It's a great, great experience to finally get the reception that you know you rightfully deserve.

-Kendrick Lamar

Rafe Moretti's POV

"Are you happy?" I asked the woman in my arms as we stood in the grand ballroom of the Grand Hotel Villa Giulia. It was not easy to rent the whole place at short notice because people booked their stay here months ago before I even decide that I want this place for my surprise wedding to Coco. Thank goodness I have an influential godfather who didn't hesitate to use his power to help me rent this whole place.

"I still feel that everything is surreal." She answered looking around the progressing wedding reception. "I'm not quite sure yet that this is real maybe I'm just dreaming right now. How did you manage to pull this off with our friends and family without my knowledge."

I took her hand and kissed it. The engagement and wedding ring glinted in when it was caught by lights. "Nothing is impossible when you are determined with whatever work you have."

"Still," She said with a smile, her eyes shined with love and happiness. I vowed never to let those love and happiness left her eyes as long as I live. "I must admit that you outwit me today with this surprise wedding. I thought that you're not interested in marrying me again. I thought that we're going to get old by just living together."

"As if I would let it happened, I don't want our child to be born out of wedlock. As you know I'm a traditional Sicilian man I want our child to carry my name. I don't want to be illegitimate."

She beamed at me, looking around. "Speaking of being a traditional Sicilian man is this really how a traditional Sicilian wedding looks like with lots of dancing and good laughter?"

"Yes," I answered with pride. "Do you like it?"

Her blue-grey eyes lit with love. "I don't like it, Rafe. I love it! This is more than I expected when I walked down the aisle a while ago. I never expect this kind of wedding party after the ceremony. I never thought I'll probably have the happiest wedding in history."

I was about to get a kiss from my wife's lovely lips when a voice joined in. "Ah, so here's where the bride and groom are hiding. You should be at the center of this party."

I momentarily closed my eyes and muttered a curse. Trust Marco Orsini and his timing. I turned around with a fake smile on my face. "Marco. Francesca."

"Sorry to bother your sweet moments together but we just want to personally congratulate you. This is probably one of the most romantic weddings I've attended." Francesca Orsini said with pleasure.

"Thank you," I replied genuinely at her. I sometimes wonder if this lovely lady knew the antics her husband was doing when she's not around. How he kidnapped somebody like it was the most natural thing to do.

"I heard that Leandro's younger sister was the one who created your wedding gown," Francesca remarked examining carefully Coco's gown. "It's lovely. I want to ask her if she can make a dinner dress for me for my upcoming charity event next month."

My wife beamed at her. "I'm sure she will be delighted to make one for you. Come, I will introduce you to Lucia. I want to repay her kindness with this wedding that's why I will help her get potential customers."

"Oh, that's lovely." Francesca removed her arm from Marco. She looked at her husband with an innocent look. "Mind if we leave you guys for a while?"

"Of course, darling." Her husband smiled adoringly at her. It was as clear as the day that Marco Orsini was deeply in love with his wife. Who would have thought that a man like him would surrender completely to a woman like her?

"We won't be long, I promised." My wife said, placing a kiss on my cheeks. Before walking away from us with Francesca in tow.

We silently watched them walk where Lucia Salazar chatting animatedly to my godfather no less. A sweet girl and a formidable man talking but it was clear to me from what I see that Cesare was enchanted by her chatter. He was even laughing, for God's sake.

"Now that we're left alone I think this is the perfect opportunity to discuss this very serious matter." Marco broke the silence.

I turned around to face him. I was about to open my mouth to ask what did he mean by that another voice sounded behind us. "Stop harassing the groom, amico."

He scowled at the newcomers. "I'm not harassing him, Lucca. What a harsh word to accuse an innocent man like me." I heard Laila's husband snorted beside the duke but he didn't reply to their friend's announcement. Macro folded his arms in the middle of his chest. "Where is Tatiana, by the way?"

The duke permitted himself to smile a little. "We're supposed to greet the newlyweds but she's been intercept by Francesca and the bride on our way here. She's with the ladies I think they're going to talk to Leandro's baby sister."

Marco glanced at the women briefly. "All right, Rafe. We need to have this special talk."

"Theé mou," Nikos muttered in disgust while the duke chuckle. "I think I'm having a déjà vu here. I couldn't forget this special talk on my wedding day."

I stared at them blankly. I have no idea what the hell were they talking about. "What is this special talk?"

Nikos gave me a pitying look. "It's all about the 'special talk' on what to expect on your wedding night." He gestured to his friend who was grinning evilly. "And this bastard gave me one in my wedding party."

My eyes widened at his announcement. These men were a bunch of crazy people, in the eyes of society they were respected people most of them even probably feared them but when you get to know them well you have to reconsider your first impression of them. "Thank you for the offer," I said with dignity. "I don't need your help on how to handle my wedding night."

Marco shook his head. "No, Nikos is mistaken. I'm not going to teach you what to expect on your wedding night. You were married before right? I'm sure you did the job more than once. This is more important, I fear."

"Jesus, some crazy idea crossed his head again," Lucca muttered under his breath.

Marco ignored his friend's comment and focused his gaze on me. "You are now part of our prestigious club and as one of the founding members of the club I couldn't help to notice a little problem from you."

I frowned at him. I don't follow or understand him. "What are you talking about? What problem?"

He took a deep breath, his face was damn serious. "How to say this...? Can we use metaphor?" I shrugged casually while his friends look so interested in what he's about to say. "I notice that your wife's belly is still flat it's been months since your first wedding and I couldn't help to wonder if your 'carrot' works just fine?"

There was complete silence. Heat rose in my cheeks. "I don't have a problem in that department!"

"Are you sure?" He asked seriously, an evil smile flashed on his face. "If the carrot works just fine why there's no baby yet? If you want I can suggest technique or style in bed that can create a child with a sure hit."

Nikos and Lucca shook their head in resignation. "He's hopeless," Nikos concluded. "I'm done here. I will go home now with my wife and daughter."

I watched him walk away from us. Laila hadn't been able to attend this wedding since she's still recovering. I bet that the reason why her husband only attended my wedding was because of her persuasion to show her support and happiness for me. She would always remain dear to me.

Before I could give Marco a hot retort the women came back. "What were you talking about?" Francesca asked slipping her hand to Marco.

"Babies," Her husband replied with an innocent smile.

"Excuse us," I said abruptly, taking Coco's hand. "I think it's time to dance with my wife." And with that, I lead her to the dance floor. Trying to forget the talk about carrots and babies. I'm sure when the right time comes Coco and I will have a baby of our own.

"What's that all about?" My wife asked when dancing in the middle of the ballroom. The sweet music filled the room.

I shook my head in disbelief. "Nothing important, Marco Orsini just wants to annoy me, I believe."

"You should be thankful to him, honey. If not for him what you must suffer in the hands of your abductors. I couldn't bear the thought of you being hurt."

I stared at my wife's concerned face. Oh, yeah. I remember that I haven't told her yet the real story about my abduction. I was about to tell her that it was those men who were responsible for that kidnapping incident but I changed my mind last minute. "You know what?" I told her, gazing at her lovely face. "Let's forget about him and just focus on our dance, shall we?"

I would treasure the happiness I saw in her face right at this moment. The woman I love more than anything else in this world. Smiling up to me she said. "I like that."

Leila Salazar's POV

"Why are you hiding here?"

I looked up at the man who just intruded me in my reverie. "I'm not hiding here. I'm just thinking that's all."

My cousin Enzo sat on the bench next to me. We were both staring at the picturesque scenery of our surroundings. We're here to celebrate Rafe and Coco's wedding. The party inside the palace was in full swing I decided to sit outside for a while.

"Nothing beats the rustic charm of Ragusa, don't you think?" Enzo remarked, stretching his long legs. "Even if I am wherever part of the world at the end of the day this place still what I call my home as much as I want to forget this godforsaken place."

I glanced at him briefly. He was a handsome man, the same age as Rafe, and Patri believes that he should also need to settle down like the rest of us to have a family of his own enough of this military thing. "What are your plans now? Are you going to live here for good as Cesare wants?"

He stared offensively at me. "Are you crazy? I'd rather cut my legs than permanently leave here in Sicily and help Cesare with the family business." He shook his head in disbelief as if the thought was really unappealing to him. "Business is not my thing."

"What are you going to do? Patri already burned your passport first before you have the chance to escape Palazzo di Fiorenza. "

He gave me a wicked smile. "He cannot detain me here in Ragusa. I'm a member of the Special Force, for heaven's sake. I know my way out of a sticky situation. I've been to war before."

"What if I have preposition to you?" I asked, looking at his green eyes that were a shade darker than mine. "Are you interested?"

"If an evil plan coming from my dear cousin how can I resist." He wiggled his eyebrow. Enzo and I were really like most of the time.

"Perfect," I said in satisfaction. "I will help you escape Patri's watchful eyes if you promise to help me with my plan."

"Now you are talking, cousin."

My lips twitched with a smile. "I get tired waiting for Cupid to struck his arrows on two certain people that's why watching Rafe and Coco awhile ago I decided to put this matter in my own hands. And I need your help."

"What kind of help?" He inquired with a frown on his face.

"I want you to come with us to Spain when we go home next week. You can have a little vacation there and help me with my quest before doing whatever you want to do in your life."

He gave me a devious grin. "I like your idea. Hell, I will agree to come with you whichever part of the world if that means Cesare would stop breathing down my neck."

"Exactly," I agreed with him solemnly, smiling at the thought. And the busy days ahead of me this coming month. "Here's what I am thinking..."