Page 23 of The Echelon (Spy Girl 7)
Viktor brought Isla Windsor as his date. While his smile isn’t quite as big as Daniel’s, it’s obvious that he’s finally moving on. Isla is completely enamored with him, and their chemistry is off the charts.
My brother, Ari, and his new wife, Allie—who finally decided she would go with the name Allie Von Allister—are snuggled together in a corner, dreaming about all that is ahead of them in life.
The girl who thought she was destined to be alone in the world is surrounded by family and friends.
The food is amazing.
The flowers and decor beautiful.
The bride gorgeous.
And the groom’s face is blazing with a smile, showing off both of his dimples all day long.
Everything is as it should be. Everything is completely perfect.
Except that Lorenzo isn’t here.
I can understand why he didn’t attend the wedding, but at the same time, I can’t imagine why he wouldn’t.
Unfortunately, the reason probably has more to do with me than the happy couple.
I think back to after my first mission, how days went by before Lorenzo summoned me to the castle. I look down at the beautiful dress I’m wearing, a stark contrast to what I had on after my mission with Dupree, when all I wanted to do was get back here. To Montrovia. To Lorenzo.
That’s still what I want.
I’m just not sure that, after everything we’ve been through, if it’s what he wants.
But I need to find out.
For once and for all.
If we are over forever or if this is just our beginning.
I consider driving to the docks but choose to walk instead, knowing my feet will be killing me but sort of looking forward to the pain. I open the front door to find Lorenzo standing there.
“You look tired,” I say, reaching out to touch his handsome face.
“And you look utterly breathtaking,” he says, not moving any closer. “Was the wedding a success?”
“It was. The party is still in full force. Would you like to come in?”
“No, thank you. But I do have a question. Why did you open the door just now?”
“I’m all dressed up,” I say softly. “I was getting ready to go out.”
“Where were you planning to go?”
“Well, there’s this secret entrance to the castle down by the docks I happen to know about. I was hoping to gain an audience with His Royal Highness.”
“You were coming to see me?” he asks, looking serious.
And hopeful.
“Yes. But I wasn’t sure how I would be received. A lot has happened between us. A lot has happened, period.”
“Yes, it has.” He points to a car in the driveway. “I came to pick you up myself.”
“No driver? No security?”
“Just me,” he says with a grin. “Remember the first time I was here? When I crashed your party and offered you a tour of the castle?”
“I recall telling you that you would have to pick me up yourself if we were to go on a date.”
“And, now, I am,” he says. “That is, if you would do me the honor.”
“Where would we be going on this date?” I ask, cocking my head to one side, like I’m trying to decide if I should take him up on the offer. But the truth is, it doesn’t matter. I’d go anywhere with him.
“Somewhere special,” he says, taking my hand and leading me to the car.
He doesn’t say anything as he drives down the glitzy main street of the Montrovian capital and up the winding drive to the palace. He pulls his car onto the lawn where he had me park that day when we showed his father my car.
Lorenzo is still silent when he gets out, comes around to my side, and opens the door for me. He takes my hand and leads me toward the turret.
The perfect place.
“Easy elevator or treacherous stairs?” he asks.
“The stairs, of course,” I reply.
He rolls his eyes. “I knew that would be your answer.”
For someone who was trained to anticipate every move before it happens, I’m shocked when he sweeps me off my feet and carries me to the base of the staircase.
“You aren’t thinking of carrying me all the way up there, are you?” I ask when he doesn’t set me down.
“Oh, but I am,” he says with a grin.
I know there’s no freaking way he’s going to make it to the top, but I’m in his arms for the first time in days, and I’m not letting go.
He’s breathing heavily at the quarter-way point. I snuggle in closer to him, trying to make my body as small as possible for ease of fitting through the narrow staircase.
At halfway, he stops to catch his breath.
“I can walk the rest of the way,” I offer.
“No. Lorenzo the Magnificent did this for his love, Marchesa, and I am destined to do the same.”
“Destined?” I say with a laugh. “You asked if I wanted to go up the elevator.”
“I had a moment of self-doubt,” Lorenzo says. “I feared you wouldn’t see me, let alone come to the palace. I feared that I’d ruined us. Crushed our love. Destroyed our trust. And I can’t go any further if I don’t know. Does your heart still flame for me, Lee, the way mine does for you?”
The ocean breeze is strong, and I feel both breathless and scared that we could be blown off this piece of metal and fall to our death.
And, if that were to happen, I’d want him to know.
“I bought the dream dress,” I confess. “When you took the inoculation, I was out-of-my-head furious. Everything I’d worked toward to keep you safe—poof—gone. I didn’t realize in the end that I was going to have to save you from your stupid self. Not to mention, the whole it’s my baby thing.”
“The look of betrayal on your face when you took the necklace off and handed it to me said it all. I’d thought you would know I was only saying it because you’d told me to lie about my relationship with Lizzie. I didn’t think I would ever see you again, especially once I heard you had managed to sneak out of the country. I envisioned that I would live my few remaining days with a completely broken heart.”
“The scientist’s daughter was st
aying with a friend in London. Her flat just happened to be a few blocks away from the dress designer’s showroom. I realized then that, somewhere along the way, this all stopped being about my mother’s death. That my missions had become about us. That I couldn’t let the dream of being with you die. Even if you were an idiot.”
“So, you bought the dress?”
“Not only that, but I also allowed myself to try it on. It wasn’t finished the first time I had seen it. It pretty much is now. And it became my goal. Save the world. Save your country. Save the monarchy. Save you. Saving you was the big one though because I thought, if I did that, I could also save myself.”
“What do you need saving from?” he asks.
“A life without you.”
“Lee, are you saying you still love me?”
“I’m saying that my love for you has been the driving force in all of this. I see now why men go off to war to protect their families. I understand that, when you love someone the way I love you, you’re willing to sacrifice everything to keep them safe. Even yourself. That was my wish on my birthday—that we would be married, you and your country would be safe, and that you’d love me forever.” I pull his face closer and gently press my lips against his.
“When we kiss, it feels as if I could fly,” he says.
“That would be pretty useful right now,” I tease, looking upward. “If you have a heart attack, it would kind of ruin everything.”
“My heart is full and strong. You mustn’t worry.” He gives me a beaming smile and continues his ascent.
For this half of the journey, he doesn’t seem to be struggling nearly as much even though the light drizzle has turned into a full-blown rainstorm, complete with lightning flashing across the sky. But there is a bounce in his step, and he’s moving at a faster pace, possibly due to the fear of being struck by lightning.
