“Dimitri, go. Devereaux’s plane is waiting at the airport,” Maxim said, as if reading Dimitri’s mind.
“We can’t leave you.”
“The danger for us is over now, but if you don’t get her to New York, she will never be safe. Staying to deal with the authorities will only give the Russians another chance at her.”
Royce came over and hugged Elena. “Come on, kid, let’s get you on that plane.” He pointed at one of the SUVs. “Dimitri, move it.”
“Keep me informed,” Dimitri ordered Maxim. The other man nodded.
His friends were right, Dimitri thought. Elena had to get to New York. The gala was in a few days, and they had to be ready.
Dimitri put an arm around Elena’s waist as they got into the back of the SUV. Royce was in the driver’s seat and Cody in the passenger seat. Dimitri pulled Elena to his side, ignoring the stabbing pain in his ribs. She was almost deathly still against him, and more than once, he pressed his lips to her forehead, just to feel her shift at his touch. It reassured him she was all right.
By the time they got into Royce’s private jet, they both collapsed into a pair of chairs.
“Relax. I’ll take it from here,” Royce assured him as he and Cody spoke with the flight crew.
Dimitri wasn’t used to letting someone else handle things, but he had to acknowledge that he couldn’t stay awake. The stress and fear of the last few hours had taken a toll on him.
The flight took a little over three and a half hours, and Dimitri slept through all of it, Elena burrowed against his side. He woke when the plane landed. Elena was still dead to the world, and he hated to wake her. Part of him just wanted to stay right here and hold her forever. But they had to move.
“I have a car waiting for us,” Royce whispered as the flight attendant opened the door and secured the stairs of the plane for them to leave. Dimitri tried to lift Elena up, wincing as his ribs protested. He set her back down in the seat, and she stirred and yawned.
He tried not to think about those moments after he had fallen, when the bullets hitting his vest had knocked him unconscious and they’d left him for dead. He had woken to find her gone and had feared the worst. That panicked flight through the woods, until he’d found Vladimir, had been one of the most terrifying experiences of his life.
“Where are we?”
“New York. Can you walk to the car?” Dimitri would have carried her, but in his condition, he didn’t think he would make it very far.
“I can.” She descended the steps and walked ahead of him.
Dimitri paused to speak to Royce as they both watched her. “Part of me thinks this is a dream, that we haven’t even fought yet.” Dimitri rubbed his eyes.
“I know. It’s hard to believe the nightmare will soon be over.”
Dimitri chuckled. “Don’t jinx it,” he said in his American tourist accent.
The SUV door opened, and Kenzie emerged. She ran to Elena, hugging her, and then spotted Royce and rushed toward him. Dimitri got down the steps just in time to let Kenzie speed past him and throw herself at Royce.
“You’re okay!” Kenzie gasped. “You’re all okay.”
Royce kissed Kenzie hard and held her tight, his eyes closed as he simply sighed. “We are, sweetheart. We’re all okay.”
Dimitri swallowed hard and turned to see Elena standing by the SUV. Dawn was breaking over the horizon as he joined her.
She asked as he cupped her face in his hands, “It’s really over?” Her green eyes were dark and luminous, reminding him of the soft glow of fireflies.
“Almost. There is still the UN dinner. That will decide everything.”
“I can face anything as long as you’re with me.” She stood on her tiptoes as he leaned down and captured her mouth with his, love exploding through every cell in his body.
He drew Elena closer to him, and she pressed another kiss to his lips, easing his battered soul. One last battle remained. Now they had to show Elena to the world and hope it would be enough to protect her.
19
Three days later
Elena opened the large white dress box that Kenzie had carried into the hotel room. White tissue paper bound by gold ribbons shielded the gown from view.
“Go on,” Kenzie urged. “We don’t have much time. The gala will be starting soon.”
Elena removed the ribbon and tissue paper to reveal a cream silk and blue velvet gown. Gold embroidered the bodice and cream silk underskirt. The blue velvet sleeves were cut open and draped loosely, and the blue overskirt fell in the back in a long, lazy train, embroidered in bright gold thread. She turned to Kenzie in awe.
“This is modeled after the Romanov gowns, the ones the family wore right before . . .”Elena breathed in shock.
“Yes.” Kenzie cleared her throat. “You are a Romanov, and it is time we show the world.” Kenzie helped her dress, which she hadn’t expected, but the old-world design definitely required a second person behind to fasten up the back. Then Kenzie retrieved one more box.
“There’s just one more thing you need.”
Elena lifted the lid off the dark-blue box, revealing a diamond-studded tiara nestled in velvet.
“Oh my God . . .”
“It came with a note.” Kenzie pulled out a small white envelope from her pocket and handed it to Elena. With trembling hands, Elena pulled out a small note card embossed with the logo of Buckingham Palace at the top.
Miss Allen,
This was in my safekeeping. Now it must be returned to the family it rightfully belongs to.
Elizabeth R.
Goosebumps broke out over Elena’s skin as she looked from the note to Kenzie’s face.
“The Elizabeth?”
Kenzie nodded. “You are technically related, albeit distantly, to the British royal family. Now let’s put it on and get you downstairs.”
Kenzie set the box on a nearby table and removed the tiara that had belonged to Alexandra, Anastasia’s mother, the
