Man is jealous because of his amour propre; woman is jealous because of her lack of it.

-Germaine Greer

Rafe Moretti's POV

I knew my mistake as soon as we joined the progressing party in the garden of the Palazzo di Fiorenza. As soon as my wife and I stepped into the garden all male eyes were fixed to the woman in my arms.

Who could blame them? I asked myself bitterly. Coco was a stunner in her ravishing red dress. It doesn't matter to these men that she's in my arms they couldn't keep their damn eyes off her.

My mouth twisted with distaste as I glanced at the woman in my arms. With her red evening gown, these idiots also seem drawn to her scarlet lips to make the matter even worse the way she styled her hair one couldn't help to wish to pull out the pins that held those gold locks and watch her hair fall cascading in her shoulder.

I sorely regret my decision a while ago. I should have urged her to change her gown. This was all Leila's fault. She likes nothing about creating trouble for other people. I was sure as hell she's the one who advised my wife to wear this wicked dress.

There's no time to beat me for the mistake. For now, I need to guard Coco against this other men malicious stare at her whatever the cost. Despite my reluctance, I did my job to introduce her to the cream of Sicilian society who were here to celebrate the birthday of Cesare, when deep in my heart I don't want to do such a thing.

After introducing her around, we bumped into the Fiorenza twins with their friend. If I was not mistaken she's the wife of Laila's ex-fiancé, Marco Orsini.

"Are you enjoying the party?" She asked pleasantly, taking a glass of water to the passing waiter. My eyes narrowed in her direction. It seems that her words had a double meaning to them. Was her question directed to me or my wife? "Coco," She said, performing an introduction. "I'd like you to meet Francesca Orsini and of course, you already met my twin sister Laila. Francesca, this Coco, Rafe's wife."

Francesca Orsini extended her hand in my wife's direction. "Please to meet you, Coco. And I hope you it's not late to congratulate you on your wedding."

My wife took the offered hand and shook it briefly. "Thank you." Coco looked at Laila and smiled slightly. I smiled at her as our eyes locked together. I could see that she's blissfully happy and I am glad for it. The Greek man was taking good care of her.

"Where is the duchess, by the way?" Laila asked, looking around the slightly crowded garden. "Are they not here yet?"

Francesca Orsini rolled her eyes. "She already arrived with the Lucca awhile ago. But an emergency at home needs her urgent attention."

"What happened?" Coco asked concernedly.

The woman smiled reassuringly. "Their twins are throwing tantrums again. They refuse to sleep according to their nanny. That's why Tatiana is singing a lullaby to them via speakerphone probably. I think she's somewhere quiet as we speak."

They continued to make light conversation only women would understand. In the past, this kind of conversation was my cue to leave but I would not let Coco wander in this party alone. I wouldn't gamble my luck that if a man tried to flirt with her I would not ruin my godfather's party.

My wife is mine. Mine alone. Period.

Only half-listening to their conversation while I still glanced around to see if there's still looking at my wife. I didn't want to become a jealous husband...but damn I could not help it since Coco paid no notice of them either she was used to the attention or she wasn't aware.

I only focused back my full attention on them when I heard Leila speaks. "Shoot! Leandro is coming this way. I have to go, guys. See you later."

She nearly flew away when her husband stop her from her track. "Where do you think you're going, Señora?" Leandro Salazar asked pleasantly with a false smile on his face. "Don't you think this is kind of rude you're running away when you see your husband is approaching?"

"Darling," The rebellious woman returned the smile. She walked towards her husband. "I'm not running away from you. I just need to entertain my father's guests tonight. Laila couldn't do it because of her current state so I should play as my father's hostess."

"What the hell are you wearing?" Her husband asked softly, there was a dangerous glint in his eyes. "Haven't we talked about this before?"

"But..." Leila pouted when her husband placed his suit jacket around her shoulder covering her outrageous outfit.

"Come," The count said brightly, tucking her arm around his. "Let's entertain your father's guests together."

I watched as Leila's husband dragged her away from us and from what I saw he intended to keep his wife by his side for the rest of the evening. A few moments later the rest of their friends joined us and one by one left. After smiling and being gracious with them they finally left me alone with my wife.

"So," I started my first ever direct conversation with my wife since we went out the manor. "Are you enjoying the party?"

She smiled brightly in my direction, her blue-grey eyes lit. "I'm fine. The twins and their friends are delightful people. At first, I thought I would feel like an outsider in the company but I was wrong."

"I'm glad that you are enjoying this party," I replied with a smile, studying her face fully. "It means a lot to me that you are having a good time here. Tomorrow we will visit my parents and stay for a few days in our home before coming back to London. Are you okay with that setup? I know I haven't consulted you yet before I made this arrangement."

Uncertainty filled beautiful eyes. "Oh..."

I frowned, seeing her reaction. "Is there something wrong with the arrangement, Signorina?"

She tried to smile for my benefit but I knew how much effort she pulled in just to smile at me. "I'm just worried, that all. I mean...will they like me? Like I said before I am not the wife they are expecting their son will bring home one day."

I gave her a reassuring smile, as I took her delicate hand and kissed the back of it. "Like you said before, Mrs. Moretti. No one can resist your charm. I'm sure my parents will be under your spell in no time."

She grinned at me. "I certainly hope so."

Our sweet moment together was once again interrupted by Leila Salazar. She's grinning ear-to-ear as she approached us. "Rafe," She said mischievously. "The great Cesare Fiorenza wants to talk to you over there. He told me to fetch you immediately."

"Is that so?" I asked, searching for my godfather in the vast garden. I spotted him talking to a group of businessmen far away from our place. "Come, darling. Let's hear what Cesare wants to say to me."

Leila's hand shot to my wrist lightning fast. I looked down at her clamp hand to my wrist. For a woman like her, she has a strong grip. "I'm sure Patri just wants to talk to you about boring topics such as business. I'm pretty sure Coco will be bored to tears. Let me entertain your wife while you do some business dealing with Patri's companion. She will be safe with me I swear."

Entrusting Leila Salazar to keep company to my wife was like hoping for a great white shark to be vegetarian.

Before I could voice out my protest Coco beat me. "I will be fine here."

With a deep sigh, I released my hold of her and reluctantly went where my godfather was. I would make my conversation with him as short as possible and come back to my wife as soon as I can. Throwing one last glance where I saw Coco stood beside Leila and having chat.

My mind knew this hundred percent sure that this would lead to trouble.

Coco Spencer's POV

I eyed Leila Salazar suspiciously, as she stood in front of me with a devilish smile on her face. "How did you manage to separate your husband from you? I thought he said you will never leave his side tonight? And his coat is missing around your shoulder."

Leila rolled her green eyes. "That's so easy. I asked him to check our baby Anton in his nursery so I can socialize wearing my fabulous gown tonight. Besides, he can't refuse me since he adored our one-month-old son so much."

I frowned slightly. I heard that name before. Wasn't that the name of the nephew of my wedding gown designer? "Anton, you say? Are you somehow related to the fashion designer named Lucia Salazar?"

"Lucia?" She said with a strange smile on her face. "That's my sister-in-law. Why? Do you know here?"

I was stunned to hear this. What were my chances of meeting Lucia's family? What a small world we have. "She's the one who did my wedding dress."

"Small world," She commented with a smile. "It's been a while since the last time I saw her after she moved to Paris. Tell me, is she still pinning to Leandro's ex-bodyguard?"

I smiled slightly. "You mean Diego?"

"So she still got it bad then," Leila said with such happiness in her voice. "I know fate is just focused on giving other people happy ending before setting its attention to Lucia. I will be glad to help fate to find the happiness for our dear Lucia." When she noticed that I've been staring at her oddly she completely changed the topic. "Enough of that for now. Come I will introduce you around."

"Rafe already did that a while ago." I protested when she started to drag me around.

"That man did not introduce you to the young businessmen around." She wiggled her eyebrow. "Let me teach you how to make your husband jealous of other men."

"Rafe will never lose his composure in public. He will never show his jealous side in this party only when we're all alone."

"Darling," Leila said with a devious smirk. "Do not belittle a Sicilian man. They are known for being super jealous when some other male talking to his wife. You need to use your charm and its full potential to make Rafe jealous."

"I don't think I can follow," I muttered softly.

She smiled at me evilly. "You don't need to understand just follow my lead. I believe this will be a very satisfying result."

And so her plan began. She introduced me around as her friend from the UK, not as Rafe's wife. Her targets were the young men Rafe didn't bother to introduce a while ago. I smiled pleasantly trying to join the light talks they were having.

But the light conversation interrupted when a cold voice joined in. "Mind if I borrow my wife for a moment?"

Everyone stared at the callous man who just approached us. I nearly didn't recognize him. He just resembled the straight-laced Sicilian man I married. Because this man had a murderous intent in his eyes. He pulled me to his side placing his palm on my naked back. The contact made me shivered.

"Excuse us, will you?" He said in a chilling tone he never used before. "My wife and I will retire now from the party. We have a very busy day ahead of us tomorrow."

He pulled me rudely away from them. Few people giving us weird looks. "What's wrong with you, Rafe?" I asked him when we're already at the front door of the manor.

"You know what's wrong." He said, never sparing me a glance. "You are smiling with those idiots. They probably thought they are so witty with their remarks since you are smiling at them."

"What the hell are you talking about?" I asked indecorously. I don't understand him at all. "Are you implying that I am flirting with them? Well, let me tell you something, Mister. I am not flirting with them besides they are Leila's friends. And lastly, I am just having a polite conversation."

He glared at me, his eyes filled with fury. "I don't like it!"

"What?" I asked perplexedly.

"I said," He took a deep breath, we ascend to the staircase lighting fast like the earth was about to end. "I don't like it when you are talking to other men and I am not around."

"Why?" I prodded him curiously. "Are you jealous?"

He turned around to face me. "Yes, I am!"

Oh, bless Leila Salazar and her deviousness. I thought with such glee in my heart. Finally, Rafe admitted that his jealous. When we finally arrived at our bedroom, as soon as the opens Rafe's mouth claimed mine in a searing kiss.

I couldn't help but to groaned at the unexpected assault. He started to peel off my gown when I managed to remove my mouth from his. "Rafe..." I said with ragged breath. "There's the bed."

"Making love doesn't always require a bed, mia amore." He said with a wolfish glint in his eyes. "Sometimes the wall works perfectly fine."

Before I could retort something clever to his reasoning. He managed to remove my underwear and toss it aside. Here I was pinned on the wall and to his hard body. My evening gown was pulled down to my waist and my breasts were exposed to his view. We were like teenagers doing something naught at someone else party.

I nearly jumped when his hands found my feminine core. He caressed it sensually. "So wet, my darling. Are you ready for me?"

I somehow managed to remove his pants and dropped them down to his ankle before he pulled me up and locked his arms around my waist as he entered me with one swift movement. I moaned when he filled me inside. He started his pace with slow and measured strokes staring deep into my eyes.

"Faster...please..." I begged him when he's taking his stroke slowly. I hooked my legs around his waist encouraging him to move faster. "Rafe...please...?"

"Promise me first you will not make me jealous again." He said, completely stopping his assault. He was still deep inside me.

"W-what?" I asked incoherently. "Do you think I can think right now when you are deep inside me?"

He moved very slightly before pushing hard inside me again. I couldn't do anything but let out a small cry. "Promise me now or I will stop."

"All right..." I said with ragged breath. "I promise you, Rafe."

"Say the whole thing." He said licking my earlobe.

"I—I promise, uh...promise...you, oh, that—that I will never...let you, ah, jealous again."

He smiled rakishly in direction. "That's my wife." I didn't have the chance to speak again when he suddenly increased his tempo leaving me breathless. I held to his blade shoulder as he continued his attack. I could feel I was near to my climax.

"Rafe..."

"In a moment, darling." He said panting, sweat now forming in his body. As his assaults turn deeper and harder I know he's also coming. At the last moment, he pulled away from my body and exited on the floor.

We were both panting but he still managed to pick me up and lay on the bed. He grinned at me as he lay beside me. "What did you say about the bed awhile ago, mia moglie?"

I stared at him in horror. Oh, dear...