Chapter 2 #7
The memory of Leo’s voice flitted through Joshua’s mind, foggy and bright like sunlight shining through milky glass.
For all that Leo had been openly critical of Joshua, he’d also taken him seriously and had addressed him as a rational, sensible person.
Leo hadn’t shied away from attributing responsibility, yet he hadn’t tried to dictate Joshua’s decision.
He’d emphasised that it was Joshua’s call, just like he had earlier in the day, when they’d talked in the toilets and Leo had tried to wheedle a little time out of Joshua.
Which had turned out to be the right decision.
Christ. Joshua couldn’t pretend that Johnson’s betrayal didn’t change things. He needed to talk to someone. Figure out his next move.
Quietly, he slid out of Mo’s bed. The air was cool on his bare chest, raised the fine hairs on his arms, and he stood still for a moment to study the way Tristan and Mo were sprawled under the duvet. God, he loved them so much. His brothers. He’d be a mess without them.
But they couldn’t help him with this. Not really.
* * *
Leo woke from his phone vibrating on the bedside table. Blindly he groped for it, his thoughts lagging like lizards in the winter sun as they limped through the following process:
Half one in the morning?
That was two quick buzzes, right? So, text messages. No emergency.
Fuck. Display too bright.
What’s my code again?
Somehow, he managed to gather enough mental presence to unlock his phone and open the message.
Which was from the number Leo had saved as Bloody Prince Joshua WTF.
Okay. Except, what the hell? Leo hadn’t thought they were at the stage in their relationship where it was appropriate to text each other past eight in the evening.
Also, uh, anything about relationships needed to stay out of Leo’s answering message.
What did Joshua even want?
Sinking back onto his pillow, Leo raised the phone above his face and squinted to make out the letters, his eyes still adapting to the brightness.
Hi! Sorry, I know this goes beyond your job, but do you think we could talk? What you said about wearing it like a crown?
A second message had followed right after.
I’ll pay for your time! Obviously.
I’ll pay for your time. Thanks, but Leo wasn’t in that business anymore.
Not that Joshua had meant it like that. Of course he hadn’t, and if Leo hadn’t been so bloody tired, his brain never would have flashed back to a period in his life when “How much?” was an acceptable way to open a conversation.
Really, it was quite inconsiderate of Joshua to send his text in the middle of the freaking night instead of waiting for a time when normal people with normal day jobs were actually awake.
To be fair, normal people also silenced their phones at night, but after that one time Nate had come to fetch Leo for an emergency situation, Leo had disabled the night mode.
Slowly, he lowered the phone and blinked at the shadows that filled the room. Then he rolled out of bed and grabbed a T-shirt off the floor, padding over to the open balcony door. For late May, the night was chilly on his skin. It served to revive his brain.
Why me?
Oh God hope I didn’t wake you.
Joshua replied immediately.
Sorry if I did. Didn’t expect you’d see this before morning.
He sent a second message half a minute later.
And there aren’t many people in my life who are… impartial outsiders I can trust. And you said it’s nothing to be ashamed of. And you know what it’s like, maybe. So.
Yes, Leo did know what it was like. He knew what it was like to risk something and have his optimism backfire; he knew what it was like to hit rock bottom; he knew a lot of things Prince Joshua couldn’t even imagine.
None of them were things Leo was willing to share.
On the other hand, if Leo turned him away… Fuck, he couldn’t. Joshua had grown up rich, privileged and handsome, but at the heart of it, he was still just a person seeking advice.
Pulling his T-shirt tighter around his body, Leo sucked in a slow breath. All right, he could do this. Sitting down with Joshua for an actual conversation, just the two of them, might even provide Leo with some kind of closure.
Food is my price.
Buy me breakfast tomorrow . Or lunch or whatever fits. Unless James needs me at the office I can work around your agenda.
Cheap date
Joshua’s smiley made it clear he was teasing.
Breakfast would be great, but are you fine with homemade? My place? Not the kind of conversation I want to have in public. But I make a siiick Full English breakfast, promise! And I’ll pay for your cab.
Full English breakfast, homemade? Who even was this boy? This man. Man-boy. Something.
Maybe it was a joke. Or some cook would prepare the food and duck out just before Leo arrived. Yes, that sounded much more likely than Prince Joshua doing any actual cooking. For Leo, no less.
Tell me where and I’ll be there at 9
Leo replied. Then blinked at his phone until he received an address in Camden.
After confirming, he leaned his elbows on the balcony railing and stared out into the night.
The road below lay deserted, the bakery downstairs hours from opening.
The sign of the bank on the street corner glowed in faint hues of blue, its brightness nearly swallowed by a nearby streetlamp.
He’d liked the rural feel to the area when he’d picked this flat, the quiet and peace, but right now, he wouldn’t have minded traffic rush and music spilling out of clubs.
Anything to drown out the perplexed hum of his thoughts.