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I shook my head, reminding myself that they were just orcs enjoying their weekend just like the rest of us. Here I was already reverting back to my old ways. Not all orcs are involved in the mafia, I reminded myself.
Marcie tilted her head to the side, giving me a thoughtful look.
“What?” I asked, feeling a little uncomfortable under her stare.
“Who says you can’t?” she said slowly.
I arched an eyebrow at her. “Who says I can’t what?”
She held out her hands like the answer was obvious. “Talk to him? Make him regret ever leaving you by kicking his ass? You did it to Carter.”
Aside from the fact that I couldn’t physically hurt Ansel—if I tried breaking his nose, I would just end up with broken knuckles instead—I didn’t want to hurt him. I wanted an explanation, or maybe even an apology, but deep down I still cared for him. And I was beginning to realize that would never really go away.
I scoffed, shaking my head at the ridiculous idea. “Marcie, he’s halfway across the world. I can’t just show up at his house and make him talk to me.”
“Why not?”
Because that’s what crazy people do?I paused, my hand reaching up to touch the necklace around my neck. Even after all this time, I still didn’t have the heart to take it off. It was my last connection to Ansel. Plus, if he ever changed his mind, he would have no problem tracking me down.
Pathetic. I know.
“I mean, what else do you have going on? You’re not working. Why not take a trip to face the orc that broke your heart and demand an explanation? You deserve that at least. You did it with Carter and you felt peace finding out the truth, right? What’s the worst thing that could happen if you did the same with Ansel?”
“A lot,” I insisted.
She shrugged. “Okay, worst-case scenario? You track him down and confront him and everything blows up in your face? Well, at least you can spend the rest of your time sightseeing in Scotland. That doesn’t sound so bad, honestly.”
I could show up under the guise of wanting to return his mother’s necklace . . .Oh my goddess. Was I actually considering this?
No. This was crazy. “I don’t even know where he is—” That wasn’t entirely true. I still had Liam’s number, who had to at least have an idea of where Ansel’s village was located. Plus, it was Scotland. How hard could it be to find a clan of big, intimidating orcs?
Holy shit. Iwasconsidering this.
I quickly changed the subject. I needed to think about this when I was alone and not easily influenced by Marcie. That was, after all, how I ended up in that alley in the first place.
“And for your information, just because I’m not employed doesn’t mean I’m not working.” I spun my laptop around to show her my current project. “I’ve been dabbling in cyber security. Those hacking videos you forwarded sent me down a rabbit hole on how to hack other things. I emailed a couple of companies offering to test the safety walls for free. I showed them how easy it was to break in and steal their information and offered to show them how to increase their security to protect them from other hackers. I already have two consultations set up this week to discuss my services.” I hadn’t been paid yet. They were just consultations, but it was a step in the right direction. Still a win.
Marcie studied the computer, the corners of her small pouty lips growing into a contagious grin. “Okay, but seriously. Who are you and what have you done with my friend?”
Chapter thirty-one
Mykeyringjingledas I thumbed through each key, looking for the one that belonged to my mailbox. Juggling the brown grocery bag filled with wine in the crook of my left arm, I unlocked the mailbox. After my breakfast date with Marcie, I decided to run a few errands. I stopped by the grocery store telling myself I only needed eggs but ended up buying enough wine to stock a Catholic church.
I needed to make a decision about Ansel. Was I really gutsy enough to buy a ticket to Scotland to confront him? The idea was completely insane, of course, but so was marching into my ex-boyfriend’s office and breaking his nose. And I was nothing if not consistent.
But what am I supposed to say?I thought, as I grabbed the small pile of junk mail and slammed my box shut. For me, buying the ticket wasn’t the hard part. It was deciding what I was going to say once I got there.
You could tell him you love him too. You never really got the chance before he left . . .I shook my head. Go all that way just to tell him I loved him too? He knows how I feel about him, though I never explicitly said it in words. My feelings were made loud and clear through my actions.
It was a lot to think about. A lot of big decisions needed to be made. But at least I would have a nice Italian red blend to keep me company tonight as I pondered my dilemma.
Someone with curly white hair moved in the corner of my vision. “Skye!” Ms. William’s voice rang out.
I pivoted, forcing a smile when I locked eyes with my elderly next-door neighbor. My shoulders slumped with relief when I saw her carrying a handful of mail and not a mountain of boxes. I may have been kidnapped by an orc boss, but I still remembered what a xenophobic jerk she was.
“How have you been, dear? I usually see you in the morning when you’re on your way to work. Did you get fired from your job?” she asked, softening her insult with sweetness in a way that only grandmas could.
“I quit actually.” I couldn’t help but grin at her horrified reaction. Not only was I over thirty and unmarried, but now jobless? I’m sure she was wondering how I hadn’t died from the shame and embarrassment yet.
