All Characters except Kaytee and Alex, and Ms. H, belong to Pixelberry.
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Leo is awakened by his cell phone going off. He looks at the clock, 2 am, that means it could only be Liam. He always knew with Leo needed someone.
“Hey,” Leo answers, his voice raspy from his emotional breakdown.
“Hey, is everything alright? I had an uneasy feeling last night.” Liam says. “Have you started reading your mother’s journals?”
“Honestly, no. I found a letter that she wrote on my 24th birthday. Liam, I don’t know if I am strong enough to read the journals. Her letter had me completely floored. I don’t think I have ever cried so much in my life.” Leo answers
“You cried. Leo, what is it that we don’t know about him? Why did she leave?”
“Liam, her letter said she left because he forced her to go after the divorce. He was seeing someone and wanted to marry her. She was supposed to be able to take me to live with her, but he exiled her, threaten her with treason.”
“Leo, shit… I have no words. I have looked at my schedule, and if I lump my anniversary vacation in with the UN talks in a few weeks, I could be there for 3 weeks to a month. Kaytee will be able to come too if that is ok with you. She doesn’t want to impose. I haven’t said anything to her, but she can tell I am worried about you.” Liam admits
“Liam, I don’t mean to worry you, but it would actually be great to have you both with me right now. I have a feeling on who she is, but I don’t know. I haven’t had the courage to turn to the first page.” Leo responds.
“My mother?” Liam says, “That is the only… her that makes sense.” Liam feels that he may be the reason that Leo lost his mother.
“Look, Liam, there is so much we don’t know about him or what happened. But it would be nice if you were here with me, just for me to get started anyway. Send me your travel plans when you have nailed them down.”
Three and a half weeks have passed since Leo read her letter, he has spent most the time familiarizing himself in his new home. He hired contractors to update the wiring in the lighthouse so he could install a small bar cart and coffee machine. He loves having his coffee there as he watched the sunrise. So he decided to install a coffee machine so that he could have fresh coffee in the morning. He has driven to town to get a few things that Bastien needs to ensure the safety of Liam and Kaytee. Then he found out that the whole crew had decided to tag along for a brief visit before leaving Kaytee and Liam to spend the rest of the time with him. He welcomed the distraction as he would get be able to put off reading for at least another week. He only had to endure his solitude for a couple more days.
While heading back to the house he called Mrs. H. to let her know that his brother and their friends were coming to stay for the week and that his brother and his wife would be there for another 3-4 weeks after the group left. He told Mrs. H that he would cover any extra expenses that she would accrue buying more things for the house. Mrs. H. refuses his offer and told him that he will do no such thing. Leo sighs, he learned the hard way, that arguing with Mrs. H would get him nowhere. She promises that everything will be ready when his guest arrives in 2 days.
Finally, the day of Liam’s and the gang arrival has come. Leo almost bounds out of bed, it has been almost a year since he last saw Liam and Kaytee. He missed them both dearly, especially now. He could use some distraction especially when he is still hasn’t brought himself to begin to read the journal. He and Mrs. H head to the airport, he had already had Mrs. H cleared with Bastien, who will be staying with them, she thought it was funny how many questions she had to answer about her life and everything under the sun, but she knew that she is taking care of the royal family.
They pulled the SUV up to the private tarmac of the airport. As the doors open, and Leo sees his family descend the stairs. Liam practically runs to hug Leo. He steps back and he and Liam share an unspoken conversation. Mrs. H is watching and she can see the tension seem to fall off of Leo.
“It is so good to see you, Liam.”
“It is good to see you too, Leo.”
“Hey everyone, thank you for crashing Liam’s vacation.” Leo chuckles. “This here is the beautiful, Mrs. H., she has been putting up with me since I got here.”
“Good thing he is paying me, double, he is quite the handful.” Mrs. H winks at Leo. All have a good laugh. “Seriously, it is my pleasure, his mother did so much for me, it is the least I could do for her.”
“Well, let me begin this is my brother, Liam and that beautiful creature is his wife, Kaytee. But I am still not sure how he managed to land her.” he winks at the couple. “This is Drake, he has been Liam’s best friend since they were little, they were such bullies to me. Always ganging up on me.”
“Bullshit, Leo, we were in defense mode at all times,” Drake smirks. “I am sorry that you got stuck with Prince Pain in the Ass. This is Olivia..”
“Awe yes, the beautiful Duchess Olivia…” Leo starts but is cut off by Liv,
“Rhys, I am warning you now… don’t make me cut you.” Olivia smiles.
“Hi, I am Maxwell, and there aren’t any cute or clever anecdotes needed. I am the fun one of the group.” Max chimes.
“If Fun equals, the most hyper, irrational, impulsive, obsessed with peacocks, then yes you are the fun one.”
“Drake, that was one time, and people are still talking about it, so it was legendary,” Max says as
Mrs. H cocks her eyebrow.
“Oh, and that fine silent, fellow, is Bastien. Who I must say looks 10 years younger.” Leo chuckles.
“That is because I am not assigned to you anymore, but your brother well his trouble is of a different nature.”
Leo laughs even harder as he can see Bastien trying not to smirk, Liam is glaring at him, and Kaytee is blushing, and the rest of the gang are laughing.
“Well it looks like, Bas, you and I have some catching up to do.” Leo claps his hand on his shoulder. Leo points him to the car that he will be driving, Bas doesn’t even look at Liam as he walks past but he can still feel his eyes on him.
Once all the luggage and everyone was loaded into the vehicles, Leo, Liam, and Kaytee went into the first SUV. Drake, Max, and Olivia got in the second SUV with Mrs. H., and Bas, and two other guards, Sabina and Marcus took the third SUV. Each car has a secure satellite communication installed. So if there is any sign of trouble they can communicate with each other.
Once they had driven for a while, Liam looks at Leo. “How are you doing, Leo, really?” Liam has a look of concern.
“Li, I am ok, I haven’t read anything just yet, I thought I would enjoy you guys being here, and then we can get into the heavy stuff after the gang leaves.” Leo says, then a smirk crosses “So, Bas, huh, what did he mean by your ‘trouble is of a different nature’?”
Liam could only smile and quickly looks to see if Kaytee was watching him.
“Don’t get him started,” Kaytee tries to glare at Leo and Liam, but her small smile gives her away.
“Well, I do have a lighthouse that has yet to be violated, just give me a heads up so that I can have it cleaned.
“Leo, please don’t give him any more ideas…”Kaytee laughs.
“Love, I thought you were on my side,” Liam chides her.
“Everyone is well aware of your kinks, my King, well everyone except you.” Kaytee teases.
“For the last time, I do not have kinks. My wife is simply tantalizing. No one can fault me for that.” Liam defends.
“Ok, but how many guards have walked in on us because someone forgets to lock the door?” Kaytee says raising an eyebrow.
Liam’s face goes red and Leo erupts with laughter. “OMG, and they say I was bad. Well, at least I always locked the door.”
Liam shoots a look at Kaytee, and she just shrugs her shoulders. Leo laughs, boy, he needs this. It is so good to be surrounded by those who just love him, flaws at all. His mind starts to wonder not only about how these people could possibly love a royal fuck up like him, but they did, completely. But how the one man, who actually had something to do with him being born, could be so cold and callous towards him, was like he was punishing him because she was out of his reach, did his father’s hatred for his mother run that deep? Seeing the look on his face, Kaytee spoke up.
“I hope you don’t mind, but I invited an old college friend to come and spend a few days with me, while Liam heads to New York,” Kaytee says.
“You aren’t trying to set me up already are you Kaytee Bear, are you?” Leo winks.
“Hell no, Alex is way too much for you to handle. She has her own mind and her own way of doing things. You might slow her down too much.” Kaytee smiles.
Liam and Leo laugh, they both share that cocky Rhys smirk, they haven’t met a woman who can resist the Rhys charm. Kaytee, sensing what was going through their heads, spoke, “I know what you are thinking, Liam Alixander Rhys, and you only caught me because I let you. You are not that irresistible, keep it up and you will find out.” Liam clears his throat. Leo chuckles. Liam is a lucky bastard.
They finally pull up to the house, Leo helped Kaytee with her bags and made sure that everyone had arrived. Liam and Kaytee admired the house, I was the biggest estate on the most northern part of the Montauk peninsula. It was beautiful.
“Welcome to my home. Let the party begin.”