Page 30 of My Orc Contract Husband
Like that was so impressive? “What’s she going to do with a miter saw, Abby? Besides, she’s gotwaymore money than I do, and she’s not shy about giving me…”
I trailed off, frowning as I flopped onto the bed. The way the lawyer had explained it, there were no provisions in place to protect Sami’s money when we divorced. I could take half of it, if I wanted. It seemed like an odd oversight for an otherwise extensive contract.
On the other end of the line, I could hear Abydos grumbling about something. Then: “Alright. I can’timmediatelysee how she could screw you over in a divorce.”
Thedivorce. The contract stipulated that the marriage only had to last a year and a day, and then we could split, no hard feelings. The thought of it made me uncomfortable and itchy, restless.
I decided not to tell Abydos any of that.
Instead, I propped one hand behind my head. “She’s not trying to screw me over. This is mutually beneficial. The bank counts her income when they’re giving me a mortgage, and she gets?—”
“What does she get, exactly? She’s got a thing for orc cock?”
I sighed, shutting my eyes. Leave it to Abydos to be crude. “I don’t know. We haven’t talked about that yet.”
“Hard to believe. You’re jumping in everyone’s pants?—”
“Jealous?” I spat out.
The silence on the other end was enough to make me groan silently and curse myself.
And wonder exactly how lonely my best friend really was. Did he ever think about finding his Mate, the way the rest of us had?
Abydos and I had grown up together as best friends. In a land without females our age, it had been natural to experiment with one another, and he’d been the one to teach me how much I enjoyed bringing someone else pleasure. I loved it when their face went slack with their release, I loved the sounds they made, and no matter how bitter Abydos grew, I would never forget those perfect moments of peace we’d shared.
What we’d shared physically hadn’t been as important as our friendship, though, and after Torrah’s death, our casual rendezvous had ended. But he’d stuck by my side, and although we’d never spoken of it, I knew Abydos had agreed to come through the veil—and bring his brothers with him—becauseI’dbeen sent.
“I’m not jealous of her.” His words were icy. “And I’m not jealous of you. You know that.”
Yeah, I did. “I’m sorry, Abby.” Once I’d discovered how many females lived in the human’s world, neither of us had ever considered resuming our experiments.
“Don’t call me that,” he growled.
And he would have nothing to do with humans.Nothing. Not after what they did to him.
“Sami needs me,” I finally said, crossing my ankles, then recrossing them, unable to stay still. “She’s in trouble, and I can save her by marrying her.”
“How?” He didn’t sound as if he believed me.
How to explain without sharing Sami’s personal business? “Her father’s partner is trying to force her into marriage, and he’s powerful enough to either make it happen, or make the courts believe it happened. If she’s married to me—legally binding and whatnot—then it’ll protect her.”
“Let me get this straight.” I heard paper rustling on the other end of the phone. “You’re getting married in two days because some pretty little human handed you a sob story about how she needs you and you’re her only hope. Andyou, being emotionally stunted by shame and filled with the need to fix the world around you in every way, have decided to sacrifice your future to save her?”
I ticked off his points in my mind, one by one, before I said, “Yeah, basically.”
Abydos paused for a moment, then repeated, “You fuckingnobleidiot.”
Yep. Sounds about right.
“Are you sure about this?”murmured Aswan under his breath from his place by my side in the front of the human church. “It seems sudden.”
Without glancing at him, I could imagine the concern in his eyes. “You’re just saying that because you andHannah took your damn time getting around to Mating.”
“Yes, but this isn’t a Mating.”
From Aswan’s other side, Sakkara rumbled, “Isn’t it?”
I dragged my gaze from the door at the back of the church to slam into our leader’s. Sakkara had leaned forward slightly so he could see around Aswan, his expression carefully neutral. When he knew he had my attention, he raised one brow in challenge.
