Page 1 of Orlando
Chapter One
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ORLANDO WASN’T RUNNING.He was just walking very fast, but that was because he was eager to leave his empty apartment and to meet Seymour for coffee.
It had nothing to do with the fact that he’d never lived on his own before, or that the apartment felt too empty and silent.
He’d never thought that silence could be heavy, but it was.It was the first time he lived on his own, and he hadn’t expected any of this.It kind of made him want to go back into the assassins’ program, even though he’d decided he wasn’t cut out for that life.
Maybe it had been a mistake.He glanced back at his apartment building and wondered ifallof this had been a mistake.Well, not meeting Seymour for coffee, but everything that had come before then—deciding to work for the council, being recommended for the assassins’ program, training for way too long, only to drop everything and end up on his own.
It was too late for him to change his mind, unfortunately.He wasn’t even sure he wanted to change his mind.He knew it was the fear of the unknown talking, and he needed to smack that fear down and kill it.Hopefully, spending time with his friend would help.
Orlando wasn’t used to feeling so unsure of himself.It wasn’t only in one part of his life, either.He wasn’t sure if he should live on his own.He wasn’t sure what he’d do for a living now that he wouldn’t work for the council.Hedefinitelywasn’t sure about how he’d come up with rent once the council stopped paying him in a few months.
Maybe spending money on coffee wasn’t a good idea, after all.
Orlando pushed open the coffee shop door anyway.It was so close to his apartment that he could probably get coffee there every morning.Still, he should be an adult and not waste money.
It was harder than it should be.
Thankfully, Seymour was already sitting at a table by the window, so Orlando wouldn’t have time to mope.Seymour waved, and Orlando waved back before moving toward the counter.He’d get coffee this one time and start saving money tomorrow.
“You’re late,” Seymour said when Orlando reached him.“I don’t know how that’s possible since you basically live in the back alley.”
“My building isn’t in the back alley.”
“It might as well be.I didn’t know you were one of those people who arrive late to things.”
“I’m not.”
Seymour snorted.“Clearly the only reason you were never late when we worked for the council was that you couldn’t afford to be.”
He wasn’t wrong.Orlando had wanted to succeed.He hadn’t known whether or not he was ready to become an assassin, but he’d trained as one, and he didn’t regret it.When the time had come for him to start killing people, though, he’d known that he needed to take a step back.That life wasn’t for him, and that was okay.He’d still completed the program, and he was proud of that.Unfortunately, that wasn’t something he could put on a resume.
He flopped back into his chair and took a sip of coffee.It was slightly bitter, but he didn’t want to get back on his feet to get more sugar.
Seymour’s expression softened.“How are you, really?”
“I’m fine.Do I look like I’m not?”
“Honestly, a bit.Not that you were ever the smiliest person in our group, but you look a little down.”
Orlando grimaced.He didn’t mean to worry his friends.They all had better things to focus on, including Seymour.He had his twin brother and his mate.Really, Orlando was lucky that Seymour had even found time to get coffee with him.
Seymour bumped his foot into Orlando’s.“Come on.Tell me.”
Orlando sighed.He was here to spend time with a friend, and friends were supposed to listen to you.If Seymour was asking, it probably meant that he wanted to know.“It’s just hard.”
“You’re going to have to be more specific than that.What’s hard?Knowing you’ll never have Kennedy?”
Orlando groaned and kicked Seymour under the table.“I don’t want Kennedy.”
“Are you sure?”
“I just thought he was hot, okay?I didn’t know he was your brother’s mate.”
Seymour raised his hands.“Okay, but you can’t deny it’s fun to tease you about it.”
