Her heels clicked against the floor as she leaned back ever so lightly. The feeling of the music consuming her, the feel of Angel's hand around her waist drugging her. Her eyes were shut, but her movements were anything but. She flowed, like snow in the air, with Angel right there in front of her, matching every step, every move like a personal challenge. She was lethal, she was dangerous, and she was elegant. The finesse in her moves was so mesmerizing that the audience stood in awe. No one stopped them. No one dared to.
“Open your eyes storm,” Angel coaxed her out and Ray blinked them open, a smile playing on her lips as he twirled her and brought her back close to him again. She breathed in his scent and jumped in his arms, moving and swaying,
“I don’t need to keep my eyes open,”
she said in response, her words coated with a rare sort of mischievousness, “I just need to give the people the show they asked for.”
Angel clicked his tongue and took a step back and forward, moving her with him, “Always business with you,” he said in a low voice and Ray let out a huff of laughter. It was easier with him, laughing like this. Forgetting like this.
It was dangerous too.
Clink.
She blinked, her smile remaining intact as she heard the familiar note haul her back to their reality, “I think our time is coming to an end here Angel,” she said and looked back at him, ignoring the cool air as it buzzed past them. His brow arched and he moved so Ray could see who stood at the crown of the area. Saw the nod Alessandro gave his son and the look Maya shot her.
It was time.
And right on cue, the music subdued, a perfect edge to end at. Angel looked down at her, something odd gleaming in his eyes,
“Are you ready?” he asked and Ray looked back at him, her heart tightening at the thought of going at standing on that dais. Of becoming a target once again.
But then those young eyes were flashing in the back of her mind. Those timid, pale hands in the open casket and–
Ray breathed out, her teeth clenching as she forced all her resolve in her stand, “Yes. I’m ready. Are you?” she asked him and saw him take a moment. It was in that moment the music subdued further. The note diminishing further and further.
And ending on the perfect cadence.
They froze in their position as others around them departed from the dance floor. Crashing back to reality and taking in the looks of their audience, Ray knew what she had to do. What only a powerful alliance would do. Both stepped away from each other and for a single second, Ray saw the look of something like deep sadness cross his gaze. She didn’t question it, but then he responded just as softly,
“I have to be.”
And it seemed as though Angel De Santos might be carrying a burden just like she was.But was vengeance really a burden anymore? It was more like a purpose now.
A magnificent way to the end.
Angel noted her expression and whatever he saw there seemed to do the trick. Because suddenly, he wasn’t the same Angel who had been sitting beside her and had spilled his guts about his father. No, he was the perfect, devious golden prince he was brought up to be. And right now,thatwas what she needed. In proof, a roguish grin took its place on his lips as she took another step back unable to stop a dark and mysterious smile from growing on her face.
No one bowed, no one shook their hands. Only brisk nods were exchanged and before they knew it, they were walking away. Away from each other. Applauses rose and then the moment drowned with the crowd. The smiles were constant on their faces and those smiles? They took all those tender moments of the dance away and turned them into dark, forgotten memories.
Ray breathed out as Alessandro rose his glass, and looked straight at her, tapped a metal spoon against it just once.
Clink.
And the entire crowd silenced.
Ray lifted her chin as Kyle took his place next to her and Maya took a step forward, her eyes twinkling with malice Alessandro began,
“It’s time you all learned why you were called here.” He said in a loud voice. The words seemed to sink deep inside her, her stomach dropping with the pressure of it all. Kyle bristled beside her as well but didn’t show it.Nevershowed it. Verana was silent, the perfect practiced soldier on Ray’s other side. Ray breathed out, just once and waited for the words to continue. For the sign.
“I invited you to my island, to myhome,to share a revolutionary change in our ways.” His grand voice was carried by the wind, and although Ray wanted to turn and face the silent crowd, she didn’t.Not yet,she’d been instructed.
The cold air, suddenly biting, cut past her bare skin, making the back of her gown sway violently. But Ray didn’t dare sway, didn’t move an inch as Alessandro turned to his wife with a small smile and extended his hand in her direction. Maya was the perfect leader as she smiled back and took his hand, stepped forward as she did so. The fabric of her beautifulbloodred gown rustled softly as the crowd waited with bated breath. Ray tracked her every move, reluctantly in awe of her deadly beauty. Maya didn’t look down at them once, just tipped her chin in air and smiled a dark,lethalsmile.
“We have always been enemies in the same,recurringwar.” If Alessandro’s voice was loud, Maya’s was coaxing. Was low but thunderous enough to seep through every single crack in the crowd behind them. Ray’s back stiffened at her words, at the way she looked out into the crowd, “Today, we mend that.”
A moment of deafening silence.
Followed by a rush of sharp inhales behind them.
