Page 61 of The Merciless

Scratch. Not. One. Scratch.

She saw Micah try to dart forward, but Ciera was trained enough to see it coming. She took a step back, taking Ira with her as she huffed out to remove the stray piece of unbound hair from her face,

“Call yourdog back,”she snarled, her voice dry, “Call him back or I kill her.”

Ray contemplated for a second and Ciera might’ve seen it because she smiled wickedly, and suddenly she was unrecognizable, “I’d do it in a heartbeat Raylene Walker. You shoot me, but I’ll take her down with me.” To emphasize her point she dragged that knife up to Ira’s left eye. Ray’s heart shook, fear andrageovertaking her as she saw Ciera tip the edge of the knife right below her eye. Testing her.

“Get behind me.” Ray ordered but didn’t look away from Ira, “Get thefuckbehind me Micah.”

“We can take–”

A wretched scream lifted in the air as Ciera cut a straight line below Ira’s eyes, deep enough to scar. Ray growled loudly, her bodyshakingas she yelled at Micah, “Behind me. Now!”

She was going to enjoy killing her.

Micah moved. Ray watched Ira, heard her sobs as blood dripped from the ripped skin below her eye. Ciera laughed against her ear, “You know the drill,” she continued, “Now the gun. Get rid of the bullets fist.”

Ray’s jaw ticked, her mind racing as she followed her instructions. The bullets fell to the ground withclinksthat echoed all across the larger space, each sound making Ira and Micah flinch. Each echo sharpening Ciera’s glare and Ray’s idea.

Ira’s eyes found hers, a brief state of fear andpleadingflashing through them as she shook in Ciera’s arms.I’m sorry,Ray wanted to say but instead strengthened her resolve. Saidtrust meinstead. Ciera barely noticed Ira’s nod. Was too focused on the gun in Ray’s hands.

“NOW!”she screamed, and Ray winced, willing her body to relax.

“Christ,” she muttered and shot Ciera a tired look, “I’m doing it. Calm the fuck down.”

Ciera’s gaze narrowed, but Ray squatted, making a show of putting her gun down while her eyes remained on the knife poised against Ira’s throat. She gave herself a mental countdown, knowing Ira was watching her.Hopingthat she would pull Ciera’s arm away from her when Ray acted.

“Quitdawdling,”Ciera seethed andthat’s it.Her hold slackened.

Ira felt it.

Ray saw it.

And didn’t dare smirk as she whipped her hand back and threw the empty gun right at Ciera’s head.

Ira. That littlegeniusripped Ciera’s arm away with a shrill yell of fury and ducked as the gun connected with Ciera’s nose. Ray ran forward as Ira jerked away from her in a frenzy and ran in her direction only to collide right into her arms.

Ray returned her embrace briefly, relief flowing through her as she let go of the sobbing girl and moved so she was hidden at her back, between her and Micah.

“Stay behind me,” Ray snapped, boding no argument, “Both of you.”

Ciera’s groan reverberated through the air as Ray darted forward and saw the knife she was still clutching in her hands. She looked over the blood gushing from her nose and opened her mouth to speak when Ciera snapped ahead with a yell and tried to slash Ray’s face. Ray moved back stealthily, already seeing that move as she took the opportunity to grab Ciera’s wrist. She pressed the point on her wrist, enticing a scream from the woman’s lips as she dropped her knife to the ground.

Ray moved quickly, darting forward to grab the gun that was hanging in the waistband of Ciera’s jeans. She tucked it in hers before grabbing both her wrists and twisting her around, so she was face flat on the floor. An annoyed yell surprised Ray as she held both her wrists behind her back with one hand and grabbed a fistful of her hair in the other.

She looked over her shoulder, her eyes narrowing at the two pairs of eyes staring at her in half wonder, half fear,

“Look away children.” She chastised and nudged her chin for them to follow her instructions, “And cover your ears.”

She didn’t wait to see if they’d listened. Just went down on one knee with a sigh and pulled Ciera’s head back with her hair. Ray leaned down, bringing her lips close to Ciera’s ears to whisper,

“Who do you work for?”

Ray didn’t really wait for a response. Just pulled her head back to a dangerous angle andslammedit down on the concrete floor. Thecracksounded in the air, a wretched scream leaving Ciera’s lips in a gurgle as Ray pulled her head back again.

“Talk Ciera, today.” She whispered again and when Ciera waited for a beat, she slammed her head on the floor again, a sickening sound rising with her action as Ciera let out a howl, mixed with a delirious sob,

“Go on.”

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