14
S tupid questions, he thought painfully as he saw the smile on her face fall. Ray’s hair was a mess behind her, but it spilled over her shoulder as she reached forward and grabbed her bag. Her eyes looked past him, and a smile played at her lips, bringing forth a new rush of annoyance buzzing in his veins,
“Thanks, Doc.” She said, her voice calm and dimmed as if reassuring the doctor behind him. Angel’s gaze narrowed, his hands tightening on the metal rod of her bed as he straightened and looked over his shoulder. Angel only saw his brownish-black hair and that polite smile.
The doctor’s eyes matched his then, and Angel saw his smile dim. In annoyance or fear, Angel did not know. He just shot the Doc a massive grin and shot him a two-fingered salute,
“Yeah, gracias .” He said and saw as a war raged in the doctor’s eyes. Angel felt the prick in conscience as he turned to face him, despite his mind screaming to let it be, and crossed his arms as he faced him, “What did you say your name was?”
His face paled, those eyes widening by a fraction as he clutched at the writing pad and raised his chin, “David Pierce.” He said, and to his credit, he didn’t shake once while relaying it. Angel’s smile widened,
“Well, David Pierce, I hope you understand the situation at hand.” He said his tone even as he spoke. David’s shoulders tightened and his eyes darted to Ray’s seated figure behind him. But for once, she didn’t interrupt them. Angel couldn’t see her but knew from whatever David saw in her eyes, it wasn’t pretty .
Instead, it was a reminder of who she was.
Angel ducked his head in half amusement, “You don’t need to worry as long as you follow the instructions.” he said, forcing himself to relay that hint of politeness in his voice.
Angel pushed away from the bed and strode in his direction.
They were both the same height, and Angel was sure the man was at least a few years older than him. But David seemed to squirm under his harsh gaze, and turn away,
“Are we clear?” he asked, his voice low. David nodded frantically and moved away from him. Angel’s gaze averted, looking over his shoulder. He saw Ray’s eyes on him, her hands in a blue container she must’ve removed from the bag. She removed a brownie from it and was about to eat it when a strangled sound left David’s throat.
Angel’s brows furrowed and David walked past him, his footsteps stiff as he approached her,
“Don’t eat anything with sugar. At least not until tomorrow.” He said and grabbed the container out of her hands. Ray’s eyes widened in surprise, but she didn’t say a word as he grabbed the box and walked away from her, “Only fruits. Or Soups.”
Angel’s lips twitched as David walked past him, his head ducked as he murmured, “Understood.” Under his breath and walked out the doors.
But his eyes were on her. On the way she crossed her arms and glared at the door. Angel murmured a prayer in his head before walking to the side of her bed,
“Are you pouting after being stabbed, Raylene Walker? ”
Her head snapped in his direction, those honey eyes so annoyed that Angel had to chuckle at the situation. Unamused, Ray swatted his hand away as he went to search the bag and looked down instead. She opened her mouth to say something when David’s voice broke through their atmosphere abruptly,
“And don’t,” he was saying, peeping into her room, the words on his tongue stalling as both of them paused to look at him. Ray was drinking water from her bottle when they heard him clear his throat and continue, “No contrabands.”
Ray spat out her water, ending up in a coughing fit as Angel’s eyes widened in surprise.
“What the fuck Doc–” Ray rasped and Angel heard David clear his throat again.
Suddenly, the man looked almost young as he looked at both of them through narrowed eyes. A laugh burst through Angel’s lips as he pursed his lips and nodded, still peeping through the doorway.
“Just making sure you know.”
Angel’s laughs didn’t cease as Ray yelled at him to get out!
“Ay Dios!” he guffawed and wiped the tears that had escaped his eyes, “Shit, that’s the most fun I’ve had in years.”
Ray mumbled something incoherent under her breath and Angel turned to her, his amber eyes shining in mirth as he faced her glare.
“Why are you here?” she asked him and the grin on his face subdued to a small smile as he looked down at her. Specifically at the hidden wound on her abdomen.
“You’re a liability,” Angel replied and snapped his gaze up just in time to see her wince at his harsh words. His smile inched upwards ,
“And Kyle wasn’t looking forward to cleaning up after you.”
Ray scoffed, “He isn’t going to be doing anything.” She said, her tone turning the smile on his lips into a frown, “I’m going to be doing all the work.”
Angel’s frown deepened as she reached into the bag and pulled out a laptop, a heap of papers, and a black pen. Ray sighed down at the papers, blinking down at them, all lost in thought when he finally spoke up,
“What’s all this?”
His tone was taut. But it wasn’t surprising. Why the hell was she working right now? A part of him cursed himself for asking such a foolish question. But Angel blinked out of that selfish part and inched closer to her. Ray let out a breath, not answering him as she braced her hands on her sides and tried to pull herself up. Tried and failed, Angel noticed with a scowl as she flopped back into a weird angle.
His gaze shuttered in annoyance at his stupid conscience as he stepped closer and wrapped a careful hand around her upper arm. She flinched suddenly, making him almost let go of her. But Angel just sighed at the expression on her face,
“Quiet.” He said, too softly to his great annoyance, “I’m just helping you sit up.”
He knew Ray wanted to rip her hand from his, but she didn’t. Angel’s eyes bored into hers as he pulled her up gently, not missing her wince as she settled properly in the pillows and shut her eyes. His brows drew together as he saw her breathe through the pain that must’ve washed over her body.
“Don’t pull your stitches.” He murmured as saw her eyes snap open. Angel gulped at the intensity of those eyes but didn’t turn away as she dipped her chin in a small thank you. His lips etched into a small smile ,
“Can’t say the words?” he asked, tilting his head as he caught the flash of annoyance in the pursing of her lips. The glint in her honey eyes. The tick in her jaw. His grin widened,
“Thank you.”
And with that, she turned to look down at the laptop in her lap. Angel saw her open it and looked at the white light flashing on her face as she started typing something. He stood like that, staring at her face, watching her breathe and stir in silence as her eyes darted from the screen to the papers and back to the screen again.
“What do you want?”
I want you to rest. I want you to sleep so you don’t feel this pain anymore.
“What are you doing?” Angel asked through gritted teeth, completely caught off his feet at his thoughts. Insane, he must be going insane.
“I’m searching for a person who could replace the Krafts.” She replied and he blinked at the honesty in her response, “And I’m looking for anyone who could be responsible for today.”
“Did you see the culprit’s face?” Angel asked, tucking his hands in his pockets as she looked up at him slowly,
“That man.” She said and averted her eyes to look back at her screen, “The one Kyle stopped me from–”
“Killing?” Angel voiced and saw her glare snap up to him. He grinned and raised his hands in surrender as she shook her head and mumbled.
“I wasn’t going to kill him.”
“ He stabbed you?” he asked, keeping his grin intact as he brushed a hand through his hair. He saw her nod and closed his eyes at the sudden wave of annoyance that crashed over him .
Not annoyance, he recognized with a start, anger. Raw, pure anger.
Shit.
“I’m going to play the Sorin card tomorrow.” He said, expecting a startled response from her end. But Ray just nodded, looking back down at her laptop,
“I thought so.” She said softly and Angel’s brows rose in surprise. Her eyes rose up to his, all serious and honey–
“I’ll play my part.”
Angel’s brows shot up in the air, “What?” he asked and saw her scowl at him. His lips tugged up into a smile as he stepped closer and leaned down. She didn’t back away but he saw her scowl deepen as she looked at him in distaste, “Say that again? You’ll help me out?”
Ray rolled her eyes and turned away from him, making his grin widen, “I didn’t say that, you moron.” She said, her voice low as Angel probed his face closer to hers.
“Yea you did. Raylene Walker helping– mph!”
Her hand pressed against the entirety of his face and shoved him away, with a small sound of annoyance in the back of her throat as he laughed against her hand. Angel pulled back and Ray’s hand flopped back on the bed.
“Okay, now get out. I have work to do– hey! What the hell are you doing?”
Her question was unanswered as Angel shoved her to the edge of her bed with his hand. She was about to scramble back in the middle when Angel flopped down next to her, his hands behind his head as he looked at her screen. His lips threatened to twitch as she scoffed in disbelief and her hands landed on his, trying and failing to push him off the bed .
Angel lazily turned his head to look at her, his eyes bored, “Now you’re not even trying.” He said jokingly and saw her go still.
“Oh, you want me to try?” she snarled softly, and Angel’s eyes widened in surprise. He saw her turn and lean back to grab something from the table on the side.
“Oh shit,” he started when he saw the glint of metal and grabbed her hand before she could grab the knife that was placed there. His hand was twisted around her waist, his fingers wrapped tightly around her wrist as he screeched in her ear,
“That isn’t fucking allowed you salvaje!”
Ray chuckled darkly but still tried to push his weight off her and grabbed the weapon, “No you wanted me to try Angel, this is me trying–”
“Shut. UP!”
And with that, he pulled her back. Or at least tried to.
Somehow his movements were off because suddenly Raylene Walker had turned in his arms and had somehow ended up with her body pressed right next to his.
Angel froze.
She was half on him and half on the bed, glaring at him through hooded eyes. Angel had half a mind to glare back, but this close to her, he could smell her fruity scent. Could feel the warmth radiate off her as she huffed against the side of his face. Oh shit, he swore as her eyes hardened. Only to realize that she was far closer to him than she had been expecting.
Angel felt her still against him, and they just sat there, their facades melted into something new as they stared at each other .
He could feel the thump of his heart. She was everywhere. Her legs tangled with his, her hands on either side of his body as his fingers held her wrists in place. Ray with her blueish black hair spilling from her shoulder to his. Ray with her eyes like that.
With every inch of her far too close.
Ray loosened a harsh breath, stiffening in his arms as a part of Angel returned to himself.
“Like where you are, Storm?” he rasped through the dryness of his throat. She caught his tone, her eyes lighting up at the voice. At the rasp. To his credit, she looked just as affected as he did right at the moment.
That wasn’t a good thing, you fucking idiot.
“Maybe.” She whispered back and Angel’s fingers tightened around her wrists. He swore out loud, in Spanish, in English, the most vulgar words he could think of as his head flopped back against the pillows. He heard her sharp inhale above him, felt her chest hollow, and saw the war in her eyes.
Angel grit his teeth.
“I don’t like this.” He said, breathing too harshly.
“I don’t think I do either.”
His head snapped back up and as if coming to her senses, Ray was suddenly pulling away from him, taking away the curtain of warmth with her. Angel blinked in surprise, gulping to get rid of the dryness of his throat as she sat next to him, but far enough to not touch him.
This isn’t good.
He saw her exhale harshly and swore out loud as she cleared her throat. Ran a hand through her hair as she put her face in her hands and murmured low enough for him to hear,
“You swear like a maniac. ”
That stopped him from leaving, from getting back to their usual routine of biting each other’s heads off. Angel pressed his lips together in an attempt to stop the smile that was suddenly growing on his face. What was this girl?
“That’s what you want to say?” he said, but truthfully, Angel was asking her only one question.
Do you want me to stay? Or leave?
Her eyes flitted up to his, and he saw those honey eyes harden in what he could only interpret as one thing. Challenge. His lips twitched and he had to press a hand to his eyes to not grin at the absurdity of this situation.
“I’m going to work now.”
Stay.
“You do that.” Angel murmured back and flopped back into the pillows as he threw a hand over his eyes.
And swore like a maniac in his mind with an absurd grin on his face.
* *
When Ray awoke, Angel was already gone. She was surrounded by a flock of papers and an embarrassing recollection of the memories from last night. God, what had gotten into her? She thought grimly as she put her face in her pillow and let out a wail.
Fucking amber eyes.
“You sleep well last night?”
Verana’s voice was like a cold pail of water on her body. Ray snapped up and immediately regretted the sudden movement. She swore out loud and clutched her abdomen as jolts of pain shot down her spine. Still, she turned to face the other girl, who was standing in Ray’s doorway with her arms crossed ,
“Don’t act like you care Smith.” Ray snapped back and shook herself once to get rid of the aftershocks in her body.
She heard Verana sigh, but she didn’t pay her any heed. Didn’t really want to, after last night. Instead, Ray focused on collecting the papers splattered across her bed and placed them in her bag carefully. After hours of sorting everything out, Ray had finally settled on an accurate person for the job. She’d talk to Maya and Alessandro about it directly. Didn’t really have the ability to talk to Kyle right now.
“We got a girl who escaped from the place yesterday.”
Ray froze and snapped her head back to face Verana.
Her eyes were grim, and her fingers white as she curled them into tight fists, “How old is she?” she asked, fighting the frown off her face.
Verana’s eyes flashed, and Ray jerked back, “Young.” Was her tight response, as Ray jumped off her bed and shoved her laptop into her bag.
“Has Maya talked to her?” she asked, her voice borderline desperate as she looked down at the IV lines. A part of her wanted to rip them out, but she shook her head,
“Get David Pierce.”
“I’m not your–”
“Just fucking go.”
Verana swore and scrambled out of her room. Ray let out a harsh breath and pulled the pair of clothes from her bag. They’d packed her a pair of jeans and a clean white shirt with some undergarments. This would do, she thought grimly as she looked up her doorway impatiently. As if her thoughts had summoned him, David ran through, looking worried,
“What?”
“Get me out of these. ”
She pointed to the IV lines. David opened his mouth to argue but she grit her teeth and snarled softly, “Now.”
David ran to her side and as carefully as he could, removed the line from her hand. Ray didn’t even blink at the brush of pain in her hand. All she could think of was the young girl and Maya and those questions. Shit, shit, shit , she swore as she pushed past David and yelled at him to get out.
She didn’t even turn to see him leave. Just hauled the hospital gown off her. Verana cursed out loud behind her, and Ray caught the scraping sound of the curtains being shoved closed as she put on her clothes.
“Has Maya seen her?” Ray asked again and turned to see Verana’s eyes. Her actions stalled at the look in her eyes, and a look of horror passed her gaze,
“What? Why this fuck did you–”
“I couldn’t stop her!” Verana shouted and Ray cursed out loud again.
“God damn it, Verana. What if she fucking kills her?”
She didn’t wait for her response. Just pushed past her roughly and ran out the doors and out into the hallway. She was vaguely aware of David’s yelling behind her but didn’t stop. Maya was already insane, but since her sister had died, she’d been deadly.
And Ray couldn’t have anything happening to a young girl.
A logical part of Ray contended with the thought that the girl could give up important information about how Ray had asked the kids to leave.
Still . Still. Ray breathed out harshly, stopping promptly as she recognized the tesla and hauled the doors open. She didn’t even look at the driver as she scrambled to remove her phone,
“Drive.” She snapped and the car took off immediately.
Ray dialled Kyle’s number, and he picked up immediately .
“Ray–” he started but she didn’t let him speak.
“Where is she?” Ray’s voice was thunderous, “Where’s the girl?”
Kyle’s pause only fueled her rage, and she screamed in the phone, “WHERE’S THE GIRL LARSEN?
She heard Kyle swear, “At the main house. Mom’s interrogating her.”
“Tell her to back off.” Ray snarled lowly, “That’s my fucking job.”
“You know I can’t–”
“Do something!” she yelled, and she could swear she heard him wince at her terrible tone, “Try to distract her. Don’t let her harm the girl. Don’t let her kill her Kyle.”
She’s just a little girl.
“She’s our only lead.” Ray said instead, biting back the bitterness of her words.
Kyle received the message though and a part of Ray sagged in relief. Kyle wasn’t a man who was swayed easily by other’s feelings. He was only interested in things that were of use to him.
“I’ll do what I can.”
“No.” Ray snapped, “You keep her alive.”
And with that, she hung up. Ray heaved a deep breath and turned to face the driver. Sorin, she realized with a start.
“Drive faster.” She ordered and the car zoomed past the roads. Ray breathed harshly as she ran a hand down her face. This was either going to go well. Or this was going to end badly for her.
Either way, there was no way Maya could kill the girl.
The car stopped abruptly, snapping her out of her thoughts. Ray’s eyes were narrowed in concentration as she threw open the door of her car and ran out .
She ran up the stairs, taking two at a time as she paced her breaths. God, her body was going to die , she thought miserably as she threw open the already open doors. The scene was the same, hustling with a bunch of staff.
But the atmosphere was grim.
Reeked desperately of pain.
Ray didn’t stop to think. She just ran to the doors that led to the basement and pushed them open. The old steel doors creaked loudly as she stepped through them and made sure to shut them behind her. For a minute, Ray was covered in yellow light that showed stairs leading downstairs and silence.
And that silence broke with an annihilating scream.
Ray’s entire body shook violently, her reality shattering around her as she ran down the stairs, hoping, praying, that Maya Larsen hadn’t broken her. Ray didn’t care about anything, not her plan, not her people, nothing, as she panted when she finally reached the lonely barricade of a door.
Ray didn’t stop.
It didn’t matter. She would take responsibility, no matter what.
Ray didn’t knock on the door. Just shoved the metal to one side. It pushed against the wall with a loud bang! And it was that sound that rendered everyone in that room frozen.
Everyone except Maya Larsen and the girl on the floor in front of her.
Ray kept her breathing in check and walked through the disgusting basement. Its stone floors and ceilings were covered with patches of blood here and there. It was cold, a desperate, ice sort of cold that swayed the wind in the hollow room. Ray didn’t see Kyle’s wide eyes warning her to step back. Didn’t notice Alessandro’s interested tip of chin as she strode ahead. Didn’t hear Verana’s footsteps as she ran into the room .
Maya Larsen was holding a whip in her hand, her hands bloodied and her hair a mess.
But Ray’s eyes were on the small girl who’d curled into herself. The rage that washed over her was deadly. Was enough to take her back to her. Ray wasn’t thinking when she stepped between the girl and Maya. Wasn’t even feeling as she carefully looked at Maya Larsen’s dead, cold eyes.
Wasn’t breathing as she said.
“I’ll take it from here.”
Ray didn’t close her eyes when she heard the girl sob out loud and clutch the hem of her jeans.
When Maya Larsen simply blinked in her direction.
“Sure.” Said her emotionless voice, “Just after you take some responsibility.”
And brought the whip down with a sickening slash.