Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 89222 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89222 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
“Lovers quarrel?” A.D. impishly teases in a hushed tone from his spot near mine at the long, platinum gray marble conference table.
“Did you know that all parties involved in interoffice personal relations that were not properly reported to HR can still be penalized for up to six months post their discovery?” Cameron slides into the leather chair yet wheels it closer to him in order to make space for another seat. “Are you aware that disciplinary actions can include but not be limited to activities such as a word association retreat on a farm in Kansas where if you do not pass in your initial weekend you cannot return to work until you have? And in cases where you do not pass the first time around, the company will not pay for your return nor reimburse you for it until you have been given the stamp of approval, thereby forcing you to take a leave of absence in the home state of Pizza Hut.” She places her tablet down and leans back in a rather menacing nature. “My apologies, Mr. Draak. What was it you were saying?”
A.D. gives his collar a nervous tug igniting a small chortle from me. He shoots us each a glare that he follows with a whispered snip, “There shouldn’t be fucking two of you.”
“Language, Mr. Draak,” Cami teases on a sip of her cold beverage.
“Still tormenting your big brother, I see,” a smooth deep voice unexpectedly states, summoning my attention to the left. “You never learn.”
“Neither do you,” A.D. wide mouth beams on a wiggle of the eyebrows at our cousin, Ehette Draak.
“That’s why our big brothers have always hated us in the same room.”
The shake of the head he’s presented is given at the same time I extend my open hand. “How on earth did I let it slip my mind you were coming to today’s meeting?”
“Given the scent in the air, I could make an educated guess.” Our shaking is brief but friendly. “In fact, I even think the kraken I sent back to Newfoundland last night—which we all know they have a notoriously terrible sense of smell—could probably come to the same conclusion from where she’s most likely settling back into her corporate office.” His hand finds its way to his black suit pants pockets. “Congrats, cuz, on finding your Fated Mate.”
Grateful The Fog is doing its job of skewing the bits of conversation that contain information that Sleepers don’t know exist, I thoughtlessly grin. “Thank you.”
“Why haven’t you bonded yet?” His smile transposes to a mischievous one. “She a sea serpent or some shit? They’re fucking notorious for ‘saving themselves’ for their mating ritual day, but they’ll let you play a little stroke the scales beforehand if you take them out for a sushi dinner first.” Ehette’s impish beam deepens. “Two dinners are required if she’s playing dress up as a Sleeper nun.”
“Can confirm,” A.D. needlessly adds to the conversation.
“I don’t wanna know why you can confirm that,” I mutter under my breath in exasperation.
“Clearly because he’s raided a convent,” Cami casually interjects.
“It wasn’t a convent,” my brother quickly denies. “They were simply gathered together for worship and conversation as a community in the same multistory building as others who shared in their same beliefs.”
My Fated Mate quirks an eyebrow at him. “And what do you think a convent is, Mr. Draak?”
A.D.’s mouth momentarily lowers yet snaps closed quite quickly.
Moron.
I blame myself. I should’ve made him wear a helmet when he was learning to fly.
Probably.
“And I am not a sea serpent,” Cameron casually announces, returning her stare to my cousin. “And our bonding decisions are not only none of your business, Mr. Draak, for bringing them up here and now, I could file a multi-faceted complaint with HR regarding inappropriate wording, suggestive nature, and sexual harassment based on the level of discomfort I have from you divulging your own intimate life details. Given that I am head of HR such a complaint would have to go the board and the board would then refer back to me for my expertise on how to handle such behavior to which I think a six-day seminar on appropriate workplace language in the Mojave Desert would suffice for an adequate solution.”
Ehette’s emerald gaze widens in horror.
“Mountain dragons hate the heat.” Cameron slyly smirks prior to peering up to me. “Isn’t that correct, Mr. Draak?”
I drop my stare to meet hers. “Those in our family certainly do.”
“Because their mother was a frost giant.”
An impressed expression creeps onto my face. “I see you have educated yourself on more than just the departments I’ll be assessing this afternoon.”
“You should know by now, I’m always prepared, sir.”
Willing my dick to stay down from hearing the word requires the help of Platinum who gets equally huffy that we can’t punish her for fucking with us in public.