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This must be Ivan Sokolov, my mom’s killer, the reason Reina disappeared. Now, he’s coming after me.
I know who he is even before he says a word. My mom’s nightmare. The one who killed her then took my sister. The one who killed my dad. The one who made my childhood hell and orphaned me. Ivan Sokolov.
I haven’t been able to breathe since she went out of my sight this morning. It’s as if I’m living on borrowed time and borrowed air until I find her. And I’ll find her even if it’s the last thing I do.
According to my father, he’s the best man for mafia-centered jobs, and I trust Alexander to always find the best for shady jobs.
I thought Reina was the one who called me earlier today. They look so much alike, too—face, body type, everything. Except, I realize it’s not my Reina. She’s not the girl who had me whipped then destroyed me then slowly put me back together again.
“Rai…” he says in an accented voice, grinning. “Isn’t this a surprise? You even brought the traitor.” Kyle lifts a shoulder. “I was never with you.” Now I know why he sounded familiar. Although he feigned a Russian accent at the time, this is the man who was at the forest the night Reina—and supposedly Rai—were assaulted. He pretended to be with them but was actually saving Rai. That’s why she’s been relatively safe since.
Reina always said shit about wanting to leave, and this better not be the time she decides to do that. I can’t possibly live in a world without her anymore.
“R-Reina, we promised to be together, remember?” “And we will. We are.” Her expression softens a little. “We’ll just have to cross paths like Dad and I used to, you in your world and me in mine.” “No!” I shout, and my voice cracks. “That’s not what we agreed on.” “We just promised to meet again.” She raises an eyebrow. “We never agreed on anything else.”
I’ll never be better until he’s better. It’s crazy, but over time, Asher’s wellbeing has begun to feel like my own.
“Asher?”
“I’m here, prom queen. You can’t get rid of me that easily.”
Are they letting you go?” “Alexander managed to have them rule it as self-defense. Rai’s testimony helped.” “Thank God. I thought you…you’d be locked up.” “And leave you up for grabs? Not going to happen, prom queen.”
“That’s what I want to do with you all the time, Reina. I want to dominate you, hurt you, but only so I can hear you scream in pleasure. I want to keep you, to have you, to play games with you, not against you. If you want nothing to do with me, it’d be the smarter choice. No one would blame you.”
“Just so you know,” he says when I remain silent, “if you do want to stay away, I can’t promise I will. I’ll keep trying until you’ll have me again.” “What if I don’t?” I keep my voice nonchalant. “I’ll keep trying until you take me.”
“I love you, Ash. I always have.” The words slip out of me so easily, it’s baffling that I never said them out loud before. He pauses, his breathing turning harsh, almost animalistic. “Always?” “Always.” “Even when you were cold and standoffish?” I laugh. “Especially when I was cold and standoffish. It was a façade, Ash. The deeper my feelings ran for you, the harder I tried to kill them.” He’s quiet for a second as if mulling my words over. When he speaks, my heart stops beating. “I love you, too, Reina. You’re my first and last.” “You’re my first and last too.” I retrieve the ring Reina gave
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Asher’s intense side is my heaven. With each touch and stroke, I fall deeper and harder for him. In public, I’m his queen; in bed, I’m his most obedient slut, the one he pleasures every night and in the morning before we go to work.
As always, Asher carries me in his arms toward our bedroom. I lean over and suck on the skin of his neck, kissing along it with everything I have. “Careful there, prom queen—you’re asking for it again.” He smirks down at me.
We were always parallel lines, but even parallel lines can collide and become one. It’s even more powerful than two lines meeting at only one point.
Jason has admitted to helping Arianna back then, and he was also the one behind that shady Instagram account about Blackwood College. He had students DM him pictures and he posted them.
We won state that year, or more like Lucy and Prescott did. Their management of the team while I was recovering was amazing. Now, they’re happily married and running a dance studio. Owen went on to the NFL, and Asher and I usually go watch him play. He’s such a star that we need a pass to see him. Sebastian and Naomi—well, it’s complicated, as Naomi likes to say. Rai has remained in her world and made a name for herself in the bratva.
I call her Rai and she calls me Reina now. We decided to do that about four years ago. It was useless to keep that promise from when we were kids. We’re just us now. Rai Sokolov and Reina Carson. Reina Carson.
We got married within a year. Asher told me in no uncertain terms that he’d waited too long to have me so now the waiting was over.
We usually meet for dinners with Alex. He’s still the best father figure I could’ve had. He walked me down the aisle on Dad’s behalf on my wedding day.
Ash has become his favorite name now. I smile to myself remembering how he used to be creeped out by it, or maybe he was creeped out by that side of me. Once, I was acting like a brat and kept calling him Asher. His reaction was fucking me in the ass until I screamed Ash. It’s his way or the highway, and I love every second of it.
“You can’t bring up the idea of pregnancy then be sleepy.” He brushes his lips against mine. “I won’t stop until I put a baby inside you.” God, this man. I love him so much, it’s mad.
