Page 44 of Braxton

Cross sighed. “Good chat, son. Remember, no weapons are allowed in the Louvre.”

The moment he hung up, Ryland slammed the phone down against the seat and cursed. “I’m going to fucking tear him apart.”

“No, Rip,” Brax warned him. “Your only concern is getting Harper back. Quinn will take Cross down.”

A muscle flexed in his cheek, but he forced a nod. “Roger,” he gritted out.

“The Louvre?” Saint said, not sounding happy.

“Cross is a snake.” Gray turned the SUV toward the famous museum. “Of course he’d pick a place full of innocent tourists just to make sure we don’t all wind up in a shoot-out.”

“There’s no getting weapons into that place,” Zane said, studying his laptop screen. “Louvre security is tight. We’re talking thirteen-hundred security guards, metal detectors, body scans and bag scans.”

“That means Rip and I will have to go in unarmed while Saint, Demon and Bruja find positions outside the museum. Be ready to grab Zaitsev back once Harper is secure. Banshee, you’ll be running comms and Quinn will take care of Cross.” Brax glanced over each member of his team, secure in the knowledge they would be able to get the job done.

They arrived early, found a place to park and discussed the situation and every possible angle of the op. But the mainobjective was to get Harper away from Cross and safely back to Ryland. Then, if Quinn could safely take the shot and neutralize Cross, Brax knew she would.

After a quick look at his watch, Brax realized it was getting close to three o’clock. “Go time.” He gave Ryland a confident look, full of reassurance. “Let’s get your family back.”

???

A driver picked Quinn up from the cafe almost immediately. Her French was excellent and she asked him where they were going, but he ignored her. It didn’t take long before they were driving down Rue de Rivoli and she caught sight of the Louvre. The driver took her as close to the museum as possible, weaving through traffic and a sea of tourists.

When the SUV stopped, she slid out and her phone rang.

“Merlin,” she answered, waiting for instructions as she looked up at the huge pyramid in front of her. It was a large glass and metal structure located in the museum’s main courtyard—Cour Napoléon—of the Louvre Palace and surrounded by three smaller pyramids.

“Enter the museum and go to the Mona Lisa exhibit in Salle des États.”

He hung up and she cursed beneath her breath. Of course, he picked the most visited painting in the most famous museum in the city. There was no way she could smuggle a weapon inside. Hesitating, she looked around, then discreetly dropped her Glock in a trash can. She supposed everyone being unarmed would be a good thing in case tempers ignited. Besides, there was more than one way to neutralize a threat than with a gun.

After waiting in line to purchase a ticket, she moved easily enough through security. To find the Mona Lisa, she pretty much just followed the crowd. She’d visited the painting before and, in all honesty, had been slightly underwhelmed. Of course, to be fair, she hadn’t studied much art history. Even so, she’d failed to see why exactly Leonardo da Vinci’s painting drew such a crowd and was considered a beloved masterpiece. Personally, she found the Venus de Milo sculpture to be much more interesting.

After finding the gallery room, she ignored the famous painting enclosed behind bullet proof glass and scanned the crowded area. People clustered everywhere, chatting and taking pictures. Making her way along the perimeter, she searched for Harper’s blonde hair, but didn’t see her right away.

Unease began to trickle through her and Quinn didn’t like how the situation was changing. Cross originally told her she would be his sniper. So why did he suddenly want her inside and unarmed? Before she could come up with a suitable answer, she saw Harper standing beside a tall, lean man with a head of thick, sun-bleached hair with silver temples. Other than the slight gray, she could see the resemblance between him and Ryland. But while Ryland was usually laughing and emanating good vibes, his father had a more sinister energy, and she felt it immediately.

As Quinn walked over, she sent Harper a warning look, silently reminding her they didn’t know each other. The other woman played along beautifully.Thank God.As far as Cross knew, Quinn was merely the Cardinal, a hired assassin. Unless he’d managed to figure out her true identity. Somewhere, in the back of her head, she had an inkling that maybe he knew morethan he was letting on. After all, her real name had popped up on The Agency’s roster.

“You do realize this is highly unorthodox,” she said. “I don’t normally meet my clients in person.”

“Well, considering you’re going to be a part of The Agency, I thought it would be a good time to meet face to face,” he responded evenly. “And I think we can cut the bullshit.”

Her stomach dipped, but she remained cool and merely arched a brow.

“I know who you really are, Quinn Graves.”

“And I know who you are, Cross Mills.” She didn’t miss a beat, turning her attention to Harper. “Spending a little quality time with your daughter-in-law?”

“Touché.”

“I thought I was playing sniper today, not bodyguard.”

“The plan changed. We’re exchanging my son’s lovely wife here for Dr. Zaitsev. Then you and the good doctor are coming with me.”

Her pulse sped up. “Where are we going?”

“It’s time you met the final players and learned the ultimate plan. If you want to sit at the high table with us and make decisions that will affect the world, you’ll have to be brought up to speed. And be accepted by the others.”

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