Page 26 of The Merciless

She did.

Her body arched upwards, and Ray opened her mouth into the kiss, unable to help herself as she wrapped her hands around the back of his neck. Twisted it in the knots of his hair.

Angel held her now, both his hands around her waist as he pulled her to sit atop him, her body flush against his. She felt his groan rumble through his chest and heard it leave his lips as she returned the gesture.

“Thought you’d avoid me forever.” Angel murmured against her lips when she pulled back slightly, trying to catch her breath.

“It was a few minutes.” She whispered.

“Seemed likedecades.”

Ray couldn’t help the soft breathless laugh that left her lips.

He watched her as if noting her every expression, her every moment. And filled that silence with words she didn’t want to hear yet,

“We need to talk, Storm.” He said and tugged a strand of her hair behind her ear, his touch soft. Ray almost melted into it but relented by the conviction in his eyes.

“You want to talk on the empty road, Santos?” she whispered and leaned forward. Angel held her weight like it was nothing, a dark look entering his eyes as he tilted his chin to gaze up at her,

“Don’t get smart with me, Walker.”

A chuckle left her lips, but she nodded, moving to get off him. Angel didn’t let go of her hand though, held it tightly as she carefully got to her feet and stared down at him.

“Well?” she asked with an arch of her brow, “Come on. I have a place we can go to.”

Angel raced his free hand through his hair but nodded.

And didn’t let go of her hand once.

6

“Idon’t give a shit about what the romance genre states,” Angel snapped from beside her, “I’m not sleeping on the fucking terrace in the middle of winter.”

Ray rolled her eyes, “It’s Spring.” She said and scowled when he crossed his arms.

“It’s winter at night.”

“Christ.”

They’d stepped into the elevator of their building, but instead of heading to the same floor as before, Ray had pressed the one on the very top. One that led to the terrace. And a small house she’d made for herself in secret.

But Angel didn’t know that.

The elevatordingedas they reached the floor and opened with a soft rustle. Ray blinked at the door up ahead and stepped out with Angel in tow. Ray shot him a look before he could open his mouth to say anything and saw him fall silent with a small pout. He still held her hand though, as if he were afraid she might disappear. And a part of her was grateful to him for it. Because she knew she very wellcould.

Ray shook herself out of that daze and pulled open the terrace door. A gush of wind greeted them, the cold engulfing their bodies as Angel swore behind her. The air rushed into her ears, filling her lungs as she breathed it in and strode ahead. Indeed, it was cold, but it was nothing compared to how it had been on that island. That cold had been deserted. Had been lonely.

This greeted them with familiar sounds and echoes of warmth.

It was astonishing how the same wind was different everywhere.

Her gaze snagged on the door to her side as she stepped onto the grey concrete. It led to the house she hadn’t been to in a while now. A place she and Lia had dreamt of making. Her breath loosened at the thought, but she plowed forth, smiling at the view that greeted her from far away. She turned to look at Angel, who was shivering but had his eyes set on the dark sky above them.

“So many stars,” she heard him murmur and saw him tremble. Ray shifted closer to him, trying to give him her warmth when he looked down at her with a soft look in his eyes, “I’ve never seen a clear sky like this.”

Ray smiled and looked up as well, “It’s amazing what you can see when you just turn the lights off.” She whispered in response, “Something changes in sheer darkness. But only because it shines right through it.”

Angel huffed out a laugh behind her, “Light has its way of ripping through the night sky,” he looked down at her, “Doesn’t it?”

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