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.

gaze was indifferent as he regarded the soaked, trembling child on the ground -certain

his wallet and tossed it at her feet. His

well he

herself in front

these scams before-kids of all ages, some as young as this one. Some were runaways, others used by adults. It was

someone would try it on

young, he wouldn't have even given her

...

sitting on the ground with her head down, stared in

her lap, her eyes

up

knew that a red bill meant a hundred dollars. A hundred dollars

owned a car, but he could also just hand out a hundred bucks

meant he was

was seared of

she mustered her courage. As Blake bent

and threw her

around his leg.

Please, can you lend me eight

will work hard to pay

many bottles and boxes

eyes grew even colder at

regretted giving her

her, he thought, were shameless and

voice turned glacial.

"1

he was

Blake shifted his leg.

knew he could shake her off easily-she

down at

into his car grabbed a handful