There was a wet spot on the seat next to hers that Adrian had left. Isa started down the road, but before she got to the end of it she turned around. She wanted to see Adrian one last time, give a better goodbye. She parked the car silently and got out, walking toward thedocks.
Something madeherwait.
Adrian was at the end of the dock. He stared up at the moon, then down at the water, and pulled his shirt off with one fluid movement and tossed itaside.
He was going swimming. So what? Though she wished he’d invited her. There was no swimming allowed in the bay. That Adrian was a rule breaker was really attractivetoher.
Then he started removing hispants.
Isa looked away— it wasn’t right to stare at Adrian naked without his permission, even though he was acting really weird. Who knew she was dating a freak. It kind of turnedheron.
A splash made her look up again. Adrian’s clothes were left abandoned on the dock. She saw Adrian’s upper half bobbing out of the water. Then he dived, and what Isa saw next caused her to fall backward inshock.
Agreentail.
* * *
It was almostone in the morning when Isa’s mind stopped whirling. She had been lying in bed for hours, trying to deal with the undeniable truth. She’d found out everything she wanted to know, but she almost wished she hadn’t. She could hardlybelieveit.
She wasn’t sure why Adrian had pulled her out of the water that night, or how. She knew she didn’t just wash up on the beach. With how big that wave was, she should’vedrowned.
It didn’t make sense. How could Adrian be strong enough to swim through a storm like that and survive? No, not just survive…save herlife,too?
He couldn’t. Not unless he was bornforit.
Isamaria knew there was something— or someone— lurking beneath the Florida waves. It was then she was faced with a newreality.
Adrian was a merman. And there was a bond between them Isa couldn't explain— a bond she’d give herlifefor.
Isa made her mind up. She would confront Adrian about being a merman. Then she’d get someanswers.
ChapterNine
Adrian
Adrian swam toward Stavros’lair, more determined than he had ever been. The water was dark and murky that night, abandoned by anabsentmoon.
He had to see Isa one more time, just to be sure that this was the right thing to do. Seeing her at the party had only cemented it in his head that this was the onlyoption.
So she’d been with other guys. So what? It didn’t bother Adrian. None of them mattered. She could’ve loved a hundred guys but not one of them would ever match up to the love he hadforher.
He’d always wondered why she was so skinny. It didn’t bother him that she was, only that she wasn’t eating. What she’d told him about her father… she was lonelier than he’d imagined. That kind of loneliness was painful for Adrian to fathom his mate going through. It was so strong, he felt it from her, even at thisdistance.
Their bond was only growing stronger. Eventually, it would get to the point where Adrian would be forced to live with her, otherwise, he’d die just as quickly as if he was out ofwater.
Unless she refused him— which she wouldn’t. The spell would hold. Adrian would change for her, and she would accept him. This he forced himself to believe, because any other scenario was too painful toimagine.
Beside him, Moona swam, trying to talk him outofit.
“Adrian, this is crazy! Do you realize what he’s going to do to you? Do you know what he’s capable of?” Moona said. She wasn’t snapping at him, or yelling, but rather pleading with him. True fear lurked in her eyes, and she reached out her fins to wrap them aroundAdrian’stail.
“Moona, let go. I’ve made my mind up.” Adrian tried shaking her off, but Moona only held ontighter.
“I’m not going to let you do this. What he’s going to ask for, that’s a bargain you won’t be able to keep, Adrian.” Moona closed her eyes andsqueezed.
“Get off me.” Adrian finally tore loose and increased his speed. “You heard what my father said. He won’t help me. I have no choice. I have todothis.”
The closer they ventured to Stavros’ lair, the less fish they saw. Eventually, the wide ocean became empty and changed color, from an opalescent blue into a murky green tinged with brown. Adrian held his breath as they swam through the water, and the cave of Stavrosemerged.
