"Marianna is tired. Let her rest." She nodded to Leo's room. "I need to speak to you."
His stomach dropped like lead. She could only want to talk to him for one reason. She'd heard about his meeting with Marasco Industries, and she wasn't happy. He nodded and stepped to the side.
She entered, and he followed after her, shutting the door behind him. Not wanting to seem too inviting, Leo folded his arms and leaned against the wall next to the door.
"What do you want, mother?"
His mom turned and sighed. She had a look that told him she was not happy. "I got a call from Mr. Geo today," she said, folding her arms and studying him.
"I'm not sure why he would be calling you. I told both him and Mr. Marasco that I was not interested in making a decision about the new factory at this moment. I'm still healing from the injury, and a decision like that deserves all of my mental faculties." He straightened, hoping his mother would feel the weight of his meaning.
She sighed and rubbed her temples. "Leo, you do realize how important this merger with the Marasco family is. The economy is struggling, and this joint venture would help both in the marriage and with their company." She glanced up at him.
For a moment, Leo felt bad. He saw the stress his mother was under and wanted to help. But he wasn't going to do what she wanted, when it was so obvious that Mr. Marasco had other plans for Caro—more than he was writing up in his proposals. So, he nodded. Appeasing his mother seemed like the best bet. "Of course. And when I am feeling better, I will make that decision. Right now, I want to prepare for dinner."
His mother hesitated and nodded. "All right." She walked over to the door, and just as she reached for the handle, Leo stopped her.
He wanted to make sure that they were on the same page. "You will wait until I am ready to rule on this, right?"
She paused and then nodded. "I will try." Then she turned the handle and slipped from the room.
Leo hated the sour feeling his interaction with his mother had left him with. What did "I will try" even mean? He had a sinking suspicion it meant she would take matters into her own hands if he didn't rule the way she wanted him to.
He blew out a breath as anger built up in his chest. Why were his parents so hell-bent on him becoming king if they wouldn't even let him do his job? Did they really think that he was incapable of making good decisions? He pushed his hands through his hair. This had to stop. He'd give his mother one more chance, but if she proved herself incapable of respecting his wish to slow this process down, then he was finished.
He wouldn’t stick around here anymore.
Chapter Fifteen
Leo should have known better than to assume his mother was going to let the topic go. As soon as he sat down at the dining table, she threw Mr. Marasco at him. It was becoming abundantly clear to him as he sat at the table, waiting for dessert to be served, that the throne meant more to his mother than he did.
It was also clear that the thought of her son marrying a common woman was as appalling to her as having a root canal with no anesthesia.
What she didn't realize was that forcing him into a loveless marriage, for a job he didn't even want, was as painful as a root canal with no anesthesia for him.
"Well?" his mother looked at him as if it were his turn to speak.
He winced. Truth was, he hadn't been listening to any of their conversation. It was all fake. All the smiles. All the small chat. Why couldn't Mr. Marasco just say why he was here? He wanted to know what the crown could do for him. Which, if Leo had anything to do about it, was nothing.
He met his mom's gaze. "What?" He leaned forward and adjusted the plate in front of him. "I apologize, I am not feeling well tonight." He rubbed his temples with his fingertips.
When he glanced back at his mom, she furrowed her brow. "Really, Leo?"
He squeezed his eyes shut and nodded. "My head is killing me."
Truth was, he felt fine. But the last place he wanted to be was sitting here, listening to his mother plan his future like he didn't exist. Like he didn't have a say. He only had a few short weeks before his birthday, and then this entire prince nightmare would be behind him. He just needed to hold out.
He pulled the napkin off his lap and set it on the table. "I think I will go lie down." He pushed his chair away from the table and stood. Before his mother could respond, he headed out of the room, leaving her sputtering behind him.
Once he was in his room, he pulled off his sash and coat and laid them on the bed. He scrubbed his face with his hands and glanced up toward the ceiling, letting out his breath. He was not happy—his mother was relentless.
Even though he hadn't been paying attention to their conversation, he'd picked up bits and pieces. They were still planning the merger as if nothing had changed. As if he hadn't proposed to Marianna. As if he hadn't foiled their plans.
He was beginning to realize that he was never going to get away from this place—from this imposed responsibility that he'd been born into. It was no use. He was trapped, and the only way he was going to get away from it was to disappear.
He couldn't become King if he were missing. On his own, he could finally become the person he wanted to become. Not a lapdog for Mr. Marasco or a blindly obedient son to his mother.
He shook his head as he paced his room. That seemed rash. Perhaps he was blowing this out of proportion. His mother must be blind to what Mr. Marasco really wanted. Or maybe she knew that he wasn't good for Caro, but she didn't know how to get rid of him. That must be it.
Twenty minutes later, Leo figured that dinner was over and that people were heading back to their rooms. He'd confront his mother and tell her that she needed to ask Mr. Marasco to leave. They'd figure out a way to protect the crown from Mr. Marasco's influence, because one thing was for sure, Caro wasn't safe with men like him trying to take over the crown.
He pulled open his door and stepped out into the hall. No one was around. When he approached his parent's door, he hesitated. He could hear voices on the other side.
He swallowed, hoping to still his pounding heart as he focused on figuring out who was speaking. He picked out his mother's voice right away. The second was…Mr. Marasco?
"But what if that never happens?" Mr. Marasco asked.
His mother sighed. "Trust me, we are planning on moving forward like nothing has happened. Leo will remember. The Marasco family is what Caro needs to carry us into the future."
There was a grunt which Leo could only assume came from Mr. Marasco.
"Just, don't give up. Leo will marry Gisella."
Leo's stomach twisted. He hated hearing his mother make plans for him like this. As if he didn't have a say. One thing was for sure, if he wasn't around, then this could never happen. He knew that Mr. Marasco was wrong for Caro, even though his mother was convinced otherwise.
If he weren't here, then the crown was safe. He couldn't be manipulated by his mother, and all of their plotting and planning would be for naught.
Not wanting to stand outside his parent's door listening to their ridiculous plot, he turned and headed back to his room. Once inside, Leo walked over to his closet, pulled out his suitcase, and set it on his bed. He unzipped it and flipped the top open. He was going to leave. Run away. Get Marianna and get out of this place.
After packing a few pairs of pants and some t-shirts, he grabbed some toiletries from the bathroom and packed a few more essentials. He zipped the suitcase closed and pulled at the handle. It extended, and he rolled the suitcase over to the door.
He changed out of his suit, slipping on some tennis shoes and a baseball cap. Hopefully, it would keep his identity hidden from the citizens of Caro. Just beyond Trieste were farmlands. He would be able to find a place to hide out there until the crown was successfully transferred to Ermes and he could return. It wasn't forever—just until the pressure was finally off.
The plan was perfect.
He opened his door and peeked out. No one was standing guard outside his door,
which bolstered his confidence. He just might be able to sneak out of here without Filippo following him.
He grabbed his suitcase and wheeled it over to Marianna's door. After knocking three times, he paused and leaned closer to the door, straining to hear any noise.
A few seconds later, the handle turned and Marianna appeared in the doorway. Her eyes widened as she glanced out behind him. "What are you doing here?" she asked, moving to peer up at him.
He slipped into her room and shut the door behind them. "I need to talk to you."
She glanced down at his suitcase and then back up at him. "Wha—"
"I'm leaving."
She closed her lips and looked at him, expectantly.
He shook his head. "Our plan isn’t working. Mother still wants me to marry Gisella, and I can't do that. I'm leaving until Ermes is crowned, and then I'll come back." He stepped up to her and grabbed her hand. "Come with me." He met her gaze. For the first time, he allowed his feelings for Marianna to bubble up to the surface. He was tired of hiding how he felt. Tired of squelching his feelings for the benefit of his country.
He was ready to act for himself, and being with Marianna was what he wanted.
"Leo, I…" She bit her bottom lip and glanced around the room.
"Come on. You can think of this as a tour of my country. Trust me, they will be mad at me, not you." He squeezed her hand.
Her gaze fell to their fingers. She was silent for a moment before she glanced up at him. "Are you going to go regardless?"
His stomach squeezed. He tried not to feel hurt by the fact that she wasn't jumping at the chance to run away with him. Had her interest been all in his head? He clenched his jaw. He was being stupid. He'd seen the way she looked at him. She was more interested than she was letting on.
But if she needed to go slow, he'd let her. He wasn't going to push her. So he dropped her hand and stepped back. "Yes. I'm going." He leaned forward and winked. "But I'd love for you to go with me."
She studied him and then sighed. "Well, I guess it would be irresponsible for me not to go with you. I can't have you gallivanting around the countryside without a chaperone. Who knows what kind of shenanigans you are going to get yourself into."
He laughed. "You know me."
She'd pulled out her suitcase from the closet and shot him a look. After packing her bag, she pulled it off her bed and straightened. "All right, let's do this."
Leo opened her door and glanced out. The sight of Filippo rounding the corner caused him to jump back. Thankfully, Filippo seemed too preoccupied with his phone to notice and entered his room without looking back.
With the coast now clear, Leo nodded toward the hallway. "Come on," he said.
Marianna nodded and followed after him as he led her to his room. When they were safely inside, Leo walked over to his balcony and dropped his suitcase into the bushes below.
Marianna appeared next to him, peering over his railing. "Um, you never said anything about needing to climb down."
He shot her a pleading look. "It's not that far down, and besides it'll be an adventure."
She glanced at him and then back to the ground. She sighed and nodded. Once he threw her suitcase into the bushes, he slipped his leg over the balustrade and scaled the brick until he was far enough from the ground that he could jump down the rest of the way.
Turning toward the balcony, he whispered, "Your turn."
Marianna peeked down at him. Her eyebrows were furrowed as she studied the wall. There was a moment there when Leo thought she might not come. That he was going to be left to leave on his own. But then her leg came into view, and she started to hesitantly climb down.
He stood underneath her just in case. Halfway down, she slipped, and Leo reached out his arms to catch her. But she steadied herself before she fell.
"You okay?" he whispered.
She nodded. He could see her squeeze her eyes shut. "I think so."
"Slow and steady," he said, hoping to encourage her.
Her shoulders shifted as she took a deep breath and continued. Once she was a few feet away, he reached out. "I'll catch you," he said.
She glanced down at him. "Are you sure?"
He smiled. "Of course I'm sure. You are my fiancée after all. I can't let anything happen to you."
Her gaze met his and held. There was something in it. Something she wasn't telling him. Did he want to know?
"Okay, but don't drop me," she said.
He snorted, grateful that she was distracting him from his thoughts. He was ready to get out of here, and dissecting her intentions was the last thing he should be doing.
"Trust me," he said.
After a five-second countdown, Marianna let go of the wall and dropped. Leo braced himself for her weight as she fell into his arms. He staggered back, absorbing the impact of her fall. Then he righted himself and grinned down at her.
"Was that so bad?" he asked.
Her eyes were wide. It looked as if she wasn't exactly sure how she felt about any of this. But then she shook her head. "No. Not as terrifying as it seemed when I was up there."
He set her gently onto her feet and released her. He was grateful to get some distance between them. She was intoxicating and confusing. And right now, he needed to focus.
He rubbed his hands together as he walked over to the bushes and retrieved their luggage. The walk to his car was quiet. It seemed as if she sensed his urgency and kept pace with him. Once everything was in the trunk, they slipped into the car, and Leo started the engine.
It wasn't until they were on the main highway that Marianna let out her breath and glanced over at him. Her eyes were wide as she studied him. Did he want to know what she was thinking?
Curiosity won out. "You know, you can always ask me whatever you’re trying so hard not to ask." He winked, hoping it would help lighten the mood.
She parted her lips and then closed them. The question must be intense if it was this hard for her to ask.
After a minute, she spoke. "What's the plan?"
He leaned back, letting his wrist rest on the wheel. "We're going to drive to our summer home, a few hours north of here. I'm going to put in a call to Sean, my buddy from university, and hopefully he has a car we can borrow. Then we'll just travel. See the countryside."
When she didn't respond, he glanced over at her. Why was she so quiet?
"And then what? Return when—what was his name?"
"Ermes?"
"Yeah, when Ermes is king? And you'll be free?"
"Exactly." Why did he detect a hint of annoyance in her voice?
He scrubbed his face as he studied the road. "You don't understand what it's like to live your whole life where everything is planned, down to the very second. You're told what to wear, what to eat, who to love." His gaze slipped over to her.
When she caught him looking, her gaze snapped down to her hands. "But, Leo. It's you. It's what you were born to do. Do you really think Ermes could rule better than you?"
His stomach squeezed at her question. He knew what she was trying to do—appealing to his sense of duty. A duty bred into him since he was born. He'd served two years in the military. He’d studied foreign relations at university. Everything he'd done since he was a child had prepared him to rule.
Why couldn't he accept it?
A small tug pulled at the back of his mind. He knew why. He was scared. He'd seen what a wealthy man had done to his parents. They saw what his wealth could do for them, so they had caved to the point of selling off their son to him.
Suddenly, he wasn't the prince they'd groomed, but a pawn to be used in their game. And he didn't want to be a pawn.
He blew out his breath. Stress was rising up from his gut and settling at the base of his neck. He twisted his head, hoping the relieve the tension that was building. He didn't want to talk or think about this anymore. They needed to get to the summer home, and then he'd figure out the rest of the plan.
All he knew right now was that
he needed to get away. What he was going to do after that didn't matter. Distance between him and the castle was his top priority. Then he'd face her question.
Chapter Sixteen
Marianna studied the road as Leo drove quietly next to her. She wanted to ask him more questions, but he didn't seem in the mood to answer them. Every time she brought up what his plan was, he changed the subject.
Maybe he wasn't sure about what he was doing. Running off when things got hard wasn't something she was a stranger to. She'd done it many times in the past. He'd talk to her eventually, he just needed time.
The sun had disappeared behind the horizon, and darkness surrounded them. She felt a little disappointed that she wasn't going to see any more of this beautiful countryside. All she could see now was the patch of road in front of them that was illuminated by the headlights.
They must be getting farther out into the country. Only a few cars had passed them in the last ten minutes. She settled back. Leo had said it would be a few hours until they got to his summer home, so she might as well get comfortable.
Leo leaned forward and switched on the radio. "Music?" he asked.
She nodded. "Sure."
A man's soft voice filled the car. He sang in a language she didn't recognize, but his tone and the music soon relaxed her. Just as her eyelids drifted closed, a bang sounded from outside. Instantly, the car veered to the left. Leo grabbed the wheel to compensate.
He pulled over to the side of the road and let the car idle.
Marianna glanced over to him. She knew what this meant. A flat tire.
"You okay?" he asked, glancing over at her.
She nodded. "Yeah. You?"
He unbuckled and pulled on the door handle. "Yes. Wait here. I'll go check."
The trunk opened, and she heard him rustling around. A few minutes later, he returned, slamming the door shut and grabbing the wheel. He did not look happy.
"Everything okay?"
He glanced over at her. "There's no spare." He twisted his hands on the wheel and, she was pretty sure, let out a few Italian swear words.
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