.’

‘You have incredible potential. More than your friend. Working in harmony with Mother Libertas and its principles … there’s no telling how far you’ll go. I can’t imagine the man you’ll be a year from now. All it requires is your commitment.’

If King hadn’t gained control over his ego long ago, he might have actually bought it.

She made you feel special, like you were the centre of the universe and everything revolved around you.

It was seductive.

Intoxicating.

For the first time he noticed an oak humidor on the table. She reached out and lifted the lid, revealing ten Cuban cigars lined neatly within. The box had already been there, so she’d known from the moment she left Thunder Basin she’d be returning with King and Slater. That took genuine confidence.

Maeve said, ‘Care to indulge?’

‘It’s late,’ King said.

‘That wasn’t a no.’

He settled back in the armchair and smirked. ‘You’re right. It wasn’t. Will you be joining me?’

She looked up into his eyes. ‘You’ve got to have a little fun in this life.’

She handed him one of the massive cigars. ‘This is from Hoyo de Monterrey. It’s a “Le Hoyo de Río Seco.” The thickest cigar to come out of Cuba in regular production. They cost a pretty penny.’

He said, ‘Is this my first week’s payment?’

‘No, my dear. That’ll come in time.’

She used an Alfred Dunhill cigar cutter — lavishly expensive in its own right, engineered to perfection — to snip the end off her own Cuban, then King’s. Then she lit her end with a metallic double torch lighter and passed it over to King.

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