Chapter 5 - Walking in Rome

Harry POV

I keep looking at Alice through my shades pretending I am looking at my phone. She’s looking out of the window not paying any attention to me. Her face lits up as she sees the monuments we pass by. I’ve never really paid attention to my surroundings when I’m being driven to hotels. I stop looking at my phone and look out of the window. Rome is not a foreign place to me. It’s my second home. I’ve lived here for two years after my break up with my ex. I needed some time away and I came to Rome. I obviously worked here but I never did the touristy thing. Maybe I should. I think Alice would enjoy it. Maybe I can take her to the Pantheon. And to the Vatican.

“We’re here sir” - I hear the driver calling me from my daydream.

I open the door and Alice holds my hand stopping me.

“Is your family here?” - She asks

“Some of them. My parents will arrive tomorrow” - I tell her as I get out of the car and offer her my hand.

She takes it and we walk into the hotel while I smile at the press.

My cousin is marrying one of my friends from here. He is filthy rich. They are called the monarchs of Italy. She is ridiculous about the press and she asked us all not to say a word as everything is controlled by the family. We know how things work.

We walk into the hotel and I quickly get the keys to our suit.

“Reservations for Payne, Harry Payne” - I say

“Mr Payne, we have the penthouse reserved for your family” - she says

“I’m sorry what?” - I say

“Mr Payne called and asked for the penthouse so the entire family can share” - she says

“No, not happening” - I tell her and she looks confused.

“Is there anything else available?” - I ask

“Yes sir, we have an apartment vacant” - she says

“I’ll take it” - I reply and she nods her head. The staff of the hotel take out luggage to the room while I fill the documents necessary and pay for the room.

We go into the lift and Alice looks at me not really understanding what is happening.

“My father is trying to control me” - I let out and she nods her head

Once we get inside the apartment Alice takes her shoes off.

I undo my tie and the first button of my shirt.

Alice looks around in awe as I take my laptop and set it on the desk in the bedroom.

“All the clothes are put away” - I hear a deep voice say.

“Thank you” - I reply offering a tip as I shake his hand.

Alice looks around and comes back with a smile on her face.

“It has two beds” - she says

“We can’t have the second bed messed up, housekeeping will see and they can tip the press” - I say and her face falls.

“I can make the bed again after we wake up” - she says

“Better not risk it, I’ll sleep on the settee” - I tell her and she nods her head walking into the main bedroom and grabbing her small luggage.

“Are we going out today?” - she asks

“No, I am tired and I have some work to do, but if you want to go have a look around feel free” - I say.

She smiles in excitement and walks into the bathroom. I take my blazer off and roll my sleeves to my elbows as I write on my laptop.

Alice comes out with her hair in a ponytail, black jeans and a white lace top and some white sandals. She looks gorgeous. She’s not wearing any makeup and she has a hat on that covers half of her face.

“I know how to hide from the press, and they are not looking for me anyway” - she tells me and I nod my head

“Do you need any money?” - I ask her but she shakes her head

“I’ll see you later” - she says as she opens the door.

“Alice?” - I call her

“Yes?”

“I’ll go with you, give me ten minutes” - I say standing up and walking into the bedroom grabbing some clothes and going into the bathroom.

Not long after I come out and she looks at me with her mouth opened

“I can hide as well” - I say as we both walk out of the bedroom

As the lift opens, I take her hand in mine and I guide her outside. We walked out of the hotel without being disturbed by the press.

We walked down the road and I started telling some stories about the places we were seeing. I know my history and I love Italy. We stopped by a restaurant so we could have some lunch. I was starving.

“I love pasta” - Alice says as she grabs her fork.

“Me too” - I say looking at her

After lunch, we kept walking around Rome. I even told her I used to live here. She was impressed.

Alice is a nice girl. She is strong-minded from what I gathered but she knows her shit. We had a very pleasant day.

I took her to a small restaurant in the back of the hotel where we had the most amazing pizza.

Alice can eat and I like that in a girl. It always drives me crazy when they order salads and starves themselves. What is that for? Food is a passion of mine.

I’ve been learning a lot about Alice. She has a twin brother that lives on benefits. He doesn’t want to work so she pays for his bills and he uses the benefits of alcohol and drugs. He got himself into some trouble with gambling and she paid for his debt. That’s why she’s still working as an escort and that’s why she lives in that rubbish place. Her auntie raised them both after her parents died but Alice was abused by her new boyfriend so she left at the age of sixteen. I thought I had a tough life. But what do I know? I grew up surrounded by money, and people taking care of me. I never had to work for food. I work because it’s what I know. She works for necessity.

As we end our meal and we walk to the hotel I hold her hand while I walk in front of the press camping in front of the hotel and one of them recognise us.

They start following us asking questions especially to me. Asking who Alice was. I stop in front of the door and I hold her chin up while my lips meet hers. She hands-on my arms while my other hand is tangled on her hair.

I break the kiss and she looks up at me with a smile. My heart is betraying me beating faster than I thought possible.

“She is my girlfriend” - I tell them and that’s when they started shouting questions. About her name, her job, where we met.

I ignored them and pulled her through her hand into the hotel and into the lift.

She laughed as she took her hat off and passed her free hand through her hair.