The Devil In Disguise

Between Life and Death

Gianina took a shuddering breath, feeling the cold, sharp press of the wall against her back, as Marcus's gaze flickered from her to Cal, his face torn between anger and some remaining shred of affection. Her heart hammered in her chest, each beat a desperate plea for survival.

"I love you, Marcus," she whispered, her voice thick with terror but steady. "I choose you. I've always chosen you." Her voice caught, and she forced herself to meet his gaze. "Please, just... don't let him kill me."

Marcus's jaw clenched, his once cold demeanor now a mask of conflicted emotions. His hands twitched at his sides, but he made no move to pull Cal back or protect her. "I don't know, GG," he muttered, his voice carrying an edge of doubt. "I want to trust you, but..."

"Marcus," she begged, her voice barely a whisper. "I love you, I swear."

He hesitated, his expression softening as he struggled with the choice in front of him. Minutes dragged by as she held her breath, feeling Cal's grip tightening on her shoulders, his presence like a shadow ready to consume her.

Marcus finally nodded, a slow, reluctant movement. "Fine. You're right. I... I love you too, Gianina," he admitted, his tone almost defeated. "But I don't know if I can forgive all this, everything that's happened..."

Forgive her? she thought, bewildered. He'd killed her friends, destroyed her world, and now he made it seem like she was the one at fault. He reached out, fingers brushing her cheek, wiping away a tear as he met her eyes, only to turn his gaze to Cal, his expression hardening again.

Cal's hand remained steady, the cold edge of the knife glinting as he held it tightly. "I'm not so convinced," he murmured, voice low and dangerous. "Love isn't enough to save someone, is it, GG?"

"Cal, please," she begged, her voice trembling. "You don't have to do this."

Cal's knuckles were white as he gripped the knife, his face twisted in a mix of anger and something darker, his tone sharp and laced with betrayal. "You think you can just talk your way out of this?" he sneered. "You think saying you love him is going to fix everything?"

"That's enough, Cal," Marcus interrupted, voice sharp, his tone a warning. "We're done here."

But Cal's gaze remained fierce, his hands pressing her firmly against the wall. "You think you can play with us?" he spat, disdain dripping from each word. "You think you can make promises and break them, tell him you love him and tell me nothing?"

Gianina struggled, feeling both the intensity of his words and his grip. She gasped, barely able to breathe as his anger washed over her like a storm. "I never meant... I didn't..."

"Stop making excuses!" Cal hissed, his voice like a blade. "You chose him, fine. But that doesn't mean you deserve to live." With a swift, brutal motion, he brought the knife down into her shoulder. A scream tore from her as the sharp pain surged through her body, hot blood trickling down her shirt and onto her Christmas pajamas.

Shock fell through her. The boy she loved just stabbed her. How was this protecting her? How was she supposed to trust him? If her truly loved her how could he inflict pain on her? She was going to die and she knew it. He broke her trust. He had hurt her. She would never be able to look at him the same way again.

"Cal!" Marcus yelled, stepping forward, his eyes narrow with rage as he closed the distance between them. "Back off."

Cal turned, his expression twisted in fury. "Why, Marcus? Why should I let her go? She's betrayed both of us! She's proven she can't be trusted. We had a deal, remember? Neither of us could have her. You gave me your word!"

"But I love her, Cal," Marcus replied, his voice low, his expression steely as he met Cal's gaze. "And because you're like a brother to me. If you kill her, I'll never forgive you."

Cal let out a cold, bitter laugh, eyes flicking between Gianina and Marcus. "You love her? And you think that'll change anything?" His words cut like ice. "Brotherhood means nothing to you. You only care about her. I've seen it. You put her above everything, everyone."

Marcus clenched his jaw, his fists curling tightly at his sides. "I'll fight you for her if I have to."

The room filled with a thick silence as the two men stood off, their breaths quick and shallow. Gianina's heart raced, a sick feeling twisting her stomach as she watched them through the pain, both torn between love, hate, loyalty, and betrayal.

"Is that what you want, GG?" Cal sneered, his gaze cold as he locked eyes with her. "For us to tear each other apart for you?"

Her voice was barely a whisper as she responded, each word thick with pain. "I never wanted this, Cal. I never wanted any of this."

Her mind flashed back to their earlier conversation, where he had said, "Trust me," and she still did, even now. She knew he had to make this look real, that every painful word had to seem authentic. Her heart ached for him, torn between two men, though it had always leaned toward Cal.

Cal's grip on her loosened just slightly, his face a mixture of hurt and fury. His voice dropped to a low, menacing whisper in her ear. "Then why, GG? Why didn't you just choose me?"

She could hardly breathe, the pain in her shoulder and the fresh guilt swirling within her paralyzing her. But before she could answer, Cal leaned in even closer, his whisper dripping with venom. "I'll remember this," he murmured. "Every time I look at you, I'll remember how you turned your back on me."

With that, he jerked the knife out of her shoulder, the sudden removal forcing a choked cry from her lips as blood gushed down her shirt, the sticky warmth making her head swim. Her vision blurred, dark spots dancing in her gaze.

Marcus moved forward in a blur, his arms wrapping protectively around her as he pulled her away from Cal, his face a fierce mask as he held her. "We're done here, Cal," he growled, his voice rough.

But Cal simply smiled, a humorless, chilling smile as he looked at them, his gaze filled with anger and bitterness. "Fine," he whispered, voice laced with an eerie calm. "But don't think for a second that this is over."

With that, he turned and walked away, his footsteps echoing, leaving Gianina and Marcus alone, his words a lingering threat in the air.

Her vision began to fade, the blood loss sapping her strength. She felt herself sinking, her legs giving out as the room spun. She crumpled to the floor, her breaths shallow and weak.

"GG?" Marcus's voice was frantic, his hands pressing against her wound, but it felt far away, like a distant echo. She barely registered his touch, her mind slipping into darkness.

Her last thought was of Cal, of the promise in his eyes, the love and hate mingling there as she whispered, "Cal..." before the world faded to black.