Page 16 of Seduced By Moonlight

“So? When can work begin on my castle?” Ward asked, glancing at the chaos surrounding them.

Kayden pulled out a small notebook from his back pocket, flipping through the pages filled with scribbled notes and schedules. “We can start preliminary assessments tomorrow, which will be the structural integrity tests. From there, we’ll work outward to the less critical cosmetic repairs.”

Ward nodded, pleased with the prompt timeline. “Excellent. How long do you anticipate the entire project will take?”

Eagerness to see the end result bubbled within him. He wouldn’t get in Kayden’s way, but this was important to Ward. He needed to make sure all went well. It just so happened that a side benefit of that was actually getting toseeKayden. Which was weird. Why did he care?

Kayden scanned the damaged corridor, taking note of the destruction. “Before I can give you an estimate on that, I’d also like to check out the exterior.”

“Of course. Follow me, please.” Ward quickly led them outside and into the vast gardens around the castle.

He led them through a maze of hedgerows and blooming flower beds. The moon broke from the clouds, illuminating their way, along with the pathway lighting. Finally, they reached the area that needed work.

Ward’s sharp gaze followed Kayden and his crew as they scoured the area with the same intensity they had applied to their inspection of the interior. He didn’t stare at Kayden’s ass too much.

The team carefully scrutinized every inch of the stone exterior and meticulously observed every detail. They moved like a well-oiled machine. Their efficiency and determination impressed him. His gaze flicked back to his castle. He’d made the right choice in hiring Kayden.

Kayden came back to stand in front of Ward. “As I said, I can have my team here by tomorrow evening.”

Ward nodded, his tail whipping behind him. Then it reached for Kayden but dropped to the ground at the last second.

Kayden stared at it before glancing back at Ward. “Um, as for your request about modernizing without losing the essence of the place, I’ll bring in some samples and mock-ups next week. We can go over them together to make sure everything is to your liking before the final installation. Now, the timeline.”

“Yes? How long?”

“That depends on you, I guess. A full restoration? Considering the extent of damage and your requirements for modernization, I’d estimate around eight months.”

Luna grimaced and shot Ward a look.

Ward sighed, his tail dropping behind him. Eight months? Some of his eagerness faded. That was a long time to have strangers in his territory, disrupting the peace and harmony he’d worked so hard to establish.

The thought made his stomach churn, and his wings moved restlessly behind him. He could already imagine the endless noise that would fill the once serene landscape. Eight long months of constant disruptions and inconveniences? Of having strangers underfoot?

It was enough to make Ward want to cancel the entire thing, but he knew he had no choice but to do it. At least he would get to see Kayden. Although why he considered that a benefit was beyond him.

Whatwasit about the male?

“However, I could shorten that time if necessary. That’ll mean a significant increase in your costs, though. But—”

“That won’t be an issue,” Ward quickly assured him.

“But that means I’ll have two crews working nightandday,” Kayden continued. “As I understand it, gargoyles are stone during the day?”

Ward shifted uncomfortably. Days too? Strangers here while he and some of his clan rested? While they were stone and at their most vulnerable? The thought alone was enough to make him clench his jaw.

Emmett huffed.

“And by everyone’s reaction, I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that makes all of you uncomfortable. Which I completely understand, but it’s the only way I can wrap this up quicker,” Kayden said.

“That’s not an option, I’m afraid.” Neither Ward nor his clan would feel safe.

“As I said, I understand. So eight months it is, barring any unforeseen complications. It’s important you and your people are comfortable with me and my crew here, forbothour sakes.”

Ward caught the underlying meaning in that sentence. Last thing he needed was for someone on the construction crew to get hurt while in his territory. “I agree.”

“Good. Tomorrow is Friday. We’ll meet here after sunset to do the preliminary assessments, then. Is that okay?”

“Yes, tomorrow after sunset would be fine,” Ward said.

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