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“This is how it’s done,” Clay confirmed. “It doesn’t have to be a watch, but apparently it’s something of a game for the members of Manifest: seeing how subtly they can hide thechip.”
“And the chip is theinvitation?”
Clay nodded. “It’ll be scanned by security on the way in. Yours is coded with Milos Cerník'sdata.”
Ronan lifted his eyebrows. “The armsdealer?”
“Thesame.”
“His travel lines up with Manifest’s parties in Florence over the past year,” Nick explained. “We assume this means he’s amember.”
“Big assumption,” Ronansaid.
Nick shrugged. “Not much of achoice.”
“What if you’re right and Milos shows up to the party?” Ronanasked.
“He’s been detained by the Ukrainian government,” Declan said. “You can thank Kane for that bit ofinformation.”
“Anyone know?” The last thing Ronan needed was to show up using the ID of a guy everyone knew had beenpinched.
“They’re keeping it on the DL,” Dec said. “Hoping to turnhim.”
“So they scan the watch, Cerník’s data shows up, and they let mein.”
“If all goes well,” Nicksaid.
Ronan didn’t bother complaining about the uncertainty. Uncertainty was part and parcel of their business. Nothing was ever certain when you planned to kill a man. You had to roll with thepunches.
He set down the Cartier timepiece and picked up the women’s watch. It was lovely, with a diamond bezel and white gold band. Tiny diamond chips were sprinkled across the inky blue face, meant to look like stars in a night sky, semiprecious stones set to mimicplanets.
“I didn’t agree to this.” He avoided Julia’s eyes, surprised that she’d been quiet sofar.
“You need someone else in there with you,” Nick said, “and we couldn’t find another male identity for me or Dec to appropriate. Julia’s chip is coded with the identity of a Czech heiress who’s attended the parties with Cerník in the past. Rumor has it she has interesting… appetites of herown.”
Ronan turned over the watch and looked at the band. The chip was as invisible on the women’s watch as it had been on the Cartier watch meant forhim.
He set it down and closed the lid on its box, liking the finality of the sound. “I’ll goalone.”
“That would be stupid,” Declansaid.
Ronan was surprised to see his brother’s blue eyes flash with anger. Declan rarely got angry about anything. What was there to be angry about when life was one big party and you were always the guest ofhonor?
“I’ve done plenty of jobs alone,” Ronan said. “In fact, you may remember that until recently that’s how I worked most of thetime.”
“This isn’t like the other times,” Nick said. His arms were crossed over his chest, mimicking Ronan’s posture when he’d first laid eyes on the watch meant for Julia. “Security is heavy, and you’re not going in for a quiet kill and a quick exit. If Elise is there, you may need help creating a distraction to get to her. If you find her, you may need help convincing her to go withyou.”
“I can handle myself,” Julia saidquietly.
He turned toward her, still leaning against the wall. There was no triumph in her gaze, only the same resignation that had begun leaking through his veins while Nick and Declan made theircase.
“She knows how to use a weapon.” Ronan cursed the day he’d told Nick that Julia had been packing when they went to Dubai, cursed the day Julia had told Nick and Declan over beers that her grandfather had taught her and Elise to shoot when they were teenagers. “She might not be an expert, but you could do worse forbackup.”
“It’s not about that.” Ronan knew how Julia prided herself on being an asset instead of aburden.
He could hardly look at her when she came to stand next to him. Doing so made him want to lock her away, keep her from anything that might hurt her, even if it meant she hated him forit.
He knew it wasn’t an option even as the thought crossed his mind. She might forgive him for doing it, but she would never forgive him for leaving Elise behind again, and Nick and Declan were right: the rescue mission was a two-personjob.
