Read Leopold: Part Five for Free Online Page A

tightens. I can’t help but grin— he came back .
    I ignore the part of me that hates myself for getting so excited thinking about it—that he did what he said he would do. That he went to his room for a few minutes to get the condoms. That maybe he decided to blow off dinner with his family to spend the entire evening with me. That he chose me.
    He chose me.
    I smile again and try not to skip to the door. My cheeks almost hurt from how wide my grin is.
    I’m ready to pretend to torture the living hell out of him for leaving me in the first place. But my smile falls as soon as I crack open the door.
    It isn’t Leo standing there. It’s Stephan.
    He doesn’t even wait for me to acknowledge him—he pushes through the door, stepping around me and into the room.
    I’m still staring out into the hallway—I have to blink a few times before I realize what’s happening. I close the door and turn to face the pudgy man. I don’t say anything—I only lift an expectant eyebrow.
    He sniffs, lifting his nose in an obvious display of condescension. “Yes, right. I suppose you’re wondering—”
    I interrupt. “I know I’m not from Montovia or anything, but even in America, it’s impolite for a stranger to barge into a room—”
    He interrupts me this time with what almost sounds like a snort. “Ha! Impolite? You , Miss—”
    “Doctor. You may call me Doctor. I’m hardly—”
    “ Miss .” He almost hisses the interruption this time and glares at me, almost daring me to say anything else. “As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted…” He pauses, lifting a bushy eyebrow. “Right. As I was saying, you seem to have cornered the market on rudeness, at least as far as anything I’ve ever been witness to in this palace. And I dare say I’ve served here longer than you’ve been alive.”
    Served . It’s still difficult for me to believe that Matthias and Stephan—and probably countless others working in the palace—have given up their lives in devotion to Leo’s family. I guess I have nothing to compare it to—people don’t do that where I come from. I feel devoted to serving children—to helping keep them healthy—but certainly not to one job . I guess I can’t imagine committing my life to only working in one place. I can’t relate, no matter what I do to try to see things from his perspective.
    “It goes without saying that this …” He makes a sweeping motion with his arm. “ This is not how things are done here. Regardless of what His Highness, Prince Leopold may desire.”
    I stare at him, expressionless. What the hell am I supposed to say to that?
    He stares back at me in silence for a long moment. “We don’t tolerate your kind here.”
    “My kind ?” I blink a few times for effect. “What exactly do you mean by my kind ?”
    He narrows his gaze and folds his arms over his square chest. “I believe you know exactly what I mean.”
    I nod, but not because I agree. Leo should be here—to stop me from killing this man at the very least. I can feel my heart starting to thud in my chest, my stomach tightening. I’m going to unleash on this poor bastard, and he’s not going to know what hit him.
    But I’m only barely able to open my mouth before he continues. “I’ll not stand for it. You’ll retrieve your things now and you’ll be gone before His Highness returns from dinner. And you’ll not return to Montovia again for as long as you live.”
    I press my lips into a line and lift a brow. I stare at him for another moment, trying to contain my rage before I allow myself to speak. “Look…” I suppress the urge to use the word asshole . “Leo, Andrew, and their father all came to an agreement. I guess you might not be privy to the details just yet, but—”
    “I’ve heard every detail of the arrangement His Royal Majesty has made with Prince Leopold. That is not why I am here this evening.”
    I nod. “I see. Well, then I suppose you should take that up with Leo and