Page 9 of Loved By The Orc (Monster Orc Brides #4)

Negan:

ABIGAIL’S UNCLE PAUL, who knows both the magistrate and the town sheriff, goes against protocol and keeps the tavern open to women when we’re in town. Across the room, Hisa and Shally wave me over, both in their casual clothes. Between them sits a frosty bottle from the bar. My favorite human beer.

“I picked up your gown from Aunt Rosemary’s and put it in the carriage for the ride home,” Shally says. “We can wear them again at Christmas.”

“Will look like beautiful dolls,” Hisa says, no modesty whatsoever.

“Thanks,” I say, tipping my bottle to Shalia and ignoring her giggles at Hisa’s statement.

But Hisa’s not done with me. “So, the orc’s hot, right?” she asks.

“Well, yes, but he’s a little broken right now.”

“Only one part you have to be concerned with being broken.” Shally waggles her eyebrows. Both of my childhood friends know of my plight to lose my virginity.

I sigh. “I’m sure your mates will cockblock me. Probably drugged him with one of Aunt Abigail’s concoctions.”

Shalia leans forward, an earnest look knitting her brows. “Bakog doesn’t think he’s too bad of a guy. He doesn’t trust him yet, of course, but he thinks his core is good. ”

“What do we really know about him?” Hisa asks.

“His father is King Vronas. He has two sons from his wife, but the one who was in line for the throne, Leviton, is now dead. He was always in competition with Varguk because Varguk was firstborn, even though he wasn’t from Queen Nisha,” Shalia says.

“So he was taunted for being a firstborn bastard?” I ask.

Shalia nods.

“Isn’t it funny how no one taunts the king for straying?” I ask.

All three of us look over at Grumpy, who scowls at us from where he sits with his own mate, Aga, and my father.

Hisa giggles. “Still has great hearing.”

“Sharp as a tack,” I say.

“One of the most handsome males of all time,” Shalia says.

I swear the orc king preens. My father bops him on the side of the head, and Aga chuckles as she coos at her mate to soothe his ruffled feathers.

“Also odd about the Southpeaks?” Shalia says.

“They’re so stretched out, because they have a lot of inner fighting.

Lines of rule between clans. Villages. So, a king is in charge of a certain area, and they have numerous kings for these lineages.

Varguk’s father is one of many, but there’s one main king overall.

I think he’s called the Clan King. Everyone concedes to his supreme rule. ”

And then I’m distracted by the three males who enter.

Tok and Bakog head straight for their mates, squeezing their large bodies into our table, leaving a broody orc to watch me from where he stands at the edge of the bar.

My belly dips when our eyes meet. He looks freshly washed and so handsome my heart aches.

Neither of us looks away from each other. There’s no pretending with him and me.

But Bakog scoots his chair closer to whisper in my ear.

“You know I would never have promised you to a stranger, right?” Bakog asks, his brows knitted as if this might have been a possibility I was pondering.

“I know,” I say softly, cutting my attention to him. He’s like the brother I never had. A male who had countless sisters and just grouped me along with the rest. “But I don’t think he’s all that bad.”

Bakog winces. “I don’t either. It’ll be a battle within him, for sure. And we’ll have to watch him carefully to see how much of his clan is instilled in him.”

“How did you meet him?” I ask.

“When Shalia went missing, we heard there was a rogue clan made up of a few Southpeaks and some Blackhearts. I rode to the southern territory to speak to one of the king’s scouts.

Varguk was the one who showed up and never presented himself as a king’s son, bastard or no.

When I found out who he was later, that impressed me.

He has more clout than he claims… his brother’s jealousy proved that.

The second time we met, he had the orcs we wanted to take prisoner.

He outright asked me for the boon… for the bridge between the Blackhearts and West Mountain orcs.

I knew he had the upper hand in bargaining, so I agreed to allow his clan to attend the mating party and introduce him. ”

“And did you think they’d have a connection?” Hisa asks outright. We’re all thinking it because it’s well known that Bakog has the sight.

“Nay,” he denies, though his words ring false. Huh. So he thinks maybe there could be something between me and Varguk, though he won’t admit it. My eyes flick back to the sexy male.

“You’ve been watching him a while,” Hisa says, studying me carefully.

My eyes fly to hers. “Is it obvious?”

“Not as obvious as it was when Hisa used to stare at Tok,” Shalia says easily.

“Or when Shally would stare at Bakog,” Hisa counters, frowning at her .

“Bloody hell. Then everyone has noticed,” I say.

“Well, I wouldn’t say that—” Shally hedges.

“Yeah, we would,” Hisa says.

“Look, here are your choices.” Shally leans in close to talk to me.

“You can have that idiot biernak in your own clan that continues to leer at you like someday you’ll be his property.

Or you can be a powerful orcish female and go choose your male.

Doesn’t matter that you’ve never had one.

Everyone—male and female—has their first time.

Yours just happens to be later than some. ”

“You’re right,” I say slowly. “But how do I go about this? It was different with you two. You both knew Tok and Bak your whole lives. I met this male today.”

“It will be easier than you think. He’s watching you right now. Just look over your shoulder and give him a direct look back.”

Without being coy, I look over to him and give him a smile.

He motions me over with a simple head movement. That confidence has a knot of need twist in my lower belly.

“Go on,” Shalia whispers. “Saunter over there like a sex goddess and let’s see if he breaks his stare.”

“Don’t make us all privy to this.” Bakog scowls, as Tok nods. “We don’t need to hear the nasty schemings of females.”

“Oh, hush. Negan needs us to have her back. Go on, girl. Git,” Shalia says.

“Don’t make it obvious you watch,” I mutter to the girls as I get up.

“Work it, girl,” Hisa says and the two erupt with laughter behind me.

Varguk’s gaze settles on me as I walk over and he never breaks it.

My breasts feel like they swell, my nipples tightening to peaks that rub against the fabric covering them.

My hips sway a little more than usual and I have a vivid image of my legs wrapped around his as he thrusts powerfully into me.

“Hi,” I say breathlessly .

“Beautiful Negan. You came.” Godsfire, his voice. So deep and smoky. The promise of wicked desires licks at me, curls deep inside, low in my belly.

“Of course I did. I can’t stop thinking about it. About you.” My voice is low and husky.

He reaches out and skims his knuckle along the side of my cheek, down my jawline. “What would it take to make you mine?”

“For one night, orc?” I ask.

But he shakes his head. “More.”

“One night at a time. Just not tonight. I can’t have my father worry.” Not tonight, of all nights.

“Aye, wench. Then I’ll wait. You would be worth it.”

I cant my head toward him. I’ve been this route, more than once. “Because I’m the bridge?”

“Because you’re you. Strong and beautiful, yet somehow sweet inside. Like a vicious little… marshmallow.”

A breath I’m holding releases slowly from my lungs. I didn’t realize how hard it would have been to find another male wanted me simply for my status, my relationship to two clans.

His cheeks are tinged with a murkier green. “I’m not the best male with compliments. I can’t believe I called you a vicious little marshmallow.”

A smile curves my lips. “Sweet on the inside. Lickable. I like that.”

He pulls me close and whispers in my ear. “Would lick you all over, female.”

Delicious, panty-melting heat coils inside me.

“But I know you’ll want to wait. Won’t you?”

Somewhat dazed, my voice is raspy and breathless when I answer. “Depends. What would you want to wait for?”

“Well, I want to do bad things to you.” A side-smile twists his lips.

“But I want to do them exclusively with you. Our entire lives. I want to grow old together, watch our hair turn silver. Watch our brats have their own. Have little ones underfoot who might call me Grumpy.” He pauses for a moment, as if thinking.

“In fact, I’d be honored to be called Grumpy. ”

But is that too fast? I met this male today. And yet… isn’t that what I want? What every female wants?

“Let’s get to know each other,” I say softly. “Because I think I would like those things very much also. But it’s too soon to know.”

“I want to kiss you,” he says. “Can’t do much more than that. But I would like to sip from your lips, see if you taste as good as you look.”

I lick my lips and his gaze falls there.

Ever so slowly, he moves in. My heart races and my breath catches.

He’s so tall, he has to lean down to reach me.

I can feel everything, the warmth of his skin, the sweetness of his breath.

He pauses, his mouth hovering right above mine, as if giving me a choice to deny his kiss.

But the pause only makes the anticipation sweeter.

When his lips touch, they’re soft and firm. I can taste the ale he drank, and there’s something delicious added to that. The unique taste of an amazing male. He groans and my heart flutters wildly.

Strong arms come around my waist, pulling me even closer, so close my body feels melded to his.

I can feel the thumping of his heart, the warmth of his chest. He’s kissing me within an inch of my life.

His tongue meets mine, sliding in tandem with me.

Back and forth we angle our faces, working like magic, our mouths locking perfectly, taking from each other, our breath heaving in our chests.

I love this. The taste of him, the way he gives and takes, the feel of his firm lips. His body, hard as steel, crushed against my softer curves.

He tears his mouth away. “Gods, I knew you’d be perfect.”

He thinks I’m perfect? A smile breaks out on my face.

“Perfectly sweet. Perfectly delicious. I’ll bet you taste that good everywhere.”

That smile is replaced by my sucked in breath. Does he mean—?

When Shalia, Hisa, and I were younger, well, they were teens and I was still without my monthly, we snuck into the forest near the creek to find one of the whores pleasing a male.

But it definitely looked like she was being pleased as she spread her legs into the air and screamed her pleasure, his face buried between them.

“Aye,” he says, his voice deep and husky. “Want you sitting on my face. Want you to take your pleasure and I want to be the one to give it to you.”

Exactly like the whore in the woods.

“I want that too,” I admit, leaning forward. “I want to kneel before you and see how hard that cock grows in my mouth.”

His jaw clenches and that tightness somehow makes his cheekbones more chiseled. His dark eyes glitter with some emotion… something huge. “Female. Tell me that when we’re alone.”

“Varguk! Negan! Come on!” Bakog calls, his voice booming and powerful. I step back from Varguk because I don’t need the sight like Bakog to know what he’s doing. Letting me know we’re attracting attention. Mayhap that of my father. Even as children, we always had each other’s backs.

“Come, orc. Let’s see how well you can play with my friends.”

A slow, lazy smile spreads over his face. “I will prove my worth to you.”