Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 92659 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 463(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92659 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 463(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
He sinks into it but draws away after only a few seconds with a breathless laugh. “You better stop kissing me like that unless you want to go again.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to say that’s exactly what I want. Because it is. I’ve barely scratched the surface of my desire for these two. We could spend days—weeks, months, fucking years—in bed together, and it wouldn’t be enough.
Unfortunately, that’s not an option right now. With all the danger circling, I need to be at the top of my game, which means sleep. For all of us. I kiss Orpheus one last time and then press a kiss to Eurydice’s temple. “We need a shower and then sleep.” I hold Orpheus’s gaze. “All of us in my room tonight, unless you have an objection to that.”
His smile goes soft and sweet. “No objection. No objection at all.”
30
EURYDICE
It’s strange that with so much bad going on, this is the happiest I’ve ever been. Waking up in bed with Charon and Orpheus is something I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to. I don’t think I want to get used to it, not if the alternative is to lose this feeling of wonder and peace.
But reality always intrudes, and we have a lot to worry about today outside the confines of this bedroom. I roll over to face Charon where he’s wedged between me and Orpheus, only to find him already awake.
He smiles a little, though his eyes are worried. “Morning, baby.”
“Morning. You’re up early.”
“Been up for a while. There were no emergencies through the night, but I want to get back to the house early so we can start planning on contingencies. We need to figure out who is fucking with us. Knowing their boss’s name ultimately doesn’t change much. We have to get them out of the lower city.”
I don’t tell him to be careful. His very job description is the opposite of that. He needs to be able to be decisive, and it’s impossible to be decisive if you’re second-guessing every decision. It’s also impossible to stay safe.
The thought of something happening to him reaches its cold dead hands into my chest and sinks its claws into my heart. I wiggle my way closer, wrap my arms around him, and bury my face in his chest. “Come back to us tonight. Every night. Promise me.”
“Baby, you know I can’t do that. I’m not going to take any unnecessary risks, but there’s no guarantees in life.” I feel him smile against the top of my head. “Just like I’m not going to ask you to stay in this town house until the situation is resolved. We both know you won’t do it, so I won’t ask for that promise.”
Something akin to guilt rises, but I swallow it down. “This isn’t going to be easy, is it?”
“Nothing worth having ever is.” He gives me one last hug, and then carefully extracts himself from the bed. I watch him walk away, the claws in my heart pulsing with each step he takes. With all the conversations yesterday and last night, I let myself forget the sheer amount of danger we’re in right now.
If Olympus falls, the first thing Circe will do is eliminate all the leaders and those loyal to them. If she’s managed to come this far, she’s too smart to do anything else. Whether she decides to extend that order to the legacy families is up in the air.
My mother, my sisters, Orpheus’s family. Hades, Hermes, and all the rest. It will be a bloodbath.
“Charon…”
“I know, baby. We’ll get through this. Try to get some more sleep if you can.” He slips into the bathroom and quietly slides the door shut. A few seconds later, the shower starts.
I flop back onto the bed with a sigh. As lovely as it sounds to go to sleep again, it’s not going to happen. My mind is too alight with all the possibilities of what could go wrong. Orpheus stirs and tosses an arm over my waist. “We have to trust him. We have to trust everybody in power right now. There’s not a whole lot that you and I can do by ourselves.”
I blink up at the ceiling, feeling sick to my stomach. “You heard all that?”
“Yeah.” Sleep still lingers in his voice. He tugs me closer, arranging me against his body. It’s familiar and comforting. I will myself to sink into him, to let his warmth soothe me. His breath ruffles the hair of my temple. “Since we both know you’re not going to sit around twiddling your thumbs, why don’t you tell me what our agenda is for the day?”
“Our agenda?”
“Eurydice, if you think I’m letting you out of my sight with all this shit going on, you’re out of your damned mind. I’m not trained the same way Charon is, but he and I will both feel better if one of us is with you. Between me and Minthe, we’ll keep you safe.”