The Mermaid and her King
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Authors: Scarlet Wolfe
The Mermaid and h
er King
Scarlet Wolfe
Copyright © 2013 Scarlet Wolfe Books
All rights reserved.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review.
ISBN-13: 978-1491096703
ISBN-10: 1491096705
Contents
To
those who brave the murky bottom of their soul.
This novel is written from the point of view of
Chase, Skyla and Eric.
Skyla
My feet sink into the sand, and I stop to watch, digging my toes in further. It’s the oceans way of telling me to respect it, or it’ll swallow me whole. Unfortunately, I was given that message loud and clear nine months ago.
A
s I frequently stroll this beach at night, the moon has become my companion. It’s my anchor to the ocean, the light allowing me this time to think. It’s the only friend I have on this Hawaiian island.
Eventually, I
pull my feet from the sand and start walking again. My bed is beginning to call for me since I have a sizeable house cleaning job tomorrow, so just a little further, and I’ll turn back. After a few minutes, I hear laughter, and my heart begins to race when five shapes appear before me.
“
Damn, you’re hot. What are you doing on the beach so late?” He looks to be in his early twenties and so do his four friends.
“
Hi. I was taking a walk, but I’m leaving now.”
They stand
only a couple of feet away from me. The one who spoke has a big grin on his face and is definitely cute, but that doesn’t change the negative vibe I’m getting.
“We can’
t see a girl as attractive as you and let you run off. I think you’re going to have to stay here, and keep us company.”
The other four guys form
a half moon around me, and I feel the suffocating lump forming in my throat. The moves my dad and brother taught me to protect myself are not enough to fight off five guys.
If I had to guess
, I’d peg them as drunk frat boys on vacation, but they seem too comfortable here. I bite my bottom lip and crinkle the side of my sundress in my fist.
Sweet talk is
my only chance. If I can get the grinning asshole alone, I might stand a chance at running. Just as I’m about to speak, a deep voice comes from behind me in the darkness, startling me further.
“
Get the hell away from her. She was headed back to my place.”
I see
the intimidated look on the group of men’s faces, so I spin around swiftly. My hair blows right into my face. I try to get the strands out of my wet mouth as I focus on the male walking toward us.
He’s very muscular and tall with
dark skin and black hair. I can see from the moonlight that it’s silky. His Hawaiian heritage is obvious. Is he trying to help me out or get me alone for himself?
“Chase
, what’s up, man?” says the guy who originally spoke to me.
T
he crack in his voice is evident, and I sense a little fear.
“W
hat are you doing out here?” Chase asks them as he walks up and stands next to me.
One of the other men speak. “
It looks to me like she’s going the wrong direction to be heading to your place, and you don’t own the beach, Kalani.”
“I think I’
ve made it clear I own this part. She was about to turn around, so all of you need to take a walk.”
I see the look he gives
these men, and my gut tells me I’m safer with Chase. The way I see it, one guy is better than five.
The first man that spoke s
cowls. “You need to lighten up, Chase. You’ve been a real dick since ... well, you know.”
“I’
m going to be a dick if I think you’re about to treat a woman like shit.”
The man let
s out a snorted laugh. “You’re one to talk, dude. We’ll leave your precious beach and woman alone. Come on guys.”
I watch
them walk away, and then I look up into the mysterious man’s dark eyes for several seconds. He studies me without a word.
“
I’m Skyla. So, am I safe with you?”
“
You must think so, or you would’ve left with them. Can I ask why you’re out here?”
“I was g
oing for a walk.”
“You risk
ed your life to take a stroll on the beach?” he asks aggressively.
“No one’s ever bothered me before.”
“That’s a ridiculous reason to think it’s safe,” he snaps.
Those guys were right about one thing. He does need
to lighten up. “OK, it wasn’t the wisest move, but if I want to take a stroll on the beach at night, then I have to go alone. I don’t have any friends or family on this island.”
His eyes narrow as if he’s
even more upset with me.
“Now you’
ve told a stranger that you’re alone on Oahu. Where do you live?” He acts protective like my brother, Lee. Geez. My eyes take in his fit body in the moonlight, and I see his fists are clenched.
“
Thanks for your help, but I can take care of myself from here.” I begin walking.
“
I asked you where you live,” he says sharply.
I t
urn back around, preparing to unleash some attitude. “I’m not supposed to tell that to strangers.” I whip my long blonde hair back over my shoulder and stare at him with my hands on my hips.
He’s intimidatingly handsome. The kind of attractiveness you only see
occasionally. That person who everyone’s compelled to take a second glance at.
“
You were last seen with me by Troy and his asshole friends, so I’m driving or walking you home. Your pick. I don’t want the police at my door if you disappear.”
I guess he has a point.
Walking means having to speak to him longer, but driving means I’m trapped in his car. For all I know, he could be planning to sell me off as a sex slave. “OK, fine. I’d prefer to walk.”
He stands starin
g at me again, so I take the lead. There are only a few dozen properties on the street that butts up to this stretch of beach. The property value of these homes are in the low millions.
Living on th
e North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii is peaceful. Unlike Honolulu, the North Shore is made up of small towns and is less populated. We walk thru a path that goes between two of the homes until we’re out onto the street.
“
I live only a couple more blocks from here. I’m sure I can make it alone,” I say as I stop to look at him.
“No.”
His hands are in the pockets of his cargo shorts as he stares at me with raven eyes. I want to see what emotion lies in them, but it’s too dark, and I’m wondering if the man even has any.
“
What’s made you so angry?” I continue walking with him by my side.
“The fact that you don’t care one bit about your safety.” He’s mad at me and doesn’t even know me.
I glance up at him.
“I do care, but I told you that I don’t have anyone else here.”
He runs a hand through his hair and lightly growls. This man’s giving me a complex. I walk up to my door, feeling his gaze on me the entire time. Since he thinks he owns that part of the beach, I figure he owns a big fat house sitting in front of it, so I’m not thrilled he’s seeing my dumpy place.
“
Thanks for walking me home and getting rid of the creeps.”
He stares
at me from the end of the driveway. I think he wants to say something, but the silence only lengthens.
I give a half wave. “OK, goodnight
.”
“
Goodnight, Skyla, and don’t tell anyone else you’re alone on this island,” he demands before he walks away.
Once inside
, I lock the door behind me. I wish I could get a look at his muscles in the daylight. I’m relieved it was dark walking home, otherwise, he would’ve seen me gawking.
Before going to bed, I
make sure all the windows are locked. I don’t like that Chase knows where I live. He didn’t make me feel that much safer.
Chase
I finally get an opportunity to speak to
her, the woman I’ve watched walk along the beach at night for months. A woman who doesn’t know me and all my bullshit, and I can’t even say one nice thing to her. I swear I want to lay her over my lap and spank that ass of hers for putting her life in danger.
It’s upsetting that her situation is even worse than I thought. I mean, she’s completely alone.
Why is there not a male in her life to keep her safe?
I can’t
begin to imagine how pretty she must appear in the daylight. With only the light from the moon, her light blue eyes still stand out against her blonde hair. I’d love a better look at the awesome set of tits she’s carrying, too.
I don’
t think Troy and his friend’s would’ve hurt her, but I can’t say with certainty, and I saw from her body language that she was scared shitless. I couldn’t allow that to continue.
Anyway, I’m
selfish. I can tell she’s different from the other bimbo’s I see on my stretch of beach, so if I can’t have her, those dickhead’s aren’t going to, either. I definitely don’t deserve her. At least my good deed got me a nice image to jerk off to. Damn she’s sexy, and I pray she’ll keep coming back to the beach, but I’d prefer she do it during the daylight.
Six
comes too soon, so I hit the snooze button twice. The homes I clean are small, but this week I agreed to fill in for another housekeeper who gets to clean the larger, more expensive homes.
I only have
to clean one of them, but from what I hear, I’ll be there half the day. My snug, light blue tank top and denim shorts I put on, along with my hair up in a messy bun, are just right for managing the heat I generate from cleaning.
I’m using
my brother’s car while he’s away on deployment, but I prefer walking whenever possible. The weather is too wonderful here not to. Combine my walking with the cleaning, and I get a pretty good workout.
After eat
ing breakfast, I stuff my iPod into my pocket, grab my caddy of cleaning supplies and head out the door. I clean the two smaller homes that back up to the beach, and then I start walking to the granddaddy of jobs I agreed to do.
As difficult as this job will be, I’m glad to get it. If I do well, I might get some other big homes to clean. They pay more and are just more enjoyable to work in. If I have to clean windows, why not clean the ones that give me an awesome view of the ocean?
I’m not thrilled that I have to walk to the same area I was at last night. Glancing between the houses toward the beach, I cringe when I think of the scary men that could’ve hurt me if not worse, and then I find myself daydreaming about the handsome and mysterious man who rescued me. I suppose he did, anyway.
As I approach the home
that looks more like a mansion, I stop and stare in awe. I feel underdressed to even clean this place. It appears to be the most expensive one along this stretch of road, and I guess it to be over ten million dollars easily.
I was told where a key
would be hid for me to get in. I’m supposed to leave it on the counter and lock the door behind me when I leave. I’m surprised I’m getting access to a key for any amount of time at a place like this.
I find it in a fake rock and open the front door. I yell to see if anyone is
home, but no one answers. Intending to do a quick walk through to familiarize myself turns into a twenty minute home show experience. The architecture is impressive, but the home looks like a bachelor’s pad and feels cold.
I walk
to the back of the house that butts up to the ocean and look out the floor to ceiling windows. The view is magnificent. There are wide, sliding glass doors off the kitchen that lead to a patio with a short staircase that goes directly to the beach. I decide after soaking in my surroundings that I better get to work.
A
fter turning up my music and popping in my ear buds, I begin in the downstairs bathroom. I finish the sink and start cleaning the bathtub, shower combo. This one is small compared to the garden Jacuzzi tubs in the upstairs bathrooms that are off each of the five bedrooms. I’m guessing this one is here for those who come in from the beach.
It happens so fast. First comes
the tap on the shoulder, and then I’m startled, which causes me to spin around. The problem is, only my body and one foot make it all the way around. My other foot doesn’t, so I lose my balance. The next thing I know, I’m falling back into the bathtub.
Here
I lie, staring at a strange, attractive man whose face appears as terrified as I imagine mine does. He has golden blonde hair and big blue eyes. I say big because they are wide as I stare at him from the bottom of the bathtub.
I feel
something dripping down my arm, so I look down and see blood. My forearm caught on a metal hand rail on my way down, ripping my skin wide open. There’s at least a four inch in length gash down my arm that’s gushing blood. I yank out my ear buds.
“Shit
, are you OK?” the blue eyed guy asks.
“I think so, except for my arm.”
His abs rock
. He has to be a surfer.
“I’m
sorry I scared you. You didn’t answer me, so that’s why I tapped your shoulder.”
He
reaches his hand out to help me out of the tub. About this time, I hear another male voice. Great, an audience.
“
Eric, where are ya, cuz?”
“I’m in here,”
Eric yells back.
At least I know blue eyes name now
, and those are some pretty blue eyes. Guy number two appears in the doorway.
“Damn
, what’s happening here?” he says before a smirk appears.
Eric
turns to him. “Go ask grumpy where he keeps medical supplies. Tell him the housekeeper has a cut on her arm.”
“S
ure, dude.” Guy number two disappears. Now, there’s a guy number three. Didn’t I experience enough embarrassment last night? Eric helps me up and grabs a washcloth out of the closest to press against my arm.
I sit
down on the closed toilet seat and hold the cloth to stop the bleeding. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have had my music up so loud. I’m fine, so you can go.”
“N
o, I’m sorry. I should’ve yelled or something instead of touching you. I feel terrible because I didn’t need anything. I just wanted to say hi. I’m not trying to sound like a perv, but your ass was sticking up in the air while you were cleaning, and well, it’s a nice ass. I had to see the whole package,” he says, giving me a boyish grin.
“Don’t hold b
ack there. Your honesty is refreshing.” I shake my head and smile.
“It’s my best and worst quality dependin
g on the topic at hand.”
Dang, his sm
ile is as charming as his eyes. He looks to be a little older than my young twenty year old self.
“I guess you heard
that I’m Eric.”
“Yes
, I’m Skyla.”
“Nice to meet you, Skyla. You sure don’t look like the Hilda beast. I guess she’s off this week.”
“If you’re referring to the lady that usually cleans here, then yes, she’s off this week.”
Guy number two comes
back to the doorway.
“He said there’s a first aid kit in that closest on the top shelf.
”
“
Eric, what’d you do to the poor girl? I’m Andy, by the way,” he says, smiling.
“This is Skyla. I scared her, so she fell back into the tub.”
Andy’s good looking, too with his wet brown hair and hazel eyes. Just like Eric, he’s only wearing swim trunks, and his abs rock, too.
“Why’d you go and do that
? She’s too cute to injure.” He gives me a flirty grin.
“I told her I was che
cking out her ass and wanted to see the whole package. I was right. Her face is even prettier.”
“Shut up,
Eric. Excuse him. He has no filter. I mean none,” Andy says, sounding irritated.
Eric
goes to the closet to search for what I assume is the first aid kit.