The Bad Boy And The Mermaid

Hunter

I’d been painting for hours now and it seemed to me like time had suddenly come to a standstill. A few more strokes and I’ll go to bed, I promised myself. The thing is I didn’t want to go to bed. When I tried to sleep, I felt restless. I couldn’t sleep and I either ended up painting until dawn or trying to read a book.

I had a car accident three weeks ago, and according to my step-mom, I’d been in a coma for five days straight until I finally woke up in the hospital. My memories were still hazy; in fact, I couldn’t even remember the past four months in my life.

Four goddamn months with no fucking memory! How’s that for a start?

It seemed like I’d won a lottery, and bought a home. What I didn’t understand is why I would bother wasting money in a big ass house when I knew I was going to live here all alone. A maid visited the house thrice a week for the cleaning and occasionally prepared meals.

Leslie barked looking at different corners of the house, howled so loud at night, you’d think he’d turned into a werewolf.

I was missing something vital in my life. A very important part that I still couldn’t remember. The doctors told me that the memories could come back eventually, some bullshit reason that it took time. Dr. Eugene specifically said something or someone could trigger those memories. I’d seen the way Elaine and Hannah looked at me with some emotion between pity and sympathy, I wasn’t even sure.

Heck, I’d seen the car that I’d driven during the accident. It resembled a crunched up soda can, and I still couldn’t believe that I survived it. A miracle had to get me out of that alive. My memories were blank and no one was telling me what happened.

It really sucked.

I gave one look towards the painting that I’d almost finished and let out a grunt. Since the accident, I’d been especially inspired to paint the ocean. I picked up the bottle of Jack Daniels sitting idle on the table and took a swig. The liquor burned its way down my throat and that was a good feeling. It was surely better than feeling confused and shit.

I felt a tug. I looked down to see the annoying brown dog pulling the end of my shirt with his teeth.

“Les, I already took you out for a walk, I’m not doing it again.”

Leslie bared his teeth and pulled more aggressively.

“No more treats either,” I warned him.

Suddenly he let go and ran out of the room, came back and threw something on the floor in front of me. At first, I thought he wanted to play but when I looked down, I noticed he’d brought me a pair of keys.

I picked them up and Leslie barked running out of the room. He wanted me to follow him, so I did. He ran across the hallway and went downstairs. I followed him down and came to the first landing. He stood right next to the locked room beside the master bedroom. His large chocolate brown eyes watched me, trying so hard to give me some message.

I’d wondered why the room was locked, but Hannah had brushed off the issue saying that it was just a guest room and I’d suspected that it wasn’t. I picked up the keys, unlocked the door and walked inside.

I wouldn’t have been more surprised if the room was filled with whips, chains or other sex toys instead the room was decorated with stars, planets, stuffed toys sat in every corner, a child’s bookshelf. I was further taken aback to see the crib near the wall. If it had been old, I’d have thought it was from Hannah’s childhood, but this one was all new.

As if someone had expected a baby.

So what happened? What was it that my family was not telling me?

By evening I was sitting alone in Lucifer’s Den waiting for Fred. He was my best friend, surely if my sister was acting suspiciously; I knew Fred would help me out.

was his younger brother Phoenix which was a good thing. Not that I was particularly fond of the brothers, but the Lockharts moved around

A voice that seemed to be dripping in honey

seated on the high stool beside me. Her short dress rode up so high, I didn’t know why she bothered wearing it. I didn’t normally ogle women openly, but you

and

here soon,” I told her

What’s

“Hunter,” I answered.

voice, eye-fucking me and seeming completely unapologetic. She leaned closer and I got a strong whiff of her perfume. “I don’t own a

to fuck her. She took that as a yes and inched even closer, she could practically be in my lap. Normally I wouldn’t have any issues taking her up on the offer, but it just didn’t feel right. I didn’t even

stinging of

at us and glared as he poured me

on earth was this guy’s

ever been fucked by a cactus?” I

I continued, “Because my junk looks

fast you couldn’t count from

slapped a hand

to ward off unwanted female attention?” I

“I’m sure you’re acquainted more in that department. You told me it was urgent. What’s the

go outside,” I said. “I’ll go deaf if you

his breath, wiping a

long time, wondering what

ran

Blue that you weren’t the type to remain loyal in a relationship, let alone a marriage,” Alec said. “There’s a limit,

because of the loud music. But

movement of his hand to the neck. When he noticed that I saw him he stopped and gave me

Something wasn’t right.

is Blue?” I

thing that I couldn’t remember. By the looks of Alec’s outrage, she had to

you fucking kidding me?” Alec spat

have a wife?” I laughed because this was fucking hilarious. I never got into a steady relationship, marriage was off the charts. I didn’t know if there was even a woman who would want to marry someone like

at Fred asked, “Is this guy

was a clear indication that

last drink. “Come outside in the parking lot.

friend with the question. “What was Alec talking

how Alec can get. He was probably just messing with

do my best to tell you the truth. I wouldn’t hide anything from you. If I

promised Hannah I wouldn’t