Page 10 of My Orc Contract Husband
“The will, Sami…” She swallowed, her hands shaking. “You’re his heir. He left everything to you.”
Me?
Why not his partner?
Wasn’t Pierce the one to send this to me? Why had he wanted me to have it?
I shook my head. “That doesn’t make any sense. I cut ties with him, I embarrassed him. Why would he leave meanything? Why not leave it to his partner?”
What I remembered of Pierce T. Montgomery III was enough. The man was older than Dad, but he had a vicious streak that had made him a real estate magnate, and my father had been his perfect match. The two of them had owned half the city.
But…
I glanced down at the property breakdown in my hand.
Pierce owned half of the company’s holdings. And now I, as my father’s heir, owned the other half.
Ohno.
“I don’t want this,” I whispered, the words blurring in front of my eyes. “I don’t want to go back. I don’t want to be involved.”
My aunt drew a shaky breath. “The money…”
“I don’t want the money!” I whirled on her, panicky tears already forming in my eyes. “Idon’t. Riven won’t take it, I don’t need it. I’mhappyhere, Aunt Sharon.”
“Oh, dear, I know you are.” Her face crumpled as her tears began, she reached for me, pulling me into a hug. “I know. You don’t have to go back, not if you don’t want to.”
Gratefully, I sank into her embrace, allowing my own tears to flow. Part of me wondered if someone who had been watching would think I was crying for my father, for the man I’d already lost and mourned once. Whywasn’tI crying for him?
Because these tears were built on fear.
“Don’t worry, Sami,” my aunt crooned, rocking me. “You’re safe here with me. You don’t have to go back.”
But as the will fluttered to the floor and those words stared accusingly up at me, I couldn’t believe her. Pierce had found me, hadn’t he? That meant he knew where I was. And now I was his business partner, whether I liked it or not.
I squeezed my eyes shut again, the tears falling on the paper.
Crap.
Chapter Three
Tarkhan
The raw beefsquished through my fingers as I kneaded the chopped onions, shredded cheddar, and seasoning into it. Ridiculously satisfying, and I gotta be honest: It reminded me a little of my old life, when I used to help my mother prepare thevarkt’kanna. The chopped dried meat mixed with suet and berries had been Torrah’s favorite…
I pounded the beef to forget the lump in my throat.
“When’s dinner?” Abydos called from where he sat on the couch, his computer open on his lap.
Glad for the distraction, I pretended to be irritated. “Sooner if you would help. Can you come chop the lettuce?”
“Nope.”
Not surprised, I continued. “Open the oven and turn over the fries?”
“Nope,” my perpetually pissed-off friend repeated.
“Maybe come over here and offer me some encouragement?” I began to shape the burger patties. My hands moved automatically, forming circles while I kept my eyes on Abydos’s stubborn profile.
