All the Truths (Lies & Truths Duet, #2)

by Rina Kent

Tonight, I’m leaving everything behind and reuniting with the one person who always loved me unconditionally. The one who gave me their life.

I trusted him. I was falling for him. I ignored all the signs and my instinct and went to him. I considered him my savior when he’s been my Grim Reaper all along.

The thing that rose from the ashes was a demon thirsty for blood. Reina’s blood.

“Open up, Rei!” Naomi’s voice hollers from outside. “I brought my tools. I can pick this lock.” “Stop it, Nao.” Lucy’s soft voice reprimands her before she addresses me. “Are you okay, Captain? Do you need anything? I just want you to know we’re here for you, okay? Come out whenever you’re ready.” “Yeah, campus is so boring without you or whatever,” Naomi grumbles. My insides expand at her words, and a full-body shudder takes over me. Did you hear that, dark thoughts? They care.

“Everyone who wants to remove Reina Ellis from the captain, raise your hand.” “Yes, raise your hand.” My voice is still neutral. “But before you do, know this. Bree never cared about the squad or winning state. She already has a contract lined up for a dance institute and she wants the captain position to add it to her resume, not to help you achieve your dreams. Bree will keep calling you fat pigs even if you die of hunger. She’ll always put the prettiest girls in the back because they threaten her. She’ll always dye her hair the same color as mine and try to dress like me and act like me and steal my things, but guess what, Bree.” I glare down at her flushed cheeks, my tone turning slow and stone-cold. “You’ll never be me.” Her face nearly becomes crimson. “You fuck⁠—” “Watch your fucking mouth when you’re talking to your captain,” I cut her off.

“They’re after Mom’s daughter,” Reina says. “I don’t think they know about me. They only know about you.” “No.” “I lived well with Daddy, Rai.” Tears glisten down her cheeks. “We didn’t have to run like you and Mom. We didn’t have to eat leftovers or sleep on the streets. I want you to have that. I want you to have my life.” “Reina…” I choke. “You’re Reina now. I’ll be Rai.” “No…no…” I hold on to her hand, shaking and whispering my denials like a prayer. She caresses my hair. “I love you, little sis. I’ll find you.” “No, Rei.” “You’re Rei,” she whispers. “It’s our secret. I’ll live as you and you’ll live as me.”

“What’s your name?” he asks me. “Do you remember your name and where you came from?” Rai Sokolov. Daughter of Mia Sokolov. I’ve been on the run since the day I was born, homeschooled my entire life, and had no friends until Mom brought my long-lost twin sister to meet me a month ago. Then, they were both taken away. My mom and my sister. The only one I have left is my dad. If I want to be with him, I have to forget my life and embrace another one. A tear falls down my cheek as I whisper, “Reina. My name is Reina Ellis.”

I lean my head over and suck her bottom lip into my mouth like I did at twelve when she was sleeping in our guest house. A shudder goes through her as I brush my lips against hers one last time. “You’ll never escape me, my ugly monster.”

My villain and my savior. My damnation and my salvation. The only person I ever told my secret.

He really needs to stop saying things like that if all he ever plans to do is hurt me. He needs to stop touching me, calling me his, and looking at me with those intense eyes that seem ready to strip me bare and devour me all over again. My brain is starting to disregard the danger and focus on those small gestures, on what his body is saying instead of what his mind is planning.

She stops in front of me, filling my space with the scent of her shower gel, lilac and something else that’s entirely hers. She’s Reina, the only Reina I’ve ever known.

I keep coming back to her whether I like to or not. She has me under some black magic. It’s in the way she looks at me like she never looks at anyone else. Like I’m her one and only.

Goddamn this side of Reina—it’s a one-way road to sin, to nothingness. Who said it’s easy to find the right road? If Reina is the wrong one, I’m not leaving this fucking place for eternity.

It’s the Asher effect. He shredded my soul apart and carved himself a cozy place in there.

“Is there a point to your call?” I shake my head. “Shouldn’t you be cuddling with Elsa and making babies?” “Don’t ever mention my wife’s name and making babies in the same sentence or I’ll fucking kill you. Deal? Deal.”

“It’s five in the morning. What the hell?” “Move that ass, Reina.” She glares at me with half-opened eyes. “The one you broke?”

“The exact words were, You’re fucking dead to me. Don’t let me see your face again.” His words stab me deep and hard even though I don’t remember them. They must’ve hurt a lot more back then. Maybe that’s why I pulled back and preferred to take his cold shoulder instead of having him hate his dead sister. Old Reina sacrificed too, maybe too much, even.

“How do you know it’s not me?” I couldn’t speak louder even if I wanted to. “I just do, Reina. I know you.” And I know you.

“Why Cloud003, though?” I murmur in my sleepy haze. “Cloud because of Gray, my middle name. 003 because of the day I first met you, January 3rd. It’s the reason behind this room number, too—1003.” I smile against his skin. Damn this man and the lengths he went to for this. I love you, my mind screams. I love you so much, and it kills me to think you don’t feel the same.

“I’m so sorry.” His voice is barely above a murmur. My brows furrow. “What?” His arms wrap around me in a tight hug that nearly cuts off my breath. “I’m so fucking sorry, Reina.”

“Are you running away from me, prom queen?” “No.” Yes. “You can’t leave me, not anymore.” His lips brush against mine in a brief, heartbreaking kiss. “You’re my world now.”

I wish I’d kissed him harder and told him I love him. I wish I’d let go of my shackles and confessed my feelings earlier. Maybe everything would be different. Maybe I wouldn’t be lying here, choking on my own blood and leaving the world with so many regrets. But it’s too late. It’s true, you know. The end comes once you realize it’s too late. Ivan’s shoe slams into my ribs and darkness sucks me into its clutches.

A hand wraps around mine, warm and familiar, like Mom’s. It feels just like Mom’s. The doctor shoves that light in front of my eyes and tells me to follow it. At first, I don’t comply because I don’t want to break eye contact with Reina. What if she disappears? She nods at me, squeezing my hand encouragingly, so I follow the doctor’s instructions. He asks me to talk and say my name. “Reina,” I whisper in a hoarse voice. “Reina Ellis.”

Asher’s wellbeing has begun to feel like my own. Why don’t they make a pain pill for the heart?

“Thank God. I thought you…you’d be locked up.” “And leave you up for grabs? Not going to happen, prom queen.”

“I love you, too, Reina. You’re my first and last.” “You’re my first and last too.” I retrieve the ring Reina gave me. “Now, give me a decent proposal, because I don’t remember the last one.”

“Ash,” I whisper against his mouth. “I’m sleepy.” “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.”