Chapter 17

Seventeen

Leo's request for an audience with his predecessor was answered almost immediately, delivered by Max himself. He surprised Leo by appearing in the penthouse's downstairs hallway the following morning while he was "enjoying" another breakfast with his brothers.

"Sorry for the delay," Max said as he hugged Theo and Matteo, then shook Leo's hand before pulling him into a warm hug. "We're helping the Tuckers with a…family matter, but I came as soon as I could," he explained solemnly.

"Nothing too serious, I hope," Theo replied and Max nodded.

"We've had a death in the family, I'm afraid, but I'm learning so much about the beauty of a life well-lived and what really matters, what kind of legacy I intend to leave, thanks to Angus Tucker. It also feels like a gift to be included in the healing process."

"I see…" Leo said, recalling vows he'd made to his own parents about love and family. He had honored their wishes, for the most part, with the exception of following his own heart. But Leo intended to remedy that now. "That is, in a way, why I've asked to speak with you. I'm sure you recall the scene I caused at the gala—" he began, but Max waved it off.

"I don't believe you threw a drink in your own face, Leo, and we made a bit of a scene ourselves last weekend, Reid and I," he said with a faint blush.

"I heard. Congratulations, Max. He's a remarkable man and you two looked very happy together."

"Thank you, but I don't care about ‘the scene' between you and Mr. Hawthorne. I'm here as your cousin, not as a representative of the Foundation. You know I do not give a single damn," Max stated firmly as he set a hand on Leo's shoulder and gave it an affectionate knead.

Max would never appreciate Leo's gratitude. It had very little to do with the inheriting of a title, but more to do with having someone older and wiser to lean on and look up to in the aftermath of his parents' death. Being the oldest, Leo had to be strong for his younger brothers, but Max had looked after Leo like an older brother. His unconditional support had been lifesaving when Leo felt like he was drowning under the burden of caring for three rambunctious, and at times willful, younger brothers.

"I know, but I still owe you an apology. After everything you've done for me and my brothers… I should have found Mr. Hawthorne before the gala or approached him more privately after I saw him at the bar. I should have?—"

"Teach me, when you learn to read minds and see the future," Max said, giving Leo a pointed look. "I'm not here for an apology. I'm here to learn who Mr. Hawthorne is to you, and how I can help," Max explained.

"Can you help?" Leo blurted and shook his head dubiously at Max. "Markus has done everything he can without breaking the law and I met with Ms. Hormsby to plead my case," he said, making Max grimace.

"You are indeed desperate," he confirmed, then cleared his throat as he canted toward Leo. "But my sources are better than the NYPD's and the FBI's. I may have some information that you'll find valuable, but before I share it, I need to know what the nature of your relationship was and who Mr. Hawthorne is to you."

"What information?" Leo demanded only for Max to hold up a hand, his brows lifting calmly.

"He is under the protection of a certain…faction, but I will not betray them or risk my own safety until you tell me the truth. And why you're turning the city upside down for Mr. Hawthorne," he stated, then gestured for Leo to begin. His open, expectant expression a warning that Max wouldn't accept anything but absolute candor.

"Fine," Leo nodded. "He is everything, Max, and my heart's only desire," he finally confessed, no longer concerned about what anyone else thought of him. There were faint, muffled groans from Theo and Matteo, sounding relieved as they clapped softly behind him. Leo ignored them, facing Max directly. "I believed that Mr. Hawthorne didn't want me and that he had moved on. I could never go back to Sch?nbühel because I'd be haunted there and I've avoided New York and the eastern half of the United States. I was too afraid to face him."

Max's head pulled back and he spluttered. " Why? " he asked loudly once he had recovered. "I warned you about allowing the Foundation to control your personal affairs! You promised it wouldn't ruin your life."

Oh, he was angry. Leo had never encountered this Max, in their many years of friendship. Max had always been too calm and quick to please. And he was even quicker, when it came to smoothing things over and finding a peaceful resolution.

"I told myself that being Margrave was all that mattered," Leo said, holding his hands up guiltily when Max threw him a furious glare. "I could live without Jonathon and tolerate the Foundation's meddling because I was saving the Austrian wilderness for future generations. I was opening other rich, useless noblemen's eyes to the cause so I told myself it was worth it."

"Leo!" Max released a torrent of curses in German, but he pulled Leo into a tight hug and rocked them. "You should have come to me. I would have helped you if I had known."

"I didn't think he wanted me. My assistant told me not to chase him and that I'd make an ass out of myself so I stayed away and hid in my work."

Max leaned back, widening his eyes at Leo. "Sabine? I trust she has been dealt with."

"Sabine will not be coming back. I've promoted Markus; I don't think I need that kind of security anymore and I know I can trust him. He's always put my happiness and safety ahead of the margraviate and the Foundation's agenda."

"Good. And what are your intentions once you've found Mr. Hawthorne?" Max asked.

Leo frowned, confused and reeling. He had expected Max to be more concerned about a possible scandal or the Foundation sending a flock of legals after them. "My intentions?"

"I might start with an apology and an explanation," Theo whispered as he rubbed the end of his nose with a knuckle.

"Of course!" Leo nodded quickly. "I already planned to, if he'll listen. I'll tell him everything! And more!"

"And more?" Matteo echoed, grinning at Theo and Max.

"Yes." Leo clutched his stomach as it did a somersault. "I'll give him anything he wants if he'll give me another chance. I'd marry him tomorrow if he'd have me."

"Very well." Max stood and gestured at the elevator. "Let's see what Mr. Hawthorne has to say."

Leo grabbed hold of the wall as the floor tilted. "You know where he is?" he asked and wiped the tears from his cheeks when he began to cry, he was so relieved and hopeful.

"I do. The Nanny Network is powerful , but I'm betraying my new family's trust by conspiring with the enemy, so you'd better make it worth it," Max told Leo as he pressed the call button.

"I will," Leo vowed.

"Where are we going?" Markus came down the stairs, pulling on a coat.

"Max is taking us to see Jonathon!" Matteo announced on his way to the elevator with Theo on his heels. Leo opened his mouth to tell them to stay, then changed his mind when he recalled his last encounter with Muriel and her cane. Having backup would be handy if they encountered her and she could give his brothers a good whack if they got out of line.

"Thank goodness. I miss not being involved in Leo's personal affairs," Markus said dryly as he followed them into the elevator.

"I didn't have personal affairs. All I had was work," Leo reminded them.

Markus grinned back at him. "I know, I liked you better, then," he said but he winked at Max as he took out his phone. "The closest florist is only a mile away," he noted and Leo whistled appreciatively.

"Good call. I'll pick up some white roses. They're his favorite."

Leo was humbled and shaking when the limo came to a halt in front of the Olympia forty minutes later, thanks to a delay at the florist. "He's here?" he asked in disbelief, wondering if Jonathon had been watching as Leo and Markus faced Muriel and searched 6A and the building for him. His hands were sweating around a bouquet of flawless white roses when Markus hurried the five of them past the doormen and the courtyard.

Once they were inside the elevator, Markus reached to press the 6, but Max stopped him. He pressed the 8 and Leo and Markus shared confused looks.

"Who does he know on the eighth floor?" Markus asked, earning a hard grimace from Max.

"He knows the Ashbys and they are family, so I would appreciate it if you were extremely graceful while we're here. I did send a message, warning Riley and requesting an audience, because we will be imposing a great deal upon Giles Ashby. He has a severe anxiety disorder and 8B is his safe place and we do all we can to guard it for him," Max explained as they rode up to the eighth floor.

"You have my word that we will be careful and respectful," Leo said, staring Markus, Theo, and Matteo down. "It is my intention to grovel and endure whatever punishment Jonathon believes is necessary. I will not fight with him and we will not interfere, even if Jonathon believes that several kicks to my pride or my groin are necessary."

"Sir," Markus replied heavily as Theo and Matteo cheered softly and gave each other muted high fives.

The doors opened but Leo stopped Markus before he could step out to clear the hall. "Your objection is noted and you may remain out here if you can't follow directions. Jonathon's waited a long time to tell me how much I've hurt him. He deserves to be heard and I deserve the consequences, no matter how much they hurt me."

"I'll stay out of it," Markus grumbled with a stoic glare before stepping around Leo. "But I will remind you that I am not a travel companion and that I was hired to protect you. It's in the job title: bodyguard," he added, gesturing that it was safe for Leo and his brothers to proceed. "Body. Guard ."

"You're about to be demoted to hall monitor ," Leo said with a lift of his brows, signaling that he was done with the conversation.

Markus looked past Leo at Theo and Matteo. "Suddenly, I'm looking forward to this. I hope Mr. Hawthorne can throw a decent punch. If not, I can give him a quick lesson."

"Get on with it," Leo told Max and they became serious as he gave the door a soft tap.

It opened a moment later and a bright blue-eyed young man in a vintage She-Ra T-shirt answered the door. "Hi," he said in a nervous squeak, gulping at Leo, his brothers, and Markus before offering Max a smile. "Hey, Max. Um…" he winced as he glanced over his shoulder, then gave them a quick once-over. "I told him you were coming and he hasn't decided if he's ready to talk to Leo yet. But you can come in and he'll hear what you have to say," Riley whispered, then angled his chin back as he stepped up to Leo. "You had better not hurt Jonathon again. You might be a prince but I'll… I'll…do something and if that isn't enough, I'm pretty sure Giles can take him," he said with a nod at Markus.

Leo shook his head. "I'm pretty sure he can't, but that won't be necessary."

"I give you my word," Max said, utterly sincere, and Riley chewed on his lip for a moment, eyeing them—mostly Leo—warily.

"Only because I trust you, Max." He opened the door and waved them in, revealing a soft, airy sanctuary with tall, wide windows and a balcony with a breathtaking view of Central Park. A tall, handsome, broad-shouldered man waved at them from behind the sectional as a younger, leaner, spectacled version peeked over his shoulder and offered them a terse nod.

"Are you sure they won't hurt Jonathon?" an adorable little girl whispered next to Riley and he held up a thumb.

"Your Uncle Max promised it would be cool," he said.

That seemed to be enough. The man behind the sectional smiled at them, his eyes flicking to Leo's for just a second as he ducked his head. "Welcome to 8B. I'm Giles. That little stinker is Luna," he said as he pointed at the girl. "And this is our son, Milo." He stepped aside and put an arm around his clone.

"Hey," Milo said with a slightly hostile tip of his chin at Leo.

Max cleared his throat. "Milo's still in high school but he's already an astrophysicist," he told them.

"Brilliant!" Theo declared and Matteo nodded in agreement.

"Very impressive," Leo concurred and smiled, discreetly searching the space around them. He honestly didn't give a damn about anything other than locating Jonathon.

"I still have to go to high school because I'm not that impressive in English and I couldn't tell you where Austria is or how many wars there were in Europe," Milo said as he watched Leo closely. "And I don't have a clue about what our government does," he added.

Riley laughed, shaking his head. "Neither do the people in charge these days. It would be really weird if you were a genius at everything. You'd be like a robot or something," he teased.

"I agree," Max said. "Elio's studying astrophysics, isn't he, Leo?"

Leo realized that Max wanted him to make a good impression. Giles and Milo were part of his family now, too, and Leo scolded himself for being so dismissive of them. "Yes, he is," he said, paying closer attention to Milo. He was already so much like his father, but still boyishly lean. He had yet to fill in and put on muscle and he slouched cautiously next to his father. Leo offered him a polite nod. "Eli's at Cambridge but he's…doing his best to get kicked out."

"He's probably just bored," Max said with a shrug. "A semester or two here, at Columbia, might be a nice change of pace. I told Elio he's welcome to stay with us."

"Milo knows some of the professors at Columbia," Riley said excitedly. "He took some classes, but he's also worked with a few of his ‘old' professors as an intern with NASA," he boasted.

"That's remarkable," Leo said, this time sincerely impressed. "I should have Eli call you. You might be able to shake him out of this rut he's in. I'm an ecologist, so it often seems like we're speaking different languages."

"Maybe…" Milo scrubbed his hair, grimacing. "I'm more of a texter than a talker."

"Ahem!" Jonathon called from the kitchen.

Leo couldn't blame him, he was ready to jump out of his skin, he was so wound up. "We can worry about that another time," he suggested to Milo and Riley.

"Actually," Giles checked his watch. "This is probably a good time for us to grab a pizza. It should be pretty easy to get in and out if we go before the lunch rush hits."

"Yes!" Luna hopped and clapped. "Pizza! Pizza!"

Riley cheered and pumped his fist. "Just what I was thinking. Bring me one."

"We always bring an extra pizza for you," Milo said wearily, tossing a hand at Riley as he went to get his coat but Leo noticed he was smiling. And Leo found he liked the Ashbys and was sad that Giles and the children were leaving before they could get better acquainted.

They left and Riley sighed happily at the door. "Giles goes out so infrequently now, but I'm glad he can still have fun making a pizza run with the kids. It's one of the few ‘outside' tasks he can handle these days," he explained, making Markus frown and Theo winced as he looked at the door.

"I'm so sorry. That has to be hard for him," he guessed, but Riley shook his head.

"It's not that bad. Giles is really happy with his inside life and doesn't feel like he's missing much most days."

Markus snorted and nodded. "I could do with a lot less outside myself lately."

"I agree," Leo said, turning back to the kitchen and leaning to the side as he tried to see around the wall. "Jonathon?" He waited for a moment, then smiled when he heard an imperious sniff.

His heart rejoiced and he was crying tears of joy, knowing that Jonathon was just around the wall. Leo finally had a chance to explain and he knew that he could make it right and that he would be able to hold Jonathon again soon. All he had to do was tell the truth. Tell Jonathon everything.

"I never stopped loving you. I have missed you—ached for you—every moment of every day and I swear, I would have come if I had known."

There was a long silence and Leo's tears made soft tapping sounds as they dropped onto the polished marble floor.

"I know you had the wrong number, but why didn't you try harder to get through, if you missed me so much?" Jonathon asked, his voice thin and wavering.

"I tried!" Leo insisted and took a few cautious steps closer to the kitchen. "I wanted to go to London and find out why you wouldn't speak to me, but I believed Sabine when she said it would scare you and make me look like a stalker."

"I never got any calls! Who were you calling and what happened to all the emails I sent you?" Jonathon asked angrily.

Leo shook his head, feeling like the biggest fool. "I have no idea. She told me you had moved on and I thought you had changed your mind."

"How could you believe that?"

"I…" Leo frowned down at the roses, at a loss for words. "I don't know… Sabine used my incompetence with the internet and technology to build a wall around me and I have no excuse for that. I should have seen it and I shouldn't have allowed it and I regret that so deeply."

He held the roses out to Riley, hoping he would act as mediator. Riley accepted them, swiping a tear from his cheek as he headed around the counter and disappeared around the wall.

"Are you kidding me?" Jonathon howled and raced around the counter. "You monster!" He whipped the bouquet at Leo like a frisbee, snarling furiously as it sailed over the white leather sectional. Leo ducked and blocked his face just in time, creating a burst of petals and leaves as the bouquet came apart and fell to the floor.

"Oh, yes," Matteo said, pointing at Jonathon as Theo clapped. "I like him. He'll do very well."

"Schei?e! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Leo insisted in a rush, wiping off his sleeves and holding up his hands. "It was his idea," he added and pointed at Markus. His bodyguard looked like he wanted to commit murder but Leo offered Markus an apologetic wince. He was fighting for his life. Meanwhile, Theo and Matteo looked delighted. "I didn't mean to upset you again," Leo said to Jonathon.

Jonathon's eyes widened and his nostrils flared, but he was so beautiful. Leo wouldn't have been able to take his eyes off of Jonathon if God herself had floated onto the balcony riding a giant neon frog and offered him a ride.

"You cut your hair," Leo said in a ragged whisper, overjoyed to see his Jonathon again. "You look so perfect."

He rolled his eyes, but they were red and glittered with tears as Jonathon crossed his arms over his chest, defiant and still angry. "It was all for nothing and I was tired of it. Do you know how many roses I sent you, Leo? I left a trail of them all over the world: London, Tokyo, Sydney,Toronto, LA… Everywhere I went, I posted pictures of white roses hoping you would come and get me, but you never did. I grew my hair out like Rapunzel but you didn't care."

The pain in his voice cut through Leo as he imagined how hopeless Jonathon must have felt. Leo grew sick and bitter with himself and Sabine again for abandoning Jonathon so cruelly.

"I never knew. I'm so sorry, but I thought you changed your mind and I was doing what was best for you."

Jonathon's head cocked. "You couldn't have looked just once ?" he shouted and Matteo whispered "Get him!"

"I was too scared to look," Leo admitted, scowling at Matteo for being a traitor.

He raised his hands, shrugging. "He's gorgeous and extremely entertaining. One of us should marry him," he said with a playful wink at Jonathon.

Leo glanced at Markus. "One more interruption out of either of them and you take these assholes outside and break something."

"I don't have diplomatic immunity," Markus said. "And he's not wrong. I'm rooting for Mr. Hawthorne now."

"Et tu, Markus?" He looked at Jonathon, exasperated. "I would have expected this out of Theo. But Matteo is the angel. He never gives anyone any trouble, it's usually the other two…" Leo dragged a hand down his face. He suspected that his brothers were attempting to defuse the tension, but at what cost to Leo's sanity? He raised a brow at Jonathon, silently pleading for mercy. "Sabine told me there were other men and that you had moved on. I thought you were happy so I stayed as far away as I could."

"That's exactly what she told me, but I saw you, Leo. You were in Cannes with a race car driver a month later?—"

"I did that for publicity. We spent most of the time talking about the men we were secretly in love with… and horses," Leo explained, shutting that down immediately. "Weber was threatening to tell the tabloids if we didn't help him and Sabine said she was hearing more gossip about us. I believed you were no longer interested so I went out a few times—with men and women—so no one would think Sch?nbühel was significant. And I wanted to make a statement about my sexuality, in solidarity with Max and other queer Austrians. I thought I was no longer taken," he added gently.

Jonathon's face crumpled and his lip trembled. "There were so many other men! I wanted you to be jealous and I prayed that just one of them would be better than you so I could forget. But you ruined me, Leo." He came around the sectional, shaking and crying. "How could I move on?" he demanded, waving his arms wildly. "I tried and I tried and I tried, but all it did was make it hurt worse. I couldn't feel anything because they weren't you!"

"I'm so sorry," Leo said hoarsely, reaching for him but Jonathon's finger shot out.

"No!" He shook his head wildly and wiped at his face. "If you touch me, I'll break."

Leo shushed soothingly as he edged closer. "You won't," he whispered. "I don't care about the other men. They don't matter and I'm so sorry I wasn't there."

"You should have been there. You promised me, Leo!" Jonathon said through watery gasps. But he didn't yell or hold Leo off when he took another step closer and raised his hand cautiously, like he was approaching a skittish foal.

"I should have and I will spend every day of the rest of my life making it up to you. If you'll give me a chance."

"A chance for what?" Jonathon laughed wryly. "They're not going to let you date me. Not now," he said, covering his mouth to hold back a sob.

"I don't care anymore and they can't stop me," Leo said and looked back at Max and his brothers sheepishly. "No offense, but I've done all I've set out to do. The lands I donated are tied to contracts and resolutions that will protect them and keep them out of corporations' hands for the next fifty years, or more in some cases. I don't know if it was worth it, unfortunately," he admitted to them sadly.

Max pushed out a hard breath, nodding. "There was a reason the margraves before us were so hard and inflexible. We—you and I—aren't built for it, it seems," he said, clasping his hands behind his back. "Though, I don't think that's a bad thing. Times change and the House of Hessen can either evolve or fade. You've been an excellent margrave, Leo. Better than I was, and I think you could do more. The House and the Foundation will survive Mr. Hawthorne. If you still want to be Margrave. But no matter what you choose, you will both have my support." He offered them a half bow, leaving Leo momentarily speechless.

"I… Thank you . After everything you've done for my family?—"

"Our family," Max corrected him gently. "We've taken care of each other. You were there for me and you've always stood by my side. Picking you to be my replacement was the best decision I've ever made and it saved my life. It's your turn to live and find your happily ever after. You've earned it."

"I will." Leo nodded, then turned back to Jonathon. "But it's up to you, if I will continue to be Margrave," he told him.

"No!" Jonathon gasped, his head shaking quickly. "You have to. I won't let you give it all up for me. I just don't think I can do it again. I'll be a mess as soon as you leave. We won't last a week and it'll be worse the second time around," he said, the squeak in his voice getting higher as he started to cry again.

Leo shushed him softly and carefully cupped his cheek and ever so gently wiped away Jonathon's tears. "Not this time, mein Herz," he whispered and shook his head. "Tell me what you want and I'll do it, but I won't give you up again. I don't care what it takes, I want you with me—by my side—no matter what I end up doing. Until you tell me it's over."

There was a loud gulp as Jonathon stared back at Leo with wide, shimmering eyes. "I… I don't know," he confided in a weak, wavering voice. "I was already confused before and so much has changed since the gala. Everything's changed since the gala. I need time to think."

"Alright!" Leo nodded quickly, encouraged because Jonathon was talking to him and hadn't pushed him away. "I can give you time," he said, but Markus cleared his throat softly.

"Vienna might not agree."

"Fuck Vienna and the Foundation," Leo said simply, without pulling his eyes from Jonathon's. He didn't want to look away, he was afraid Jonathon would vanish again.

Jonathon made a panicked sound and shook his head. "Please, don't do anything drastic because of me! I understand and I think I can forgive you, but it's been so long. What if we've changed too much?"

"I haven't!" Leo argued. "And I don't care if you've changed. I can feel that you still love me and I still believe that we were meant to be together."

"I…" Jonathon licked his lips, looking around at everyone else and shaking his head more firmly. "I don't know! I know that I have to start over. I can't be the man I was before or I will self-destruct. But I don't know what that means for you or for us right now. Everything has changed."

"Fine," Leo said, sniffing hard and taking stock. "I can wait. I will wait for as long as you need. I'm not moving, not leaving Manhattan until you decide."

"You can't do that!" Jonathon protested and Markus interrupted before Leo had a chance to say he could.

"Leo, we have to be reasonable and realistic here. The Foundation is already?—"

Leo turned to him, snarling, but Max held up a hand. "Perhaps we can buy them a little more time," he said with a loaded look at Leo, silently scolding him as only Max could. "I'll call myself and reassure them that you have not gone off the rails and are simply handling a personal matter. That may result in a happy surprise for the House of Hessen," he added cautiously and Theo stepped forward, a finger raised.

"I think we can buy you a week if you agree to talk to Sabine," he told Leo.

Leo shook his head, immediately shooting down the idea. "No."

"Yes," Theo shot back just as quickly. "Think with your head now, Leo," he advised with a hard look, all charm and lightness gone as he grew serious for a rare moment. "Don't cut off your right hand just yet. I have a feeling the Foundation will be much more amenable to…an extra week if you'll meet with her and hear her out," he suggested, but Leo's face twisted.

"There's nothing she can say to make up for this," he said as he gestured at Jonathon. He was still staring at Leo like he had stepped out of a spaceship while Markus and Theo wanted to plead Sabine's case and please the Foundation. "I am fighting to get my life back. He is all that matters," Leo said as he raised his brows at Jonathon, hoping he still felt something.

"Leo, I…" Jonathon hesitated, looking around the room.

"What about this?" Theo said loudly and rubbed his hands together, planning as he approached Leo and Jonathon. "Meet us halfway so we can prove to the Foundation that this isn't a crisis and that you're being reasonable ," he added and smiled widely at Leo, pinning his gaze for a moment before turning to Jonathon. "And give my brother a week to court you and prove that he's still worthy. If you're still unsure or you feel like your hearts have changed too much , we'll drag Leo back to Austria and you will never hear from any of us again."

"I like that," Max said while holding up both of his thumbs. "I can definitely sell this to the Foundation."

All Leo cared about was that he would get a week with Jonathon. "It's up to him," he said as he took both of Jonathon's hands in his. "I never want to lay eyes on Sabine again, but I will if Jonathon is willing to give me a chance and if he wishes to see her. Whatever she has to say to me, she will say it in front of Jonathon and he shall decide her fate."

"Really?" Jonathon's eyes were huge as they searched Leo's face. "You'll give me a week to decide?"

"I'll wait right here for another ten years, if that is what it takes. All I want is you," he said clearly, then held his breath as Jonathon considered.

"Okay… I'll give you a week. I never want to see Sabine again, but I don't think either of us can move on until we've heard her out and we all know the truth," he said and Leo nearly dropped to his knees, he was so relieved as he kissed Jonathon's knuckles.

" Thank you. I can work with that."