Page 24 of The Merciless

After we’ve been through so much,she didn’t have to continue.

“Where didwefit into all this?” Angel asked softly, showing his resolve as Ray turned to him, her gaze going soft as she played with her fingers in her lap, “Were you planning on making us invisible as well?”

Ray breathed out, “It was the same plan. We picked out the Larsen’s people one by one. Over the years I was able to scout and remove some people without causing any suspicion. Anyone who worked for them remained unhappy, so that wasn’t all that difficult.”

She looked up at him, a set to her jaw, “But with you, with your people, they didn’twantto leave. So, I had to go for a different tactic.”

He clenched his teeth at the shift in her gaze,

“Hence the alliance. It would make it easier for me to remove you alongside the Lions.”

He kept his head up, wanting to question her further. But she must’ve seen it in his eyes, because out of nowhere she shook her head, getting up on her feet stealthily as she said in a dry voice,

“I think that’s about enough explanations for today,” she said, a rasp to her tone as the others got up as well. Angel didn’t notice Akash stretch, didn’t see Myra and Irene groan out loud. Hell, didn’t even notice his own friends as they got to their feet. Angel just followed their actions, his eyes hell-bent on Ray as she lookedeverywhereelse,

“You all can stay here. I think I’m going to go for a walk. I’ll be back tomorrow morning.”

“Be careful.” Came Irene’s unhurried response as Ray turned on her heels and grabbed what looked like a ruined wig and a beige purse. He pursed his lips as he saw her nod in Ira’s direction once before she placed her hand on the doorknob.

“I will.” He heard her voice. Heard a slight tremor in her words as she pulled open the door with more force than necessary and walked right out. Angel’s lips parted, a sudden silence settling in his mind as he watched the door close, heard the soft click, andgone.

She was just gone.

Angel scrunched his brow. Hadn’t even noticed Jack’s words beside him before he wrenched himself out of his reverie and stalked right toward the door to pull it open.

“Oh-kay,”he heard Jack’s voice somewhere in the roar of his mind but ripped the door open and strode right out, slamming it behind him with force. He barely blinked as he saw the elevator go down and grit his teeth, his hands clenching at his side as he waited for it to come for him.

They’d been running for a while now. In circles. In a path. Across one another.

No more.

Not anymore.

* *

So, what changed?

She’d seen those words shine in his eyes. He might as well have been screaming them at her. The thought unnerved her, made her jittery and jumpy. Maybe that’s why she’d run out the doors without any more explanations.

And maybe that’s why she was still fucking running.

This was such a bad idea considering how half the world knew she was in a coma and thought she was already dead. And the fact that she was running atnight,with nothing but a knife taped to her thigh.

Andthe fact that she’d thrown her wig in the trash the minute she’d stepped out of the building.

Ray groaned out, throwing her head back before letting out a wail. Another bad idea. But today was filled with bad ideas.

And maybe by following those she could stop feeling a certain someone’s hands on her waist, twisted in her hair, pulling her closer until her entire body was flush with his. Until he covered her lips with his own and–

Tap, tap, tap.

Ray blinked out of her daze, her pace slowing as she heard footsteps near her at a deathly speed.

She risked a soft glance over her shoulder and almost froze on the spot. Because right under the night dark sky, Angel De Santos was running towards her with the most serious expression on his face.

“Holy shit,” she whispered and increased her pace, turning over her shoulder to confirm– andyep, that was him.Ray scrunched her brows, and yelled out,

“You can’t run after a girl at night like that!”

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