Page 28 of Protected By Artemis

John hesitated before answering. “It’s a book about Motown music and Berry Gordy.”

“Oh, I saw his groups perform. They were excellent,” she gushed, leaning forward slightly. Apollo was also the God of Music, and he hung around the Motown scene, inspiring Berry and the other producers and artists. She was able to watch performances, not just from that era but through the years.

John made a face. “You saw him? That’s impossible. What are you, twenty years old?”

“We watched a documentary,” Cade interjected, squeezing her arm.

She looked at Cade and laughed, quickly covering her slip. “Ah, of course. I didn’t see them perform in person,” she giggled, hoping that this time acting like a dumb blonde worked in her favor.

“Yeah, those old performances are something else,” John said and he seemed to buy her explanation.

“They really are,” she agreed, leaning against Cade a bit more. She continued to chat with John, gradually softening him up. They talked about music, the challenges of leading a pack, and the beauty of the beach. As they spoke, John relaxed more, opening up bit by bit.

“I should get going,” John checked his watch. “I have lunch with my partner.”

“Of course,” Cade said, standing up with Artemis. “It was good chatting with you.”

John nodded, giving them a small, reluctant smile. “No problem. See you around.”

They sat back down on the lounge chair, and she turned to Cade. “He is not on the guilty list,” she said confidently.

“I have the same feeling,” he nodded. “We’ll keep an eye on him, just in case.”

She felt a surge of determination. They were making progress, and she was ready to see this through to the end. “I hope he’s the only alpha with an old-school flip phone.”

They both laughed, and she noticed how nice Cade’s smile was when he actually relaxed.

“Thanks for the save,” she said. She couldn’t pull her eyes off his lips and leaned closer. “Good thing he bought it.”

“Yeah, he did. Didn’t he?” he said, closing the distance between them.

She could feel his warm breath against her skin, and her pulse quickened.Mmm, are we going to kiss again?

“There you are.”

Artemis looked up and saw Pauline walking over to them, her curves barely covered by a string bikini.

Na tin pali i skila. What is she doing here?

Cade greeted her and introduced her to Artemis, mentioning they were good friends and had even gone to the same college.

“Oh, we met earlier,” Pauline said, immediately dismissing Artemis as she directed her attention to Cade. “I need to talk to you,” she said, grasping his hand to pull him aside and standing close to him.

Artemis watched them, noticing how comfortable Cade seemed around Pauline, though he wasn’t touching her. When Pauline’s gaze flicked over to Artemis with a hint of challenge, Artemis decided it was best to leave them alone, just in case there was something between the two.

She stood up and announced, “I’m going to the villa to freshen up.” She had barely taken a few steps when Cade called out to her. Turning around, she saw him walking toward her with her hat.

“You forgot this,” he said, placing it on her head.

She smiled, but it felt forced, and despite her best efforts to hide her discomfort, she noticed him giving her a look she couldn’t quite interpret. As she walked away, she could hear Pauline talking to him, her voice carrying. “Good that she took the hint that we have something important to talk about.”

By the time she reached the villa, she felt out of sorts but couldn’t pinpoint why. Maybe it was the way Pauline had so easily dismissed her, or perhaps it was seeing Cade so at ease with someone else. She shook her head, trying to dispel the unsettling thoughts.

She sat on the pool steps, leaning back and savoring the quiet. The cool water lapped at her skin, a soothing contrast to her racing thoughts running at 1000 percent. Why were these feelings swirling inside her? Cade was undeniably attractive, with his rugged looks and those intense eyes that seemed to see right through her. But they were here on a mission, and she needed to stay focused.

Yet, those kisses…They lingered in her mind, soft and tantalizing. And it was so easy to talk to him, to slip into the role of his bedmate without a second thought. Was she mixing things up? She shouldn’t be. After all, he was technically her brother-in-law.

The sound of the door opening broke her reverie, and without thinking, she slipped into the water, floating on her back. The pool embraced her, and she let the water carry her worries away for a moment. She heard his steps, and soon he was at the edge of the pool. Ignoring him, she continued to float, eyes closed against the sky.

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