When they touch me (Shelagh Milano)

Chapter 113

Artemisia

"Did you just jump down from the roof?" I gasp but Fynn just grins at me.

"Oh, dear," Ramona chuckles as she holds her hand to her chest as she sits back down. "Is that the brute who came to pick you up?"

I shake my head, rolling my eyes. "Don't call him that."

"Why? Is he this sensitive?" Ramona asks in a whisper as she sits back down.

Scrunching up my nose, I look back to Fynn who is puffing his chest proudly, "Not exactly, no."

"So?" he asks, looking back and forth between the two of us. "What about the spy?"

"She was just making a bold assumption," I say with a deep sigh. "She is too much into James Bond movies."

But as my bestie is just the way that she is, she leans forward, clasping the armrest of her lounge seat while Fynn looks at her spellbound. "No, listen. I thought about what might be the reason for him meeting up with Alpha Giorgio so much. And the only reason I could think of is that Alpha Riccardo wants to keep an eye on his ex-mate, so... He needs a spy."

"Why should he be interested in keeping an eye on her?" Fynn asks, and Ramona blows her cheeks.

"Because he is still into her," she answers with a click of her fingers before turning towards me. "I always told you that he wasn't into Luna Torrie like he told everyone."

"Is Torrie his wife?" Fynn asks as he crouches down.

"Yeah," Ramona tells him with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "She trapped him with the baby."

I shake my head, sighing deeply, "He was rather keen on rejecting me right as I found out we were mates, for that."

"Oh, honey," Ramona pouts, and I laugh.

"Stop it!" Taking another sip of my tea, I clink my nails against my cup. "He isn't interested in me."

"Uh-huh," Ramona says, pressing her tongue to her upper teeth. "And what about the coronation ceremony?"

I'm already about to roll my eyes as I sense Fynn's anger rise just ever so slightly. "What happened at the coronation ceremony?"

"You didn't tell him?" Ramona looks at me agape, and I shake my head, not being able to stop her. "He hit on her, once again. Alpha Cayden had to literally rescue her!"

"Rescue you?" Fynn squints his eyes at me, and I shake my head again about to answer him to de-escalate the situation as Ramona squeals, "Yes! He was his usual slimy self!" "Ramona..." I say through clenched teeth but she just waves dismissively at me.

"My, my. It was like the Equinox Party all over again."

"Ra-" I am about to say as Fynn stands up, his flaring anger nearly strangling me.

"Why? What happened at the Equinox Party?" he growls and finally Ramona turns to me, baring her teeth. "Oh, oh. Sorry."

I groan as I look back at Fynn. "Nothing happened, Fynn. He is a dirty asshole and that's it. Now, here. Take a cookie!"

Fynn takes a few steps to reach me, picking up a cookie.

I'm already pushing out a relieved breath as he takes a little bite and I lay the small plate back down.

The plate has barely touched the table as he crouches down, wrapping an arm around my waist. "What?! No!" I squeal as he lifts me up.

My breath gets stuck in my lungs as he jumps, only letting go of me as we are back on the roof.

"OMG, babes! Are you alright?" Ramona shrieks after me as I stabilise myself on the tiles.

"What happened at the Equinox Party," Fynn repeats in a growl as he crouches back down to pull me close to him. "Goddess, Fynn. Why do you always have to go all caveman?"

He grins and I push my hair back with my hand as I look over the landscapes. "Wow. It's amazing up here." "Yeah," he sighs and I smile.

"I can see how it is your favourite spot."

Clearing his throat, he sits down next to me. "It's not only that."

"What is it then?" I ask, leaning my head against his shoulder.

"Well," he says, pointing his finger out to the training field. "Here I can keep an eye on my men... While I hear you humming."

"I don't hum," I chuckle, trying to distract myself from blushing terribly.

He laughs, letting his eyes roam the landscapes around us, "Sure, you do it all the time."

I giggle, taking a deep breath and as we have been staring out at the fields in silence for a heartbeat or two, I decide to get it off my heart. "I was so drunk."

"Oh, no," he groans, lowering his gaze to his hands.

"He got me at my most vulnerable

moment. It was still all so fresh, so...

I had just heard about his wife being pregnant with his second child. I was so crushed that I made the worst mistake of my life."

"Did you sleep with him?" he asks while kneading his hands. "Yes," I say before I add panicky, "But I regretted it right away."

I gesticulate wildly as he looks up at me with a distorted face, "I never even talked more than what I had to out of courtesy with him after that. I never had anything more going on with him."

"But you raised his hopes," he states dryly, making me gasp.

"No, I didn't. I was really clear with him that it was a mistake and that it should never happen again."

He shrugs, sighing, "If he was flirting with you at your brother's coronation ceremony, he obviously didn't take you seriously."

Shaking my head, I lower my eyes, picking at the dirt stuck on the tiles. "He never did, no."

"You should have told me before,” he says, kissing my shoulder. "Missy, this is serious We are facing a trial because of Emma's mother, and me crossing the territory to take them back. We could lose parts of our lands to that idiot. And now I find out that he might have an interest in you, and your brother is close to him. We could walk right into a trap just because he has some leftover pride when it comes to you. If he wants you, it just makes him more determined to see us bleed."

"Can you ever forgive me?" I ask in a whisper, and he smiles, lifting his hand to caress my cheek.

"There is nothing I would have to forgive you for. You did... well... nothing wrong when it comes to us. I don't care about Terry," he distorts his face, making me laugh between tears. "Torrie," I laugh. "Her name is Torrie."

He shrugs, clicking his tongue. "That's six of one and half a dozen of another."

Cracking up, I get him to grin at me. Wrapping his hand behind my neck, he pulls me gently, claiming my lips with his.

"I'm just afraid about what they are scheming," Fynn says, making me scrunch up my nose.

They are my family! It's Giorgio that we are talking about."

"Doesn't matter. He is clearly forming an alliance with Ricky-boy. We have to tell Cayden about it. And maybe you need to talk to your brother."

I groan as he stands up, holding out his hand to take. "Come on, babe. Let's do it quickly, so we can let you rest as you have to be fit for the ball."

Rolling my eyes, I take his hand.

Again with the teasing.