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)
“Did you think being my partner in the bedroom would help you get there faster?”
“Damn it! I dreamed of you, literally, in the precise lingerie you wore last night. I dreamed of tearing it off, of the sweet taste of your breasts, of your pussy clutching my cock, of the groans you made when you came for me. How the bloody hell was I supposed to stay away from you after that?”
Oh, god. I sit back with a gulp. “Would you…um, say you felt compelled?”
“Yes. But I take responsibility for mucking up everything.” Caden leans closer, peering at me as if trying to unravel a puzzle. “Wait. Did you write about me in that bloody book Aquarius gave you?”
I want to crawl under the desk and stay for a decade. “Don’t be absurd. It’s a stupid old book. Forget I asked about last night. Let’s focus on work.”
His eyes narrow. “What made you open the door and let me in?”
“It’s no secret I wanted you. But as you said earlier, itch scratched. Moving on.”
“I said no such thing,” he growls.
He didn’t. He denied it, in fact. I need to stop taking my upset out on him and hope that he never discovers what I did in a foolish act of desperation. “Sorry.”
He responds with a curt nod.
That’s as much as I can expect, really, when I used a magical diary to coerce him. He came to my flat and shagged me because that was my wish, not because he felt anything real for me. “Forget I said anything. Work is piling up this morning, and I’m stressed.”
“Will I start another fight if I ask if I can do anything to help?”
“There’s nothing.” Because if he stays with me in this small office, I’m in grave danger of wrapping my arms around him and pleading for his affection.
Before he can say anything more, my phone rings. I’m utterly relieved when I see the caller ID.
Aquarius can’t wait.
I pick up my phone. “Thank god you’ve called. Can you meet me?”
Chapter
Twenty-Five
Caden
I’m not certain who Sydney is talking to, and at the moment, I don’t much care. Everything about this situation is wrong. I have no idea how to fix it, and Sydney is on the bloody phone with god knows who, discussing god knows what. For all I know, she’s making a date.
On second thought, I do care who she’s talking to; I need to know the name of the man I’ll kill.
Quickly, Sydney covers her mouthpiece. “A moment, please.”
With an angry pivot, I leave. But I can’t make myself walk away. If Sydney is already replacing me in her bed… Well, I’m not a masochist by nature, but I have to know. Though I can’t keep her, I can’t stand the thought of losing her, either.
With a distracted shove, Sydney pushes the door until it’s nearly shut. I lean closer, ear to the crack, and listen.
“I’m here,” she says. “Lunch sounds great. Can you meet me at eleven thirty at that um…Blue whatever the name was?” She pauses. “Perfect. I’ll see both of you then.”
Both? Is she dating more than one man?
“Work is fine. I know you’re supposed to be on holiday, and I don’t want to bog you down, but I need help with this week’s story. It’s still developing. I also need to ask you about that magical diary you gave me for my birthday.”
She’s talking to Aquarius. Tension melts from my body. Not only because the woman is back in town but because Sydney is still single. I can’t stomach the thought of her with another man, and it would be wise to refrain from violence.
“What can you tell me about that book? Its origins? Does it have any ties to the magical world I’ve been writing about?”
She’s speaking in low tones, so I close my eyes and concentrate. Aquarius loudly answers yes to Sydney’s question. Then her voice drops again. I pick up a word or two about someone named Emma, whoever the bloody hell that is.
“Perfect,” Sydney replies. “I’m still working on the ongoing war angle of this story, but I’m thinking of writing this week’s article about the book.”
Her words jolt me as if someone rammed ten thousand volts through my body.
I can’t let Sydney write about the Doomsday Diary. The danger to her if Mathias reads the article… My blood chills, and my breath stops as I imagine everything the terrible wizard would force her to endure. Haven’t I convinced her yet that this angle is dangerous? That she could be a target?
Hand on the knob to her door, I prepare to charge in and do whatever it takes to change her mind. She can’t write about that bloody book. Not this week, not ever.
Someone taps my shoulder. I whirl to see Holly, Sydney’s editor.
Damn it all. This looks bad.