The Yearning

The Yearning Quorum Duet Book 2 L. Miles Copyright © 2023 by L. Miles All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. To report typos or if you have questions/comments: [email protected] Version 1 For those who love cold bedrooms and sleeping with the wind blowing across their face. (You’re just like me.) We should maybe move to Antarctica. Contents Author Note Preface 1. Alex 2. Maddox 3. Saige 4. Saige 5. Alex 6. Saige 7. Saige 8. Alex 9. Ryder 10. Saige 11. Saige 12. Ryder 13. Saige 14. Saige 15. Maddox 16. Alex 17. Saige 18. Saige 19. Maddox 20. Saige 21. Ryder 22. Saige 23. Alex Epilogue Author Note About the Author Also by L. Miles Author Note A Quick Warning You probably read the first book already, but here’s a quick reminder… This book contains slightly darker relationship tropes that may be uncomfortable to certain readers. There are scenes consisting of over-the-top controlling behaviour that is unacceptable in real life. The harem is made up of possessive men who will manipulate and twist our heroine until they can tie her to them forever. If that sounds deliciously dark to you, then this book is for you. Otherwise, reader discretion is advised. If you would like a list of tropes that will be covered in this duet, here’s the link from my newsletter This book also contains major spoilers for my complete Exception Duet, which is a friends-to-lovers contemporary duet featuring Ali Hayes, a singer and actress. Her harem consists of a lawyer, tech CEO, doctor, and billionaire. Here’s the first book if you’re interested There are overlapping characters between the two duets because they’re set in the same universe. If you’re planning on reading both, I recommend you start with Exception first. However, you can read the Quorum Duet alone to get a complete story. Preface This book depicts a modern world you and I are familiar with for the most part, with a tiny hint of fantasy (in a broad sense, immortality). Maybe someday science can get us there, but for now, let us imagine. He was the one who signed off on all the attacks. You know how he is. Immortals may not want violence, but he doesn’t care. - classified government documents 1 Alex My cheek radiated with stinging pain. I gnawed my jaw until the feeling gradually faded away. Saige took advantage of my momentary surprise to slip out of my arms and dart out of my reach. My duchess may not look the part, but I bet she’d have a powerful right hook. Her accusing eyes made me want to look away, but I willed myself to stand my ground. I closed my eyes at her shuddering exhale. After our unresolved conflict after the dinner meeting, I knew how she felt about being forced to do anything. I knew the potential consequences of pushing this marriage on her. The risks were obvious when I made my decision. Yet now, the swirling turmoil inside of me felt unbearable. My woman stood right there, glaring at me like I was her greatest enemy. I gritted my teeth. Saige’s eyes glistened, and her hands were shaking. She stumbled a few steps back so she was closer to the door. I did this to her. I could still feel the ghost of her body against mine, and the emptiness inside of me didn’t feel right. Seeing her hurt again made me feel too much. “You forced me to marry you,” Saige said flatly, “all for the Quorum.” “No.” I pinned my stare on her, silently willing her to believe me. “I did it for myself.” “Bullshit.” She spat the words at me. “You’re such a liar.” With that, she turned, ran to the door, and threw it open. I was going to lose her. Before this mess, I had the confidence to keep her, to convince her to stay and forgive me. But with the vitriol in her gaze and the way my heart was beating so quickly, I may have missed the mark terribly. Panic. I’d never felt that smothering feeling take over so completely. It seized my chest and rattled my bones. “I tried to approach being with you the normal way. Going on dates, making you dinner, all of that.” I braced myself for the door to slam shut behind Saige, but she hesitated in the doorway. “But I fucked it up. Maybe I don’t know how to make this work, but I damn well won’t let you go.” I teleported right in front of her and took her arm. Her hand was balled up in a fist. She didn’t pull away, but I could see the tears swimming in her eyes. “We can’t build a relationship on lying and scheming, Alex. Did you seriously think you can keep playing me like this and I’d go along with it?” I stayed silent. “The reason we argued before is exactly what happened again today.” The tone of her voice was hard and steady, and although I was touching her, she felt so out of reach. “You might care about me, but you’re stringing me along like your plaything. I might love you, but I’m sorry, that isn’t unconditional. I need your respect, your care, and I have to be treated like I’m more than something to further your goals with the Quorum.” I could say a lot of things to her, but she wasn’t ready to hear them. Both our emotions were too heightened. I’d lied to her. And as I sought the resolve to tell her the truth, I’d promised myself that I wouldn’t hold back. I wouldn’t soften the blow. So when I told her about my scheming, I hid the depths of my feelings. There