Page 10 of Swipe Right for Orcs
“Good.” I slide the paper over to her. “I need to schedule my heat weekend.”
"No problem, doll. So it should hit next weekend, right?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“And you still insist that it’s alone? Toys only?” She looks at me and I hear the sympathy in her tone.
“Yes. Same as usual.”
“Ovivia, you know we can find you a partner,” she says gently. “It wouldn’t be so hard on you, and it would be much more enjoyable. If you know what I mean.” She wiggles her brows, trying to lighten the mood.
I manage a small smile. “I know, but this is what I need for now. Maybe it’ll change in the future, but this is what I want.”
“Okay.” Her fingers glide across her keyboard in smooth strokes. “Done. You are all set to come in on Friday the seventh. If you need us earlier, just call and we’ll get you in if we can.”
“Thank you, Dian.” She hands me my heat card, a small slip of plastic that grants me access to the building’s back entrance, and I slide it into my pocket before heading back to the elevator.
Today has already been draining, and it’s barely lunchtime. I decide to head home and take a nap. If Osric convinces his date to come home with him, he can text me. I’ll head to the bar or maybe over to Whimsy’s place. She’s always home, considering she’s a semi-recluse thanks to the world’s fear of necroharts.
Not in the mood to walk back, I pull out my phone and set up a ride with GhoulGo, the rideshare app for monsters. It’s one ofthe few things that makes life easier when you’re eight feet tall and just want to get from point A to point B without the hassle.
My GhoulGo pulls up a few minutes later, and I slide into the truck, appreciating the roominess.
“Hi! Going to 1313 Shadowmoor Lane?” the kitsune driver asks with a friendly smile.
“Please,” I reply, buckling my seatbelt.
The driver winks at me in the rearview mirror as we pull away from the clinic, and within minutes, we’re parked in front of my house. I thank her, leaving a generous tip for her kindness and quietness—exactly what I needed after a morning spent thinking about my heat and... Brelle.
Brelle.
I haven’t said her name, not even to myself, since that night.
She was beautiful, sweet, and eager to please, fulfilling my every desire. I know it was her job—we paid her for it—but still, being with a monster, especially one as... green as me, can turn even the most professional off. But not Brelle.
The memory of her face, her laughter, haunts me as I walk past Osric’s room.
“What are you doing?” he calls out as I pass, pulling me from my thoughts.
“Napping,” I reply, my voice flat.
“Okay, but remember my date. Be scarce.”
I stop in the hallway, turning to face him. “Big brother, if you can convince that woman to come home to fuck on the first date? You can send me a text, and I’ll head to Whimsy’s. Today was rough. I just want to take a nap and relax.”
Osric steps out of his room, concern written on his face. “Are you okay? Do I need to postpone?”
“No. I just hate going to the clinic. It’s a reminder that I still don’t have a partner, and it brings back memories of her.”
He wraps his muscular arms around me, pulling me into a tight hug. “It was an accident, Ovivia. You weren’t in control. Everyone knows that. No one blames you. Not even her family.”
“I blame me,” I whisper. “It’s fine, Osric. I just need to nap and be alone.”
“Okay. If I bring Fairlie back here, I’ll text you.”
I nod, turning toward my room. “Thanks.”
Once inside, I undress and flop onto the bed, exhausted and emotionally drained. The soft sheets and the quiet of my room are exactly what I need right now. As I close my eyes, I let out a long, slow breath, falling into a deep sleep almost instantly.
