Page 15 of The Merciless

“You do this, I’m never letting you go, Raylene Walker.”

Ray’s voice was a whisper when she stared back and felt his body shudder against hers,

“You keep your promise, and then we’ll see.”

“Fuck you, Raylene Walker.”

Ray blinked.

And Angel, the boy who’d gotten in the way of a bullet for her, who’d handled her drunk ass, who’d made promises without evenknowingher, just twisted his hands around her body and haphazardly brought his lips down to hers.

It happened so fast, soquickthat she wasn’t sure if there was air in her lungs. If there was enough blood in her heart to keep heralive.

Because Angel De Santos kissed and killed at the same time.

Ray’s response was quick. Was sharp and messy just likehim.Her eyes fell shut, her chest rising as his free hand grasped the side of her neck and pulled her closer.

Angel kissed her frantically.

Explosively.

Like he couldn’t get enough.

And she hadn’t feltanythinglike this.

He moved his lips against hers with enough grip, with enough friction that a gasp left her throat, half moan halfinsane.

Angel breathed out, his chest rumbling with a faint sound of satisfaction as she raised her free hand and wrapped it behind his neck to pull him closer. Deeper.

And Angel, he moved them backward until her back touched the wall of the closed room. Didn’t stop kissing her.

This.This was what she’d been afraid of. What she’d been thinking of doing fordaysnow.

And it was going to completely cause havoc on her plans, but as Angel moved closer. As he deepened the kiss and raised his hand to the back of her head to grasp strands of her hair and pull hercloser,she couldn’t really care. Couldn’t breathe. Didn’t want to. And this was so stupid. It was so beautifullystupid.

But maybe she wanted stupid.

“Fuck you,Raylene Walker,”he rasped when he pulled away by a millimeter. Ray groaned when he ran his hand through the mess of her hair, “For making a mess of me.”

He bit her lips and let go, stinging and easing at the same time.

“For destroying me with one glance.”

Her back arched but Angel only sucked all her air out of her by sealing their lips and letting go.

“For becoming a drug I’d never quit.”

Ray barely had time to gasp for air but didn’t care when he laced his hand around her waist and pulled her flush against him.

This time when he pulled away, that anger hadn’t dulled. It hadn't disappeared. It had simply morphed into something far more dangerous. Something more foreign and familiar at the same time.

Itterrifiedher.

But that wasn’t going to stop him from getting him to keep his promise.

“I’m not going to stop.”

“Angel–” she began but he…

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