Free Leopold: Part Four by Ember Casey, Renna Peak Page A

I’m not sure where the emotion is coming from exactly, but my eyes fill with tears. I turn away from him, stepping toward another of the chairs. I grip the back of it and close my eyes.
    This is not how this weekend was supposed to go. I was supposed to get a head start on my trip to Oklahoma for my interview. I was going to stop in New Mexico and see if it might be somewhere I would want to live after my next contract is done. I was going to have a nice, slow trip and only have to drive six or seven hours a day—I was going to enjoy the trip this time, not having anything to run from for the first time in so long. I wasn’t supposed to find myself on some stupid private jet on the way to New York City with Prince Leopold. And I definitely wasn’t supposed to be hearing him tell me that I’m supposed to learn to want to be spoiled by his ridiculous luxuries that I don’t need or want or…deserve.
    Fuck.
    I’ve spent so much time trying to work through this stuff. And I know it didn’t take me three months to become as fucked up in the head as I am—and I know it’s going to take me a hell of a lot longer than three months to get un fucked up, if that’s even possible. But having Leo standing here, telling me things that sound like lies to get me to… Hell, I don’t even know what he’s trying to do. I thought at first he was trying to get in my pants again, but he’s already been in my pants—he has an all-access pass to my pants—so none of this makes much sense.
    I turn back to him and take in a long breath, though it does little to cover up the shaking in my voice. “What is your objective here?”
    His brow furrows and something flashes in his eyes. “Sorry?”
    “The point… What is the point of all of this? Your end goal?”
    He smiles, though I can see he’s trying to hide something. Pain, perhaps, though I have my doubts. I fail to see how me calling him out on his bullshit could possibly injure him. I know he doesn’t like me questioning him at all, but I don’t like anything about this.
    “Ah, is this the ‘how does this end’ question again? Because my answer this time is quite different than it was in California, Elle. It is much more hopeful than it was the last time we were together.”
    The only thing I can do is shake my head. I don’t really want to hear whatever it is he has to say—I don’t want to hear about how I’ve changed his life for the better. And something about the way he’s looking at me is telling me he’s expecting me to pour my heart out to him.
    He turns back to the closet across the plane from where I’m standing. “You really should put on one of the gowns, Elle. I promise I won’t watch.” He grins. “Unless you want me to.”
    My glare is the only response I give him.
    But his grin doesn’t fade. “I think you might feel more comfortable—”
    My gaze narrows even further. “If I’m out of my clothes? No thanks.” I motion toward the closet. “How do you even know those things will fit me?”
    He grins again. “I’d like to tell you it was me, but alas… Technology is quite amazing these days, Elle. Even a single photograph is enough for my tailors to make you anything of your choosing, custom fit to your body. And you provided plenty of photographs during our stay together a few months ago.”
    My cheeks burn—I had purposely not watched any television shows or looked at any of the tabloids from around that time. I still can’t stand the thought of having people look at me like that.
    Leo takes another step toward me, boxing me into the corner of the seating area. He reaches out to pull my hand into his again. “Elle…”
    I look up into his eyes again—I have this need to see something there. I want to be able to read the lies. I’m searching desperately for something—anything—to tell me I’m right not to trust him.
    But there’s nothing there. Whatever it is he’s feeling seems to be completely genuine, at least to him.
    He