Page 49 of Nemesis

Which is all the more strange that he can’t find Reese by himself.

“I’m not familiar with this town,” he finally says. “I had a guide in Emerald Cove?—”

My eyebrows hike. “Oh, really? Who?”

He just shakes his head, eyes narrowed. “Reese is important, Artemis.”

I shrug. “That tells me nothing. Go away, Kade.”

I continue up the steps, to the top floor with the kitchens and offices. Less noise, less bustle—especially now, with the kitchens closed. I find Antonio’s office closed and locked up tight.

Same with mine, although that’s not unusual. And I do not have my keys on me.

My stomach lets out an untimely growl.

“Dinner,” Kade rumbles behind me. “And I’ll explain.”

I consider what awaits me if I head downstairs to find Antonio. I’ll be immediately slammed, pulled in eighteen different directions by employees who need something, just want to prove that they know what they’re doing, or want to fucking gossip.

Just thinking about that makes me tired.

So…

Fuck it, right?

He sees the moment I decide, and before I know it, his hand is on the small of my back and he’s ushering me the way wecame. All the way to the exit, where I pointedly ignore the doors that go downthere. To where my nightmares reside.

A whole world resides under this club, and I spend a majority of my time pretending it doesn’t exist.

He doesn’t notice my avoidance, and then we’re outside. We go to the street, and I glance down at the row of people waiting to get into the club. Pride and satisfaction fill me at the want—no, the need—people have to experience Bow & Arrow. To release their inhibitions, to dance…

And then I’m in Kade’s blacked-out SUV and he’s climbing into the driver’s seat.

He drums his fingers on the steering wheel, seeming to debate something, then shakes his head. The engine purrs to life, and he heads away from North Falls. Down the center, back toward the university and the government buildings.

But what’s surprising is that I don’t really know where we’re going, especially when he continues into South Falls. There’s one main road that takes us into the industrial district. Our view shifts from residences to warehouses.

Past it, the marina.

My brow furrows, and I glance from the road—which dead-ends into rows of docked boats—to Kade.

He parks and hops out. Circles around. Offers his hand.

I glare at him, then take it. He doesn’t release me when I’m standing, though, and instead leads me toward the locked gate that protects the boats. The air is cooler than I expect, and I shiver.

He pauses, turning to face me. Wordlessly, he pulls his sweatshirt over his head and pushes it into my chest. I can barely see him, his expression, but his teeth flash with a quick smile.

There are goosebumps on my arms, so I tug it on hurriedly. It’s huge on me, falling almost to my knees, and his scent wraps around me.

Not entirely unpleasant.

No, in fact, a new hunger curls in my belly that has nothing to do with food. He stares at me for another second, then takes my hand again.

Our boots crunch on the gravel. He types in a code to the keypad, and the gate beeps quietly. It swings open under his hand.

“I’m not getting on a boat,” I warn him.

He chuckles. “Of course not.”

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