The Sins of Duke Evander (BOOK III)

Chapter 6- Questions of Love

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"How long do I have to date her before I can marry her?"

Clyde paused with the teapot in his hands, going to pour me a cup of tea as I worked in my home office, and I ignored his amused gaze, not moving my eyes away from the sheet of paper in front of me.

The only thing in my head was the intoxicating image of my woman right now, and I didn't mind it. No, in fact, I loved it. It only became a problem when I found myself not being able to concentrate on my work, I was drowning in the thoughts of me and her.

I know, even with my lack of dating experience, that our relationship was moving fast. Becoming girlfriend and boyfriend only after the first date, having kissed her lips on that first date, unfortunately not having progressed from there yet, but there is no rush, at least, that's what my head kept telling me.

It's been a few months since we started dating, and I always find myself surprised when I wake up and see myself looking forward to the day, just to see her.

Who knew? One single woman had the power to change my whole view of the world. Don't get me wrong, I still substantially hated this darned world, I hated every single thing about it, everything but her. She made this world worth living in.

And she too made me realise that I needed her. Not to just survive, but rather to live.

"Clyde, I think I'm going crazy," Sighing, I massaged my temples.

"Love is often said to work in mysterious ways," He stood back as he spoke.

"Is that why you're still single. Despite being 70-years-old?" I looked over my shoulder at him, and his lips crept up into a bemused smile as he shook his head.

"I am 65-years-old, not 70. And no, in all my life, I just haven't been blessed to find love with another half. Maybe because I do not need one, I am complete, and I am content with myself as I am now, and that is all I could hope to ask for," He was quite a humble old man, wasn't he?

"I can't seem to say the same," Sighing, I went back to work.

Alina went back to London to get her degree, and we've been having a long-distance relationship since then. I have seriously been considering just moving to London for the duration of the time that she's there, but Clyde wouldn't allow it, saying my main business was here in Rome, and it would be unrealistic to move to London.

On the bright side, Alina's graduation is in two weeks, and I've got the private jet ready to take me to London to finally see her again after what feels like years.

"Porca miseria! I cannot concentrate one bit," Groaning to myself, I slumped back on my chair, throwing the fountain pen away from my hand and watching it roll on the desk. "You know, Clyde. Being in love really does have its pros and cons, and right now, I am suffering from the cons...Cazzo. I really want her right now,"

"Your grace, do you expect two souls finding each other to be but a mere accident?... Out of all the souls that litter this world, out of all the people that could have stopped at that gate on that day, and out of all the days that you could have picked to go on a morning walk, both your soul, and the signorina's met that day, and love blossomed like a beautiful spring rose,"

Well, now that I think about it, he wasn't wrong in the least.

"One of the beauties of love is that it teaches people to believe in destiny... And I believe that even the angels are smiling down at the two of you right now,"

I rolled my eyes at the cheesy old man.

Sitting up on my seat, I picked up my pen, staring at its sharp tip for a moment before pressing it down against the document, and continued with my work, but after a few moments of silence, in the moments it took for his words to process through my mind, I stopped.