Page 58 of Warrior's Cross

Cameron frowned a little. “He would have mentioned it, so he must not have known until the last minute.”

Miri raised an eyebrow and looked at him. “You going to go out and see him?” she asked curiously.

Cameron shifted his weight, but stopped and thought about it for a long moment, the smile fading a little. “If he’s here, he’s probably working,” he said slowly. “I wouldn’t want to bother him.” The thought that Julian might be “working” at Tuesdayssent a bolt of uneasiness through him. He still wasn’t quite sure what Julian did, but he knew it wasn’t necessarily... good.

“Working?” Miri echoed.

“Yeah,” Cameron said, trying not to wince. “He’s an antiques dealer, remember? He travels a lot looking for things for people. Usually rich people,” he improvised. “Probably lots of them here tonight. Clients and contacts and... stuff.”

Miri stared at him for a moment and then smiled slightly. “You’re both so weird,” she muttered as she moved away.

Cameron watched her go before shaking his head. “You have no idea,” he murmured. He picked up the tray of filled champagne flutes and headed out to the floor.

Julian glanced toward the back of the restaurant briefly before his attention was drawn to a man beckoning him. He cut his way through the growing crowd easily and greeted the man and his companion.

“I’d like you to meet an associate of mine,” the man said to Julian pointedly. “Ronald, this is the man I was telling you about.”

“An honor to meet you, sir,” the stranger offered as he shook Julian’s hand. “Gary tells me you found him several rare books in the last year.”

“Nothing that couldn’t be found on eBay these days,” Julian assured the man cheekily.

The target laughed and nodded. “I’m in the market for Middle Eastern antiquities,” he told Julian. “I hear they’re going cheap now that the whole damn place is blowing up. That something you might be able to help me with?”

“I’m sure it is,” Julian assured him.

“Well, then I look forward to doing business with you,” the man said with a smile that Julian didn’t like at all.

“Likewise,” Julian murmured with a crooked smile of his own. It was always easier when the target was a bit of a jackass to begin with.

He looked away, trying not to sigh heavily, and he caught sight of Cameron as he emerged from the back. Julian’s stomach flipped uncomfortably, and he averted his eyes quickly, trying to pay attention to the conversation around him. Cameron’s movements repeatedly drew his attention, though, and so Julian kept track in an effort to avoid him. He didn’t trust himself or Cameron not to react in a manner that was too familiar when Cameron got close. Julian never knew who was watching at things like this.

He was going to kill Blake for talking him into this. What the hell had he been thinking? He could easily have caught up to this guy elsewhere. He wasn’t exactly the most careful sort, standing in the middle of a crowded party chatting up a stranger about stolen antiquities.

Cameron moved around the room smoothly, offering the tray to various guests. Julian could see his professional façade and silent manner firmly in place, but he could also see the man unobtrusively scanning the crowd. Someone had obviously told him he was here.

Julian’s lips compressed, and he mentally cursed. He should have let Cameron know he’d be here somehow. The decision to attend had been last minute, but he still could have attempted to call the restaurant and explain. He should have at least tried.

He was going to buy Cameron a cell phone, right after he throttled Blake.

It took most of a round of the room before Cameron entered the area where Julian stood, speaking with a man he was pretty sure was the center fielder for the Chicago White Sox.The waiter stopped several times along the way as guests lifted tidbits from his tray. It was while glancing over a woman’s shoulder that Cameron finally caught sight of him. He paused just a few seconds longer than he normally would have before silently turning away from the first group of party-goers and approaching the cluster of people surrounding Julian.

He looked uncertain and a little nervous. Julian hated seeing that look on Cameron’s face, knowing he was the cause. He hated even more what he knew he was going to have to do.

He watched Cameron’s approach discreetly, and when he finally caught Cameron’s eye he shook his head minutely and pointedly looked away from him, turning his attention back to the man speaking to him.

The motion visibly took Cameron aback for a moment, but his innate skills smoothly moved him to a group to the side, neatly sidestepping where Julian stood. Julian glanced to the side guiltily and watched him walk away. He felt like a complete bastard, but he couldn’t have the wrong people knowing he knew Cameron at all, much less that he was involved with him.

“Are you all right, son?” the deputy mayor asked him with a frown.

“Of course, sir,” Julian answered in a low, smooth voice as he returned his attention to the conversation at hand.

“So, tell me,” the man’s wife asked Julian with a smile. “How does one become so successful when dealing antiques? You seem to know everyone here!”

“Word of mouth, ma’am,” Julian answered with a smile as he took another flute of champagne from a passing waiter and gulped it down.

Cameron got back to the service area and set down his tray before taking a deep, steadying breath. He rubbed his hands over his eyes as he headed back to the kitchen to switch jobs with the expediter. There was no way he wanted to put Julian—or himself—in that position again. He didn’t know what was going on, but he had to trust that Julian had his reasons. But why couldn’t he even nod hello, like so many other strangers in the room?

Before too long, Miri entered the kitchen. “What’s wrong?” she asked him in concern as soon as she caught sight of him.

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