Leopold, Part Six: A Royal Heartbreakers Romance

by Renna Peak

  “Trust me,” I tell her. “Someone as graceful as you will have the steps in no time.”

  Her laugh sounds almost nervous. “If you say so.”

  “I do. Now this hand goes here,” I say as I place her hand on my shoulder. “And the other holds mine like this.” I take her fingers in mine. “My other hand goes here, just above your waist.”

  The music begins playing over the speakers as I slide my hand up across the curve of her waist and partway around to her back.

  “The waltz is done to a count of three,” I tell her. “If you let yourself feel the music, the rhythm will come naturally. One two three, one two three, one two three, one two three.” I count along with the music, continuing until I see her start to bob her chin in time with the counts.

  “Once you have the rhythm,” I say, “you simply need to remember to follow your partner’s lead. If he steps toward you, step back. If he steps back, step forward. If he knows what he’s doing, he’ll make it easy for you to follow.”

  She nods. “Got it. I think.”

  I smile. “Want to try moving?”

  “I think so.”

  “Remember, just follow what I do.” I lead her gently into the dance, guiding her a step forward, then to the side, then forward again. “Feel the rhythm.”

  We make it nearly nine counts before she moves forward instead of back and hits her forehead against mine.

  “Shit,” she mutters, stumbling back.

  “It’s all right,” I tell her. “It takes practice.” I place my hand on her once more. “Let’s try again.”

  This time we only make it seven counts before she moves the wrong way and I step on her foot. She curses again.

  “You have a sense of the music,” I murmur. “Now you just need to get a sense of your partner. With practice, you’ll come to know which way he’s moving before he moves at all—you’ll feel it through the places you are connected.” I squeeze her fingers where our hands are clasped. “Let yourself become aware of me, Elle. Let your body react to mine.”

  Her cheeks go pink. “This isn’t sex, Leo. This is dancing.”

  “They are essentially the same thing. And the moment you accept that, you’ll understand. Now, do you want to try again?”

  She nods, and this time I pull her a little closer to me.

  “Listen to my body,” I murmur as I pull her into the dance again. “Let yours react.”

  I feel something shift in her—it’s subtle, but I can tell by the way she moves now that she’s starting to understand. At first, I continue with the safe, easy movements, but as the music swells, I sweep her out across the floor, moving us both across the room.

  “Traditionally in Montovia, all the dancers will move in a large circle,” I tell her. “You’ll learn to become aware not only of your partner but of the other dancers as well.”

  She gives a single nod. I suspect she’s concentrating very closely on the music and my movements. I dip my head a little closer to her ear.

  “You’re doing very well,” I tell her. “Not many are able to learn the waltz so quickly.”

  Almost as if my words have cursed her, she steps the wrong way again.

  “Fuck,” she says as she nearly trips over her own feet.

  Fortunately, my arms are still around her, and I catch her before she can fall.

  “You’re doing far better than I did when I first tried to learn,” I tell her.

  “Oh yeah? Exactly how old were you then?”

  “Seven,” I admit. “But age makes no matter. I grew up needing to learn these things and you did not. No one will fault you for not being an expert dancer.”

  She raises her chin. “Let’s go again.”

  I smile, sliding my hand back into position beneath her arm. “Of course.”

  We spend the next couple of hours spinning around the floor. Elle gets better and better, but she still gets frustrated with herself whenever she takes a wrong step or loses the rhythm of the music.

  “We have plenty of time to practice,” I tell her when she starts cursing at herself again.

  “This is only the waltz,” she points out. “We still have others to learn.”

  “And we have plenty of time.” I pull her body close to mine again. “Trust me, Elle, I can think of few more pleasurable ways to spend our afternoons here.” I slide my fingers down the length of her spine.

  A smile spreads across her lips. “We could spend them in bed.”

  “That would be delightful,” I say, stopping my hand just short of gliding over the curve of her ass. “But you’ll want to learn this sooner or later. And as I said before, there will come a point where you’ll be hard-pressed to point out the difference between sharing a bed and sharing a dance.”

  She tilts her face up toward mine. “Is that so?”

  “Yes,” I say. “And if you were in my head, you’d know exactly what I mean.”

  “I don’t have to be in your head,” she whispers, pressing closer to me. Her hips are right up against mine now, and I know she can feel exactly now much I’ve been enjoying our lesson.

  “I think that’s enough practice for today,” she says, sliding her hand around my neck and pulling my face closer to hers. “I think we should spend the rest of the day back in my room.”

  “I like that idea very much,” I tell her.

  “You don’t have to go to dinner with your family, do you?”

  I shake my head. “My father has another late council meeting. So you have my full attention again tonight.”

  As I kiss her, though, something wiggles its way back to the front of my mind: We still haven’t seen or heard from Stephan all day. Part of me wants to be relieved—if he did something so very terrible, we’d have heard about it by now, after all—but the other part of me is filled with dread, wondering if the worst is yet to come.

  I won’t let that weasel hurt us, I vow, deepening the kiss. I’ll protect this—protect Elle—at all costs. And God help that rat if he tries.

  Elle

  We somehow make it back to my room without causing another scene. Leo slides his arms around my waist and lifts me up, his lips never leaving mine. But we only make it a few feet before there’s a knock on my door.

  He groans and sets me on my feet. There’s something in his gaze—something almost frightened, I think—and I know he must believe it’s Stephan on the other side of the door, finally here to make good on his threats.

  He turns to face the door. “Yes?”

  The handle turns, but it isn’t Stephan who enters. It’s Andrew. And he looks like he ran here—he’s out of breath. But it isn’t just that—he looks pale, too.

  Andrew glances at me before his gaze falls on his brother. “I assume you haven’t heard the news?”

  Leo’s brow creases and he shakes his head.

  Andrew nods, glancing at me again but not really making eye contact. He turns back to his brother. “Leopold, we need to speak. It is urgent.”

  Leo scoffs. “Whatever it is the weasel has done, I’ll not hear of it. Not tonight. Whatever it is can wait until morning.”

  Andrew gulps and glances at me again—it’s pretty clear something else is going on. He lets out a short breath. “Brother, please. We must speak. In private.”

  Leo’s gaze narrows. “Whatever it is you have to say to me, you may say it in front of Elle. In fact, I welcome it. Considering it is almost certainly about her, I’d rather she hear of these ridiculous rumors from the source rather than having me explain to her what is going on tomorrow.”

  “Brother, please.” Andrew’s voice lowers, and he turns his head away from me. It’s clear he doesn’t want me hearing whatever news he has. “This is not a matter we should be discussing in front of Doctor Parker. I assure you—”

  Leo throws his hands in the air. “Just say it. Whatever it is, Andrew—it isn’t as though it doesn’t affect her, too.”

  “Indeed.” Andrew’s words are slow, calculated. He turns and looks at
me, frowning before he turns back to Leo. “Though I imagine you will regret this decision, Leopold.”

  “I’ll regret nothing. You of all people should know that, Andrew.”

  Andrew winces a bit. His gaze darts between the two of us before it finally rests on Leo. “We really should discuss this in private. If you later wish to divulge to Doctor Parker—”

  “Just say it!” Leo is almost sneering at his brother now. “I’ve about had enough of Stephan and his games. I’m going to make sure that man hangs for putting us through this. For his threats—”

  Andrew interrupts with a loud breath. “Brother, there’s been some news reported just within the past hour.” His voice lowers a few octaves. “Do you recall the reason you joined me in Prague several months ago?”

  Leo’s brows draw together, and he frowns. “I remember the reason we left Prague together several months ago.”

  Andrew nods and his expression pinches up again as he looks over at me for a moment. “Yes, but I’m not speaking of that. I’m speaking of the reason you came to Prague.” He clears his throat. “The reason…”

  Leo lets out a sigh and stares at his brother for a moment. “What are you getting at, Andrew?”

  Andrew’s gaze darts once again between me and Leo. He doesn’t say anything; he just lifts his brows when his gaze meets Leo’s.

  Leo shrugs. “What?”

  Andrew frowns again and his brows pinch together. “The…” His voice lowers to a whisper. “The woman.”

  Leo scoffs. “What woman? I have no idea—” He stops himself mid-sentence and his expression falls. His own voice lowers to something above a whisper. He blinks a few times. “Yes, I know who you’re speaking of. What about her?”

  Andrew nods. “We should take this conversation outside for a few moments.” He looks over at me. “My apologies, Doctor Parker.”

  “No apologies necessary. Take the conversation wherever you want. And please call me Elle.”

  Andrew’s mouth opens, but he doesn’t get a word out before Leo interjects.

  Leo looks over at me before looking back at Andrew. “No. We’ll discuss it here. Elle is willing to sacrifice her own well-being for our family—I’ll not have whatever this is kept from her. She’s more than earned the right to hear it.”

  Andrew’s mouth falls open again, but he snaps it shut and stares at Leo for a long moment. “I believe when I tell you what I’m about to tell you, you will change your mind, Leopold.”

  “Tell me, then, and we’ll see if I change my mind.” Leo pulls my hand into his. “Whatever it is you have to say.”

  Andrew nods and glances again between the two of us. “Stephan was…” He clears his throat and stares down at the floor. “Stephan was only protecting you, Leopold.”

  “Pardon me? He has been abusing the woman I love—there is no excuse for what he has done. There is no reason on earth—”

  “He was using the only leverage he has, Leopold, to try to protect you. To try to protect our family. He was only using the information he had regarding Doctor Parker’s past to try to deflect attention from an even bigger story. One that is even more damaging.” He winces and bows his head slightly toward me. “I’m not saying that I condone his behavior toward you in the slightest, Doctor Parker.”

  “Okay.” My brow furrows with confusion. “Then what are you saying?”

  His brows pinch together. “I’m saying that the damaging story—the real news story that he’s been trying to cover up involves you, Leopold. And the reason—the woman—you had been seeing before we left for Prague four months ago.”

  Leo looks as confused as I feel. He stares at Andrew for a moment before he turns to me. “I’ve never lied to you about anything, Elle. And you know I had a past before I met you. And right before I was sent to Rio de Campo—”

  Andrew clears his throat and lifts a brow.

  Something in Leo’s eyes tells me he’s covering something up for Andrew. Even if this is about some girl Leo had been seeing, there’s something else to this story. Something neither of them wants to talk about or acknowledge to the other.

  Leo closes his eyes for a moment before he looks over at me again. “I briefly dated a woman before I met you, Elle. It was nothing special—just another of my—what did you call them before? Flavors of the week?”

  I frown and my gaze narrows. I hate that my stomach has grown hard as a rock. I hate that my chest feels like it’s on fire. “I don’t need to hear about this, Leo.”

  “My thoughts, exactly.” Andrew cuts in. “Leopold, we should take this conversation to another room for Doctor Parker’s—for Elle’s—sake.”

  Leo’s brows draw together and he searches my eyes for a moment. “Nonsense. There is nothing to tell. And anything that weasel Stephan is making up—”

  Andrew interrupts again. “That’s just it, Leopold. Stephan isn’t making anything up. What he’s done—the things he’s done to Elle—have all been for our family’s benefit. He’s been protecting you, as I’ve been trying to tell you.”

  “You haven’t told me anything, though. And what he has done to Elle—the embarrassment and shame he has caused her—is far from anything that might protect me. And you and I have been dancing around this topic of Prague for long enough, Andrew. It isn’t as though—”

  “The woman—Karina is her name, I believe.” Andrew’s attention has turned to me, and he’s speaking directly to me now. “Leopold had a short but torrid affair with her.”

  Leo rolls his eyes. “Andrew, this really isn’t necessary—”

  Whatever it is Andrew needs to say is clearly painful for him. He winces every time he hears Leo’s voice, and it’s obvious he doesn’t want to be talking about any of this in front of me.

  “Karina is of noble blood. She’s a member of the aristocracy of—”

  “Andrew, this matters little to anyone.” Leo turns to me. “It is true. She is the daughter of a duke, but it makes no difference. Our affair lasted less than one week. And I met you shortly after, Elle, and as I’ve told you there has been no one but you since and will be no one but you ever again—”

  “It would seem…” Andrew’s voice trails off and he coughs. When he looks up again, I can see a mixture of emotions in his eyes. “It would seem the woman is pregnant, Leopold.”

  The air in the room grows suddenly thick and it’s difficult for me to breathe.

  Andrew breaks the silence a moment later. “It is why Stephan did what he did, you see. It wasn’t that he hated Doctor Parker so much as he was trying to protect our family from further embarrassment. She was merely a convenient scapegoat to try to deflect the attention of the media.”

  I close my eyes. “I seem to be good at that.” My eyes squeeze shut even tighter as I try to keep my knees from buckling under me.

  “Father would like to speak with you, which is why I came to see you tonight, Leopold. And he also wishes to remind you that the Tax Council is still meeting tomorrow and that your presence there is mandatory, particularly now that—”

  “Fuck the Tax Council. Fuck the reports and Father and…” Leo’s voice trails off.

  “I realize this is a difficult situation, which is also why I thought it would be best for us to take our conversation elsewhere, Leopold. I tried to tell you—”

  “Oh, you’re one to talk about secrets, Andrew. You’re one to speak of anything—”

  “Leopold.” The tone of Andrew’s voice is so curt that I open my eyes to look at him.

  I don’t say anything, but Andrew’s gaze seems to be fixed on me.

  Andrew lowers his voice again, his eyes locked with mine. “Leopold, we need to take this conversation elsewhere. And we need to speak with Father. Not about what you’re threatening. But about your…situation.”

  I stare at back at Andrew. I can’t even bring myself to turn to look at Leo, let alone speak to him.

  I knew this was going to happen—not this, but I knew somehow that it was all just a little too
good to be true. That it was all going to come crashing down at my feet. I just thought it would be my fault. That my past was going to be what tore us apart in the end. I had never considered that I’m not the only one with secrets—with skeletons hidden in my closet. I suppose I always thought Leo was an open book—that his life was on display in every grocery store checkout line for everyone to read about at their leisure. I don’t think I’ve ever once thought that there were things I didn’t know about him. That he has secrets of his own.

  My chest is aching—it feels like my heart has been ripped out whole. But I am not going to cry about this.

  “Leopold?” Andrew is speaking to his brother, but he’s still looking at me.

  “Elle, this changes nothing. And even if…” His voice lowers and he narrows the distance between us, tipping his head to whisper into my ear. “There is no way this story is true, Elle. It is merely one more obstacle—”

  I’m not sure what happens exactly until it bubbles up inside of me and spills out of my mouth. But I turn to him, glaring. “How is it not true, Leo? Are you saying you didn’t sleep with her?”

  He pulls away from me, his jaw dropping as his eyes widen for a moment. Then something in his expression softens. “Not at all, Elle. I’m not denying the affair. I’m merely saying that there is no way I could have fathered a child with her—”

  “Because you’re so careful.”

  He nods. “Yes. Because I am always careful. Because I always—”

  “The way you have been with me? You’re actually saying there’s no way you could have fathered a child with this woman because you use protection. Every. Single. Time.” My words are clipped and he has to be able to hear the accusation in them.

  His cheeks flush and his mouth opens for a moment as he stares at me. “Elle…”

  “Save it, Leo. You need to go see your father.”

  His brows draw together. “But it isn’t like that, Elle. You have to understand—”

  My jaw tightens and I can feel my cheeks burning. “What I understand, Your Highness, is that your father has requested that you join him this evening. It sounds like the only person you really owe any explanation to is him.”