Page 35 of Forge the Blade

“Oh, yes. But with the concierge,” Alexi said. “We hadn’t agreed on an arrangement.”

Sevastyan pushed the door open. “I reserved a large suite. Please, make yourself at home.”

He watched Alexi’s face for the exact moment the older man turned the corner and took in the two sleeping slaves.

“They are . . .”

“Sedated.” Sevastyan slid his phone into his pocket and stood back, letting Alexi approach Lisa. “I thought it best you could see everything before dealing with his mental state. He’s worried you’ll be upset about his injuries. I suspect he’s also anxious you’ll disapprove of what he did.”

“Never.” Alexi sounded reverent. He knelt, touching the bandage on Lisa’s leg, then stepping back. “I should wash before I touch. It’s worse than I thought. And that is not on you, my friend. You did tell me.”

Sevastyan directed Alexi to the bathroom, then spared a glance for Jonathan. Alexi’s manager had stepped back to the furthest wall and was waiting, hands folded. He’d stay there until ordered to move or a need arose.

A moment later Alexi returned, his winter coat off, jacket removed, and sleeves rolled up, freshly scrubbed. He knelt down by Lisa, his hands moving gently over the bruises and bandages. He lifted the pad on the long deep cut on Lisa thigh and felt carefully over his ribs. “Why are his hands wrapped?”

“Training.” Sevastyan knelt on Lisa’s other side. “I can remove them. He also has abrasions on his hands.”

Alexi nodded. He took one hand and Sevastyan the other. Lisa’s eyes moved a little behind his eyelids from the handling, but he didn’t wake.

Alexi cradled both of Lisa’s hands in his. “He fought hard.”

Air expanded in Sevastyan’s lungs. “He did. At least two, if not all three kills were his. We would have lost both of them, if he had not.”

“I cannot imagine your gentle Rei fighting.”

Sevastyan held up Rei’s hand, the burn mark from the keyboard cord a healing mark across his palm.

Alexi touched it gently with one finger. “How?”

“He strangled one of the men long enough for Lisa to find a knife.”

“May I?” Alexi gestured to Rei.

Sevastyan nodded. Alexi gave Rei the same examination he’d given Lisa.

“Tell me the men are dead.”

“The ones who made the marks are dead. The ones who instigated the attack will be.”

“Dirk,” Alexi growled.

“I have a plan,” Sevastyan said.

“I want to hear it, later,” Alexi said. He held up the bandages from Lisa’s hand. “What training?”

“He was insecure after the attack. Reasonably. I needed to remind him of his place.”

“He’s been insubordinate?”

“No.” Sevastyan shook his head decisively. “He’s . . .” Sevastyan hesitated, starting to rewrap Lisa’s hand. “He had an enlarged sense of responsibility. If anything, I think he appointed himself bodyguard. He was magnificent, even in the aftermath. But it was not an appropriate posture for a slave, and he struggled to step down, even though he tried.”

“So you made him dependent.” Alexi let Sevastyan get on with rewrapping Lisa’s hands, stroking his slave’s hair back from his face instead.

“I will give my remorse, if I misstepped,” Sevastyan said.

“No, I gave you all permissions,” Alexi said.

“He does better with a purpose,” Sevastyan said. “He was the most settled running the house.”