All the Lies (Lies & Truths Duet #1)(9)

Still, the face that greets me in the mirror is familiar.

Way too familiar.

I have a slim, tall body like a model. My round breasts are high and perky, and I appear fit as if I work out for a living.

My exotic, blue eyes are so huge it’s scary with all the bruises surrounding them. It’s almost as if whoever beat me was seconds away from clawing my eyes out.

A shiver dances down my spine at the thought.

What could I have done to elicit such strong hatred? Or was I simply a victim of being in the wrong place at the wrong time?

My strawberry blonde hair reaches my shoulders in waves. Light blondish highlights add a beautiful hue at the tips. It’s greasy and could use a wash, though.

What type of dye did I use to achieve this color?

I’m a natural, bitch.

The voice in the back of my head startles me.

Okay, natural it is.

For long seconds, I continue watching my image in the mirror. If I recognize that face as my own, how come I don’t remember anything about myself? How come I don’t even remember why my face looks like it’s just come out of a battlefield?

My head hurts just thinking about it, so I let Erika wheel me back to the room.

“Do you feel better today?” she asks.

“I’m good, thanks.” Now that Asher the jerk isn’t here, I feel a whole lot better.

The smile she offers me is motherly and warm. “Asher spent the entire night with you and didn’t leave until your guardian came. How sweet is that?”

Not at all.

I’m seriously contemplating asking if they have surveillance cameras so I can see if he did something to me in my sleep.

Paranoid much? Probably, but I don’t trust that asshole. Not at all.

As soon as we’re in the room, we’re greeted by two police officers and an older man wearing a hat.

Alexander takes me from Erika with a polite nod. He maneuvers my chair so he’s behind me and I’m facing the officers.

“Reina,” he says, “This is Detective Daniels.”

The detective appears to be in his mid-forties with a strong bone structure and sharp brown eyes that have been watching me closely since I came in.

He offers his hand, and I take it. “I’m sorry for what happened to you, Miss Ellis.”

“Thank you.”

He doesn’t sit down as he retrieves his notepad. “Do you recall where you were the night between last Friday and Saturday?”

I try to concentrate, but I find a blank page. Sighing, I shake my head.

“We already asked your friends and classmates. You were last seen at the Black Devils’ Friday night game.”

“Black Devils?” I look between him and Alexander.

The latter smiles. “Black Devils is the name of your college’s football team. You’re the captain of the cheerleading squad.”

Oh. Okay. I’m the captain of some devil cheerleaders. That totally makes sense.

No wonder I’ve been beaten up.

Also, cheerleading in college? How cliché can my life get? Kill me now, please.

“Do you remember who assaulted you, Miss Ellis?” Detective Daniels asks.

“No. I…I remember nothing prior to waking up in the hospital.”

“Think carefully.” The detective leans closer until his face is a few inches away from mine. “Your testimony could help solve an important case that occurred at the same time as your assault.”

“Detective.” Alexander’s voice hardens with a warning. “I told you Reina is suffering from retrograde amnesia. Don’t push her.”

“No.” I stop Alexander with a hand on his arm. “I want to help. What happened that night, detective?”

He narrows his eyes the same way Asher did when he seemed to not believe me. It’s like they think I’m building a persona or something.

“There was a fire in a cottage not far from where you were found. We retrieved ashes of human remains that were scattered all over the place. We’re investigating a homicide, Miss Ellis. Do you remember anything about what happened? Maybe you were there?”

My heart roars so loud as I focus on his words.

Human remains.

A homicide.

Oh, God.

“I-I don’t know.” Tears well in my eyes. “I really don’t—”

“Don’t answer that, Reina.” Alexander cuts off my jumbled words.

Detective Daniels pulls out a plastic bag containing a dainty bracelet. Then he retrieves a picture of me wearing a black and white cheerleading outfit with the same bracelet around my wrist. “We found this bracelet inside the burnt cottage, and we believe you do know something.”

“I…I don’t.” Or at least I don’t remember.

“That’s only circumstantial evidence, detective. No judge will give you a warrant for that.” Alexander speaks with a coolness that intimidates me even though he’s not addressing me. “Return with more concrete evidence. Until then, you will not harass my client or I’ll file a restraining order.”

Client?

“Very well.” The detective stands up, looking at me with a hardened expression. “We’ll be seeing each other again, Miss Ellis.”

He waves the bracelet in front of my face, and something inside me snaps.