Chapter 18
RILEY
Emerging from the cavern with my three tritons at my side made me feel safe, despite having just told Poseidon what to do. When he didn't kill us immediately, I knew that whatever problems he had with the sirens could be fixed.
Poseidon was addressing the tritons as we swam to where my mom, Finn, and Olivia were huddled together.
"When I woke to find my trident missing, I was disappointed that soldiers I've trusted with my life allowed it to happen.
" Poseidon's voice was commanding and sent a shiver down my spine.
"However, I am partly to blame. My halfling son was a product of my neglect and vengeance.
I took away his mother and allowed him to live a life without me, filled with scorn and ill-intent that led to humans being involved and an innocent girl being changed forever. "
Olivia clung to her father and buried her head in his shoulder as Poseidon spoke. I wanted to hug her and tell her it would all be okay, that tentacles weren't that bad, but I had a feeling that it wouldn't help. If I was in her position, I'd be losing my shit.
"I have decided to free the sirens. They will be allowed to live in the Pacific City, Aegean City, or if they wish to find homes on land.
" Several of the tritons began talking all at once; they weren't happy.
Poseidon held up his trident and they fell silent.
"Natalia will be in charge of ensuring they do not cause any issues. My decision is final."
He put his fingers to his lips and whistled. Three tiger sharks at least ten feet long came from somewhere above us, pulling a sparkling chariot, minus the wheels.
"He's kidding, right? A shark drawn carriage?" I put my hand over my mouth to stop my giggle.
Poseidon's ears were better than anticipated, despite how quietly I'd said it to Morgan, and his eyes met mine. "Emma, Oscar, and Rupert don't appreciate you making fun of them, young lady."
My heart dropped and my eyes went wide. Poseidon threw his head back and laughed. He seemed in way too good of a mood considering I just killed his son.
"Natalia, I'll be waiting at the Pacific castle for you to bring the sirens." He pointed his trident ahead of him and the sharks took off with him in tow.
The rest of the tritons left us, and my mom let out a long chain of bubbles. "It almost seems too good to be true."
Finn made a dismissive sound. "He wouldn't have been laughing if his intention was to kill them."
My mom turned to me and took my hand. "How is your head?"
I'd completely forgotten about it and reached up to touch the spot I'd been hit. It was tender but felt like it had healed. "I'll be fine."
"I'm sorry I had to keep things from you. It was the only way to get rid of him and free the sirens." She wrapped me in a hug. "I'm proud of you."
"I killed him." I wrapped my arms around her, not knowing whether to celebrate that I'd killed a dangerous man or to be concerned I didn't feel bad about it. "What's going to happen now?"
She pulled away and looked over at Finn, who was talking to Olivia and my guys. "I start living the life I was always meant to live."
There was no tired like staring straight at Poseidon hoping he doesn't kill you tired. After parting ways with Finn, Olivia, and my mom, we headed back to the house.
As much as I wanted to meet the other sirens, I didn't have the energy—mentally or physically— to go with my mom. Really, what I wanted was everything to return to normal.
Normal as it could get with a tail.
Bubba and Cecilia swam up beside us as we swam. Morgan grabbed onto Bubba's fin and we increased our speed. I'd probably never get used to being around sharks.
I could barely move my limbs as we entered the cave. Jax, Morgan, and Blake had already lifted themselves out of the water and shifted back. I held onto the side and looked up at their naked bodies dripping with water.
"Are you coming?" Blake squatted down in front of me and my eyes widened. "You've seen it before, Ri."
"Not from this angle." I licked my lips. "And I think I'm coming."
He laughed and held out his hand for me to grab. He hoisted me onto the platform and then scooped me up.
He held me to his chest as he carried me to the elevator. I wanted to stay snuggled against him forever.
"I need to call Ivy." I laid my head against Blake's shoulder. "Olivia smashed my phone with her tentacle."
"Fuck." Jax's head thumped against the elevator wall as it began its ascent.
Morgan patted his shoulder. "She'll be fine. She's a strong girl."
I snorted because no girl wanted to have tentacles growing from her. It didn't help that the first time anyone saw her she'd been smacking the tritons around.
The elevator doors slid open and the cool air from the house made me shiver. Morgan grabbed the throw blanket off the couch as we passed and threw it over me before we headed upstairs.
"I need a hot shower and a soft pillow." I pulled the blanket close to me and breathed in the fabric softener scent. The guys were definitely on top of their cooking and cleaning game. "Who's going to help me shower?"
"I will."
I laughed at all three answering at once and wiggled my eyebrows. "I mean if all three of you want to help me, I'm not going to complain."
My laughter faded as they looked at each other, a quiet conversation passing between them. For the love of baby sharks, was I going to have a really hot shower?
"We can use my shower." Jax's voice made me shiver and my nipples harden.
I was being carried down the hall to the double doors of his room before I could even respond. We were already all naked so Jax turned on the shower and stepped in.
"You guys don't have to do this." I dropped the blanket once Blake put me down.
"It's just a friendly shower between a woman and her boyfriends, vixen." Morgan walked behind me and put his hands on my hips, leading me in and under the warm spray of water. His cock was already hard against the top of my ass.
I shut my eyes as water poured over my head. Morgan moved my hair over one shoulder and kissed down my neck. "Yeah, friendly, sure."
His hands came around me to cup my breasts. "We'll ensure not even an inch of you will go untouched."
I sighed and relaxed back against him. Blake stepped into the shower with a few washcloths and handed one to Jax.
"What are you going to do with those rags?" I felt a bit awkward standing naked in front of all three of them. Plus, showering with someone was very intimate.
Blake squirted bodywash on a rag and held it out for Jax. He took my hand and began rubbing in circles over my skin without saying a word.
I shut my eyes and let them clean me while Morgan washed my hair. I was so turned on from their lingering touches in certain areas that there was no way I was going to be able to sleep.
Jax moved behind me and pushed me against the shower window that overlooked the ocean. "Do you remember watching me as I stood just like this?"
How could I forget something like that? I braced my hands against the window and pushed my ass back against him. He groaned and pressed the tip of his cock against my entrance.
I looked over my shoulder to find Morgan and Blake stroking themselves as they watched Jax slide inside me. I gasped and pressed back into him, pushing him deeper.
He kissed across my shoulders and put his hands over mine, threading our fingers together. With every roll of his hips, my body wound tighter and tighter until I was trembling at the edge of my release.
He moved his hand with mine still entwined with his to my clit and our fingers worked together until I cried out as lightning bolts of pleasure traveled up from my toes.
My muscles contracted around him, and he groaned against my shoulder as he came inside me. He held me for a few minutes before pulling out and stepping back under the water.
I rinsed quickly and turned to Blake and Morgan, who had left the shower and were drying off. I stepped out and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around myself.
"So, uh..." I bit my lip and snuck a glance down at their erections. "This isn't awkward at all."
"It's only awkward if you make it awkward." Morgan grabbed my hand and led me into the bedroom. "Can you handle all three of us tonight?"
I dropped my towel. "I'm a siren. I could handle ten of you."
"Let's not go getting any ideas about that." Blake moved behind me and pushed me down so my ass was in the air and my hands braced on the bed. "Spread your legs, baby."
I did and he lowered to his knees behind me, kissing both of my ass cheeks. "I don't think I'm ready for-"
He thrust his fingers into me and I shuddered. "We won't go there... tonight."
Once I was panting with need, Blake stood and moved his hand up my back to my neck. He pulled me up and pressed against me. I was so turned on by how he was holding me I squeezed my legs together.
"Vixen likes it a little rough, doesn't she?" Morgan sat on the bed and stroked a hand down his cock. "You look like you're tired, why don't you sit down for a bit?"
I laughed and then groaned as Blake grabbed a handful of hair, turned my head, and brought my lips to his. Our tongues tangled and my legs trembled.
When our lips broke apart, we were both panting. Morgan had scooted back on the bed and was laying against the pillows. I crawled across to him and kissed up his thigh.
"Fuck." His head pushed back against the pillows as I licked him from root to tip.
I flicked at his piercings with my tongue and then took him in my mouth. His fingers massaged my scalp and I looked up to find Jax next to the bed, hard again. These men were insatiable.
But so was I. They'd stoked a fire inside me that only they could put out.
Blake moved in behind me and slid in with one smooth thrust. It was hard to stay focused on Morgan's cock when Blake was making me feel so good. Morgan didn't seem to mind he was sharing my attention and moved his hips off the bed in small thrusts, encouraging me to take him deeper.
Jax moved onto the bed on his knees, his hand pumping his dick. I moaned around Morgan as Jax stopped to the side of me and reached his hand down to rub my clit.
The room was filled with the sounds of skin against skin and pleasure. My orgasm spun down my spine and lit my entire body on fire. My eyes watered as Morgan came in my mouth.
My body felt heavy as Blake came with a shout. I collapsed forward onto Morgan, who grunted.
The only sound in the room was the sound of our breathing and then Jax's throaty laugh. "Never in a million years did I think I'd see the two of your orgasm faces."
I moved off of Morgan and then stood on shaky legs. "That was... amazing."
After cleaning up, all three of us settled into Jax's bed after some bickering over who would sleep next to me. I'd let them deal with the specifics of that.
"Finally, a soft pillow." I curled into Blake and Morgan scooted behind me and wrapped an arm around my waist.
"He is getting a bit squishy in the chest, isn't he?" Jax laid on the other side of Blake.
I yawned as Blake and Jax went back and forth about the squishiness of their pecs. I shut my eyes for the first time in a long time without any worries.
I stepped out onto the terrace attached to Jax's bedroom, taking in the blue expanse of ocean. I hadn't stopped to appreciate the true beauty of the house and its location until now.
The early morning light turned the sky gray, and in the distance, I heard a ship horn blow. It was peaceful looking out at the ocean and the waves rolling in to crash against the rocks below.
On Monday we'd return to Salinity Cove High and our normal lives. My life the past few months hadn't been easy, but instead of sinking into the depths, I'd emerged stronger and happier.
"What are you doing up so early?" Blake's raspy voice surrounded me and warmed me up. He wrapped his arms around me and put his chin on my shoulder. "Come back to bed."
"I want to go for a swim." I turned to face him and cupped his cheeks. "Let's dive off the cliff."
He moved his head back and looked me up and down. "Who are you and what have you done to Riley?"
I smacked his chest. "It's high tide, right? Let's do it." I wiggled out of his arms and shucked the blanket I had wrapped around me.
"It's pretty cold and shocking to the system." Blake was already taking off his boxers he had put on.
I couldn't blame them for all putting on underwear. Sleeping in the same bed with each other was a big deal. I'd stayed naked, enjoying the warmth of their bodies against my bare skin.
I popped my head into the bedroom. "We're going swimming. You two coming?"
Morgan and Jax both groaned at the same time and I laughed as Morgan threw a pillow at the door. I turned and ran down the terrace steps, to meet Blake waiting at the bottom.
"Are they coming?" Blake pulled me to him and kissed me gently.
"We're coming, geez," Jax grumbled, appearing naked at the top of the steps. That had been fast.
We walked to the railing at the edge of the cliff and I looked down at the water below. It was definitely high tide, but suddenly I wasn't so sure of my bravado.
"The most important thing you need to remember is when you jump, jump away from the cliff and in a dive position." Morgan climbed over the railing and stood on the lip, facing away from us. "And remember to keep your eyes open."
He dove off the side in a smooth arc that would put a dolphin to shame. I gripped the railing and considered going down to the cave instead.
"The first time is always the scariest." Blake was next to climb over the edge and jump.
Jax put his hand over mine. "We can both jump at the same time, if that will help."
I nodded, a lump of fear in my throat. I climbed over the railing first, holding on for dear life. The ledge was about a foot wide, so it wasn't like I was dangling off the side of the cliff, but it sure felt like it.
Jax climbed over and took my hand off the railing, holding it in his. "Ready?"
"Will it hurt?" I looked down at two heads looking up at us. "Why did I have this idea?"
"It's not going to hurt. Do you trust me?" Jax squeezed my hand.
He'd asked me that before and I hadn't. But standing next to him overlooking the ocean on the side of a cliff, I could say I did. I trusted all of them. "I do."
His eyes turned glossy and he cleared his throat. "What changed your mind?"
"People change." I took a deep breath. "Let's do it."
I didn't know what my crazy new life would bring, but I did know that I'd face it with three men by my side.
We counted down and jumped.
Thank you for reading Salinity Cove!