Page 39 of My Orc Billionaire
Did I?
“It’s good to see you, Abydos.”
I whirled to find a smiling Sakkara leading his Mate and young Emmy toward us. I nodded cautiously, not sure yet how I felt around this male. He’d been the one to lead us during that disastrous first year, and he’d clearly found his role again as the chief—mayorof this town. He’d brought us all here, gathering us together…
And as someone used to leadership, I could tell he was angling for something from me.
“Have you met my Mate, Nikki? And this is Emmy.”
I nodded politely to both of them. Emmy had been fathered by one of the orcs who’d come through hells with us. Dahshur and his Mate had died when their kitling had been young, and Sakkara had stepped in to raise her. But I’d been gone by then, hiding in the mountains, focused on my drive for vengeance against the humans, and I’d never known her.
“Hello,” I managed, fascinated despite myself by the combination of orc and human features on the little girl. She was about Tova’s age, and that reminded me of what Aswan’s daughter had said earlier. “You are a pink unicorn?”
Emmy smiled brightly at me, and nodded, but said nothing as she pulled Nikki toward the large pumpkin.
To my surprise, Sakkara settled at my side, hands clasped behind his back as he surveyed the chaos. Proprietarily. It was how I felt when I was at one of my Vengeance holdings, but here I felt…out of place.
“Itisgood to see you,” the other male murmured, low enough that only I could hear him. “I wasbeginning to fear you’d lock yourself away here, the same way you’ve done in the past.”
I bristled and refused to look at him. “I’m busy.”
“Yes, you are. I hope you’re busy for the right reasons.”
Was I? I remembered the protestors at the mine, their accusations.
Raping the land.
Fuck me. I took a deep breath, held it. Changed the subject. “Eastshore is…pleasant.”
“Yes, it is. And welcoming to everyone, as I’m sure you’ve noticed.” He turned to face me, his body language suddenly more formal. “And on that note, I have a favor to ask. Could we schedule a time to discuss the orcs living in Colorado,D’kap?”
The use of the honorific slapped me hard, and I reared back, unable to hide my surprise. I wasn’tD’kap.That was for older, respected males. I’d been calledbossandsirandmisterover the years, but those were human words.
This?
From our chief?
“Yeah, but I’m notD’kap,” I growled. “Don’t defer to me, I’m no one special.”
Sakkara’s brow twitched, and although his expression remained neutral, I got a sense of approval from him. “You’re not? You’re wealthier than all of us put together.”
Fuck me again. Scowling, I turned back to the scene in front of me. Aswan was pretending to drop Joshy—apparently this is hilarious to a three-year-old—while Nikki and Hannah helped both Emmy and Tova into the hollowed-out pumpkin.
Ididhave more money than my brothers. I’d set out tomakemore money than my brothers, than the asshole humans who had mocked me and beaten me. Who’d tried to kill me, tried to kill my guys, tried to ruin me.
My tongue flicked out against my tusk, the jolt of pain grounding me, and I winced.
I’d set out to prove myself to the humans, but I didn’t need to prove myself to my brothers.
“Money doesn’t make me special,” I mumbled. Not here.
Not in Eastshore.
In Eastshore, orcs lived alongside humans. They—weweren’t hidden, weren’t reviled. Weren’t scorned and protested and sabotaged. Orcs had found peace here.
I wanted that.
I watched Hannah lean against Aswan, I watched Giza’s Mate bend to kiss her kitling in Giza’s arms. I watched Simbel—gods below, he’d always been a fuck-up and now look at him!—proudly throw his arm around his son’s shoulders.
