Page 31

H e’d guessed the problems would begin after five minutes. Giving them the benefit of the doubt, he had chosen to give the situation, the crowd five whole minutes before they all burst. As usual, Angel had been wrong.

He was wrong about a lot of things these days.

Surprisingly though, it was Irene Sinaga who snapped first.

“I knew it.” She scoffed from up ahead, her voice loud enough to rise above the sudden whispers. Angel turned around slowly, Raylene tucked behind him as he heard Maya and Alessandro step down from the dais. It was done, he thought as Ray stepped past him and stood beside him, it was announced.

And truly– it was another era to witness.

“Please,” came Maya’s smooth response as she took her husband’s hand and finally stepped around them, “Do continue. We’re here to entertain all your doubts.”

Another leader would’ve put it off for another day. Would’ve organized a meeting or announced it during one of those annual gatherings that happened between all the key individuals. But this was the Larsens he was thinking about, the only people who had ever dared to go out of the set of rules.

It had begun with their war against the Ravens.

And now ended with an alliance.

“This is no small matter,” Irene hissed, appearing anything but timid as she took a step forward .

The crowd parted for her, and Angel saw all the important people, all those representatives step forward. His lips quirked into a swift smile as he saw Myra sidle close to Irene, Akash beside her. Cameron stepped with Neera as well, a cold mask of indifference on all their faces as Irene continued.

“You’re talking about monopolizing our world. Joining hands with the Ravens–”

“Would be an end to an age-long war.”

Ray’s voice jarred the entire crowd, and her heels clacked against the smooth marble surface as she stepped before them all, “You would be free of all responsibilities you might bear to either side.”

Angel bristled just as Irene growled, but took a step back nonetheless. He understood her problems and knew what their alliance would mean for the world. Their peace, which had been maintained for so long, would be rocked back and forth with the rise of larger power. Angel understood that fear in all their eyes because now that he and the Larsens had joined hands, their focus would turn to the rest of the world.

He saw the way Irene gritted her teeth, unable to speak her mind without proving to be a loose tongue. Without spilling all their deepest fears. Angel peeked a look in Maya’s direction and clenched his fists at the hungry gleam in her eyes. That’s what they’d been searching for. That’s why they’d held this in front of the entire world.

Angel let out a breath, already worried about their future endeavors as he took a step forward, “Irene Sinaga,” he began, making sure to keep his tone low and daring. The crowd seemed to shake in response, but his eyes were solely on the girl. Her copper eyes snapped up to his, a dangerous glint in that glare as he tipped his chin upwards,

“Have we ever given you a reason to question our decisions? ”

The girl seemed to flinch back at the question. Angel’s shoulders straightened, an ungodly amount of annoyance rushing through his veins as he plowed forth, “Have we questioned you when you decided to form discrete alliances yourself?”

Ray’s hand was warm beside his when he took a step ahead and stood beside her. She didn’t move, but Angel could feel the tension, the agitation pour off her in waves. He willed her to calm even as his heart thudded in his chest. She did no such thing.

“Those alliances weren’t formed when they lost half their resources.” Akash said, stepping ahead as well, his dark eyes flaring in silent rage. Angel’s brows rose in surprise, but he faced him dead on as the other boy crossed his arms and looked in Kyle’s direction,

“The timing of all this seems a little convenient, doesn’t it?” he asked him, his tone sharp enough to cut through the dark atmosphere, “Have the Lions resorted to grasping at straws?”

Angel’s eyes widened. He hadn’t taken Akash for a fool, not when they’d managed to haul their asses to the ground last year. A tad bit of an insect, but never a fool. Unless–

“You might want to tread carefully Akash.” Came Alessandro’s cool yet simmering response. Angel felt the tone snap him out of his thoughts, “I have great respect for you and your family. Do not tarnish it now.”

Akash’s eyes were dead calm when he turned to look back at Alessandro, “When?” he asked, a dangerous undertone to his words, “When you sold us out for information last year? After you played a hand in our downfall?”

This was getting treacherous.

And there was no way Akash would get out of this unscathed .

“Throwing accusations now?” Ray said from beside him, her voice pure ice as she swiped her hair away from her face, “Are you sure you want to go there?”

Maybe Angel had imagined the good rapport between Ray and Akash. Because now they stared at one another like they wouldn’t mind–

“You think we wouldn’t find out who planted that spy amidst our people?” he said evenly, “Who framed us until we were nothing but sitting ducks for the Ravens?”

Sudden shivers erupted down Angel’s spine, his eyes narrowing. What the hell was he talking about? Akash’s wary gaze turned to his, his hands lifting to tuck in his pockets as he tipped his chin in distaste,

“I told you we played no hand in spying your facilities.” He said and Angel grit his teeth. A year. A year of listening to the same thing over and over again, “I trusted you to believe that we had no need of your resources.”

An abrupt laugh followed his words, and Akash shook his head as a dark smile tilted his lips,

“And yet here you are. Banding the ones who tried to steal from you in the first place.”

Angel stalled. Just a second.

“Your attempts at reigniting a war we’ve stopped are useless Akash,” Maya said finally, her hands lacing ahead as she tilted her head in malice, “You’ve done enough damage to last a lifetime. Walk away before I have someone haul you away from here.”

Everyone waited for a beat.

The threat in Maya’s voice wasn’t empty. Was never empty.

He saw it in the way Ray moved her hands, the way Kyle prepared the people in the shadows. The way Alessandro glared down in distaste. T

he way Maya remained motionless.

And Angel wanted to say something. Do something, when–

The entire crowd seem to stiffen as an echo of laughter carried itself with the wind. Angel’s eyes snapped ahead, widening as he saw Akash Smith throw his head back and roar in laughter. And it wasn’t just him. No, Angel thought as he watched Akash shoot Myra a knowing glance and saw the girl smile, it wasn’t just him.

It was him and Myra and Irene.

Another alliance.

Angel’s shoulders stiffened as he heard Alessandro growl in a low voice, “Where are your people, Akash? Ask them to–”

“Where are yours?”

Something was wrong.

Terribly so.

Because indeed, where were their people?

Angel didn’t dare whip his head around, nor did anyone, not willing to give them anything. Because there should have been people coming in to take them away. Even the staff had disappeared. But everyone who stood up on the stage knew they had a crowd.

“We’re giving you time to leave Akash.” Alessandro said, his voice even despite the issue at hand, “ Leave with your pride intact.”

Akash’s dark eyes moved, his smile still intact as he continued, “Do you know what happens when something occurs on a private island?”

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

Angel saw it in the way Ray took a step closer to where Maya and Alessandro stood as if shielding them from whatever was approaching. Akash’s eyes zeroed in on Ray .

Angel’s head snapped back ahead, narrowing at the boy standing before them who was looking at Ray as though she were a mere hindrance in his path.

“Nothing.” He breathed, straightening once again, “Because here?” a pause, a beat, “Here you’re dead to the world.”

“You obviously don’t know how the law works.” Came Noah Hassan’s sharp voice from the other end of the venue and Akash’s head snapped back as the other boy stepped ahead.

He strode ahead, his hands in his pockets, looking completely relaxed as he brushed past Akash and moved in Angel’s direction.

A wave of relief washed over him as those black eyes shot him a wink and he stepped forward.

This was the first time Angel was grateful for Noah Hassan’s crude words.

They seemed to jar Akash enough to render him speechless. Enough for Angel to shoot Jack a subtle nod that had the other boy running with Christina at his side.

The Ravens hadn’t come here empty handed and hell if a stupid boy took it all away for his god damned vengeance.

His eyes snapped to Mia’s and the redhead seemed to understand the assignment because she grabbed Luke’s hand and began hauling him away.

If he’d turned around, he would’ve noticed the minute movements Alessandro made to get things in order. To understand what the fuck was going on.

And maybe it was because he became so hellbent on damage control, that he didn’t realize the numbing silence that overgrew the atmosphere .

He was staring at Noah’s calm face. Was about to smile back when he heard that soft rustle. Heard Ray’s sharp inhale and her no. Felt the ball of dread swallow him whole when he looked over Noah’s shoulder and –

“And you obviously don’t know how this world works.” Akash said in a low, eerie voice. His words stopped Noah in his tracks and a slow smirk spread across his lips as he swiveled on his heels and faced Akash. Angel should have screamed no, should have stopped him from moving, but it was all too slow. Because right in front of his eyes, Akash pulled out a gun from the folds of his tux and pointed it straight at Noah’s chest.

No, no, no.

He jerked forward, Ray screaming something inaudible to his ears as they all moved to where Noah stood and faced Akash. But they were all too slow, too fucking slow.

Bang!