Chapter 2
Chapter Two
Korrad
I couldn’t seem to let go of Kesha’s hand, even though the well-wishers kept trying to welcome her to the island during the reception Jay had organized. This was okay, right? I mean, we were married now, so holding her hand in public was totally normal.
Nothing about this is normal.
Yeah, but at least we got along, right? I knew from experience how important that was.
In fact, despite the unusual beginning of our marriage, I figured we had a fairly strong foundation. I mean, we seemed to like each other, which was better than I could say about my long-ago relationship with Sharra.
There’d been a moment, earlier today, when I’d almost balked.
Kesha and Milo had arrived on the island around noon, and we’d agreed to meet at my house. That way they could unpack their car—I was surprised she didn’t have a moving truck—and the boys could meet in person before the wedding.
I suppose it allowed us to meet in person before the wedding.
But I’d been so focused on Jay’s excitement to meet his new brother that I had almost forgotten I was going to be meeting my bride. Right up until the car stopped, the door opened…and Kesha Briley climbed out.
My mouth had gone dry and my Kteer—that primitive part of me which was mostly silent these days—began to hum in my chest, like a chord struck low and slow.
She was…stunning. Taller than many human females, with curves my claws ached to caress.
She moved confidently, full of certainty…
like a goddess. My body—my Kteer, breath, cock—had reacted so strongly to her that I second-guessed this impulsive decision to marry her.
I’d seen what pure lust, built on nothing else, could do to a relationship, and as I’d struggled to get my reaction to her under control, I decided I was glad for our agreement to keep separate bedrooms.
Thank the gods we’d been able to focus on the boys’ jubilant greetings—and the dozens of photos, posed and unposed—instead of my body’s reaction to her.
By the time Jay finished giving Milo a tour of the big oak tree in the backyard, listening to them plan the tree fort they’d build there, I’d wrestled my Kteer back under control.
I wanted Kesha Briley in the worst way, but that wasn’t part of the arrangement.
Kissing her had probably been a bad idea.
Yeah, but when Sakkara had prompted, my Kteer had sort of…taken over. I’d been reaching for her before I’d known what I was doing, then Kesha was melting against me, and gods below, her lips…! I was amazed she hadn’t startled at my growl as I managed to wrestle control back.
Pretty sure even Brakkor had smirked at that—impressive that he’d noticed, considering how hard he’d been staring at the brunette female who’d stood beside my new wife during the ceremony. There was a story there, and just as soon as I could get my head out of my own fog, I’d ask about that.
You just got married. You should be focused on your family rather than worrying about your twin brother.
Family.
Shit. For so long, that had meant me and Jay and Brak—and our younger brother Kardok, when he was around—against the world. Moving from Colorado to Eastshore Isle had been one hells of a trust move, and it had worked out for us. But now my family had expanded, hadn’t it?
Oh shit, I had two new people to take care of, two humans relying on me…
My knees went a little weak.
“This guy’s the mayor, right?” came Kesha’s hissed question from my side.
I shook myself and frowned down at her. “What?”
She was wearing a fixed smile, and for a moment, I was distracted by the realization I could tell that this expression was faked. Well, no surprise; orc senses were well-developed, and it’s not like I had to know her particularly well to smell her panic.
“The male who married us,” she murmured through clenched teeth. “He’s coming this way.”
I blinked and glanced around. Ah, sure enough, Sakkara was strolling toward us, his daughter carried high on his shoulder and his arm around his Mate. I didn’t have time to explain before he’d arrived, so I did my best to answer her with them present.
“Kesha, this is Sakkara, Eastshore’s mayor. He was sort of the leader of the first group of males to settle here, and has convinced the rest of the island he’s fair, open-minded, and honest.”
Since I said this last with a teasing tone as I offered him my free hand, Sakkara rolled his eyes, released his Mate, and grasped my forearm. “They haven’t caught on to the truth yet.”
The female at his side nudged him hard with her elbow. “Don’t listen to him, Kesha,” she assured my bride. “He’s an amazing mayor, and won fair and square.”
Grinning, Sakkara pulled her up against him once more. “This is my Mate, Nikki, and our daughter, Emmy. Nikki is a teacher at Eastshore Elementary.”
“Oh!” Kesha lit up. “Any chance you teach fifth grade? My son will be attending in the fall.”
“Nope, I teach second grade, but Mrs. Jerry has been our fifth-grade teacher for a few years, and he’ll do great with her.” Almost as if Nikki could guess my bride’s concerns, she assured Kesha, “She’s great with handling kids of all abilities and redirecting when necessary.”
At that, Emmy lifted her head from her father’s shoulder, her big dark eyes wide as she stared into the crowd milling around the hors d’oeuvres table. I’d never heard the little girl speak, but now she jabbed her father hard in the shoulder and pointed.
Nikki sighed. “You know what we said about pointing, honeybear. And using your words?”
The little girl just glared, and Sakkara’s sigh sounded defeated. “Just as stubborn as always. In order to mitigate the risk of an all-out battle, may I offer a compromise?” When his daughter shifted her glare to him, he smiled. “You seem to be after something, Emmy. One word, perhaps?”
The little one rolled her eyes, whispered, “Down, please,” and Sakkara immediately bent sideways so she could slide down to the sand. As soon as she did, the little one took off into the crowd, and Sakkara grunted slightly as he straightened.
“Aswan’s little Tova must be here.”
“She’s by the cupcake table, and Emmy just found her,” Nikki murmured before turning back to us with a little apologetic smile. “Sorry, we’re trying to get her more comfortable talking to us in front of other people.”
To my surprise, Kesha stepped toward the other woman, reaching slightly, as if offering her friendship. Since she had to drop my hand to do so, I was a little distracted, but still acknowledged my bride’s attempts.
“Girl, I know all about that. And you know they’re not doing it on purpose, it’s just part of who they are. But you have to teach them how to interact with the world—”
“Because I can’t teach the world to interact with them!” Nikki finished. “Oh my god, yes.” She brushed a touch over Kesha’s forearm. “You get it.”
“I get it,” my bride agreed with a long-suffering smile. “Milo is ten, and I will say that having an actual diagnosis was helpful in the long run.”
“We decided we’re not going to have Emmy evaluated,” Sakkara cut in, “but the social anxiety is fairly obvious, as is the stubbornness.”
Kesha shrugged, her smile turning more natural. “That’s fair. Everything I’ve read about Eastshore Elementary and the community sounds like this is the right place for kids like Emmy and Milo. It was one of the reasons we moved—”
Her mouth suddenly snapped shut, uncertainty flicking across her face as she tried to hide it by turning to me.
I hadn’t told anyone but Brakkor our reasons for this marriage—he thought it was ridiculous, of course—and judging from the sudden scent of her panic, Kesha didn’t want to broadcast it either.
Huh.
But my Kteer wouldn’t allow me to ignore her alarm, so I reached for her, tucking her against my side the way Sakkara held Nikki.
“Milo’s going to fit in well here,” I told the other couple smoothly, covering Kesha’s stumble.
“He and Jay are already best friends, and the school will be perfect for him.”
Sakkara and Nikki made some more small talk, and I think I managed to answer when appropriate.
But honestly, I was so distracted by the feel of Kesha pressed against me, I could barely focus on their words.
For the wedding, my bride had chosen a strappy white sundress, and that meant there was far too much skin touching mine.
Or, one could argue, just the right amount of skin? That gorgeous, rich brown skin framed all in white cotton, making my mouth water…
The way my Kteer was purring, an argument could be made for not enough skin…
After a few minutes—or possibly an hour?—Aswan and his Mate, Hannah, joined us. I’d known Aswan back in Bramblewood—he was one of the first from Colorado to move to Eastshore—and it made me happy to see him holding his Mate and youngest son.
But the happiness also tasted a little bittersweet, knowing what I’d lost.
I tried to focus on the conversation, especially after Dravik and Varron—two males who’d moved with us—joined the group. But I couldn’t seem to concentrate, not with Kesha pressed at my side.
Focus, you idiot. She doesn’t know any of them, and you’re forcing her to make conversation alone.
The reminder of my responsibility was enough to force me to join in the small talk, even though half my attention stayed on the female in my hold.
Eventually, Sakkara laughingly began to herd the rest away from us. “We should give the newlyweds some time alone.”
“They’re going to get all the time alone they need in a few hours!” Varron winked lewdly. “But there’s plenty of other well-wishers. Let’s go find Brakkor,” he said to Dravik. The scowling other male just shook his head and turned away.
Where was my brother? And for that matter, where had Jocelyn—Kesha’s best friend—disappeared to?
As the crowd around us dispersed, I felt Kesha exhale, felt the tension leave her body, the way a held note finally releases…and realized how difficult it must have been for her, to maintain that level of politeness when her nerves must be humming as much as mine.