Page 46 of Romancing the Orc

“Oh!” Curiosity pulls me to his side. I tap at one of the stone bricks, and a sweet note rings out. “What is that?”

“It’s a hidden door, actually,” a stuffy British voice says as Elton saunters inside, flanked by his favorite two goons, each holding guns pointed straight at us.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Brokk

The cat sith fades from view, and this time, he’s truly stealthy, leaving behind no lingering smile to tease his passing.

A short and thin man stands in the center of the doorway, his pale face untouched by the sun. He wears a three-piece linen suit in the heat and humidity of the jungle, his fancy shoes horrible for any kind of hiking. This is a man who’s never done a day of honest labor in his life.

My lips pull back from my tusks in contempt.

He points to where Grey just stood and speaks in an English accent. “Vito, check that out.”

The dark-haired man Grey tackled yesterday does as the Englishman says.

I pull Lara behind me and flash my tusks at the blond man, whose gun remains centered on my chest. “I’m surprised to see you up and about. Why don’t you put down the gun and meet me one on one for another round?”

His face is a mess of bruises, the ruddy skin purple. The swelling from his two black eyes forces his gaze into tiny slits. He tries to sneer at me, then winces. Ha! Moving his face hurts. Serves him right for daring to ever touch Lara.

“Watch out for the green fucker,” he spits. “He’s smarter than he looks.”

“Hey!” Lara tries to edge around my side, and I have to hold her back to keep her from exposing herself to the gun.

“Didn’t your mother ever tell you that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, Klaus?” She jabs a finger at the bruised blond. “Brokk’s not just a pretty face!”

My little spitfire, willing to go to verbal war for me. I’m blessed to have such a mate!

“Enough.” The Englishman says.

“Who is this?” I ask Lara, hooking a thumb toward the annoying man.

“That’s Elton Edgerton. He’s the one who kidnapped me.”

Rage washes over me as I take in the small man. I caught only the tiniest glimpse of him back at the convention center in Miami, since his body had been blocked by the two larger men at his back.

“The cat isn’t here, boss,” Vito says.

Fuck. I really hoped Grey would reappear and take out Vito again so that I could tackle Klaus.

But before any of that can happen, Edgerton waves six more men and women into the room, each armed with a firearm.

A growl rumbles deep in my throat. The odds just shifted in my enemy’s favor. By the goddess! How will I save Lara now?

While three hold their guns on me, one demands I empty my pockets. She smirks when I pull out my enspelled crystals and Lara’s high-heeled shoes and lets me keep them. I hand over my knife reluctantly, hating being left weaponless, even if a blade won’t do much against guns.

“How did you pick up our trail?” Lara asks.

I wonder the same. Doing so should have been impossible—there’s no way these humans accessed the shadow roads.

“I didn’t need to follow you,” Edgerton says. “I knew exactly where you were going, so I made sure my plane got me here first. I’ve actually been waiting for you since yesterday evening, though I will admit you got here faster than I expected.” He cocks an eyebrow, as if waiting for us to explain.

Lara blows a lock of hair off her face but otherwise says nothing.

“Now, if you’ll allow me…” Edgerton makes a flourish with one hand and steps forward.

Klaus uses his gun to gesture me out of the way. I slide aside, one arm reaching back to make sure Lara comes with me. My attention never wavers, remaining locked on the blond with the gun.

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