The male opens his mouth as if to argue but one look at the three males sitting at the table makes him change his mind. He backs away, his two obnoxious cronies in tow. I wait until they’re out of earshot before leaning into Negan.
“Are they a threesome?” I ask.
Bakog spews ale across the table at the same time Tok guffaws. The whole table bursts into laughter and from down the way, Denruk turns narrowed eyes at us. He doesn’t know what I said, but suspects it’s about him.
But Negan watches me carefully, knowing I deflect. “You know it’s okay that you kept the note private, right? It’s none of anyone’s business. Especially a bully like Denruk.” Her voice is quiet, barely discernible above the noise at the table.
“Aye,” I say softly.
Godsfire, this female owns me. She seesme. My mind, my heart, my soul. Like she knows what I’m thinking, she gives me a sultry smile.
But a deep, growly voice cuts her attention from me. “Baby girl, come give your daddy a kiss. I’m heading off to Brachard and Aga’s suite for an early night.”
Negan flies up from her seat and throws her arms around her father’s neck. She plants a big kiss on his cheek and whispers something into his ear that makes him smile.
Brachard and his mate stand nearby, smiling. The queen, her hair mostly green despite the silver that threads her mate’s, looks back and forth between me and Negan. Aye, the quiet ones notice much.
I take in the rest of the room. Notice the Blackhearts at the other end of the room, split into groups by age. Notice the three males from earlier shooting pool in the corner.
Then Negan gives her godfather and godmother a hug and kiss, leaving me with her father’s glare. His eyes bore into mine, waiting for me to speak first.
“You don’t have to worry about her. I’ll protect her with my life.”
“Aye.” He nods. “Then don’t die, male.”
That’s probably the best I’m going to get from him, but at least he gave me a nod. Then he continues right before Negan takes her seat again.
He settles both hands on her shoulders and kisses the top of her head before again focusing to me. “Might break my little girl’s heart.”
I’m left without words as he leaves with Brachard and his mate, Bakog’s parents in tow along with Shalia’s. Her parents are easy to spot because her massively scarred father has the same light hair color that she does.
“What was that about?” Negan asks me.
“He told me not to die.”
Her smile is warm. “Aww, orc. He likes you.”
“See? You’re a step up from Denruk,” Tok says.
“Shut up,” Negan says, throwing a peanut at him. He opens his mouth wide and chomps it whole.
“I told you, that is not a skill to be proud of,” Hisa chides her mate. “Come on. Let’s go dance.”
When they leave, I notice Shalia is in Bakog’s lap and the two are whispering and kissing, not paying us any mind.
“No matter what the note said, remember it was probably full of grief at a father’s loss of his son. It isn’t fair, but it was him or you. And I’m glad it isn’t you facing a burial.”
It takes me a minute, but I admit to her the one thing that has always burned. “The note wasn’t pleasant. I’m not my father’s favorite.He’s not pleased that the wrong brother died.”
“You’re not the wrong brother,” she hisses. “You’re never the wrong anything, Var. You proved yourself to be the better opponent, fair and square. Did you willingly fight your brother after he was exhausted from fighting his way into the city? No, he did that to you. And you still won.”
I drop my eyes, but her hand cupping my cheek lifts my head up. “You still won, Var.”
“Only friends shorten an orc’s name,” I whisper dumbly. Why am I even telling her?
“Var! Negan. We’re going to dance,” Bakog calls out, just as he and a giggling Shalia head toward the dance floor where Hisa and Tok are.
My gaze snaps to him at the coincidence, but he’s not watching as he leads his mate away. It blows my mind that he just shortened my name right after I admitted my inner longing to this female.
