2. Janta

CHAPTER 2

Janta

" I just need five minutes of silence," I grumble to myself.

I've just barely sat down, ready to tackle what will certainly be another busy day, and my phone has already started the incessant buzzing that will probably last until I go home tonight. I'm considering breaking the damn thing.

My day will be filled with high-stakes decisions and meeting after meeting. As the CEO of OrchTech, Curiosity's leading tech company, I barely have a moment to breathe, let alone think of anything outside of work.

Stacks of paper and a calendar I can never find when I need it cover my expansive desk. With one hand, I avoid knocking over paperwork that I'll somehow make time to finish and rustle around, looking for my phone.

I finally find it and hurriedly answer the call, knocking my CEO nameplate to the floor.

"Janta here."

No sooner have I answered before a knock on my office door fills the room. Penny, my assistant, pokes her head in.

"Hey boss, they're ready for you in room 3," her chipper voice says. I wave her away with a nod before gathering the reports I need.

If it weren't for Penny, I'd surely drown in the mounds of paper and never make it to a meeting. Though I have half a mind to tell everyone to fuck off most days.

"Let me transfer you to my assistant and she'll get you squared away," I say into the phone as I walk out the door.

My stride is strong and measured, and I almost knock Penny over in my haste. I place my phone in her hand as I walk down the hall.

"Get them set up with an account," I say over my shoulder. Penny gives me a smile and a nod, and scuttles away, making sure my day-to-day runs smoothly.

I straighten my tie and walk into the meeting, my presence demanding attention as soon as I walk in. My size and muscular stature can be intimidating to others. I'm known as a brash and ruthless CEO, but everyone also knows that I'm damn good at what I do.

"Gentlemen!" my voice bellows into the room as I take charge. My energy is high, and I've put the small shit behind me for now. The menial tasks may stack up against me, but this is where I thrive.

I take a seat at the table and dive in, ready to make shit happen.

As the day progresses, there's a brief lull and I head back to my office for a break. My eyes scan the stacks of paper, but I lean back in my chair with a long, deep sigh.

My mind wanders to my new neighbor. Rayna. The striking woman who just moved into Ashley's house next door. I was completely caught off guard when I opened my door and saw the petite human standing there.

She had a baby in her arms. A half-orc baby at that. Her piercing blue eyes held depths of pain and I could tell she felt overwhelmed. But what do I know? I was initially annoyed with her intrusion into what was already a hectic day.

But now that I have some semblance of peace in what inevitably is the calm before the storm, I'm curious. What's her story?

What could she be going through that made her seek me out? Few people feel comfortable approaching someone like me, and yet, there she was all of five feet tall, earnestly asking for help.

All I could do was watch as she stumbled over her words, thinking about the next major moves the company aims to make…

Maybe I shouldn't have dismissed her so brashly, but my mind is so consumed with running this company. There's not even room for my own problems, let alone some stranger's.

Just as I'm finally catching my breath and feel some semblance of relaxation, my phone rings as if on cue. It's Penny. Her perky voice rings through the speaker with urgency.

"Sir, we have a bit of a crisis happening with one of the servers."

I sigh as I stand from my desk. "What is it?"

"A server crashed and?—"

"Which one?" I bark maybe a bit unjustly at Penny, but she knows her worth, and I pay her handsomely to put up with me. There isn't time for sentiment, not for me, not while I'm here.

"The one slotted for the newest project."

Shit. "Alright, I'll be right over," I answer gruffly.

I hang up the call, all thoughts of Rayna and that tiny baby being pushed to the back burner as I prepare to coordinate with my team. The server failure is threatening a project that will raise our profits exponentially.

I'm in full problem-solving mode as we diagnose and correct the issue. We can't afford to take a dip in productivity right now. I let out an audible groan as my team checks and repairs the software patches that are causing the failure.

I'm impatient and this is a complete inconvenience. The tech flinches as I stand over him, watching the screens. After what seems like hours, the repair is done and we're back online.

It takes the rest of the afternoon to get the server up and running and restore things to our usual pace. By the time I lock the doors, it's late. I welcome the drive home as the toll of the day's events settles in on me.

"Just another day at the office," I grumble to myself as I turn onto my street. The rows of manicured lawns and cookie-cutter houses are part of Curiosity's charm, but lately, I haven't had it in me to appreciate it.

All I want is to shower, fall into bed, and try to forget about the constant stream of work thoughts that never let up.

But as I'm pulling into my driveway, I see her. The stress on her face is clear as she juggles groceries in one arm and a wailing baby in the other. I groan as I take in the scene. Something pulls at me and even though I'm mentally drained, I turn off the car with a sigh of annoyance.

I can't just go inside after what I've seen, even though everything in me is screaming to just turn a blind eye and mind my own business. Everything in me except that subtle tug at my heart.

"Alright," I groan, getting out.

I walk over next door and carefully approach her. The baby is screeching into the silence of the evening, and Rayna's eyes are shimmering with tears.

"Hey," I say in a slightly reluctant tone. "Do you need help?"

I internally cringe at my own words, knowing damn well she does.

"Oh. Um, no, it's okay," she says, but as she does, a bag slips from her hands. I reach out and catch it.

"Let me help," I say, my tone brooking no further argument as the CEO in me takes control of the situation.

She hesitates for a moment, letting her eyes linger on me before silently nodding and handing me the rest of the bags.

"Thank you," she whispers as she unlocks the door and attempts to soothe the baby at the same time.

I walk into the house, Ashley's house, wondering for a second time today what her story is. I find my way to the kitchen and set the groceries down on the table while she changes the baby and offers her a bottle.

She enters slowly, as if unsure of what to make of the situation, and I can't say that I blame her. The air is heavy with an awkward tension, most likely stemming from our last meeting.

"So… you just moved in," I state to make small talk.

"I got here yesterday," she says over the baby's growing cries.

I nod with a grunt of acknowledgment, watching as she struggles and cannot calm the child.

"What's her name?" I ask, growing impatient, yet still trying to ease the moment.

"Lily." She looks down at the baby, and I see her lip tremble. I hate it when women cry.

"Hand her here," I say with as much gentleness as I can muster, holding my hands out.

Her grip tightens on Lily momentarily, only garnering more wails. She takes a hesitant step toward me and hands her to me, gently adjusting her in my arms.

My large hands are a contrast to Lilly's infant size. I'm not even sure why I agreed to this. I don't know what the hell I'm doing.

"She just won't stop crying," Rayna whispers and her voice cracks as she stares at Lily, her eyes shining with desperate tears.

I don't know what to say in response and instead busy myself with rocking Lily and attempting to calm her down. After a few moments, her cries slow and she calms.

Rayna's shoulders sag in defeat and she drops into one of the kitchen chairs.

"What's your name?" she asks suddenly. Her voice has a defensive, guarded edge.

"Janta," I reply, matching her guardedness. I'm out of my league here and more than in over my head. My bed is calling me, and every moment spent here is just pushing that relief at the end of the night later and later.

I continue to rock Lily, wondering what put Rayna in this position. Where is the orc that fathered this baby and left the mom on her own?

"Is her dad in the picture?" I ask, my curiosity getting the better of me.

"No. It's just me." Her tone is straight to the point as she puts groceries away.

I'm taken aback at the forwardness of her revelation, the pieces of her puzzle becoming too complicated for me to figure out tonight. I'm mentally drained, and the silence between us only tightens the tension.

I'm unsure of what to say, so I say nothing. When she finishes, I hand the baby back to her and see myself to the door.

"Thank you," she says.

With a grunt and a nod, I turn, closing the door behind me.