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Ronan carried her into the newly completed bedroom and gently sat her on the edge of the bed. Moonlight spilled through the windows, washing the room in silver and shadow.

For a moment neither of them moved.

Neither of them spoke.

Tomorrow waited beyond these walls.

But not yet.

Tonight, they were simply two people trying to hold on to a few final hours before their world changed.

38

Choices

The three days in New York — a city Raegan had chosen for the anonymity it offered — passed in a blur of meetings with the FBI and the Connecticut District Attorney’s Office.

Then it was on to Hartford for the trial.

Which was where Ronan finally met Simon Barker, the FBI agent who had helped the girls all those years ago.

The older man greeted Felicity with obvious affection. “I am so proud of the woman you’ve become.”

Ronan saw the flicker of discomfort in her eyes. The smile she gave him. How carefully she kept it in place. “I’d like to see Vasily,” she said to Agent Barker.

The man blinked. “What?”

“I want to meet with him.”

The agent stared at her for several seconds. “You sure that’s something you want to do?”

“Yes. I need to face him one last time, Simon.” Her voice was calm. Too calm. “Maybe tomorrow when he arrives at the courthouse?”

“He’ll transfer straight to the holding cells.”

“That suits me. I’ll meet with him there.”

Ronan kept his expression neutral. Inside, his stomach dropped.

There it was.

Her opportunity.

For weeks he’d been agonizing about the missing piece of her plan. Now she’d handed it to him herself.

And he needed to put his plan into motion.

Ronan waited for an opportunity to step away from the group. He crossed the hotel lobby and pushed through the revolving doors into the oppressive evening air. For a moment, he simply stood there, staring out at the traffic moving along the street.

You know what you need to do, Murphy.

He pulled out the burner phone.

The call connected on the first ring. “Talk to me.”

Ronan scrubbed a hand over the back of his neck and gave Wraith the information the man needed.

“And you’re ready to carry out your side?” his friend asked.