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“I think so.” He shrugged. “It might take some time, but it’ll buff out.”
“Thanks, bro.” Derek gave Malik a quick hug and suddenly he felt more like himself and wanted to see how his brother was feeling about something. “I heard Sophie Pederson is the chef for tonight’s reception. Any chance you can forgive her after all these years?”
Malik’s face tightened, and he stepped back. “Buried and done, bro. Now stop worrying about my love life and go fix yours.”
“Done.” Derek saluted him and hurried from the ballroom.
He jogged down the hall and up the stairs then down the family hall. He reached Ellery’s suite and said a prayer for strength and forgiveness, for both of them and all of his family. He rapped on the door and waited. He knocked again. Nothing.
Twisting the knob, he called out, “Elle?”
The suite was silent. He searched quickly, but Ellery was definitely gone. All the dresses were in her closet. All the fancy shoes lined the closet floor. The only thing missing was her workout clothes.
He strode out of the room and down the hall and the stairs. A guard walked into the foyer as he reached it. The man looked at him and nodded respectfully. “I took Miss Monson to the driver who will escort her to the airport, Prince Derek.”
“Excuse me? Who told you to do that?”
“I received a message from the lower gate that her driver was waiting to take her to the airport, sir.”
“What?” Derek spun and ran back to the ballroom. He burst in and everybody turned to look at him. “You sent Elle away?” he demanded of Ray.
“No.” Ray shook his head, his arm firmly around Macey.
“Who else would’ve sent her away but you? Some guard said he received a message from the lower gate that her driver was waiting to take Elle to the airport.”
“It wasn’t me,” Ray insisted, though he didn’t look sad she was gone.
“Who called for a driver for Ellery?” Derek cut his gaze around the room. His dad and Malik were on his side. T? Curt? Jensen? Chad?
The tension in the room was high. Yes, Ellery had made a mistake trusting Naomi and everything was a mess, but nobody had a right to just send her away. Had she gone willingly, or had she assumed Derek didn’t want her around? That he’d turned his back on her like her father had? His stomach turned over at the thought.
Each of the men shook their heads in turn.
Derek raked his hand through his hair. Who would’ve sent a driver for her?
“Call her and make sure she’s safe,” his dad said. “I don’t like this.”
Derek’s eyes widened. He tried Elle’s number. The room quieted as everyone waited. “She’s not answering.” His voice was full of panic. He looked to Ray. His brother would know what to do, how to find Ellery. Ray’s gaze held his for only half a beat and then he nodded.
“Chad,” Ray turned to his major first. “Find that guard and see who he sent her with. Set up roadblocks on the canyon exits to the north and the south.”
“Got it.”
“Jensen,” Ray commanded as only the general could. “Get men to the airports and searching for whatever car they might be in.”
Derek was stunned by Ray’s quick reaction and show of support for Ellery. She’d ruined his wedding day and upset his beloved bride, but Ray would still be there for her because he loved Derek.
Derek had been gone for eight months, but his family would never turn their backs on him, or the woman he loved, no matter what.
He pushed the call button on Ellery’s number again, praying she’d answer.
Nothing.
“Let’s go find her,” Macey said. Her tone was resolute and Derek’s respect for his new sister-in-law increased as she put Ellery above her own ruined day without hesitation. Macey grabbed the train of her wedding dress and hurrying for the door.
Ray jogged after his wife, and they all trailed after them. Macey could run fast in those heels, and she beat them all to the garage. Everybody started climbing into high-performance race cars. Derek jumped in the car closest to the garage exit—his dad’s black Lamborghini Aventador.
The passenger door opened, and his dad slid in. “Let’s go.”
