The Thrill Of Your Love

Chapter Two

Terzo, donned in his regal attire, walked down the hallway of the vast ministry after his service. As he made his way along the marble floor, he noticed the mysterious girl from earlier in the morning, struggling to balance a large basket filled with laundry in her arms. Intrigued, he approached her with a warm smile.

"Amore mia, it seems you could use a hand." Terzo greeted her with a grin, his tone friendly and warm. "Do you need any help with that?"

"Oh, thank you, but I'm-" Alice, taken aback by the unexpected offer, started to respond but before she could finish her sentence Terzo swiftly took the basket from her, his agile hands effortlessly bearing the weight. He chuckled, an air of playfulness evident in his voice.

"Nonsense, darling. Let me be a gentleman and assist you. It's the least I can do."

"Thank you, Papa. I appreciate it." Alice smiled, blush creeping into her cheeks.

As they walked together, Terzo couldn't help but admire Alice's features. There was something so captivating about her; her radiant golden locks of hair like liquid sunshine, bouncing over her shoulders and framing the complexion of her skin, contrasting the delicate blush that graced her cheeks like petals from a rose. And the sparkle of her crystal blue eyes like distant oceans, beckoning Terzo to dive into the depths of their charm. She was a captivating blend of delicacy and allure, a mesmerising portrait of beauty, though a direct contrast to the siblings of sin Terzo usually favoured. He couldn't quite place his finger on what was drawing him back to the girl like the forceful pull of a magnet.

"Forgive me, my dear, but I have an issue with putting names to faces." He grinned. "Remind me of your name again." Terzo spoke, breaking the silence.

"It's Alice." She warmly smiled.

"Ah, Sister Alice!" He rolled his eyes, suddenly remembering. "Well, tell me, Alice, what are you doing working in this job? I must say, a girl with such a beautiful face shouldn't be burdened with tasks like this." He grinned mischievously, leaning closer to her. "I suspect you are a queen of many hearts, cara."

"Very clever." She smirked as he made a joke about her name. Alice's cheeks turned a deeper shade of red, a mixture of shyness and amusement lighting up her eyes. "Papa, you flatter me. But really, I'm just here to try and make ends meet." She shrugged, gaining a sympathetic smile from the man. As they reached the laundry room, Terzo gently placed the basket down. He turned to Alice, his eyes softening.

"Alice, my dear, I must tell you how delightful the coffee you made this morning was. How did you get it so perfect? It warmed my heart. I insist you bring me a cup every morning from now on."

"Oh Papa, I don't think I deserve the credit, I simply used the same coffee machine that all of the other siblings used and-"

"You're hired. I want you to bring me my coffee every morning, nobody else. Do you understand?" His two fingers tilted back her chin as he raised an eyebrow with a playful smirk.

"I-"

"Shh, sh sh." He pressed his gloved finger against his lip, the golden acrylic glittering as it caught the sunlight. "If you're to learn one thing about the way things run here darling...never say no to Papa. I'll see you tomorrow morning, Alice." He bowed and left her standing alone with the basket of laundry and a sky rocketing heart rate.

Terzo strolled along the corridors with a large grin and sense of joy, greeting every sibling he walked past. He made his way back to the chapel to hang up his robes in the cloakroom behind the altar. Though to his great delight, he spotted Abbie standing nearby. A mischievous smirk graced his lips as he approached her, though Abbie crossed her arms, a playful frown forming on her face.