Page 33 of Jonathon, After All

Instead, Leo had cast a beautiful spell upon Jonathon, enchanting and filling his head with silly fairy tales. It would have been so much easier to get over an average man and put a run-of-the-mill fling behind him, but Leo had to go and make it extraordinary and he had to be the perfect fantasy prince.

Yes… I do think I’ll be sad for the foreseeable future, Jonathon predicted, returning to the present and 8B’s balcony. He wiggled his shoulders, sinking deeper into the quilt and admiring the blunt while Giles rhapsodized about airports and train stations. Jonathon couldn’t see how it was possible to get over a man like Leo von Hessen. He wished he had thrown a much bigger drink in Leo’s face for making him believe that he was worthy of a prince and that they could live happily ever after.

I will never forgive him and I am not coming out of 8B until Leo has left Manhattan.

Why would he? Jonathon had nice friends there who cared about him and there were snacks and plenty of weed.

Ten

It was a rainy morning in Manhattan, as Leo climbed into the back of a limo, reminding him of winter in Austria and making him homesick. Leo wished that he and Markus were headed to his townhouse in Vienna or one of his homes in the country, instead of making the short trek to the Olympia to face Muriel Hormsby.

They were going to plead for her mercy and assistance, but Leo wasn’t sure he was worthy of either, the more he learned about Jonathon’s exploits and his reputation. None of it truly shocked or offended Leo, he only blamed himself for the desperation and loneliness that had caused Jonathon to act out so destructively.

“My source says Ms. Hormsby is still furious and has only agreed to see you because she wants her nephew found,” Markus warned, but Leo made a dismissive sound as he watched the traffic and pedestrians outside the limo.

He had no doubt that Muriel had come to similar conclusions as Leo, given time to reflect upon Jonathon’s outburst at the gala and the weeks they’d spent together at Schönbühel. All this time, Leo had believed he’d done the honorable thing, but in reality, he’d behaved like an entitled monster.

It was that sense of entitlement and his absolute faith in Sabine that had led Leo astray. He believed that he was destined to be Margrave and that Sabine was devout in her loyalty to him first. He thought they were completely united in their desire to reshape the House of Hessen into a modern, environmentally responsible foundation and to restore as much of Austria’s natural beauty as possible for future generations.

Now, in hindsight, Leo could see how easily that trust had been manipulated and how his arrogance, inflexibility, and pride had been used against him. But he had been so swept up in his fascination and need for Jonathon, he had missed the signs. He should have gone on the defensive from the beginning instead of confiding in Sabine.

He went back to the morning she had learned about them and felt like a colossal fool. He had been too groggy and surly to realize that that was when he had handed over control and Jonathon began to slip through his fingers.

Once again, Leo had woken up in a petulant mood, craving Jonathon and resenting all the obligations and expectations placed on him. He had been given a castle and was expected to behave like the proper lord. But Schönbuhel may as well have been a monastery, there was little else to do but read ancient books and contemplate one’s choices.

“Verdammt!” Leo had scrubbed his face and looked longingly at the divot in the pillow next to his. The bed was too big, and now, Leo resented the empty space next to him after their private ball and sleepover a few nights prior. He had fallen asleep again and missed his chance to say “goodbye” before Jonathon had snuck back to his room. “This is ridiculous,” Leo muttered at the other pillow, tracing the blue embroidery. “We’re both adults and this is supposed to be my castle.”

There was a quick knock before the sitting room door was opened and Leo heard Sabine’s determined stride as her heels clicked on the wood and marble floors.

“Good. You’re up,” she said on her way to open the curtains. “I just got off the phone with London and everything’s going well at the conference, but I wanted to run a few things by you before the next session started.”

“And before I could call Andreas myself?” Leo guessed as he pushed himself upright, tugging the covers around his waist.

She hissed apologetically, crossing her arms and canting toward the bed. “We thought you might have an easier time relaxing and leaving it in his hands if we started your morning with an update,” she said and held up a set of crossed fingers.

“I know how I’d like to start my morning,” Leo muttered under his breath, glancing at the pillow again. Andreas and London were the last thing on Leo’s mind for once, but that had made his mood even worse because he had to wait until later to “start” his day the way he wanted to. And to make matters worse, Leo was pinned down in a cold, empty bed with a heavy, twitching hard-on.

“Did you have another rough night?” Sabine asked in concern as she approached and reached for his cheek.

“It wasn’t too rough,” he recalled but immediately blocked all thoughts of Jonathon gagging around his cock and whimpering and moaning as he rode Leo.

“You do look a little…drained,” she noted while brushing the hair away from his eyes. “Should I call for the doctor?”

Leo shushed and waved her off. “I’m fine.” He’d be a lot better once he’d had a few moments alone with Jonathon.

“Perhaps breakfast will help,” she suggested and went to throw back the covers but Leo grabbed her wrist.

“I wouldn’t,” he advised, shaking his head.

“Oh!” She blushed and her gaze swung away from his bare chest and widened when she spotted the bottle of lube on the other bedside table. “Oh,” she said loudly as she looked around the room for other clues. “You’ve had…” Sabine had to clear her throat and she went to the window, turning her back to Leo and giving him more privacy. “You’ve had a guest, I take it.”

“Did Andreas have anything interesting to report?” he asked as he got up and headed to his closet for a robe.

“No. Everything’s going well and there should be more than enough support. Please tell me it’s not one of the footmen or a maid, Leo.”

“It is not,” he replied, tying the belt on his way to the bathroom and she followed.

“It would almost have to be, unless it’s the butler or the housekeeper and there’s no way,” she laughed nervously.

---