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Morgan followed the sea wall along Marine Parade, alternately searching the incoming tide, and avoiding looking at the beach and the surging waves.
Hunter’s return had started a tsunami of conflicting emotion in her. He and Jarrod were creatures she never dreamed existed. But when Hunter entered Skye’s life, somehow their love and his magic, or whatever it all was, had thrown Morgan into the arms of someone she should have run screaming from, not fallen for.
She halted. Fallen for Jarrod? Why would she even entertain that possibility? He was despicable. Although... Morgan started walking again. She’d never told Skye – she barely had the chance before Skye went missing – but she’d seen something in Jarrod. A glimpse of something...intriguing. She’d sensed delight.
Not just a gloating delight that he had her in his power. Not just his pleasure at the control she gave him over Hunter. It had seemed pure and unconsciously given, like a child receiving an unexpected gift and loving it. An echo of who he used to be? Or all part of the trick? Smoke and mirrors.
No, this was all her. It killed her to admit it, but she was turning out to be an utter cliché. What was it about charming, dangerous boys?
“Like old times, isn’t it?”
Morgan jumped as she spun to meet Liam Noble’s amused eyes. “What is?”
“You and me,” his crooked smile was disarming, his dishevelled hair and expensive casual clothing adding to his air of pampered ease.
Heat rushed up her neck, but she managed to hold a poker face. “There is no ‘you and me’,” she kept walking along the pavement, not looking at him or the sea. Liam Noble. What was he doing back in Bannimor?
“There was, though. Just like this, meeting up on the waterfront.”
Morgan didn’t reply, thankful yet again that he couldn’t know how eerily close to her thoughts his comments were. There was no way he could know what had been passing through her mind.
“I miss those times. Miss you...” he murmured.
Morgan rolled her eyes, barely masking her snort of derision. “We both know that’s not true. And you know what? I don’t care. I didn’t then, and I don’t now.”
Liam’s hand on her arm halted her. “I never meant to hurt you. I didn’t know I...” he cleared his throat, not quite meeting her eyes.
“...Was using me as a substitute for Gina?”
His eyes tightened at the name. “That wasn’t exactly what –”
“Don’t worry, you didn’t hurt me,” she cut him off, turning away, but he kept pace with her.
“I’m glad. You’re the strongest person I know. You probably didn’t even notice I wasn’t around anymore.”
It might have been meant as a compliment, but the painful breakup was too fresh in her memory. And the sentiment had the insincere ring that so much of what he said did. More smoke and mirrors.
He stopped walking, “People tell you to ‘move on’. I tried to.” A note of pain in his low voice caught her attention and she turned back to him. “Sometimes it’s not that simple,” he looked away from her to the sea. “Sometimes you’re trapped when you can’t get answers. And when your guesses seem crazy.”
Her eyes followed his pensive gaze searching the waves, and goosebumps crept over her skin. His theories about his missing girlfriend and sea spirits had sounded insane. When Morgan looked at him again, he was watching her, his eyes focused with speculation. She tensed.
“I heard the oddest story about you going for a midnight swim alone. Or coming back alone. In the wee hours? Your friend Skye met you on the beach. You might even have been described as staggeringly drunk. Certainly staggering.” He shook his head, tut-tutting, “And both out so late.”
She bristled at the probing curiosity behind his banter. “So what?” The night Hunter freed her from Jarrod. “You’ve never swum at night?” Her heart thudded. How had he found out about that?
“Not usually clothed,” he wriggled his eyebrows, smiling suggestively, changing the tone with such lightning speed she wondered if she’d misunderstood.
“And wasn’t your mystery guy there?”
“Mystery guy?” her voice was suddenly breathless.
“Yeah. I heard he was dating Skye before her missing-at-sea drama,” he said casually, “or was it you...? Before he disappeared into thin air, I mean.”
“Hunter’s not mysterious,” she hid her relief with exasperation, “And he hasn’t disappeared. He’s working at Bliss,” she said blandly, emphasising Hunter’s normality, but regretted it at once.
“Bliss. Ah. I’ve been meaning to stop by and try the famous coffee. Didn’t get a chance at the opening.”
“When you gave Mum her eviction notice, you mean? But sure, stop on by. Best coffee in town,” Morgan said coolly.
“So I’ve heard.”
“The one thing you’ve heard that’s true,” Morgan forced a tight smile and turned quickly away, keeping her pace at a steady walk when all she wanted to do was run. How had she ever found that guy charming?
She reached the steps closest to the end of the beach and looked back. Liam had gone, but his words circled in her brain as she descended to the sand and stared out across the Bay. About one thing he was one hundred percent right: sometimes you’re trapped when you can’t get answers. And when your guesses seem crazy.
She had to know if anything with Jarrod was real. And the only way was to ask him. He was an evil jerk who didn’t deserve the chance to explain. But she deserved answers.
She strode across the sand towards the short outcrop still accessible despite the rising tide. Was she risking her safety? Physical force wasn’t his style, and she could easily keep distant from his reach. He hadn’t been able to mesmerise her until he’d tricked her into the water. No matter how persuasive he was, that wouldn’t work a second time. Even if she only heard more lies, at least she would know that’s all he was. A Liar. Then she could let all this go.
The short outcrop was empty. Feeling stupid, but angry enough to keep moving, Morgan clambered to the rocks at the end. Now what? she wondered.
That first time, drawn by some mood she still didn’t understand – a wistful longing for what Skye had, maybe – she came here imagining finding her own sea boy. And she had. He’d been sitting at the end of these rocks, right where she stood now.
She hadn’t been sure he was one of them at first. But he was beautiful and exciting. She’d sensed darkness in him, but the light of his smile dispelled her caution. Stupid girl. She was mad at herself that even now, the idea of seeing him thrilled her even when it was terrifying. Stupid cliché girl.
She kicked a shell so that it skittered off the edge of the rock and shimmied down through the clear water. This was dumb. The chances of ever seeing him again were remote. And getting straight answers from him even more remote. Could he wish her anything but ill?
She began to turn back, when a shadow in the water made her heart leap and plummet, flooding with brain-numbing adrenalin and anticipation. She recognised Jarrod before he even surfaced.
Her feet wouldn’t move, and the shame of him walking through her innermost thoughts and feelings threatened to make her vomit. All she felt for a moment was hatred for the creature who had used his dark magic on her for his own ends.
But when he pulled himself smoothly from the water and stood dripping on the rocks before her, her heart thudded.
He drew himself up proudly, as if to show superiority. But in his eyes, this time, all she saw was a boy. A boy, spoilt and frustrated, confused as hell, and as angry as she was. Huh. Unexpected.
