Chapter 45

**Blue**


My eyes lock on the ring Artemis is holding and I gasp at the sight of a completely new ring.

It’s gold with a blue diamond sitting in the center of what looks like a snowflake. Each point holds a small white diamond, and they all shine in the florescent lights like mini stars. It’s the most beautiful ring I have ever seen.

“Artemis. What is this?”

He looks at it and then at me. “You said the other ring wasn’t you, so I bought a new one.”

I gape at his nonchalant explanation. “What did you do with the old one?”

“I donated it to an auction house.” He looks at me like that is a completely normal thing to do.

“Wow. Wait did you say we’re getting married right now?”

He nods. “You’ve been put into too many dangerous situations since we met, and I need to make sure what happened tonight doesn’t happen again. For now I plan on taking you away for a while until things die down here and we have a more secure location made for us to live in.”

I’m overwhelmed and not sure which part of this to address first. The door of my room opens and Rhea walks in with Bryant and Dane.

“I hear we’re having a bedside wedding!” She claps her hands in excitement. “I will take care of everything tomorrow, so let’s get things moving.”

“Wait!” My attempt at yelling makes me cringe and I reach up to rub my throat.

I really need to stop trying to talk, but…WHAT?
“This is crazy. We can’t get married in a hospital Artemis.” I’m too tired to deal with his crazy right now.

“We can and we are. I want us to be married so I can take us on our honeymoon.”

Honeymoon?

“What about work? You just figured out- “

He sits down on the bed next to me and carefully picks up my left hand that was resting on my stomach.

“I fixed everything and sent the program off to our client. If they have any issues Alan is going to deal with it and tell everyone that I’m taking you on a surprise honeymoon.” He says as he slides my new ring onto my finger. “He’s a justice of the peace and agreed to marry us here and now.”

I look up at the man who walked in with Artemis, and he nods. “It’s not exactly conventional but your fiancé made a compelling argument.”

Holy shit.

“So? Will you marry me?” Artemis asks and the way his voice lifts slightly makes me think he’s a little nervous asking me even though I already said yes.

“This is insane, but…okay.”

Rhea makes some sort of excited sound and pulls out her phone. Artemis is still watching me and the intensity of it is making my heart race.

“Hey guys! We’re having a wedding!” Rhea says at the phone.

When she turns the screen to us, I see Max and Athena waving at me. “Congratulations!” They say together.
I lift my hands to cover my face because I look like a mess.

“What are you waiting for? Marry them already!” Rhea says to the justice of the peace guy.

“Alright.” He moves so he’s standing in front of Artemis and I. “Artemis Rhodes do you take…Blue to be your wedded wife, to care for in sickness and health?”

“I will.” Artemis says without hesitation.

“Blue do you take Artemis as your wedded husband, to care for in sickness and health?” The man asks me.

I feel all eyes land on me, and I decide to take this crazy leap without doubting myself. “I do.”

“By the power vested in me by the state of Washington, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Congratulations! You may kiss the bride.” He waves a hand in my direction, and I watch Artemis.

He stands and leans down to kiss me gently and seal our future together. When he pulls back the room erupts with cheers. I hide my face behind my hands again because I know for a fact I’m probably as red as a tomato right now.

“Thank you. Now everyone out.” Artemis barks.

“Wait! I-“Rhea starts to object but when I drop my hands I see Artemis pushing her toward the door.

“She’ll call you later. Now leave so she can rest.” He says opening the door for her and my bodyguards.

“Oh, wait one second. Let me sign the marriage certificate.” The justice of the peace guy says.

He hands Rhea the paper and a pen. Bryant is next and then the pen is passed to Artemis. Each of them signs the paper, and hand it to me last. There is a section that asks what my new name will be. I guess it’s for people who decide to keep their own last names, but since I don’t have one I’ll be taking one for the first time in my life.

Blue Rhodes…

I sign the paper and make my new name official.

“Great. I will get this processed and the official document will be mailed to your office Mr. Rhodes.” The man packs away the paper and follows everyone else out of the room.

Once we’re alone Artemis walks back over to sit on the bed next to me. “So how does it feel being Mrs. Rhodes?”

I shake my head, but I can’t fight back the smile. “It’s okay.” I say with a shrug.

He narrows his eyes at me and looks like he’s about to lay into me when the door opens again. Artemis sighs and tightens his jaw in annoyance, but I reach out and slip my hand under his. When he looks at me I smile and give his hand a squeeze. The man who walks in is a young nurse and very handsome, something that Artemis notices as well.

“Hello, I’m here to take you to x-ray.” He says with a friendly smile.

He hasn’t bothered acknowledging Artemis at all, which pisses him off if the way he tightens his hand around mine is any indication.

“Thank you.” I say giving him a polite smile.

“Do you need help getting into the wheelchair?” The nurse asks.

I hadn’t even noticed him bringing one in.

“I’ll help her.” Artemis says sharply.

He lets go of my hand and walks around the bed to grab the wheelchair and push it to the opposite side of where the nurse is standing. The nurse blinks at Artemis like he just realized he was here.

“No problem.” The nurse says with that same cheerful smile.

He has a good bed side manner I’ll give him that. I’m sure all the ladies like that smile. I focus on Artemis and pull back the blankets covering me and slowly twist my body until the legs dangle on the right side of the bed. Artemis places the wheelchair as close to the bed as possible and quickly moves to help me to my feet. I’m still a little dizzy so I appreciate the help so I don’t fall face first. He grips my elbow and holds me up until I am standing in front of the wheelchair and only releases me when I’m sitting.

The nurse is holding the door open for us when Artemis turns me in the direction of the room. When we’re in the main area we follow the nurse down a couple of hallways until I see a few other people sitting in wheelchairs waiting in a line. We take the spot at the end and the nurse tells us the wait shouldn’t be too long and he’ll come back once we’re finished. He walks away and I let out a breath of relief.

“I don’t like that guy.” Artemis grumbles.

I snort at his clear jealousy. “Didn’t I just marry you? You can’t think a male nurse is going to make me change my mind. There is no way he makes more money than you. I would be crazy to mess this up.”

He grumbles something else but he knows I’m teasing. I know he does.

The people in front of us though are whispering to each other and glancing at us. I probably shouldn’t have said that but as long as Artemis believes I’m not a crazy gold digger than I don’t really care what those people think.

“So where are you whisking me off to?” I whisper.

I feel warm air along the side of my neck and I turn my head just enough to see the side of Artemis’s face. Even at this angle he is freaking gorgeous.

“It’s a surprise Mrs. Rhodes.”

I scowl and decide to ignore him until he tells me. Something occurs to me though and I have to abandon my pettiness.

“How do you plan on taking me anywhere without a passport?” I ask assuming he plans on taking me out of the country.

“Don’t’ worry about anything. Abigail packed you a bag and it’s waiting in my car. Didn’t you want me to be more spontaneous?”

Yeah well that was before he decided to surprise me with a mystery vacation. Now I realize I don’t like this version of him. Why did he listen to me in the first place?