6
“S o what’s the plan for today?” Luke’s smooth voice slipped through his thoughts, making him grip his coffee mug harder. It had been a restless night, with Raylene Walker’s words haunting his mind and that constant faint rustling he often thought he heard. Angel had awoken earlier and had been sitting in the same spot since sunrise when Luke had slammed his doors open.
Now that he’d seen Raylene Walker’s room, when Angel saw his brownish beige walls, he was constantly reminded that this place was a fucking mansion. His room was the same size as hers. It was complimented by rich brown furniture that somehow elevated the setting. Made it seem as though it were a royal’s room. But Angel had been with these people for a long time. He knew their minds, their plans.
Knew a bribe when he saw one.
When Angel had stepped into the room for the first time, he’d laughed at its atrocity. But despite his thoughts, it was purely a work of art he had to admire. Now, he sat on one of those comfortable brown chairs, his head angled to look out at the view. With the open windows came the strong gush of cool wind and the faint sounds of the waves crashing far away.
“Jack and Christina get here today, during the banquet. And Mia should be here tomorrow with her mother.” Luke continued and Angel finally looked up at him, his hold on his mug slackening.
“The banquet.” Angel breathed out and flopped back. He’d forgotten about the event. It was an introductory function where all the main groups would assemble .
People, gangs, and all the multimillion-dollar businesses that have been funding them for a while now would all come to this island and settle for the next few days.
Today they would hold a welcoming banquet, where everyone would be introduced to their society. Then until the last day here, the people would stay and enjoy the festivals, they’ll enjoy the island.
And by doing so, the Lions would profit from the sudden boost in customers around here. It was the perfect way of getting hands on their money. Perfect opportunity to get those who had wronged them right in the palm of their hands.
The Ravens had their share of business set up here as well. Had been since their peaceful relationship with the Lions had been established. While Alessandro made his money by joining hands with businessmen, Angel had opted to settle multiple businesses of their own all around the world. Harmless, almost invisible start-ups, booming businesses that brought forth the same wealth the Lions displayed to the entire world. Martin had handed over the finances, the business, to him a long time back. In the beginning, it had been his way of disciplining Angel. His way of punishing him for the sins his mother had committed. Now, however, after Angel had gotten accustomed to the power they wielded, he’d let off.
“The banquet indeed.” Luke chirped and Angel groaned, “What are we to do until then?”
“That’s meant to be handled by our mediator .” Angel responded with a tired sigh and saw as Luke sat ahead, lacing his hands together as he looked at him with a faint grin.
“What?” Angel asked, raising a brow in his direction .
“This is going to be interesting.” Was his response and Angel tilted his head in confusion, his brows furrowing,
“Meaning?”
Luke leaned back on his bed and let out a soft groan as he stretched, “Meaning that you and Raylene Walker hate each other’s guts already, so this week is going to be interesting.” He said, his blue eyes twinkling as Angel levelled a glare upon him.
“I’m not the only one who hates her,” he started and saw Luke sit back up suddenly, his eyes wide,
“I like her.” He said and Angel rose a brow. Luke’s grin was anything but innocent, “She’s different.”
Angel didn’t have time to respond. Not as he heard three knocks and a familiar voice call out from the other end,
“Knock, knock!” Kyle’s chirpy voice sang from the other end. Angel froze, sharing a look with Luke's once before huffing out a breath of laughter. Luke got up with a small smile on his face, weaving a hand through his bronze hair before striding ahead to pull open the doors of Angel’s room.
“Luke!” Kyle said loudly before chuckling and stepping into the room. Angel hadn’t turned around yet, was busy placing his mug of coffee on the glass table when he heard another pair of footsteps shuffling in the room. Heels particularly, he realized, and snapped his eyes back to the entrance.
“Raylene Walker.” Luke said just as Angel saw her walk in. There was no smile on her face when she looked at him, her honey eyes narrowed as her sudden presence rendered him speechless. Her hair was open today, falling like waves spilling over her shoulder as she turned her head and looked at Luke. Angel saw her blue highlights shine as she wove a hand through her hair and responded ,
“Luke Hawthorne.”
Her voice was dry. Rough. As if she’d been screaming for hours. His brows furrowed in confusion, but he didn’t have time to think it through. Not when Kyle stepped past her and thrust his hand in the air, his green eyes shining behind his glasses.
Angel couldn’t help it, he grinned as he got up and placed his hand right in his. They shook once before Kyle sighed happily,
“Last night’s introductions were fucking atrocious,” he started and looked over his shoulder in Raylene’s direction, “I’m afraid we should have gotten you and Ray acquainted beforehand.”
If Ray had heard him, she gave no inclination. Just continued her small talk with Luke while tucking her hands in the waistband of her mini dress.
It was a faint blue that matched the highlights in her hair. It hugged her figure in a way that didn’t allow Angel to tear his gaze away for a moment. She’d paired it with white boots and a white shrug. It was a simple dress, perfect for today’s sunny weather. She looked almost beautiful with the sun peeping in on them and a faint smile on her face as she talked with Luke.
Opposed to her, Angel was wearing a crème button-down with black pants. He’d left the first few buttons of his shirt open and had rolled up his sleeves roughly.
“So,” Kyle said, clapping his hands and attracting all their attention. Angel saw with a satisfied upturn of his lips the way Ray’s gaze snagged on his body, and paused for the briefest of moments, “I think we should separate for today. ”
Angel raised a brow as Ray sighed and Kyle grinned. “Me and Luke will go to the airport. We’ll take Vera with us as well,” he said with a wink in Ray’s direction. Angel saw her eyes widen,
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she started and glimpsed in Luke’s direction not so discreetly, “She might kill him.”
“Well, all the more reason for her to come along.”
Ray shrugged, “I warned you.”
Angel breathed out a laugh as Kyle continued as if she hadn’t spoken, “You and Angel can roam around the property. Show him the area and where the banquet would be held. Go over the events for the days ahead and all that,” he said and looked at Angel, “That alright?”
He shrugged in response despite the surge of annoyance flaring in his chest at the thought of spending time with her. Last night, he thought he was getting somewhere, but then she’d gone ahead and slammed the door right in his face after calling him out. God knew what she’d do today.
If Ray was bothered, she didn’t show it. She nodded almost professionally and turned to face Luke, “Be careful with Vera. Don’t push your limits, she’ll really kill you.”
Luke chuckled and nodded, “Looking forward to it.” He said cheekily and Ray scoffed. Kyle, who’d been watching their conversation with an amused gleam in his eyes snapped out of his daze and beckoned Luke,
“Shall we?” he asked, raising his hand for Luke to hook his hand through. They shared a glance before Luke nodded in Angel’s direction with the invisible tip of his hand and hooked his hand through Kyle’s with a serious look on his face. Idiots , Angel can’t help but think as they walked out of his room with their heads held high.
Leaving behind just him and Raylene Walker .
Angel turned his head to look at her, catching the briefest look of nostalgia piercing her eyes before she snapped her gaze in his direction. She blinked, just once, before one of her brows arched upwards elegantly,
“Are you waiting for me to offer an arm as well?” her question snapped him out of his daze, and Angel grinned, a faint look of amusement lighting his eyes,
“Did you just crack a joke?” he asked instead and saw her grimace in response, shaking her head. Those slight emotions, that crack in that exterior, built his confidence. All of a sudden, all he could think of was how he could make that raw annoyance visible in her eyes again.
“Is that where we are now?” he asked and took a step forward, sweeping his phone off the counter and putting it in his pocket just as Raylene scoffed and turned her head away. Her hair swept over her shoulder with the sudden movement, but she didn’t respond, “Are we best friends, Ray?”
“Ray?” she scoffed and turned in his direction, “What makes you think you can call me Ray?”
Angel smirked, he couldn’t help it, “Alright,” he conceded, and saw her eyes widen in surprise.
“Whatever.” She murmured and turned to walk out of the doors, “Let’s move.”
Angel hummed under his breath, taking a few steps forward to stand beside her.
His body angled in her direction and he saw as she remained motionless, waiting for him to move out.
“After you,” he said and chuckled softly when she huffed in annoyance and crossed her arms but didn’t move. His amusement only heightened as she nudged her chin in the door’s direction ,
“Go.”
This was going to be a long day.
* *
It hurt when she talked. Her voice was so hoarse and she tried so terribly hard to conceal its dryness that it hurt even more in the process. To make it worse, Kyle had stuck her with explaining duty. Ray had gotten used to the sense of security this place provided. A foolish move really, she reprimanded herself as she tried to keep her expressions in check. Last night had been a mistake on her part.
A warning.
From whose end, she did not know.
Now, Ray angled her head sideways and looked at Angel De Santos. His amber eyes shone under the sunlight as they walked on the bustling streets of the island. She was leading him to the venue of the banquet. It was a beautiful beachfront that hosted over a hundred guests. The beach would be reserved from the rest of the public for today and would be used to host their welcoming event today. The first time she’d been there, Ray hadn’t been impressed. The place was like any other beach, and apart from its rushing waves and serene air, nothing had been different.
But then Kyle had laughed and had patted her head softly, “The real beauty of this place, you’ll see it at night.” He’d said and that was that.
“How’s this going to work?” Angel’s voice drew her out of her memory, and she blinked up at him. He looked so at peace here, amongst people he did not know and conversations he couldn’t hear. Ray breathed out, forcing herself to not get too attached to that vulnerable expression on his face .
“What do you mean?” she asked, clearing her throat to get rid of her rasp. Angel’s eyes snapped down to hers then, his brows furrowing as he stopped in his tracks,
“Why do you sound like that?” he asked, but Ray hadn’t stopped walking. She strode ahead, her eyes cast upwards in the illuminated sky.
“Hey!” he called out from behind her, but she didn’t pause. Was trying to come up with an appropriate response to ward him off when she heard the echoing of his footsteps hurry behind her. Ray rolled her eyes as his fingers brushed her upper arm and stopped her in her tracks. She snatched her hand out of his reach and turned swiftly on her heels, her eyes narrowing,
“What?” she snapped and Angel reared back at the bite in her tone. Their easy-going atmosphere lost, Angel scoffed and ran an annoyed hand through his hair,
“Your voice, what’s wrong?” He asked again and Ray shook her head, forcing herself to calm. Maybe she had anger issues , she thought wretchedly as she averted her gaze,
“It’s nothing. I always sound like this.” She started and saw as Angel stepped forward, looking as though he wasn’t going to stop asking. She moved away from him, her eyes cast ahead as she continued to answer his previous question, “We’re heading to the venue right now. There’s a change of clothes there for everyone–”
“I know,” he snapped, and Ray sighed, “Kyle told me to select something for today. I wasn’t asking you about me. I was asking about you.”
“Sure,” she murmured and started walking ahead, her eyes cast upwards just as she heard a bunch of profanities leave Angel’s tongue. Despite the irritation burning in her veins, Ray asked softly, “Do you swear that often? ”
Angel didn’t respond for an entire minute. Ray frowned and turned her head over her shoulder to see him walking right behind her.
Their eyes clashed suddenly, and a scowl shaped his face as he responded,
“Do you evade answers that often?” he shot back.
Ray laughed in surprise, looking back ahead as she weaved her hands behind her back, “No,” she said, “It’s just a coping mechanism–”
A sudden blinding light flashed in her eyes suddenly. Ray flinched back in surprise, her hand rising to her eyes as she breathed out in surprise. Angel must have responded behind her, but she didn’t catch his words. A sudden wave of nausea washed over her, memories from last night clouding her judgment for just a second. Her hand rose to her throat almost instinctively and her glare shot to the movement hidden in the bustling crowd.
And she didn’t know how she knew.
But when a hidden shadow moved in the bustling crowd, Ray stilled. He was here. He was fucking here.
Last night she’d made the mistake of letting her guard down. Mistake of letting him go. She wasn’t going to make the same mistake today.
“Ray?” Angel’s voice was a mere whisper amidst the roar in her ears. Her eyes darted around, trying to identify those same set of shoulders. Those same cat-like movements. It took her a second. Took a couple of steps forward for her to find it. Angel didn’t say a word behind her, didn’t do a single thing as Ray strode ahead, her chin tipping upwards. The crowd didn’t part for them, but she didn’t want them to. Raylene wove through the people like a shadow, suddenly so quiet and poised as she identified his tensed set of hunched shoulders .
He stood a couple of steps away, his head bowed and his eyes darting around eccentrically. There was a dark cap on his head, hiding the locks of hair she’d managed to catch of glimpse of last night.
“Stay quiet.” Ray whispered, her words intended for Angel. He didn’t respond, but she didn’t need him to. He blended in with the crowd without a single word behind her.
Raylene was barely breathing as she stepped closer to the hunched figure. Her lips curled in distaste when she stepped close enough to smell the reek of blood from him. Last night, she’d managed to stab him and slashed him across the face. She knew his wound wasn’t deep, but he still reeked of failed death.
She was behind him, her footsteps silent when she heard him whisper furiously on his phone,
“You told me she wouldn’t be here,” he cried on the device and Ray’s eyes narrowed behind him, “But she is. No, I couldn’t kill her–”
She heard the muffled voice speak from the other end. Felt him shake and let out a savage growl before snapping his head up. This close, she could see the green veins on his neck, climbing up and showing every ounce of his frustration,
“She’s fuckin’ insane. I had her down and she turned on me like a damned maniac. How is it my fault that– hello? HELLO?”
Ray rolled her shoulders, rotating her wrists when she heard him swear loudly and slam the phone against his forehead. She remained still. Waiting for him.
He turned around then, his eyes darting around, his brows scrunched and his hideously slashed face scarred deeply.
Ray didn’t move .
Didn’t really have to, when he froze on his own accord. She felt the chill in the air then. Heard his silent whimper when she tipped her chin downwards and smiled at the terrified look in his eyes.
“Hello.”
He didn’t move fast enough. Ray’s knee jerked up, making a sickening crack as it connected where she intended it to. The man cried out and doubled over.
She moved fast and quietly in the bustling crowd. Her hands grabbed hold of his and twisted him around. He was shorter than her but obviously trained thoroughly as he made impressive attempts at trying to escape. Ray’s hold on to him didn’t waver, so when she moved in the crowd without a single word, he could do nothing but walk.
She was vaguely aware of Angel walking behind her but was drowned by the memories of last night. When she walked through the crowd, no one stopped to stare. Not when the man cried out. Not when he screamed. He fought until she led him into a dark, secluded alley. Ray didn’t say a single word as she stepped through the narrow alley and breathed out. Remembered his hands on her neck. His cowardly way of trying to kill her.
It was with that thought that Ray slammed his face on the wall closest to her side.
He collided with a dangerous crunching sound and screamed at the sudden lash of movement. Ray didn’t relent, not once. She pulled him back with her eyes fixed on the wall straight up ahead as she slammed his head on its concrete surface again.
And again.
He was gasping when she let go of him .
Her eyes were merely bored when he collapsed down, tears and blood making a wrecked spectacle of his face. She looked down at him and took another step back. There was nowhere for him to go now. She sighed and waited for him to calm down, leaning against the wall as she did so.
From the corner of her eyes, she saw Angel step through the alley, his footsteps quiet, and not a single word out of his mouth. Ray didn’t know what made her do it. But she turned her head just slightly. And there he was. Hands crossed, body leaning against the wall.
A dangerous look in his eyes.
Waiting.
Ray couldn’t break eye contact when she reached down and grabbed the hem of her dress. She could feel his gaze rack her as she lifted it high enough for the garter, she was wearing to be visible. The metal of the gun had warmed against her skin, and it sang as her fingers wrapped around its hilt. His eyes flashed.
She looked away.
Back at the broken man as he looked down at his bloodied hands.
His face was scrunched in pain, his chest heaving up and down with harsh breaths when Ray pushed off the wall.
“Now,” her voice was smooth, and it cut through his mind because his ruined face snapped in her direction. Still, still , there was a rush of rage in those eyes. That sort of confidence and anger could only be born from one thing.
Death.
Ray blinked past it, “Tell me who sent you.” She said and saw him sit up on his toes, his bloodied lips curled into a savage growl, “Who was it? And why? ”
And when he just shook his head vigorously, Ray lifted her gun in his direction, her brows arching upwards,
“Answer the questions.”
He didn’t relent. Just spat blood on the ground and glared up at her, “You won’t kill me.” He rasped through his harsh breaths, “You need me for information.”
“Not really.” Ray said quietly and looked away in thought. There was his phone. The tattoo on the back of his neck. Should she take the chance and take him to Kyle?
But what if it was the Lions who’d set this up?
She didn’t have enough time to decide though. Because the man was already getting up, stumbling on his feet unsteadily. Her eyes were on him in an instant, but he moved so suddenly. His hands moved to whip out a gun from the waistband of his jeans. He lifted its hilt suddenly and was about to shoot.
Ray was faster.
Her bullet left her gun with a loud boom and buried itself in his hand. The man screamed, and the gun fell away. She stepped closer with a wary sigh as he scrambled back towards the wall, his eyes darting around. Ray sighed through her nose, clenching her fingers around the gun to stop her growing annoyance as he glared back at her like a cornered animal.
“You bitch ,” he snarled, and she rolled her neck, “Come fight me without your guns and we’ll see how much damage you can actually do.”
Ray stilled; her eyes bored as she looked at the man. He looked so small this far away, all his confident demeanor falling apart, inch by inch. If she were a better woman, she would’ve taken pity on him. But then he had gone ahead and baited her .
“Well?” he asked, and Ray snapped out of her thoughts. Blinking in surprise she raised her brows in question and he took a defensive position, a vulgar smile gracing his lips, “Fight me and find out. Or will you kill me like a fucking –”
“No thank you.”
Bam.
Ray sighed as wisps of smoke escaped the tip of her gun and the man ahead fell to the ground with a bullet in his head.
“I’d rather use my gun.”