Page 26 of Orc Charming

“I fell in love. She’s my true mate.” Desperation filled my voice. I’d shout it to the world. I didn’t care if anyone heard. “Please let me call her. She must be frantic, not knowing what happened to me.”

For one second, sympathy crossed his face, but it was quickly replaced with resolution. “I can’t. I’m sorry.” His gaze flitted from mine. “We must leave now.” Grabbing my arm, he and the others hustled me out the front door and through the press gauntlet again.

By then, I didn’t care.

“Cat, I’m coming back to you,” I bellowed.

“He has a new pet?” one of the press asked, and the rest snickered.

“I promise. I love you,” I said as Carick stuffed me into the back of the armored vehicle.

More laughter erupted outside, but I didn’t care. All I could do was pray to the fates she got my message.

Chapter 17

Cat

Three days later, I was working in the diner when a commotion erupted outside. Lights flashed as if a storm was approaching, though the day was clear and sunny.

The front door burst open and Deegar—no, make thatPrinceDeegar—strode inside. His gaze snapped around the diner before pinning me in place where I stood behind the bar, a carafe of coffee in my hand.

“Hey,” Dr. Yang said. “Hey!”

Everyone stopped speaking. Some turned toward the door while others looked at me.

I realized I’d not only filled Dr. Yang’s coffee cup but the saucer beneath.

“Sorry,” I mumbled, dropping the carafe on the counter beside his cup.

“Cat,” Deegar said softly. “Cat.”

How could I face him after he’d held back the most important part of himself?

I spun on my heel and bolted through the kitchen and out the back door. I rushed through the neighbor’s backyard and when I hit the street, I veered toward the ocean, not stopping untilI stood so close to the water, the waves splashed on my work sneakers.

I couldn’t see a damn thing; my eyes kept weeping. The tears trickled down my cheeks and plopped in the sand by my feet.

“Cat,” Deegar said, coming up behind me. “I’m sorry. I hoped you’d be happy to see me.”

I was. More than anything.

“You left,” I said, bitterness filling my mouth. “You never sent word. I was scared something had happened to you.” At first that is. “Then I went to your fan page and . . .”

“You found out who I am.”

“Yeah.”

He walked around to my front, splashing through the water, facing me. He seemed oblivious to the waves smacking against the backs of his legs. “I love you.”

“My heart’s shattered. I spent the past five days worrying that you were dead. I filed a police report, and let me tell you, I felt foolish after I went to your fan page and saw pictures of you having fun signing a treaty, savoring a dinner with a gorgeous orc woman, and returning to the orc kingdom as if everything we said to each other, everything we did, meant nothing.”

He took my hands and dropped to his knees. “I went to collect your mail, and my bodyguards grabbed me.”

That would explain why he didn’t have his phone.

“They tracked me down after my posts about the diner on Chatbook.” He clung to my hands when I tried to pull away. “I fought them, but there were too many of them and they were chosen because they’re the best the kingdom has to offer. My family has an armored vehicle. I couldn’t escape to come back to you.”

“Because of the treaty signing?” I’d read about it online.

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