Chapter 20

Alessio

The whole night is now ruined.

I know that I basically just hired Chiara to be my pretend girlfriend for the night, but I feel oddly bereft when I watch her walk away. Everything inside me screams I should come and follow her, but Evelyn puts her hand on my arm and stops me.

“She’ll be fine,” she murmurs soothingly, motioning her guards to stand back and leave us alone. “Stop worrying so much about her--”

“She’s not exactly familiar with this kind of scene, Evelyn,” I cut her off, trying not to sound too cold. “I am her protector.”

She grits her teeth but she disguises that as a smile. “Well, I do hope she’s alright with you having . . . private arrangements with me, like we agreed on.”

I tilt my head. “I’m not sure I agreed to that, Evelyn. We did talk about me coming here, and I did. I think we both know what you’re asking for, but I am a committed man. You are a beautiful, wonderful woman, but my heart belongs to her.”

I expect her to throw a tantrum because of that, but sh