Page 29 of The Wildcard

“I already have one.”

She heard Angel scoff when Kyle stepped close to them, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose as he placed a steady hand on Ray’s back. His eyes warmed with an undercurrent of darkness as Angel continued to gaze at Ray.

Their eyes remained upon each other’s only for a few more seconds, before Angel broke away with a friendly smile on his face, turning to look at Kyle.

“Shall we?” he asked, and Ray found no tightness in his voice. No sense of the previous annoyance. Maybe he had it in store only for her, she thought grimly as Kyle grinned back and they started walking.

Maybe it was his true self, after all, she was still thinking when they rounded off the corner of the hallway, and only then did she hear the faint click of her door closing behind them.

Relieved, Ray stepped away from both the boys, leaving them to their conversation as she took calm yet quick steps ahead and pushed open the glass doors of the beach house. With the open doors came a cool gush of wind that had Ray swaying back suddenly.

But then there was a warm hand braced against her lower back as Kyle stepped past them and out onto the beach filled with cursed people. Ray stopped though, taking a moment to calm her mind as she tried to breathe through her nerves. Men and women, people who held the lives of others in the palms of their hands. Businesses that profited from other’s losses.

Other’s deaths.

Ray’s eyes snapped open. Blazing under the moonlight as she saw some faces unfamiliar to her. Some familiar. It didn’t matter though.

She was going to tear them all down.

“That’s it.” Angel’s voice was a whisper in her ear, his tone too excited for this entire situation. His hand was too warm against her back. Too familiar for her to be comfortable. Her hand snapped back to grab his hand and rip it off her body. But Angel just barked a laugh from behind her.

“That’s who you are.” He was saying when she stepped out on the sand and into the open mouth of a beast she knew too fucking well.

8

This was getting old very fast.

Ray was on the third glass of her wine when Kyle touched her shoulder in warning, just as he had been doing ever since she’d stepped out. She sighed, looking away from the faraway ocean as she turned her heels, plastering a smile on her face. They had a timeline, a plan. And according to that, she was supposed to be meeting specific people. When the hell would she–

Familiar black eyes, a dark set of hair, and that cut-throat jaw. Ray blinked, her glass going slack in her hands when she saw him smile at her politely and look at Verana, who was standing beside him.

“This your new member?” Akash Smith asked, his voice betraying a hint of an accent as he turned back to face her. Ray blinked, calming her surprise as she turned to Verana as well. The girl smirked and snorted, nudging her chin in Ray’s direction,

“A fresh face. Let’s see if she lasts long.”

Bitch.

Ray turned to face Akash again, noting his blue long shirt– a kurta? She thought as she smiled back at him politely,

“Pleasure to meet you.” She said, keeping the hint of tremor in her voice locked away, “And you must be Akash.”

He nodded, but she caught the glint in his eyes. A wave of panic washed over her at the familiar amusement in his gaze.

But when she blinked, it was gone, replaced by a cold politeness that he’d worked on developing for years. Akash braced a hand against his abdomen, his movements practiced as he inclined his head,

“I’m here as the representative for India.” He drawled smoothly, those dark eyes of his glinting in the dark, “I’m afraid I’m only here with some of my friends. The rest of us should arrive by the end of the week.”

Of course, Ray thought as she nodded, only the representatives from each country would arrive first to feel them out. Her eyes roamed around, landing on people she hadn’t had a chance to talk to yet. People from different places, all representing different countries with hidden agendas. It was as though she were in a place where everyone was constantly thinking of ways to rip out her throat. Ray turned back to Akash, a part of her relaxing,

“It’s great to have you here Akash.” Kyle was saying when they heard footsteps echo behind them.

“Akash Smith!” came the gravelly sound of Alessandro’s voice as he stepped into their little huddle and thumped a hand against his back with a loud laugh. Akash grinned, an almost boyish smile as he turned to look up at Alessandro’s cunning green eyes. Alessandro was in a good mood this evening, with everything going well and according to their plan, Ray noted as she saw Akash shake his hand vigorously,

“How is Mr. Smith?” Alessandro inquired, making Ray wonder how easy it was for all of them. To act this friendly when all they were really doing was hiding their true murderous intentions. She guessed, in that sense, the Ravens – especially Angel – were so different.

As if proving her point, she heard his voice drawl from behind her suddenly.

“Howishe doing? After having half his empire burnt to ashes?”

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