Chapter 19
Nineteen
As Leo had promised, a limo arrived at 8:00 AM to deliver Jonathon to the Plaza. For Jonathon, it was like returning to the scene of a crime despite the fact that Leo had sent a note reminding him to dress comfortably again. Jonathon kept his head down as he was shown into the hotel’s private entrance and rode a gleaming wood and gold-inlaid elevator up to the two-level Grand Penthouse Suite.
“Welcome back to the Plaza, Mr. Hawthorne,” the doorman said cheerfully, despite Jonathon’s prior assault there.
“Good morning, Mr. Hawthorne, and welcome,” the butler said with an elegant bow after the elevator doors opened. The slight, older man gestured serenely at the opulent living room. “Mr. von Hessen should be down in just a moment, but if there is anything you should need, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
“Thank you, I will,” Jonathon said, nodding and dismissing him. He gave the space a discreet scan, assessing and comparing. Being Muriel’s travel companion, and a reformed slut, he had been in just about every suite in the Plaza with the exception of the Grand Penthouse Terrace Suite and the Royal Suite.
He thought the gray and cream theme was chic, yet rather typical, but still found the understated elegance inviting. The art was more modern but the shapes and lines of the furniture were classic with just a touch of formality from the crystal chandeliers, making the rooms feel airy and contemporary.
“You’re here!” Leo said excitedly as he jogged down the stairs in a chunky Aran cable knit cardigan, jeans, and boots. He opened his arms and Jonathon’s feet carried him forward before he had made up his mind to throw himself at Leo. “I missed you. How was your evening?” he asked and Jonathon winced nervously.
“Fine except all the dread over seeing Sabine,” he confided. Jonathan leaned right into his embrace, one arm circling Leo’s back as the other hand slid up his chest. “But I’m dreading it even less now,” he murmured with an appreciative groan as he felt Leo’s broad, firm pec beneath this shirt.
Leo’s hand covered Jonathon’s as he shushed and nipped at his lips. “Everything will be fine. I sent my brothers away. I didn’t want this morning to be more stressful than it already is. They mean well, I think…” He stared into the distance for a moment then shook his head. “It’s hard to tell with them these days.
“I wouldn’t have minded more time with them,” Jonathan said and narrowed his eyes at Leo. “They weren’t nearly as bad as you claimed.”
“How distraught were you yesterday?” Leo asked him, making Jonathon snort.
He leaned back and gave Leo a peeved look. “ Quite , but they were sweet and Theo isn’t hotter than you.”
“He’s not?” Leo sounded pleased as he put an arm around Jonathon and led him to the terrace. “The weather is cooperating this morning so I thought we’d dine out here in the sun.”
“Perfect!” Jonathon ran ahead, skipping out through the opened doors and sighing as the warmth touched his face. He went to check out the view of the park and gasped at the gorgeous day. “It’s been raining so much lately. I love it, but it’s so nice to have a break.” he said as he closed his eyes, soaking it in. Leo was staring again when Jonathon opened his eyes. “What?”
“I thought you would enjoy being in the light. You always seek it out,” he said with a soft laugh. He reached for Jonathon’s jaw, cradling it. “I used to think you absorbed the sunshine so you could light up any room you entered and add warmth.”
“That’s silly,” Jonathon said dizzily, not sure if he’d faint or scream if Leo didn’t kiss him soon. “Did you know that I’m a Leo?” he asked him, causing Leo’s brows to pull together as he shook his head.
“You’re a Leonardo or Leopold, like me?”
“No!” Jonathon laughed. “My sun sign! I’m a Leo and I guess we love the sun.”
Leo frowned. “Oh. I believe I’m a Scorpio. Is that good?” he asked and Jonathon hummed as he stretched toward Leo’s lips.
“Yes. We’re both strong personalities, but we can be very passionate together. I think I was born to love a specific Leo, though,” he said, catching Leo’s cheek before he could peck and pull away. “Kiss me. The way you used to,” he whispered.
“I’m afraid that might be dangerous out here,” Leo grumbled, but his head lowered and he was shaking. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to stop.”
The hand behind Leo’s back twisted in his cardigan and Jonathon shook his head defiantly. “I’m not sitting down to eat or talking to Sabine until I know and I won’t know until you kiss me, Leo.”
“Know what?” he asked, his voice uneven but urgent as he searched Jonathon’s eyes. “What do you need to know?”
Jonathon wound the other arm around Leo’s neck, locking them together. “Are we still passionate when we’re…together,” he said and had to lick his lips, they were suddenly dry. “This whole thing could be a big waste of time if we’ve lost our spark.”
“Lost it?” Leo replied, shaking his head. “No. We could not,” he stated as his fingers spread through Jonathon’s hair and he was tilted back.
Leo’s lips covered his, demanding and starved, instead of cautiously pecking. His tongue swirled around Jonathon’s and every nerve in his body flashed and popped as if a lever had been thrown, electricity rushed down his veins and made his toes curl. They fell back against the balustrade and Jonathon’s leg rose and hooked around Leo’s hip.
“Gott!” Leo growled as his hand tightened brutally around Jonathon’s asscheek. He bucked against Jonathon, hard heat grinding against his thigh as Leo lapped and sucked, greedily reclaiming what was obviously his. “Enough!” He set Jonathon away from him and Leo looked like a ruthless prince as his chest heaved and he stared at Jonathon with a hard, hungry look. “We have not lost it.”
“No, we haven’t,” Jonathan agreed with a breathless, shaking laugh. “Thank you for putting that fear to rest,” he added, as the butler arrived with a room service cart bearing covered dishes, a tiered tray with various pastries, an assortment of cheeses and fruit, juice, coffee, and a bucket of chilled champagne.
Leo fixed his shirt and gave his hair a quick pat before he went to pull out a chair for Jonathon. “I hope you don’t mind but I took the liberty of ordering. I’m rather fond of the French toast,” he confided in a deep murmur, making Jonathon gasp as he sat.
“You are?” he asked, looking up at Leo.
He nodded as he sat next to Jonathon. “My mother used to make it for me when I was a child, but we called it pane fritto con lo zucchero—fried bread with sugar.”
“Your mother could cook?” Jonathon asked weakly. He’d forgotten how much sexier Leo was when he spoke Italian. Muriel said that Leo had probably spent years repressing his Italian roots in order to please the Foundation and Jonathon had always thought that was a shame.
“She cooked most of our meals and she taught us to cook. Even Eli can make pane fritto,” he replied and Jonathon’s mind was utterly blown.
“You know how to cook? Riley was the first person I know, other than Tilly, who knows how to cook,” he said loudly, looking at the butler to see if he was just as shocked, but he pretended he hadn’t heard as he poured their juice and coffee.
Leo chuckled softly and nodded when the butler held up the champagne. “My mother’s family were very middle class. My grandfather made shoes and my grandmother ran a bakery, but neither of them owned their own businesses. They were hard-working people and my mother cooked and cleaned and cared for her younger brothers and sisters until she went to university and met my father. And I cooked and cleaned and cared for my brothers after we lost them,” he explained.
“I’m so sorry,” Jonathon said, but Leo shrugged it off.
“I will always miss them. Not having servants was a blessing for us because we were already accustomed to looking after each other and Theo and the other two were used to me bossing them around.”
“Because you loved them,” Jonathon countered and smiled as Leo slid a plate of scrambled eggs and a bowl of cut fruit closer, signaling for him to eat. It was in Leo’s nature to be a caregiver and nurturing, perhaps because of raising his brothers, but Jonathon felt pampered as his glass was filled with champagne.
Leo cut a bite of French toast and held the fork out to Jonathon despite their having identical plates. “Open,” he ordered gently.
“Okay,” Jonathon rasped and his jaw fell obediently, but he grabbed Leo’s wrist, needing a moment to recover.
“What’s wrong?” Leo’s brows pinched in concern.
“Nothing! It’s just that I wished for exactly this the morning after the gala,” he said and looked around to see if they were still on the suite’s terrace or if he was actually dreaming. “Everything’s perfect,” Jonathon said and accepted the bite, moaning and wiping syrup from his lip as he chewed. “That’s perfect,” he said, then nearly choked when Leo took his hand and hummed absently as he sucked Jonathon’s thumb clean.
“Delicious,” he agreed and the starved look had returned to his eyes when they met Jonathon’s. “What shall we do today, after our meeting with Sabine?” Leo asked briskly, smiling as he changed the subject.
“I have a few ideas,” Jonathon replied with a suggestive arch of his brow.
“You must save them for later. I was hoping you could show me more of your city. I’ve visited Max a few times over the years, but he only knows the popular places.” Leo continued to feed Jonathon French toast, eggs, and fruit as they discussed their plans.
Eventually, Jonathon pushed his plate away and refused to eat another bite; he was so full, he would have preferred a nap before facing Sabine. Leo pulled back his chair and offered Jonathon an arm, promising that her visit would be brief and that it would not ruin their day.
She was waiting in the living room, her hands clasped in front of her and her gaze cast down as Markus passed Leo a folder.
Leo held it up as he regarded her. “These are the terms of your separation from the House of Hessen,” he told Sabine and her eyes snapped to his.
“Leo, please! I beg of you, dear—” she started but he hissed loudly, shushing as he handed the folder to Jonathon.
“Never call me that again,” he told her, his tone severe. “And you will beg him ,” he said and pointed at Jonathon.
“Very well.” She nodded quickly and offered Jonathon a weak smile. “Let me explain. If you two still want me to go, I will.”
Leo’s neck swiveled and he squinted at her. “You will?” He snorted and chuckled wryly. “You will go because he wishes it, not because you choose,” he corrected her, his voice rising. “What can you say to justify your lies, the manipulation? You have done real damage here, Sabine,” he said, waving at Jonathon.
She nodded jerkily at Jonathon, her eyes brimming with tears. “I see that now, and I swear, I was only trying to protect Leo and I thought I had given you both a clean, easy break.”
“Easy?” Jonathon shouted back, then covered his mouth, reeling and offended. “How could you think that was easy? What about the last ten years looked clean?”
“I didn’t know how much of that was about Leo. I did it to protect him and you went so wild, I convinced myself that I had been right about you,” Sabine admitted. “I’m deeply sorry for not seeing that it was my doing.”
Leo made an exasperated sound. “Protecting me from him? We had a plan and we could have kept it quiet until the timing was better.”
“They didn’t want you anymore!” Sabine said in a loud whisper. “The Foundation made it very clear that I had a month to get you into shape and you had to be a changed man when you appeared for that ceremony.”
“What are you talking about?” Leo sneered, shaking his head. “No one said anything about that to me.”
“They couldn’t!” She clutched her forehead in distress. “You had just had that attack and you had been so sick. I promised them you would be well and ready to perform. How were you going to recover if you knew there were already plans to replace you with Theo?”
“No…” Leo pointed hard, looking furious. “I knew they liked Theo better, but someone would have said something if it had gotten to that point.”
“It’s true,” Markus said as he stepped between them. “There were rumors when I was brought on that my position might be temporary, depending on how smoothly the transition went.”
Leo drew back, looking appalled. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Markus cocked a brow and stared him down. “Would you tell your new boss that ?” He didn’t wait for Leo to answer. “No, you would not. You would do everything in your goddamn power to limit the stress around the workplace and keep your job.”
“That’s all I was doing!” Sabine said quickly but Markus turned on her.
“That’s not all you were doing.” He wagged a finger at Sabine, smirking when her jaw fell. “I couldn’t understand why Leo never picked up on any of your hints because it was obvious that you were in love with him. There were rumors about that little bit of matchmaking, too,”
he said accusatively.
“That wasn’t my idea,” she objected, her eyes were huge as they swung to Leo’s. “I didn’t care about any of that,” she said and Markus shrugged.
“You were still a plant. The Foundation had their eye on you from the very beginning. That’s why you waited a year to go to Oxford. At first, I thought you were only in it for the title so I looked into your background, but it didn’t take long for me to see that you loved him. And I could see that Leo wasn’t interested—would never be—because there was someone else. I never knew who until he chased Mr. Hawthorne out of the gala.”
Jonathon cleared his throat sheepishly. “I heard the same thing from Muriel when we were in Austria,” he said and Leo’s face twisted.
“I wasn’t that blind! I knew they would have preferred if I had chosen Sabine but there was nothing there so it didn’t work. Although, I didn’t realize our friendship was arranged,” he said to her, shaking his head.
Sabine looked sick as she nodded. “I’ve always been ashamed of that, but I was always loyal to you and I’ve given the last twenty years of my life—everything—to your dreams. Not because the Foundation or my parents made me do it. I truly did love you, as a friend and then…” She blushed, still unable to bring her eyes to Leo’s. “I stopped hoping you would feel the same, but I did think that we might come to an understanding one day if you didn’t find someone else. That had nothing to do with Mr. Hawthorne or Sch?nbühel, though. All I cared about was getting us through that ceremony and making sure you held onto that title because I believed in you and your dreams.”
“That doesn’t excuse what you did,” Leo said. “You took advantage of my weaknesses and manipulated us like we were children. I can’t forgive that.”
“I can,” Jonathon announced, raising the folder. “I might not agree with her methods, but I understand why Sabine did it and I might have done the same thing in her place. I don’t want you to fire her.”
“What?” everyone except Jonathon and the butler said loudly.
Jonathon smiled at Sabine. “You need her , Leo. I can’t let you cut off your right arm over this, no matter how I feel about her. And I think she should have a front row seat to our happily ever after, if we decide to be together after this week.” Jonathon was bluffing his boxers off because he had already made up his mind. The kiss had made up Jonathon’s mind, actually, but he was keeping his cards closer to the vest this time around where Sabine was concerned.
Leo bowed his head, taking Jonathon’s hand and pressing a reverent kiss to his knuckles. “If that is what you wish.”
“Can you live with that?” Jonathon asked Sabine.
“Yes!” She nodded, her hands shaking as she wiped her eyes. “I will never betray your trust again,” she said to Jonathon.
Leo’s lips were still pressed to Jonathon’s knuckles, a menacing smile curving them as he watched Sabine. “You see, Sabine? He is as graceful on the inside as he is on the outside,” he said and raised a brow at her expectantly.
“He is! Thank you, Mr. Hawthorne,” she replied quickly, but watched Leo warily as he let Jonathon’s hand go and advanced on her.
Leo held up a finger, “But I am a von Hessen,” he reminded her. “As much as it pains me to admit it, I am my grandfather’s rightful heir. In the truest sense because I am more like him than my uncle or Max. My mother saw that I was like him and she warned me. Sabine remembers and has seen it.”
“You could never be as cruel,” Sabine whispered. “Severe, at times, but never cruel, Leo.”
“I could be,” he threatened her with a furious glare. He regarded Sabine for a moment, then swung around to Jonathon with an apologetic smile. “I’m afraid I have a few amendments. I do not feel like that is enough to make up for what she’s done to you. If we should decide to stay together after this week,” he stipulated with a wink for Jonathon. “Sabine will have to prove herself before she can be my right hand again, and return to our inner circle.” He paused and raised a brow at Jonathon.
“I think that’s reasonable.”
Leo bowed his head at him. “Probation for Sabine if she goes back to Vienna and smooths things over with the Foundation and explains that she was the cause of the scene at the gala. She will ensure that the Foundation welcomes us back to Austria with open arms. And when you are ready, Sabine will give you the wedding of your dreams,” Leo promised Jonathon and took the folder from him and held it up. “If that is not acceptable to you or we do not stay together, Sabine will go her own way.”
“I can sell this in Vienna!” Sabine told Leo and nodded quickly at Jonathon. “I will explain that I was the one who kept you two apart because I panicked. I’ll tell them that Mr. Hawthorne is a brilliant artist who has been performing for several years, but is ready to settle down and focus on his true passion again: painting. I will be your champion and your shield,” she said to Jonathon. “I won’t rest until I’ve fixed the damage I’ve done.”
There was a long pause as Leo considered. He glanced at Jonathon and then at Markus and nodded. “If you can do all of that without giving any of us another reason to distrust you, I will be satisfied,” he stated and signaled that he was done with Sabine.
“Thank you, Leo, and thank you for being so gracious,” she said to Jonathon, curtsying and smiling at Markus. “Thank you for…” She flailed vaguely, earning a bemused look from Markus.
“For telling the truth? You know, you had other options, Sabine, you were just too fixated on Leo to notice.” With that, Markus offered the group a terse nod and left them.
A long silence followed Markus’s exit, everyone was so stunned. Eventually, Sabine cleared her throat. “I don’t know what to say,” she whispered to Leo, looking shocked but not necessarily bothered by the idea.
Leo’s cheeks puffed out as he shrugged. “I’ve never really given it much thought, but you could do a lot worse. I might try asking him to get a drink,” he suggested.
“Me?” She laughed, a nervous trill as she covered her cheeks. They were bright pink and Sabine was trembling. Jonathon couldn’t recall her ever looking so flustered. “I never imagined he’d be interested in me. He’s so…” She fidgeted with her collar. “He’s so large and…physical.”
Jonathon hummed in agreement, begrudgingly happy for Sabine. “You should go after him,” he said and she nodded.
“I think I will. To apologize and clear the air, at least. Thank you. I’ll check in with you later,” she said, then hurried after Markus.
“Are you absolutely sure you’re alright with this?” Leo asked, gathering Jonathon in his arms. He leaned back so he could watch Jonathon’s face. “I would understand if you never want to set eyes on her again. I don’t.”
“I would have done the same thing if I were in her shoes,” Jonathon repeated, without a single doubt. “She didn’t know how far I was willing to go for you and she had no way of knowing how serious we were. Even Muriel agrees that I would have looked like a threat and a terrible risk to everything you had worked for. Sabine did what she thought was best. She did her job,” he stated simply.
“She defied me . She knew what my wishes were,” Leo argued, but Jonathon shushed him softly.
“You wished to be Margrave and Sabine made sure that wish came true, regardless of the obstacles,” he said as he pulled Leo’s lips to his. He savored Leo’s strained groan, kissing it from his lips. “It’s just too bad that I was one of those obstacles. But I think we’ve all learned our lesson. We know better than to underestimate Sabine and she will never come between us again.” Jonathon had no doubt that Leo would put them first from now on and that she would prove to be a powerful ally.
“Never.” Leo stopped Jonathon when he reached for his tie. “Not yet, mein Sü?er.” This time, he shushed when Jonathon started to protest. “Not until you’re sure. I would not do that to both of our hearts and there is no way I could leave New York alone, once I have had you again.”
“What if I promise—?” Jonathon’s suggestion was muffled and defeated by a deep, bone-melting kiss.
“Let me make the promises from now on,” Leo requested tenderly. “And allow me this week to earn that privilege back.”
“Earn it?” Jonathon’s lip pushed out petulantly. “Sounds like we’re punishing ourselves and that seems a little unreasonable.”
Leo shook his head. “Not at all. Now, let’s put Sabine behind us and enjoy the rest of our day,” he decreed before putting on his ball cap and secret glasses and sweeping Jonathon out of the hotel and into a cab, of all things.
They spent the day hopping in and out of cabs and dropping onto train seats as Jonathon continued to show Leo his favorite parts of Manhattan and New York City. They visited the Lower East Side, holding hands as they explored Chinatown and Nolita, enjoying dumplings, knish, and pizza. Since they were both “Catholic,” Jonathon showed Leo St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral before taking him to the M’Finda Kalunga Garden in Sara D. Roosevelt Park.
It was a perfect day, as far as Jonathon was concerned. They talked and laughed as if the years after Sch?nbühel had never happened while enjoying the city incognito like regular people and he truly fell in love with Leo all over again.
And he wanted Leo just as badly as ever, but had to settle for a brief but hot kiss in the hallway outside of 6A. Leo scrambled Jonathon’s brain, then kissed his knuckles and wished him a goodnight like any decent prince would before bowing and leaving.
“He can’t mean it. He won’t make us wait the whole week,” Jonathon said—hoped—and went to tell Muriel and Tilly about the showdown with Sabine and his magical day on the Lower East Side with Leo.