Page 95 of The Wildcard

Come on. Just a little bit more.

Ray’s phone buzzed in her hand again, and this time shedidlook down at the screen. Smiled at the name that flashed. She angled her phone upwards to show them all, her eyes gleaming with an odd sense of mirth. Kyle’s shoulders straightened, just as Ray picked up the call and put it on speaker,

“Tell me–”

“Why thefuck are all my facilities burning the fuck down?”

Ray’s grin turned borderline insane, “Yourfacilities?” she purred, silencing him immediately, “Does that mean you’re ready to work with us, Noah?”

Silence echoed through their call for a second. Another.

And then a rich velvet laugh boomed from the other end, “Ohwow,”he chuckled, “You got me good Raylene Walker.”

Ray’s eyes crinkled, “I’m only asking. Are you ready to make the deal Noah? If so, those burnt, ruined buildings are all yours to play with.”

“Are you asking me to start from ashes?” he laughed again, “And here I thought the Lions were good at handling their business.”

A growl from Kyle’s throat. She shot him a glare.

“I’m afraid you’re misunderstanding Noah,” she coaxed, turning away from all the people in the room, her voice going soft, “I’m handing you a mine filled withdiamonds.You’ll be building a multimillion business with the Larsensand…”

She heard his sharp inhale.

Ray couldn’t help her light laugh at his surprise, “Come on Hassan. You didn’t get to where you are now by sitting in daddy’s lap. You know how business works. Kraft is dead, and he took his business’s credibility with him.”

“You–”

“Andthank godhe did. Imagine if we’d gotten tangled up with the same mess the Ravens had dealt with last year.” She said, “We’re in a crisis right now, but it’s an opportunistic one.”

Thud, thud.

Ray’s eyes shot to the door, her gaze narrowing as Kyle went to inspect who was standing outside. She saw his shoulders stiffen as he saw who it was and turned to face them all. His green eyes drilled through hers and Ray knewexactlywho was standing outside.

The grin on her face widened and she waved to let him in.

“Yes, you’ll be starting from the roots but why isn’t that a good thing?” she was saying when she saw Kyle pull the door open. Angel De Santos strode in, his fingers straightening the collar of his shirt, the very image of elegance and power.

Ray noted the gleam of something like respect shine in Alessandro’s eyes as he crossed the room and clapped him on the back.

“You would not only have our support to step out of your father’s shadow,” she said, her eyes matching Angel’s as Luke walked in behind him. Angel merely gazed back at her, nothing except pure calmness in those amber eyes as she continued speaking, “But you’ll be part of a movement that would show everyone that the Lions can rise fromanything.”

Angel’s eyes flashed then, a cheeky grin growing on his lips as Noah said dangerously from the other end,

“If I’m not a part of it?” he asked tentatively and Ray’s eyes snapped away, her smile dying at his question.

“Then you’ll get crushed.” She said in deadpan, “Just like everyone else.”

Noah’s laugh boomed again, and Ray couldn’t help rolling her eyes as she continued, “Get your hands on the gold before someone else does Hassan.” She said, “That’s all I can say.”

And hung up.

She sighed down at her phone, waiting for the message to arrive. They all waited for her to look up. For her to speak. But Ray only looked up when she felt the buzz in her hands again. Saw with a growing smile as a message from one of Noah’s lawyers poured in.

‘He’s in.’

And another from Noah Hassan himself.

‘This better make me fucking rich Raylene Walker. Or I’ll gut you.’

---