Devon Morgan [Seven Brothers for McBride 5] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic ManLove) (9 page)

“Caleb can be an utter ass.” Devon was annoyed with Caleb for his harsh behavior. McBride might have made the same call, but he certainly would have handled it differently. “But his opinion is only that—his opinion. Not mine and not anyone else’s. I think you’re amazing.”

A dubious frown wrinkled up Karsten’s face.

“You had to be strong to come through what you did.” Devon offered out more food, but Karsten shook his head.

“I’m full.”

Devon didn’t think that was quite true. Given how slowly he chewed, and how he winced when he swallowed, Devon thought it hurt him to eat right now. But soon, he’d be better, and then Devon would have Ollie make him all kinds of rich foods to fatten him up. Not that there was anything wrong with Karsten’s body, just that his tormenters clearly hadn’t bothered to feed him in days.

Karsten wrapped his robe a little tighter around himself, making Devon realize that he was staring at him. Embarrassed, not for looking but that he’d given Karsten the wrong impression, Devon rose and took the dishes from the table over to the edge of the sink. His cookbot would clean up, but moving things off the table gave Devon something to do.

“I guess you can cut if off. If you really want to.”

Devon breathed a sigh of relief. It was a small show of trust, but he’d take it. Karsten was going to be difficult to handle, but as long as Devon put his needs first, he’d be able to help him heal. And then a tug on his heart made him grip the glass in his hand. What if he was making Karsten all better so he could go to another man? Ollie said he didn’t want a mate because he wanted to focus on cooking, but that was before the world got turned on its ear. Besides, Renner and Caleb didn’t have mates. Both of them were big and handsome. Even though Karsten didn’t seem to like Caleb, he hadn’t met Renner, who was far more handsome than Devon. Or so he’d always thought.

“Devon?”

“Right. Sorry. I was thinking of what else you’ll need.” He turned and was caught off guard by Karsten’s beauty. The sun was glinting off the beige floor, lighting up his pale blond hair and obscuring all his wounds. When he was well, he would be a step away from perfect. Given half a chance, his brothers would probably fight to the death for him. As Devon lifted the tool, he questioned his brilliant idea to let Karsten off the hook. Had he shut his mouth, the stunning thrall would be his forevermore. But his heroic heart refused to let him take advantage. Even when he saw his deepest desire slipping away he couldn’t obtain his dreams by lying, cheating, or stealing. Karsten had only offered out himself because he had nothing else to bargain with.

“You won’t…” Karsten trailed off, his wide, curious gaze darting from Devon’s face to the table.

“I won’t.” Devon swore he’d cut off his dick before he’d do anything against Karsten’s will. “We’re stuck in here for however long it takes for us to prove we’re not ill, so we should be honest with each other.” After placing the tool under the collar as gently as he could, Devon slowly nipped away at the leather. Like all thrall collars, there was a band of metal that made them more difficult to remove. Thrall houses installed the band to prevent someone from stealing their wares, but if they were bold enough to steal a man, then they would have no issue cutting off their mark of protection.

“Honest?” Karsten asked.

“I think you’re very beautiful.”

Karsten pulled the edges of his robe more tightly together.

“But I’m a man of my word.”

“You are?”

“I am.”

Karsten’s frown only deepened.

“Why does that make you sad?” Devon had been hoping to reassure him, but his words clearly had the opposite effect.

“Because I want to be a man of my word, too.” Karsten looked up at Devon, his eyes so bright blue they were like a summer sky filled with stars. “I gave myself to you.”

Devon set aside the tool and crouched down so that he and Karsten were more eye to eye. “I know. And I think you are a man of your word.”

“But—”

“I’ll make you a deal.” Devon didn’t want Karsten expending his limited energy on worry. “Once you’re well, you can give yourself to me again, but only if you really want to.”

“That sounds like cheating.”

“I don’t think so.” Devon placed his hand on Karsten’s shoulder, pleased when he didn’t flinch. “I think it’s fair to give you time to heal, and then you can give yourself to me. That way, you’re still a man of your word, but you don’t have to worry about it right now. Okay?”

A slow smile lifted the edges of Karsten’s soft, pink lips. “Okay.”

“Now.” Devon stood and retrieved his tool. “Let’s get this off you.”

With their deal cast, Karsten relaxed, which made cutting the collar away much easier. Sadly, each increment of progress revealed more of the horrible damage. Teeth marks were gouged upward, almost as if they’d dug one tooth into the collar to lift it up then used the other tooth to draw blood. Karsten would eventually heal, but he would wear a ring of scars around his neck, and Devon doubted he would ever welcome the bite of a lover. While Devon was musing over the idea of having a mate he never bit, he hit the metal portion of the collar. To his utter shock, the band started to constrict.

“What—” Karsten’s voice was cut off as the collar continued to shrink.

Horrified, Devon didn’t allow himself to give in to fear. He shoved the tool under what was left of the collar and poured all his strength into cutting it off Karsten’s neck. After expending his energy on freeing him from the manacles, he didn’t think he had the energy left, but knowing Karsten would die if he failed pushed him to dig deep into the very edges of his ability. Just when he thought he was going to lose him, the band snapped apart, flying off Karsten’s neck and hitting the floor.

Gasping, Karsten reached out, wrapped his arms around Devon’s waist, and burst into tears.

After tossing the tool aside, Devon lifted him up. “It’s okay now.”

Karsten kept crying as his entire body trembled.

Devon was going to have him wash up so he could bandage his wounds, but right now he thought Karsten needed comfort and sleep far more. A few more hours weren’t going to matter one way or another. Given that he’d grown up in prison, spent a brief time at Jonas’s townhome, and then come here to the farm, Devon hadn’t seen a lot of the world. But never once in his wildest dreams had he ever imagined something as horrid as a collar that would crush the life out of a thrall if it were tampered with. The only reason to do something so vile was to either prevent the thrall from messing with it, which was unlikely given how they were conditioned to be entirely submissive to the thrall master and their ultimate mate. Which meant the real reason to do something like that was they would rather kill the thrall than let someone have him for free. It was barbaric. Devon imagined some slammer stealing a thrall and then cutting away his collar so he could put his own on to show his ownership only to realize too late he’d killed what he’d coveted.

If not for a very sharp tool and extraordinary strength, Karsten would have died in his kitchen. Devon squeezed him a little tighter, grateful that he’d been able to save him. But more than anything, the collar reminded Devon that he would much rather let Karsten go than strangle him to keep him as his possession.

Karsten had never been so scared. Even when the gentrymen trussed him up and took turns biting him, it wasn’t as terrifying as the split second when he’d felt his collar killing him. If not for Devon’s quick reaction, Karsten knew he would have died. Relief made him cry, but then knowing that Devon wasn’t the kind of man to take advantage of him only caused him to cry harder.

Karsten still didn’t understand Devon, but he supposed that didn’t matter nearly as much as knowing—thoroughly knowing—that he could trust him. When Devon took Karsten to his bedroom and tucked Karsten into his bed, he knew Devon wouldn’t even attempt any funny business. Devon wasn’t that kind of man. Just as he suspected, when Devon had him situated, he turned to go.

“Please stay with me.” Karsten was barely able to speak between gasps.

“I’ll be right down the hall.”

“Please.”

Devon nodded, and then he climbed under the covers. As soon as he was situated on his back, Karsten curled up to him, put his head on his chest, and let himself cry until his eyes ran dry and his gasps softened to occasional hitches. After a long time of quiet, Devon asked, “Do you feel better?”

“I do.” Karsten lifted up and wiped his hand over Devon’s skin. “I made a mess on you.”

“I don’t mind.” Devon wiped the tears away with the sheets. “There. Now it’s all better.” He patted his chest.

Karsten gratefully settled back down. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“I mean it.” Karsten impulsively kissed Devon’s chest. “I would have died twice over without you.”

“I honestly mean you’re welcome.” Devon kissed the top of Karsten’s head. It was a sweet gesture that managed to convey care and respect in fairly equal measure.

If Karsten had learned nothing else in the thrall house, he’d learned that everyone had an angle. Men didn’t do things out of the goodness of their hearts. They did things because they wanted something. Karsten had given Devon himself, but Devon had put that offer on hold until Karsten was well. Was he just caring for him so that ultimately he’d be able to use Karsten to slake his lusts? The idea of Devon’s powerful body rising over him, filling him, pleasuring him was not so very frightening. In fact, the notion made Karsten quiver with longing. But the idea of him pushing Karsten’s head to the side so he could bite his neck and draw blood—that vision wanted to propel Karsten out of bed and plaster him to the nearest wall. The only reason Karsten didn’t give in to that urge was because he trusted Devon. Surely, if he was an evil, self-serving slammer he wouldn’t have done even half of what he had. The action that spoke the loudest was when Devon fed him water with his own mouth. He didn’t fear catching any infection. Devon’s only concern was with giving Karsten what he so desperately needed.

“Are you lonely?” Karsten thought that might explain why Devon had gone to such great lengths to save him.

“No more than anyone else, I suppose. Out here, it’s always been me and my brothers, but we make for good company.”

Karsten nodded against his chest. “Do all of them have thralls?”

“Not all. But most.”

Another question came to mind, but Karsten fell asleep before he could ask. When he woke, the room was dark, and Devon was no longer cradling him. Karsten found himself curled up to a pillow. His sharp disappointment gave way to curiosity when he heard the sound of splashing water. Reaching under the pillow, he found the bed was warm, indicating that Devon had only recently gotten up. Rising, Karsten pulled the edges of his robe closed but then let them go. He no longer had the tie to the garment. Besides, he didn’t think having the thin shield of silk would protect him from Devon.

Right outside the bedroom door there was another door. It was closed, but from the sounds, Karsten knew it was a bathroom and Devon was inside. Cocking his head, he pressed his ear to the door. He wasn’t showering but seemed to be splashing in the tub. The image of the big, tough man in a bath full of bubbles made Karsten smile.

Without thinking about what he was doing, Karsten lifted his hand and tapped on the door. “Devon?”

“Yeah?”

“Can I come in?”

“Um…sure.” Devon gave him permission after some hasty-sounding splashes.

Karsten opened the door and discovered there weren’t any bubbles, but Devon didn’t need them.

“I know how this looks.”

“How does it look?” Karsten was struggling not to laugh, but a few chuckles managed to slip out anyway.

“It looks like I’m some kind of odd…duck.”

That comment caused Karsten to laugh so hard he almost doubled over. Devon was in a very large tub surrounded by bright-yellow, floating ducks.

“Can I get in?” Karsten almost took it back, but again, he felt safe with Devon. A man who took baths rather than showers and allowed a battalion of ducks to fill the surface of the water wasn’t a man driven to hurt anyone.

“Sure.” Devon swept some of the ducks aside. “Come on in.”

Karsten slipped off his robe and then stepped into the water. At first, it felt so hot it almost seemed to sting, but then he grew accustomed and found the heat was soothing.

“Go slowly.” Devon was trying to keep the ducks corralled on his side of the tub, but the little guys managed to slip through and float over to Karsten.

As the ducks pressed against his legs, he giggled. “Friendly little things.”

“They are.” Devon gave up trying to direct the ducks. Instead, he turned to the faucet that was mounted to the side of the tub. “Do you want me to cool the water off?”

“No. It’s good.” Slowly, Karsten sank down until he was sitting cross-legged in the water across from Devon. The tub must have been custom made since it was quite deep. Now that he was fully submerged, the ducks seemed to lose interest in him and drifted aimlessly.

“I feel the need to explain.”

“Okay. But know that I think finding you in a tub of ducks is the cutest thing in the world.”