by Jerry Cole
Louis raised his eyebrows, sneer in place. “What would a commoner like you know about it?”
“Dad!” Bobby snapped, coming to stand next to Steve. No, not next to, slightly in front of, and though Steve’s chest constricted warmly, he clenched his hands into fists, tugging Bobby back so they were stood next to each other. If Bobby was going to try and protect him, he was damn well going to do the same. “Don’t talk to him like that.”
“I’ll talk to him however I wish to,” Louis said, his eyes narrowing dangerously. “And you’d do well to remember that as well, Bobby. My decisions are final.”
“That’s not actually true, is it?” Steve said, growing in confidence now he had Bobby by his side and his friends behind him. “Heir and succession declarations have their own subset of rules, and you can’t change them just because you want to. You have to put in a request for a formal change—isn’t that what you had to do for Bobby?”
Louis’ eyes flashed, narrowing, and Steve knew he would make an enemy of Louis after this, but he didn’t care. “You’ve been doing your homework.”
“I’m not just a pretty face,” Steve snarled. “I want the best for Bobby, and if you did, you’d do what he wanted instead of what you want for yourself.”
There was a moment, when Louis took a step toward him, that Steve thought he was going to get punched. Instead, Louis seemed to realize that having people around, even those loyal to Bobby, wouldn’t help if he did lay a hand on Steve.
“This isn’t the end of it, do you understand me?” Louis’ tone was low and dangerous, the slant of his mouth vicious. “When people find out just what their new heir is like, they’ll come crawling back to me.”
Louis stalked out of the study and Steve immediately deflated, hating how much his hands were shaking. He shuddered, turning to Bobby. “I’m sorry, I don’t know—”
He was cut off when Bobby hauled him in for a kiss, slotting their mouths together and tongue immediately sliding between Steve’s teeth, his hand tight on Steve’s waist. Steve could only hang on to his waist, eyes fluttering closed as Bobby moaned in the back of his throat.
“We are still here,” Noah said helpfully.
Bobby pulled back, his pupils dilated, and he blew out a slow breath. “Do you have any idea how hot you are standing up to him?”
“Um,” Steve said.
“Gross,” Noah muttered.
Helena rolled her eyes, hand still wrapped around Jamie’s, and she looked between them. “He’s not lying about your relationship being an obstacle. Religious groups in particular will have issues.”
“Then we have to get ahead of the curve,” Jamie said decisively. “Have them release the information before Louis can. That way we can twist it to our means instead of to his.”
“Are you sure you weren’t a publicist in a former life?” Gregory asked.
That set laughter around the room, and Steve relaxed a fraction. He still had a hold of Bobby, thumb rubbing at the skin of his waist, even thought there was no way he could feel it under his clothes. Bobby seemed to appreciate it, nonetheless, leaning into Steve’s hold.
“You are right, however,” Gregory continued, eyes on Steve and Bobby. He moved around them to take the pictures from the desk. “I am not foolish enough to believe that these are the only copies, nor do we have the originals, but if we can somehow get the news out to the press, we will have an advantage over the grand prince and whatever message he wishes to send about you.”
“Only we should have a say in who we are,” Steve said stubbornly.
“That’s his point, Steve,” Sam said, exasperated.
Bobby’s face was expressionless, but his body was relaxed in Steve’s hold, so Steve wasn’t worried. He stared at their friends, and then turned to Steve, his eyes bright. “It’s gonna be shit.”
Steve shrugged. It might have scared him a couple of weeks ago, but Bobby wanted him around, Steve’s mom was going to be a common visitor, and there was nothing Steve wanted more than to stick it to Louis. The idea of treason didn’t scare him as much as it used to, either. “It hasn’t exactly been a ride. I’ll just have to charm the media, won’t I?”
“Pretty sure you’d do that just by breathing,” Bobby said, but he was biased, so Steve wasn’t sure he could take him seriously.
Helena snorted. “You’re not wrong. He has the face for it.”
“Thanks,” Steve said, knowing he was as red as a tomato. He frowned as he thought of the email he had opened that morning from his professors. “So apparently, I have a sufficient portfolio to hold the end of semester exhibition. So many of you,” he said to Bobby.
Bobby’s eyes widened, and his excited smile made Steve relax the rest of the way. “That’s great. I can’t wait to see the things I’ve missed.”
The pain Steve was expecting at the reminder of their separation didn’t happen and he shrugged gently, a little embarrassed. “I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
“Actually,” Gregory was saying thoughtfully, brow furrowing. “I think that might actually be exactly what we need.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
It was strange being back at the university.
Steve made a point to stop by the mural before he headed for the main showcase hall, and Bobby had an arm around his waist, sunglasses perched on the end of his nose, hand around Steve’s waist. Steve knew there were bodyguards failing at blending in, and he almost wanted to send Bobby back to the hotel just so he would be out of the public eye, but he didn’t want to have a fight.
The mural had new meaning now that Steve knew what Maria represented, and he let out a slow breath. He wished he could have met her just once, to thank her for raising Bobby the way she did. He pulled Bobby tighter against him, and Bobby allowed it, fingers squeezing Steve’s hip.
“Come on,” Bobby said eventually. “The sooner we get this show over with, the sooner we can get back to the hotel.”
Dipping his head, so that Steve could look into his eyes, Bobby grinned. Bobby’s eyes were dark, and though they had already had sex that morning, Steve felt his dick perking up at the thought of yet more bedroom action. He rolled his eyes.
“You’re the star of the show,” Steve pointed out. “Also insatiable.”
“You love it.” Bobby leaned up to kiss Steve’s cheek and then nudged him forward, toward the main building. “I can appreciate my own face and at the same time, want to stare at yours while we’re both naked, can’t I?”
“Yeah,” Steve said, thinking back to the meetings he had with his professors, and the couple of times he had to fly back to sort things in person. The university had given carte blanche to the Art and Design Department for the show, and though Steve had wanted to keep it quiet, they had Prince Robert attached to the guide. It had been all around the campus for weeks, according to Sam and Jamie, who had returned to finish out their studies. Helena and Noah had chosen to switch their credits to a university in Mercia and were spending the rest of their time at the palace. Bobby assured Jamie and Sam they were welcome, and although Jamie was making noises about being wherever Helena was, Sam hadn’t made any concrete decisions. He wanted to focus on being a counselor, which is what he had been working toward anyway, and Steve could understand not wanting to live at the palace long term. If Bobby hadn’t been there, there was no way Steve would be.
Bobby nudged Steve, gesturing toward a couple of students who had their phones out, already snapping away at them. Steve was grateful Bobby didn’t pull away, and he leaned in to press a kiss to Bobby’s temple. Let Louis try and control the narrative now.
The bodyguards seemed to have abandoned their attempts to blend in, hovering a few steps behind them, and though it was still something new and irritating, Steve was learning to tolerate it. Steve had even been assigned his own bodyguard, Challa, a bright woman who had a mean right hook—or so Steve had been told. She reminded him of Daisy, and it was the only reason he had agreed to let her follow him around.
�
�Let,” Bobby had muttered, as if he had a say in the matter.
“How did Louis take your being present at the art show?” Steve hadn’t been back to the palace since his last meeting with his professors, and though he had wanted to go back to the apartment, Bobby had insisted on paying for a hotel room—and coming a day early so they could reacquaint themselves with each other before
“He knew something was going on,” Bobby said, frowning. He had his free hand in his pocket and Steve grinned internally. Clearly, he had no issues with relaxing the ideals of a prince Louis had been trying to instill in him. “He couldn’t find the photos, thanks to Gregory, who also managed to weed out the guy who was following me. Loose lips sink ships and all that.”
Steve winced at the idea of someone in the household turning on Bobby, but he could understand it. Bobby was a newcomer, and most of the staff had to have been loyal to Louis for a long time. Thankfully, Gregory was cleaning house, doing his best to pave the way for Bobby, and Steve was adamant he’d help.
Once he was done with his show, of course.
“Let’s get this over with,” Steve said with a sigh.
“Hey.” Bobby tugged on Steve’s jacket, holding him in place in front of the doors. Steve was absently aware they were blocking the doorway but didn’t have it in him to prevent it. “They’ll love your work.”
“Sure.” Steve didn’t even buy it himself, and Bobby rolled his eyes, twisting his fingers in Steve’s shirt, probably wrinkling it in ways that would be obvious.
“Listen to me, Steve. You’re a great artist, you understand me? Your pictures and sketches are phenomenal, and I’m not just saying that because I’m in them. I love my mom’s work, and yours are better.”
Steve’s breath hitched in his throat. He leaned in, resting his head against Bobby and closed his eyes. “I don’t think I can do this.”
Bobby threaded his fingers into Steve’s hair. “You can. You’re gonna be great at winning over all the people coming for your art, and you’re gonna handle being the focus of the press. You’ve got this.”
It was reassuring, and Steve let out the breath he’d been holding, nodding gently and then pulling back, giving Bobby a small smile. “Thanks.”
Pulling back, Steve reached out for Bobby’s hand, who willingly held on. Bobby pulled his sunglasses from his face with his free hand as they entered the gallery, and Steve tried to stand a little straighter.
The gallery itself was already packed, and Steve was a little disheartened to see that a lot of them were media, some with cameras, some with sharp eyes who immediately seemed to zone in on Steve and Bobby. There were people from the university, actually interested in the works on display, and that was more normal and put Steve at ease.
“Steve, these are amazing,” Helena said, sweeping in to press a kiss to Steve’s cheek. Steve grinned, ignoring the mock glare Jamie gave him when he returned the kiss.
“Thanks,” Steve said, still hanging on to Bobby’s hand. Bobby slipped closer, eyes scanning over the works hanging around the gallery. Steve realized that there were a couple he hadn’t seen. “Thanks for coming.”
“As if we’d miss it, man,” Sam said, clapping Steve on the shoulder.
Jamie snorted. “I wish. Jackie’d kick my ass.”
“She’s here?” Steve asked, surprised.
“We weren’t leaving your mom out of it, Steve,” Bobby said, as if he was a moron, and that was fair.
Steve opened his mouth to say they should find her, when Noah approached, Jackie’s arm linked through his. Steve’s eyebrows shot into his hairline, but Noah just grinned in return.
“Not sure I wanted to see quite so much of Bobby, but whatever, I guess.”
“I think they’re all wonderful,” Jackie said, squeezing Steve’s arm and accepting the kiss to her cheek. Bobby repeated the gesture, and Jackie’s gaze was warm as she swept over their little group. “Thank you for supporting Steve.”
“You don’t have to thank us, Jackie,” Bobby said quietly. “Steve’s worth the attention.”
“Perhaps not all of it,” Steve groused, indicating the media around them.
I don’t want this. Steve knew better than to say the words aloud because he didn’t want Bobby to think he was changing his mind. Accepting he would have to deal with something and actually facing it were two different things. Not that he was going to leave; Gregory’s plan was working thus far, and everything had been carefully planned. Even though the attention made some distant part of Steve’s brain terrified of the pressure on his work, and equally as terrified he was going to be Prince Robert’s boyfriend for the rest of forever, being able to share his life with Bobby in the open and without having to hide would be worth it.
“I love you,” Bobby said quietly, and didn’t seem to care as he pressed a kiss to Steve’s lips. There was the sound of several clicks and murmurs, and Steve shoved them down, curling a hand around the back of Bobby’s neck and holding him in place, deepening their kiss.
“I love you too,” Steve said, pulling back reluctantly. “I know I’m being difficult, I’m sorry.”
“Stop apologizing,” Bobby said, turning to give the press a familiar, false smile that still made Steve’s skin crawl sometimes. “I’ll see the work I haven’t been able to, we’ll mingle, answer a couple of questions, and then we’ll go back to the hotel.”
“Hopefully with lots of nakedness in my future?”
Bobby’s laugh seemed to ease the rest of Steve’s reservations and his steps were lighter as they parted from friends and Jackie so Steve could show Bobby the sketches and photographs he’d done in Bobby’s absence. There were still a few of Bobby, residual works that had taken Steve a little while to finish, but he was proud of the outcome.
“I don’t remember this one.”
It was a sketch of a photograph Steve had taken just before the breakup. It had been at Steve’s apartment, Bobby sprawled out on the floor with Jamie, the two of them bickering over a video game, and it had been too much to avoid, even when he’d been heartbroken. It had almost been a self-inflicted hurt, his best friend and ex-boyfriend sharing a charged, if ridiculous moment. Steve had titled it Loss and Gain and while his reasons had been sound at the time, he wasn’t sure it was suitable anymore.
“The loss was me,” Bobby said, and it was more statement than question. He stared at his own expression, then Jamie’s. “Was he mad at me?”
They hadn’t spoken much about their breakup, and it pained Steve to do it, but he wrapped an arm around Bobby’s waist. “He pushed me to talk to you, actually. I think Sam was the only one that understood where I was coming from, but even he was determined to fly me out to you if he had to.”
Bobby nodded, an expression on his face Steve couldn’t name. They stood in silence through the next few exhibits, a couple of people catching Steve, and though they were intrigued by Bobby’s presence, most of them focused on Steve.
“I told you,” Bobby said, nudging Steve after their latest encounter. “People are obviously gonna be here because the prince is here, but they’re also here for you.”
“I believe you,” Steve said, pressing a kiss to Bobby’s temple. Bobby’s answering expression was soft, and Steve could almost pretend it was just another trip out for them both. Unfortunately, they weren’t given the privacy for long.
“You’re gonna have to say something eventually,” Jamie said. Helena was keeping close to him, but her attention was on Bobby, apparently asking him without words how he was doing.
Steve stared at the press, his jaw locked. He just wanted to get the hell out of there.
“We’ll give them what they came for,” Bobby snapped.
Steve took a moment to guide Bobby away from everything, even their friends, and stared down at him, smiling gently. “I love you.”
“I know,” Bobby started, taking a deep breath, but Steve pressed a finger to his lips.
“Whatever they say, however they react, I’m not leaving y
ou. You get that, don’t you?”
Bobby hesitated, doubt flickering across his face before he nodded sharply, a small smile starting to curve his mouth. “I know.”
“Good,” Steve continued, “because I’d hate to have to repeat myself.”
Bobby rolled his eyes but accepted the kiss Steve pressed to his lips. “I wasn’t kidding about giving them what they came for.”
“Let them take pictures,” Steve said, waving a hand. “We’ll give an interview when we’re ready. Until then, I wanna enjoy a night out with you.”
“That I can do,” Bobby said, voice hoarse, but he let Steve lead him back to the main gallery.
Eventually they would face the press, give a story that would have Louis off their backs for the rest of his life, and no doubt face a battle for Bobby’s position as heir, but in that moment, he was just Steve, and Bobby was the boyfriend who’d changed his life in ways Steve was grateful for.
Epilogue
“Now that his coronation is on the way, you’re going to have to make it official,” Gregory was saying as he and Steve walked down the hall toward the east wing. The palace was larger than Steve had thought, and now that Louis was interred at the family mausoleum, Steve had freedom to roam the halls.
“That’s terrifying,” Steve informed him primly, though he couldn’t keep his heart from skipping a beat. He and Bobby hadn’t really discussed what forever meant but continued to say I’m here to stay and I’m not leaving you without elaborating on how far that went.
Steve knew what he would say if asked, but Bobby had yet to do so—and Steve probably could have done it himself—but Bobby was still a prince—well, Grand Prince in a matter of days—and Steve didn’t think that was allowed. When he said as much to Gregory, the man just smiled.
“A few months ago, you didn’t believe you would ever want to know the royal family, let alone remain in the palace.”
Now Steve called Cosgrove Palace home and had promised to stay with Bobby.
“I’m sure if you asked, his Highness would agree.”
