Page 84 of The Merciless

And when they collided, both of them almost fell over. But it didn’tmatter.Not with Angel’s hand clasped around her waist and his head burrowed in the hollow of her neck. Not with her hands around his neck and her lips kissing his shoulders.

They were here. They were safe.

Angel used their momentum to maneuver them until they stood still, Ray with her back to Miranda and Angel with his to Martin.

It all happened so fast.

Soquickthat under the pounding of their thundering hearts, they feltnothing.Angel placed a hand against her waist and kept the other propelled ahead over her shoulder, his gun poised forward.

Everyone could do nothing butwatch.Ray lifted her chin high enough to glare down at the man who had been standing behind Angel as she took up the same pose. She showed him everyounceofmalice, ofdeathwritten plain on her face as Angel lifted his own gaze to the woman that had been standing behind Ray.

They moved at the same time.

So fast that no one saw them move as both of them lifted their pistols in the air. Pointed it in the direction of their enemies.

And it all wentbang!

Bang!

Suddenly all Ray could remember was that time when she’d entered the underworld for the first time, and everyone used toscreamat her to run. To get away.

“Run, Raylene Walker.”They would say,“Get out of this place!”

But how after today, everyone would start screaming something else entirely.

“Run!” they would scream,Ray knew as she saw Martin De Santos’s body jerk back, and finally fall,

“It’s Raylene Walker!”

* *

Maybe they’d been lucky.

Had gotten out of thisalivein theworstpossible way.

Because as he shot a bullet through Miranda’s skull and saw her body fall back like a sack, an odd sense of calm spread through him.She’d been a mother too,a part of him mourned,a wife. A daughter.Angel made sure to watch her fall, made sure to remember everyhauntingmemory of her eyes wide in horror as she fell back and–

A warm body sidled close to his and a smaller hand snaked its way to the side of his neck. Angel hadn’t realized he wasshakinguntil Ray pulled his forehead down to the side of her neck. Had barely registered them taking a step away from one another. A breath left his lungs as she shut out all sounds with a simple hand on his ear and whispered,

“Don’t,” she said, her own voice breaking, “Don’t do that to yourself.”

A sob threatened to rip his chest apart as Ray shuddered against him, “Close your eyes. And let it end.”

Angel didn’t argue. Didn’twantto. Not when he could shut it all out with her. He raised his head and tugged her closer. Ray moved until she fit into his arms, her back braced against his chest as he placed his chin atop her head and opened his eyes,

“It’s kind of anticlimactic now that none of us ended up shot or stabbed,” she said quietly and tipped her head upwards. Angel shook his head at the truth that shone in her words,

“Haven’t we done enough of that already?”

“Is everyone–” Ray’s voice broke. Angel tugged her closer, a pang echoing in his heart as he nodded,

“Luke and Jack are alright.” He whispered and looked outside, where he’d left Christina and Mia, “Christina should’ve been done by now though.”

Ray didn’t respond. Just slipped out of his hold smoothly. He saw the haunted look in her eyes and knew it reciprocated his own as she walked in Miranda’s direction.

Angel watched her go, his body swaying slightly with the wind. He didn’t notice Jack and Luke were near until his world tilted to one end, and a hand wrapped around his waist. Angel blinked as Luke tugged his arm behind his neck and hauled him upright,

“You alright?” Jack asked, his voice a rasp. Angel’s eyes crinkled as he saw the bruises that marred their faces. Saw the cuts through their shirts and the blood that seeped everywhere. Knew he andeveryonehere looked the same as Angel turned his head to look out the doorway again,

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