My Orc Santa Claus (Eastshore Isle #5)

Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13

Nikki

I felt…surprisingly good.

Like… I dunno, lighter somehow?

As if sharing all that with Sakkara— finally sharing it with someone else—had lifted something from my shoulders and chest and made me worry less?

Or maybe I’ve just switched the worry to him . I hated the way he was frowning now, as if I’d ruined his night.

Well, what do you expect? He thought he’d found a nice human fuck buddy who made him happy, and suddenly he’s learned that his daughter is in danger because of you!

I didn’t feel quite so light anymore.

We strolled in silence for a little while, catching up with the crowd of kids as they worked their way back toward Seahorse Street and the little strip mall with the ice cream shop and the realty office.

Finally, Sakkara—who’d kept me snugged up against him all this time—broke the silence. “I’m going to ask for a huge favor, Nikki. Just hear me out, okay?”

My heart sped up. Was he going to ask me to stay? Did he know how desperately I wanted to be here with him and Emmy and all my— our —friends? “O-okay,” I managed, heart in my throat.

“Stay until after the parade and festival tomorrow. I know you want to run, and now that you’ve explained everything, I understand why you want to run. I kept you from running originally, and I don’t regret that, but now I’m asking you—I can beg you…what was I saying?” He huffed out a wry laugh as if my heart wasn’t breaking. “Oh yeah. Just…stay until after the parade tomorrow, okay? After that, I’ll even help if you need me to.”

I couldn’t breathe past the heavy band wrapped around my chest.

He…was going to help me leave?

I felt tears welling up, felt my throat closing up.

I wanted so badly to be able to lean into him, to rely on him to protect me, the way he’d always sworn. But now that he knew…

Now that he knows exactly what’s hanging over you, he knows you’re not worth that risk. You’ve never been worth the risk, and you know it.

Someone like me, someone dirty and tainted, didn’t belong with someone as amazing as Sakkara.

He was still waiting for an answer. I realized I’d slowly inched away from him. His arm was still on my shoulder, but I wasn’t tucked up against him… “Okay,” I managed. “Yeah.”

I wasn’t sure what I was promising anymore. It was everything I could do to keep from crying. Maybe I shouldn’t have told him the truth…

No .

No, I trusted him. Not just with my future, but with Eastshore’s.

I had to tell him the truth, so he’d know for certain what he—and Eastshore—was facing. If I stayed here, I’d be bringing trouble to everything he loved, and now he knew it. That’s why he wasn’t telling me to stay, telling me he’d keep me safe.

Because he knew he couldn’t.

He wanted me gone.

It seemed like a horrible irony this happened only a few hours after I realized how much he meant to me. I loved him, and in order to keep him safe, I would finally have to leave.

Leave the male I was certain was my Mate.

I turned my sob into a cough. Sakkara might have noticed—he seemed to notice everything about me—had someone not called his name right then.

I suppose, with him being a leader like this, he was used to all these demands on his time. He genuinely cared about this community, and I loved that the people knew they could rely on him, trust him.

Oh no, I was going to cry, wasn’t I?

“Sakkara, D’malk , what in the hells have you done with your hair?”

That’s when I realized the person calling him was an orc—from a group striding toward us from the strip mall—and Sakkara’s expression had lit up.

“Simbel!” he hollered, hurrying toward them, his arms open for an embrace. “How are you? We didn’t expect to see you before Christmas!”

The other male—an orc even bigger than Sakkara—was pounding him on the back. “Yeah, well, I convinced my asshole brother that Staten Island in December wasn’t where we needed to stay any longer than necessary. ”

Sakkara now held the other male at arm’s length. “I’m glad for it. It’s wonderful to welcome you to Eastshore—the winters are nicer here, at least. And there’s nothing wrong with my hair.”

“Yes, there is,” came a new voice, a grumble. “You look like an idiot.”

This male wore his hair long, hanging around his shoulders, and I suppose I could see why he’d object to Sakkara’s more modern look. But Sakkara just grinned.

“Be welcome, Memnon. I know better than to offer you a hug.”

“Good,” the other male grunted with a scowl.

As the first male—Simbel—began to chuckle, he threw his arm around the second. “You’ll have to forgive my brother—”

“No, he doesn’t,” his brother responded, shoving Simbel off him. “Why are we here, anyhow?”

Seeing them together, I could tell that they were twins, alike enough in appearance if not in temperament. Simbel was clearly the one with the better temperament.

It was Luxor who answered. “You’re here because you wanted to see the kids caroling, remember?”

Zoe, his Mate, was at his side, holding the dog’s leash. “No, baby, you wanted to see the caroling. You just made Simbel and Memnon come along.”

“You’re here for my cupcakes,” announced Meli, jerking her thumb over her shoulder toward Main Street. “You said you’d swing by the bakery before heading to The Waterfront for onion rings, remember?”

At that, I saw Memnon’s scowl clear. “Oh yeah, that’s right. Cairo, good job finding a Mate who can cook, unlike some males.”

As Luxor blurted, “Hey now!” Zoe hid her giggle. I knew from our party last week that Luxor was the cook in that relationship…Zoe was usually too busy reading to bother with food. It was cute to see them interacting like this.

And Sakkara was beaming.

He turned to me, his hand out, as if welcoming me to the group, and I could no more resist that invitation than I could resist my next breath. I wanted to be a part of it. More than that, I wanted to see him smiling like that.

Forever.

“Nikki, dkaar , you remember our conversation about the twins?”

“I remember you said you were hoping one of your Scottish cousins would—”

He squeezed my hand, as if trying to keep me from spilling a secret. “I told you about a particularly competitive set of twins who’d come through the veil with us.”

“Oh, yes.” I nodded to the two newcomers. “Hello. You don’t look particularly competitive.”

“We’re not,” rumbled Memnon, as Simbel blurted, “I’m more competitive than he is.”

This time, it was Meli who had to hide her laugh.

“Nikki, this is Simbel and Memnon. Guys, this is Nikki, my M—” he seemed to stumble over whatever he’d been about to say. “My Nikki,” he quickly recovered.

Smiling charmingly, Simbel stuck his hand out. “Well hello, my Nikki . I’m delighted to meet you, my Nikki .”

But when I went to shake his hand, Sakkara surprised me by growling possessively and tucking me against his side. “ Mine .”

Startled, I glanced up to see his eyes glowing green again.

Mine .

Cairo sighed hugely. “Sakkara, back off. These assholes aren’t going to poach your female. Go find Emmy. We’re going for a late dinner.”

I felt Sakkara relaxing slightly. He hummed, as if considering. “You’re going to The Waterfront?”

Simbel nodded eagerly. “I’m a sucker for fried flounder.”

“He’s a sucker for everything,” grumbled his twin.

Sakkara glanced down at me. “How about it? Are you hungry?”

I wasn’t, no, but I liked seeing him so happy. And right now, the thought of going home wasn’t particularly appealing. Not if he wanted me in his home for only one more day.

So I forced a smile. “That sounds great. As long as no one calls anyone else an asshole around Emmy.”

“Agreed! You assholes had better mind your manners around my daughter!”

The males all burst into laughter.

Sakkara looked thrilled, and I breathed a sigh of relief that I’d fooled them.

Sakkara

That night was the first time I didn’t bring Nikki pleasure with my hands, mouth, and cock. How had she only been in my arms for a few days? She’d been in my heart and mind so much longer, but it was hard to remember that it had only been a week since Emmy’s concert, since I carried Nikki in from the rain and built a life around her.

A week since I’d claimed her.

But each night since then, and most mornings too, I’d tried to show her how much she meant to me. I made certain she found pleasure two or three times before I allowed myself to spill, but there were some nights I couldn’t sleep because the wanting was just too much.

On those nights, I’d stroke and lick her to wakefulness, just to feel her spend on my tongue.

But tonight?

Tonight, it didn’t seem right. She didn’t seem in the mood.

We got Emmy to bed, working as a team as if we’d been doing this for years. Then I washed Nikki’s hair—one of my favorite things to do because I loved the blissful little noises she made under the hot water—and we dried each other. It wasn’t sensual.

No. It was sort of…numb.

Yeah, that’s a good description: numb.

As if we both knew something big was coming and were already dreading it.

I was having trouble processing everything she’d told me today. How brave she’d been to help put her ex behind bars, and the kind of life she used to lead. As we held each other in the darkness, she told me her birth name, and how she’d always loved the name Nikki, so that’s what she’d chosen.

I kissed her and told her she was, and would forever be, Nikki.

“I know that orcs change their names,” she’d whispered.

“When we were placed in the government facility for study in Denver, the scientists had trouble with our names. My name was S’karda. ”

She huffed slightly. “That’s not so difficult. What does it mean?”

“It was the name I received as a young male…it means something like Hunt Leader . ”

Nikki burrowed closer. “Already leading, at that age?” Her voice sounded weary.

I kissed the top of her head. “One of the scientists was an amateur Egyptologist and decided to call me Sakkara after the archaeological site along the Nile. The rest of my brothers were given names of the same theme, and I’ve heard that the system has continued with subsequent cohorts.”

“Stupid. You had good names.”

I kissed her again. “Orcs change their names throughout their lives, and it was proper we choose new names when we arrived in your world. Just as you chose a new name to start your new life, dkaar .”

Beloved .

“Nikki,” she whispered.

“Nikki,” I agreed, holding her close. “My Nikki.”

I couldn’t lose her.

Tonight at the restaurant, I’d kept my energy high, and my smile focused on the twins. And honestly, I was delighted they’d joined us here on Eastshore. But whenever the conversation veered toward plans for the future, I sat back and allowed the conversation to swirl around me.

Because I wasn’t sure I’d be here.

I’d asked Nikki to stay until after the parade tomorrow, and she’d agreed. That had felt like a knife in my chest, knowing that she was planning to run. Run where I couldn’t protect her.

Well, I’d follow. If that meant leaving Emmy under Giza’s protection, I would.

Because for the first time, I understood Dahshur’s actions.

He’d made certain his kitling was safe, and then he’d gone after his Mate .

And I knew— knew that I would die trying to save Nikki, if that’s what it took.

I held her as she fell asleep, and then for at least an hour after that. Honestly, I was a bit worried my pounding heart would wake her, but I guess she wasn’t as terrified of the future as I was because she slept soundly.

Maybe she’s glad to finally be going. She said she cared for you and Emmy, so maybe she’s relieved to be leaving .

I hated that thought. I hated the thought that I’d found my Mate, but she wanted to leave.

Fuck .

It was after midnight when I finally gave up trying to sleep. Carefully, I slid my arm out from under Nikki, arranging pillows around her so she wouldn’t notice my absence as much. I pulled on a pair of my favorite gray sweatpants and slipped from the room.

First thing I did, as always, was to check on Emmy.

She was sleeping face-down, sprawled across the bed in that boneless way she had. She’d kicked off the covers, and I ghosted across the room to tuck her back in. I hesitated, then bent down to brush a kiss across her exposed temple, marveling at how angelic she looked in the light of the miniature Christmas tree she used as a night light this time of year.

On the way out of her room, I stepped on a trademarked-name-plastic-building-block, because of course, and hissed a curse. This was parenthood; stepping on Legos in the dark and arguing about tooth-brushing and catching every snotty cold that came home from school.

And until last week, I would have told you I wouldn’t have traded it for anything.

Emmy was my whole life; everything I did was for her and her future .

But now I had a chance at a bigger future, one that involved Nikki as part of our family. Could I take it?

Scrubbing my hand down my face, I padded barefoot—the heel of my left foot with a plastic imprint on it—to my office. Once there, I slipped on my reading glasses and opened my laptop.

Let’s see…

Sometimes it pays to have connections.

Forty minutes later, I had the information I needed.

Peter Papalopodopoulos, age thirty-two. Which meant he’d been far too old for teenaged Nikki when he’d lured her into his criminal lifestyle.

The public information about his case matched with what Nikki had told me: Convicted of arms trafficking and possession-with-intent-to-distribute. Sentenced to twenty-five years.

So why was he out now? That took more digging.

When I found what I needed, I sat back with a muted curse.

In the five years Peter had been in prison, the five years since Nikki had helped trap him and then had to change her name and run for her life, he’d been a model prisoner. He volunteered in the library, he obtained his GED, he even mentored younger inmates and claimed to have found God. And when he had the chance, he happily ratted out the corrupt government officials he bought from.

The CIA—because it had become an international matter by then—had recommended him for parole as a payoff.

The bastard had sold out his accomplices to get himself out of prison, and now…?

There was a note that he’d almost immediately skipped parole, and the FBI and NYPD were now hunting for him.

Well, fuck .

Because I knew where he was.

Or rather, where he was going to be.

Peter had a score to settle with Nikki, and I had to keep her safe. I couldn’t keep her safe if she ran, but if we stayed here, Peter would be able to find her.

Double fuck .

I dragged my fingers through my hair, tugging at my scalp in frustration. Tomorrow I had to get into a ridiculous costume and sit on a ridiculous float and throw candy canes during the parade. And I’d do it because it’s what Eastshore Isle expected of me.

I pulled out my phone and texted Peter’s mugshot to all my brothers with a simple message. “This man is a danger to Nikki and possibly others. Watch for him during the festival.”

There.

As much as I wanted to have Nikki and Emmy with me at all times, I would have to trust my brothers tomorrow.

While I was busy being Santa Claus.