True Love's Kiss (A Slow Burn, Orc Romance)

CHAPTER II

See for girls like me from the bottom of the tier
Believe that it's always been hard out here

- RAYE. Hard Out Here. My 21st Century Blues, 2023.

RAYNA

My break from work had officially started. I don't know about you, but when I think of paid time off, spending whole days in bed, holidays and enjoying the summer sun comes to mind. Anything but fighting with crazy homeless men!

To celebrate the beginning of my time off, my younger sister Juno and I were having chicken and chips for dinner. To most people, crispy fried chicken and fries wasn't eaxactly the most glamorous choice of food. But in East London, treating yourself to this staple meal was basically a right of passage.

I carried the hot food boxes and chilled soft drink cans in a paper bag, as we walked back to my apartment. Summer reigned over the city, which meant there was plenty of daylight outside even though it was evening. My work uniform was damp with sweat, and I wanted nothing more than to get back, shower and eat. In that exact order.

Comfort dawned as Juno and I turned another street corner. The tower block of flats where I lived was within sight now. The original saying - home is a person, not a place - was cliche but true for me. This place was familiar, but it wasn't my home. Juno was.

Our egg and sperm donors, AKA parents, had abandoned us when we were kids. So, Juno and I had been raised in the foster care system. Juno was the only family I had, and I loved her so much that sometimes it physically hurt me to breathe.

"Lady Juno!" A deep voice bellowed.

An unkempt man, who was seemingly on first-name basis with my sister, rushed toward us. His long, dirty blonde hair was straggling over his wild eyes, and his bare feet were caked in grime. The mismatched clothes he wore were an ill fit for his tall muscled frame...like they were incompatible with his state of being. If I had to guess this guy's age, I would have said he was thirty-ish.

Way too old to be looking at my eighteen-year-old sister for anything.

My guard rose.

In contrast, Juno's lowered. She slowed down considerably and waved at him, "Vultog, hey!"

I rolled my eyes. On occasion, members of the homeless population would hang around in the courtyard outside my apartment building, begging for money from anyone who left or entered. This guy was the latest in a long line of beggars whom I'd usually ignore. Unfortunately, that wouldn't be the case today.

I forced myself to stop, alongside Juno.

"Have you ate anythin' today?" She asked with genuine interest.

The man was busy drinking in my appearance. "No, I have not."

Unease curdled in my gut. With my free hand, I felt around in my work trouser pocket for my keys. I slid the shaped metal between my fingers, so that the pointed edge was aligned with knuckles, ready to cut him if necessary. During times like these, I hated that pepper spray was illegal in the UK.

"Let's go," I muttered to Juno. "The food's getting cold."

She didn't get the hint.

Snatched the food bag out of my hand, she took out one of the boxes...and handed it to her homeless friend. "Here, take this. Bon apple teeth, and all that."

I lost temporary control of my jaw. It hung open.

"What?" She shrugged at me. "We can share yours."

"You are most kind, Lady Juno." Homeless Man bowed his head in gratitude. He regarded the orange paper box like it was a national treasure.