Seduced by a royal knight

CHAPTER FOUR

Aunt Barbara wouldn’t do the embroidery, calling it evil, so Camelia ended up stitching skull patterns until they haunted her sleep. “Evra’s wedding will be in a church,” her brother insisted firmly.

Camelia hoped Ginevra wanted the same, sensing both siblings were quite headstrong. “The dresses here could fit a church wedding,” Camelia mentioned, realizing she had been ignoring the bride, Ginevra. A happy bride meant everyone was happy. She found Ginevra texting on a couch, half-dressed, apologizing as her fiancé Fredrick was about to fly from England. “It’s fine, just tell me when you’re ready,” Camelia replied, returning to Alessio who was still standing.

Remembering his manners, he wouldn’t sit unless she did. Offering him a seat, he asked her to join him briefly. Camelia paused; she never sat during fittings or mingled with the family, especially not with a charming brother like Alessio. Her job was to focus on work, not to socialize and flirt.

"Please, miss. I won't sit down unless you do. My grandma taught me better manners than that. What kind of man would I be to embarrass my grandma?" He was flirting now, but subtly, not in a bold way. Maybe she’d flirt back, if she remembered how. "Alright, but just until Ginevra needs me." "Sure."

He waited for her to sit before taking a seat nearby. Camelia felt his presence intensely. He looked very stylish, with his silk clothes and shiny shoes. Even his cologne smelled good. She tried to distract herself, but it didn't work. He was like an irresistible Italian buffet.

"Ginevra is quite energetic. Did she tell you anything about herself or the wedding?"

He leaned forward, watching her closely. "Not really. She just said she got engaged and wanted to pick a dress with her brother." He leaned back, looking sad. "Our family is just my grandma, who's in Italy, recovering from being sick." If that was all they had left... oh dear. He must have noticed her worry. "Yes, sadly, our parents died in a car accident years ago." He sighed. "Nonna and I raised Ginevra as best we could. But searching for a wedding dress... It should be our mom's job, not mine." Camelia held his hand, trying to comfort him. "You're not stupid. Ginevra wanted you here. I know you both miss your mom, but you're the one she loves and needs right now". He glanced at their linked fingers. She silently cursed herself. Here she was, holding hands with her client’s attractive brother whom she'd just met, like, twelve minutes ago. Talk about staying professional. She tried to pull away, but he held on tight.

“Miss Camelia, how did someone so young become so wise?” She snorted. “Years of mistakes.” The curtain moved. “Camelia, how do I zip this?” Ginevra called. Camelia jumped up as if she'd sat on a pin. “Excuse me, please.” He was here for dress shopping, not romantic moments with the salesperson. Alessio let go of her hand as she hurried into the dressing room. Ginevra held up the bodice while Camelia zipped it up, switching into sales mode. “Alright, this is a tea-length dress with white lace over a tulle petticoat. The skirt is really full.” So full that it pushed Camelia away as she fastened the closure. “It has three-quarter-length sleeves and a wide neckline.” She stepped back so Ginevra could see. “Is it the lighting or is there pink at the bottom?” “Yes, the neckline and petticoat have pink stitching.” Ginevra shook her head. “Not for me.” “No problem.” Camelia helped her out and hung the dress up. “Here’s one without pink.” She tried a few more white dresses, but Ginevra seemed unsure.

“Sorry, Camelia. I’m usually not this picky.” “Yes, you are,” her brother chimed in. “Ignore him. This is important,” Camelia said. “You want the right dress for your big day.” “Whatever you pick will be perfect,” Alessio added. What a supportive brother—unlike her own, who'd probably tease her about her future spouse. “Yeah, I know.” Ginevra still seemed down. And pale, despite her warm skin tone. “How often do you wear white?” Ginevra spun around, eyes on the mirror.

“I have a winter-white coat and some ivory tops. Oh, and a silk blouse that Fredrick loves,” she said with a wink. A groan interrupted them. “Oh, Evra, save the juicy stories for your bachelorette party,” Alessio teased. They laughed, then Camelia refocused on the dresses. “The whites you like aren’t pure white. With your skin tone, you’re better suited to ivory or off-white.” “Oh, I thought it was the lighting.”

“Nope, it’s the color.” Camelia had even arranged flattering lighting. “Wait here.” She dashed out. Alessio looked up from his phone, his interest piqued. “So, which dress did you pick for yourself?” “For me?” She was caught off guard. “I like them all, but I’ve never had a reason to get one...” “No boyfriend proposing yet?” Excitement surged through her. “Boyfriend? Who?” She sashayed into the stockroom, feeling giddy.

Alessio struggled to prevent his phone from being broken out by his drool. With her dark blue eyes shining with a knowing look, Camelia Salvatore was probably the most attractive lady he had seen in a long time. He was even attracted to the little diamond that adorned the side of her exquisitely straight nose. Instead of the unhealthy string-bean appearance, he preferred curvaceous ladies, just as any genuine man would. And what a gorgeous girl she was, che belle ragazza, the way she moved her round ass under the tight skirt. Similar to the vintage black-and-white films his grandmother loved, in which the women's seductive gazes hinted at

endless pleasures to come after their men undressed their skimpy, low-cut gowns.

Taking off Camelia's clothes, button by button, and revealing her transparent black blouse. He imagined peeling down, no, pushing up her tight red skirt to see whether she was antique all the way down to the garter belt and hose. His c**k, which was starved and lonely, sprang alive at the sight of Camelia's full red hair lying on his pillow as he bent over her. Alessio cursed quietly to himself. It was ill-timed for him to lose his composure in the midst of a bridal store when his sister was standing nearby. After taking off his suit jacket and placing it over his lap, he heard his assistant, Matteo, beep on his phone. "Since now," he said. "Signor, I received a preliminary investigation report on the person you requested.

" "Yes, that's right." "Ah, yes." Alessio glanced guiltily at the dressing room, half expecting Evra to burst out. "Just a moment, Matteo. I'm going to step outside to talk." He quickly got up and headed for the front door, his jacket slung over his arm. "Alright, give me the main points and send a copy to my phone."

"According to the report, the princess's fiancé, Fredrick von Hohenberg, was born to Graf Hans and Grafin Maria von Hohenberg, Count and Countess of Hohenberg, thirty years ago in Bavaria. He's set to inherit a large brewery from his mother's side as well as ancestral holdings from his father's."

"So he's got money as long as Germans keep drinking beer—forever, I guess. Excellent."

Alessio had heard enough horror stories about freeloaders marrying into families and causing trouble. "Fredrick von Hohenberg is also the star forward for a big German football club," Matteo continued excitedly. "Three years ago, he set the league record for goals scored. But since he turned thirty, he hasn't had as much playing time and was heavily recruited to play for a team in New York, probably where he met the princess—by the way, why do Americans call it soccer? I've always wondered. Anyway, the investigator will keep looking into his past for any red flags: previous marriages, illegitimate children, encounters with, uh, professional ladies, video recordings of a s****l nature, that sort of thing." Alessio winced.

Evra would definitely be furious if she found out he was investigating Fredrick for prostitutes and s*x tapes, but he felt it was necessary. If Fredrick had something to hide, it was better she knew sooner rather than later.

Just then, Camelia opened the door and called out, "Evra wants you." "Alright," Alessio said, hanging up the phone and returning to the boutique. "Sit," Camelia commanded, pointing to the sofa, and he obeyed. She could boss him around anytime. "Here comes the bride!" Camelia exclaimed as she pulled back the curtain, revealing a stunning woman. Alessio couldn't believe his eyes. "Ginevra?" he asked as if Camelia had swapped her for another woman. Ginevra giggled and brought him back to reality. "Of course, silly—who else?" "Wow, Evra, you look... you look..." He struggled for words. "Amazing," Camelia supplied. "Perfect. Wonderful." "Yes, yes, all of those," Alessio agreed, rubbing his face. When had his little sister grown into such a beautiful woman? And now he would be walking her down the aisle, giving her hand in marriage to a football player. He wished his grandma and parents were still alive, but all he could do was navigate through this on his own.