You Are Mine Little Sister (by Syra Tucker) novel Chapter 201

He stared ahead for a while before he looked at me. "That story is far more complicated than you think, Green. And unfortunately, I don't think you're ready for the whole truth."

"What truth?" I huffed, my hands curling into tight fists at my sides.

He was trying to twist my head again; I could feel it.

"When the time is right, you'll know."

He kept walking; I didn't.

"Well then, why don't you just tell me now, Torturer? What is this truth you feel is too heavy for me?"

He shook his head. When he looked at me again, the look he gave me felt almost pitying. "You're not ready, Green. You'd crumble too hard if I told you now."

I hurried after him, my chest burning as I closed the distance. I couldn't tell if the fire in my lungs was from anger or from the sudden need to keep up.

The house came into view far too soon.

"I remember you used to tell people your name was Machai." I broke the silence that had thickened between us for nearly eight minutes. "Why didn't you just tell me that as well? Why use Dominic? Or you just enjoy changing fake names?"

He stopped so abruptly I nearly walked into him. He turned to face me and the look in his eyes turned serious.

"The name I told you, it's a name I've never told anyone; not in the last sixteen years, at least. It's a name I hate to answer; a name I'd tried so hard to keep buried 'cause I hate it."

My brows furrowed. No. It couldn't be what I was thinking.

Back then, he'd always kept his real name from everyone. I remembered begging him multiple times for it. There was no way he'd actually told me...

"You're the first girl I ever told my real name," he said. "Don't doubt it again."

My jaw slackened. My voice when I spoke was small. "Oh, my God. Dominic."

I shook my head as the pieces slammed together in my mind.

"Dominic is your name?"

A memory flashed. "Your mother...her name is Dominica."

Blayne's words from sometime ago pulled through: 'Those two were closer than two tabs open on the same screen.'

'It was more like my brother just... flipped. He grew to hate her so much, he didn't even care when she was dying.'

"Oh my God," I mumbled. "Her name's the reason you hated yours. It reminded you too much of her."

His eyes stripped of every trace of reaction. "Bravo, Rali. You finally fixed the puzzle."

He turned toward the house.

"She loved you."

My words caught him. His body stilled.

"She loved you so much she named you after herself."

All I got to see was his back as he stood there, unmoving like stone welded to the ground.

Seconds dragged by.

"She did," he muttered at last.

Then he opened the door.

"Patience is a virtue, or how is it said?"

I rolled my eyes as he led me forward.

"You seem certain I wouldn't try to escape,"I told him. "I mean, you do realize we're in public, right? I could easily get help... easily scream and expose you."

He shrugged, too nonchalant. "You're welcome to try."

Well, I will, just as soon as I see the first human being.

The deeper we walked into the shadowed corner, the more unease climbed my spine. I could tell there were flowers around us—the faint scent gave it away—but the darkness swallowed their colors whole.

I grew uncomfortable. I was about freeing my arm from his and yell more questions when lights exploded. So bright it felt like it struck my bones.

"Happy birthday!!!"

Jubilant screams followed, tangled with the sharp pop of party poppers, balloons bursting, hands clapping in wild rhythm.

The speaker thundered to life, a Happy Birthday song hitting the air.

Everything happened at once.

I stood frozen in the middle of it, blinking at the scene like it was happening on a screen and not around me.

A girl that looked my age ran up to me with a flower in hand, her red curls bouncing on her back.

"Happy birthday, Rali!!" she squealed, hopping on the balls of her feet like a child too full of joy to stay still.

My brows pulled together, something sharp and aching pinching in my chest. "Veronica?"