Chapter 42
Forty-Two
After sending her paystubs to her personal email for her records, Angie moved her mouse cursor to the “Off” button on the public-use work computer. She didn’t click it yet.
“You’re fired.”
It was surreal, and she covered her face with her hands.
She wouldn’t have enough hours or money before she set off for school. But she deserved it. Should have left Kaden before she got herself in too deep. Everything she worked for. Gone.
Before she hit the little semi-circle icon, a new email came in.
Mia: Hey, sorry to email you at work. But I haven’t heard back from you at all, and I can’t stop thinking about you. Please call when you get this. I know you haven’t answered me so far, and I think I know why. Let me explain?
Angie fiddled with the email and sent her a message back, asking her to meet her at work. Mia agreed, and she shut off her computer.
Nick and Bàba’s cruel words assaulted her, her mind an echo chamber, their threats spinning round and round in a never-ending loop. She walked outside the business room. While waiting, she kicked a loose rock across the floor, and it soared into the main outhouse’s tightly shut door.
Cyrus. She promised him and Kaden she would try her damndest to get him out tonight.
Shit, she should have asked Mia to meet her another time, or even later tonight.
Mia arrived on time and not a moment later, and Angie yanked her into a hug.
Mia squeezed tight in return. “Nick told me he tipped off Bàba. That they fired you. I hope you know I would never turn my back on you, I would do anything for you.” Mia spoke her entire spiel in one breath and pulled back, gulping in a breath of air. “You know that, right?”
A group of dock workers walked past, led by Nick. He gave Mia a brief wave before walking off, ignoring Angie.
“I have to tell you something,” Mia began once Nick and the workers were out of earshot.
“Yeah?”
“Nick threatened me, the day we met with the mer. He kept asking me where I had gone for those two hours. I told him I took Rosie for a walk, but he didn’t believe me.
He screamed at me, threw things, made me tell him.
” She sniffled. “Rosie was scared out of her mind. I didn’t want to tell him, I swear.
But he threatened to divorce me and take Rosie, saying I put them in danger, so I caved and told him. I wish I hadn’t.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t call you back. I should have known.” Another thought came to her, gripping her insides. “Mia.” Her voice dropped low. “Did he hit you? Or Rosie?”
Mia swallowed hard, grunting with effort as they kept moving. “He was just mad we went behind his back. He’s never done it before, he couldn’t control himself—” She broke off, eyes growing wide and mouth dropping open.
“I’m going to kill that asshole,” Angie said through gritted teeth. “And while you’re pregnant with his baby? How dare he.”
Mia scoffed. “Hopefully you won’t have to. Once we get a chance to breathe, if we make it through this war. I’m leaving him. He’s not the man I fell in love with and married. He’s changed this summer.”
Angie swelled with pride for her. “You have to do what’s best for you, jiějie. I’m with you, whatever you decide.” She thought of telling Mia about Nick and the mermaid, but decided against it. Choosing to leave her husband couldn’t have been an easy decision for her sister.
“Thanks.”
“Mia, honey, I know I just didn’t hear what I thought I did.” Nick had returned with the group of workers, and the group of men stood over them, Nick’s arms crossed over his chest, tight enough so his forearm muscles bulged.
Mia stiffened, and Angie’s next words died in her throat.
“You three. Stay right there.” Nick ordered his men, two of which were Marc and Ian, and they stayed put.
Mia hadn’t moved a muscle beside her. Angie’s breaths burst in and out. She wasn’t afraid of what Nick would do to her, but to Mia.
“Did I just hear that you were planning on leaving me?” The timbre of his voice had become low and menacing.
“You can’t do what you’re doing. To me, to our daughter, treating my sister the way you do. It’s not right.” Mia stood straighter, her glare never leaving Nick, and Angie wanted to hug her.
“She. Attacked. Me.” Nick jabbed a finger to his sternum and moved closer so that he was nearly chest-to-chest with his wife.
“Because you started it. I know her. She’s not a fighter unless you push her into a corner.”
Angie saw the pulsing in Mia’s neck and temples, heard the slightest tremor in her voice.
Come on, Mia. Don’t crumble. Stay strong.
“Oh, is that what she told you?” Nick threw back his head and laughed, a harsh, angry sound.
“After all I’ve done for you, for Rosie, for our second child.
” He pointed to her stomach while tapping his foot against the wooden-planked ground.
“Newsflash, hon. I won’t let that happen.
My family and I were the only ones here for you when your own family wasn’t. There’s no you without me.”
Tears gathered at the corners of Mia’s eyes, and her cheeks paled.
The workers behind Nick looked shell shocked, their gazes constantly darting to each other.
“Uh, maybe we should let you two figure this out. I don’t wanna get in the middle of no domestic dispute.” Marc took a step back and looked as if he was about to bolt.
“No, you’re staying.” Nick’s order was sharp and final.
Angie couldn’t take it anymore. She couldn’t stand there and listen to her sister publicly berated by the man who supposedly loved her.
“She made her choice. You brought this on yourself.” She jabbed a finger in his direction.
“Come on, jiějie, let’s get out of here.
” She reached a hand for Mia’s forearm, but Nick’s hand came down hard on her shoulder, stopping her.
“I don’t give two shits what you think, Angela. After today, you’re gone. Never to step foot back here again.” He waved his fingers in her face and scoffed under his breath. “I, for one, won’t miss you. Neither will most of the people here. You’re not wanted.”
“You hurt my sister. You let your men tear the mer-prince up. And all you do is kiss my dad’s ass.” Angie was yelling now, but she didn’t care.
Mia put a hand on her forearm, her grip tightening.
“You really want to pick a fight?” Nick yelled back in equal measure. “Because this time, I won’t hold back!”
“Nick, stop it! Just, we’ll talk about this at home, okay?” Mia cried out. Nick lunged for Angie in tandem with Mia throwing herself at him, and with frantic shouts, Nick’s three men rushed for them.
“Nick! Nick!” Marc stopped short, grabbing Nick’s arm.
“What?” Nick’s spittle flew in the man’s face, and with a shaking hand, Marc pointed toward the water.
“We gotta get out of here. The water. The mer are here.”
Nick yanked his arm out of the man’s grasp. “This is between me and my family. Go get some guns, if you’re so worried. I have more important things to deal with here.”
From her peripheral vision, Angie watched the three men dart into the storage house. They returned a moment later and readied themselves at the shore.
“It’s some kind of vortex!” a different man called out, pointing to it.
“What the hell are you talking about, a vortex?” Nick threw his hands up in exasperation, and moved to join them.
Angie stood on her tiptoes to look at the seas. The tides and waves were swirling, slow and calm. The mer must be rotating the waters. Had Serapha’s sentinels come to retrieve her? Had she run out of time to get Bàba agree to the peace agreement?
The men held their weapons, trying to get a good aim. If the mer took down Nick, Ian, and Marc, she certainly wouldn’t cry over them. The fourth man was a stranger to her, however, and she wished no harm on him.
The four men hadn’t moved from their spot at the beach, still talking amongst themselves.
An idea flickered into Angie’s mind. They were far enough so Angie and Mia could slip away and buy some time while the men looked for them. If they did.
Angie took advantage of Nick and his men being distracted, and curled her fingers around one of Mia’s wrists.
She clicked the outhouse door open and shut it behind them.
Once they were inside, one of Mia’s eyebrows raised and the other lowered in confusion.
“Angie, what—?” She jumped back and gasped. “Is that Cyrus?”
“I promised I’d get him out tonight. I’m so sorry, I forgot when I emailed you. Do you think you could give me a hand? Get him back to the sea? He doesn’t look like he can hang on much longer.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Mia held up her hands, taking a step back.
“I have to. You don’t have to help if you don’t want to. I owe Kaden this much.”
Mia paced around brow puckered in thought. Angie scanned the outhouse for something large enough to hide Cyrus in. No nets to be found.
An industrial-sized, empty mobile garbage bin was clear in sight, and Angie scrambled to take the large black bag out. If they could fit Cyrus into it, and she and Mia combined their strength to carry him, it could work.
“Oh, it hurts my heart to see him like that.” Mia’s loud declaration jolted her. Mia walked up to Cyrus’ tank, never taking her eyes off his limp form, and put her hands on the tank. Then she looked at the bag. “You’re putting him in a garbage can?”
“Better than nothing. And we could roll it. He’s heavy.”
Aurora, and the three, recently caught mer looked equally as lifeless, but their gills still opened and closed with a lethargic rhythm.
Glistening tears streamed down one side of Mia’s face. “No one deserves this. Bàba and Nick let this happen?”
Angie nodded, mute.
“Makes me sick.” Mia clenched her fists at her side. “Let’s make this fast. Are we getting the others out too?”