One Stolen Night with Her Orc (Toothsome Monster Romance #2)

Chapter 8

Koru

“I t’s been three days !” I try not to shout in front of my customers. Really, I try. But Bjorn is driving me bananas.

“Three days!” Gordon shouts at me from across the room, his stein held high in his tentacled hand. I wave a hand at him, unwilling to take the time to explain that I’m not cheering. He drinks his beer and goes back to his game of cribbage with Skerr.

“Yeah, and she’s fragile. Giving her time and space is the responsible, mature thing to do.” He sips his beer like this is normal. Like we’re shooting the breeze, not deciding my mate’s fate.

“Fine, but you’re covering for me. I have something to do.” I remove my leather apron and toss it to him. Bjorn frowns.

“As long as it doesn’t involve Poppy.” He pops the p ’s of her name. It’s annoying. I want to punch him, but there are too many customers. I can’t afford any bad publicity in this small town where gossip travels faster than a moose in rut.

“It doesn’t. Happy Hour doesn’t start until four, don’t start early. Remember, Gordon can’t have tonight’s special, it has fish. And Flint is allergic to green things. Oh, and no drinking on the job.” I take his truck keys from where they sit next to him on the bar top, spin them around my finger.

“Be gentle with the old girl,” Bjorn warns as I walk out. I flip him the bird in response. “Who the hell is allergic to green things? That can’t be real.” I hear him mutter under his breath as the door shuts behind me. As long as he doesn’t burn the place down, I’m sure everything will be fine.

The last ferry of the night arrives at the island at six thirty. I picked her out of the small crowd immediately. It wasn’t hard to see the similarities between her and Poppy. She grunted at my “hello,” and that was all the conversation we needed. Once she’s in the truck, I drive straight to Bjorn’s apartment.

“I appreciate you coming here for Poppy,” I say. I catch her nod from the corner of my eye, but she doesn’t say anything. Her set jawline shows her determination. She and Poppy look so much alike, and yet are so different. Addy smells like clean linen and resentment. She has none of the warmth and wildness that radiates out of Poppy. That’s okay, she doesn’t have to like me. She just needs to be safe with Poppy.

“Here we are,” I try again as I park in front of the large brick building. No answer but the slamming of her door as she hops out of the truck. Okay. We walk to Bjorn’s door in silence. I thought about asking her to give Poppy a message for me. But that can only backfire. Besides, this is all the message I can send her: that I’ll do anything for her happiness and safety.

A tearful “thank you,” is all she says to me as I walk away.

She waits until I’m around the corner and out of sight before she knocks. The squeals of delight are all I need to hear before I walk back down the stairs to the truck.

It feels like a lame apology, but it’s all I could think of. Leaving the sisters be, I go back to the brewery to relieve Bjorn and sulk at being alone.

“I thought I told you to leave Poppy alone.” Bjorn’s words are a slap to the face as I walk through the door. Happy Hour is done. Most of the folks still here will eat the special, unless they’re Gordon, who will just keep drinking and playing his card game. There are a couple of glances darting at us, probably taking bets as to if tonight will end in a fistfight between brothers. “I sent a message to Grev, he should be here soon.”

“I didn’t talk to her, didn’t even see her.” Smelled her honey sweetness though, all the way outside. Joy, relief, pure happiness. I always want her to smell like that—because of me, around me. “Thanks for covering,” I say begrudgingly, as I throw his truck keys back at him.

“It was fun. I forgot how much fun it is working here. You need to make a game night and advertise. Everyone is looking longingly at Gordon and Skerr’s game. Oh! And we could do a trivia night!” He removes the same apron, shuffles around the bar, and sits on a barstool. “Barkeep, another!” Guffawing at himself for his lame joke, I roll my eyes and pour him another stein as a thank you.

“You’re not going home to August?” I try to keep the jealousy out of my voice.

“Nah. You ruined my plans for the night by adding another female to the mix. Though maybe I could invite them to join my harem.” He strokes his chin in contemplation, a stupid smile on his face. I throw a coaster at him.

When Grev arrives, he looks slightly panicked, eyes wide in his ugly green face. “Emergency?” His eyes dart around, looking for the proverbial fire.

I shake my head. Bjorn giggles. “All good. Bjorn jumped to conclusions. Again,” I say as I pour Grev a stein.

“Dude. I was in the middle of research at the library.” He slaps Bjorn on the back, hard enough it echoes, then thanks me for the beer.

“I thought Koru broke the rules.” Bjorn shrugs with his beer in hand. “Besides, it sounds like I saved you from another boring night. You’re welcome.”

“There is no rule that says I can’t do a grand gesture for the woman whom I’m fated to long for.” Gods, why do I sound like such a sap? This is one reason love is not for me. I can’t stand to be weak.

“I said not to involve her.”

“More of a guideline, I’d say,” shrugging him off. “Besides, you didn’t say I couldn’t contact Poppy’s sister.” I turn to help a customer while Grev whisper yells at his brother for being a dunce.

They settle in. The customers rotate through, and soon it’s time to close up. Small town island life is perfect. Everyone’s home and in bed before midnight...most nights.

My brothers are the last to leave, insisting they walk me out. I’m sure they think they have words of wisdom to impart, which is a total joke. Besides, I don’t want to listen to anything they have to say.

Setting the final clean dishes in the drying rack, I hear the bell on the door out by the bar ring. I thought I locked it. Listening, it’s just Bjorn and Grev talking still, shifting chairs onto the tables for mopping in the morning.

Hand on the swinging door that separates the kitchen from the bar to check on my brothers, I catch it. A whiff of lilac and honey. I freeze, unsure of my own senses. Is wishful thinking getting the better of me? Did I fall and crack my head and now I’m dreaming? My heart flutters as if it is made of butterflies; my stomach is in too many knots to have butterflies of its own.

There. I hear a feminine voice. Poppy . Every muscle in my body comes alive at the sound of her voice. But my feet are rooted to the spot. How is it that I, Koru, can’t walk through the door to see the woman I’m pining for?

Because I’m scared. Scared that she’s angry with me for interfering. Scared that she’ll say goodbye and leave with her sister forever.

Get it together. I can hear Bjorn laughing. That makes my blood boil. That gets my feet moving.

With every fiber of my being, I push through my fear and the swinging door. And there she is, in all her glory. Her warm skin, black hair, curves that travel for days. Poppy. The one my heart and soul want.

“Hi,” she says, looking unsure of herself as she wiggles her fingers in a wave. Bjorn asks her something I don’t hear for the ringing in my ears when he puts his hand on her arm. I’m about to rip him apart for touching her, but he steps away from her.

I step closer to her, slowly, to not scare her off. Her round eyes are luminescent, reminding me of a deer up on the mountain—always on alert, ready to run. She should never have to feel that way again. I’ll never be the reason she feels that way.

“Be good,” Bjorn warns me, finger pointing at me like I’m a wayward dog. Then he and Grev leave. And it’s just us.