Page 3 of The Billionaire Orc

She reminded herself that it was amazing Motham Monthly were doing this article about her. She should be grateful—it was fantastic publicity. Very few human businesses got featured, and the fact that they’d invited her proved she was being accepted here in the city.

She straightened her spine, flicked a strand of ash-blonde hair over her shoulder and smiled until her jaw ached.

Click, click, click.

“You look divine,” the wolf purred. “We’ll dedicate a full two-page spread to you, darling.”

Shona couldn’t help a little flip of nerves in her stomach. Would Matteus see the article? It had been more than two years since she’d escaped his vampire clutches, ending their engagement because he was getting too possessive, but still she couldn’t quite believe it when he’d stopped pursuing her. She hadn’t seen him in months, but she knew he owned a mansion in the upmarket area of Motham. He’d be bound to read the article, wouldn’t he? And if he didn’t, his uncle Vlad would, and he’d be sure to mention it to him.

What if Matteus began pursuing her again?

Her stomach clenched to the point of pain.

This was ridiculous. She couldn’t live in fear. She had her business to build, and she wasn’t going to let anyone, human or monster, stand in her way.

“Chin up a fraction,” the photographer said. “Give me eye contact—that’s brilliant, absolutely per-fect.”

Click, click, click.

“Done.” The fae removed the camera from his eye. “Beautiful work. You’re a natural. Ever thought of becoming a model? With your looks you could.”

Shona shook her head, hiding a smile. It wasn’t the first time someone had suggested it.

The wolf smirked. “Damien has captured your vibe beautifully. I think we’ve got everything we need. You’ll be in Friday’s edition.”

“So soon?”

“Oh, we work fast here at the Monthly.” The wolf touched Shona’s arm, her smile showcasing her large teeth, still with that gash of lipstick across them. Like blood, Shona thought, with a little shiver.

Sharp teeth still made her nervous.

“You’ve been an absolute darling—so easy to work with,” the wolf breathed as she walked her toward the door. “Dove Realty will be more in demand than ever after this.”

Shona thanked the rest of the team before she left; the handsome young photographer, the gelfin girl (half goblin, half elf) who’d done her make-up and styled her hair, before making her way down the elevator to the basement parking lot.

Once she was inside her zippy little red sports car, she took some deep breaths.

Wow! This would really put her on the map.

Success was something she’d always dreamed of. At first, she’d thought it would be in the fashion industry. But that was where she’d met Matteus. What had started off as a beautiful love story had spiraled so badly it still twisted like a knife in her gut just thinking about it.

In the end she’d fled the fashion company his family owned, ripped herself away from the beautiful fabrics and costume designs, the excitement of going to launches of the Kominsky brand. Instead, she’d taken a job with an ageing griffin realtor as an assistant, only to find she enjoyed doing property appraisals.

Her background in fashion had been invaluable. The mix of species here in Motham meant everyone wanted quite different things from a home. Dragons and gargoyles both required similar-sized properties, with roof access of course, but dragons loved bling (sparkly chandeliers nearly always sealed the deal), whereas gargoyles went for more austere finishes, granite and marble and flagstone floors. Fae and elves both wanted big gardens with lots of greenery and dappled light, but where fae loved elaborate cornices and stucco-fronted buildings, elves preferred a cozy home with nooks and crannies.

You had to know your target audience to land a sale. And Shona had proven herself quite the expert at it.

So a year ago when Edgar, her boss, announced he was retiring and asked if she’d like to take over the business, she’d jumped at the opportunity. And bless him, he didn’t want money for it, he just wanted to move to his coastal property south of Motham Bay and relax. He’d even let her move into the apartment above his offices for minimal rent.

Shona couldn’t believe her luck.

With Edgar’s approval, she’d changed the name of the business to Dove Realty. As far as she was aware, there were no doves in the bird shifting community, so no risk of treading on toes—or claws. And as luck would have it, her name had proven to be an asset. Not being a typically human name, it meant monsters trusted her more.

And of course, Shona knew how to charm. As a little girl, her beauty had always surprised her. She’d never taken it for granted, never believed herself superior because the good goddess had given her more than her fair share on the beauty quotient, but she’d learned to appreciate that it opened doors.

It had gotten her into trouble, too. She must never forget that.

She let out an exasperated huff. She really needed to stop the niggle of worry worming around in her stomach and be grateful for her good fortune.

---