Leopold: Part Four (13 page)

“This is nonsense.” Leo interrupts. His eyes are still fixed on his father. “Everything that happened in California was
my
doing. Every last bit of it. As I’ve already told you, Father, Elle is an upstanding physician. An upstanding
woman
. And I’ll not have her taking the blame for a single thing I’ve done. I
was
impulsive when I followed her to Los Angeles—I’ll fully admit that. But I’ve changed. And she’s helped me to do that. I’ve tried to show you, Father. I’ve tried repeatedly to
tell
you that.”

His father glares at him for a moment. “I’ll have you
both
barred from this country. I’ve already told you this, Leopold. If you follow through on your threats, you’ll never be allowed to return here for as long as I’m living.”

Leo’s jaw tightens. “Fine.”

My eyes widen again, darting between the two men. “Not fine. You can’t do that to him, Your…” I gulp—I can’t even finish King Edmund’s title. “Your Majesty. Leo doesn’t deserve that kind of treatment… Not because of me—”

Leo shakes his head to interrupt, but his gaze is still only on his father. “It doesn’t matter, Elle. He won’t listen to reason. He never has. And besides, if he refuses to accept you being a part of my life, I’ll never
want
to return here again.”

And that’s when it hits me—why he’s done everything he’s done in the past twenty-four hours. Why he took me on a private jet to his favorite restaurant. Why he brought me here at all. It’s because it might be the last time he ever gets to see his home. It was his last meal—the one he would have before he’s sent to his death. And it
is
like a death—the end of everything he’s ever known.

“I can’t let you do this, Leo.” I look up at him, but he still refuses to meet my gaze.

“It’s not your choice to make, Elle. It is only mine. And as I’ve told you both, I’ve made up my mind.” He finally turns to me, looking deeply into my eyes. “I choose you.”

King Edmund’s gaze narrows and his voice lowers to almost a growl. “Then consider yourself no longer a member of this family or a citizen of this country, Leopold. You’ll relinquish your title and your claim to the throne. And both of you will leave Montovia immediately.”

L
eopold - Part Five
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L
eopold
unfolds
over the course of six novels, released every three weeks. Each follows the continuing story of Prince Leopold of Montovia and Dr. Eleanor Parker.
Leopold
is the first of the Royal Heartbreakers Series.

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NDREW - Part
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