Page 40 of Wear It Like a Crown

“Mo’s getting back from Paris in an hour. I could call him.” He shot Leo a sidelong look. “Ask him to join, if that’s fine?”

“Moonlighting as a matchmaker?”

“Just a night between friends.” Joshua smiled and crossed his legs at the ankle. Without even trying, his voice dipped just slightly, bringing in a note of suggestion that he hadn’t quite intended. Or maybe he had. “If you and I happen to become third wheels, I am certain we can find a way to entertain ourselves.”

“I’m sure we can think of something.” Leo sounded neutral. His thumb twitched to the beat of the music, eyes fixed on the road. “That aside, your place is pretty much on the way. How about I drop you off? Then we can meet up later at the pub.”

“You trying to get rid of me?” Joshua followed it up with a grin. He might as well have saved himself the effort; Leo wasn’t looking.

“I need to pop to the shops and do some laundry. Boring things.” Leo’s forehead wrinkled. “Not everyone has servants at their beck and call.”

Joshua stiffened. “I do my own laundry and shopping.” Most days, anyway. “It’s not like—do we really have to do this again?”

It took several seconds before Leo ducked his head. “Sorry,” he said, so quiet it was almost a whisper. “That was thoroughly uncalled for.Feeling a bit irritated, took it out on you though it’s none of your fault.” He continued before Joshua could interfere with a question. “Thank you for today. You really pulled your weight, and I’m grateful for the help. And”—the shortest of delays—“the company too. It was a real pleasure having you along.”

If not me, what’s got you irritated?No questions, though. Joshua had promised, but it seemed to get harder with each moment they spent together, with each tiny, fractured puzzle piece Leo nudged his way. Uncrossing his legs, Joshua hesitated with his gaze on Leo’s profile. “You were glad to have me around?” he asked eventually.

Leo glanced over, so briefly that Joshua almost missed it. “Yes. You’re decent company, little prince. Considering.”

From Leo, that must be close to a declaration of friendship. Joshua would take it. “You’re decent company as well,” he told Leo.

“Glad to hear it. Feeling a bit better, then?” This time, Leo didn’t look away immediately, a smile lingering in his eyes. Joshua’s breath stuttered in his throat, heat wiggling in his stomach.

When Leo’s smile dropped, Joshua realised he’d been silent for too long, simply staring. He jerked his gaze away. “Not necessarily better,” he replied. “But I guess more… grounded. There was this girl who, like, offered herself to me? And that kind of—that must be a rough life. Having to do that. Definitely worse than getting some internet hate. I wish I could do something to help.”

“Don’t make this into a saviour thing.” All of a sudden, Leo’s tone was carefully clipped. “Shayna—that’s who you talked to, right?—she’s not a victim, Joshua. She’s not an illegal immigrant enslaved by some pimp or anything like that. I’m not saying those things don’t exist, but her situation is nothing like that.” His intake of air was audible. “She’s not a damsel in distress waiting for someone to save her.”

Joshua sat up, all warmth flushed away. He was getting really tired of playing emotional pinball. “I just wanted tohelp,” he asked sharply. “Like you do. Or am I not allowed to feel empathy?”

Leo opened his mouth to respond, then shut it again. The silence that wrapped around them was heavy like a steel jacket, and Joshua refused to break first. This wasn’t on him. Sure, he’d been a bit of a messthis morning, but Leo was the one who went from hot to cold in seconds, turned defensive as though he’d been personally insulted.

Why? What was it to him?

He had fitted in well with those kids. They’d treated him like one of their own.

When Leo finally spoke, his eyes were fixed on a red light, the hum of the idling engine almost swallowing his voice. “No. No, that’s not what I’m saying. What I’m saying is that you shouldn’t pity her. She wouldn’t want your pity, not when it’s choices she’s made for herself. I’m not saying they’re good choices, but they’re hers.”

Exhaling in a rush, Joshua worked through Leo’s words before he replied. “Well, okay. I get that. You’re still trying to save them.”

“I’m not.” Leo put the car back into gear, and when Joshua glanced ahead, he glimpsed the tower of the Greek church, just a couple of minutes from his flat. He focused back on Leo in time to see him reach up a hand to push back his hair. “It’s not about saving them. I want to give them a chance to fill their stomachs at least once a week, without having to lie, steal or sell anything for it. And if someone asks me, I give advice. I help them see the alternatives. They’re the ones making the choices, but it should be informed choices. Very often, they’re not.”

“So you help them save themselves.”

“I try.” Leo turned left onto Pratt Street. “If that’s what they want.”

“That’s very…” Leaning back, Joshua shook his head. The only term he could come up with was, “Good. That’s so good of you.”

“Good,” Leo repeated flatly. His eyes brightened by a fraction, though.

“Good. Yes.” Joshua nodded to himself, then reached across the gap between their seats to touch Leo’s shoulder. “Thank you, again, for taking me along.” He didn’t move his hand. After a moment, Leo leaned into the touch, the corners of his mouth tugging up.

“Yeah, well. It wasn’t a hardship. You can be a bit of a charming bastard.”

Joshua gasped dramatically. “Beg your pardon, I am one hundred percent legitimate. I could have youhangedfor that.”

“You really couldn’t,” Leo told him dryly.

Joshua hummed, considering. “Tower of London?”