Page 69 of Claim of Blood
“I... what?” Lander’s smooth composure cracked.
Adam’s smirk held an unmistakable edge. “The staff has moved your things to the Mistress Suite adjoining our bedroom. You’ll occupy it from now on.” His gaze pinned Lander. “I trust there won’t be a problem?”
Leo blinked, heat prickling across his skin. Lander next door? The implications sent anticipation curling low in his belly, even as questions crowded in. Why arrange this? What did Adam expect between the three of them?
“No, First.” Lander’s answer came quickly, if not entirely smoothly.
“Good. Plan to maintain Leo’s schedule, as you have this past week.”
“I can start adjusting mine,” Leo offered, too tired to care that he was volunteering for even more entanglement.
Something softened in Adam’s expression. “That would be generous of you. Thank you.”
The simple gratitude caught Leo off guard. It didn’t feel like a concession, not compared to everything else that had shifted in his life.
Lander shut off the tablet as Leo stood, stretching until his back cracked. Adam smiled up at him. “Might I have a kiss?”
Leo’s heart stuttered. He leaned down, pressing his mouth to Adam’s. It was soft, chaste. When he pulled back, Adam was still smiling.
“Sleep well, beauty. I’ll be up soon.”
Lander escorted him through the halls. The mansion was quieter now, most of the staff gone for the night. The few who remained watched them pass with varying expressions—some curious, some openly disapproving. Leo caught the flicker of disdain in a maid’s narrowed gaze and felt a spark of defiance.Let them stare. He’d earned his place here, whether they approved or not.
As they approached Adam’s suite, he couldn’t help asking, “Why is it called the Mistress Suite?”
“Two reasons.” Lander’s voice had gone neutral again. “When the mansion was built, separate sleeping arrangements were fashionable. His and hers rooms. This was the lady’s suite.” He paused. “And the second reason is... for the other sort of mistress. The connecting door allowed for discreet visits.”
“Oh.” Leo eyed the ornate door, heat blooming under his skin as he imagined Lander just beyond it. “I guess this is me?”
Lander nodded. “I’ll be in the other room.” He indicated a carved door further down the hall. “If you need anything, call for me.”
The offer made something in Leo’s chest loosen. “I will. Thank you.” He watched Lander retreat, noting the tension in his shoulders as he disappeared inside. Soon they’d be sleeping mere feet apart, separated only by that door.
He stepped into the suite and froze. The space was enormous—twice the size of his old bedroom in Boston. Dark wood floors. A massive rug. A bed so large it looked like it could swallow him whole. For all its grandeur, the room felt lived in. Comfortable in a way the von Rothenburg mansion never had.
Growing up, every surface had been an artifact, a testament to family history he’d never been allowed to touch. Here, the luxury felt... welcoming.
It was moving fast, sharing Adam’s rooms after just over two weeks. But as he breathed in the familiar scent—oak, clean linen, and something purely Adam—something in him eased. The ache he’d carried for days vanished, replaced by a sense of rightness.
This felt like coming home. And it should have terrified him. Instead, it felt inevitable.
Three doors lined the far wall. The first revealed a walk-in closet bigger than his old bedroom, filled with a surreal mix of his hunter clothes and new designer pieces. A small safe sat open, his puzzle box tucked inside with a neatly folded instruction sheet for changing the combination. Trust, he realized. They were trusting him to have a place for secrets.
The second door opened to Adam’s closet—more crowded, more chaotic. Leo smiled faintly as he closed both doors.
At the third, the one closest to the windows, he hesitated. A plain lock, simple and deliberate. He rested his hand on it, feeling the weight of the choice. Then he turned it, hearing the click echo in the quiet. The door to Lander’s room was unlocked.
He changed into the soft silk pajama pants laid out for him. The bathroom looked like a spa—marble counters, heated floors, rainfall shower. He moved through it on autopilot, too tired to be overwhelmed by luxury.
When he finally crawled under the sheets—sheets that probably cost more than his car—he hesitated. Wrong side? Right side? He didn’t know. He settled in the middle, deciding Adam would move him if it mattered.
He lay there, staring up at the dark ceiling, feeling the soft weight of exhaustion settle over him. Adam’s scent clung to everything, grounding him. The knowledge that Lander was only a door away, that Adam would be up soon, eased the last knot of tension in his chest.
This morning, he’d been avoiding Adam. Nursing his pride, pretending he wasn’t desperate to be seen. Tonight, he was sleeping in Adam’s bed. He’d chosen to help protect the Court. He’d chosen to stay.
Tomorrow would bring its own complications. But tonight, at least, he felt something dangerously close to peace.
Chapter Sixteen
