Free Russian Enforcer's Royal Engagement (Russian Enforcers Book 7) by Nic Saint

from his pocket, Yulian slipped it into the lock and turned. Within seconds the car arrived and the door slid open. “This takes us straight to the command center,” Yulian told him.
    Rob was going to ask him how he’d managed to get a hold of the key but then thought better of it. The billionaire was a very special guest of the king. He’d probably been granted this exceptional access as a way to make sure he felt safe.
    As the elevator zoomed down, Yulian warned, “Better keep your eyes peeled. Those assholes might still be around.”
    Rob cursed under his breath. He wasn’t packing. “They better not have harmed my sister,” he growled.
    “ Our sister,” Yulian corrected.
    They stared at each other for a beat, both men mentally readying themselves for whatever awaited them down in that dungeon. Then the elevator jerked to a stop and the door swished open.
    The sight that met their eyes took their breath away.

CHAPTER 16

    She’d dreamed of her mother, or at least that’s what she thought as she came up for air. It was as if she was drowning in a deep blue sea. Slowly it all came back to her. As she splashed about with her mother, father and siblings, she noticed she’d been drifting ever further away from the beach, and now suddenly found herself in open water, the shoreline almost disappeared from view. The water had become colder and the surface more choppy and there was no way she would ever be able to reach safety now.
    The sound of her brothers laughing and frolicking in the surf on their boards was nothing but a distant memory, the warning call of her mother still ringing in her ears: “Don’t swim too far, Diana, honey.”
    Well, that’s exactly what she’d done. She’d swum out too far and now there was no way she could ever get back.
    The water was so deep here, so cold, her breaststroke but a feeble attempt to propel her body through these dangerous currents sweeping her out to sea.
    She tried to call out, to shout, but a gulp of salty water prevented her from using her voice. She coughed, quelling a rising sense of panic.
    The surface was closing over her head, tons of water pushing her down into the darkness, deeper and deeper…until a glimmer of hope surged in her chest.
    A voice called out—a hand caught hers and pulled her back up.
      Who was calling her name? All she knew was that her heart trilled at the sound of his voice.
    “Diana! Diana, wake up!”
    She groaned and shook her head, straining to resurface.
    Her mother…Anna…where was she? Why had she ever allowed her to be swept away?
    “Diana? Come back!”
    She tried to open her eyes but they were heavy. Finally, with supreme effort, she managed…and gazed into eyes the color of amber. She sighed in relief when strong arms held her and pressed her close.
    “Jack,” she whispered. “Oh, Jack.”
    “Diana, thank God,” he murmured, his voice betraying his emotion.
    Then she noticed she wasn’t out at sea but safe on the hard floor of the palace basement. She must have collapsed, and now found herself being rocked in Jack’s arms, reveling in the feel of safety that washed over her at his touch.
    “You gave us quite a scare, young lady,” a familiar voice sounded next to her.
    When she found herself gazing into Rob’s trusty greens, she smiled. “Rob.”
    He grinned down at her. “We thought you were a goner.”
    “They must have drugged her,” muttered a third man, whom she recognized as Yulian. Vaguely she remembered something about him, though at the moment she couldn’t recall what it was. There was something about this man…something very important…but what?
    Then she remembered, and her eyes widened. “Yulian…you’re my brother!”
    He nodded. “That’s right, Anastasiya.”
    She winced at the name. “I think I prefer Diana.”
    “Me too,” Rob chimed in.
    “What happened?” she groaned, only now becoming aware of nausea sweeping through her.
    “They put a gun to your head, spraying you with