Page 86 of The Merciless

Ray turned her back to Mia then, her entire posture screaming exhaustion as she looked at Angel.

He tilted his head and gave her a small nod. Ray all but stumbled in his direction after that, barely complaining as he wrapped a hand around her shoulders and weaved his hand through her hair.

“Let’s get out of here.” She whispered as he pressed a soft kiss on top of her head.

“Not so fast, you bitch–”

“No, you don’t.” Neera’s voice was a calm violence behind her, and Angel looked over his shoulder to see Mia’s arm twisted behind her back. He heard the girl scream in surprise and drop her knife.

“You had one chance.” Came Myra’s soft voice behind them as Ray and Angel limped forward, “You really shouldn’t have squandered it like that.”

“Fuckingrat,”Ray murmured beside him, enticing a laugh from him as she tightened her hold against his waist. He pressed another kiss to her head,

“Let’s never come back here again.”

He whispered and she shook her head, a smile tilting her lips.

“Deal.”

20

Somehow there was a part of her that couldn’t reallybelieveany of this was real. Not as she stirred awake in Akash’s penthouse, surrounded by people who were still asleep. Not when she realized she was engulfed by warm hands and a head burrowed deep in the back of her neck. Ray blinked her eyes open, the movement dreary and drugged by sleep. Still, the sunlight shone down upon all of them like a golden halo, forcing her to drag them open.

Last night, all of them had ended up back at Akash’s place and had barely gotten to the living room before passing out. Ray had been the last one awake, tending to each and every one of their wounds, before and after they all went to sleep. And Angel, he’d really tried. Had gotten almost close to keeping his eyes open until she was done with all of them. But one touch from her and somehow, he’d fallen asleep while she was tending to the bruises on his face.

After that, it’d become easy for her to lie down on the floor next to him and just…sleep.Now, however, as she opened her eyes and saw all of them– all she could do was...breathe.

Becausehell,it was all over.

Akash lay a few feet away from her, his hands sprawled under Myra’s shoulder. Myra had her back to him, curled towards Irene as the other girl lay in Akash’s open palm with her hands tucked under her chin. Neera and Cameron had taken the couch right above her and Angel, each with their head resting on either end as the former snored loudly.

The twins were in the kitchen, Noah embracing an empty bottle of vodka as Sorin curled against Kyle’s asleep figure.

Kyle?

Ray let out a muted groan and shifted in Angel’s arms. Her brows arched when she caught the dark blonde hair mingled with Chrisina’s dark hair. She smiled as she looked down to see Jack’s hands tighten around Christina’s shoulders and saw her burrow her face further in his chest in response. On the contrary, Luke was asleep on a chair, his head lolled back at a dangerous angle as his mouth remained open.

A silent laugh rumbled through her chest at the sight.

“Somethin’ funny?”

Angel’s voice was far too sleepy to have that insane effect on her this early in the morning. Still, she felt the tingles reach her toes as he pressed a kiss to the back of her neck and pulled her closer,

“Go to sleep.”

Ray let out another laugh and turned in his arms to stare up at him. Angel’s eyes were closed, his beautiful face cast in an odd golden glow. This close, she could see the exhaustion weighing him down, could see that one mole right below his right eye. She reached up to touch it softly and smiled when Angel twitched in surprise but didn’t move away. Ray tilted her chin upwards as his hold on her tightened. A small furrow appeared between his brows as she leaned back.

“Hey, Angel?”

Those amber eyes opened, blowing her mind with the stark alertness shining in them. Still, a lazy grin tilted his lips as he hummed.

“You remember the first deal we ever made?” she whispered, and he nodded, his brows rising. Ray subdued a grin, “I broke that promise.”

Angel’s lips stretched into a beautiful smile, his dimple showing with the action as he bumped his forehead with hers softly, “I know.” He whispered and placed a small kiss on her head. Ray’s eyes shut, “This is so much better than dying.”

A laugh burst out of her, “Thanks?”

She could feel his grin as he pulled her flush against him, “Because now I can do this.”

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