Cassy

Lino blinked, withdrawing his hand from hers. He had expected a lot of things, but not that. “What—What did you say?” he stuttered, stunned by her words.

Her grip tightened on his fingers that lay on her bare chest and his eyes shuttered as he felt her heartbeat. Her eyes pleaded that he believed her, but how could he? How could that be?

A single tear slid down her cheek and Lino’s fingers twitched to wipe them away, but he didn’t. He watched her, desperately trying to align her words with his thoughts and he failed. She repeated those miserable words that broke him again and Lino jerked. “She killed me.”

He shook his head. “Cass, I—“

Her hands slid up to cup his cheeks as she stared deeply into his eyes. “Listen to me once, Lino. Listen to me.”

He shook his head violently, shaking her hands off his face. “I can’t! Do you realize the meaning of your words! She killed you—that would mean you died, Cass! Died!”

Her face crumpled and she began to cry. It took eve