Page 18 of A Merman's Tail
He held the gun toward me with a deep furrow etched into his brow. “At least kill it first.”
“Why?” I glared at him. “I’m sure the merman who saw my father’s boat overturn didn’t make sure he was dead first before watching him drown.”
Joey shook his head. “For fuck’s sake, Ethan. You don’t remember that night.Killhim.”
“I remember enough to know there was a merman there.”
“How do you know it was this one, huh? There’s probably thousands, or more, like him under the water.”
I felt more than saw Boy rise from beside me, but I ignored him, too intent on the argument I was having with Joey. “They are cruel creatures—”
“Because they let your father die, but you don’t remember what happened. All you can remember is one dragging you to shore,savingyour life. Your anger is irrational.”
I rolled my eyes. “Careful, Joey, you’re sounding more and more like your mother.”
“At least she doesn’t kill people.”
The gun was snatched out of Joey’s hand, and we both watched in shock as Boy pointed the gun at the merman’s head, pulling the trigger. I didn’t know if Joey thumbed the safety off or if Boy did, but either way the sound of a gunshot echoed in the air. The merman’s head jolted and blood oozed out of a hole the size of a bullet.
Boy passed the gun back to Joey with pursed lips and then turned his attention to me, waving at the merman’s tail. He huffed before giving me a smile.
Fuck. He hadn’t even hesitated in killing the merman. I didn’t know why that made my heart slam against my ribs so roughly.
“Jesus Christ,” Joey muttered, turning his stunned gaze on Boy. “You deserve each other. I’m taking this boat home. We’re going back.”
I didn’t argue because I was too busy staring at the mute man in front of me. Standing, I held out my arms, and he grinned, stepping into my embrace. I captured his mouth in a rough kiss, fucking my tongue into the warm cavern. My cock was so hard I thought it would burst from the confines of my pants. I’d never felt so hot and needy, and it took all of my control not to bend him over the side of the boat and fuck him again.
He whimpered into my mouth and shoved himself to his tiptoes, as though wanting more, and while I was tempted to give him that, Joey fired the boat up and I knew he’d be heading to the marina. We had to deal with this merman before we got there, maybe throw his torso over into the water and take only the tail back.
I broke the kiss. “Joey, call the media when we get close enough to the marina. Tell them about what we’ve found.”
Joey didn’t bother to turn to me, but I knew he’d heard me because his shoulders stiffened.
“We’re going to be famous, Boy,” I whispered, before seizing his lips in another short kiss. “Come on, let’s saw this tail off. Clean it up like a fish. I doubt the reporters want to see the dead upper torso.”
