Chapter 38

**Blue**


While Artemis is talking on the phone, I take mine out and see a message from Liam. When I open it and see the full message, I know what Artemis’s call is about. Liam has sent his lawyer a revised version of our contract and arranged a meeting.

“Let’s make the meeting today since Blue is already here. See you in an hour.” He ends the call and sets his phone face down on his desk. “We’re having a meeting between with our lawyers today. Which I find strange since you couldn’t have possibly found a lawyer that quick and afford one either.”

I gape at him but only long enough for my anger to overpower my shock and I snap my mouth shut real quick.

“I don’t need to be reminded that I have nothing other than what you generously offer me. I never asked for anything from you so far that you haven’t freely given. Do want these clothes back? Fine but return my stuff so at least I’ll have something that I paid for with my own money. I also have money stashed in there that should help me feed myself for a while too.”

His jaw tightens and has that cold calculating look on his face that makes me more nervous than any of the other expressions I’ve seen so far.

“This has nothing to do with finances Blue, why is my lawyer calling me about our contract? Wasn’t it clear enough?” His voice lowers slightly making me stiffen.

I don’t like the way it makes my heart race. It races from both interest but also fear.

“It was clear if I was a slave, not your wife Artemis. You can’t put all those things in a contract and expect me to sign it without complaint. Maybe another woman would feel so honored to be marrying you that she would sign away her life but not me. If that is how our relationship is going to be then I’m out of this arrangement. I’m not going to lose myself. I agreed to put on an act for your family and the world, but I won’t let my whole life and self be hidden in your shadow.”

“That’s not what I was asking of you!” He sounds exasperated but I’m not going to let him talk his way out of this and convince me that I should sign the contract as it is.

I’ve been manipulated before, and I won’t let him do the same thing to me. I guess that confession he made last night wasn’t true at all. If he cared about me then he would be welcome to meeting me halfway, but he’s too stubborn. Others might be okay dealing with his little tantrums, but I won’t. He can either agree to my terms or we can say goodbye. My train car has probably been taken, so that’s out but I’ve made some amazing people here who would take me in. They might even fight to claim me, which is a thought that makes me feel loved for the first time in way too long.

My plans had been to leave Seattle but now I don’t think I could even if things with Artemis don’t work out. I’d even take the blame if he wanted, but I would move on with my life like nothing had happened.

“Blue this doesn’t have to get complicated. What do you want from me? I’m giving you what I promised, and-“

“So, everything you said last night wasn’t true?”

He looks confused. “What?”

“You said you cared about me, but if you did you wouldn’t ask me to sign that nightmare of a contract.”

“I didn’t lie! I do care about you, but I don’t want things to get muddled by emotions. A clear contract means that there will be a clear expectation.”

He just doesn’t get it. I may not know much about relationships, but I do know that you can’t be in one without emotions involved. Wouldn’t that mean there would never be love? How could a relationship survive structured rules and no emotional connection? How can he think that’s normal?

I shake my head and stand. “Look, I need a little time to think this over before we speak to the lawyers. Call me when they get here.”

He stands and calls my name but I ignore him and slip out of his office. Abigail stops me with a concerned look, but I give her my best smile and she seems to realize I don’t feel like talking because she lets me go. I’m not sure where to go since I don’t know this place well enough, but I spot a supply closet and figure that’s as good a place as any. Thankfully it isn’t full of cleaning supplies and chemicals. It also has a lock on the inside for some reason that I don’t want to think about right now.

Uh I am so pathetic for running away and hiding like this but what else can I do? Who can I talk to this about? The world, even my friends, think that Artemis and I had a whirlwind romance. I can’t tell them it’s all a lie! They’ll try to get me away from him in an instant thinking I’ve been brain washed or something. Well, Diego seems like the kind of person who would consider kidnapping.

After locking the supply closet door, I turn on the light and look around the space. There are a bunch of storage shelves with hundreds of different office supplies. There is also a pair of copy machines in one corner, and I snort in amusement because yeah my mind when to the gutter instantly. How many people have made out in this place or are they too afraid of Artemis to even attempt a steamy make out session in a closet? Then for a reason I can not explain, I decide to make a few copies of my own.

Now don’t go thinking about anything weird! I’m not going to copy my ass. No I have something else I’m mind. I stand in front of the machine and try to work out how to use it. The buttons seem self explanatory but I’m guessing the little screen is going to ask me a bunch of questions I won’t know how to answer. Oh well! I press the giant green button and the thing makes a loud noise as it turns on. I pause and wait for someone to knock on the door, but no one does so I continue on with my plan.

What is my plan, you ask?

I plan on telling Artemis exactly how I feel and hanging the reminder on the wall of his office when he isn’t looking. So, I lift the lid and I see a bright light under some sort of glass covering. I lay my hand down on the glass and roll my hand into a fist, all except one finger. Then I hit the green button and the machine does the rest. Several papers come out and make a pile on a slanted piece of plastic coming off the side of thew machine. Once I think I have enough to cover Artemis’s desk I press stop. I hear voices coming from right outside the door and the handle starts jiggling.

Whoever is on the other side starts cursing but their voice gets softer which probably means they’ve left. Hoping that’s the case, I slowly unlock the door and crack it enough to peek out. I quickly fold the copies I made and stuff them into the huge pocket on the front of my sweatshirt. Seeing the cost is clearly I walk out and try to close the door as quietly as I can. Once it’s done I try to look as casual as possible and walk back to Artemis’s office.

I walk past the elevators just as one arrives and out steps Liam.

“Hey!” I call out to get his attention.

He turns my way and gives me a swoon worthy smile. I have officially made up my mind. If things don’t work out with Artemis, I’m accepting Liam’s offer. He is drop dead gorgeous and I would be stupid not to. If I’d accepted before I wouldn’t be in this mess. Well hindsight is twenty-twenty right?

“Hey you.” I walk closer and he holds one of his arms out to wrap me in a side hug. “Where did you come from?”

“I was hiding in a supply closet.” I whisper.

He raises his brow and then bites back a laugh. “Nothing is ever boring when you’re around. So, what did you do in this supply closet?”

We’re walking side by side now and I glance around to make sure no one is looking before I slip one of the copies I made out of my pocket. I open it up enough for him to see what’s on it and tilt it in his direction. He lets loose the laugh he’d been holding in, and several people look our way. I see a few checking him out as well, but too bad they have no chance with him. He’s taken ladies and gentlemen and Diego will remind them of it too.

We reach Artemis’s office door and we both stop short and stare at it.

“Shall we?” Liam asks.

I look up at him and take a nervous breath. “Let’s do this.”