Page 44 of The Merciless

“It’s familiar. Doesn’t it resemble that one gang that Angel De Santos was known to have destroyed a while back?”

And it clicked.

Ray made sure to keep the surprise off her face as she turned to Neera. Shot her a discreet look as she veered Vera’s attention elsewhere, “So,” she said and led the girl back to the sofa, “How was your flight?”

Neera and Myra moved fast behind her as Vera flopped down on the sofa, completely unbothered, “What?” she asked, “Not going to ask me how I knew about you?”

Ray’s mind was too caught up to answer her question. Which is why she patted her shoulder impatiently, “Uhuh,” she said and smiled at Vera, “Why don’t you tell me without wasting anymore time?”

“I pieced it together when I saw Cameron step out of your room.”

Ray blinked and slammed back to reality, “You knew sincethen?”she almost screeched and Vera shrugged,

“I just assumed you were involved in something else.”

“So why didn’t you say anything to Kyle or Maya?”

A dark look shifted in her eyes, “I was going to,” she began, and her hold on the sofa tightened, “But then I saw how she handled that young girl and how you stepped in between and I,” her voice caught, and Ray saw the first glimpse offeelingin the girl’s expression, “I couldn’t say anything after that.”

A rare sort of sympathy rose in Ray’s chest at the sight of this girl. Vera seemed to notice her expression because she waved her off and continued, “I knew that wherever you were involved, Akash would be too, so that was another incentive to keep my mouth shut.”

“Aww,”Ray coddled playfully and laughed as Vera shot her a deathly glare, “You big softy–”

Vera slapped her hand away and mumbled under her breath, “I couldn’t have it getting back to me.”

Ray hummed and patted Vera’s hair, “You big selfish softy,” she cooed and barely felt the sting as Vera slapped her hand away again and let out an outrageous sound.

Ray’s gaze lifted to the stairs, her mind stalling at the silence that spread through the upper floor. Wondered if she should go upstairs and make sure Sorin was alright.

“Are youfuckingserious–”

Ray’s attention snapped up, her eyes going wide as she saw Kyle storm out of the room on the top of the stairs. His blonde hair was a mess as looked back at Sorin, who had followed him and was now sighing. Ray’s head tilted at the life that had now returned in Kyle’s stance as he angrily pointed at something down the stairs.

Someone.

Ray frowned when she realized it washerhe was pointing at and crossed her arms as Kyle threw his hands in the air dramatically and started yelling. Again.

“She tried tokill me!”he said, sounding awfully annoyed by the fact as Sorin took a few steps forward, “And now you want me to what? Protect this miserable–”

His yells cut off as Sorin grabbed onto Kyle’s t-shirt andhauledhim closer. Ray couldn’t really believe her eyes but knew what she was seeing was true when Noah groaned and turned away from the scene. Sorin Hassan was kissing Kyle fucking Larsen.

“Oh.” Irene said, not looking away as she said to Myra, “He’s really going at it, isn’t he?”

Sorin just raised his middle finger without breaking the kiss.

“Yeah, Sorin!”Neera yelled and Ray saw Sorin pull away. She cackled when Myra whooped from her side and Noah shuddered.

She saw Sorin look directly into Kyle’s eyes, his height giving him the power to support poor Kyle’s weight as he swayed deliriously.

Ray grinned when she heard him say,

“Okay?”

She’d never seen Kyle nod this quickly in his life.

“Okay.”

“Wow.”Irene said loudly and turned to Ray, “Think that’ll work on Angel?”

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