Page 10

R ay stared at her reflection, biting her lip as she contemplated her decision-making skills. What in hell had possessed her to run all the way here? She sighed again, agitated with the way her mind had begun working around Angel De Santos, and slammed her hands down on the counter. Her reflection mirrored back a flushed face. With hair loose in waves, spilling over her shoulders as she leaned forward, Ray looked at herself. Breathed in deep.

Angel was outside, waiting as he always had.

And she hadn’t thought about it when she’d run all the way here. Hadn’t really cared enough to. Because somehow, in those few days they’d spent together, this spark had lighted in her chest. To know more. To see more. To understand more.

Of him.

So, she breathed out now, sudden calmness spreading through her. It was the first time she’d wanted to share what she’d learned with someone. Somehow, Ray couldn’t really wait to go out. To see him. To tell him everything.

It scared her.

That didn’t mean she wouldn’t do it.

Ray turned on her heels, a soft rustle in her movement as she faced the closed door and turned the knob. She emerged, her heart thudding in her chest, as she forced her hands at her sides. Angel was standing, his hands crossed as he gazed out the window, looking awfully calm and beautiful.

His hair swayed, his t-shirt following the quiet movement as he stare d

out the windows.

She could watch him stand like that for hours, she thought as she leaned against the wall and smiled softly. Angel still hadn’t noticed she was out. Was just staring at the night sky with an odd emotion in his eyes.

A traitorous part of her wanted those amber eyes on hers.

Wondered what he would do if he saw her like this.

Ray cleared her throat, and Angel’s eyes snapped in her direction immediately.

It happened so slowly, and Ray reveled in every waking second of it. She saw him go still, his eyes going dark so suddenly. She saw his throat bob once, and the way his lips parted slightly. Shit, she cursed herself for going through with this, she so wasn’t supposed to do this.

But she did.

“It’s a bit big, but I think it’ll do.” It took everything in her to keep her voice steady. Because she knew this was awfully cliché, but maybe cliché was good. Just for today. Knew he was seeing her in his large white shirt and well, nothing else. A soft sound drew her out of her daze and Ray looked back up. Angel was frozen on the spot, wind blowing through his hair as he looked at her.

And kept looking.

She arched and brow and crossed her arms, a smirk turning her lips, “Enjoying the view?” she asked slyly, and a guttural sound left his throat again.

“Very much,” she heard him murmur and laughed as he closed his eyes and turned away, a tortured expression on his face, “Ah,” he said and rubbed his chest, “This isn’t good for my heart.”

Ray looked down at herself, feigning innocence .

“What do you mean?” she asked and saw him peep through his closed eyes, “Want me to change–”

Nothing could have prepared her for what Angel was going to do.

Those amber eyes were embers when he moved. Angel crossed the room so fast, that Ray barely saw him move. And out of nowhere, he was just a few feet away from her when she heard him murmur,

“Not really,” his voice was strained. Low, “Say no now Raylene Walker,”

Her stomach dropped. Her heart paced.

But she just let a slow smile curve her lips.

Angel released a harsh breath, and before she knew what he was doing, Angel’s hands were cupping her neck, and his lips were on hers. He swallowed Ray’s gasp, pushing her against the wall. Click went the lights and suddenly in the darkness, the sirens of reason disappeared. Angel’s lips parted, his tongue sliding. His teeth clasping. Ray’s entire body arched, her hands reaching up to the back of his shoulders. She felt the muscles flex under her hands as she let out a soft moan and arched further against him. It was warm everywhere, him everywhere.

“Fuck.” he murmured in the darkness and with the stars shining in Ray’s eyes, pushed her further into the open doors of the washroom.

“Wait,” she managed to breathe but didn’t take a step away from him. Instead, just led him back, and as if knowing exactly what her mind was saying, his hands gripped her waist and hauled her up the counter.

Ray’s breath caught, and Angel coaxed it out of her as he fell on her again, his hand dropping to her waist as he broke the kiss and swore again, “Is this okay ?” He breathed, and a part of Ray wanted to say hell no and run away .

But she just grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him in for another scalding kiss.

His groan rumbled through her and suddenly Ray was floating. His hands were on her body, her fingers roaming the broad expanse of his back. His heaving chest. And that mouth. Holy. Shit. It pulled and stretched and silenced.

It sang.

Ray’s body bowed as Angel pressed against her, his lips breaking to kiss its way down to her neck. A bit lower.

“God,” she breathed and threw her head back.

“Stay the night?” he whispered against her skin and Ray looked down at him, her gaze flickering with doubt. Angel caught the look, softening his gaze upon her as he rose to face her and cupped the nape of her neck gently,

“ Just stay.” He said and she knew by the soft look in his eyes that he didn’t want to go ahead either. Didn’t want to take another step forward in that direction. Ray melted, leaning into his touch as she kissed his palm softly and murmured,

“You?” she asked nonetheless and saw him inhale. Felt the movement as he leaned closer and brushed his lips over hers.

“Not yet.”

She might’ve murmured something in response, but lost track of her words when he leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers, coaxing a moan from her lips. His hand clasped her thighs then and a soft gasp left her as he pulled her closer.

“Hold on,” he mumbled against her lips and picked her up. Ray’s legs wrapped around his body, her hands tangling in his hair as she kissed his lips, his nose, his forehead .

Angel’s chest rose with a sharp breath, a soft sound leaving his lips as she tightened her hold on the back of his neck,

“That’s dangerous, Storm.” He whispered but she pressed a soft kiss against his lips. Didn’t quite know how he handled the walk back to the bed. Was too busy getting drunk on the feel of him.

Soft, cold sheets brushed her back when Angel lay her on the bed and placed his hand right above her head, hovering over her, dragging his lips over hers lazily. As if he couldn’t help himself. As if he couldn’t stop. Ray couldn’t help a chuckle when he leaned back, a small smile slipping on his lips,

“What?” she asked, laughing as he hovered and stared. His gaze dipped to the necklace around her neck, a soft look entering his eyes as he feathered a finger over the glass shard,

“Nothing.” He answered and looked back at her, “It’s just,”

Ray hummed and wrapped a hand around his neck, the other dragging through his hair, “What?” She asked softly and watched his face soften,

“You’re real, right?”

She pressed her hand against his chest, and whispered,

“Every single inch.”

His lips pulled into a grin that destroyed her heart. Ray laughed, and then groaned. Because he was so close. And she had fucking business to mention. With what will she didn’t know, she looked away from his lips and said, “But,”

“I hate but.”

“Shut up.”

He laughed and she shook her head ,

“I came here to tell you something.”

His eyes crinkled, a smirk stretching his lips as he flopped down on the bed beside her with a muted groan, “Are you sure?” he teased and Ray went up on her elbows to face him, “Could’ve had me fooled,”

He cut off with a laugh as Ray smacked his chest, her gaze fixating on those dimples. It’d been a while since she’d seen them. She extended her arms now, her index fingers brushing over that indent before moving up to push back the locks of his hair. Angel relaxed under her touch, his eyes falling shut as he breathed out, his chest hollowing with the action,

“Do you remember the first group you brought down?” Ray began quietly, and Angel hummed distractedly, leaning into her touch. She bit her lip, wanting to do nothing but stop talking. He must’ve noticed because his lips quirked at the edge, his eyes still shut as he teased,

“Tell me what’s going on in that mind of yours.” He said instead and Ray flicked his forehead, enticing a beautiful chuckle from his lips.

“Do you remember or not?”

His eyes opened then, a sort of laziness blazing through them as he nodded, “I do. They were notorious back then.” He said, “Bringing them down was like debuting as an official player in the world.”

“I know.” She replied softly and he moved closer, suddenly attentive to her tone, “It was in the beginning when I was working for the Lions, in the underworld, looking for ways to make my mark.”

“Before you got in their bad favor?”

Ray nodded, but she wasn’t really sure of anything anymore.

Angel’s gaze flickered but he nodded, nudging her to continue.

“Their symbol,” she said, flopping down beside him to stare up at the ceiling, “Do you remember it? ”

“I–” his brows furrowed, “Where is this going?”

Ray heaved a breath but moved to get off the bed. Angel watched her, not saying a word as she stepped into the washroom in search of her phone. Fished it out of the pants that were now lying on the floor and opened the image up before she stepped out. Ray almost stopped short when she saw that he was sitting upright now, at the edge of the bed with his hands laced together.

He lifted his head when she neared him. Ray extended her phone in his direction, and he grabbed it out of her hands, his eyes flaring wide at the image,

“This–” he began and shook his head, “These are the five sites I sent you?”

Ray nodded, “I placed them together to see if they were some sort of trap and,” she paused, gnawing at her nails, “Well, now it seems like a trap.”

“It already was one when I got to know the sites aren’t placed around the world.” He murmured and looked up at her, “And the symbol. It’s close.”

Ray’s gaze flickered and he looked back down at the image, his shoulders stiffening, “I mean, a cross–”

“Multiplication sign.” Ray muttered and was relieved to see his lips lift in amusement,

“A multiplication sign,” he amended, “Gangs back then didn’t hold symbols. They still don’t. It’s a stupid thing to do, considering we’re all trying to attract the least amount of attention in the world.”

Ray scoffed as he continued, “But they always wanted to stand out.” He looked up, his eyes glazing his thought, “Ironically, no one knew who the actual head was . No one knows this, but it wasn’t me who brought him down. By the time I’d destroyed their business, someone else had already gotten to the top and had him assassinated. ”

Well, shit.

“Yeah,” Ray managed to say and bristled as Angel snapped up, his brows drawing together, “I might’ve had something to do with it.”

He blinked, stilling for a second before erupting,

“What?”

Ray winced, “Well, I was working for the Lions back then. They didn’t know who I was, but they’d hired me to get rid of two people.” She started and Angel blinked rapidly, “That entire gang and well, you .” She mumbled the last line, in an attempt to mask the truth, but Angel caught on.

“What?” he said again, looking lost and honestly like he was going to pass out,

“I might’ve killed him.”

“You. What?”

Ray ran a hand through her hair and bounced on her heels, “Back then there were the Ravens, the Lions, and the Phoenixes.” She cringed at the names, “And you all were monopolizing this bullshit underworld. I was already entangled with the Lions, and they were looking to get rid of both of you. So, when I gathered that both the leaders were going to be at the same place at the same time I jumped at the chance.”

It was silent for a second. Ray let him take it in, crossed her arms as she waited, and counted the seconds in her mind.

A sound drew her to cease her counting. Ray’s eyes snapped in his direction, widening when she saw him with his face in his hands. His shoulders shook and she took a shocked step forward,

“Angel?”

It was then he threw his head back and let out a loud laugh .

Oh shit, she swore out loud and darted ahead to slap a hand over his mouth, muffling his laughs.

Tremors ran down her body as he continued laughing, his amber eyes twinkling in the nightlight as he wrapped a hand around her waist and tugged her closer. Ray moved, unable to bring herself to deny him when he removed her hands from his lips and placed his forehead against her stomach.

“You. Are insane.” He managed to wheeze out. Ray glared down at him, not amused by his humor as his laugh subdued into silent chuckles,

“And here I thought I had a guardian angel back then.”

Ray scoffed, “You’re lucky you got out of there alive.” She said and narrowed her gaze when he muffled his laugh against her t-shirt again.

“I know,” he said and looked up at her, his chin lifting with a playful look in his eyes, “Extremely lucky.”

Another laugh erupted from his lips, and she shushed him furiously, rolling her eyes at him, “ How did I not know you up until now?” he asked, his shoulders shaking as he stared up at her,

“How in the world are you even fucking alive?”

Ray’s gaze narrowed, and she took a step back ignoring the widening of his lips, “How lovely of you to say,” she remarked, and Angel shook his head, a grin lining his lips, “No it’s great to know that my boyfriend–”

His head snapped up at that, his eyes going wide. Ray paused with an er and took another step back.

“What?” she asked hesitantly after a second. Angel just blinked up at her, his brows in the air. She was still blinking down at him when a slow smile curved his lips.

He got to his feet then and extended a hand in her direction. Ray took it, confused by the pause in the conversation as he tugged her closer an d

wrapped his other hand around her waist.

Dipped his chin enough for his hair to fall atop his forehead,

“Say that again.” He murmured softly and realization hit her square in the chest. Ray tilted her head, her lips threatening to break into a smile,

“Say what?” she asked and saw close his eyes. Felt him take a deep breath,

“Ray,” he said dryly and glared down at her, the moonlight bouncing off his skin, “I’m trying to be romantic here.”

“I know–”

“And you’re being a gigantic pain in my ass.”

Ray huffed out a laugh, burrowing her face in his chest as he groaned, “And now you do that,” he said as though he was exhausted, “How am I supposed to stay annoyed?”

Ray hummed, the sound reverberating against his chest, and lifted her chin, a smirk inching her lips. She knew he didn’t see it coming. Hell, she didn’t see it coming. She just leaned back in his arms, wrapped a hand around the nape of his neck, and pulled him down. Angel’s eyes widened when she went on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his softly. Carefully.

They moved closer when she deepened the movement, her other hand moving to touch the bare skin above his t-shirt, right above his collarbone.

She moved her hands, surrendering herself to him when he deepened the kiss. She took that as a chance to groan softly in his mouth and slide her hands to his back, right above the rift of muscles that flexed under her touch.

Angel broke the kiss abruptly, his eyes hazy ,

“That your way of apologizing?” he murmured and went to kiss her again. Ray laughed softly but drew him closer and tangled her hand in his hair, sliding the other down,

“No,” she whispered, “It’s my way of calling you my boyfriend.”

He hummed against her, a beautiful smile lifting his expression, “Great. It’d be great if you did that every time instead of calling me your boyfriend.”

“Sure,” she laughed.

“Fucking storm I swear.”

She didn’t respond to that. But then again.

She didn’t have to.