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“If everyone would please find a seat,” Sutton instructed.
Derek took her arm and led her to a chair. Ellery looked around but didn’t see Hattie Ballard. Thankfully. The prime minister wasn’t there either. That seemed strange as the man had seemed so close to the king and the crown prince.
The king walked to the back of the ballroom and out a side door, probably to escort the bride in.
Then four people walked in the door the king had just exited. Prince Curt, Aliya, Prince Steffan … and the gorgeous, dark-haired, very-much-alive, billionaire murderer—theHattie Ballard.
“Oh, no,” Ellery murmured. It was all she could do not to launch herself out of the chair, run across the room, tackle the duplicitous woman, and beg Sutton Smith to haul her to some dank, dark prison where she couldn’t hurt anyone else. Pinpricks of horror danced along her skin.
She wasn’t supposed to alert anyone to her knowledge of the truth about Hattie. They were all hoodwinked. They’d turn against Ellery.
Would they? Would Sutton Smith? The guy had more security knowledge than anyone in the world. Wouldn’t he know who was bad and good? How could the whole world know that Hattie was a conniving murderous except the very impressive, kind, and smart royals in this room?
What if she screamed out the truth? Would Derek turn against her? Walk away from her? Ruin her trust and their love?
“Elle?” he whispered. “Everything okay?”
“That’s Hattie Ballard,” she hissed in his ear.
He turned, and his face lit up. “Steffan!” He rose from his seat and started toward his brother, still holding her hand. Ellery tried to drag him to a stop. “Elle, what’s wrong?” he asked, turning back to her.
“A brief pause in the wedding so everyone can greet Prince Steffan and his illustrious and infamous bride,” Sutton said from the front of the room, his voice laced with humor.
Ellery whipped around and saw a benevolent smile on the man’s face. Even Sutton Smith was in on the deception? No way. This woman was good. No, she was a master.
The groom, the general of the Augustine military, was heading to greet Steffan and Hattie. Ellery couldn’t catch a full breath. She needed to get to her phone and let Naomi know Hattie was here. At least Naomi could send her husband and the right police people to arrest Hattie, even if the royal family—andtheSutton Smith—were all deluded.
“Are you all right?” Derek asked again, concern etching his brow.
“I, um, I’m a little shocked. I thought Hattie was dead.”
“Oh.” He nodded and leaned in to whisper, “Jensen and Ray had to fake her death because she was framed for murder. We’ve kept it very hushed to keep all of them safe. I didn’t know she and Steffan were going to make it today.”
Ellery stared at him. If he loved her, trusted her, why wouldn’t he have told her Hattie was alive? She could’ve protected them all better.
“Chief Jensen,” she heard Hattie say warmly over the clatter.
ChiefJensen had covered up her escape? Derek had said that in his introduction. The chief of their police, the general of the Augustine military, the king and the crown prince andtheSutton Smith. All hoodwinked by one beautiful and brilliant and wealthy woman.
“You didn’t think that was pertinent information I should know?” she whispered to Derek as Steffan and Hattie’s group edged closer to them. Obviously, Steffan wanted to hug his long-lost brother.
“Sorry. We’ve kept it so quiet that only those we explicitly trust were invited here today. Why do you think T and Malik don’t have dates?” He smiled, but something was bugging her—well, a whole lot was bugging her.
“If you explicitly trusted me, why didn’t you tell me Steffan and Hattie were coming? Oh, and news flash—a murderous woman is alive, married to your brother, and coming to the wedding.”
“Murderous?” He looked at her strangely.
Ah, crap. She had to somehow play this cool and get Naomi’s people here to arrest Hattie. Then the royal family would have to face the truth. All these incredible people. People she loved. Derek, Kiera, the king, Macey, all the family … in danger. What could she do if she couldn’t get to her phone to send the information on?
Suddenly, Hattie and Steffan were in front of them. Steffan was darkly handsome with the August family bright blue eyes, and Hattie was absolutely gorgeous, with dark hair and skin and eyes, wearing the exact same dress as Aliya, Kiera, and Ellery. They’d obviously planned to come for a while. Had Derek known that and kept it from her?
Steffan and Derek embraced, thumping each other on the back. Hattie smiled warmly at Ellery as if they were the best of friends. “It’s an honor to meet you, Ellery. We try to watch your competitions and I kept telling Steffan that Derek was in love with you. Who’s right, as usual?” She winked at her … husband? Were they truly married? She glanced at Hattie’s left hand and, sure enough, a gorgeous diamond flashed at her. Derek’s accomplished, handsome, doctor prince brother was married to a murderer and apparently living in hiding with her.
Ellery’s palms were sweating. She had to get to her phone and get a message to Naomi. Why had she left everything in the room? There’d been a small purse on the shelf. She could’ve put her phone in there. Dumb. So dumb. Could she trust Derek to stand by her side when she revealed the truth? She’d claimed last night she trusted him more than anyone, but now she was confused, and terrified.
“You, love. You’re always right.” Steffan gave Ellery a brief side hug. “It’s wonderful to meet you, Ellery.”
“You as well,” she managed to get out.
