Page 14 of Making Out With Mermaids (Haven Ever After #6)

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

AMATHEIA

I wake in the morning and stretch long in the sumptuous sheets, marveling at how much less stiff my knee and leg feel after hours on the new one. After Betmal teased me and left me, I lay there for a long while, thinking through everything that’s happened on this trip. All that thinking led me to a determination.

I want him.

I want us.

I want to live in this magical bubble where I get to be with him all the time, and where painting is my real-life job, and where my uncle isn’t going to freak out and do something drastic once he finds out what’s going on.

But I know Caralorn well, and I know he’ll do everything in his power to put a stop to this. He’ll threaten Betmal with the King’s Guard. I don’t want Betmal embroiled in that kind of drama. If we could easily pick up and leave Ever, it would be one thing. But he has the house and his family. Not to mention I could never leave Thatraeia behind.

I’m quiet as we walk toward the Arcadian portal station. After a few minutes of silence, Betmal slips his arm around my waist and tickles my stomach. “Talk to me, darling. Whatever has you looking so troubled is surely something we can tackle together.”

And that’s the crux of what I love so much about him. He thinks anything is solvable if we do it as a team. Can he be right? Is there a world where I get to choose my happiness?

Sighing, I wrap my arm around his waist and lean into him. For a moment, I marvel that I’m able to do it, and that my leg isn’t a problem. There’s no pain at all. I can’t believe it. Then I remember what he asked me.

“I dread returning.” I look up. “This trip was full of surprises and fun, and it’s the best time I’ve ever had in my life. But when we get back, it’s business as usual, which means I need to go home. I probably won’t be able to get away for a few days. I just…dread that.”

He remains silent for a moment, jaw grit tightly as he seems to consider my words. As the portal station comes into view, he glances down at me. “And you won’t consider moving in with me or going to the Annabelle?”

Gods, living full-time at Betmal’s place sounds amazing. But I truly don’t think my uncle would allow it.

He squeezes me again. “You’re worried about your uncle, or perhaps your cousins?”

“Yes.” The singular word comes out as a whisper. “You make it sound so simple to not care what others think. And it’s not that I really care what my uncle thinks, not after how callous he’s always been. But I worry for Thatraeia and what he’ll do. Not to mention the Stefan issue.”

Betmal’s jaw muscles tighten, but he jerks his head toward an alleyway off the street next to the station. “I have something for you that might change how you feel, ma siréne. Come.”

Curious, I follow as he guides me down the narrow space. Threading my fingers through his, I giggle, trying to bring some of this trip’s happiness back into my heart. “Betmal, why are you always leading me into dark alleyways? Aberen did mention that yesterday. Do you have a habit of hanging out in dangerous seeming places?”

He spins and presses me against the bricks, hovering his gorgeous mouth above mine. “My darling, the things I want to do to you in dark alleyways are absolute filth. But if you tempt me now, we will never make it to our final destination.” He turns and points to a simple black sign with gold lettering.

Bank of Arcadia.

I stare at him, trying to process why we’d be here.

Betmal smiles and pulls me toward a glossy navy door. From the outside, the bank entry is understated elegance. But all of that disappears once we enter.

The bank is one cavernous room with cube-like structures lining the walls. No two cube-shaped rooms are alike. To my right, the first cube room has flowers dripping from every possible surface. A banker sits with a client with tea service perched atop a mushroom table. The cube next to that is set inside the base of an enormous tree, just like the ones in Shifter Hollow back home.

I glance up at Betmal in wonder. “I could paint this place for hours , Betmal. This is incredible!”

He winks. “Wait until we meet with our banker, my darling. Let’s go.” He wraps his hand around mine and guides me down the long room to the last cube on the left.

I blink as I try to understand. It’s entirely encased in glass bricks with water and tiny fish in them. Clownfish zip between the rectangles, so there must be tubes of some sort. Corals and jellyfish and sea urchins complete the picture—every wall is a mini ocean of sorts.

My heart stutters in my chest.

Betmal pulls me through the cube’s arched doorway. Behind the desk, a handsome merman sits in human form, his wavy ear tips giving him away. He smiles when we enter, reaching a hand out to shake Betmal’s. Then he grips mine in both of his. “Miss Amatheia, what an absolute pleasure it is to meet you.”

“Okay,” I manage, wondering how he knows me in the first place.

“Sit down, please.” He waves at two chairs in front of his aqua-green coral desk.

Betmal holds the back of my chair as I drop into it, shocked anew at the absence of pain. I try not to let the tears come right here in front of others, but I can’t believe I put up with it for so long. I should have?—

“Ama, darling,” Betmal says quietly. “Are you alright?”

I look over at him, my eyes watery. “Yes. That was just…” My voice trails off. I don’t want to talk about my leg in front of a merman.

The banker clears his throat. “My name is Kadriel, and I am so pleased you’re with us today.” He spreads several sheets of paper out on the desk between us. “Miss Amatheia, these documents outline the details of your newly opened account and the current balance. I need to grab the card attached to the account so you have that, but while I run to do so, please review the documents and sign. If you’ve any questions, I’ll answer as soon as I return.”

My mouth drops open as he rises and grins at us both. Then, he spins in place and heads out of an arched doorway on the back side of the cube.

I turn to Betmal. “You did this? You opened an account for me?”

He shifts forward, both elbows on his knees as he takes one of my hands in his.

“I had to deposit your payment somewhere, darling, and I wanted to ensure it was somewhere only you have access to. Kadriel already has instructions to remove me from the account for any purposes other than deposits. I wanted you to have money that’s entirely yours.”

Gobsmacked, I turn to the pages and pick them up, fingers trembling.

Account total: $2,000,000.

I gasp and look at him again.

“Two million dollars?! Even one million was excessive, Betmal. I thought you were kidding about that .”

He smirks and sits back in his chair, crossing one leg elegantly over the other. “I promised you a tip, my darling. So if we extrapolate this out over fifty havens, you’ll be quite a rich woman in no time.”

I try to close my mouth, but I can’t as I read through the documents to find that Betmal’s right—this account is only in my name. No one else has access, and there’s a singular card for it…also in my name.

My first thought is Thatraeia and how I can get her out of the merkingdom with this money. The second thought that comes is worry over how we’ll deal with Caralorn. But the third? The third is beautiful. Because my third thought is about how Betmal and I will figure this out together.

I open my mouth to say something, but Kadriel swoops back in and lays a glittering turquoise credit card on the table. My name is printed in gold on the front with the Bank of Arcadia logo.

For the next few minutes, he explains where the bank has branches and how I can contact them if needed.

Kadriel and Betmal both watch as I sign my name at the bottom of the paperwork. When I do, Kadriel stands and runs the pages through a small copy machine on top of his desk. He keeps the originals and slips the rest into a manila envelope for me, along with the credit card.

“Here, Miss Amatheia. We’re all done, but call me at any time with questions, alright?”

I nod, still shocked and silent as Betmal offers me a hand. I rise from the chair and thank Kadriel. Betmal holds my hand as we walk toward the door. But by the time I’m there, reality has set in, and I pull him to a stop.

“I’m a multimillionaire,” I whisper-hiss. “What in the depths is happening?”

Betmal grins at me. “You did a job, ma siréne, and you did so well at that job that I felt it necessary to tip you.” His expression grows serious. “And what I did is not because of who you are to me. I would have paid anyone this way.”

I narrow my eyes, trying to decide if he’s serious.

He brings my hands to his chest. “I swear to you I am not exaggerating. By the time we do books for all of the havens, you will be an incredibly wealthy female in your own right, by your own hand.”

I’m so shocked, I honestly can’t find anything to say, but I cling to Betmal as we leave the bank. We head for the portal station, and it’s not until he steps forward and opens the door that I find my voice.

Halting just inside the doorway, I look up into his glittering ruby eyes. “This is a gift beyond measure, Betmal.”

“Not gift, ma siréne. Payment for services.” He winks and dips down, brushing his lips along my cheekbone.

I straighten. “Trouble is coming for us when we return home. I’ve been gone for two and a half days, and Prince Stefan is due next week. I don’t know how to navigate the near future. Will you help me?

His playful smile falls, and he tucks my hair over my shoulder as a hand slips up my back and hauls me close. “Always, my darling.” The ferocious look on his face softens. “Having me in your corner is the equivalent of an army. You will have the future you want, Ama. I swear that much to you.”

Smiling, I press my forehead to his chest and breathe in his crisp scent. I don’t know how we’re going to do this and protect Thatraeia at the same time, but I have to do it, to gain her freedom along with mine.

“Let’s go, darling,” he urges. “I’m not anxious to part from you, but to your point, we will need to deal with Caralorn soon.”

I nod and turn for the portal. Betmal follows, a comforting presence at my back.

The next quarter hour is a blur while we pass through the portal to Hearth HQ, and then the second portal to Ever. I feel nothing but dread when we appear in the Ever portal station, and I half expect to find Malakat and the King’s Guard standing there waiting for me. They do whatever Caralorn says. If he tells them to find me and drag me home, they absolutely will.

Thankfully, there are no merfolk when we arrive. Which is good, because when I imagine Malakat finding the glittering turquoise credit card in my name, I almost shudder.

Betmal turns to me with a smile. “Shall we go home and eat something, darling? Would you like to paint?”

Sorrow spears through me.

“I need to go back to the lake, Betmal.” I can barely choke out the words. I despise the idea of going home. The only good thing there is Thatraeia, and to some degree, the castle herself.

He smiles, pulling me into his arms and running both hands up my back underneath my tee. “When can you come to me again?”

“I…don’t know. Probably two or three days. Let’s make it two. I’ll find a way.”

“Perfect,” he murmurs, rubbing my back with slow, measured strokes. “Morgan had the brilliant idea of having you paint monster portraits. If you’re up for it, I’ll arrange it on the second afternoon. You can sit at Higher Grounds and paint. What do you think?”

Excitement and sadness war within me.

“I love that idea.” I’ve never wanted to stay on land so badly in my entire life.

“I’ll walk you to the lake,” he says quietly. “Want me to keep your bag? Or would you like to attempt to stuff it into your locker?”

I laugh at the idea of that. “Take it home, please.”

His fingers dig into my back as a low growl rumbles from his throat. “You called my place home, Ama.”

“It is,” I admit. “I’ve never fit in in my original home. The place I feel the best is with you.”

He grins. “Perhaps you believe what I told you on this trip, then? That you belong to me, and I to you.”

Heat curls needy and hot in my belly.

“I do,” I manage.

His lips brush mine, featherlight even as he nips my lower lip with a soft growl.

“After you paint, two days from now, we’re going home, and we’re going to spend some time exploring your pleasure, ma siréne. Don’t bother bringing extra clothing with you, because we won’t be leaving the bedroom.”

Oh depths. My pussy clenches on nothing as I gasp against his sinful mouth. This tease is too much. I was an idiot for thinking I could take things slowly with him.

“I take back what I said about going slow,” I blurt out.

His low laugh tells me he already knows what I just said. “We did take it slowly, darling. But we’re done with that, Ama. Two days from now, when you return to me, I’m tasting every inch of you—thoroughly. And then I’m going to teach you how I like to be pleased. And when all of that is done, we’ll discover how you like to be fucked.”

I snarl against his mouth, feeling for all the world like a rabid animal. I want to throw myself on top of him and take everything he’s offering.

But not here. Not in the Ever portal station where anyone we know could happen upon us.

On the way to the lake, we talk about who I’d like to paint a portrait of for the welcome book. We settle on the guardian gargoyle Alo and his adorable son, Ignatius. I love how Iggy will bring humor to Alo’s normally stoic expression. Maybe we’ll even get Shepherd in there with his brother and nephew. I’d like to paint Catherine and the Annabelle Inn, too, because they’re both so iconic, and because she was one of the very first land monsters to befriend me. I’m also thinking Herschel, from Herschel’s Fine Dining on Main Street.

By the time we reach the lake, I’m a bundle of excitement. My new leg feels amazing, and I’m so grateful. But as we walk along the trail, and the lake and locker log come into view, all of that dies a swift death. I turn and bury my face in Betmal’s chest.

“I don’t want to go,” I moan into his pecs, slipping my hands inside his shirt.

He’s quiet, wrapping his arms around me and laying his cheek on top of my head. We stand like that for a minute, maybe two before he speaks. “When you come back to me in two days, we’re formulating a plan, darling. I won’t allow us to continue like this, not with you miserable about returning home. Think on it while you’re gone. I’ll do the same. When we come together, we’ll decide how to proceed.”

When I look up at him, he smiles that same confident smile as the first day we met.

“Things are going to be just fine, ma siréne, I promise.” He bends down to kiss the tip of my nose. “You’ll see.”

Pulling his ziol necklace off, I slip it over his head and nestle it against his chest with a smile. “Keep this safe for me, ma vampíre?”

He rests his hand over mine, white flashing over his crimson irises. “Always, ma siréne…when you return to me, I’ll give it back.”

* * *

I manage to make it back to my shared suite just in time for dinner. Thatraeia swims up to me, concern evident on her face.

She grabs me by the upper arm and drags me to the corner, away from the hustle and bustle of our cousins getting ready for dinner. Several of them look over at us with suspicion. Thank Thalassa, Malakat lives in the barracks with the King’s Guard, so she’s not here.

“Where have you been?” Thatraeia hisses, ear fins flaring wide as she stares me down. “Malakat was looking for you all morning. Prince Stefan is arriving in three days.”

I sigh despite the immediate dread, unwrapping Thatraeia’s fingers from my upper arm. “I was out of town, remember?”

She sucks in a deep breath of water, gills fluttering wildly. “Right.” Her brows knit together as her mouth drops open. “It’s just…Father was raging about where you were. He wanted to prepare for Stefan’s arrival or something. And the Guard questioned me, and how are you going to explain your absence, Ama? I can’t say you were at the Julienne fields!

“I’m not planning to explain it.” I float in front of her, anger reminding me just why I want to leave this place. “I don’t owe anyone an explanation of where I’ve been, Thatraeia. The Sea Julienne won’t wilt in a day, and neither will Stefan. I’m one of a dozen of us who technically have responsibility to it and everything else Caralorn and the King’s Guard ask us to do.” I plant both hands on my hips. “Don’t you ever get tired of gardening and doing busy work?”

She crosses her arms, looking unsure. “Right, but…”

I feel sick, bile rising in my throat. “Wait. What did you tell your father?”

She straightens and looks around surreptitiously, as if there might be King’s Guards hiding around the seaweed-encrusted pilings that hold up our suite.

“I said I didn’t know, alright? And then I burst into tears, and Father was horrified and commanded me out of his suite. You know he hates it when I cry, so thank Thalassa I can do it on command. But I don’t know what to say when Malakat asks me to find you for something.”

I suck in a breath, the cool water flowing through my gills as I attempt to calm myself. Reaching out, I place my palms on either side of her round cheeks, forcing her to look deeply into my eyes.

“Cousin, I love you to the ends of this world and beyond. But when Malakat asks you for me, it is sufficient to tell her you don’t know where I am. You are not my keeper.”

She sputters. “But?—”

“But nothing.” I give her a stern look. “I’ve been paid for the paintings, sweet cousin, and it’s enough money for both of us to leave this place very soon. You don’t love it here any more than I do. A storm is brewing, but you’ll come with me when I leave, right? I can pay for us both, and we can travel the world!”

She pulls close, slipping both arms around my waist. “I think I’d like that, Ama, but Father and Malakat would never let it happen.”

“They will,” I promise her, pulling her in close for a hug. “If you want out too, I will find a way. Betmal will help us.”

“Okay,” she says softly. “Can you trust a vampire, Ama?”

I resist the urge to shake her. But she’s been under Caralorn’s thumb so long, she’s too terrified to remember there’s a whole world outside the lake. If I’m honest with myself, I was like that too before Betmal.

Thatraeia and I should be free to come and go if we wish. The lake is not a prison, however much it feels like one some days.

No more.

I’m done.

I level her with the most serious stare I can muster. “I trust him with my life, Cousin. He’s in our corner, okay?”

She nods, then slips into my arms, resting her head against my chest. Her hair floats in long coral waves around us. I reach out to stroke the cylindrical strands as I think about my mate.

My mate.

Thinking of him steels my resolve. Betmal’s there for me in a way nobody ever has been. I need his help. But with it, I’ll figure out how to get free of this place.