Read Online Leopold: Part Five by Ember Casey, Renna Peak - Free Book Online
Authors: Ember Casey, Renna Peak
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did not make a very graceful exit this evening.”
“Indeed you did not.” A man’s voice rings out. Andrew takes a seat on the bench where I had been sitting until a moment ago. “What is going on out here, ladies?”
“Leo’s beloved and I are getting to know each other, Brother.” Sophia laughs. “And we’re sharing my favorite meal.”
Andrew rolls his eyes and crosses his arms over his chest. “And the car?”
As if on cue, the driver honks one more time.
Sophia laughs again. “I’ve already told him to leave, but he doesn’t seem to want to hear the message.” She starts to raise her hand into the air again, but must think better of it because she drops it almost as quickly. She turns back to Andrew. “You and Leo had an agreement regarding this lovely woman, did you not?”
Andrew’s mouth opens slightly and he glances at me before turning his gaze back to his sister. “Indeed, we did. We do .”
She nods. “Then why is it that Stephan insists she leave tonight?”
“He did not…” Andrew pauses for a moment. “Did he?”
Sophia and I both nod. I turn my gaze away from Andrew’s. He still hasn’t spoken a word to me, and I’m sure he has no intention of it now.
“What did he say to her?”
I snap my gaze back to his. “I am sitting right here, you know. And I am capable of speaking.”
“I…” He snaps his mouth closed for a moment, his expression softening. “Of course you are. My apologies.”
My eyes widen and I have to blink a few times. He spoke to me . Not around me. Not through me. To me . Maybe I am gaining a bit of ground with these people. Maybe.
“What…” Andrew pauses for a moment, clearly trying to choose his words. “What did he say to you?”
I look at him for a long moment. Telling the truth here seems like a risky move—one that might get me into almost as much trouble as telling a lie. Stephan is a valuable member of the staff, after all. He runs the fucking palace—he told me that. And why would either of these two believe a word I have to say on the matter? Why would they believe my word over Stephan’s?
But what the hell. It isn’t like I’m going to be able to stay for three months and play dress up to help Leo. What Stephan said can’t hurt me any more than it already has. It can only hurt him.
I stare again at Andrew. “He told me I needed to leave immediately or that he would have me thrown in jail.”
Sophia’s hand covers mine when I say the words.
Andrew lifts a brow. “On what charge, Doctor?”
I shrug. “He said I was a courtesan.”
Andrew’s brow furrows, and the door slams before I hear Leo’s voice.
“I’m going to kill that little bastard.”
Leo
I leave her alone for an hour—an hour —and my father’s crony insults her and manages to convince her to leave. This is unacceptable.
I march down the stairs toward Elle. She rises, as does my sister.
“Don’t you dare think of leaving,” I tell Elle firmly.
She raises an eyebrow. “Is that an order?”
I run a hand through my hair. “Not an order. A… Elle, I want you here with me. I thought you wanted to be here, too.”
“I do,” she says. She glances toward Andrew, who’s still sitting on the bench beside us. “I’m just not sure I’m welcome here.”
“We have a deal with my father, and my father’s word is law,” I tell her. “I don’t care what anyone else in the palace says. And I especially don’t care what Stephan says. That man is a vile excuse for a human being.”
“Who works for your father,” Elle points out. “Would he send me away without your father’s permission?”
“If he thought it was what my father wanted, then yes,” I say. “But he won’t disobey a direct order. Believe me, I intend on having a word with my father to ensure this never happens again.” And a word with Stephan, if I can find that weasel. Stephan is smart and cunning but also incredibly loyal—which is why my father has kept him in his
“Indeed you did not.” A man’s voice rings out. Andrew takes a seat on the bench where I had been sitting until a moment ago. “What is going on out here, ladies?”
“Leo’s beloved and I are getting to know each other, Brother.” Sophia laughs. “And we’re sharing my favorite meal.”
Andrew rolls his eyes and crosses his arms over his chest. “And the car?”
As if on cue, the driver honks one more time.
Sophia laughs again. “I’ve already told him to leave, but he doesn’t seem to want to hear the message.” She starts to raise her hand into the air again, but must think better of it because she drops it almost as quickly. She turns back to Andrew. “You and Leo had an agreement regarding this lovely woman, did you not?”
Andrew’s mouth opens slightly and he glances at me before turning his gaze back to his sister. “Indeed, we did. We do .”
She nods. “Then why is it that Stephan insists she leave tonight?”
“He did not…” Andrew pauses for a moment. “Did he?”
Sophia and I both nod. I turn my gaze away from Andrew’s. He still hasn’t spoken a word to me, and I’m sure he has no intention of it now.
“What did he say to her?”
I snap my gaze back to his. “I am sitting right here, you know. And I am capable of speaking.”
“I…” He snaps his mouth closed for a moment, his expression softening. “Of course you are. My apologies.”
My eyes widen and I have to blink a few times. He spoke to me . Not around me. Not through me. To me . Maybe I am gaining a bit of ground with these people. Maybe.
“What…” Andrew pauses for a moment, clearly trying to choose his words. “What did he say to you?”
I look at him for a long moment. Telling the truth here seems like a risky move—one that might get me into almost as much trouble as telling a lie. Stephan is a valuable member of the staff, after all. He runs the fucking palace—he told me that. And why would either of these two believe a word I have to say on the matter? Why would they believe my word over Stephan’s?
But what the hell. It isn’t like I’m going to be able to stay for three months and play dress up to help Leo. What Stephan said can’t hurt me any more than it already has. It can only hurt him.
I stare again at Andrew. “He told me I needed to leave immediately or that he would have me thrown in jail.”
Sophia’s hand covers mine when I say the words.
Andrew lifts a brow. “On what charge, Doctor?”
I shrug. “He said I was a courtesan.”
Andrew’s brow furrows, and the door slams before I hear Leo’s voice.
“I’m going to kill that little bastard.”
Leo
I leave her alone for an hour—an hour —and my father’s crony insults her and manages to convince her to leave. This is unacceptable.
I march down the stairs toward Elle. She rises, as does my sister.
“Don’t you dare think of leaving,” I tell Elle firmly.
She raises an eyebrow. “Is that an order?”
I run a hand through my hair. “Not an order. A… Elle, I want you here with me. I thought you wanted to be here, too.”
“I do,” she says. She glances toward Andrew, who’s still sitting on the bench beside us. “I’m just not sure I’m welcome here.”
“We have a deal with my father, and my father’s word is law,” I tell her. “I don’t care what anyone else in the palace says. And I especially don’t care what Stephan says. That man is a vile excuse for a human being.”
“Who works for your father,” Elle points out. “Would he send me away without your father’s permission?”
“If he thought it was what my father wanted, then yes,” I say. “But he won’t disobey a direct order. Believe me, I intend on having a word with my father to ensure this never happens again.” And a word with Stephan, if I can find that weasel. Stephan is smart and cunning but also incredibly loyal—which is why my father has kept him in his
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