“Thank you, Ira.” She said, “Thank you for telling us.”
Angel let out a breath and Ray turned to face him again, “Get someone here to watch over her.” She said, and from the corner of her eyes saw her go pale, “We need to go talk to Kyle before I can go to Alessandro.”
Angel’s eyes dimmed at her words, but he removed his phone wordlessly. Ray let out a breath and was about to turn to Ira when she felt her hand grab the hem of her blue t-shirt. Her head snapped down at her wide fearful eyes, making the void in her chest expand to a painful degree.
God, she looked so similar. So beautiful.
Ray cursed in her mind as she took Ira’s trembling hands in hers and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear delicately, fighting a wince as she bent down.
“We’re going to have someone trustworthy here.” She said, forcing all the conviction in her voice as she looked her dead in the eye, “And no one’s going to hurt you henceforth. Do you know why?”
Ira shook her head, her eyes gleaming but not a single tear falling as Ray’s fingers tightened on hers, “Tell me, Ira. Do you have a last name? A family?”
Ray was expecting the response, but it still came like a fucking shot to her heart. Ira shook her head, a flush spreading over her cheeks as her eyes gleamed further.A story for another day,Ray thought as her hands tightened on hers,
“Then it’s time for you to become someone new. Something different.”
Someone I can protect.
Ira’s chin tipped upwards, her lower lips wobbling as Ray carefully said the next words, knowing Angel was listening. Knowingexactlywhat she was doing.
“How would you like to be Ira Walker?”
The girl shook so hard that Ray was afraid she was going to fall. But she didn’t balk, not when the door behind her opened to reveal Christina Morris and not when Ira’s eyes widened further and further.
“Would you?” Ray probed, her voice breaking as a sob wretched through Ira’s throat, making her heart clench in agony.Was she doing something wrong?Angel’s eyes were wide on hers, but Ray couldn’t bring herself to care. Not when this girl looked like–
Ira dropped her head, put it against their laced hands, and whispered,
“Ira Walker.”
Ray smiled, and Ira shuffled back, letting go of her hands abruptly. Ray stood, her eyes catching the hint of doubt, thefearin those young eyes, and breathed out.
Sorry,she seemed to plead back to Ira, who curled further in herself as Ray turned to face Angel. He was standing beside Christina, his lips pressed together and his hands crossed. The other girl looked at her thought wide eyes, but Ray didn’t have time to answer her questions.
Not when the day wasn’t over.
Even as the sun had set.
“Nothing happens to her.” Ray said as a hello and saw Christina Morris suppress a smile and nod in her direction.
Angel gazed back at her, and for the first time, she couldn’t read his face. But right now, it didn’t matter. Not with the memories thudding against her pounding heart. Or the painful thud thatrockedher soul at the look in Ira’s eyes.
“Shall we?” she asked, echoing his previous question. And Angel’s eyes glinted in the sudden dark of the room.
“We shall.”
18
“You know we’ve been searching for you forhours–”
“Yeah?” Ray deadpanned, shutting Kyle up immediately, “Bite me.”
Angel choked on a half laugh as Verana’s eyes hardened into a glare. They’d walked out of the hallway in silence, mostly because Angel had been struck speechless by her words to Ira. Or because Ray was silently freaking out next to him. But then he’d slowly informed her that Kyle and Verana were in her room, and that fire in Ray’s eyes had returned.
Bringing back some of his own sanity.
Don’t be swayed. Don’t be foolish,his mind seemed to scream as he followed her.
