The Bad Boy And The Mermaid

Hunter

Fred and Hannah helped me choose a wedding ring for Blue. It was a round solitaire diamond stud in a platinum ring, a little out of my budget but looked really beautiful. My bank account was almost empty, but it was worth it. Blue deserved this and so much more. I kind of wished I had enough money to move into a bigger house where there was a lawn, a fence, a room for when Blue and I decided to have kids.

I dreamed of it, about having my own little family.

I’d never thought this was possible in my wildest dreams, that I’d find a woman who’d love me enough to want to marry me.

The phone in my pocket began buzzing. It was from an unknown number. I pressed answer.

“Hello Mr. Brantley, this is Gracie. I’m a wedding planner. Your mother told me you wanted to discuss a few things.”

“Hi Gracie, please call me Hunter.” I spoke on the phone while walking out of the jewelry store towards the parking lot across the street, “I’m looking for simple wedding decorations, I’d like to discuss about this. Are you free around three p.m? We could talk it over lunch and—”

A loud blare of the honking stopped me dead in my tracks and I turned to look. I wanted to run but my legs weren’t moving. I was glued to the place.

A car was moving towards me in high-speed and there was absolutely nothing I could do.

I saw it that time.

Death was coming for me.

Blue

Adrian had tried convincing me that marrying Hunter was a bad idea. And then he’d given me another alternative that I knew would make Hunter really furious. Adrian suggested that I could marry him instead and visit the Land often to meet Hunter.

In other words, he didn’t mind me having an affair with Hunter on land as long as I married Adrian in our world. I’d told Adrian that he could stop talking and that I wasn’t going to have an affair with Hunter because I intended to marry him.

I’d been napping with Leslie when I got one of those bad premonitions that something was going to happen. Since then I couldn’t sleep and paced around the apartment. I tried calling Hunter’s number but he didn’t answer it and that gave me even more anxiety.

Adrian was reading a magazine upside down, a magazine he’d found discarded in a box within the depths of the storage room. The magazine had a naked woman on it. I didn’t know how I felt about Hunter going through this one. Adrian was merely leafing through the pages, his face masked with interest.

I tried texting Hunter.

Me: Why aren’t you answering my call?

I called him several times but each time it hit voicemail. Thirty minutes and forty texts later, I decided to call Hannah. When she answered the call she was sobbing and that was a clear warning that something was wrong.

“Hannah, I’ve been trying to call Hunter but he’s not answering my phone. Is he with you?”

“Blue...well, Hunter got into an accident. A car almost ran over him.”

My heart almost stopped beating, “What?!” It took me an entire minute to collect myself. “Is he alright?”

“He’s in the hospital.”

“I want to see him.” I said urgently.

Hannah told me that she was sending a car and a chauffeur to take me to the hospital. When I hung up the call, Adrian’s expressions clearly said ‘I told you so.’

“You still have time to stop the wedding.” Adrian suggested.

I gave him a sharp look, “I can’t ask Hunter to do that. We both love each other.”

“Is that love any use of if either of you end up being dead?”

I hated that he had a point.

What if something happened to Hunter before or during the wedding ceremony? We still had a week ahead of us before we got married.

and angry at my situation, like there was

about lifelong love but it’s going to be your selfish nature that will get him killed one

I think I understand now.” I said, keeping the venom out of

looking through that vile magazine filled with

think you’re jealous of

looked at me, “And what if

made my decision. It would make me the happiest in the world to marry Hunter, if my situation doesn’t allow

our marriage to be fulfilled when we were old enough...” Adrian

of the mermaid law.” I snapped. “I’m different than other mermaids. I will take Hunter as my husband and no one else.” The last part came in a choked

pay for every law that’s

give up convincing me to go with you because

he lives a full healthy life, it won’t be enough, Blue. You will watch him, your children, your grandchildren, and everyone else you care about

possibility.” I said. “I would still be hurt if I left and watched him marry and have children with someone

on his face, it looked like he was

up quickly in a casual t-shirt, jeans and sneakers

was parked outside the apartment building. Throughout the entire twenty minute car ride, I recalled

loved Hunter, I valued his life above

and the atmosphere around made me ill. A stretcher occupied by a boy was wheeled away, a mother crying as she followed it. Another accident. There was a lot of

was giving me a very sad feeling. I couldn’t ignore the scent that lingered around

The scent of death.

found Elaine standing outside a room and knew that it had

honey. Thank god nothing serious happened to him. Fred and Hannah are on their way. You go see him

guilty looking her in the eye and lying so openly. The lies about everything, about who I was, where I came from and what I had

up hospital bed, and when he saw me,

and smiling that a sob escaped my lips and

sitting shirtless. A patch of

I asked touching his

happened and all I remember later is

covered my mouth with my hand and cried, “I’m so sorry, Hunter. I

isn’t your fault. You weren’t even—” He stopped talking and I saw

this was

wedding.” I said firmly. “Adrian’s right. This was a bad

you mean this is a bad idea? What are you

Adrian.” I said. “I can’t lose you. I can’t

home, and you’re

I could live peacefully here with you, and look what happened. It’s best

silver eyes were intense, cutting through mine like a bolt of lightning, he said the next words slowly, “I’m going to marry you, Blue, and no one’s going

he said that with so much conviction, I believed him. His eyes, they told me he’d make good

can’t bear the thought of

you could ever imagine. I’ve loved

He was ready to sacrifice his life in order

still have time to think. Take

made up my

I touched his arm softly, trying not

softly in whispers, and

whisper ′what’s happening? I ignored him and

opened my eyes, I saw Hunter giving me a weird look, he was

your arm now. Do you still feel

was clear on his features, but he did what I’d asked him to and began moving

gave me a surprised look. “I

the same thing. When it was done, I slowly

in awe,

“Powers, but shhh...don’t tell this to

down to his in a long lingering kiss. It felt so good to have his plump lips on mine. I moaned literally and forgot that I was kissing him openly