Page 106 of Monster in Disguise

"Why would I be a man?" Venezia suddenly turns.

"Well... it's policeman, right? So it's a job for a man."

"Women can be police officers too. Think of policewomen if you want," I explain. "I told you, you can be whatever you want. Your gender shouldn't stop you. Just replace the 'man' in the profession with 'woman' and you can do it."

Both Claudia and Venezia look pensive but agree with my observation.

In the meantime, Amelia comes in and informs us that breakfast is ready.

The girls race towards the dining room, while I stay behind and offer Lina my arm.

"You were great, you know?" She rises on her tiptoes to give me a kiss.

"I meant everything I said."

"I know. You're the best." Her eyes are sparkling with warmth, and I take her mouth for a quick kiss.

"Damnation!" A voice curses out.

I look to see Assisi on top of the stairs shielding her eyes.

"Sisi?"

My sister casually comes down the stairs, ignoring Lina's question.

"Sisi, wait!" She says as Assisi makes a left for the dining room.

"What?" She huffs out a breath.

"What's that?"

Lina's hand goes to Assisi's neck and she moves her hair aside to reveal a red spot.

"Are you ill?" She asks, worried about her friend.

"What? No... something must have bitten me." She stammers, her eyes looking anywhere but at Lina. "I'm hungry. I'll see you in the dining room."

"Odd..." Lina remarks once she's back by my side.

"I agree." I frown. I'd noticed for a while now that Assisi's behavior had changed. I don't claim to know her well enough to comment on her personality, but she's completely different from what she'd been like in the beginning.

And there's also the matter of her being extremely secretive, even with Lina. She's taken to not getting out of her room, and that worries me.

"Guerra wants Assisi to meet his son," I tell her, grimacing at the thought. I explain our conversation and that I'd tried to refuse.

"Where does that leave us?" she asks, nibbling on her bottom lip.

"I agreed to a casual meeting, nothing more. I couldn't refuse and risk a confrontation. Or I should sayanotherconfrontation. But don't worry. I told him it would be Assisi's decision in the end. Nothing's going to happen."

"I hope so," she whispers, but clearly she isn't convinced.

"Think of it as keeping our enemies close," I add.

Because certain things just don't add up. And I mean to discover who exactly is terrorizing my family.

"I didn't thinkI'd be sitting in a room with you two again." Adrian crosses his arms as he regards me and Vlad.

We moved to the study to discuss things of a more confidential nature. Catalina, Claudia, and Venezia are still inthe living room, chatting. Assisi had been rather abrupt in her departure, but given her behavior lately, it wasn't entirely too surprising.

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