Page 28 of Jonathon, After All

“God, you royals can be such snobs.”

“I won’t argue with you. They met at university and it was love at first sight. My father had always been the black sheep and was probably the first von Hessen to marry for love and have more than one child. My grandfather and the Foundation might not have approved of her, but my mother had four boys and we are the last von Hessen males, unless Max’s daughters have sons.”

Jonathon let out a defiant humph, grinning. “I’m glad she got the last laugh.”

“She did because I’m going to dedicate most of the lands I’ll inherit to Ottavia von Hessen. She loved my father and she loved nature. She would be proud to see parks all over Austria in her name.”

“That’s a beautiful way to honor her.” Jonathon sniffed softly, pulling Leo’s arm tighter around him and snuggling into his side. “What happened to them?”

“They were in Italy, in the home my mother grew up in, visiting her sisters. There was a storm and the house was hit by lightning and my parents weren’t able to get out in time.”

“I’m so sorry,” Jonathon said, turning so he could kiss Leo. “I’m so, so sorry.”

“Thank you,” he said simply. “That was one of the darker parts of the tale. I was seventeen and wouldn’t have been able to support my brothers if Max hadn’t demanded that the family and the Foundation help us. He was only acting Margrave at the time—his father hadn’t passed away yet—and the Foundation hadn’t wanted to defy the old Margrave. But Max said it was outrageous and would have been a scandal to abandon four von Hessen children at such a tragic time.”

Jonathon whistled in admiration. “Well played, Max.”

“Indeed. He was always a true and noble prince. He and Ella came to the funeral and Max insisted we stay with them until I was able to set up a household for the four of us.”

“So, you did know Ella. Muriel says she was a sad, lost child who never grew up.”

Leo winced and pushed out a hard breath. “She was but there were moments when she was present and she would let you in. You could see that there was something kind and bright inside, but she came from a monstrous family and then the Foundation and life with Max made her a miserable person. I didn’t want that for Theo and I don’t think I have the ability or the capacity to love as easily or as well as he does. I’ve always been…the opposite. I take longer to trust and I don’t want to care because I already have too much to care about with my brothers and my work and being Margrave.”

There was a dubious snort from Jonathon. “I’d believe you if I didn’t know you, Leo. You are just as good and charming and loving as Theo. You’re a bit more selective, is all,” he said, tipping his nose back. “And I refuse to believe he’s hotter than you.”

Leo laughed softly. “Thank you. That’s why I have to be the next Margrave. I want to do it for my brothers and the environment. But I have to do this for Max. He was there for us when my family was on the brink of disaster and he restored our name and our legacy. There’s no way I would have told Max no when he asked.”

“I had no idea. Muriel said the two of you were close and that his father and grandfather were strict and could be cruel. She said there was a falling out after your father had married, but I don’t think she knew that it was that bad, or about Max.”

“It wasn’t the sort of thing people in Max’s and your Aunt Muriel’s circles like to discuss and the Foundation kept it out of the media. My parents were shunned but it didn’t matter—we didn’t care—until we lost them.”

“That must have been so hard, having to be both parents to your brothers and readjust to life as a von Hessen while going to school,” Jonathon said in a heavy whisper. “You probably didn’t have a lot of time to be charming or have a sense of humor.”

He would say things like that, sweeping Leo off his feet and knocking the wind out of him. Aside from Theo, there wasn’t another person on the planet who saw Leo so clearly. He had missed that as much as he had missed touching and holding Jonathon.

The years passed quickly and while Leo had made a few attempts, his partners were too overwhelmed by his title or they were the wrong kind of submissive when he was brave enough to ask. To begin with, he had no desire to be called “master.” Leo didn’t want a slave to subjugate or degrade, but someone to cherish and pamper at all times, who in return, enjoyed relinquishing control and found comfort in being submissive.

Like Leo, Jonathon’s interest in BDSM wasn’t purely sexual and rooted in curiosity, but a hunger for something lacking in his life. In Jonathon’s case, it had been a lack of boundaries and care that Leo was all too happy to provide. So it was particularly hurtful to see how much damage Jonathon had done to himself without Leo there to care for him.

He suspected that Jonathon had done most of it to punish Leo and end any chances of a reunion between them. But none of it mattered to Leo. He hadn’t been a saint either and he knew how lonely it was, touching someone else when your heart was broken and the pieces belonged to another. Leo added all those acts of self-harm to his list of misdeeds, vowing that he’d make amends for them as well.

“I can’t do that until I find him,” he looked toward 72nd Street and the Olympia, willing Jonathon to reconsider and come out of hiding.

Apologizing to Muriel and seeking her approval was probably part of Leo’s penance and a necessary side quest, in order to gain an audience with Jonathon and a chance to plead his case. That was more than fair and Leo was happy to march right up to 6A, but she was still refusing to speak to him or his representatives.

“Markus says she has a dog…” he murmured, tapping his chin. “I’ll send a gift for the poodle. Perhaps that will help.”

Nine

It was impossible for Jonathon to sleep, knowing Leo was nearby. Historically, he had found that the amount of time he spent tossing and turning was relative to his own location and its proximity to Leo’s. He could sleep like an infant in Las Vegas, knowing there was an ocean between them and that it was probably the very last place Leo would ever visit. And Jonathon would be restless in the United Kingdom and a shambles in Europe, the closer he got to Austria and the higher the odds of seeing Leo.

This wasn’t the first time Leo had visited New York City while Jonathon and Muriel were in town. But thankfully, Leo deplored the excessive use of planes and jets by the wealthy and only ventured across the Atlantic for important occasions and kept his visits brief. Whenever he was in the city, Jonathon would use every excuse to remain at home, safely inside the Olympia, and would spend the entire time anxious and depressed until he knew Leo was on his way back to Europe.

Before the gala, Muriel had told Jonathon that their old friend, the current Margrave, was in town. She had lamented at the fact that the Margrave and his entourage would only be there for the weekend and that there would be no time to call on him before they returned to Austria. That had been just fine for Jonathon, but it looked like Leo had changed his plans.

It was safe to assume that Jonathon was the reason and that only confused and upset him more. Why couldn’t Leo stay on his side of the world and why couldn’t he take a drink to the face like an adult and leave Jonathon alone?

He was far too angry to sleep so Jonathon gave up, punching his pillow and pushing himself upright. Milo was snoring softly on the bunk below so Jonathon carefully eased himself over the side and down the ladder. He pulled on his Converse and slipped onto the balcony in his pajama pants and a T-shirt, despite the blustery night.

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