“You ready?”
Reluctantly, I drag my gaze away from Cybil and focus on Ramirez, who’s holding court at a private booth, cycling through investors in tight fifteen-minute conversations. Just enough time to lure them in with promises of wealth so obscene they’d never spend it all—even if they tried.
My pulse kicks up a notch. Time to introduce Grant Holloway to Ramirez. I signal Seth, who heads my way, and I’m immediately worried. There’s a slight hesitation to his step, and he looks like he’s about two seconds away from face-planting into a tray of beef tartare.
I turn to catch Julian Mercer’s attention, but he’s momentarily preoccupied—entirely captivated by a woman dripping in diamonds. Or maybe it’s the other way around. We were warned about his habit of making casual while pulling off something highly illegal, like discussing fine dining while lifting a security pass. But with the way she’s batting her lashes, I can’t tell if he’s charming her or if she’s the one reeling him in.
Am I watching my whole plan go up in smoke?
Rook waves me over, and I don’t know if I need to stall, improvise, or start praying.
“We have a problem,” Ruby speaks into my ear.
Seth pauses, gives me a shake of his head, turns, and makes a beeline to the restroom.Notgood.
“You’re seeing it too?”
“How does she know him?”
It takes me a second to realize she’s not talking about Seth. Her? I glance over at Julian. He’s either working his magic or about to get himself engaged, but I don’t recognize the woman. “Is she a threat?”
“Isn’t that what you’re there to figure out?”
The man Ramirez was meeting with is leaving his seat. I don’t have time for Ruby’s sass. “I’ve never seen her before.”
There’s a second of silence before Ruby asks, “Who are you talking about?”
“The woman with Julian. Who areyoutalking about?”
“Your old girlfriend.”
I don’t bother correcting Ruby as I scan the room for Cybil. I find her talking to an older man in a nearly black tailored suit. His posture is rigid, shoulders broad, and he’s carrying a little around the middle, but something warns me the man isn’t out of shape. He’s built like someone who spends more time giving orders than throwing punches.
“Who is he?”
“Milosh Kamarov. Former Russian intelligence turned private security consultant.”
From the van, Ruby is running facial recognition through an exterior camera we installed on a light post the day before. I still don’t know who was following me in Italy and/or if they’re connected to whoever was digging into my alias.
“Should I be concerned?”
Ruby’s voice crackles in my ear, low and grim. “Remember that intel op in Moscow a few years back? The one where three agents went in and never came out? Milosh’s name was all over it.”
“Awesome. A KGB David Copperfield.” Rook looks over at me and I acknowledge him, but I move in the opposite direction.Yep,definitely timeto pray.
“What are you going to do?”
“Try to salvage this mission.”
Cybil and Milosh. The more I think about it, the less sense it makes. Does she even know who she’s talking to? If I wasn’t already questioning her taste in company, I sure am now. I don’t know which is worse—her having no clue the danger she’s in or me pretending I’m not already halfway in love with her and willing to risk everything to protect her.
Chapter 25
Cybil
Dallas, Texas
Saturday night
