Page 50 of Bought for Blood

He’s awake.

Chapter 19

Bastien

I move the candlesticks four inches to the left, and the housekeeper watches me do it.

“They were centered, my lord.”

“They were in her sightline, Marthe.” I step back from the table. White linen, crystal, the good silver that hasn’t been out of its felt since before she was born. Two places set at one end of a table built for twenty. “The kitchen?”

“On schedule, my lord. As it was at five, when you asked.” She pauses, then goes on because she’s been with me for decades and earned the right to be bold. “You’ve inspected this table twice.”

I send her out, and I stand alone in my own dining room.

I’m not sure what to do with myself. I dressed tonight with more care than I’ve given a coronation. And the reason is coming down my staircase right now, heart racing, feet quick and light on the landing. I’ve never checked the cutlery for guests.

She stops in the doorway at six exactly.

The gown is dark green, long sleeves, simple, and she wears it with her spine straight, chin level. I pick up her scent. The compound is finally washed out of her. For the first time since I’ve known her, she smells only of herself, warm skin and clean hair, the wolf underneath both. No bleach. No fear-sweat. I’d pay the price again for that alone.

“I don’t know your name,” she says, lingering.

I tilt my head. It never occurred to me. “My apologies. I am Sébastien-Laurent, fifth Seigneur of the house of Val-Serein.”

She blinks. “Se…Se… Saywhat?”

“You may call me Bastien.”

“Bastien,” she repeats. “You bought me.”

“Yes.”

“So that you can drain me completely?”

“No.”

“Am I your…what? Concubine? Blood slave?”

“None of those. You are your own person, Serenity.”

“Really? Can I leave?” Her first line of questioning, before anything else. She stands in my house in my silk and asks the only thing that matters to her.

“No,” I say. She’d recognize a lie. “Everything else in this house is yours.”

“Not my freedom.”

“No. Not that.”

“Why?”

“Because you are worth money to them out there. I paid to get you off their inventory list, but there’s a demand. And that is something I can’t control out there. Here, I can.” It’s more than I expected to admit. I can’t say why I did it.

Her throat works. “They’ll hunt me down and take me back.”

“Yes.” I don’t dress it up.

She holds my eyes for three heartbeats. Then she nods once and walks in, reading the room as she comes. Exits. Windows. The two attendants at the wall.