Page 51 of My Orc Billionaire
After dinner, Abydos walked the guests to the door, and I sort of trailed behind. “Ms. Starr,” he intoned solemnly as he offered my mother his hand. “It’s been a pleasure to meet you.”
Mom, in true Mom fashion, scoffed and smacked his hand out of the way. My eyes widened as I realized what she was about to do, but I didn’t even get my mouth opened to warn her before she’d snaked her arms around Abydos’s middle and pulled him in for a hug.
“I justlovedgetting to know you, Abydos!” she declared, squeezing him tightly. “Thank you for all that you’ve done for my Riven. I’m just delighted, and now I just need to convince Brooke to stay when she comes out to visit in a few months, so I can have all my loves in one place.”
Abydos met my eyes helplessly over Mom’s head, and I mimed hugging her back. Awkwardly, he patted her shoulders, as if that would count as an embrace, and cleared his throat, clearly uncertain how to respond to that verbal vomit.
“Riven takes good care of me, Ms. Starr. I’m grateful for her presence here.”
I mean, I kinda appreciated that he wasn’t coming out and sayingshe gives great blowjobsor whatever, butsurelyMom didn’t think he invited all of his employee’s parents over for dinner?
My mother tipped her head back and grinned up at him as she released the hug. “Call me Sharon, dear.Any friend of Riven’s is a friend of mine. I’m just sotickledto meet you—she was so excited to get this job with you, you know.”
Abydos raised a brow in my direction. “Really?” he asked blandly, likely remembering that disastrous interview.
“Oh, yes.” Mom patted his arm. “With this salary, she’ll be able to pay down her medical debts, which means the world to us.”
Did she notice the way Abydos’s expression slowly shifted into a thoughtful frown as she pulled away, her attention caught by the little autumnal arrangement I’d set up on one of the tables in the foyer?Inoticed, and I had to look away.
With this salary, Iwouldbe able to pay off my debts…in only a decade or so. But did he think that’s the only reason I was here? The only reason I was…uh…withhim?
Well, you’ll just have to prove otherwise tonight.
The thought of exactlyhowI could prove that had my cheeks heating, and my lips curling. I glanced at Abydos to see him watching me in speculation. In the last week, that spark of green in his eyes had gone from a little speck in the center to a glow which almost filled his gaze. The intensity was enough to make my pulse speed up, making me catch my breath in anticipation for tonight.
How could I get my family out of here sooner?
The way the corner of Abydos’s lips curled told me he was thinking the same thing.
“I’m really happy for you.” Sami’s voice, so close to my ear, had me jumping sideways, my breath whooshing out of me.
“What?” I blurted. “Why?”
“Oh, please.” She enveloped me in a hug. “You deserve the best, Riven. I’m glad you’re getting it.”
“What?” I repeated, glancing around frantically, trying to pretend like this was a perfectly normal employee-employer dinner party, although I’m not sure why I was bothering. “I’m not getting?—”
Sami’s laughter drowned me out, then my mother was there hugging both of us.
Maybe I should’ve poured smaller glasses of wine.
But when I looked over, it was to see Tarkhan, who wore a huge grin, slapping Abydos on the back.
“Congratulations, Abydos. I’m so fucking glad it finally happened for you.”
“What did?” Abydos growled, twisting away from Tark’s touch. “You’re drunk.”
“Don’t be stupid, it’s impossible to get drunk on lasagna.” The other male beamed, then held out his hand. When Sami slipped over to his side, the pair of them matched perfectly. “But the Mating Heat can get pretty intense, and you’ll need?—”
“Shut up, Tark,” Abydos sighed, rolling his eyes. “You’re seeing things.”
“All I’m saying…” Tarkhan pulled him into a quick hug. “All I’m saying is that it’s time to leave the past where it belongs. Your hate and pain are?—”
“Shut up, Tark.”
“Mm-hmm,” his friend said with a smirk. “Come on,dkaar, let’s leave these two alone.”
“Goodbye, Abydos!” Mom called with a little wave, then she blew a kiss to me. “Thank you for dinner, dear.”
