Page 96 of Dismantle & Prevail

Do not cry, Taylor. Hold it in.

Smiling, I keep my hand in place and use my body to shield her from the crowd of people running around us. “Hi Rayne. My name is Taylor.”

Lifting her tiny hand, she waves. “Hi. How do you know my name?”

“I’m a friend of someone that loves you very much.”

“Oh. My mommy?”

Shaking my head, I fight the urge to cringe at the thought of Tana. “No. Someone very special.” My gaze shifts to Indy and I give him a questioning look.

Indy shrugs his shoulders and I feel a rock settle in the pit of my stomach.

No. Don’t go there. He is here. He is okay. Get Rayne to safety. That’s what he would want. He will find us when he can.

“Hey. Would it be okay if we get you away from this craziness? I promise you will be safe.”

Rayne looks around her, then back to me, nodding frantically.

Not allowing myself to look around, Indy, Tombstone, Rayne and I quickly make our way back to the truck.

“Tomb. Stay with them. I need to chat with the men in blue,” Indy says, sitting Rayne in the passenger seat of the truck. Leaning down, he brushes a lock of dirty blonde hair out of Rayne’s eyes. “Little one, are you going to be okay if I leave you with my friends?”

Rayne looks to me, and I flash her a reassuring smile. She’s hesitant, but nods. Indy places a quick kiss to the top of her head, then does the same to me before taking off somewhere behind the truck.

With Tombstone at my back, I crouch down a little. My shoulder screams in pain, but I ignore it. “Are you hurt anywhere, sweetheart?”

“No. Indy was really fast, and we were outside when the big boom happened. What was that?”

“It—”

“Rayne?”

My spine steels and I spin around.

Ari stands behind me, his eyes wide in shock and his face covered in soot and…blood.

His gaze shifts to mine and his chest deflates as he gently tugs me into his chest, his eyes never leaving Rayne’s.

Rising on my tiptoes, “Wipe the blood off your face. She’s okay.”

Ari nods, lost somewhere in his head. Using the bottom of his ripped shirt, his abs flex as he wipes his face. I let out a sigh of relief when his nearly clean face reveals only a small gash on his forehead.

Ari looks at me for reassurance and I pat my hand against his heart. His dark eyes turn glassy as I step aside.

Moving as slow as a snail, Ari crouches down so that he is eye to eye with the girl who is an exact copy of himself.

“Hi.”

“Hi?”

Both of their voices are shy and filled with uncertainty. I know I should walk away and give them privacy, but I can’t. The need to protect them in any way I can, outweighs everything.

Tombstone taps me against the arm and I look over my shoulder to see him holding Raynie’s bunny.

Mouthing “thank you”, I slip the stuffed animal into Ari’s arms. Rayne’s eyes go wide and her spine straightens.

“I know you may not remember me. You were very young the last time I saw you. My name is Aries.”