Page 12 of The Merciless

Ray jumped at the muffled voice that echoed through the corridor and blinked as a series of thuds and crashes followed the words. Her expression dropped to disdain, her hold on her purse tightening as she all butranin the direction of the door of the penthouse.

The key was in her hand when she reached the door and was about to open it when athudslammed against the door.

Ray jumped, a shiver raking down her spine before she stuck the key in the lock and sent one last prayer up to the universe,

“God give me strength.” She managed to whisper before pulling the door open.

And gasped as she took themessinside.

“Man,let him go!”a familiar voice screeched just as Ray groaned and ran inside, making sure to close the door. She ripped her wig off as she jumped over the glass shards on the floor and the broken couch in the living room.

“You tell me where she is–”

“Oh my fucking God…she’s coming you dickhead–”

Ray was breathing harshly when she ran towards the room on the far end of the house and screeched to a halt when–

Oh fuck.

Ray stilled. A gasp stuck in her throat when she saw Angel De Santos’s hands on Akash Smith’s neck as he shoved him against the wall, looking absolutelymurderous. And despite all the others being in the room, despite her friends,hisfriends, failing to stop him, she couldn’t look away.

Him. And only ever fuckinghim.

When had it all gone so wrong?

His arm, hisinjuredarmshook,and itallcame rushing back. Him jumping in the way. The bullet. The war. The coma. His words. A hot bolt of rage shot through her chest.

Akash’s face was turning blue when his eyes finally snapped to hers and widened.

“There,”he managed to wheeze out before Ray’s thread of patience just…snapped.

“HEY!”

Angel let go of Akash so fast that the other boy fell on the floor loudly and began coughing immediately. Ray was breathing harshly when she saw Christina’s head whip in her direction and heard Luke’s gasp.

“So it’s true...” She heard Mia murmur but didn’t really give a shit.

Her eyes shot to Akash, who was scrambling on the wall to get up as Myra went to his side and pulled him up. She glanced back at Angel, making sure to keep her glare intact when he turned.

Almostweakenedwhen she saw his amber eyes flare in relief. When the locks of his dark hair swayed with the wind. When she saw the bruise on his cheek.

Her eyes narrowed, “What thefuckare you doing?” she snapped and saw Angel arch a brow, completely unfazed as he faced her and tugged at the cuff of his sleeves,

“Trying to get some information around here,” he replied just as venomously.

“By wreaking havoc in my house?”

“My house actually.”Akash rasped silently but shut up when Ray shot him a deadly glare. Her ruffled hair slipped over her shoulder as she took a step forward.

“Well, you weren’t here. So, I thought I’d get acquainted.” He continued icily, “You didfakebeing in a coma. Who knows what else you’re hiding?”

A hell of a lot.

“Out.” She snapped without breaking her gaze from Angel’s. And when none of them moved, her voice dropped an octave,

“Everyone fuckingout.”

One by one, following Akash and Sorin, the girls filed out of the room behind her. The only ones left were Angel and his people. His group. They didn’t move an inch. Her brow arched, her heartwildin her chest.

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