The Day Our Promise Breaks

Chapter 571

Blake's reflexes were razor-sharp.

Before he could hit the little girl, his foot slammed down on the brakes, coming to a screeching halt.

The front bumper stopped just inches from the girl's frail, trembling body.

The piercing sound of the brakes split the quiet night, startling the little girl.

She jerked her head around.

Through the rain-streaked window, a pair of wide, luminous eyes-bright as stars -locked onto Blake's inside the car.

Their gazes met.

Startled by Blake's icy, intimidating expression-the kind that could freeze over a thousand winters—the girl looked like a frightened fawn. Her big, beautiful eyes went round, her legs gave out beneath her, and she collapsed onto the wet pavement.

It was impossible to tell if she was shivering from the cold rain soaking her or from sheer terror at Blake's presence.

...

Inside the car,

Even after that near-miss, Blake's features remained composed and frosty.

He was the most notorious "Ice King" in the city's legal world-a man said to be born without the capacity for normal human emotions.

But in the instant his eyes met the little girl's, his pupils dilated.

For those few seconds, her eyes looked so much like Yara's.

Realizing he'd let himself think of Yara again, Blake's gaze turned even colder, his emotions locked down tight. The ripple of feeling lasted only a heartbeat before he returned to his usual, impassive self.

After watching the girl collapse, he pushed open the car door, grabbed an umbrella, and stepped out.

Long legs hit the ground, and he strode to the front of the car, stopping just half a step away from the little girl.

He looked down.

child on the ground -certain

hundred-dollar bill from his wallet and tossed it at her feet. His voice

knew perfectly well he

girl had thrown herself in front of his car with practiced

these scams before-kids of all ages, some as young as this one. Some were

thought someone

young, he wouldn't have even

...

been sitting on the ground with her

on her

cold, tiny fingers snatched up the

red bill meant a hundred dollars. A hundred dollars

owned a car, but he could also just hand out a hundred bucks without a second

meant he was

of

home, she mustered her courage. As Blake bent to get back in his

up and

around his leg.

mom is really sick. Please,

hard

many bottles and boxes this

even colder

giving her

her, he thought, were shameless

turned

"1

Katy clung to him like he was her only lifeline, falling

Blake shifted his leg.

shake her off easily-she was so

then he looked down at

leaned into his car grabbed a