Page 65 of My Orc Billionaire
Apparently he hadn’t lied; Abydosdidhave big plans for something today.
With a sigh, I pressed my forehead against the window and wished for a breath mint. Or a whole new tongue.
The mountains were growing closer by the time Sylvik snapped his laptop closed and stood. I glanced up as he settled across from me, wearing a thoughtful expression. “Everything’s set for a one p.m. press conference. We’ll arrive just in time and should be landing soon.”
Press conference? I felt tears well in my eyes before I could stop them. Abydos reallywasmaking a big thing out of this, wasn’t he?
But another part of me whispered:Press conference, really? The guy is a recluse. This is a lot to go through just to fire you.
And I mean, that made sense, but I didn’t seem to be thinking straight.
Sylvik’s expression clouded, and he frowned as he studied me.
“Riven, can I ask you something? It’s pretty personal, and I’m not sure how to word it.”
I snorted. “Sure.” If he wanted to know about my personal business,fine. I’d thought we were friends, after all. But it made sense that his loyalty was to his boss.
He took a deep breath and leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees, clasping his hands as he studied me. “Riven, Eastshore is amazing, and most of the guys we’re going to see today are already interested in transferring there. Abydos and I talked it up, of course, about how the humans there aren’t prejudiced or full of hate. And that’s what I thought about you, too.”
I scowled, recognizing the past tense there. “I’m not.”
“What changed?” he asked gently. “Why is this so bad?”
I sniffed and looked away. “I can’t believe you have to ask me that.” Soon I’d be losing the male I loved.
But Sylvik had stiffened. “How could Inot? I’m protecting him!”
Protecting Abydos? “From me?” I frowned at the window.
“Protecting him, a male I respect and care for, from a human who hasn’t stopped crying since she learned what her Mate was doing for her. He’s been gone a week, and I’m not so dense I can’t see your response. Your tears…”
I guess he trailed off because I’d slowly turned to gape at him. “What?” he asked.
“Mate?” My voice was strangled. “Did you sayMate?”
Sylvik’s eyes went wide, and he abruptly sat up. “Oh hells, he didn’t tell you? I screwed up again?”
“Mate,” I whispered in a daze. “What? Seriously?”
“Riven,” Sylvik groaned, running his hand through his hair. “I don’t know if he wanted to be the one to tell you. He’s going to be livid if that’s the case. On the other hand, maybe he thought you’d figured it out?”
“Mate.” Holy shit, Abydos was myMate? Not my boss, not the guy who was fucking me because he thought I was a good lay…but my Mate? Like Tark and Sami, or Harper and Giza, or any of the other dozen examples around Eastshore. “Oh my God…”
Is that what today was about?Hadhe brought me out here to tell me himself?
Whoa, don’t get ahead of yourself. You have only Sylvik’s word.
Yeah, and the male was looking panicky at the realization he’d said anything at all. “You really didn’t know?”
“I thought he was going to fire me.”
“Fireyou? You’re his Mate.”
I shook my head dazedly. “He paid off my debt and said he didn’t want me to work for him anymore.”
Sylvik threw up his hands. “Because he wants to build a future with you! Not have youworkfor him! It’s romantic, Riven!”
Was it?
