19
H e’d been lying on his bed. He’d been asleep. Well, not really, but he’d been comfortable. It was warm and it was a great night to fall asleep on an empty stomach.
Then his phone rang.
And Angel had all but jumped off his bed to grab the small device.
Now, he’d been staring at the name for about five seconds before the phone vibrated in his hands again. Partly because it was 2:00 at night and because she was calling.
He knew he shouldn’t have, but a part of him was really, really so curious. Angel’s lips were pressed together in a show of annoyance when he picked up the call and pressed his phone to his ear.
“Tell me why you are calling me at –”
“Have you ever danced on the beach, Angel De Santos?”
Angel froze. Or stilled. Or maybe his heart stopped. He really couldn’t tell. Because her voice was so much softer than it had ever been, and it was so late at night, and she should be asleep.
“Excuse me?” He managed to drawl out as he sat up on his bed and looked out the windows. At the full moon.
“I’m asking if you’ve ever danced on the beach? In the sand, with the ocean at your feet. Without any music, without any – ”
“Are you high?” Angel interrupted incredulously, getting off his bed to walk over to the window. His eyes snagged on the stunning view of the beach. Of the ocean .
“Just answer the question, Raven.”
So that was going to stick.
“No Storm. I think I might prefer dancing in the rain rather than in the sand.” He’d meant it sarcastically, but Ray hummed from the other end. And he froze again.
“Well, I guess you aren’t the right person to call then – ”
“Wait. What?” he snapped, maybe thinking she was about to hang up when he noticed it. The lightest of slurs in her voice, the way her words seemed to come out all jumbled. His eyes widened,
“What, what?” she shot back.
Holy shit. Was Raylene Walker drunk?
“Hey, Storm?” he asked, rubbing two fingers against his brow as she hummed back. Ralyene Walker hummed, “Where are you right now?”
“God, you’d make a terrible Sherlock Holmes.”
His eyes shuttered in annoyance, a guttural sound of annoyance leaving his throat as her words confirmed his thoughts,
“What are you doing on the beach Storm?”
“Why don’t you come and find out?”
Click.
Angel blinked as she hung up and brought his phone down to look at it with wide eyes. And then scoffed aloud. What in hell was he supposed to do now?
Go back to sleep , the right part of his mind seemed to reason but Angel bit his lip. And groaned out loud again. There was no way he would be able to sleep if he knew she was out there, drunk enough to call him .
Angel didn’t think. Maybe he should’ve. But he was too busy pulling a sweater over his head and grabbing the keys of his bike and his room as he stormed out.
Each step was like a curse headed in Ray’s direction as he walked out the doors of the mansion, dialing her number as he did so.
Ray didn’t pick up the first time he called. Or the second.
By the third time, Angel was so pissed that he was ready to scream at her when he finally reached the beach. She had to be further away if she hadn’t been visible from his window. And it was only with that thought that Angel angrily dialed her number again and started walking on the sand.
This time she picked up.
And this time he saw her.
The phone clicked against his ear, and he could hear her breathing. But now, standing just a meter away from her, panting to catch his breath, he could see her.
“Hi.” She whispered.
But Angel didn’t reply. His eyes were on her seated figure. On the sway of her hair as she tucked her knees against her chest and propped her chin against them lightly. Her thin T-shirt moved violently with the ruthless wind, but she didn’t seem to mind. Something in Angel’s chest went slack at the way she was looking out at the ocean, at the way she was tilting her head against the phone pressed against her ear. At the way her other hand held a half-empty bottle of whiskey.
At the way her honey eyes glimmered in the moonlight.
“Hi,” Angel whispered back. Everything was so quiet. So at peace. And a foolish part of him thought I could do this .
I could do this for all the next seconds of my life and not get tired of it.
And somehow, when he couldn’t imagine it getting any better. Or worse, he seemed to counter, he heard it.
It was soft, the briefest and quietest of all sounds. But there, with his eyes on her, her laugh spilled through the speakers of his phone. He saw the tip of her lips, the flash of her teeth, and heard the soft whisper of her laugh echo through his phone.
His mind. His heart. Everything just…
Quieted.
“Ever dance in the sand Angel?” she asked again.
And it brought him back. Crashing violently back to his unforgiving reality. Angel hung up and saw her jerk. Saw her eyes widen and her lips part. And then saw her let go of her phone as she threw her head back and let out a quiet echo of laughter.
That snapped whatever hold he had on his actions.
Angel stalked ahead, angry at himself or her, he really couldn’t tell.
But Ray seemed to hear him, because her head turned, and he forced himself to not balk at the honey tint of her wide eyes. Five days, he told himself, as he neared her, five days he’d been with her, and then this?
“What. Are. You. Doing. Here.”
Ray didn’t move. Not when he stalked in front of her and crouched angrily down on his toes to look at her. Her eyes were cast away from him, stoking his irritation at this entire situation .
“That wasn’t a question.” She replied, and Angel could hear the mix of her words. Could see the hazy gleam of her eyes. He breathed out harshly, averting his gaze as he did so. His eyes landed on the half-whiskey bottle, and a tired breath left his lungs,
“Can I have some of that?”
Ray turned to face him at that, her eyes so…
Sad?
But then she rose her unsteady hand and all but shoved the bottle against his chest,
“Thanks.” He said quietly and took a large swig of the drink. Angel winced as it burned its way down his throat and kept the bottle down. He looked up at her, his eyes imploring hers. Prying her apart piece by piece. Why was she so sad? So lonely like this?
But he couldn’t ask those questions. So, he asked another.
“Why did you ask me about dancing on the beach, Storm?” His voice was soft, softer than he’d ever thought it could be. It surprised him. But Ray turned to him like she’d been hearing that voice for centuries.
“Because I’ve never danced on the beach.” She said simply and Angel blinked at her words.
“No one has.” He responded and saw her lips twitch. Saw her eyes go hazy.
“Hey, Angel?” she asked after a moment’s pause, and Angel, who’d been so lost in her depthless eyes, jerked.
“Yes Storm?” he said jokingly and saw her eyes turn back to him. So wide. So curious.
“Do you believe this alliance will work out? ”
Angel blinked at her words. Everyone would have deemed them useless. Nothing but a drunk’s words. But knowing her for five days, knowing that gleam in her eyes, Angel knew exactly what she meant.
Are you with the Lions? Do you truly support them solely?
“With all my heart, storm.” Angel responded, and before she could ask any such questions again, he got up on his feet. Ray didn’t move though, but Angel was done waiting.
His mind was already a mess. He knew it could get potentially worse with time. With her questions. And with her crazy beautiful eyes.
Shit.
“Let’s go Storm.” he said, silently pleading with his eyes for her to get up. For her to stop. But Ray wasn’t looking at him. Instead, she just propped her chin against her knees and breathed out. Angel caught the sound of the waves washing over the sand and shivered as another breeze fluttered past them. He was going to either haul her over his shoulder and get her back to her room or shake her out of her drunk reverie by making her drink gallons of water. But when he looked back, all he saw was a girl sitting under the moonlight.
A girl with a million thoughts running in her mind.
“Hey, Storm?” he asked quietly and crouched down on his toes again. Her eyes didn’t turn to him, but he still placed his hand within her reach, “If you go with me now, I’ll make you a promise.”
That turned her eyes, and Angel gulped at the sheer emotion shining in that gaze. But didn’t back down from it. Couldn’t.
“If you go with me now, I’ll ask you for a dance on the beach.” He whispered. His heart pounded against his chest, thumping like a damned earthquake as he continued ,
“Any beach. Wherever in this world, I’ll ask you to dance, without any music. With or without any people around.” He waited for a beat.
“I promise.”
Ray didn’t reply.
But she slowly placed her fingers in his.
Angel’s breath caught as they both got up together.
He was about to say something when he saw her sway on the sand and his hand reached out a laced around her waist like a habit.
Like a mistake.
But he couldn’t bring herself to care as she placed her cold hands against his chest and looked up at him like that.
His hand around her waist tightened, bringing her flush against his body as she breathed out. And he breathed out. And it was all quiet until she broke it.
“Why don’t you ask me for a dance here Angel?”
The way she said his name. He was going to have to ban it.
It was such a foolish thought, but Angel still couldn’t help pulling her closer. Couldn’t help tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear as he replied just as quietly,
“Because the first time I ask you to dance with me,” he started and saw her eyes widen. Angel couldn’t help it, couldn’t help himself as his head lowered against the side of her neck. His lips hovered right above her skin, and he felt her body bow. Felt it press further against his. Fuck, this was bad. This was so bad…
Angel lifted his head, despite the urge to–
“You’re going to be sober.” He whispered and saw her eyes flutter close as his fingers dug into her waist. As the cold wind fluttered past them .
Her eyes shut as he brought her closer and despite his rational mind, despite all of his mind screaming at him, placed his lips in the middle of her brows. Her breath left her in a whoosh, but the kiss was soft. Was everything and nothing all at once.
“And you’re going to remember every waking moment of it.”
* *
One would think being drunk would allow you to forget the nonsense you did. And that you would suffer with a headache instead. But Ray was born different. Had to be fucking different.
Because as she shot up from the bed with her eyes wide in surprise, her head didn’t pound with the ache from drinking too much. No, it was the goddamned memories from last night.
I promise.
Ray’s lips parted, her hands ruffling through her messed-up hair as she remained seated in her bed. With the blankets tucked around her. And with the damned voice blaring through her head like a siren.
Everything came back like a shot in the dark, and Ray sat there, her hands in her head, her eyes wide as she recalled the things she’d done.
The things he’d done.
“Hands up Ray.” He said, his voice so soft and so gentle. Even as she swayed. As her eyes shut, “Come on Storm. I’m just putting this sweater on you.”
A wretched sound left her throat as her gaze snapped back down. And as if confirming her thoughts, there it was. A beige sweater that wasn’t her size. A scent that wasn’t her own. Coffee, whiskey, and something that belonged solely to him. Ray’s fingers stalled in her hair and dropped down to her forehead. Recalling the soft press of his lips and –
“I’m going to stay for a while. Just until you ask me to go.”
Her face fell into her hands, another sound leaving the back of her throat as she recalled his soft fingers against her cheek. Against the back of her neck when he lay her on the bed.
“Go to sleep Storm.” He whispered and she’d never heard his voice like that. A part of her wanted to fall into it. Drown in those gentle waves as he brushed her hair back from her forehead, “You’re allowed to be like this only for tonight. Then you’re going to go back to hating me.”
“You have to.”
Her eyes snapped up, her hands flopping down beside her as she let out a tired breath. She’d deal with him later. Would think about him later –
“Good morning, drunk head.”
Ray hurled a pillow to her side first. And only then did she scream.
Her breath left her lungs altogether when she saw Angel’s amber eyes narrow darkly as the pillow dropped down. Ray’s lips parted in a scoff, her brows scrunched,
“ God Santos. What the hell are you doing here?”
Those amber eyes flashed, and Angel got up too suddenly, making her jerk back suddenly. Ray reprimanded herself for her reaction, but he didn’t seem to care because he was angrily brushing the dust off his pants as he glared back at her,
“ You asked me to stay.”
Ray’s eyes narrowed, “I didn’t. You volunteered.”
His brow arched, “Because you asked. ”
As if confirming his words, the images of him being too near flashed in the back of her mind. His hands so warm against her waist. His lips hovering on the side of her neck. His eyes flashing in the dark as if he were forcing himself not to –
“What are you thinking Storm?”
Ray’s eyes snapped back up to him and she grit her teeth at the quirk of his lips. At his amused eyes. Her brow cocked, and she pushed herself to
get off the bed. Her stitches pulled against her skin, but Ray only winced at the sudden throbbing off her shoulder as she slipped off the cotton covers. Angel’s eyes widened in slight worry before she caught him taking a step back. As if stopping himself from coming closer.
Ray gulped past the dryness of her throat as she prowled close to where he was standing. His eyes had turned wary as she laced her hands behind her bank and kept a healthy distance to speak freely.
“Look,” she started slowly and saw his brows arch up, “I’m only going to say this once so don’t let it get to your head.”
A grin spread across his lips, and she frowned, “Oh, I’m definitely going to let it get to my head.”
She sighed, “Nevermind then.”
His hand came forward, wrapping around her wrist lightly as he pulled her closer, a small grin on his face, “No, my bad. Please continue.”
“Fine.” She snapped, pulling her hand from his as she took another step back. Away from his presence in her life. In her mind. Shit.
“Thank you for last night.” She said quickly, making sure to look at him as she continued tightly, “And for taking care of me before that as well. ”
His gaze shuttered, his grin subduing as she continued, “I know it was because you want to maintain good relations with the Lions, but I still appreciate the gesture.”
Ray breathed out and caught the spark of annoyance in his eyes. She shook her head, and Angel’s face drew back into its original beauty. She sighed at the familiar contempt in his eyes and took another step back, towards the washroom. He opened his mouth to say something, but a sudden growl filled the air.
Both her and his eyes widened as her gaze snapped down to her stomach and she braced a hand against her abdomen. When she looked back up, Angel had averted his gaze, a knuckle pressed to his mouth as his shoulders shook in silent laughter. Ray scowled and pouted down at her stomach,
“Shut up.” She muttered to Angel. But he only seemed to laugh harder at her words. Her gaze snapped away, a flush rising over her cheeks as a small smile curved her lips, “I’m just hungry.”
“Yeah,” Angel breathed out, “No shit.”
Ray scoffed and waved a hand in the air, turning to walk into her washroom as she heard Angel cackle behind her,
“Let’s go out to get breakfast.”
She couldn’t help her small smile as she peeked from her open door of the washroom and shot him an innocent glance,
“Sure.” She said and saw his eyes widen, “Get the rest of your gang as well. My treat.”
When Ray closed the door and pressed her back against its cold surface, she grinned as she heard him murmur from the other end,
“Damn it. ”
A sudden vibrating sound filled the air then, drawing her attention down to her pants. The smile on her lips dropped as she fished out her phone and looked at the message the flitted across the screen. At the back of her mind, she barely heard the click of her door closing as Angel walked out of her room.
Her stomach growled again, this time louder, but Ray didn’t pay attention to it. Instead, her eyes narrowed at the message. She opened the chat and read it before it got deleted.
And sighed as it disappeared from her screen. Ray sighed at her screen and then typed out a message aimed at someone else.
‘Call me in 45.’
She typed and waited. Within the next second, the message was opened and was read. Ray breathed out and immediately deleted the message again, biting her lip as she did so and shut the screen. Ray sighed, her eyes shutting once as she let that wave of adrenaline buzz past her. It was then her mind wandered. To Angel’s words. To his hands.
And took a complete turn.
A sudden recollection of her conversation with Maya last night tumbled into her mind, making her blink with the same anger she’d forgotten last night.
Ray grit her teeth and shoved a hand through her hair as she opened her eyes and looked up. Froze as she found herself staring into a mirror that reflected her actions. Her eyes snagged on her clothes. On the beige sweater that flopped against her body. She tugged at its helm, trying not to breathe in too deep to avoid the scent. But it was near impossible. Because those wisps of coffee and whiskey were everywhere .
Ray shook her head. Apart from the sweater there was nothing different. Of course, her eyes were smudged dark, and her hair was a bird’s nest, but apart from that, she was all right. Was surprised to find herself not quite unhappy with how events had turned out last night. A growl left her lips, and she turned away in annoyance.
Why in hell would she think about that now?
“Whatever.” Ray whispered to herself and dropped her phone on the counter and stripped to step into the hot shower.
When she stepped out of the washroom, her thoughts weren’t as near scalding as the shower had been. But her wounds were throbbing in pain. And it was enough to calm her mind down. She walked to the side of her room, right in front of the mirror, and dropped the towel off her body. Breathing out calmly, she tore the pieces of plastic she’d attached to cover up her wounds.
Ray grimaced when saw the nasty slash run down her shoulder and stop right in the middle of her chest. Her hands shook as she looked at the stab wound on the side of her abdomen, and winced as she edged her fingers on beside it carefully. So many scars, Ray cursed as she turned to grab a new pair of bandages to wrap around her abdomen.
The stitches were pulled tight, but Ray still cringed as she wrapped the cotton bandage around her waist. Her eyes darted up to the whip injury, to the sliced skin that was still red and throbbing after so long.
A part of her wanted to cover it up. Wanted to hide it from the world.
And yet Ray did the complete opposite .
She didn’t know how she could treat it just yet and decided to go to David later on. For now, however, Ray carefully wrapped the cotton bandage around her shoulder, unable to cover most of the wound but making an effort, nonetheless. A sudden burst of exhaustion hit her as her hands dropped down. How was she even standing after not having eaten anything for a day?
As if in confirmation, her mind rocked sideways making her vision blur. Ray swayed to one side, bracing a hand against the pillar of her bed as she breathed out harshly. Loss of blood, she recounted in her mind as her eyes shut and her mind spun, and no food in her system.
She was lucky she was fucking alive.
Ray grimaced and righted herself, forcing herself past the rocking nausea as she pulled open the doors of her closet and removed the first thing she saw. Ray made sure to keep her eyes open as she heaved the black jeans up her thighs. Her hands shook terribly as she put on the black spaghetti blouse and topped it off with a white cardigan.
By the time she was done, Ray was so exhausted that she was sure she was going to pass out. But she willed herself to move. To grab her phone and lock the door behind her as she walked through the bustling hallway.
She didn’t know how or when she tumbled out in the dining room, but her mind was still rocking back and forth when a warm hand wrapped around her upper arm.
“Raylene Walker?”
Ray groaned at the unfamiliar male voice behind her but couldn’t bring herself to turn around as she leaned against the wall.
“Food.” She said and the boy behind her hauled her closer, straightening her as he turned over his shoulder to yell out,
“Get her some breakfast! ”
This time Ray didn’t have to turn because the boy was already coming to stand in front of her, not too close but not too far away. Dark blonde hair and brown eyes with green flecks. Her eyes widened as a female voice called out from somewhere behind her,
“What’s wrong with her?”
Jack Davis’s eyes were scrunched in confusion and concern as he looked over his shoulder to respond, “I don’t know.”
Ray didn’t miss him murmur, “There’s always something wrong with her.”
She couldn’t help the small laugh that left her lips at that, and opened her eyes as far as she could, “Nice to meet you too, Jack Davis.”
His eyes widened and a pair of hazel eyes came into Ray’s vision. She smiled lightly as Christina Morris peeped over Jack’s shoulder and said,
“Are you alright?”
Ray nodded, pulling her hand from Jack’s as she pushed past them to sit at the dining table. Her head flopped down on the glass loudly as she sat down and groaned.
“Somebody get some fucking food on this table!” She yelled, but it was muffled because of her face being shoved in her arms. She could still hear the people around her scurry when the warm British accent flooded through her ears as Jack spoke from behind her, sounding awfully awestruck,
“You really should smile more Raylene Walker.” He said and Ray pushed her head further into the bundle of arms. Unable to answer, Ray just let out a soft sound of agreement as she heard a chair scrape back and a shuffle of footsteps behind her .
For the first time in her life, when the familiar warm hand landed on her hunched back, Ray didn’t jerk. Somehow that reaction terrified her even more. But then he was speaking lightly from behind her and all Ray was thinking of now was food.
“She’s just hungry.” Angel’s voice echoed from behind her, his words aimed at Jack and Christina while Ray grunted in agreement. His light laugh filled the air as he pulled the chair next to her and flopped down on it. His hand which was on her back carefully rose to the back of her neck and a part of Ray wanted to stay like that forever. Could stay like that forever.
“Breakfast’s here Storm.” His whisper clouded her mind.
Ray blinked and whiffed the air, snapping out of her reverie as her head jerked up and she saw a plate of eggs and bread headed her way from the corner of her eyes.
And then she noticed his fingers around her neck.
Ray jerked away from him, a glare headed in his direction as a plate landed in front of her. She picked up her fork and pointed it in his direction,
“If I wasn’t hungry–”
“Si, si.” Angel interrupted and rolled his eyes in her direction, turning away from her as he murmured, “ Eat.”
Ray’s gaze narrowed but she didn’t hesitate to turn and scarf down her food, almost moaning at the delicious flavor. She didn’t take long to finish what was on her plate, but apparently, she’d been eating really fast because an odd silence had descended in the room. Ray’s eyes snapped up from her plate, only to find a pair of hazel eyes looking back at her. She arched a brow at Christina and Jack, who were both looking at her like she’s grown another head .
“You’re–” Christina started but Jack slammed a hand against the table, making the other girl jerk back. Ray simply blinked at the sheer confusion in his eyes.
“Why are being like this?” he asked and Ray’s brows arched further in question. Jack shook his head comically, “Go back to your icy self so I can start hating you again.”
Ray scoffed and looked back down at her plate, “I was stabbed and whipped, and haven’t eaten for god knows how long – ”
“A day.” Angel interjected, and grinned as she shot him a deadly glare,
“A day.” She emphasized, “So forgive me if I’m not icy enough for you.”
The silence that descended this time was completely different. It made her eyes rise in confusion and only widen as Jack pressed a hand to his lips,
“Stop.” He said, his voice quivering and Ray’s head tilted, “You’re going to make me fall in love with you.”
Ray threw her fork in her plate, “Fuck’s sake,” she murmured and got off her chair as Angel let out a booming laugh from beside her. She didn’t turn around when she heard Jack’s laugh cease and he said loudly,
“Wait. She was whipped?”
Ray shook her head as she picked up her plate and headed in the direction of the kitchen. She was still in mid-annoyance when a taller man stepped in front of her with his eyes bowed.
She halted, her head rising to catch his eyes as he extended his gloved hands in her direction .
“Can I help you?” Ray asked tentatively, making sure her voice was soft. The man’s bowed eyes rose to hers and remained there. Lifeless and polite. Ray’s breath caught as his dry voice spoke quietly,
“Your plate, Ms. Walker.”
Ray blinked, “Oh,” she said and smiled up at him, “Don’t worry about it, I needed to get something from the kitchen anyway.”
Something like fear flashed in his eyes making her balk at that expression. Ray stumbled back a step as his hands laced behind his back. She blinked and breathed out, letting a strained smile graze her lips again as she continued,
“Could you show me the way?”
The man just nodded and turned on his heels. Ray shook at his abruptness but followed him anyway. The kitchen they walked into was huge and bustling with multiple people, multiple chatter when she walked in. But then one of the girls there saw her and suddenly the entire staff quieted. Ray froze as all of them turned away from her and stopped working. She cleared her throat, forcing the dryness to go away as she looked at the crowd,
“Can I see whoever made this breakfast for me right now?” she asked hesitantly as she saw them exchange brief glances, “I don’t want to trouble any of you–”
“That would be me, ma’am.”
A middle-aged woman stepped forward, wiping her hands on her apron as she did so. Ray’s eyes widened at how young she looked with her dark curls hidden by the cap on her head. The woman had the widest doe eyes, and now it seemed as though they peered into her soul as she looked at her. Ray didn’t miss the hint of hatred coursing through that gaze but decided to walk past it as she stepped forward and placed her plate in the sink .
“The food was delicious.” She said as she twisted the tap to wash the plate with the water. The crowd had made space for her to do as she wished. So, Ray scrubbed her plate clean and placed it on the rack right next to it. She wiped her hands on her pants and turned to face the woman with a small smile,
“That’s all I came here to say.” Ray said, matching those doe eyes with her own. The woman’s eyes narrowed, a tick in her jaw visible as she bowed her head in compliance. Ray breathed out, her brows scrunching at this entire situation. What in hell was going on here?
But also, what had she been expecting?
Ray cleared her throat and turned to the rest of the crowd, “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I was just taught to wash my own plates.”
The silence didn’t break.
Ray sighed, and turned back to the woman, “Do you have any protein bars? I’m not allowed to eat any chocolate.”
For a second, no one responded. But then a smaller voice broke free from the crowd,
“Why?”
All eyes whipped in the direction of that voice, and Ray could swear she saw all of them glare at the young boy who was standing behind the man who’d led her in. Ray’s eyes zeroed on him, and she saw him squirm under her gaze. She blinked at his actions and shrugged,
“I got hurt badly. So, I can’t have too much sugar because my blood pressure needs to be maintained.” She replied easily and the boy revealed himself inch by inch .
Ray didn’t miss the way the man acutely angled himself to stand in front of the boy. She sighed at the gesture, understanding exactly where it was coming from but bothered, nonetheless.
“So?” Ray turned to the woman, suddenly exhausted and exasperated, “Any protein bars?”
“You shouldn’t give up on chocolate.” The boy said again, and Ray turned to him with a small smile, her shoulders relaxing at the boyish innocence on his face. The man in front of him ruffled his hair and the boy’s lips bloomed into a full grin, “Chocolate’s heaven.”
Ray hummed, the boulder of pressure leaving her shoulders, “Fuck yeah,” she murmured and turned to face the woman again, “Got any chocolate?”
The woman finally showed a reaction by turning on her heels and striding away from her. Ray watched her walk away and pressed her lips together, turning to face the young boy. Now that she looked at him, he looked like he was at least ten years old. His round eyes were brown, his blonde hair matching the man who was standing in front of him.
She smiled as the boy stepped forward with a toothy grin, “How’d you get hurt?” he asked, and Ray blinked at his question, “Can I see it?”
“Uh,” she started but was thankfully stopped from responding as the woman from before walked before her and grabbed her hands forcefully. Ray heard the man hiss from beside her as the woman hauled her figure forward and looked at her with her wide, angry eyes,
“ Cecilia.” He said just at the same time the woman started speaking,
“No chocolate.” She said in broken English as she put something in her hands. Ray looked down at the two protein bars and a bottle. The woman, Cecilia, followed her gaze and hummed ,
“This for your neck.” She said and Ray’s lips parted in surprise, “Rub. And it will heal.”
“Ah,” Ray started, her eyes starting to well up in tears as she pointedly looked down, “But my skin’s torn up there. If I put it on it, then won’t it burn?”
Cecilia hissed in annoyance, “ Stupid girl, apply on the sides for now. When skin heals, apply on top. Ointment.” She said and Ray couldn’t help but let out a choked laugh. Cecilia grunted in front of her,
“Next time, don’t jump in between.” She said and Ray’s eyes snapped up in surprise. But Cecilia’s eyes were narrowed in seriousness, “Never interfere in business. Others business is not yours.”
Ray smiled at her words, a bit sadly as the rest of the crowd broke into whispers around her, “I don’t have a choice.” She said and Cecilia’s eyes widened, “I was brought up this way.”
“Ray?”
Her head snapped in the direction of Angel’s voice from outside the kitchen. Ray jerked, “ Shit.” She swore and swiped at her eyes hastily to stop herself from crying. Cecilia didn’t say a word as Ray sniffed and let out a breath, turning to look at the boy standing there and then at Cecilia.
I’ll get you out, she wanted to say, I’ll make things better.
But she only said, “Thank you.”
Cecilia’s eyes softened, just a fraction. And then she was lightly pushing Ray out of the kitchen. She laughed as the boy waved at her and Cecilia pushed her out with one last shove and some words that would stick with her forever ,
“You,” she heard Cecilia say as Ray turned to see Angel standing a few feet away from the door. His eyes snapped in her direction at the same time Cecilia continued, “And him. Good people. Stay good people.”
And with that, the doors of the kitchen shut behind her.
Ray blinked at the entirety of the situation but didn’t have time to ponder upon it as Angel stalked in her direction with his brows drawn together,
“You alright?” he asked and Ray snapped back to reality, her fingers fisting around the protein bars and the bottle.
“Of course.” She replied easily and started heading in the direction of the dining area. Angel stepped beside her, making her feel as though he was waiting for her to continue when they walked into the dining room.
Ray saw Jack and Christina deep in conversation and turned over her shoulder to smile at him,
“Why so worried, Raven?”
Ray’s heart seemed to stop when he turned a deadpan look in her direction and said,
“Because it’s you.”
Ray just shook her head and turned with a secretive smile. She headed in Christina’s direction, and saw the other girl look back at her with a small smile,
“Hi.” Christina said and Ray’s head tilted,
“Hi,” she started in response, and pulled her chair back to flop down on it, “Where’s Ira?”
Christina’s eyes softened, “She should be down with Luke any second now. Fortunately, she fell asleep pretty quickly last night. ”
Ray breathed out in relief, pressing a hand to her chest as she leaned back in her seat. She didn’t know how she hadn’t noticed it before, but Christina had a naturally soft voice. A quiet sort of tone that seemed like it could comfort anyone.
“Thank you.” Ray said sincerely and Christina waved a hand in the air.
“Don’t worry about it. I’m sure–”
Ray’s thoughts and Christina’s words halted as a loud buzzing sound filled the air. Her brows scrunched and she looked at the other girl with apologetic eyes as she fished her phone out of her pocket. Christina smiled back at her, motioning for her to take the call. Ray took one look at the screen and sighed. Waited for it to ring four times before picking up.
A female voice flooded from the other end,
“Hello?” Neera Griffin’s voice was subdued, almost silent as Ray breathed out and looked up to find Angel’s narrowed eyes on hers.
“Hey,” she replied, her voice’s volume reducing as she continued, “I need Noah Hassan’s number.” She said and heard Neera hum from the other end. Ray waited for her to sign the words to Cameron, leaning against her chair as she did so. She didn’t dare look up at Angel, but she knew exactly what kind of reaction her words had enticed.
“I’ve sent it to you.” Neera’s voice drawled from the other end, and Ray jerked up, her eyes widening as she looked down at her phone and the incoming message.
“Thank you.” Ray said once she’d saved the number, “Let me know if you need anything. ”
“Sure.” Neera responded and hung up. Ray breathed out, typing out a message to Noah Hassan as she got up from her seat and grabbed the protein bar and the bottle.
“Where you off to Walker?” Angel’s soft voice spoke, coaxing her attention. Ray pointedly didn’t look back up at him as she typed the message and hit send.
“Tell me why I need to tell you?” she murmured just as the doors of the dining room opened up, revealing Luke and Ira. The younger girl immediately headed in Ray’s direction, making her sigh in relief as she came and stood before her with her chin tipped in the air.
“I didn’t know you needed Noah’s number,” Angel purred, and Ray’s eyes narrowed in annoyance as Luke whistled from the other end of the room, “You could’ve just asked.”
She rolled her eyes and inspected Ira for any signs of injury as she responded sweetly, “You’re not my only source of information Santos.”
“Now,” she said, snapping her eyes away from Ira and right into Angel’s narrowed ones. She smiled back innocently, “I have a meeting I need to attend.”
Ray turned to Christina, her eyes softening, “Thank you again for watching over her last night.” She said and Christina winked back at her,
“Don’t worry about it.”
“Just remember it.” Jack added softly, and Ray nodded, her smile still tilting her lips as she looked at Ira,
“You mind getting out of here with me? ”
Ira all but jumped in her place in response and Ray grinned at her reaction. She looked over her shoulder to see Angel’s frown deepen as she stepped away from the table. Away from him and the memories he’d forever etched into her mind from last night.
“See you later Raven.” She said quietly and turned to leave, his words from last night still echoing in her mind as she pulled Ira with her.
I promise.