Isabella's POV
I could feel their eyes on me as I sat there staring at the pool.
Especially his eyes.
It was intense, like the oppressive Verona sun beating down on my skin, prickling and persistent, demanding attention.
The way Alessio De Luca watched me—it wasn't something you just brushed off. It clung to you, simmering, a dangerous whisper that made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.
But I wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of knowing how much he unsettled me.
My fingers curled around the soft fabric of my dress as I tried to ignore the weight of his gaze.
Don’t look at him, Bella. Don’t give him the power.
But the air crackled with awareness, and before I knew it, I was turning, drawn to him despite myself.
I regretted it the second I did.
Alessio had sh
