Page 123 of Monster in Disguise

I let it all go— three decades of torture at the hands of this man. And the sad truth is that I don't think I'll ever get rid of the mark he's left on me.

Pulling myself together before Francesco returns, I direct him to take me home. There's only one thing I need right now – her.

When I open her door, I find her on the bed, focused on a piece she's sewing. She jumps up a little, startled to see me.

"Is there something wrong?" Lina turns to me, a little frown forming between her brows. She holds herself still, her entire body stiff.

We'd slept in separate beds the night before. Mostly because I'd been so ashamed of myself, I couldn't bring myself to face her.

But now it's over. It's finally over.

And my past will remain just that –the past.

"Can I come in?"

She gives a brisk nod, her eyes still regarding me suspiciously.

As she sees me walking towards her, she puts away her work on a nearby chair. I take this as an invitation to sit down.

Her hands are tightly folded in her lap, her chin slightly lowered.

My heart races as I reach for her hands. My palm covers hers in a gentle gesture of comfort and understanding.

"I'm sorry," I say, my voice soft and contrite. "I should have said this sooner."

Lina's eyes meet mine, filled with a mix of emotions. "I'm sorry too," she murmurs. "I shouldn't have just assumed..."

"Hey, no more of that," I interrupt firmly. "I realize you don't know a lot about me, and of course you'd be curious."

Lina shakes her head, her gaze dropping to our linked hands. Her fingers intertwine with mine, as if seeking reassurance.

"I shouldn't have let Cosima's words get to me," she continues, her voice strained. "I should have thought before I acted."

I can see the weight of her apology in her eyes, and without thinking, I pull her into a hug. She stiffens at first but then relaxes into my embrace.

"I know that we were both thrown together into this marriage by circumstances," she whispers against my shoulder. "But I think...never mind."

"Lina, you don't have to hide from me," I urge gently. But it's clear she's not ready to open up yet.

A strained smile tugs at her lips as she turns to face me again. "It's fine, really. We just had our first disagreement," she says lightly.

"Am I forgiven?" I ask tentatively.

She tilts her head to the side, considering me for a moment before surprising me with a quick peck on the cheek.

"I quite liked that," she teases with a hint of playfulness in her tone. "Do you think I can get a repeat?"

I chuckle at her cheekiness and wrap my arms around her once more. This time, when she leans in for another kiss, I'm ready for her. Our lips meet in a gentle, tender embrace, and I can feel the warmth of her body against mine as she molds herself to my chest. My hand moves up, cupping her neck before settling on her cheek.

Her eyes flutter open, the green of her irises so intense it's almost blinding. How many times had I dreamed of this? Of her lovely eyes staring into mine? Of holding her in my arms, our skin touching, our breaths mingling?

My thumb glides gently over her lips, parting them in anticipation. She responds by flicking out her tongue, barely grazing the tip of my finger. But then she surprises me by taking my thumb into her mouth, sucking on it lightly. Her eyes widen with curiosity and innocence as she gazes up at me.

I can't help but groan in response to her bold move.

"Oh, the things you do to me, Lina," I rasp out.

"Good things, I hope," she quips back playfully.

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