Russian Enforcer's Royal Engagement (Russian Enforcers Book 7)

by Nic Saint

  It was obvious that being with Diana had brought the young prince nothing but disaster. It was time to finally sever the ties and remove herself from his life. She really didn’t want to be responsible for the downfall of the House of Montinia or the further disruption of the fairylike little country.

  Enough was enough. Because she now knew that she loved this man, she couldn’t go on destroying his life. While Jack dealt with the police and, more importantly, with Yulian Gornakov’s men, she had quietly packed up her stuff, and now snapped the suitcase shut.

  She hated to leave him—had really hoped they could spend Christmas and New Year together in this wintry city, but with a heavy heart she realized theirs was a match not meant to be. She’d caused him enough harm. Time to say goodbye.

  With a deep sigh, she heaved the suitcase from the bed and extended the handle, then rolled it to the salon. She’d already called a cab that would bring her to the airport and had managed to change her flight so it would take her to the US and back home to Brooklyn.

  With a heavy heart she stepped out into the corridor and rolled the suitcase to the elevator. She remembered how happy she’d been when they arrived. And as she rode the elevator down, she stared down into the lobby at the Christmas tree, her heart sinking and tears starting to trickle down her cheeks.

  She really loved this man, and would miss him terribly. Soon he’d read her letter and he would understand why she had to leave. Perhaps he’d even be relieved.

  She reached the lobby and moved to reception. The woman behind the desk greeted her in a chipper voice. Diana addressed her in Russian, a language she and her brothers still commanded, and the woman’s face lit up even more, visibly surprised that a tourist would speak her mother tongue.

  “I hope you had a pleasant stay, Mrs. Romanov,” the woman intoned as she checked the computer.

  “A bit too short,” she admitted, trying to sound casual. She choked up when she heard the Christmas carols ringing through the lobby. She’d really looked forward to spending the holidays with Jack.

  “What the hell do you think you’re doing!” suddenly echoed a voice behind her. With a lifting heart, she turned and found herself gazing into the most beautiful face in the world.

  She blinked, and saw him standing before her with a bulky package in his hands. He must have just arrived, snow dotting his black overcoat and hair.

  “I-I wrote you a letter,” she replied feebly. “I think it’s best if I return home. I’ve caused you enough trouble as it is, and—and—and…” She blinked again, and this time she couldn’t hold back the tears any longer.

  “You’re not going anywhere,” he said in a soft rumbling voice.

  She walked up to him, not wanting to hold this discussion in front of the reception desk clerk. “I’ve seen how the press has been engaged in a war against the House of Montinia…all because of me,” she explained, placing her hands on his chest, giving him a pleading look. “I can’t be responsible for ruining your reputation, Jack. For destroying your family’s good name.”

  “My reputation was never very good to begin with,” he countered.

  “But it is,” she insisted. “And I don’t want to destroy everything your forefathers have built.”

  He smiled, then, for the first time. “You’re not responsible for any of that, darling. As you’re not responsible for the way I feel about you.”

  “The way you…” Her voice trailed off, her eyes wide as she stared at him.

  “I’m in love with you, Diana,” he said earnestly, then held up his hands. “If you walk out of my life now it will destroy me.”

  Her jaw dropped, not comprehending what was going on.

  “Diana Petrov, I’m deeply, irrevocably in love with you,” he repeated. “My only question is: do you…care for me too?”

  Still speechless, she felt the tears streaming down her face, and she sobbed, her voice breaking, then finally managed to croak, “I do, Jack. I do love you.”

  His face lit up with the widest smile she’d ever seen him muster. “That’s fine then. Hell, that’s…wonderful!”

  And then he abruptly dropped the bulky package he’d been holding and clasped her into his arms, and pressed his lips to hers, then kissed her cheeks, her brow, and wiped the tears from her eyes.

  “Will you marry me?” he finally whispered against her ear. “You’d make me the happiest man alive, and I promise I’ll do anything in my power to make you the happiest woman.”

  She jerked back and stared at him, aghast. “But I can’t, Jack. Montinia…”

  “Montinia will take care of itself,” he assured her, his hands on her shoulders. “Armand has repented. He and Dad have made a deal. Everything is being taken care of. The press will never bother us again, my sweetness.”

  She frowned, not comprehending. “What?” she asked feebly.

  “Armand’s nephew is a cokehead, and has landed his family in a financial nightmare, which is how Armand was roped into this terrible affair. Dad will make sure all debts are paid and his nephew awarded the treatment he requires. In exchange Armand pulled some strings. Told the press to play nice or never set foot on Montinian soil again and face a lawsuit for slander and defamation of character.” He smiled. “They complied. The term Mafia Princess will never be mentioned again. Ever.”

  Her brows lifted at this unexpected piece of good news. “It’s a Christmas miracle,” she breathed.

  “It is,” he grinned, then stooped down and lifted the package and pressed it into her arms. “And here’s another piece of Christmas cheer.”

  She stared at the package, overwhelmed by all that was happening.

  “Open it,” he instructed.

  She set it down and together they tore away the packing paper, to reveal a small Christmas tree.

  “For our room,” he explained. “Since we’ll be celebrating Christmas and the New Year together I thought we could decorate the room. Make things more festive.”

  She nodded, then noticed the small object crowning the top of the tree. She squinted, wondering if her eyes were deceiving her. Tentatively, she reached down and removed the tree-topper, studying it. Was that…a ring?

  Uncertainly, she looked up at Jack, and found him smiling at her. She stood, but he remained on one knee before her, and she gasped, her eyes darting from the ring in her hand to Jack. The engagement ring was platinum, several round gems framing a center diamond. It was stunning.

  “This ring belonged to my mother and her mother before her,” he explained, then took her hand in his and pressed a kiss on it. “Diana Petrov, I know I’m not the most charming of princes, but I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you take a chance on me and be my bride?”

  She heard sighs of surprise around her, and saw that they had acquired a small audience. A wide smile crept up her cheeks, then she handed Jack the ring and held out her hand. “I will,” she said simply, and watched as he slipped the ring onto her finger.

  It was a perfect fit. Then Jack rose and swept her into his arm, and when his lips closed over hers, loud cheers rang out around them.

  Tears were still flowing, but this time they were tears of happiness, and then she was drowning in the kiss.

  At their feet stood the small Christmas tree, symbol of their newfound love and happiness.

  It was placed next to her suitcase.

  She didn’t think she’d need it for a little while.

  ABOUT NIC

  Nic Saint is the pen name of husband and wife writing team Nicole and Nick Saint. The Saints have been writing together since 2007, initially focusing on cozy mystery books about cat sleuths and bumbling spies, later funny/scary books for kids and finally settling on what they like best: writing romance.

  When they’re not tugging at the heartstrings, they enjoy their daily dose of yoga, a great movie, healthy food and a good book.

  You can find us at nicsaint.com, on Facebook or Twitter.

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  LINKS TO OTHER NIC SAINT BOOKS

  Felicity Bell

  Humorous Romantic Mystery

  One Spoonful of Trouble

  Russian Enforcers

  Romantic Suspense

  Russian Enforcer’s Reluctant Bride

  Russian Enforcer’s Virgin Captive

  Russian Enforcer’s Feisty Lover

  Box Set (books 1-3)

  Russian Enforcer’s Resistant Rescue

  To Defy a Russian Billionaire

  Russian Enforcer’s Burning Obsession

  Russian Enforcer’s Dangerous Game

  Box Set (books 4-6)

  Russian Enforcer’s Royal Engagement

  Standalone Novels

  Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense

  The Billionaire’s Valiant Rescue

  Navy SEAL’s Virgin Lover

  The Pastor’s Jezebel Lover

  Billionaire Novelist’s Fiery Debutante

  The Russian’s Tenacious Lover

  Cozy Mystery

  When in Bruges

  Once Upon a Spy

  Novellas

  Romance

  Blast From The Past

  The Thorntons

  Dark Romance

  Scott

  Roland

  Jackson

  William

  Box Set (all four books)

  Excerpt From:

  THE BILLIONAIRE’S VALIANT RESCUE

  CHAPTER ONE

  “Paris. I need to go to Paris.”

  My teeth were chattering as I clung to my savior, muttering these words like some broken record.

  He looked at me blankly and I didn’t blame him. If I’d just pulled a total stranger from the river and she kept rambling on about Paris, I’d have directed a similar look at her myself.

  “Just... lie back,” my valiant knight in shining armor said. “The ambulance will be here in just a minute.”

  My eyes fluttered closed, then, but not before catching a glimpse of the man’s comforting half-smile and his azure eyes. They were the clearest blue, and for a moment I felt as if I were drowning yet again, only this time the sensation was exhilarating and not half as scary as when my body had broken the murky surface of the river.

  “That’s it,” he murmured, rocking me gently in his lap. “Just relax. Everything’s fine now. Everything’s perfectly fine.”

  When my eyes flashed open again, I gasped in shock. I was surrounded by darkness, and the man with the blue eyes was nowhere to be found. The faintest hint of a dream lingered at the edge of consciousness. Paris again.

  “Where am I?” I whispered to no one in particular. “Where...”

  Fighting a wave of nausea, I struggled to focus on my surroundings. Then it hit me. The smell of disinfectant. The white-washed walls. The exceedingly starched sheets. I was in the hospital.

  I shifted my head to take in the rest of the room. I was alone, the other bed unoccupied, and through the curtainless windows I could see the full moon casting its pale light upon the world. I reached over to my nightstand in search of my valuables and was relieved when my hand touched my cell. My whole life was in that tiny piece of high-tech, and perhaps even a clue to who I was and what the hell I was doing here.

  As consciousness returned, a million questions buzzed through my aching brain. Who was I? Where was I? And why the hell had my life suddenly taken a turn for the highly dramatic and ended up in an icy cold river?

  For if there was one thing I knew, it was that this was so not me. I wasn’t a jumper, and even if I were, death by drowning would be the last thing I’d choose.

  Suddenly the door to my room burst open, and an older woman stormed in. Her teary face broke into a relieved smile when she saw that I was awake.

  “Melanie! Honey!” she cried, arms outstretched to bundle me up into an embrace. “I’m so glad you’re all right!”

  Melanie? Really? Was that my name?

  “Um, hi?” I said as my visitor slung her arms around me and pulled me into the vise-like circle.

  “Oh, honey,” she sighed. “You have no idea how worried we were.”

  We? Who was we?

  “When we didn’t hear from you, we finally broke down and called the police. It took them hours to track you down.”

  She finally released me and sat back, studying my face from behind thick glasses.

  I gave her an embarrassed smile, trying to figure out a way to break the news to her gently that I didn’t know her from Adam. Or Eve. Turned out I didn’t have to. My lack of enthusiasm must have given me away, for she suddenly heaved a sob, and said, “What’s wrong? Don’t you recognize me?”

  “Um, actually… no?”

  For the second time, she broke into tears, and this time I was the one feeling compelled to tell her everything was going to be all right. Though I hardly believed it myself.

  ***

  From behind a window looking into Melanie’s room, Jack Carter stood gazing upon the tearful reunion scene with a worried frown etched on his face. For some reason he couldn’t even begin to comprehend why he felt this protective of the young woman he’d saved from a watery grave mere hours before, and the tepid way she responded to the arrival of her mother filled him with confusion.

  He stared at her hollow eyes as she greeted the woman who’d introduced herself as Linda Soakes. Melanie Harper, if that was indeed her name, looked emaciated and exhausted, and yet her natural beauty still shone through. Her wispy blond hair clung in tresses to her face, and her liquid brown eyes appeared dull and deadened, but he’d seen the determination and the life in those eyes, and knew her to be a fighter.

  Though he hadn’t doubted the doctor’s assessment that she’d suffered a nasty blow to the head before ending up in the canal, he still nurtured a vague hope the medical man was mistaken.

  Melanie Harper hadn’t merely stumbled into the river by accident. According to the physician she’d been hit over the head before being thrown in. Or, in a different interpretation of the facts, she had suffered the debilitating blow by violently hitting her head upon impact. Whatever the case, hers was obviously a matter for the police, and only through his intervention had the cop sent down to take her statement allowed the girl’s mother to go in first.

  It obviously didn’t make much difference. Either mother and daughter enjoyed a very flawed relationship, evident by an absolute lack of warmth, or, worse, she didn’t even recognize her own mom.

  The police officer cleared his throat. “Perhaps I can take your statement now, Carter. You say you saw Miss Harper flailing in the water? So you decided she was in trouble and jumped in to rescue her?”

  “That’s right,” Jack said curtly.

  “Can you tell me what you were doing down there?”

  Jack looked over at the swarthy man and thought he detected a glint of malice in the burly police officer’s eye. It didn’t surprise him. Ever since the incident over a decade ago, Brussels’ finest didn’t exactly hold him in high esteem.

  He shrugged off the building tension.

  “I was taking my dog for a walk, like I always do at night. I live around the corner, as you probably know.”

  The policeman merely nodded, his eyes fixed on him. “Any witnesses? Anyone to corroborate your story, Carter?”

  Jack sighed inaudibly. He’d known the moment he called the cops they’d start busting his balls. “No. I was alone on the quay.”

  “All alone, huh? Just you and miss Harper.”

  Suddenly he felt anger flaring up inside of him. “Look, if you don’t believe me, why don’t you ask the girl. She’ll tell you what happened.”

  The police officer’s lip curled up into a grin. Like most cops he lived to get a rise out of the people he detested, and there was no one cops hated more than Jack Carter.

  “Sure thing, Carter. I’ll get right on it. But first t
ell me, what is your relationship with Melanie Harper?”

  “We had no ‘relationship’. For Christ’s sakes, I never met the woman in my life.”

  The policeman pursed his lips. “So you say.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean? You think I’m lying to you?”

  The cop’s dark eyes bored into his. “Yes, Carter. I think you’re full of shit.”

  “Go to hell,” Jack snarled.

  The cop laughed. “You would like that, wouldn’t you? Well, let me tell you that if anyone’s going to hell it’s you.” Jabbing his finger in Jack’s chest to accentuate his next words, the thickset officer growled, “You’re going down for this, Carter. You took advantage of this poor young woman and then dumped her when she turned on you.”

  “What? That’s ridiculous!”

  “Not so ridiculous to me, bub. And not so ridiculous to the judge.”

  “Why would I save her and call 911 if I wanted her dead?”

  The cop shook his head. “I don’t think you’re the one that saved her, Carter. I’m pretty sure some mystery man saved her and when the police finally showed up you found yourself with your ass in your hands and decided to play mister hero man.” He grinned. “You’re finally going down, Jack. And this time daddy won’t be around to save you.”

  Jack felt a strong urge to slug the bastard but with extreme effort managed to restrain himself. Instead, he grunted, “Prove it, you son of a bitch.”

  The cop gestured to Melanie. “Trust me. She will.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  “I don’t know what’s going on. I really don’t.” I buried my face in my hands and my shoulders slumped. The woman had finally revealed herself as Linda Soakes, and claimed to be my mother. As difficult as I found it, I had to confess neither the name nor the person rang a bell.