Chapter Thirteen: The Fundraiser
The stylist arrived the next day.
An entourage of assistants carrying garment bags, jewelry cases, and makeup kits.
Harper was measured.
Pinned.
Painted.
Polished.
Until she barely recognized the woman in the mirror.
The dress they selected was midnight blue.
Elegantly simple from the front.
But dramatically backless.
Exposing skin she wasn’t used to showing.
Diamond earrings that had to be worth a small fortune completed the look.
When she emerged from her quarters that evening, Alessio was waiting in the hallway.
He wore a tuxedo.
Highlighting his broad shoulders and lean waist.
Looking every inch the powerful, dangerous man she knew him to be.
His eyes widened fractionally as they took her in.
“You look beautiful.”
He said.
His voice lower than usual.
“Thank you.”
She fought the urge to fidget under his gaze.
“The dress is too much.”
“The dress is perfect.”
He offered his arm.
“Shall we?”
The fundraiser was held at a historic hotel downtown.
Its ballroom transformed into a glittering showcase of wealth and power.
As they entered, she felt the weight of eyes upon her.
Conversations pausing momentarily.
Resuming with increased intensity.
“Everyone’s staring.”
She murmured, gripping Alessio’s arm tighter.
“Of course they are. They’re curious.”
His hand covered hers briefly.
The touch reassuring despite her lingering wariness of him.
“Just smile and follow my lead.”
Throughout the evening, he introduced her to countless people.
Names immediately blurred together.
Business associates.
Politicians.
Socialites.
All greeted Alessio with that same mixture of respect and wariness.
With her, they were coolly polite.
Assessing.
Calculating what her presence on his arm might mean.
“Alessio, darling, you’ve been holding out on us.”
A striking woman in a red dress purred.
Her eyes sweeping over Harper dismissively.
“Where did you find this lovely creature?”
“Harper is a recent addition to my household.”
He replied smoothly.
His hand settling possessively at the small of her back.
“And a welcome one.”
The woman—Elena something, Harper had already forgotten her last name—arched a perfectly shaped eyebrow.
“Indeed. How interesting.”
The conversation continued in that vein.
Pleasant on the surface.
But with undercurrents Harper couldn’t quite grasp.
She smiled and nodded.
Grateful when Alessio finally steered her away.
“You’re doing well.”
He murmured, guiding her toward the bar.
“Elena is a piranha. You held your ground.”
“She seemed to think I’m your—”
She hesitated.
Unsure how to phrase it delicately.
“My mistress.”
His mouth curved in that not-quite smile.
“Let them think what they want. The reality is more complicated, isn’t it?”
Before she could respond, a commotion near the entrance drew their attention.
A man had entered.
Surrounded by an entourage similar to Alessio’s security detail.
The tension in the room ratcheted up noticeably.
“Vincenzo.”
Alessio said quietly.
His body language shifting subtly.
He was still relaxed to the casual observer.
But Harper could feel the coiled readiness in him.
“Who is he?”
She whispered.
“A business rival. One who doesn’t respect boundaries.”
His eyes tracked the newcomer across the room.
“Stay close to me.”
