Castor mouthed something silently. "Are you okay?"
I couldn't speak, since the poachers would hear me, so I gave him the slightest nod in reply. Relieved, Castor smiled wider and let his hands roam across my smooth, sensitive legs. I bit my lip as my skin tingled pleasantly. Nobody had ever touched my human legs before—nobody had ever wanted to. I didn't know it could be nice like this.
"They don't seem fake to me," Castor said in a gruff voice meant for the poachers. Now his fingers were gently wrapping around my ankles.
"They are," the aggressive one replied firmly.
I sucked in a breath and forced myself not to squeak as Castor's hands cupped the balls of my feet. It felt so ticklish and sensitive there.
How long could we keep this up for before they got suspicious?
"Oh, yes, here we go," Castor said. His tone was rough and confident, fully playing up the heartless buyer role while he tenderly stroked the undersides of my feet. "There it is. These are fake legs, all right."
I was barely listening to what he was saying. Castor’s touch felt so good that I was losing the plot of this charade. But I did notice when the two poachers perked up excitedly.
"Yes, they are, that's what we've been telling you," one cried. He sounded so relieved he could burst into tears.
"How can you tell?" the aggressive one asked. He probably only wanted to know in case he ever caught another mer who shifted to human form like I did. Fat chance.
"Experience," Castor said. "I've seen enough mermaids to tell the difference between real and fake."
I shuddered and bit my lip harder, trying not to let out a soft moan as Castor felt me up. This game was so naughty but I loved it.
Unfortunately, I was wrenched out of the fantasy as the aggressive poacher ran up to the tub. Castor's smile fell and he plastered on a quick, stern expression. He stopped fondling my feet and grew immediately distant. I knew it was just an act to make this seemed more convincing, but I lamented the loss of his touch.
"How? Please teach me," the man growled. "I've done everything to try and stop this thing from casting its spell on us, but it won't change back. I feel like I'm going crazy. I just want to see that tail again."
My lip curled in disgust. No way, asshole.
Castor shrugged vaguely. "It's difficult to explain. Knowledge is no substitute for experience."
The poacher wasn't satisfied with that answer. He glared down at me in a way that would've scared me if Castor hadn't been here. "Hitting it once didn't work. Maybe twice will loosen those lips."
I shrank back in horror.
"You will do no such thing," Castor snapped.
He sounded so furious that even I was startled. The poacher and I both looked at him with wide eyes.
"I've made up my mind to proceed with the purchase," Castor said darkly, his eyes like shards of obsidian. "That means I expect you to treat my property with respect. If you lay a single finger on him, I'll back out of the sale. Do I make myself clear?"
The poachers scrambled to backtrack. The threat of losing all that money just to sate their curiosity at the sight of my tail again wasn't worth it.
"Yes, not a single finger, understood."
Castor was still glaring at them. "Good." He stood up to his full height and turned his back on the tub. "Seeing as this was a cursory visit to prove the product was real, I'll return another day with the money."
"Can't you just do a bank transfer right now?" one poacher muttered.
The other elbowed him roughly. "No. Cash only. Everything else leaves a trail, idiot."
"Oh, right…"
I watched Castor closely. I didn't know what was running through his mind or how he was going to come up with all that cash, but he didn't let it show on his face. He oozed charisma and confidence. Hell, even I would believe he was the wealthiest man in the world and I knew he didn't have a single dime.
Castor didn't look at me as he spoke. "I expect you to uphold your word. This is my property now. Do not let any other buyers come to see it. Understood?"
"You got it, boss."
