Be either scared or angry, he wanted to say. Instead he just looked ahead and said in a low, deep voice,
“I like your hair open.”
Raylene saw his hand rise behind her, but she was a second late because he was already pulling the claw clip and her bun was coming apart.
Angel’s head tipped sideways, his eyes darkening at the look on her face. She froze and turned, her heels screeching against the marble as her dark hair spilled over her shoulder.Ah shit,he couldn’t help but think when those waves fell back.
He really did like her hair open.
She didn’t glare up at his actions. Didn’t give him a think, regardless of her obvious surprise. Angel sighed, the claw clip slightly limp in his fingers when he saw her unfazed. But then she was walking right towards him, and his eyes widened as she leaned in closer.
He didn’t do a thing. Couldn’t as she gazed up at him through cold eyes and grabbed the claw clip from his hands. Thought he might be dreaming when he saw the small twitch of her lips when put it in her pocket and whispered,
“Such a child.”
Angel scoffed and was about to snap back when she stepped away and ran a hand through her waves, her eyes unfocused as she said,
“I like them open too.”
That shut him up. This time when Raylene Walker started walking ahead and Angel strode behind her, he was rendered so surprised that he didn’t even realize when they’d stepped into the dining area. Angel blinked in surprise when he heard the clatter of the dishes and heard his father’s voice snap through the air,
“Ah, there he is.”
The words were like a slap to his face, and it cut through whatever daze he’d conjured in his mind. Angel blinked and found himself standing in a large dining area, its main feature, the large glass table that sat right in the middle. He could already smell the savory tinge of the food that sat on the table, piping hot and steaming.They’d already begun eating,he realized with a scoff in his head,how insolent.
“Angel De Santos.” A familiar voice said, and Angel’s heart calmed. His entire previous mischief disappeared completely as he raised his eyes to the origin.
And found himself staring into a pair of green, lethal eyes.
Angel’s eyes hardened even as a practiced smile rose on his face.
Alessandro Saint hadn’t gotten up from his seat, had chosen to cross his arms and lean back instead.
Angel had met Alessandro only a handful times, but it was enough to render him speechless every single time. His entire presence was overpowering, and if that wasn’t enough, Alessandro was built like a beast. The complete opposite ofhisfather, who looked like a fuckingratcompared to him.
In fact, it was men like Alessandro that crushed men like Martin De Santos.
Despite all this, Angel wasn’t fazed. He couldn’t be. The Ravens and the Lions had a long-standing relation. So, Angel felt nothing but the eerie calm of his heart as he carefully poised his hand against his abdomen,
“Pleasure to meet you again Mr. Larsen.” He said evenly and saw Alessandro’s eyes narrow by an inch. A faint screech filled the air as Raylene pulled her chair and plopped down on it, her eyes still on her phone. She was sitting beside Kyle Larsen, who was seated beside his father. Angel watched as Kyle leaned in closer to see Raylene’s phone, a faint smirk on his face as he looked back up at Raylene and said something inaudible to Angel’s ears.
Intrigued, Angel looked away and toward the person sitting on the other side of Alessandro. If that man was a beast, his wife was a snake that hid in his shadow until it was the right time to strike. Maya Larsen smiled at him like one, her eyes quiet and subdued, unlike her entire erect posture.
“Angel,” she said sweetly, and his heart thumped in his chest in response. It was natural, being in their presence like this, to feel as though he was choking. Angel smiled though, his eyes crinkling,
“Mrs. Larsen.” He replied and heard her chuckle before pointing to the seat beside her.
“Have a seat.” She said, not a waver in her voice and he obeyed.
It was when he sat that Raylene kept her phone down and looked up at him, her honey eyes calm and poised.Liar.
“So,” Maya began from beside him, and Angel leaned back in his seat, crossing his legs as he turned to her. Maya was looking at her Raylene when she spoke,
“I assume you’ve met our newest addition?” she asked, and Angel nodded. He saw Kyle’s gaze snap up from Raylene’s phone, and drill right through Angel’s.
“She’s going to be our mediator,” Alessandro’s gruff voice cut through their conversation. He inclined his chin in Raylene’s direction.
“Raylene Walker.” she responded, her tone calm as she looked at Angel without a hint of emotion in her eyes. She opened her mouth to continue but was interrupted by a sudden sound of the door slamming open. Everyone except Angel’s gaze cut to the door to see him walk in.
