Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 75539 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75539 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
I felt a deep connection to Blake in that moment, understanding his desire for a love that endures. It was something I’d always wanted as well. “It sounds like they’ve given you a wonderful example to follow.”
“They have,” Blake agreed. “And I hope one day I can have that kind of love too.”
“You will,” I said, kissing him again. “You’re an amazing person, Blake. You deserve that kind of love, and I have no doubt you’ll find it.”
Hell, maybe you already have?
Chapter 23
Safe
Blake
I woke up nestled against a snoring Xavier. Mornings were never my thing, but this one had me waking up with a beaming smile. I had to take a moment and make sure it wasn’t all some kind of dream.
The sexiest damn dream I’d ever had.
I rolled over, feeling Xavier’s breath on my face. It had been real. All of it. I examined the dragon’s peaceful expression, wondering what he dreamed of. He had a comforting arm through over the blanket, adding a gentle pressure to my side. My morning wood pulsed under the blanket. I’d normally be shy about it, but not today. Not anymore.
Yesterday had infused me with a whole new burst of confidence. Being a twenty-six-year-old virgin always had me second-guessing myself when it came to sex. Was I wanted? Was I good enough? Would I make some kind of terrifyingly embarrassing mistake?
Xavier showed me that none of those questions mattered. All that mattered was that we were both having fun. That was all.
And judging by all that I swallowed yesterday, Xavier was certainly having fun, and so was I.
He stirred, his eyes fluttering open. A soft blue glow of morning sunlight tried to push around the curtains that hung on the windows. There were shards of different-colored light on the floor from the stained glass.
“Good morning,” Xavier said sleepily.
I nestled in closer to him. “Morning, sir.”
“How’d you sleep?”
“Like a baby dragon.”
“Good,” he said, giving me a morning kiss. He was also dealing with some morning wood. I reached under the blanket and gave him a couple of strokes. He rolled onto his back and spread his legs for me, closing his eyes again. “God, your hands feel so good on my cock.”
I was instantly wide-awake. But before things could escalate, we heard a knock on the door.
“Xavier, Blake, we need to discuss our next move,” Warrick’s voice called from the hallway. “Cassius got some news.”
Xavier groaned, sitting up. “Duty calls.”
I sighed, a hand still gently gripping Xavier’s thick cock. “Later?”
“Definitely later,” he promised with a wink.
“Let me at least get a little taste.”
“Go for it,” Xavier said, throwing off the blanket. I smiled, leaning down as I licked his tip. He was magnificent. If there wasn’t more pressing matters to attend to, I likely would have stayed in bed all day with him.
But there were more pressing matters. We got dressed and joined Warrick and Dawn in the main hall. Cassius was there, still in his pajamas, his hair a mess. He nursed a steaming mug of coffee. He set it down on the coffee table.
“I spoke with my father last night,” he said. “He was as shocked as I was when I put it all together. He says he hasn’t spoken to my uncle in years. He knew something was wrong but never really figured it out.”
“Damn,” I said. It hurt to see my childhood friend looking so tortured. He was normally a happy-go-lucky kind of guy. This seemed to have hit way too close to home, though.
“Was there any mention of where we could find him?” Xavier asked. Bambi had leapt onto his lap. He scratched under her neck, being careful to avoid her large saber teeth. Her purrs echoed through the room.
“Yeah,” Cass answered. “I’ve got an address. He apparently still lives there.”
“Excellent,” Dawn said. “Damien and Maddox are off chasing other leads, but I think we can handle this one. Is it close by?”
“It’s near Joshua Tree.”
“Really?” I asked. I thought back to that first day I’d spent with the family. How we’d been attacked, how they had seemed to find us out on our run. What if they didn’t find us but stumbled upon us? If he lived around there, then all he had to do was look out his window and see a golden dragon flying overhead to know that his target was close by.
“I’ll send the address.” Cassius opened his phone and texted us in a group thread. Sure enough, it was only a mile or two away from the Blackthornes’ desert home.
“Great,” Warrick said, setting his phone down. “I think we should go now. How’s that sound?”
“Time’s of the essence, I agree,” Dawn said.
Xavier looked at his siblings. I could see the family resemblance in them. They had the same expressions, the same mouth, similar eyes. “You guys don’t have to come. I can go alone.”