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It had been until Princess Eloise turned out to be Elle He’d tear the world apart for her, but it turned out the best thing he could do for her was rip out his own heart In a few hours she’d be Elskov’s queen, and queens didn’t marry for love, unless you counted the love of country They most definitely didn’t marry commoners eren’t even citizens She’d said she loved him That was the one choice she couldn’t make as queen

“Good-bye, Major, it’s been a pleasure” He turned the key in the ignition “Watch over her”

Without waiting for a response, Dom yanked the comm unit out of his ear and dropped it out the car’sbefore pulling away and driving until the castle was only a dot in his rearview mirror

…

Whatever shot the doctor had given Elle had done the trick Twentyup in bed, propped up by pillows and very nearly 100 percent herself At least enough so that she’d kicked out everyone except Major Bendtsen

He stood at attention at the foot of the bed, hands clasped behind his back looking every bit like the career military officer he was Control Deterht-hand man He was a force to be reckoned with…but so was she And there was no way the man who’d rescued her could be anyone other than Do it with as h she already knew the answer, she had to ask “Is he alive? Was that really Dom?”

The reen eyes locked with hers “Yes, Your Highness”

She sank back against the pillows and let out a relieved sigh “How? I saw the chalet come down”

“It’s a good thing his backup plans have backups” A rare grin from the major

“Where is he now?” Because it sure as hell wasn’t where he was supposed to be Not after everything they’d been through

“He’s at the airport He thought it best if he headed up the search for any re Fjende who may have fled Elskov”

Before she had a chance to question hione, his body bent with age and pain, but there was nothe blue eyes, because they were the same distinctive shade as her own

He hesitated at the door for aover to what used to be his bed The tip of his silver cane tapped against the stone floor with each step, each one e how much the man before her was a shadow of his for into a carnival mirror reflection of the man her father had been It broke her heart

Slowly, he eased himself down until he sat next to her on the bed, the ht “Look at you, Eloise Your mother would be so proud”

Knowing he was alive was one thing—seeing him quite another She didn’t knohether to push him away or pull him close She kinda wanted to do both “How could you?”