Page 113 of Seduced By the Mermen
“Are you having a good time?” Delmar asks.
It’s something else I’m not used to: having a guy check in with me. Not assuming that I like the same things he does. Did I like duck hunting? No. Sitting in silence in nature with the dogs wasn’t bad. The killing the ducks part . . . But not once in seventeen years did my ex ask me if I was having a good time. Because he was, so obviously I was, too. I made sure my face said I was, because the aftermath wasn’t worth it.
“We’ll do more tomorrow. I think we should go into the Tower of London. I would like to see the Crown Jewels,” Delmar says.
“I want to come with you,” says Zion, “but I have to work. But I want to hear all about it afterwards. Sterling, come talk to me in the other room.”
The two of them have a not so quiet chat. They emerge ten minutes later.
“We’ve found more security to help you on your private tour of the Tower,” Zion says.
“Really? That’s fantastic.” I jump up and give him a big hug.
We’re up before the sun rises for our private tour. The four of us make our way to the lobby, and when Zion gets into the car with us, I’m more than a little shocked. “I thought you had to go to work today?”
“I do, but it’s early and I thought I could drop you off. The car will come back and wait for you.”
“Oh, that’s perfect.”
When the car stops in front of the Tower, I kiss Zion goodbye for the day. It feels oddly domestic.
“Wait here,” Sterling says to Delmar and myself. “The company I hired is meeting us on the other corner.”
Delmar and I watch the traffic going over Tower Bridge. It’s already getting busy, but we don’t move. Soon Sterling’s back with five shifter-looking security guards. When we get inside the Tower, I must look like someone important, because I’m getting stared at. Or rather, the six beefy guys are getting stared at. We see the Crown Jewels—which are more impressive than I expected—tons of suits of armor, and the chapel where some unfortunate royals saw their last service before being beheaded.
Our tour over, the crowds have tripled, but the gift shop is now open.
“I’d like to get something for Marlee.” I cock my head at Sterling.
“Fine.”
The narrow shop is built into the wall of the Tower. It’s cramped and full of tourists, even though it’s early. I hold up a paperweight to show Delmar, but he’s not next to me. It’s okay. But somehow I’ve lost all six of them. I step out of the shop onto the sidewalk, craning my neck left and right.
A hand snatches my arm, and a male pulls himself close to me.
“Stop,” I snap.
He pulls me closer.
“Who are you?”
He’s a shifter, for sure. Merman, most likely. “I’m your future,” he barks, dragging me toward a car.
Inside the car, there are two more men.
“I don’t think so.” I straighten my arms and legs out as wide as I can to keep him from tucking me into the car. Not again. Really, how many times can one gal be kidnapped? I’m not letting it happen. “Fire!” I scream at the top of my lungs. “Fire, fire, fire!”
The busy crowd around me slows, and people come toward me. A construction worker yells, “Get away from her, you wanker!” He lifts his hammer out of his tool belt.
At the same time, a woman my age rushes over, her long black umbrella out like the horn of a unicorn; she rams it at the male like a jousting rod. My assailant tightens his hold on my arm as he pushes at the construction worker. The construction worker is swinging his hammer away at any part of the shifter’s body he can reach. And umbrella lady has taken up my mantle and is screaming, “Fire,” louder than I was.
A few more people have crowded around, though no one else is in the melee. Until I look up and Sterling’s there. Rage flashes in his eyes. My attacker lets go of my arm, and I take the opportunity to sprint to the sidewalk with the umbrella lady at my side.
“Holy shit, he’s huge,” she says. “And fast and really, really angry.” She turns toward me as I’m watching Sterling make quick work of the three males in the car. Sirens of a different cadence than I’m used to make their way toward us. “He’s a friend of yours. Isn’t he?”
I nod.
“Your husband?”
