Page 20 of A Mistake of Identity
After Nika left, Gabriel turned to Alain. “Satisfied?”
Alain shrugged, unrepentant. “You’ve only known him a day, and you’re willing to go scorched-earth on total strangers. I feel justified in double-checking.”
Gabriel merely grunted before he sat heavily in the vacated chair. Alain settled across from him, tablet already in hand.
“I want private security stationed around the property. Discreet but thorough. Both to keep my newest acquisitions safe...” He paused. “And to ensure they stay put.”
“I’ll coordinate with our usual team,” Alain said quietly.
“Make sure they all sign the NDAs Nika’s bringing tonight, along with our standard ones.”
“Of course.”
“And make sure—”
“I’ll handle it, Gabriel.” Alain’s calm certainty was why Gabriel trusted him with the most delicate matters. “Ellis has no connections beyond Heart Court, and Donovan won’t be an issue once Nika’s finished. The real concern is keeping Jean’s presence from Henri.”
“Yes, Jean is a complication I don’t want to deal with right now.” Gabriel pinched the bridge of his nose. “Lucas will manage him until we decide how to approach the Saint-Clairs.”
“The Saint-Clairs won’t take kindly to that.”
“They’re not meant to.” Gabriel took another sip of whiskey.
“And then there is your father.”
Gabriel scoffed into his glass.
Alain scowled. “He won’t be pleased to see you’ve taken up with an escort.”
“Maximilien Rohan is rarely pleased about anything. He’s especially non-pleased that his oldest son prefers men.”
The silence settled between them, broken only by the occasional clink of Gabriel’s glass against the side table when Dr. Nguyen entered. She closed the door behind her, petite and fierce in her pressed slacks and tailored blazer, her black hair coiled in a practical twist at the crown of her head. Taking in Gabriel’s state, she frowned.
“You should change. You’re a walking biohazard.”
“Thank you, Rose, for that unnecessary statement,” Gabriel said. “How is he?”
“Asleep.”
Gabriel set his empty glass aside and made to rise, but Rose held up her hand. “He needs to continue to sleep. He wasn’t in as bad of condition as he could have been.” She flipped open her tablet, scrolling. “Extensive bruising and contusions, not including the whip marks. Three of his ribs are bruised, likely from multiple kicks. His anus was swollen and torn, and the rectum was much the same, caused by, I can only assume, a large object he wasn’t properly prepped for.” She glanced up from her tablet, scowling at Gabriel.
“I didn’t do that to him.”
“If I suspected you had, I wouldn’t be here. And neither would he.” Her voice softened slightly. “Ellis needs rest and fluids. He’s on an IV drip now with sleep aids and pain relievers. You’ll swap it out three more times when the bags are empty—they’re all pre-mixed. Annabelle helped me cover his external injuries with prescription-strength Smooth cream. The visible marks should fade in a day or two, but his internal injuries, especially the ribs, will take longer.”
She paused, glancing at her tablet. “For the anal tearing and rectal damage, I’ve left a combination antibiotic and Smooth cream on the nightstand—it’s prescription only, specially formulated for this type of injury. The regular Smooth cream works wonders on surface trauma, but internal damage needs something more targeted.” Her tone remained clinical. “Apply it internally every six hours for the next twenty-four hours, then twice daily for three days after that. No sexual activity until the tissue is fully healed. Even with the enhanced healing properties of Smooth, this type of injury needs proper time to recover and is prone to infection if not properly treated.”
“I understand,” Gabriel said quietly, his rage at Donovan temporarily overshadowed by concern for Ellis. He’d ensure every instruction was followed precisely—his little bird would heal properly under his protection.
“I’ve drawn blood for testing and should have results in a few hours. Annabelle mentioned you also want tests for Jean Saint-Clair—who I thought was supposed to be in Sweden.” Her brown eyes pierced Gabriel. “I’ll draw his blood before I leave. And Gabriel? Be careful with Ellis. Call me if anything changes.”
“Nika will send over an NDA this evening. We expect your discretion,” Alain said quietly.
“You have it.” Dr. Nguyen spun on her heel and left.
Let him sleep. Gabriel could do that.
Probably.
