Page 42 of Artemis

Feeling more under control, Artemis got up and left the room. The knees of her leggings were wet, making her pants stick awkwardly to her skin.

All the kids were gone, taken home by their parents. Maddie was washing dishes with Hestia, and Finley was talking quietly into his phone as he paced back and forth in the living room.

“What’s going on?” Artemis asked the women at the sink, picking up a dishtowel.

“Chloe took Demi to the police station to get her fingerprints,” Maddie said.

“What?” Artemis gasped. “She would never have anything to do with this!”

The other women frowned, confused.

“You weren’t there!” Maddie exclaimed. “I am so sorry! No, of course she didn’t. But her cake knife was used to stab the ransom note into the cake. They want to be able to eliminate her prints easily.”

Artemis’s ears were buzzing. “Ransom note?” she said weakly.

Maddie pinched her lips shut, eyes wide and apologetic. “I’m so sorry!”

Hestia put a hand on her arm. “Chloe is taking care of it. They said they would contact you. The instant they do, let Chloe know.”

“So he didn’t run away? Hewastaken?” Artemis felt a sense of relief knowing even that much. “How?”

“We have no idea. I’m so sor—” Maddie cut herself off from apologizing again. “Whatever you need, we’re here for you.”

“Thanks.” Artemis offered a small smile. “Who is Finley talking to?”

“Chloe, I think. He had the idea to check the portal logs to topside. Whether Alexander was registered passing through them or not, we’ll have a better idea of where to look for him,” Hestia replied.

“That’s a great idea,” Artemis said, surprised. “And if he’s still in the Underworld, what? Will we go door to door and ask if they’ve seen a little blond boy?”

“We’ll figure it out. Let Chloe do her job,” Hestia advised.

Finley closed his phone with a snap and slipped it into his pocket. He fixed Artemis with his dark blue eyes. “Chloe says that no portals have been pinged. Alexander is still in the Underworld.”

A sense of profound relief filled Artemis, making her knees buckle. Finley caught her the instant she started to sway, his masculine scent filling her nostrils and better than any smelling salts at clearing her head. She took deep breaths in through her nose, enthralled by the way he enveloped her, his arms banded around her waist, supporting her. But she couldn’t stay like this forever, unfortunately. She stabilized and nodded at him. He released her immediately; the only hint that he was reluctant to do so was the way his fingers dragged along her arms long after he released her.

She met Maddie and Hestia’s knowing smirks and willed the flush out of her cheeks, focusing on Finley again. “Does she say what to do next?”

“Hm? Oh, Chloe.” The big man shook his head slightly.

Was he as distracted by her presence as she was by his?

“She says to go home and keep your phone nearby. Everyone at the station is working overtime on this, trying to find him. Once you get the call, notify her immediately.”

Artemis swallowed hard.

Go home?

Without Alexander?

She didn’t know if she could bear it.

Something in her expression must have given her away, because Finley added, “You can stay with my brothers and I, if you want. Give you a taste of what it’s like to have messy, loud boys in your house.”

His joke fell flat, but Artemis appreciated that he was attempting to lift her spirits. “Yes, please. I don’t think I could survive the empty house.”

“Not a problem. Shall we?” Finley offered her his arm.

She said goodbye, complete with hugs for the two women, and then tucked her hand over his. “Oh my gosh, I need to tell Luna! She was supposed to be here, but she didn’t make it on time. I hope everything’s all ght!”

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