Page 25 of The Merciless

“Stop running then.”Came his unfazed, loud response.

Ray tsked and turned on her heels, running backward now as she saw him near her. His eyes widened from the distance, his pace increasing as a worry set over his brows,

“Hey!” he called out, “Quitdoing that!”

She rolled her eyes in response but continued running backward, wanting him to get near her faster. To get to her quicker. And Angel. The boy she’d known for a few days, ran likehell.

That amber sheen darkened with the night sky, the dark locks of his hair falling atop his forehead as he ran faster. Ray couldn’t help the small bubble of laughter, couldn’t help the unbelievable grin that spread across her lips at the sight of him. Her heart was racing now, probably from having run this far.

Probably at the way he was looking so damned serious.

Maybe that’s why she stopped paying attention to the way she was running. And maybe that was why she didn’t notice her laces tear open. The world tilted for her out of nowhere, a surprised breath leaving her lips as she stepped on the laces and fell back. Her arms flailed back, a small yelp on her tongue as she braced herself for the impact.

Except it didn’t come.

Because warm, large hands suddenly caught at her waist and her hand, and suddenly, Angel was breathing down on her, his eyes wide in concern as he looked at her, “Are you okay–” he began but only cut off as her hands twisted in the fabric of his t-shirt and they went stumbling down on the concrete ground.

Apparently, gravity waited for no one.

Fuckinggravity.

Ray’s mind spun, a curse leaving her lips as she shut her eyes and felt a large hand cover the back of her head before she slammed upon the concrete ground. The impact came with a hot slap of pain. It rushed down her spine, making her back arch as a groan left her lips. Angel hovered atop her, grunting in surprise but still holding the back of her head.

“Youidiot,”he huffed and shifted so he was face-to-face with her. Ray’s eyes shot open, going wide at their proximity as he looked around for any other injuries, murmuring in Spanish under his breath.

Did she say fucking gravity?

She’d probably meantI. Fucking. Love. Gravity.

Causegod,he looked beautiful this close.

And looking at him like this, she couldn’t really help the amused chuckle that left her lips.

Those amber eyes shot up to hers, narrowing in a familiar glare as his fingers twisted in her hair,

“This is funny?” he drawled in a low voice, a hint of accent betraying his words. Ray chuckled again, her entire body shuddering with the movement as he shook his head. Rose to his elbow and glared down at her.

“I can’t believethisis how we went down,” she spluttered and lolled her head on the ground as another jerk of laughter left her lips, “Good catch.”

“Dios,”he murmured and got off her, not making a sound as he got to his feet. But when she stared back at him, she could see his face was averted from hers, trying and failing to hide a small grin. Ray’s smile extended.

“Are yousmiling?”she sang quietly as she sat up beside him. Angel’s shoulders shook as she placed a hand against the back of his neck.

It was warm and cold at the same time, the brush of his soft against her fingers as she teased,

“Come on Santos, stop trying to kid yourself–”

His head turned, a subtle but sleek smile on his face as he timed their proximity perfectly. Ray’s breath staggered, her heart stopping for a second before speeding up again.

Her stomach felt as though it were in knots, a terrible sense of paranoia and something utterly different seizing her bones as Angel leaned in closer. His eyes remained terribly focused on hers as his hand wrapped around the back of her neck.

As his thumb grazed her jaw and he pulled her closer.

The world seemed tosilencewhen he closed that distance.

And seemed toscreamwhen he kissed her. Ray’s breath left her, her strength failing as she fell back and Angel leaned closer. He silenced her breathless gasps and held her close as his lips just moved and slid.

Had anyone ever felt such gravity towards one another? Had anyone felt this much breathless relief in such a gesture?

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