Epilogue

Fourteen months later…

Jonathon was sleeping, exhausted from their wedding and his ball. He looked like a star, luminous in nothing but moonlight. Leo had tied back the curtains around the bed and the windows so he could watch Jonathon sleep. He had pulled an armchair closer and Leo had never felt more content as he reclined in his robe and admired his beloved.

Despite Jonathon's fears and predictions, Leo had yet to grow tired of him—of them—and every day still felt like a fantasy. There were occasional matters to attend to for the Foundation, but most of Leo's days were spent with Jonathon at Sch?nbühel. Nothing delighted Leo more than acting as his beloved's assistant, fetching brushes and plying Jonathon with cups of tea and glasses of wine as he painted.

His desires often got the better of him but Jonathon never got tired of being taken roughly against a wall or in the garden or on a table in the hallway during a ball…

Leo had thought himself incapable of love and was prepared to live without it in order to appease the Foundation and carry on the von Hessen legacy. But that was not the legacy his parents had left Leo. They had loved boldly and defiantly and their love had saved the von Hessen dynasty. It had also saved Leo and he was determined to honor their legacy by loving Jonathon boldly and defiantly.

And that, to Leo, seemed entirely fitting for a margrave of Austria. What better way for him to spend his days than as a patron, adoring an artist as he painted Austria's mountains and her Danube? The Foundation seemed to approve. The board and its members had commissioned several pieces from Jonathon. But they'd have to wait like the rest of the politicians and celebrities on the waiting list.

Jonathon's work was already causing an uproar. He had made a series of Instagram posts documenting his return to art and the work he was creating at Sch?nbühel and critics and art lovers were immediately hooked. Not surprising Leo or anyone who truly knew Jonathon. He already understood how to capture people's attention and keep them clicking from years spent "pretending" to be an influencer.

Harnessing that talent with his artistic abilities had propelled Jonathon to instant stardom, but he was able to keep the attention and adulation online, in his phone. Their lives remained relatively quiet and private until the wedding. That had been intentional on Leo's part, of course. He wanted all the pomp and all the attention for Jonathon.

Starting with a lavish winter house party at Sch?nbühel. Leo's brothers found their way back to Austria in one piece in time to help him welcome Max, his husband, Reid, and their daughters—the Princesses Sophia and Mia. Riley and Giles Ahby had come from America as well, with their son, Milo, and daughter, Luna.

The Ashbys had become particularly close friends, so Leo was pleased to see Elio making an effort to befriend Milo. They were like oil and water, though, and it was amusing to see Milo giving Eli the cold shoulder as the families dined together, played games, and gathered to watch films. Lord knew Eli deserved it and it only spoke well of Milo's judgment.

There were sleigh rides, ski trips, and cozy evenings by the fire. Leo had tasked Sabine with keeping everyone thoroughly entertained since the weather would keep them indoors most of the day. And because there were children, and Riley, there were plenty of sweets and opportunities for them to visit the kitchen to help with cookies and other treats.

The wedding had been a simple, yet romantic affair on the back terrace, overlooking the winter garden. The Archbishop of Vienna had presided with Max and Muriel standing with the grooms. Leo had worn a classic black tuxedo, an overcoat, and gloves, while Jonathon had looked breathtaking in white. His tuxedo and cape had silver accents and trim, making him even more ethereal and starlike as they exchanged their vows.

Leo was glad there were plenty of pictures as he planned to surprise Jonathon with a lifesize portrait on their anniversary. As far as Leo was concerned, he could never have too many portraits of Jonathon and cherished each one. Especially the nude over the fireplace in their bedroom: an early wedding gift from Jonathon. He was lounging on a chaise with a novel and just a scrap of silk for modesty. Jonathon usually rolled his eyes whenever Leo praised it because he was indifferent to his own body. But Leo felt such a rush of pride and lust whenever he looked at it.

He felt it now and there was a profound sense of satisfaction as Leo watched over Jonathon. Their wedding may have been a quiet and simple affair, but Jonathon's ball had been spectacular. Leo had decreed that it would be the event of the season and an unparalleled spectacle of elegant extravagance. Jonathon deserved nothing less and Leo wanted all of Austrian society and the rest of the world to know just how proud and lucky he was.

And it would be an annual ball.

Not just because Leo would always want to celebrate Jonathon and their love, but because that was also part of Sabine's punishment. The decadent house party, wedding, and the ball to end all balls had all been Sabine's responsibility and Leo had instructed her to make all of Jonathon's wishes come true. And Leo had instructed Jonathon to be as difficult and extravagant as he pleased.

If Jonathon wanted flaming hoops, Sabine would have a lighter ready and smile as she jumped through them. That had been Leo's order and she had complied, much to Leo's accountant's chagrin. Sch?nbühel hosted four-hundred guests in the castle's ballroom and gardens, all transformed into a dazzling white and silver wonderland. Jonathan had cried and said it was too much when Leo presented him with one of his grandmother's tiaras as a wedding gift.

He wanted Jonathon to feel like the star of the evening and the only star in Leo's sky and Sabine had certainly accomplished that. Leo wasn't satisfied yet. He was ready to put the past behind them, but he wanted more than amends, he wanted faith.

That was why he had sent for Sabine and murmured softly for her to enter when she tapped on the door to their suite at midnight.

"In here," Leo said after she paused in the sitting room and leaned and looked warily through the opened bedroom doors.

She took a few cautious steps before hurrying to Leo's side, then turned away as soon as she spotted Jonathon. "Really, Leo!" she whispered, clutching the collar of her blouse.

"You know he doesn't mind," Leo drawled with an appreciative sigh, his head falling to the side as he stared shamelessly at Jonathon.

Jonathan's back was to them and red handprints marred his soft, round ass and a glistening ribbon of cum adorned one of the cheeks. If he were awake, he would have stretched and rolled about on the bed or strolled to the sideboard for a glass of wine. Jonathon never covered himself or scurried away in shame if Sabine walked in on them. He wanted Sabine to know that he was loved and loved well.

That had become Leo's only objective and he enjoyed using Sabine as his proxy whenever possible. She owed it to them—mostly Jonathon—to help Leo love him to impossible extremes and to make their lives utterly joyful.

If Sabine was able to make peace with her actions and find happiness for herself, so be it. Markus appeared to be happy and all had been quiet in Leo's world so he stayed out of their business.

"I know he doesn't," Sabine said with a soft laugh and shook her head at the nude over the fireplace. "I envy his confidence. Was there an actual reason you summoned me, or did you feel the need to flaunt your new husband once more before turning in?"

"Perhaps both," Leo mused as he rose and went around the bed, smiling at Sabine as he trailed a finger over Jonathon's calf. "He is my future, Sabine. This is what matters most to me now."

She nodded, her gaze locked on Leo's. "I understand and I will never undermine your relationship again. I'm so sorry and I've done everything I can to make up for the pain I've caused the two of you. I've spent the last year as your assistant and his champion and I will continue to serve both of you effectively and loyally for as long as you will allow me to."

" That , I have faith in." Leo offered her a salute. "You're the most competent person I know and you wouldn't waste your time here if you didn't believe that there was still important work to be done. You're even more vital now that I've taken a step back from work," he conceded. " You are the face of my foundations and initiatives and you are the reason the Foundation tolerates me. But I cannot allow you to stay unless I can trust you with this," Leo whispered as he lowered and kissed Jonathon's shoulder. "This is my future and he is my life. I made a vow today to honor and protect him and you cannot be my right hand if you can't make that vow as well."

"I do!" Sabine insisted in a hushed whisper, taking several steps closer until her knees almost touched the bed. "I see how wrong I was about Jonathon before and I…love him now. More like a little brother," she added hesitantly and mouthed an apology at Leo. "There's nothing I wouldn't do for him."

"Good…" Leo nodded slowly as he considered her. "Jonathon has made his peace with you and I might be open to your return to Sch?nbühel as my right hand if you have learned from your punishment and I can trust you with him."

Sabine nodded quickly. "I know you had intended for it to be, but none of this has felt like a punishment. Even from Vienna, I can see that your life here at Sch?nbühel is complete with Jonathon. We're all happier, not just you, since we came back from America. And I see that it's because of Jonathon and how much peace he brings to your life. Planning the house party and the wedding were a joy, Leo, and I can't wait to make next year's ball even grander than Jonathon's first ball."

"Really?" he asked her with a large dose of skepticism, but she nodded and smiled lovingly at Jonathon, no longer bothered by his nakedness.

"I adore him and I see just how perfect he is for you. And he has been incredibly noble and taught me a great deal about class and grace," she added, surprising Leo.

"Has he?"

"Of course," Sabine said with another soft chuckle as she watched him. "I didn't deserve his kindness or his friendship, but he's been very gracious over the last year and I felt like I was truly given a second chance. I haven't taken that for granted and having a friend who understands what you're like has been a godsend," she confessed.

"Really?" Leo repeated and frowned slightly at her. He had observed the two of them growing closer during her visits and Leo sensed that a friendship had formed. But he had never considered that they might conspire against him. "Just how close are the two of you these days?"

She smiled and shook her head in disbelief. "I think he might be the first real friend I've ever had. I've never had someone I could share things with, without feeling judged or looked down upon if I wasn't perfect. Not until Jonathon came back into our lives. Now I have a friend, and I have Markus, and we're even thinking about adopting a child," she added in an excited rush.

"A child?" Leo blinked at her, stunned. He had expected to have the upper hand for this particular conversation, but Sabine had knocked him off his feet with that one.

"Not a small one, of course!" she said quickly, her eyes widening with panic. "A baby would be too terrifying, but Markus and I have agreed that a child would be lovely. We've both wondered if we'd missed out by not having children and we have so much to offer. Jonathon thinks it would be a brilliant idea and he's actually excited about having a little person to go exploring with and to give painting lessons to," she said and Leo became alert.

"Perhaps he or she would enjoy hiking and horses," he said, making Sabine gasp and cover her mouth.

"Imagine you and Markus with a little hiking companion!"

"I think you and Markus would make wonderful parents," Leo predicted and decided he would do what he could to encourage this addition to their little Sch?nbühel family. "You're both caring and patient people and we have more than enough room here," Leo said quietly, then chuckled. "I'm rather looking forward to being an uncle. I'm not sure if my brothers will ever find decent spouses or have children, so this might be my only shot," he told her and Sabine groaned in agreement.

"Thank you. I think you'll make a brilliant uncle," she said with a pained wince. "I had high hopes for Matteo, but he might be having a little too much fun, playing the rebellious playboy. Maybe Matteo and Theo should stay here, instead of returning to New York," she suggested, but Leo rolled his eyes.

"I wish they would, but Muriel has given them her place while she's here with us. Theo's having far too much fun exploring New York and New Jersey and pretending to be a blue collar tourist and Teo's taken Manhattan by storm." Leo gave his head another shake and sighed. "They've already said goodbye and are probably boarding a plane as we speak."

"They are grown men. We're going to have to accept that," Sabine said with an irritated huff, making Leo smile. She saw them as her brothers too and Leo had taken that for granted over the years. He suspected that he had taken a lot of things for granted.

"I can forgive the past if you will promise to protect and care for Jonathon as well as you have for me and my brothers. And if something should happen to me, I want your word that you'll look after Jonathon in my absence. Not because he can't take care of himself—he's incredibly self-reliant. But because he's spent too much of his life alone thanks to his parents, and society for treating him like he was as shallow as his parents, and because of us. I don't want Jonathon to be alone ever again, and I want him to always know that he is loved."

Sabine nodded. "I consider him my family now, like you and your brothers and Markus. I will never act against your wishes again. When it comes to Jonathon, we'll always want the same thing," she said sincerely.

"Good. And goodnight, then," Leo said with a bow, dismissing her.

He waited until he heard the door click to untie and shed his robe, letting it fall to the floor. Leo felt like a true prince as he set his knee on the bed and kissed the arch of Jonathon's foot and then his ankle. He kissed his way up Jonathon's leg and thigh, stopping to pay homage to a perfectly round asscheek and Leo growled in delight as he licked off the cum.

"What time is it?" Jonathan yawned and stretched, but he remained still as Leo parted his cheeks and lapped at his hole. "Oh. It's that time, is it?" he purred, arching his back and raising a knee so Leo could feast.

"Mmmm…" he rumbled in delight at the taste of his own cum on Jonathon's skin, drilling with his tongue and eliciting whimpers of lustful longing. Leo cherished them and allowed Jonathon's need to stoke his desire until it was rabid and ruthless. "Lube," he ordered as he rose and sat back on his heels. He coated his length with shaking hands and pulled Jonathon's hips back, impaling him to the hilt on Leo's shaft.

"Yes! Please make it hurt! Fuck me hard, sir!"

"As you wish, mein Sü?er…" Leo's hand swept up Jonathon's back and into his hair, twisting tight. "As you wish," he ground out, bucking slow and hard and grinding deep with each thrust. And oh, he was so deep, deep, deep in slick, gripping heat, Leo had never felt anything as exquisite. Pleasure swirled in his core, heavy and hot while Jonathon chanted Leo's name and begged to be used in the filthiest ways imaginable.

"I want you to finger me at the opera tomorrow and make me suck your cock during an aria," Jonathon panted, the visions setting Leo's libido on fire as he imagined doing reckless, scandalous things in the von Hessen box while Muriel nodded off in the next box over and the rest of the audience enjoyed the opera.

"I wasn't looking forward to going, but now I can't wait," Leo said with a wicked grin. "Shall I fuck you behind the curtains?"

"Yes!" Jonathon cried and his body jerked and shuddered and Leo's cock was gripped ruthlessly tight. "Fuck me at the opera!" he giggled breathlessly.

Leo nodded, unable to do much more as his control crumbled, his hips pumping wildly as he pinned Jonathon to the bed. "Schei?e! Ich komme!" A hot plume of pleasure spread from his core as Leo's nerves flared, burning bright before he imploded. "Jonathon!" he shouted as he slammed forward, cum bursting from his cock, deep in Jonathon's ass. "My Jonathon," he said, winded as he carefully lowered, staying joined as he curled his body around Jonathon's. "Mein. Auf immer und ewig," he whispered against Jonathon's cheek. "I love you so much, mein Sü?er."

"I love you too and I couldn't be happier, Leo." He hugged Leo's arms and shimmied in even closer, making a contented sound. "My life has felt like a fairytale since we came back from New York and those years we spent apart feel like a bad dream and I barely think of them now."

"Good," Leo humphed. "I will consider forgiving myself when you never think of them and you only have good dreams."

Jonathon gave his arm a swat and shushed him. "I always feel like I'm dreaming, everything's so perfect. You and Sabine and Aunt Muriel and Frau Fischer… Even Markus. You all spoil me, but you. Are. The. Worst, Leo von Hessen. I might be the most pampered of all the archduchesses thanks to you." He gave Leo's arm little jabs to punctuate each accusation, making him smile.

"I am happy to accept the charges. And what will my punishment be, mein Liebster?" Leo said and nibbled on Jonathon's ear, making him shiver.

"A lifetime of my devoted servitude, sir."

This was love, Leo had realized. He would sacrifice everything and do anything to protect Jonathon and bring him happiness, because he was happiness for Leo. His smile was all Leo needed for warmth and the sound of Jonathon's laughter brought instant joy. Jonathon's love of art and his intelligence appealed to the man within Leo. But he also knew how to appeal to the wilder, more primal being that Leo hid from his brothers, Sabine, and the rest of the world, and Jonathon sated and tamed that Leo von Hessen.

"Speaking of punishment…" Leo murmured against Jonathon's shoulder. "I had a talk with Sabine?—"

"I wish you wouldn't! We're fine now, friends even," Jonathon insisted. "She's gone above and beyond to make up for the things she did and I know she's happy for us."

"I do too," Leo said, causing Jonathon to gasp.

"You do?"

Leo nodded, letting his lips brush Jonathon's skin. "I told her she could remain at Sch?nbühel if she would make the same vows I did today because you're my life, not my name or the von Hessen legacy. Sabine promised she would never undermine us again and that she would care for you and protect you if anything should happen to me."

"Like what?" Jonathon asked loudly and attempted to turn or sit up but Leo's arm locked around him, keeping him securely in place.

"Shhh! Nothing is going to happen to me. But I wanted her assurance, because you are so precious and because you deserve to be happy and loved for the rest of your days."

"By you ," Jonathon stated stubbornly and hugged Leo's arm tight.

Leo laughed softly as he kissed Jonathon's hair. "By me, for the rest of my days," he agreed.

That was the trick to a happy marriage, Leo suspected, and how he planned to live out his fairy tale. Despite the tragedy that had taken his parents and made him the head of his family at seventeen, and a decade spent hiding a broken heart, Leo would get his happily ever after with his beloved Jonathon, after all.

The End