ALFONSO

"Excuse me, ladies' room." I looked at the beautiful Claudia before giving her a short nod.

When she left my arms I had the sudden urge to run after her and help her in the lavatory which was absurd. I have never been clingy to a woman before and I certainly will not start tonight.

I felt unexplainable irritation as I looked Claudia found her way to her destination and these men inside the room seemed to follow her with their eyes too.

Now see here...

"How on earth this happened?" I heard the familiar voice of my friend, Gianluca, the twelfth Duke of Caprielle.

I raised an eyebrow in his direction in a mocking way. I am still irate at him for making my date laugh. "What? That we're invited to this party? Simple, amico. Because we're influential."

Luca threw a disapproving look at me, his grey eyes filled with annoyance. "I am not talking about this party, Alfonso. I am talking about that pretty Claudia. Is it true? You are now courting her?"

I scowled. "Why? Do you have a problem with that?"

"Why are you—" my good friend paused and then broke into a knowing grin. "—Dio! Are you freaking jealous?"

"Of course, not!" I denied it immediately. I looked at him in disbelief. Where the hell did he get that idea in the first place? Why would I be jealous? I snorted, that's utter nonsense.

"Then how do you explain this behavior of yours, amico mio?" The duke chuckled. "Seriously, you're about to snap my head moments ago.

I avoided his knowing gaze. "That's not true."

"You're lethal when it comes to your charm, Alfonso," Luca commented with laughter still visible in his voice. "How did you manage to court that woman you just met two days ago?"

"What's so surprising with that?"

He tapped his chin pretending to think for a moment. "If I remember correctly that woman hated your whole being when she barged in our room at the club that day."

"I didn't notice."

"Really?" He asked with a frown on his forehead. "I think it's rather obvious day. Even our friends will agree with me."

I glared at him darkly. "You are mistaken, Your Excellency."

"You think so?" The frown was still visible on his face. "I thought I saw clearly how she threw a dagger look in your direction. I thought that she want to send you to hell that very same day."

I grimaced at my friend. Doesn't he know that he's kind of insulting with his words?

It's Piero that she hates not me...okay, she might hate me slightly too but not my whole being as this bastard duke presume.

"What are you implying?" I inquired irately.

Luca raised his hands up in the air slightly for a silent surrender. I couldn't miss the way his mouth twitched. "Relax, amico. Settle your feathers. I am not implying anything here. I am merely curious, that's all."

I gave him a malicious look. "Why don't you just admit that you want some gossip?"

"I am a respected duke," he informed me with his eyes twinkling with merriment. "I don't do such a thing."

"Yeah. Right."

Luca's attention was caught by the woman he conversed with her for a moment I smiled slightly when she bid her goodbye with a flirtatious smile the duke. It would not surprise me if this woman went home with this guy later.

"She likes you," I commented cynically. "And you thinking of taking her to your penthouse tonight."

"I know." He answered, shrugging indifferently. "Now let's go back to our topic before your pretty Signorina comes back."

I looked at him dryly. "You're not gossipmonger with that undisguised interest in us, huh?"

"Of course not. You know me, amico." He said with a straight face. "What about Violet? I thought you liked her?"

I gave him a skeptical look. This man could be a reporter in case he got tired of playing the respected duke the Italian society admire. He's very much invested in the latest happening in my life.

I looked sideways in case someone was at a hearing distance from us. "Of course, I love that woman," I told him close to a whisper. "Nothing has changed."

Luca gave me a confused look. "Then, why the hell—"

I shook my head in disbelief. This duke is sometimes slow-witted. I just hope that the future generation of his family isn't like him. "Claudia and I are just pretending with this courtship. We didn't even like each other."

"Oh!" His grey eyes sparked with amusement.

"I put together this flawless plan so the media will not suspect that Violet and I are dating. She's avoiding scandal and we want to date away from the public eye."

"That's devious, my friend."

I smiled at him. "It's a perfect plan. Everyone will benefit from this charade including my sly old man will stop nagging at me to get a wife."

The duke was silent for a moment. Even though I was accusing him of being a gossipmonger I knew he would not breathe a word about this. He's my trusted friend, after all.

Luca shook his head, there was a curiosity in his eyes. "What kind of magic did you do to get Signorina Claudia's agreement?"

I smirked in his direction. "What do you think?"

He was silent for a moment. I could almost see that he was thinking deeply about this. "Money?"

I rolled my eyes. Does he think that a woman like Claudia Romano can be bribed like that? I could almost see her tossing that amount of money at my face if I did that. I cocked a brow. "That's the best you can guess?"

He sighed deeply. "Okay. I give up."

I couldn't help the evil smile slipping on my face. "I told her that I am going to help her settle the score with Piero."

Luca's eyes widened considerably. "Are you crazy? You're going to throw Piero off the bus for this charade?"

"If I have to," I answered unapologetically. I have no remorse for the idea. "Besides, he ruthlessly used my name to flirt with Claudia's sister so I also want to teach him a lesson."

"But that guy is our friend! He's also your cousin."

"I don't care," I informed him with determination. "I need leverage so I can have a deal with Claudia Romano and Piero just happened to be the offering I need."

Luca shook his head. "Man, I feel sorry for Piero you just practically sold him to the devil just to achieve your goal." And then, he looked at me with accusing eyes. "Why her?"

"What?"

There was still this distrustful look in his eyes that I didn't like. "Why did you choose Claudia Romano of all the women who fall on your feet?"

"Why not her?" I threw the question back at him. "Just as fate would have it. She happens to be there when I need a woman who can help me with this sham."

The duke clicked his tongue. "I think she's such a fearsome woman when I first saw her two days ago. I can't believe that she just agrees like that."

I shrugged nonchalantly. "What can I say? I am a pretty persuasive gentleman. I can make every lady agree even to my most insane plan."

Luca sighed deeply. "I hope you're right."

"Don't you have faith in me?"

My friend smiled slightly. "I just think that you are playing a dangerous game, Alfonso. This plan of yours might backfire in the end. Aren't you afraid that happens?"

I shook my head with such arrogance. "I don't think so. We both know the real score. I am in love with Violet while she's in love with this guy named Dante."

Luca gets a champagne glass from the passing waiter, raising an eyebrow in my direction. "Is that so?"

"Si."

He gave me a mock salute. "Well, this should be interesting. I wonder who will be the first one to fall. When that happens I want to be on the front row watching the whole thing with popcorn."

I scoffed at the idea. "I will end up with Violet while she's with her Dante after this charade ends."

"I don't know." The duke answered maddeningly. "I have a feeling that you're going to eat your words even before this year ends."

"I am not." I denied it fiercely.

He sipped his vintage champagne. "This woman..." he started. "...she's a beauty. I hardly recognized her she's so feminine tonight unlike her lioness attitude two days ago."

I glanced at him dryly. "Don't believe everything you see, amico."

"What do you mean?"

A gave him a meaningful look. "I suggest that you stick with your original impression on her, Luca. Because beneath that refined appearance, there's a sharp tongue that could mince you."

"I knew it! She's a fierce lady." My friend's eyes danced with delight. He gave me an astute look as he glanced past my shoulder with a devious smile on his aristocratic face. "And you claim that you're not the jealous type?"

"Of course."

"Good," Luca responded with a devious glint in his grey eyes. "Because your lady friend over there is surrounded by a pack of wolves."

My eyebrows knitted together as I looked back over my shoulder. I threw a thunderous glare in their direction when I saw Claudia holding a court of men. So this was the reason why it took her so long before coming back to my side.

These fucking men flocked at her like bees on a flower bud.

Do they have a death wish? I would gladly send them to hell at once if they didn't stop making her smile like that. Hell, I have a hard time making her smile without her mocking or insulting me and then she gave them that sweet smile so easily?

Unacceptable!

"You okay, amico?" I heard the mocking voice of my friend beside me.

"Yes," I said through my gritted teeth. I forced myself to look away and focus my attention on the duke with gleaming eyes. "You know what? I think I need to fetch my date over there. Excuse me, will you?"

"Go on, and stake your claim." There was an annoying smirk playing on my friend's mouth. I knew that he was having a great time about this.

Before I left him I informed this bastard. "Just to be clear, I am not jealous okay? I am just going to rescue her with those freaking bastards."

Luca chuckled amusingly. "If this isn't jealousy yet then I am afraid to see you being jealous, amico. Go ahead and get your Signorina over there before you murder everyone in this room."

I was about to retort at him more but I didn't have time to do that. All I wanted was to get to Claudia's side as soon as possible. I walked across the room where she was standing with a group of men. I pointedly ignored the other people who wanted to talk to me my sole focus was to reach this woman in no time.

"Claudia Mia."

Everyone turned around to look at me including the woman in question. I threw a deathly glare at every male who was flirting with her shamelessly.

"Darling," she said with a grateful smile on her face.

My heart gave a weird thud as I went to her side, snaking my hand in her slender waist. I boldly kissed the top of her head. "I was wondering what took you so long before coming back to my side." I gave these pests a murderous look. "I didn't realize that you were preoccupied."

All of them, who were trying to outdo each other to impress her were now visibly pale.

Someone cleared his throat. "I...I didn't know that—"

Are they blind? They didn't see me arrive with this woman? Seriously, I want to smack their faces when my anger lessens.

I frowned to myself. Why I am so mad in the first place? It's not as if I am jealous just like Luca accused right? That was utterly nonsense. I am not jealous, I am just pretending to be jealous because everyone knows that I am courting her for real.

"We're get going..." One of them muttered softly, unable to meet my deadly stare.

Once I was completely alone with this woman I looked down at her with accusing eyes. "What took you so long before coming back from the lavatory?"

She threw an acid glare in my direction. "What's with the accusing tone?"

"I am not accusing you," I informed her with a deep sigh. "I am just asking you."

"After I went to the ladies' room I decided to call my best friend and roommate to inform her that I would come home late. I was about to come back to your side when those men approached me. You told me to behave and just accept a man's compliment at this party, remember? That's why I was stuck here while trying to flirt at me nonstop." There was annoyance in her lovely blue-green eyes as she directed her anger on me.

I sighed deeply. I should have known that this would happen when she descended on the staircase of my penthouse looking like a goddess. "I regret that now. You should just have lashed out at them like you usually do at me."

She scoffed. "You don't have any idea how much I wish I could do that instead of playing this refined lady. Society parties aren't my thing."

"You did survive this party without me," I observed, glancing at her beautiful face. "That's a promising start for boring society parties like this."

Claudia looked at me with questioning eyes. "Remind me again why do people wants to attend such gatherings in the first place?"

"To see and be seen," I told her truthfully, my hand still securely placed in her waist. "People want to show off their wealth and expand their future connection."

She shook her head in disgust. "I will never understand how this elite society works."

I smiled at her reassuringly. "Don't worry. You'll have time to get used to this kind of festivity."

"What makes you say that?"

"Of course, you still need to accompany me every time I need to attend one."

She made a face in my direction that made her look so endearing in my eyes. "How often do you need to attend this kind of social gathering, by the way?"

"Frequently."

Claudia groaned. "Oh, shoot."

I let out a small chuckle. I heard a distinctive sweet song in the background. An idea crossed my mind I held my hand in her direction and asked. "Dance?"

She blinked in surprise as she looked at my offered hand dubiously. "What?"

"Would you honor me with a dance, Signorina Claudia?"

She gave me a sly smile. "Of course, amore."

Damn this woman. She managed to rob the oxygen in my body with that simple endearment. How can she do that?

She placed her hand in my waiting hand and I led her to dance along with the others. I was aware of how my heart beat erratically when I drew her closer to my body and swayed to the slow melody of the music.

"Your heart is beating fast." The woman in my arms mentioned while she was leaning on my chest.

I felt my cheeks flame. "That's my normal heart rate."

"Really?"

"Yes."

She laughed softly. I tightened my hold of her as I drew her closer to my body even more. "How odd. It feels like you're nervous or something."

"You're just imagining things, my dear."

"Alfonso?"

"Hmm?"

Claudia lifted her head slightly from my chest and looked at my face. We both stopped dancing. "I'm hungry. I haven't eaten anything yet."

I laughed heartily, pinching her cheek. Who would have thought that I would enjoy this party because of her? "Let's go and find something to eat."