Page 101 of The Wildcard

“Ira,” Ray started, and the other girl turned immediately. She was about to get on the bike when she saw the look in Ray’s eyes, and stopped, looking awfully as though she was going to run away, “We’re heading to the hospital.”

Ira inclined her head hesitantly, “Si. I know.”

“You’re going to get checked up there as well.”

That had the other girl flinching back as if the mere thought of anyone apart from Ray being near her terrified her. But Ray’s voice was calm, coaxing her back, “I’m going to be with you. In the same room, in the same place. But I need to know you’re alright–”

“Sto bene!Iamalright.”

But Ray wasn’t stopping, “And that you’regoingto be alright.” She sighed at the devastation that showed in Ira’s eyes. She hadn’t put the helmet on yet and had resorted to holding it like a weapon. Angel took a careful step back, making a show of giving Ira her space. Ray’s eyes noticed it as well, because she straightened in her seat, “Look, kid,”

Ira flinched at the word,

“This is a two-way street. I’m not asking you to do anything that doesn’t involve your consent. But you need to understand that this is important foryourhealth. There’s nothing else to it. I’m trusting you, holding you to your words.” Ray twisted the key and started her bike, “Isn’t it fair for you to do the same?”

Angel followed her movements, a breath leaving his lungs at her words.

He sat on his bike and started it in one fluid motion, waiting for Ira to get on and make a decision. When he turned to look back at her, Ira was blinking at both of them with something like a crazy rage in her eyes. Angel couldn’t blame her. But he still doused the tense air by turning the handle of his bike. A loud roar filled the air from his accelerator and saw as Ira jumped in surprise.

Her brows furrowed in a frown but Angel shrugged back at her as if saying,get on with it.

Ira sighed finally and turned to Ray, “You will be with me?” she asked, and Ray nodded, putting the face shield back,

“Every step of the way.”

“Just not when you head to the washroom,” Angel deemed it important to add and earned himself two glares. The helmet hid his cheeky grin, but he still sighed in relief as Ira nodded briskly and put the helmet over her head, heading to sit behind Ray as she did so.

“Food first,” Ira demanded a bit numbly but both Ray and Angel chuckled at her words. He looked at the girl,

“Any preferences?” he asked and chided himself for the enthusiasm in his voice. When was the last time he’d looked forward to something so mundane with anyone apart from his friends?

“Anything but seafood.” She said, and Angel had a cute sense of her crinkling her nose in disgust as she said the word, “Fishes smellawful.”

Ray’s honey laughter spilled through the air as she roared her bike to life, “Alright. Seafood it is!”

They both didn’t miss it when Ira groaned out loud and murmured something that sounded quite close tofucker.Ray gasped but Angel only cackled and turned his bike on. He didn’t hear the other girl’s response because he was already riding the bike with the violent wind hurling past him.

Angel’s mind was a mess with everything that had happened.

With everything he’d learned about the Lions. About how they did damage control. About how the Ravens had finally pledged their loyalty to them. Angel breathed out, his mind straying from other details of this week. Other unimportant bits kept flashing behind his eyes.

Her and her honey eyes.

Her and her playful words.

Her and her grins.

Angel cursed as they rode on the lonely road. And just wondered if it was worse that he was worried about the latter of his thoughts rather than their involvement with the Lions.

* *

Surprisingly, it had all gone better than she’d expected.

Maybe too better considering how she was sitting next to Angel De Santos late at night with a half-empty vodka bottle in her hand.

Ray sighed, flopping back on his bed as she put a hand against her forehead and groaned.What the hell was wrong with her? Getting here so late at night? Where were the boundaries?

She saw Angel’s slumped shoulders in front of her, his body turned to look out the open windows as he grabbed the Vodka and took a large swig.She was just returning a favor,she thought to herself as she sat back up at looked at him. Angel’s amber eyes had dimmed ever since he’d called her an hour back.