Page 57 of Sweet Poison

Suzette, our guide, leans over the railing, her voice bright and animated. “Look down there! You can see the baby sharks swimming just beneath the surface. They’re curious little creatures and want to say hi!”

I lean in closer, my excitement bubbling over. The water is so clear that I can make out their sleek bodies gliding gracefully beneath us. “Wow… they're so beautiful!” I exclaim, my eyes wide with wonder.

“Yes, they are! These little ones are harmless,” Suzette continues, pointing to a cluster of them. “If you watch them closely, they’re just here to play and explore. “Would you like to swim with them now?” she asks both of us.

I glance over at Madden, his large tattooed arms crossed and his dark brows furrowed like he’s about to face an army of fully-grown white sharks instead of just swimming with harmless baby ones.

Oh… is he…? Is he afraid?

But that can’t be.

He’s not only ‘The Madden Hunt’; he’s survived so much that the thought of him being afraid of little sharks completely boggles my mind.

I decided to make him feel less grumpy about the sweet little creature below us. “Oh, they’re so cute.” I coo at the baby sharks below us.

“You have an odd definition of cute,” he grumbles, glaring down at the gentle waves lapping at the side of the boat. His grumpiness and how mad he looks right now only makes me want to giggle more.

“They’re harmless. Don’t be afraid.” I tease, leaning over the edge to dip my fingers in the water. It’s warm and refreshing, and I can’t help but beam in excitement. “Besides, I can just imagine all the likes you’ll get if you post a picture with them. You might break the internet! I can just imagine the headlines now: ‘Hot millionaire and world champion spends time with the little creature of the sea,’ I tease.

Madden rolls his eyes, but there’s a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “I am not afraid of the ugly fuckers. I just don’t want to get chomped by baby sharks— that’s not how I want to go out.”

I snort at the ridiculousness.

He’s definitely afraid.

But if he’s afraid then why would he put himself through this if he’s afraid of sharks?

“What’s so funny?” He asks, sounding all grumpy yet his eyes are tender. God, he has the most beautiful eyes.

I bite back a laugh. “You know they won’t bite you. Think of them as little, cute puppies of the sea.”

“Right, puppies with really sharp teeth,” he retorts, but I can see him soften as he glances at the water, sparkling like a million diamonds.

Suzette interrupts. “Whenever you're ready you can jump in!”

“Who would’ve guessed that the big bad two times formula 1 millionaire champion would be afraid of little baby sharks,” I say, already pulling on my goggles. With a last glance at him, I dive in, the water enveloping me in a warm hug. I surface, wiping water from my eyes, and spot the tiny shadows gliding beneath the surface. “Look! There they are!” Sunlight filters through the surface, casting a magical glow that dances across the sandy floor below me.

I swim in place feeling like I belong in here— like a mermaid.

Madden’s hesitant splash follows mine, his expression shifting from skepticism to awe as a small shark swims close. “The little fuckers are no that ugly,” he admits, the grumpiness fading a bit.

“See? They’re harmless and awkward swimmers,” I giggle. As I reach out my hand, one of the baby sharks glides right by, brushing lightly against my fingers like a little fishy high five. “Oh, what a sweetheart. Hi!” I laugh when I notice Madden looking at me as if I’ve lost my mind for reaching out to the sharks. “Go ahead,” I tell him with a gentle smile. “Say hi.”

He looks down at the water and cringes before turning to me. “Fuck, no.”

I laugh, making him frown harder.

“Alrighty then,” A wave of exhilaration washes over me as I kick my legs, and glide further into this underwater paradise with my scaly friends swimming happily around me. The tiny sharks dart around us like tiny torpedoes. I watch in awe as they zip past, their movements clumsy, like they’re still figuring out how to swim without tripping over their own tails.

Sharks are misunderstood creatures. They really are.

Most sharks are not dangerous to humans— people are not part of their natural diet. Despite their scary reputation, sharks rarely ever attack humans and would much rather feed on fish and marine mammals.

Sharks have been known to attack humans when they are confused or curious. If a shark sees a human splashing in the water, it may try to investigate, leading to an accidental attack.

Perhaps that is why Madden hasn’t moved an inch since joining me in the water.

Letting him be, I dip deeper, my fingers brushing against the ocean’s floor. I spot a small sea turtle swimming towards a colorful coral formation in the distance. I smile at the lovely creature as she peacefully swims with the smaller fish.

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