Page 2 of All Your Lies (All or Nothing #2)

two

Alexa

“ A gain, Alexandria,” Dad huffs.

“I got it, Dad. I’m tired, and I just want to shower and relax.”

We’ve sparred for hours. I have sweat dripping from my elbows, my limbs are shaking, and I can already tell I’m going to be sore as hell for the rest of the month if we keep going.

“You don’t have it. You’re getting sloppy with your movements. We don’t have the luxury of weakness. I want you strong, and I want to be sure you can take care of yourself.”

“Dad,” I say with a small smile. He’s always so worried about me. “I’ll be fine. You’ve trained me since I took my first steps. You have nothing to worry about. Besides, Marco will be by my side.”

My dad scowls at the mention of Marco, my future husband, even though he’s the one who made the agreement with Marco’s father years ago. I understand his reservations. Marco has had a hard time dealing with things.

“That isn’t good enough. There will be times when you’re alone.” He shakes his head.

“But—”

“Again,” Dad says as he gets back into his stance and hits his gloved hands together.

“I said I’ll be fine!” I shout at him and immediately regret it when he winces.

He’s always handled me gently and with great care, even during my combat training, but he’s been on edge.

Ever since Gage, Marco, and my best friend, Rosie’s, brother went to prison, my dad’s concern for my safety has reached new heights.

He won’t tell me why when I ask, but I’m aware things have changed within the families.

The thought of Gage brings a knot to my throat and burning behind my eyes.

You’d think after him being gone for two hundred and seventy-three days, I’d be past the crying stage or counting the days, but I’m not.

It also doesn’t help that he refuses to acknowledge me or my letters.

It fucking hurts. He’s supposed to be my safe place, my rock.

“I’m sorry, Alexandria,” Dad says as he looks down at the red-and-black checkerboard mat.

“No, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled at you. I’m just tired from swim practice.”

“I understand. We can stop for the day.”

“Thank you!” I wrap my arms around him. My dad is one of a kind, and I doubt there will ever be someone who treats me as he does.

Gage’s face comes to mind, and I shake my head to dislodge the thought. I can’t break down right now, not in front of my dad.

I need to be strong.

Even though my dad is being tough on me today, he’s proud of me and believes I’m capable of taking his place as Capo.

I can’t let him down.

ONE WEEK LATER

“Don’t worry, Ro. It’s okay,” I say while waving at my parents, who are getting into their black Mercedes across the school parking lot.

“I’m just sorry I couldn’t be there,” Rosie says with a hint of guilt.

“Your art exhibit is a big deal. I always have swim meets. Plus, my mom and dad came this time. It’s no biggie.”

“Still, this was finals. I know how important it was to you. I think I already know the answer, but I have to ask. Did Marco come?”

“Has he ever?” I say with a defeated huff.

“No.” She sighs. “I just thought...now that Gage is gone, he’d step up. For you and for me.”

A tear leaks out of my eye and I don’t even bother brushing it away. It’s not like anyone will see me shed a few tears for Gage in the dark, deserted parking lot. I let it fall from my cheek with a few more in tow before hopping into my car and driving out of the school.

“Marco is going through a lot,” I say, defending him for the millionth time. Maybe if I continue to say it, I’ll start to believe it myself.

Marco has never been very thoughtful or even sweet toward me, but he’s going to be my husband. We have to make it work. Mom says sometimes it takes men longer to pull their head out of their ass. He must be one of those guys.

I stop at a light and squint into my rearview mirror against the headlights of the truck behind me. The jerk must not realize their brights are on. It’s as if someone is pointing a floodlight into the back of my car.

“Are you there?” Rosie asks as I continue to gaze at the idiot behind me.

“Yeah, I’ll be over soon. Are you still down for a movie marathon? I can get Thai,” I say, knowing it’s her favorite.

“I’m so down. My father brought Manuel over again. I hope Mama can talk him out of this stupid arranged marriage. I can’t do it, Lex. I’ll die before letting it happen.”

Alarm bells ring in my ears as I hear the desperation in her voice. “Hey, don’t say that. It’ll be okay. We’ll figure something out, I promise.”

“Okay,” Rosie whispers.

“I’ll see you soon, and we’ll brainstorm over food.”

“Deal. See you soon.”

The light turns green as soon as I hang up. The asshole behind me blares his horn as if I’ve let the light stay green for more than a mere two seconds.

“Okay, geez.” I step on the gas and floor it through the intersection, then make the first right, leaving the black truck in my dust.

I grab my phone and look up The Thai House. Hopefully they haven’t closed yet. It’s kind of late, but from the way Rosie sounded on the phone, she needs her favorite comfort food.

I couldn’t imagine being betrothed to Manuel. He’s a real psychopath and would never treat her the way she deserves. I guess I should count my lucky stars that Marco isn’t that bad.

My finger hovers over The Thai House call button when I’m thrust into my steering wheel with a bang, sending my phone flying and a pain in my chest from hitting the steering wheel. I glare into my rearview mirror at the truck from before.

Did it just hit me?

My eyes widen, and I gasp when its headlights come too close to my car and ram it again.

“A-Alexa,” I gasp as I yell at my phone. It’s never been so hard to say my own name.

“Alexa,” I repeat. “Call Dad!”

The seconds for my phone to understand my words are excruciating. “Calling... Dad,” the phone app assistant says.

“Alexandria,” Dad says over my car speaker.

“Dad,” I whimper like it’s a prayer.

“Alexandria?”

“Someone’s following me. They—they…”

“Focus, Alexandria,” he says in a stern voice. “Where are you?”

“I-I don’t know,” I say frantically as I continue to drive down dark roads far too fast.

“Check her location,” Dad yells to someone.

I scream as the truck hits the back of my car again.

“Hurry, Dad. Please,” I sob.

“Do you have your gun?”

“Yes, but I can’t—”

“You can. Get it!” he barks out.

Just as I’m reaching over, a white van pulls in front of me and slams on its brakes. I swerve hard to the left to get out of the way, making my passenger side scrape along the side of their car.

“Someone stopped in front of me.”

“Fuck,” Dad mutters. “Take the next left-hand turn. Then gun it, Alexandria.”

“Okay,” I say just as I turn, then look behind me. There are no lights in my rearview anymore. “They’re gone.”

“Do you have your gun?”

“No. I haven’t—”

“Get it now!”

I stretch my body across the car with a huff and pull open the passenger glovebox. I take my eyes off the road to reach in and retrieve the gun when my car gets hit again.

A scream rips through my throat as my car spins out of control before coming to a stop against something hard.

Dots blur my vision as I try to scan my surroundings.

I’m so dizzy, and my head feels like it got hit with a sledgehammer.

I rub my fingers against my temple and pull it back when I feel something wet.

Something dark and sticky is on my fingers.

I bring my fingers closer to my face to inspect it when the glass of my window gets shattered, and I’m wrenched out by my hair.

I let out another piercing scream as glass shards slice through my side on the way out.

The hand in my hair doesn’t leave as I’m dragged across the unforgiving ground.

I desperately try to break free with my nails embedded in the hand of my attacker that’s attached to my strands of hair while my other hand tries to grip the dirt tightly.

I feel the sharp sting as my nails dig into the earth and snap as I try to prevent my attacker from dragging me any farther.

It’s futile.

He’s bigger and stronger.

The sound of tires screeching and lights getting closer fills me with worry about being run over, but it could be the lesser evil compared to the attacker’s intentions. Inches away from us, the car comes to a halt, and the door swings open with a loud creak.

The air grows heavy as I fix my eyes on my dad. His hand is steady as he aims the barrel of the gun above me. A mixture of hope and dread fills me.

The man releases my hair, but it’s too late.

An eerie stillness replaces the piercing sound of the gunshot, with only a faint thud breaking the silence behind me.

My eyes meet my dad’s as he tucks the gun away in its holster beneath his jacket and approaches me with a determined stride.

His eyes usually sparkle with love, but what I see now is worry and rage.

I cast my eyes to the ground, unable to bear the intensity.

I choked.

The heir to his empire choked.

I let myself down. But worse, I let him down.

“The coordinates I sent require cleanup. Alexandria’s first.”

My head snaps up to observe my dad and his blatant lie as he speaks into his phone.

I shake my head at him, but he doesn’t acknowledge me.

Rule 1: “To become an heir and rightfully rule, one must take the life of another before their eighteenth birthday.”