Page 35 of One of Those Amnesia Stories

The words came automatically, something I’d said a hundred times without ever giving them a second thought. There had never been any meaning behind them.

But this time, the room changed the second they left my mouth.

Cassian went completely still. Every trace of color vanished from his face. His expression changed so quickly it unsettled me, his eyes widening at the words with a fear far too intense for a stupid joke. His fingers curled tightly at his sides, his knuckles paling beneath the strain, and genuine terror flashed across his features.

My smile disappeared. “You… okay?”

He blinked, but the fear remained. His breathing turned uneven, each inhale coming quicker than the last, his chest rising and falling beneath the effort of keeping himself composed.

“It was just a joke,” I murmured, suddenly unsure what to do with my hands or my voice. “I didn’t mean anything by it.”

“Never,” he said, swallowing hard before continuing, “ever joke about that, Alessia.”

“I—I didn’t mean—”

“Never, Alessia.”

I studied him, searching his face for the anger I’d expected to find.

There wasn’t any.

He looked genuinely terrified of ever hearing those words from me again.

“Okay,” I murmured, giving him a small nod. “I won’t.”

His shoulders dropped almost instantly. The tension that had been holding his entire body rigid seemed to drain out of him, leaving him visibly sagging with relief. He dragged in a slow breath and looked away for a moment, composing himself.

I glanced around the sterile room, desperate to steer the conversation somewhere—anywhere—that didn’t involve the look he’d had on his face a moment ago. “So…” I tipped my chin toward him, searching for a distraction. “Is this your thing?”

He frowned. “My thing?”

“Yeah. The silent, serious act.” I waved a hand toward his perpetually brooding face. “Is that the brand? Brood in corners, stare at people until they confess their deepest secrets, occasionally say something terrifying?”

A short breath escaped him, suspiciously close to a laugh. He dropped his gaze, shaking his head in disbelief, amusement tugging at his features.

When his eyes lifted to mine again, genuine amusement danced there.

And something else.

Something that sent a prickling sensation along the back of my neck.

The corner of his mouth slowly curled upward, the expression radiating an infuriating confidence that immediately made me regret trying to lighten the mood.

I recoiled slightly. “You know what? Never mind. Go back to the silent, expressionless routine. This version of you is somehow even more unsettling.”

A full smile spread across his face, transforming him completely. The man who had spent most of the morning looking carved from stone suddenly looked younger, warmer, almost boyish.

“How long are you planning to keep this up?” he asked.

My brows rose. “Keep what up?”

He tilted his head, his gaze holding mine with unnerving certainty. The amusement remained on his lips, but his eyes had sharpened. “Pretending you lost your memories.”

Chapter 5

The relief that washed over me came with a grin I couldn’t suppress. “Fucking finally.”

The confidence in his expression faltered for the briefest moment.