Page 36 of Till Orc Do Us Part
I shake my head. “He’s stubborn. Gets that from me.”
A faint smile touches his mouth. “Clearly.”
I roll my eyes. “Get some rest. Both of you.”
I gather the used bandages, close the first aid kit with a soft click. But before I can slip out, his voice stops me.
“Rowan.”
I turn.
“Thank you.”
Two words. Simple. Heavy.
I swallow hard. “You’re welcome.”
Then I flee downstairs before I do something truly stupid—like stay.
Later,I sit behind the counter with a mug of lukewarm tea, staring at the storm-blurred window.
Upstairs, the room is too quiet.
My pulse won’t settle.
Every time I close my eyes, I see the way he watched me. The way he let me touch him without flinching.
The wayI didn’t want to stop.
I curse softly under my breath.
I can’t afford this.
Not now. Not ever.
But gods… it’s getting harder to remember why.
The storm doesn’t let up.
It pounds the roof in furious waves, like the sea itself is clawing to be let in. The wind whistles through the window panes, and every so often, the bookstore creaks like it’s remembering all the years it’s stood its ground.
I lie on the old couch, arms folded behind my head, staring up at the ceiling.
Can’t sleep.
Not withhimupstairs.
Not with Jamie curled up beside someone I barely understand—and somehow trust more than I should.
Not with this tight knot in my chest that feels like fear… and something else.
I’ve faced storms before. Real ones, emotional ones, the kind that tear apart your life and leave it in splinters. I’ve stood up to developers, landlords, men in suits with sharp teeth and false smiles.
But Drokhaz Vellum?
He doesn’t fit in any of my categories.
He’s not the enemy—not really. Not the way I told myself he’d be.
