Page 41 of My Orc (Secret) Boss

Ohfuck.

Shaking her head, Maya turned off her screen. “Does this mean I haven’t been payingThe Garden Shop’srent for the last four months?” She turned anguished eyes my way. “And what does that mean? I can’t afford to be kicked out, not now.”

Floundering, not sure how to confess, I just continued to rub her back. “It’s okay, Blossom, I’ll fix this.”

“No, you can’t. Unless—” Her eyes widened. “Hasyourrent been going through okay? Maybe the new owner won’t—oh, damn, no, that won’t work either.” Blowing out a breath, she scrubbed a hand down her face and looked so hopeless I wanted to gather her up and fix everything.

Youcanfix everything. It’ll just require admitting you’ve been lying to her.

I winced.

The weekend had been filled with this argument running through my head—how to grow a pair of balls and admit the truth to her without pissing her off. But then yesterday afternoon happened, and myKteerwas finally at peace, and I’d totally forgotten what I needed to do to ensure we had a future together.

“Maya—” I began, but she cut me off, straightening in my lap, her chin jutting in determination.

“Don’t worry,” she announced. “Iamgoing to figure this out. I will still pay you for your work.”

“I don’t want your money,” I grumbled. I hadn’t cashed the paycheck she gave me for the first two weeks, anyhow. Who used paper checks these days?

“Well, you’re going to get it, mister,” she declared, twisted to glare at me. “I hired you. You signed a contract to work for me, and I’m damn well going to honor it.”

“Maya—” I tried again, but she was shaking her head, indignant on my behalf.

“I don’t know who this new owner is, but I’ve got the bank working on it,andI left a message for Sami. She’s the best realtor on the island; she’ll be able to figure out something.”

Yeah, she’ll be able to figure out the truth. I had to confess, and I had to do it now.

“Maya, the reason your rent was returned was because the owner didn’t need it. Didn’t want it.”

“That’s ridiculous,” she scoffed dismissively, pushing herself away from me and wriggling toward the edge of my thighs. “I remember how scary it was when I heard the old landlord was putting it up for sale and wondering what this new guy would charge. Why would he have purchased the shop if he didn’t want the rent?”

I took a deep breath as she finally managed to climb off my lap.

“Because…” I swallowed and tipped my head back to face her. “Because he couldn’t purchase the apartment without also buying the shop below it. He didn’t care about the rent on the shop because he just wanted to be left alone.”

“Me sending rent checks isn’t going to bother him—oh holy shit,” she breathed, eyes widening as she figured out what I was trying to say. “Your apartment, Memnon?”

Another wince, but I didn’t look away. “It’s mine. Simbel thought I was nuts to buy instead of rent, but I was sick of renting.”

“You?” Shaking her head, she stumbled back. “You own the building? The apartment and my shop?” Her voice was rising again, her breathing coming too fast.

Thinking only to help her, I stood, but she backed up again, shock on her face.

“You own the shop?” she repeated. “You own my business?”

“Not your business,” I was quick to correct, curling my hands into fists to keep from reaching for her. “Just the building.”

“Yeah, but…” Eyes wide, she repeated, “Oh holy shit, Memnon! I’m not your boss! You’remyboss! Some kind of secret, behind-the-scenes boss!”

With that, she whirled away, and I lunged forward, thinking I could stop her. But I should have known my Blossom was stronger than that because she turned back, her expression a mask of hurt now, her finger stabbing at me.

“You lied to me.”

“Yes,” I admitted quietly.

“Not outright, but it was a lie by omission. You could have told me atanypoint. It should have been simple.Oh by the way, Maya, I own this building, and I’m your boss.”

I wasn’t, not really, but it was easier to just grimace and agree, “Yes.”

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