Page 6 of My Orc Contract Husband (Eastshore Isle #9)

When he finally agreed that he should have an Eastshore base of operations, Abydos didn’t do anything half-ass.

He bought a piece of property on the north side of the island, the one with the cliffs instead of the beach, and tore down the sixty-year-old bungalow to build his own place.

It wasn’t going to be a mansion—that wasn’t his style—but I had no doubt it would be beautiful.

“I’ll swing by the day after tomorrow,” I told him as I began to plop the buns, buttered side down, on the pan, filling the kitchen with a rich, golden scent. “I have another tour scheduled with Sami at three, so I took the afternoon off.”

“You haven’t settled on anything yet?” Abydos grunted. “I thought you found a place today.”

“I did.” I slid the buns onto a plate and tossed a new pair down. “Well, we toured a place.”

“And? ”

“It was fun.”

Honestly, we could’ve toured a swamp, and it would’ve been fun. Being with her was fun. I loved the way she smiled, I loved the way she laughed, and I loved being around her. But that didn’t explain why my Kteer had gone into overdrive when that stranger had shown up.

He’d just been a delivery boy. Why did I have to fight the urge to rip out his throat?

Because you could smell her fear .

The memory hit me like a physical blow, and I had to grip the edge of the counter to steady myself.

Yeah. The sour stench of it had caused my Kteer to howl, and I’d had to bite down on the urge to crush kill pain blood hurt the male who’d caused it. My knuckles went white where I gripped the spatula, and I had to consciously force myself to relax.

“Fun?” Abydos repeated, causing me to take a deep breath and focus on the burgers and buns in front of me. “House hunting isn’t supposed to be fun . Did you find a good house?” There was something in his voice I couldn’t quite identify—suspicion, maybe, or concern.

“Hanging out with Sami is fun. Thanks for connecting me with her.” I busied myself with the food, hoping he couldn’t see the flush I felt creeping up my neck.

Months ago, she’d been the one to find Abydos the property he bought, and now I heard him make a dismissive sound.

“There’s no use going with anyone besides the best. But what about the house ? ”

Deciding I’d teased him enough, I slid the last bun onto the platter and began to assemble the burgers.

“The lot was amazing—huge, shaded, lots of open space. I’d have to tear down the fence on the left of the house to get the tractors through there to build my shop, but otherwise I think it was good.

” I worked quickly, layering cheese and vegetables with practiced efficiency.

I announced the last part as I turned, the platter of burgers in hand, to see him shaking his head. “What?”

“Tark, you didn’t say anything about the house . Are you going to tear it down, or do you just not give a shit?”

I shrugged. “Guess I don’t give a shit. I could live in my shop if I needed, you know that. I just need someone to sell me a piece of property so I can start building.”

Abydos saluted me with the beer. “Sounds like a plan. If anyone can pull this off, it’s you.”

What a surprisingly kind thing for him to say.

I opened my mouth, still not sure how to respond to such a compliment, and felt my phone vibrate. I thrust the platter of burgers into his hand and reached for my pocket.

“Speak of the devil,” I muttered, a handy human phrase I’d picked up, as I swiped to my email. “The mortgage…” The words blurred together, and I had to read the email twice before the meaning sank in. “ Fuck .”

“Fuck?” Abydos repeated, standing there holding the burgers, looking at a loss. He’d gone still, the platter balanced carefully in his hands, watching my face with something that might’ve been concern in his eyes .

“Fuck,” I agreed, slapping the phone down to the counter and taking the platter from him. “I was denied the loan. I’ll tell Sami to forget looking at houses. Just find me a piece of property big enough to build the shop.”

“ Fuck ,” he repeated, following me into the dining room. “That sucks, Tark. Why did they?—”

“They approved me for the smaller loan a few months back. I assumed this one would be okay too.”

“Did you…” Abydos’s tone was uncharacteristically hesitant. “Were there any big expenses in the last few months? Purchases? Donations.”

Hells. I sighed and plopped the platter on the table, knowing what he was angling for. “Yeah, I made my usual donations.”

“Well, shit, you idiot. I guarantee you that the bank saw that, thought it suspicious and not worth the risk, and turned you down.”

Was this his attempt to make me feel better? I stomped around. “I wasn’t not going to do it,” I snarled. “You know that’s important to me. I’ll figure something out.”

Abydos hesitated. “I can buy it for you?—”

“No,” I barked, already heading back into the kitchen. “I’m not taking money from you.”

I didn’t mind him buying me groceries or letting me build on his land when we were all together. But here and now? When we were all starting over? It would feel too much like pity. Too much like Abydos assuaging his guilt .

Scooping the fries into a bowl, I swallowed, trying to clear my throat. Where’d I put my beer? Fuck me . I’d been so excited to start building! The fries were too hot, and I burned my fingers on the metal pan, cursing under my breath.

By the time I returned to the dining room, Abydos had set the table and was sitting there, watching me with what—if I didn’t know better—was worry. “What?” I barked. I set the bowl down with more force than necessary, and a few fries jumped out onto the table.

“You know money doesn’t mean anything to me,” he said in a quiet, intense tone.

“I don’t need it—it’s just a way to keep score.

If you hadn’t given away all your hush money, you’d have enough to invest in my companies like the rest of us, and part of all this”—he gestured at himself and at the apartment around us—”would be yours. ”

Did he think I didn’t know that? I dumped half the fries on his plate to hide my anger. I never regretted my choices when it came to my investments, but damn I hated when Abydos made me feel like a kitling because of it.

“I don’t want your pity,” I growled, grabbing a burger from the platter. “I want something that’s mine for a change.”

The meat was perfect—rare enough that the juices dripped across my tusks, and popping with creamy flavor.

We ate in silence for a few minutes. Long enough for both of us to finish one burger and start on our second. Abydos was always quiet, keeping his thoughts mostly to himself—he’d been that way even before we’d crossed through the veil. Tonight, though? The silence was awkward.

Finally, he finished his beer and plunked it on the table. “These fries are shit.”

They weren’t that bad, but I just shrugged. “Sorry I’m not as good as your personal chef.”

“Burgers are good though.”

Such praise! I grunted in acknowledgement and started on my third burger. The meat was still warm, the cheese melted perfectly, and despite everything, I felt some of my anger start to fade.

“So…” I could see the muscles in Abydos’s jaw working. “What are you going to do?”

I blew out my breath, and the tension seemed to go with it. “I dunno,” I admitted, plopping the burger down onto my plate. “I guess…”

“Can I pay you?” When I snapped my glare up to him, he merely shrugged.

“ Pay you. My architect designed a house with a lot of glass—great for an island in a hurricane’s path, huh?

But I want a lot of woodwork too. To fit the beach vibe.

” He was trying to sound casual, but I could hear the hope in his voice.

My hackles slowly lowered, and I searched his scarred face for any signs of pity. “You don’t have to hire me just because we’re friends.”

“I’m not.” His movements were nonchalant as he ate, the elbows on the table reminding me he was still the male I’d known and loved for years, no matter his bank account. “I’m hiring you because you’re the best.”

The best . Yeah. Yeah, I was.

And I had a good, steady job with the construction company now, and I was fitting in here on Eastshore with my friends.

But the mortgage company thought I was too much of a risk.

I sighed in frustration and scrubbed a hand down my face.

My claws—when had I allowed those to emerge?

—caught on the stubble along my jaw, and I realized I probably looked as rough as I felt.

“Thanks. Yeah, I’ll pick up whatever work you can offer. Unless it comes with a salary though, the mortgage company’s not going to be convinced. I have enough money to build my shop and set myself up, but not enough of a salary to convince them I can pay a mortgage on a house.”

“You need a second salary then?”

I snorted and scooped up my beer, my lips twisting ruefully. “Yeah, Sami suggested the same thing. Said I ought to marry for money, although I think she was teasing.” The beer was getting warm, but I took a long pull anyway, trying to wash away the bitter taste in my mouth.

Abydos reared back, and I could see from the surprise on his face that he’d been talking about something else. “ Marrying ? I meant I was going to pay you a salary for your work.”

As if that wasn’t a kind of charity. “Relax, Abby, no one was suggesting you had to get married. ”

Something twisted in his expression, and he looked away.

The scars across his face made reading his expression difficult, and I’d become so used to his habitual scowl that I winced when I saw something else in his dark eyes.

He turned his head so that the damaged side was hidden, a gesture so unconscious I wasn’t sure he realized he was doing it.

“Sorry,” I muttered, realizing the joke had fallen flat, instead reminding Abydos that despite all his wealth, he was alone. Alone by choice, yeah, and vocal about it…but it couldn’t be pleasant.

In the years since we’d come through the veil, our friendship had mellowed to…well, just that, a friendship. At one time, we might’ve been all the other had, but the human world had opened up so many opportunities, we were both satisfied with how things had turned out.

Weren’t we?

I sure was, and Abydos had never indicated he missed what we’d shared as youths…but was it possible—despite his reclusive tendencies—he was jealous of all our brothers, who were finding their Mates? Surely not.

My friend cleared his throat as he grabbed his empty beer. His chair scraped against the floor as he stood, the sound harsh in the quiet room. “I just meant…you, marrying? Settling down?”

This last was called from the kitchen, and I could hear him rustling inside the fridge.

“Bring me another one too,” I called as I picked up my burger again. “And what’s so wrong with me settling down? Everyone else is doing it.” I tried to keep my voice light, but I could hear the defensiveness creeping in.

“Yeah, with humans ,” Abydos muttered as he plunked a bottle by my elbow. “You’re not the marrying type.”

I hid my wince with another bite of the burger. The meat suddenly tasted like ash in my mouth, and I had to force myself to swallow.

Why wasn’t I the marrying type? Because I’d messed around with plenty of females in the past? Did he not think I was good enough to be a Mate— no . Human marriage wasn’t about finding a Mate. It was a legal connection, that was it.

But his words still stung, hitting something vulnerable I’d tried to keep hidden.

“I’ve dated fae before,” I reminded him, although that hadn’t been what I was considering. “One of them would marry me, surely.”

“They’re not worth marrying either,” he grumbled as he leaned back in his chair, twisting the top off the beer and propping his feet on the third chair, his glare directed out the window of the apartment, where the sun was slowly sinking.

“Besides, you know any fae on this island? Rich enough to get you that mortgage?”

“I don’t need her to be rich,” I protested, focusing on my food and pretending this conversation wasn’t hurting me. “I just need someone with an income I can show the mortgage company. We don’t even need to stay married, honestly.”

Without looking at me, Abydos muttered, “All you assholes are Mating humans. Aswan, Akhmim…Sakkara an d hells, even Giza. Giza ! He had his chance and now he gets a second chance? Fuck.” His voice was getting rougher, and I could see his knuckles whitening around the bottle as he took another swig.

“Fine. Find a human and marry her. You got one picked out?”

Did I?

No, no, of course not. I mean, obviously not. It’s not like there was a female who was in my thoughts constantly, who made my Kteer growl and my cock stir and flustered me whenever we were together.

No.

Knowing I was lying to myself, I took it a step further and lied to my oldest friend. “Not at all, d’kap . She only just gave me the idea today. I don’t know if it’s possible.”

Slowly, Abydos turned to me, his beer dangling forgotten in his hand, his glare fierce.

“Fucking hells, you do have someone picked out,” he growled.

With another snarl, he slapped the bottle on the table and pushed himself to his feet.

“You’re going to marry this female, move her in here, when I’m gone?

You’re fucked, you know that? You’re all moving on, aren’t you? ”

Before I could answer—before I could figure out how to answer—my friend turned and stormed out of the apartment.

And I sat there, stunned.

Was I that obvious? How had he read me so easily?

Because even though I know human marriage was different from orcish tradition, and even though I knew a wife wasn’t necessarily a Mate, I did have someone in mind.

As soon as Sami had joked about it, I’d been unable to forget the thought of waking up beside her each morning, helping her face her fears, keeping her safe, bringing her joy.

Bringing her pleasure .

What sounds would she make when she came on my tongue?

With a groan, I dropped my head to my palm.

Abydos was right.

I was fucked.