Page 186 of Depraved Boys

I raised a shoulder. “Whichever building or house is empty and available. According to Ashley, he doesn’t believe in property.”

“Unless it belongs to someone else, I wager.” Leopold walked around the kitchen and opened cupboards full of canned and dried food. “If this DJ fellow moves about, I doubt Ashley would entrust something so potentially lucrative to him.”

“True.” I stepped into the dining room and examined the bookcases for out-of-place items.

In a louder voice, I said, “Some of her friends have their own homes, but they’re more likely to ask too many questions. This is the kind of thing she’d keep to herself.”

“Hopefully, she’s hidden her stash of blackmail material in the maids’ quarters,” Leopold said from the kitchen.

“I’m sure Sebastian and Prakash will text if they find anything.”

After we had searched the downstairs for signs of Corrine’s diary and my laptop, we walked up the stairs. Ashley’s bed was still disheveled from when the intruder had lifted it, and my room appeared untouched. Mom and Dad’s room remained exactly how I had left it.

“Everything’s fine,” I muttered.

After we went through Ashley’s room, pulled Mom and Dad’s luggage out from under their beds and inspected their contents, and searched the rest of their things, grief weighed my heart with the reminder of what I had lost, and we took a break to recoup.

Leopold made a pot of mint tea from the tea bags in the cupboard and found a pack of butter biscuits he and Sebastian had brought when I’d gotten expelled. We sat around the dining table and munched on our late breakfast.

The morning light streamed in through the window, making the ends of his blond hair shine like buttercups in the sun. My gaze roved over his sparkling, aquamarine eyes, high cheekbones, and full lips. What would Mom and Dad think of me dating a boy like Leopold? Would they be pleased or worried?

Leopold reached across the table and tucked a lock of hair behind my ear. “Where’s the least obvious place Ashley would put valuable blackmail material?”

I glanced up at the ceiling. “She never liked going up into the attic because of the spiders, so that’s an option. Also, I’d never search for it in my room.”

He narrowed his eyes. “Let’s look through your room before we brave the spiders.”

In my bedroom, we opened the drawers, searched under the bed, in the closet, and in the cabinets, but there was no sign of my laptop, Corrine’s diary, or any of the incriminating items Ashley claimed to possess.

Leopold blew out a long breath. “Did your father have a raincoat? I’m going to need it for the attic.”

“Wait a minute.” I stood over my bed, threw aside the pillows, peeled back the covers, duvet, and sheets.

“What are you doing?” asked Leopold.

“Two years ago, Mom bought us both thick toppers for our mattresses.” I yanked off the four inches of microfiber to reveal the original mattress. What if she—”

“Placed the stash in between the mattresses?” Leopold ran out into the hallway. “I’ll check her room.”

A moment later, he strolled in holding my laptop, Corrine’s diary, another leather-bound book, and a thick, manilla folder labeled BRITTAS. “Tada!”

Triumph burst through my chest. “Fantastic!”

Leopold licked his lips. “Now that we’ve gotten to the end of the treasure hunt, how about we shake the sheets before we head back to the academy?”

I glanced at the strewn sheets and pillows. “Oh, you mean tidying up?”

His lips spread into a smile. “Actually, I was referring to my hard cock, but we can put the sheets back on the bed first.”

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

Leopold placed the items he had collected from Corrine’s room onto my little, wooden desk and advanced toward me. Butterflies took flight in my belly, awakening my slumbering core. I stepped back and lowered myself onto the edge of my bed.

My mouth dried. “I have a confession.”

“Father Leopold will grant you absolution for any sin.”

I swept my gaze down his broad, athletic body. I’d seen him in various states of undress on dozens of occasions, but none compared to that first time. He had been magnificent. A blond stallion I had thought would be unobtainable. But here he was, prowling towards me with a thick erection bulging through his pants.