Page 8

CHAPTER 8

E verything went reasonably back to normal after their meeting with Justine’s fancy lawyer cousin.

They continued to work together at the rescue and the clinic. Other than Justine occasionally looking at him like he was a particularly challenging puzzle she was trying to figure out, their relationship was…friendly.

Khill hated it.

He missed the more intimate connection they’d had in Vegas. Not that he was going to tell her that. Not after he’d agreed to the stupid annulment.

Why he couldn’t seem to tell her that he wanted to stay married, he had no idea. He kept opening his mouth to say it and…nothing came out. The words just withered in his throat and died. It was annoying. Infuriating, really. He blamed his upbringing to some degree. Orcs were not a species known for communicating their feelings. Or for having feelings, for that matter.

Still, he was living among humans and needed to start acting like it. Especially if he wanted to have a relationship with one.

And, oh , how he wanted a relationship with Justine.

So, like usual, he’d practically attached himself to her side all week. If she needed to treat an aggressive dog brought in for treatment by the local dog catcher, he was there to protect her. When she got a call to evaluate a potential neglect situation, he was there to protect her. When she wanted tacos from that truck that liked to park in the sketchy part of town, he was there to…well, he went with her because he wanted tacos, too. But he also wanted to protect her.

His constant vigilance was how he learned that her ex-boyfriend—the dumb fuck who’d cheated on her—was harassing her, trying to win her back.

She’d performed ten surgeries that day at the free spay and neuter clinic. She was so damn tired that Khill practically had to hand feed her dinner and carry her to the car when she was ready to go home. And when they arrived at her place…there it was.

A giant bouquet of red roses from her idiot ex, sitting there on her doorstep.

Khill snorted at the way her little button nose wrinkled in disgust when she saw them. Justine wasn’t a fan of cut flowers. She’d always said they were a waste of money, because what kind of expression of love was a cut flower that was on borrowed time and would be a dried out, withered husk of its former self in three days’ time? Anyone who supposedly loved her should know that .

She let out an exhausted sigh as he walked her to her door and she scooped the flowers up. “This is the fourth bouquet so far,” she said. “I feel like such an asshole for throwing them away. Think I should take them to the nursing home or something? Give them to someone who doesn’t have any family to visit?”

He shrugged. “Maybe. I’ll take them for you if you want.”

The sad little smile she gave him as she handed over the flowers did unspeakable things to his heart.

God, he was pathetic.

“Thanks,” she said. “I appreciate that. This whole thing is getting really old. He’s not even taking the time to write a personal message. Just writes ‘meant to be’ on the card.”

There was something about that message that gave Khill a bad feeling, like a spider had just crawled down his spine. He had no idea why. Maybe he was annoyed that someone other than him was in love with Justine? Or maybe he was annoyed with himself for not being able to express his feelings as easily as this flower-sending jerkoff was. “I’ll drop ‘em at the nursing home,” he grumbled.

Another sigh. She rubbed her temples. “He keeps calling, too. I blocked his number, but he must’ve gotten a new one just to call me on. When I answer, all I hear is some stupid old song about fate. It’s crazy! Why does he keep trying? I mean, he cheated on me . I would think having me out of his life would make it easier for him to bang other women. Why try to get me back?”

He knew the answer to that question better than anyone on the planet. But his inability to voice it was what had gotten him into this fiasco.

So, he did the only thing he could. He stepped in closer. And closer. Until she was forced to crane her neck up to meet his gaze. Her eyes widened as he slid his hand into her hair and cupped her neck. Slowly—oh so slowly—he leaned down, close enough to take her mouth with his if he chose to, and…

Pressed a kiss to her forehead.

He tried not to read too much into the way her breathing quickened. “I can’t imagine anything more painful than watching you walk away,” he whispered against her skin. “Other than maybe letting you go without a fight. That’s why he keeps trying.”

And with that, he let her go and walked away, taking whatever scraps of his dignity (and self-control) he still had with him.

Justine was still sitting at the foot of her bed, dumbfounded, a full half hour after Khill left her.

He’d been weird about the annulment, continued to act weird with her all week, gave her the sexiest kiss of her life (what did it say about her love life that the sexiest kiss she’d ever had was a forehead kiss?), said it must be painful to walk away from her, then proceeded to walk away from her like it was nothing?

What. The. Actual. Fuck?

Was he trying to say—in his unique, annoying, non-communicative way—that he wanted her? Years after he’d rejected her ? Had he wanted her all along? The whole time she’d been with Jake? When he drunk-married her in Vegas? And more importantly…if she asked him about any of this now, would he even admit it?

It was so hard to tell what Khill was thinking or feeling. He was so damn stoic. Always had been. She assumed it was because of his upbringing. From the little bits and pieces she’d gleaned from stories he’d told her in the past, orcs weren’t what anyone could call emotionally available. And she’d had to drag each of those stories out of him like she was pulling teeth.

So, how the hell was she supposed to get the most tight-lipped orc in the state—maybe even on the planet—to discuss his feelings with her?

She was making a mental list of possible solutions (that may or may not involve waterboarding) when her cousin called.

“I’m a legal goddess,” Lila said in lieu of a greeting.

“I know. You remind me every Thanksgiving and twice on Christmas. What’s up?”

“The court’s docket is jammed up for months, but because I’m a legal goddess , I got you a court date next Tuesday.”

Justine took that news like a punch to the gut. “So soon?”

“I believe the response you’re groping for is, ‘Wow, Lila, thank you so much for being so freakin’ awesome at your job! How can I ever repay you?’ And the answer, since you seem slow today, is to let me borrow your red leather jacket next Friday. I have a date.”

Justine rubbed her aching temples. “I mean…thank you. And, of course, you can borrow the jacket.” It didn’t fit right across her shoulders, anyway. It had been a gift from Jake, who obviously had no idea what size she wore. “So, by next Wednesday, I’ll be a single woman again?”

“Yes.” Long pause. “Unless you’ve changed your mind? You do still want the annulment. Right, Jussy?”

She swallowed hard. “Yeah. Why wouldn’t I?”

Lila snorted. “Because your husband is fuck hot? I’d trap his ass into marriage in a heartbeat if I thought he’d go for it. And believe me when I say, hon, if I was you , he’d go for it.”

“You think he might not want the annulment?”

“Are you blind? He obviously has a thing for you.”

“He plays it close to the vest,” she admitted. “If he has feelings for me, he hasn’t said a word.”

“Well, he is a man. Monster or human, I haven’t met a single one of them who expressed a damn feeling unless he was forced into it. But go with your gut. If you want me to cancel the court date, I will.”

It’d be so easy to say yes. To just stay married until she was able to drag Khill’s feelings out of him. But manipulating him into expressing himself just didn’t feel right. Then again, neither did alcohol-fueled wedding vows.

“Let’s keep the date,” she said with as much confidence (if not enthusiasm) as she could muster. “I’ll let Khill know.”

Lila sighed. “OK. Seems like a waste of great potential orgasms, if you’re asking me.”

This time, it was Justine who snorted. “Don’t I know it.”

“Want to know what I do when I think someone is holding back information?” Lila asked.

Justine blinked. Did people hold back information from Lila? How was that possible? All it took was one raised brow in her direction and Justine usually spilled her guts. “No. What?”

“Cross examination. Go at them hard, like you’re Olivia Benson and they’re a disgusting perp on Law and Order . The more they evade, the harder you go at them. Eventually, you’ll get the answers you want.”

Hmmm . Cross examination. Pushing her husband into the corner until he gave up the truth. It was just crazy enough to work.

“Or,” Lila said after a pause, “they’ll cry. Sometimes that happens, too.”

Now that was a chilling thought.

But Justine supposed she’d just have to take that risk, especially when there were so many great potential orgasms on the line.