Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 107209 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107209 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
His eyes darkened. “We move into my room so that guards can take the rooms on either side to better protect you. We’re exclusive, and I’m not one for public physical affection. However, holding hands is permissible unless Pax has returned and I’m on guard, in which case my hands must be free.”
She smartly tapped her pen on a blank piece of paper and began making notes, staring down at her shaking hand. “Is there a sexual requirement?” Yeah. More sarcasm. A boatload of it.
“No. Just a promise that if we do have sex, you’ll get off a minimum of four times.”
She gulped, her gaze slashing up to his. “Get off? That’s slang.”
“I know. I learned it from watching movies with my now dead cousin.”
She barely shook her head, trying to concentrate. “You can’t guarantee that.”
“Want to bet?” he asked softly.
That tone zipped right to her clit. She shifted her weight on the chair and cleared her throat. “The Kurjans, even the modern ones, seem to be old-fashioned. There’s no way I’ll obey you.”
“I only expect you to obey me when there’s danger involved. You’ll give me that whether or not we date.”
She stilled. There was something so wrong with that statement. “Vero—”
“No. I’m the enforcer for the king of the Kurjan nation. Everyone in this camp, in this nation, obeys me when it comes to safety and protection. That is nonnegotiable. Period.”
Had she been blindly obeying him? Had everyone? The guy always seemed in charge and like he knew what he was doing, so she’d followed along when he’d assigned living quarters, offices, and even jobs. “Huh.”
“We’ll make the three-month status common knowledge. If people understand we’re temporary, they won’t try to go through you to get to me.”
She didn’t like that. Not really. “Of course.”
“I want three months from the signing of the agreement, if Paxton brings the Cyst into the nation, and also if I live. Then I’ll take you anywhere in the world you want.”
Her mind spun. Was this really happening? “If you don’t live?” She could barely get the words out.
“If I’m taken out, I’ve made provisions for you—regardless of our dating status. I promise you’ll be safe and that you’ll end up back in your former life a very rich person.” He studied her and she tried not to squirm. “What are your conditions?”
Conditions? The multiple-orgasm promise sounded good. “Um, you try to ask and not order all the time.”
“Done.”
What else? Her brain kept blanking. “All physical contact doesn’t automatically lead to sex.”
“That’s fair. What else?”
“You leave me be to conduct my job in the way I see fit.” So far, he’d done exactly that, but she hadn’t taken many chances. She might be in a bit of danger with Maeve, but she wouldn’t abandon the woman.
He seemed to contemplate her words. “So long as you’re safe.”
They’d just have to agree to disagree there. Was she really going to agree to this? “All right. We can attend the greeting party tonight as a couple.” She frowned. “Should we be having get-togethers with murders occurring here?”
He shrugged. “We need to meet the twenty new couples who’ve joined us today, and it’s Kurjan tradition to have a cocktail party in such instances. Plus, you only have three months to modernize us.”
So, he’d put a definite deadline on their relationship. Fine. “I’ll draw something up.”
“Thank you.” He stood and crossed to the door.
“Vero?” She waited until he looked over his broad shoulder. “Why?” There was no need to go into more detail.
His eyes remained hard. Flat. “There’s no doubt I’m dying soon, and I want something warm and good before I go. In fact, I want to be surrounded by your heat.” He opened the door and walked into the hallway, shutting it quietly behind himself.
Chapter Nineteen
The cocktail party felt like a success. Lyrica looked down at her sparkling blue dress. Apparently the Kurjans enjoyed ceremony and often had such parties. She delicately sipped champagne next to Eudokia, whose mate kept a close eye on them from across the room. “Are you sure you’re happy?” Lyrica asked.
“Yes,” Eudokia murmured, wearing a lovely red ball gown. “We didn’t have a choice in remaining out of sight and mind with the old leadership, but Vero and the king are changing things. In fact, I’m not sure you’ve noticed the lovely sweaters many of us wear?”
Lyrica nodded. “I have. You knit them?”
“Yes. I’ve been asking some of the newcomers about the world out there. What do you think about us selling them to humans? Or even immortals. It could be a good moneymaker, I think.”
Lyrica coughed and swallowed champagne. “You should definitely do that.”
Eudokia straightened. “Would you mind speaking with Vero for us? Since you signed that contract that you’ve made public.”
Lyrica glanced at the woman. “You disapprove?”
“That doesn’t seem very romantic to me, and you appear to be a romantic. Or perhaps it’ll work out.” Eudokia shrugged. “Either way, we wouldn’t feel comfortable approaching our mates about the idea unless we had the permission of the king and his enforcer. Our mates have spent lifetimes protecting us, of course.”