The antique music box on Evelyn's vanity played a haunting melody, its delicate tune echoing through her suite as she prepared for her first public appearance as Mrs. Carter. The tiny ballerina inside spun endlessly, her porcelain face frozen in an eternal smile – a wedding gift from Ben that had appeared mysteriously on her dresser that morning, along with a note that made her heart race: "For the woman who dances with devils."
Roma's autumn air drifted through the open balcony doors, carrying the scent of roses from the garden where they'd shared their midnight confession just days ago. So much had changed since then, since they'd decided to transform their arrangement into something real. The adjoining door between their suites remained open now, though they still maintained the pretense of separate spaces for the staff's benefit.
A knock at the main door interrupted her thoughts. "Come in," she called, expecting Mrs. Hughes with her morning tea.
Instead, Diana Chen swept into the room like a whirlwind of designer silk and contemporary elegance. Her best friend hadn't changed since their boarding school days – still impossibly chic, still brutally honest, and still the only person besides Ben who saw Evelyn for who she truly was.
"So," Diana announced, dropping gracefully onto the chaise lounge, "when were you planning to tell me that you married Rome's most eligible bachelor? I had to find out from the society pages, darling. The society pages!"
Evelyn turned from her vanity, taking in Diana's perfectly styled black hair and cutting-edge fashion ensemble. "It happened rather quickly," she admitted, touching the music box gently. "There wasn't time to tell anyone."
Diana's sharp eyes missed nothing. "Clearly." She rose, moving to examine the exquisite piece. "A gift from your devil? It's museum quality – eighteenth century, if I'm not mistaken. And that craftsmanship..." She trailed off, studying Evelyn's face instead of the antique. "But you're not wearing the look of a woman trapped in a marriage of convenience. In fact, you're practically glowing."
Heat crept into Evelyn's cheeks. "It's... complicated."
"The best love stories usually are." Diana perched on the vanity stool, her designer dress rustling. "Tell me everything. And don't leave out any delicious details about those shoulders of his that fill out a suit so criminally well."
Before Evelyn could respond, another knock interrupted them. This time, Ben himself appeared in the doorway, his presence immediately filling the room with that magnetic energy that seemed to follow him everywhere. He'd loosened his tie, and a faint shadow of stubble darkened his jaw – evidence of the long hours he'd been working.
"Miss Chen," he acknowledged Diana with a slight nod. "I trust you're not here to steal my wife away for some shopping expedition. We have the children's hospital benefit tonight."
Diana's perfectly arched eyebrow rose at the possessive note in his voice. "Just catching up with my best friend, Mr. Carter. Though I must say, marriage agrees with her far better than I expected when I read about your... arrangement."
Ben's eyes met Evelyn's across the room, and the heat in his gaze made her breath catch. "Some arrangements have a way of evolving," he said softly. "Especially when unexpected treasures are discovered."
The tension in the room shifted, becoming charged with unspoken emotions. Diana looked between them, a knowing smile curving her red lips. "Well," she said, rising gracefully, "I can see I'm interrupting something far more interesting than gossip. We'll catch up later, darling. Perhaps over lunch tomorrow?"
After Diana's departure, Ben closed the distance between them in three long strides. His hands settled on Evelyn's waist, pulling her close. "I missed you this morning," he murmured, his lips brushing her temple. "Meetings ran early."
"I found your gift," she replied, leaning into his warmth. "It's beautiful."
"Like its owner." His fingers traced the line of her jaw. "Though I'm beginning to think it was a mistake to schedule this benefit tonight. I'd much rather keep you here, all to myself."
Evelyn's hands slid up his chest, feeling his heart race beneath her palm. "The world is waiting to see us together. To judge whether the Devil of Wall Street has truly been tamed by love."
"Let them judge." His kiss was gentle but possessive, a reminder of everything that had changed between them. "We know the truth – that the devil wasn't tamed. He simply found his queen."
Evelyn shivered at his words, remembering how far they'd come from that first business arrangement. "Speaking of queens," she said, reluctantly stepping back from his embrace, "I should finish getting ready. Victoria will be at the benefit tonight."
A dangerous gleam entered Ben's eyes. "Your sister has been quite vocal in the press about our marriage. Suggesting it was a desperate move on your part, hinting at hidden motives."
"She's always needed to be the center of attention." Evelyn moved to her closet, where a sleek black gown awaited. "Tonight will be the first time I've seen her since..."
"Since you chose your own path instead of living in her shadow." Ben's voice held a fierce pride that made her heart swell. "Let her see exactly what she lost. Let them all see the queen you've become."
He helped her into the gown, his fingers lingering on her bare shoulders. The dress was a masterpiece of understated elegance – black silk that clung to her curves before flowing to the floor, with a daring slit that revealed just enough to be tantalizing. Diana had helped her choose it, understanding instinctively that Evelyn needed to make a statement.
"Beautiful," Ben murmured, his eyes darkening as she turned to face him. "But missing something." He reached into his pocket, withdrawing a velvet box.
Inside lay a necklace that took her breath away – diamonds and black opals arranged in an intricate pattern that resembled flames dancing around her throat. "Ben," she whispered as he fastened it, his fingers brushing the sensitive skin of her neck. "This is..."
"Worthy of my queen," he finished, pressing a kiss to her shoulder. "A reminder that you're not in anyone's shadow anymore. Tonight, you'll outshine them all."
The necklace caught the light as she moved, sending prismatic flames dancing across the walls. It was a declaration of sorts – not just of wealth or status, but of their evolving relationship. No one would look at this piece and think their marriage was merely convenient.
"We should go," she said reluctantly, though her body yearned to stay in this moment. "The benefit..."
"Can wait another minute." Ben turned her to face him, his hands framing her face with surprising gentleness. "I need you to know something first. What I said to Diana about arrangements evolving? It's more than that. You've become..." He paused, struggling with words that didn't come easily to him. "Essential. To everything. To me."
The confession hung between them, weighted with all the things he still found difficult to express. Evelyn understood – this man who had fought his way up from nothing, who had built walls around his heart as thick as those around his empire, was learning to trust love again.
"I know," she whispered, rising on tiptoe to kiss him softly. "I feel it too."
His arms tightened around her, careful not to wrinkle her gown but needing the connection. When they finally parted, his eyes held a promise that made her shiver. "Tonight," he murmured against her ear, "we'll show Rome that the devil and his queen are a force to be reckoned with. And afterward..."
"Afterward?"
His smile held all the darkness and passion that had first drawn her to him. "Afterward, Mrs. Carter, I plan to worship my queen properly. Until the only shadow you remember is the one we cast together."
As they descended the mansion's grand staircase arm in arm, Evelyn caught their reflection in the gilt-framed mirrors. They made a striking pair – his dark power complementing her luminous grace, the flames of her necklace dancing like a collar of captured starlight. Tonight, they would face Rome's elite together, no longer pretending their marriage was just business.
Tonight, they would show the world what happened when arrangements turned to love, and when the devil found his perfect match.
Victoria wouldn't know what hit her.