Page 16 of The Merciless

He did somethingcompletelydifferent.

The world seemed to blur around her as he let go of her hand and the back of her head to wrap a careful but shaking hand around her neck, her cheek, her face to pull her closer.

A soft sound left her throat, but Angel’s eyes were darting all across her face, as if busy looking and memorizing every inch of her face. As if searching for any remnants of any injuries.

“Angel,” she tried again but he didn’t hear it.

No, he just hauled her into a tight embrace. Her hands froze against his chest, a gasp leaving her when she felt him shake. He burrowed his face in the crook of her neck, and she couldn’t breathe, couldn’tthinkas she shook in his arms.

No one had done this. No one had gathered her in their arms like this.

“You’re actually alive.” He managed to croak out and she couldn’t help a soft chuckle.Had to stop herself from crying out loud,“This better not be a fucking dream.”

“Nightmare you mean,” she said with a wet chuckle, and he closed his eyes, breathing her in.

“Nothing with you in is a nightmare, Storm,” he said quietly and felt her shudder in his arms, “It hasn’t been for a while.”

Those words. Ray took a moment. Enough for him to go to tighten his hold on her and for her hand to suddenly wrap around his neck.

She heard him breathe out in relief as she tucked her face in his chest and rose on the tip of her toes to pull him closer. To breathe him in.

Coffee, cologne, and him. Only ever him.

“It hasn’t been for a while, huh?” she said lightly and laughed when his hold on her tightened,

“Don’t ruin this, Walker.”

“I won’t.” she replied and laughed again, “But seriously, I was dead for only one night.”

“Christ, I despise you.” He said but his words were muffled in her shoulder. Ray grinned into his chest,

“No, you don’t.” she sang.

“No, I don’t.”

And that was that.

4

That wasnotthat.

Definitely,painfullynot.

Because now she was standing with her hands on her hips and staring at the rest of the people sitting in her living room. The same people who were looking up at her for explanations. Ray scoffed at the look Akash shot her and crossed her arms,

“Getupyou ass,” she snapped and saw his eyes roll before he flopped back on the ground, “You’reinvolved in this too.”

“Whatever,” he muttered, and it was Sorin who decided to speak up in his heed,

“Itwasyou who decided to bring them in.”

Ray scoffed again and was about to respond when she heard Luke Hawthorne clear his throat from across the room, looking exhausted,

“Wait.” He began tiredly and turned to Angel, who was merrily standing in the doorway of the room with his arms crossed, “Wasn’t he the spy?”

“Or the bad guy?” Jack Davis added and rubbed his brows when none of them responded. Ray clicked her tongue but eyed the crowd, the room for what seemed like the first time. The living room of the penthouse was a large place, one that now had a ripped couch and a broken island kitchen. The sun was beginning to set, casting the room with a faint purple hue as Ray looked at the rest of them. Angel was standing to her side, far away as he leaned against the doorway and looked at her discretely.

She didn’t really know what to do with him yet.

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