Page 4 of The Merciless

“What about Mia?” Angel deflected, unable to return her conviction despite the spirits with which he’d left Ray’s room. Christina barely blinked at his question and laced her hands together before responding,

“She did it. The vial worked.”

Angel’s eyes flared, a hot rage curling through him. Her shoulders straightened as he took a step forward and forced himself to breathe past his excitement, “Get everyone together. I don’t give a shit about what Kyle has to say. We better be on a flight outtonight.”

Twelve hours.

Christina nodded again and nudged her chin in the direction of the exit of the hallway, “We should get back to the house to get everything.”

And everyone,she didn’t add.

Angel looked past her shoulder and back at her again, “Send Mia and Jack with me,” he said, lowering his voice from any prying eyes,

“You and Luke can handle Kyle. They’ll have to stay here for Ray. And if not Kyle, Vera would be here.”

“Don’t,”he said and implored her to understand the gravity of his words, “Let Kyle get a whiff of this.”

This is mine.

Christina inclined her head in understanding, an equal amount of rage shining in her stance as she stepped back, “Miranda and Martin,” she said before walking away and Angel nodded in response, his fingers balling into tight fists at her words,

“Don’t worry about it.” He responded calmly and turned to move out the doors before she could continue speaking. He heard theclick-clackof her heels echo away, and let loose an exhale. His blood was thrumming with anticipation at the thought of facing Akash again. It wasn’t going to be easy, and was probably going to end in more bloodshed, but at this point…

He couldn’t bring himself to care.

2

Convincing his stepmother to get off this wretched island required a lot more than soft pleas and words. No, it required all three of them begging with their hands laced to get her out of here.

“Maplease,”Mia Andrews cried for what seemed like the fifth time. And if Miranda Andrews didn’t budge this time, he was going to lose his shit. He loved his step-mother, but eventhisseemed like hell now,

“Look,” Miranda said, standing firm with her hands crossed, “As long as Martin stays on this island. I staywithhim.”

Angel finally let loose an exhausted sigh and just turned away when Miranda’s head snapped in his direction, her eyes softening at the white bandage that was wrapped around his hand, “You can’t just whisk me off at any sign of trouble. I’m a part–”

“Miranda.”

Martin De Santos’s voice was like bricks rubbing together,rawwith ages of butchered hatred. Angelalmostflinched in surprise but caught himself in time as his father strode in. He was wearing a clean-cut suit, impersonating a powerful man as he walked past Angel and placed his hands on his wife’s shoulders,

“Let’s get out of here.” He said in a gentle voice. In a voice, he’dneverheard him use. Angel fought the rush of rage that rose up his spine when Miranda weakened at his words,

“But–” she started when Martin cut her off just as softly,

“We have business to attend to. I need you with me.”

While his stepsister mimed gagging beside him, Angel took a step back, away from the man he hadn’t been able to recognize for a while now.

Martin was like a shadow in his life, more so ever sincehe’dtaken over every single aspect of the business, of the gang.

It was tedious for a fifteen-year-old back then, but he’d proven himself well.

And hadearnedto do as he wished in the future.

That didn’t include watching his father turn into a man he was not.

So he turned on his heels, making sure to keep his face blank as he made to walk out the open doors of Miranda’s room when Martin’s voice thundered behind him,

“I wouldchange,Angel,”

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