Bang!
His ears started ringing but Angel didn’t flinch when the bullet from Maya’s gun buried itself in Nathan’s head. He just turned, his eyes matching Ray’s briefly as they both turned to face her. Maya’s gun slackened in her hands, and her husband took a step closer. The steam that rose from the gun’s end flew violently with the wind as if it hadn’t existed in the first place. No one moved. Not even when they all had equal power, when they all were capable of dangerous things.
Because there was nothing more deadly than a person mourning.
Maya’s eyes hadn’t cleared when her head snapped to one side, a sickening crack echoing in the wind as she looked at each and every one of them, “Nathan didn’t know about this, of course,” she said, and Angel grit his teeth. So, it wasn’t him. It was purely a warning.
“So, this is a threat on my behalf.” She said, and Angel’s eyes flashed indignantly.This was no way to–
Ray’s fingers brushed his again and he breathed out. Not now, he told himself, don’t make a mistake now.
“In the next few days, I will find you.”
Her eyes swirled around the crowd and settled on Ray and Angel. On Akash and every person who stood there.
“And I willkillyou.”
* *
Threats like that wouldn’t do the Lions any favors at all. Instead, this week would just become a place filled with angry people looking for ways to ruin them.
But was that new? No.
Ray grit her teeth as she waited for the crowd to separate. Maya and Alessandro had already turned back and walked back into their beach house. The others had begun scattering away and Verana had called someone to pick up June’s body. Ray had stuck in the same spot since, staring at the blood on the sand.
Tomorrow morning, this would disappear. And suddenly, everything would back to normal.
Ray couldn’t bring herself to feel even an ounce of pity for the woman. Not after what she’d said. After what she’d done. But a part of her couldn’t help but question the timing of it all. Akash’s body brushed past her then, and although he didn’t look back at her, she knew he was thinking the same thing.
Irene and Myra and gone after Maya, not waiting for anyone else to follow. Akash, however, had stopped to say a few comforting words to Kyle.
He didn’t spare Ray a glance as Kyle shot him a grim smile and turned to face the beach house. Ray didn’t have to look up to see him look back at her in question.
“Go.” She said, making sure to show the anger he expected, “I’ll find out who was behind this.”
She didn’t know how.
Kyle didn’t reply. But she knew her words had struck true when he inclined his head and walked away. Angel had disappeared the minute Maya had turned in. He and his friends had walked back to their rooms, Verana with them as they assured her that they would find who was behind this. That all this was wrong.
It somehow ruled them out of suspicion.But did it really?
It was just her and Akash left on the beach now, with the rest gone and not worried about her anymore. She breathed out, not knowing what to make of this entire situation. She hadn’t seen Cameron but hadn’t been worried until she’d seen June’s body.
“It wasn’t him.” Akash’s words were so soft that someone could almost mistake them for the howl of wind. Ray didn’t turn to him though, “I saw him as he left right now. It wasn’t him.”
Then who?She couldn’t help but want to cry out even as relief washed over her.
“Go back, Akash.” Ray responded finally, and felt him stiffen behind her, “I’ve got it from here. You just do what you need to.”
If she’d turned around, she would’ve noticed the tick in his jaw. Or the way his eyes spoke words she could clearly see.
You’re going to be a suspect. They’re going to keep an eye on you.
Ray breathed out, “Go,” she said firmly and waited as she heard the shuffle of his heels against the sand fade away. It was only after she was sure there was no one else remaining that Ray rose her head, her eyes shifting to look at the bioluminescent beach.
The blue lights in the water merged and shifted, swaying back and forth. It made her sort of dizzy, almost as if she were dreaming until she snatched her gaze away.
Her walk back to her room was quieter than she’d expected. An odd sense of numbness settled in on her nerves. Everyone had already scattered, gone back to their hotels until the notice for tomorrow would arrive.
