I hold the picture against my chest. He raise

like he has all the time in the wor

whisper, my voice br

photo and then back

e Ian?" The memory of Carla's face streaked with tears over a boy who just

of my own heart against my ribs. I watch his throat move as

oing to

very rule I've ever had for myse

touch me? Afte

istance. It's almost as if he can tell I'm a live

ved you. She never got over you. She mourned you for years, and you

quieter now. "We were young.

can't believe I let this happen to me. I tak

s and you knew she

you, Diane" He uses my real name, and it feels like a we

st defence?" I

e when a business deal went sideways, when he was losing control.

fast, the air thin and useless in my lungs. "I don't even know

gathering in their depths

yes, a dismissive gesture

arp, cutting through my disbelief. "I

his arms around her. Then, I look at him to find the same tattoo on

the way I looked and felt about myself. So I changed everything about me. Cut ties

r to me and I

go, so I changed my name. And I really did want to let you

mbling with a fury that's quickly

the muscle twitching. "Because I did

e wh

looking at

cal blow. I shake my head, trying to clear

e low and dangerous. "But I liked

the truth?" I say, my vo

es

tly. "You don't get to keep the version of me that doesn't know better," I say

kno

didn't you

from his skin becomes a dizzying distraction from my anger and hurt. Close enough to feel the traitorous pull in my blood.

ing that like i

iately with a certaint

close. He w

canning my face. "The way you avoid anything that fee

, my voice shaking. "They keep people like

g hurt," he says, his voice not mocking, but r

ord tearing out of me. "I

ce is so gentle i

of my fury. "You wanted a fresh start, a clean slate, and I

returns almost immediately.

challenge, my chin

tension etched around his mouth. "Dangerous," he says quietly. "You were the first thing in month

esn't ju

" he says, his voice ra

try ha

I liked that you didn't see my past, that you didn't compare me to the boy

on a lie," I spit. Were

his control finally fracturin

nveniently l

ts and I sigh

a hollow ache. "I've been blindsided before. I've been the girl

pid," he says,

s tasting like ash in my mouth. "Wi

says, his voice low and intense. "Don't you

re of shame and anger. "That

s gaze dropping to my lips. "This mes

to mine and I swallow hard. "You don't get to act like this doesn't affect

s a mi

his voice leaving no room

. "You don't regret it," he says, his voice sof

sure. I hate that he's ri

his voice makes me want to scream, or

believably

evably drawn to me

rk to gasoline. "Don't,"

cause it

t my silence is a

to mine. "I didn't tell you because I kn

ybe I s

t's a statement of fact. "You're standing here, fight

You don't get to psychoanalyze me

. "Fine," he says sharply, his voice like a blade of ic

e's pivoting and I'm

"You're angry because you felt something real last night. And now you don't kn

ast the betrayal, and into the messy, terrified core o

rhythm that feels utterly foreign to my own ragged breaths. Th

emotion. "If we're done dissecting my identity

I snap, my confusi

more import

important than him being Ian?

, flat and unreadab

mind a blank slat

ent to sink in. My mind races through pos

s, his voice terrifyingly ca

This is a joke. My lips form the wor

n Harrington," he

numb fingers, fluttering to

held me like I was something fragile and worth fighting for? Or is it Ian, the ghost from Carla's past? Or is this someone else entirel