Total pages in book: 119
Estimated words: 115860 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115860 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
“Replacing her doesn’t seem to be an option. Caden is dangerously attached, and I can only hope we find some way to separate them before he cements the bond by issuing the Call or—”
“Yes. Yes!” Sydney wails on the other side of the wall.
“We won’t ever pry them apart,” Olivia finishes.
“He’ll kill anyone who tries. A wizard will fight for his mate to the death.”
“But she’s a reporter who could spill every one of our secrets. Caden says she’s ambitious and determined to make a name for herself. Blowing the magickind story wide open would be a disaster for us. She already knows too much about the war and Mathias and—”
“Could make the genocide of our kind a dreadful reality, yes. But the way he looks at her, I fear it won’t be long before he insists on making their attachment a mate bond.”
She grimaces. “There must be something productive we can do while we wait. We need the Diary. Shouldn’t we look for it while Sydney is…busy? If we find it, I’ll be able to grab it and go.”
“Excellent notion. In the past you’ve been able to feel its power. Do you sense it here?”
With a scowl, Olivia rises and wanders around the tidy little flat. “Not in this room.” She meanders into the kitchen, the foyer, into every corner of Sydney’s space until she reaches the bedroom door. “If it’s here, she’s stashing it in her bedroom. I can’t feel the power surge of the book unless it’s close and definitely not through the door.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. “If you go into the bedroom to search while Caden is transitioning, he may perceive you as a threat.”
“And try to kill me. Spectacular.”
“Indeed. And if I let anything happen to you, Marrok would kill me. Why don’t we return to the sofa and wait…and hope disaster isn’t around the corner?”
Chapter
Thirty-Three
Sydney
Caden rolls away and immediately falls into a deep sleep. I crack open an eye. The sun is setting. Again. I haven’t left this room in two days. Bloody hell, I’ve scarcely left the bed. Every muscle in my body aches beyond description. I’ve never questioned how many orgasms a woman can have in a day, but idly I wonder if the Guinness people would be interested in having a chat.
Joking aside, my confinement with Caden is no laughing matter. Besides his unusual affliction, my feelings for him have grown in spades each minute we’ve shared. I’ve soothed his fear, and he’s rewarded me with a trove of sparkling smiles and sumptuous touches. I still don’t understand this sex marathon and plan to question Hurstgrove about this “curse” later. Now I’m too exhausted. I need to use the toilet, eat, bathe, and sleep—in that order. Unfortunately, I’m not certain I’m capable of moving a muscle.
There’s a soft knock on the door. I grab the sheet to cover my nakedness. Truth be told, I’ve been naked for nearly forty-eight hours. Even the sheet feels unnatural and abrasive against me. Caden’s skin, however… I could get used to waking beside him every morning.
The knock sounds again, jarring me out of my reverie. I cover Caden’s bare backside. “Come in.”
Not surprisingly, Hurstgrove sticks his head inside my bedroom. He looks nearly as tired as I feel. He’s still wearing the same clothes, and he needs a shave. He’s stripped off his tie, unbuttoned his shirt at the collar and wrists, and turned the cuffs back to reveal capable hands and strong forearms.
“It got quiet. I thought I should check on you.”
I blink. This is mad. He’s one of Britain’s wealthiest, most high-profile men. A real duke! He can’t possibly have been comfortable snoozing on my too-small sofa, yet he’s still here, and he’s inquiring after me.
“Tired,” I whisper. “I need food, a bath, and a few days’ sleep. Then I’ll be sorted.”
Hurstgrove casts a sidelong glance at Caden. “Has anything…unusual happened?”
Besides shagging a caveman on aphrodisiacs going hell for leather and losing my heart? “If you don’t count his incredible stamina as unusual, then no.”
He steps in the room, regret shaping his features. “I fear he may not tire for some time.”
I didn’t need Mr. Pedigree to tell me that. “If anything, he’s gaining momentum.”
That’s an understatement. The first night, Caden pleasured me every few hours. The following day, every other hour. Tonight? Every hour on the hour. I can nearly set a watch by him. Currently, it’s three forty-nine.
Bugger. If I’m going grab a bite and have a wash, I’m running out of time.
“Should you find yourself unable to continue, I wouldn’t hold it against you. I can arrange for a suitable substitute—”
“No!” It’s dead obvious Caden is no amateur in the bedroom, but while I’m with him, I intend to be his only woman. “I’m not certain what’s happening, but I won’t have any other bird near him. I have very few minutes to see to my needs before Caden awakens. Give me a moment, will you?”