A Rainbow in Your Eyes

Chapter 12

Once Gus had confirmed that he had found a viable lead three weeks after their discussion with Allan, Brian had demanded that they went to the place where their contact had thought to have seen someone matching Irielle’s description.

Now sitting in the car while Gus drove, he struggled to understand his own emotions. He was feeling both a sense of satisfaction and determination at having located her, but it was the weird jitters in his stomach that he couldn’t understand.

The only reasons he could have for wanting to see Irielle, was to use her to punish her father. Wasn’t it? Tried as he might, he couldn’t shake the feeling of anticipation at seeing her face after all these years. He almost, dared he say it, felt, strangely as if he was going to finally be complete. As if a piece of himself and been left behind that day on the hospital bed when anger and fear had driven them apart.

His stomach knotted when he noticed the area they were driving into. Hillbrow. Not a place for a gentle lady from rich birth to be caught up in. And the place he had many times as a child, had to flee through while chased by his brother’s goons. Frowning, he spoke. “You certain this is the right place?”

“Unfortunately, yes. All my intel indicates that after she left her father’s house, she made it to a place here where she was offered a job as a waitress on minimum wage. It seems like she used the chaos that reigned here to hide her true identity.” Gus’ voice held the same note of trepidation as that which was swirling through Brian.

“A likely place this. Here you don’t ask to many questions if you wanted to stay alive. Hiding from her father. Do we know why?”

“No, I haven’t been able to locate the information yet. But… there was one tabloid article… well that’s about all.”

The fact that Gus didn’t complete the sentence or tell him what the article said, raised the hairs on Brian’s back. It was clear as day that he didn’t want Brian to know. “What?!”

Gus sighed, glancing back to him in the mirror. He couldn’t take his eyes of the road for too long, people were crossing the road any which place, and hitting one would lead to more problems than what they could afford.

“It’s just a rumour Brian. I haven’t had time to fully investigate it yet.”

“What?!” His voice was more a bark of command. Irritation and frustration clear in his voice.

Gus shook his head before answering. “Her father wanted her to marry Shelborne.”

Brian didn’t speak again; he didn’t have to. Both he and Gus knew what that name meant. Rich, powerful, but also death, pain, and many other things. “Fuck.”

Gus slowed the car in one of the back streets in front of a small take away place that doubled as a coffee shop. Even as Brian got out of the car, he took in every piece of his surroundings and knew that next to him, Gus was doing the exact same. Between the two of them, nothing went unnoticed.

The piles of dirt in the road, two very dirty children scavenging between the dirt to try and find something to eat pulling up memories he had long since thought buried. The drug dealer at the corner. The two other men that was watching them across the street, while seemingly occupied in a discussion.

Meeting his friend’s eyes, the two men communicated without words. Leaving a high value car in this area would be unwise. Gus would keep an eye out while he went inside to find out what he could. At least that was one thing that was true, money talks. If Irielle wasn’t here, he could attempt to bride the information out of the owner or patrons.

Moving inside, shock rushed through him at what he found. It was lunch time, and it was clear that this was one of the few places that actually served better quality of food around. The place was packed. No wonder there were kids scavenging outside. Any leftovers tossed aside by the clientele would be like a small piece of heaven in their empty stomachs.

The que stood almost to the door and the din of noise was loud but not loud enough to drown out the voice of the man at the front counter yelling, “What the hell is wrong with you, Girl? Get a move on! Time is money! Maybe I should deduct the loss in costumers from your tips as well?!”

Brian pushed past a few patrons. At first, they wanted to object but his clear dress suite and aura of power ensured their silence, a few even suddenly, and quietly seemed to disappear out the door. Probably worried that he might be someone there for them or their business.

Finally reaching the front, his eyes fell on someone that made him go stock still in shock. Her blond hair was tied up in a bun, but some hairs had gotten lose during the course of the day and was hanging in silky strands, framing her face. A very, very pale face that looked about ready to faint. She couldn’t have appeared more waifish if she had tried. And inside of him, Brian felt a powerful need built, to protect, to gather her in his arms and shield her from the man that was verbally abusing her.

The need was building and so great that when the man touched her in anger, he couldn’t stop himself from vaulting over the counter in a single movement just as her body went slack. Where he had wanted to punch the man for daring to touch a single hair on her body, Brian had to switch to catching her into his arms instead.

“Enough!” He barked, putting all his power behind the one word. When it looked like the man was going to respond in kind, he barked the word again, while gathering her body close. s**t Irielle, how did you end up in this mess? Barking for a chair, pulling her into his lap as he slid onto the bar stool that another woman pulled closer.

When her eyes slowly fluttered open, relief flooded him. Thank f**k, the thought flew into his head as after fifteen years, he’s eyes once more met those rainbow-coloured ones that use to turn his world around.

He didn’t say a word to her, instead he got up and settled her on the chair and turned to the woman that was clearly also the cook. “Bring her something to eat.”

All the while, trying to keep a distance between them, but at the same time standing close enough, that should she lose consciousness once more, he would be close enough to catch her.

When the owner that had been screaming earlier, wanted to object he cut him off, instead focussing his attention back on Irielle. When the cook threatened to take her to hospital, he caught and recognised the flash of fear in her eyes. He knew why; couldn’t voice the reasons, not here, not now, but he knew when memories swirled through his mind of a small little girl with too many pipes and lines connected to her small, teeny, tiny body and a too white face and an angry man yelling. All of it and more he remembered. She might be working here under a different name, and she might be as thin as a whisp, but he would be able to recognise her anywhere. It was her. His Irielle. Forever.