“That’s one word the people in this town used to describe me.” I glanced around at the other crew members. A few more of the guys had decided this wasn’t worth it and had grabbed their bags and left, which meant I only had five, including Taylor. Joey stuck around, he always did. “Other descriptions include mad and crazy.”
“I’m serious, Ethan. You don’t even know who he is.” He glared at Boy, jaw tight. “He could be a spy.”
“A spy?” I snorted. “Who the fuck would he be spying for? Oh, maybe he’s really a secret agent for the government. They’re onto us. They know we’re right and merpeople exist.” Rolling my eyes, I shrugged. As much as I believed they existed—I’dseenone—everyone else thought I’d gone off my rocker like Dad. No one else was searching like we were. “He’s a guy we found in the water who can’t remember his name or how he got there.”
“It’s risky bringing him on the boat,” Taylor continued with a growl. He stormed over to Boy and leaned down. “Who. Are. You?”
My blood boiled, and I stalked over to Taylor, grasping his arm and yanking him away from Boy. “He’s here because I said so. Stay away from him. You’re forgetting who’s the captain.”
“You?” He laughed and shook his head. “You’re bringing a fucking stranger onto this boat. He doesn’t even know his own name. He’s a dumbass.”
I didn’t know what compelled me to do it, but I swung, my knuckles meeting Taylor’s cheek and sending him flying to the side. He nearly went overboard onto the jetty but caught himself on the railing. Grabbing his cheek and wincing in pain, Taylor glared.
“Fuck you, Ethan. I’m done.” He grabbed his duffel bag and threw it over his shoulder, striding across the gangway and onto the jetty.
The other crewmen grumbled, but they followed, and I watched them, not caring enough to stop them.
Joey crossed his arms. The afternoon sun glinted across his hair and the boat as it slowly descended. “Now what?”
I stared at the glowing horizon and smirked. “Now, we go chase mermen.”
“With just the three of us?” Joey peeked a look at Boy. “What do you call him if he doesn’t remember his name?”
“You can call him John. He’s Boy to me.”
The good thing about Joey is that he didn’t question me. He was the kind of dude who went with the flow.
He shrugged. “When do we leave?”
