Page 44 of Bidding on the Orc Outcast

Nine nodded, straightening her shoulders, and flashed her a sweet smile.

“Yes, thank you. And thank you, Varek. I don’t know if Sebastian would have done all the things he threatened, but…” Nina shuddered.

“You’re welcome,” Varek said quietly, but his deep voice still sounded stunned.

She fished her keys from her pocket and tossed them over to Nina.

“Can you take care of the shop? I’ll be down in a few minutes.”

Without waiting for a response, she grabbed Varek’s hand and tugged him towards the stairs leading to her apartment. He followed without resistance, though she could sense his bewilderment.

Her pulse quickened at the feel of his solid presence behind her as they climbed the steps. She needed to talk to him about what just happened, to make sure he understood what it meant. The sheriff had listened. Her assistant had spoken up. Things were different than he believed.

CHAPTER TWENTY

Varek followed Posy up the stairs in a daze. His mind kept replaying the scene - not just the confrontation with Sebastian, but how two people had stood up for him. Even the sheriff hadn’t automatically assumed he was guilty.

“Sit down before you fall down.” Posy pushed him onto her couch.

He sank into the cushions, his big body making the furniture creak. “I don’t understand.”

“What’s there to understand?” She perched next to him and took his hand. “You did the right thing.”

“But the sheriff-”

“Listened to the truth instead of jumping to conclusions.” She squeezed his fingers. “Maybe it’s time you stopped assuming everyone is against you.”

Her words echoed Grondar’s. He’d spent so many years convinced the entire town hated him, he’d never considered that opinions could change. Or that maybe they hadn’t all believed the worst of him in the first place.

“Grondar said something similar.” His voice came out rough. “That I ran myself out of town.”

“Smart orc.” She shifted closer, her hip pressing against his thigh. “Though I notice you didn’t run this time.”

He hadn’t. For the first time in years, he’d stood his ground. Defended someone. Spoken up for himself.

“I couldn’t let him hurt her.” The memory of Sebastian’s sneer made his hands clench. “Not when I could stop it.”

“And you did. Without hurting anyone.” She touched his cheek, turning his face toward her. “That’s who you really are, Varek. Not whatever story Sebastian and his cronies tried to spread about you.”

The simple faith in her voice made his chest ache. He caught her hand, pressing it more firmly against his skin. “You make me want to be better.”

“You don’t need to be better. You’re wonderful just the way you are.”

He leaned forward until their foreheads rested against each other. “I’m starting to believe that. Because of you.”

Her fingers traced along his jaw. “You know, Eric told me something interesting at the auction after I won you. He said he never believed those stories about you. That he remembered you from when you were both teenagers, and you always looked out for the younger kids.”

He’d forgotten about those days, when he’d chase off the bullies targeting the smaller kids. Before everything went wrong. Eric had been several years older than him in school and he’d never thought he’d noticed him at all.

But the sheriff hadn’t believed the lies. Had remembered him as he truly was.

Something broke loose in his chest, a weight he’d carried for so long it had become part of him. With a growl, he pulled her into his arms, claiming her mouth in a desperate kiss. She melted against him, her small hands clutching his shoulders as he poured years of pain and loneliness into the connection between them.

When he finally pulled back, she was flushed and breathless, her lips swollen from his kisses. “What was that for?”

“For making me see what I couldn’t.” His voice came out hoarse. “For believing in me when I didn’t believe in myself.”

She put her hand on his cheek, her eyes warm and soft.

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