Allowing personal feelings to get in the way of a mission was a mistake only a neophyte would make. He could operate with a shattered heart. Wasn’
t the first time, but he damn well promised himself it would be the last. Never again would he care for someone who could rip out his guts.
Jules had been the most refreshing and loveliest woman he’d met in years. The impish smile with the delightful dimple on her left cheek, the gray-green eyes that sparkled with laughter, the scent of strawberries and something citrusy in her perfume. Her sense of humor, the unique blend of vulnerability and incredible strength he’d sensed in her. All of those things and a thousand more had intrigued him, fascinated him.
The explosive passion that had seemed to match his so perfectly had been a lie.
Everything had been a lie.
Once this op was done, he needed to talk to one person in particular before he faced Jules. How had Kate been fooled by her, too? Kate Walker could spot a liar a mile away. She was the savviest person he knew. No way could she have been taken in by Jules’s lies. Which brought to mind the possibility of another blow. Could Kate have fooled him, too?
Anger washed through him, and he shoved it away. If he started questioning everything, everyone, he would get nowhere. Concentrating on the here and now had to be his priority. Whatever came next could wait.
“Humphrey, my dear friend.” A beatific smile on his face, Omar Schrader appeared before him, holding out his hand.
“Impressive turnout, Omar.”
Schrader practically preened with delight at the compliment, reminding Ash of Jules’s observation about the man. She’d said that the weapons broker had a deep need to please Humphrey, and Ash could see she was right on the mark. Omar was practically glowing.
“I’m thrilled you approve. I’ve worked extra hard on making this a night we can both remember with great fondness.”
Ash wasn’t surprised that Omar didn’t mention the monumental screw-up he’d been responsible for weeks ago. All of that was water under the bridge to the weapons broker, but it likely did increase Omar’s need for this night to go perfectly.
“How many products will you be auctioning tonight?”
“Only five, but yours will be last. The pièce de résistance, if you will.”
On one hand, that was good news. Though the other products wouldn’t be nearly as destructive as Humphrey’s offering, they could still cause destruction and chaos. He would pass along this vital intel to his contacts and hopefully prevent the products from reaching intended targets.
On the other hand, having his product as the last one to auction off meant he could not participate in Lang’s takedown. The man would leave after he won the bid, and three miles from this location, he would be apprehended. They had practiced such a scenario. His team would have no issues. Yeah, he’d like to be there but if he rushed out of the auction, there could be speculation. If it leaked that Carl Lang had been apprehended after the auction, he wanted no suspicion that Humphrey could have been involved. Getting Lang out of circulation would be reward enough.
“Where is the lovely Elsa? Since you specifically requested her presence at the auction, I had hoped to spend some time talking with her.”
“She left. Said she wasn’t feeling well.”
“Oh dear, I hope it’s nothing serious.”
It was as serious as hell, but Humphrey, being the coldhearted bastard he was, only shrugged and said, “The bitch was beginning to bore me anyway.”
A glimpse of amused sympathy in his eyes, Omar nodded understandingly. Having the man believe Elsa had dumped Humphrey was Ash’s best bet. That she had left him on the same night Humphrey was to receive a monumental amount of money would hopefully be overlooked. After all, Elsa was young, beautiful, and seemingly years younger. Finding another wealthy benefactor should be no problem for her.
“Ah, I understand. Fickleness often accompanies extreme beauty.” He lowered his voice slightly. “I have several lovely young ladies in another part of the house. Once our business is concluded, I would be happy to arrange a room and a night of unimaginable bliss.”
Ash eyed Omar speculatively. Was the man into more than weapons now?
“Willing young ladies?”
“But of course. When I have a gala, I always have one of the more exclusive pleasure houses send over their finest and loveliest professionals for special guests.”
That was good to know. Having to rescue a group of human-trafficking victims on top of everything else would’ve put a major strain on the team’s resources.
“The offer is appreciated, but I’ll be leaving directly after the auction is concluded and my payment is confirmed. As to the night of bliss, that’s been taken care of already.”
“Excellent.” Omar turned away, his gaze wandering over the rest of the room.
From Ash’s count, there were twenty-nine people. He recognized several faces, but didn’t see the one he was looking for. There was still time, but if Lang didn’t show up, this entire op would be a bust.
“Is everyone here?”