Love on the brain by Rihanna is ❤️❤️ I adore this song so much. It's so good!

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          "You really have my son wrapped around your finger, don't you?" We swayed side to side with my hand on his well built shoulder and the other held in his large hand.

          "Sir, I haven't forced him to do anything," I fired back and narrowed my eyes. "If this chat is about defaming me and questioning my intentions for your son then I would like to let you know that I'm not interested in your son's wealth because I've already dealt with that humiliation earlier tonight and if you want to repeat that then I'm not interested in having his conversation at all and would like to go."

          "This is not about humiliating you." He chuckled and twirled me on his finger. "I like you for my son. You're a good and a strong girl, Arie and please just call me Federigo."

"Okay, Federigo." Still unsure about his intentions, I kept my guard up but there's no harm in hearing him out, so I stayed.

"Everyone sees me as a monster, even my own children."

"You think," I scoffed and bit my tongue. Stupid, Arie. Can't keep your mouth shut.

"This is why I like you," he thankfully laughed it off and continued. "You speak your mind and that is good, but it can be very dangerous at times."

"Thank you for the advice."

"Of course! Moving on with what I was saying." His eyes drifted away into an old thought that saddened his features and wrinkled his forehead, making him look a lot older than he was. "Leo's mother was the most strongest and fiercest woman I had ever come across in my life. She ruled the empire like none other and she was the queen. Her family was the most powerful one in Italy and mine was not so much, so my father made an arrangement with her father and we were wedded against our will. I didn't like her at all," he laughed and shook his head.

"And she didn't like me either. We were complete opposites. I had a soft heart and she had a hard one that no one could crack. She treated me like a peasant for a year and I hated the fact that a woman was much powerful than me and held so much power over the people. I hated her." He chuckled like it was a silly thought and continued. "One day when she was out, she got ambushed by one of our enemies and when I heard the news, my heart sank and I realized that I loved that bossy woman and that I couldn't imagine my life without her." His brown eyes lit up at the memory as he walked through it like it was yesterday before he looked back at me. "I apologize if I'm talking too much."

"Oh no!" I smiled up at this man who I had never met before and I liked it. "I love a good story. I'm a sucker for romance."

He chuckled and continued. "She was the only one who survived that attack. All her guards died and she killed each one of the opposite team alone. She was magnifico." All that he was saying felt like a lie considering Amelia seemed gentle, but the sincerity in his smile spoke louder as he thought about her. "She was like a fierce lion and she lived up to her name. Her eyes drowned them all in her wrath. Those blue eyes of hers could entice anyone."

"Does Amelia wear contacts because I'm pretty sure she doesn't have blue eyes."

"Leona, not Amelia." He corrected me and swayed me further into the crowd. "Amelia is not Leo's mother."

"Wait!" I needed to take a step back and put the pieces together. Amelia and Federigo's eyes are brown while Leo and Arabelle's are unbelievably blue. "So Leona is Leo and Arabelle's mother while Amelia is Gus and Lina's mom?"

"They're all Leona's and my offsprings. Leo and Belle just have their mother's eyes while Gus and Lina have mine. Amelia isn't anyone's biological mother."

"So-"

"Let me finish my talk and you may ask questions after." He said in a firm tone and I nodded. "I broke first and confessed my feelings for the woman. I knew she'd laugh in my face and kick me out saying I am a topo, a mouse, but she surprised me when she kissed me and it was our first kiss. She was too stubborn and arrogant to even kiss on our wedding day and I was glad that I confessed."

His little love story made me happy for some reason. The smile that feathered my mouth couldn't stop itself as we moved to the soft music. "And then we had kids and we loved them more than anything, cherishing them like the most precious treasure. I was always gentle with them while Leona was a little hard. She was the strict parent and being the Queen of a huge empire does that to you."

Damn! The entire family is into game of throne, but I refrained myself from saying it this time.

"We were so happy and we had Lina on the way. Belle was studying in England while the other kids were with us in the states. Each child is supposed to be born in Italy as it's a tradition and a rule set in by our ancestors, so that's where we went for Lina's birth and she was a gorgeous baby girl." The smile on his face slowly faded away, taking mine with it. I knew the next few things that he was going to tell me were going to be hard for him, and I patiently waited for the worst.

"After giving birth to Lina, Leona was healthy and well as usual. We had the best doctors and nurses on the globe for the birth and everything went smoothly. A day later, Leona fell sick suddenly. Very sick. She was coughing up blood and had the worst fever." He swallowed the lump in his throat and blew out a shaky breath. "I flew her to London immediately and did everything I could, but they couldn't save her. She was in my arms when she took her last breath. She broke everyone with her last breath and took someone to death with her."

Tears welled up in the back of my eyes as his authoritative and strong voice faltered. "The empire began to crumble with her passing so I had to instantly sit on the throne and put together all the broken pieces. I didn't have time to grieve the loss of my two loved ones. Leo was shattered by the two losses all in one day and Gus was only eight. He had no idea what was going on until a hectic week later. He didn't talk for a whole year. Belle on the other hand didn't know anything about the deaths until a month later when I told her myself."

A tear of sorrow toppled over my mask and rolled down my cheek as all that he was saying registered in slowly. The loss of mama and papa caved into my mind, kicking my wall and cracking it to leak the unattended emotions and heartache that I stuffed behind it.

"I then closed myself off from all emotions, but rage. Anger and being cold were the only things that helped me due to which I became a monster to my kids. My behavior hardened them up too which is quite fruitful for them now, but I turned them all against me with my harshness."

He sighed and blinked away the mist of tears that threatened to pour down like a storm. This man had been keeping his emotions packed and I could sense how strong they were. He wanted to cry, he wanted let the pain in, but ego is a bitch.

"Amelia was Evelina's doctor. She took care of her like her own child and I assigned her as Lina's personal caretaker. She's the one who helped Augustus regain his voice. Leo was only thirteen and so desperate for a mother's love that he accepted Amelia as his mother. He worshipped her and would anything for her. He searched for Leona in her everyday and he still does. On the contrary, Belle hated me for not telling her sooner and she loathed Amelia for taking her mother's place."

He smiled meekly and wiped away my tears. "Things calmed down and I decided to wed Amelia a year later. Everyone was against it, but I did it for my children. They needed a mother and that mother was Amelia. She was great with them and they loved her except for Belle of course, which is why I made her stay in England until she got older. I unknowingly pushed her so far away and when she turned twenty, I forced her further away by having her marry Astor as a deal to expand our empire in Ireland and France because the Aguillards are French bastards that live in Ireland."

          He sighed and looked at me. "A year after our marriage, Amelia insisted on adopting this eleven year boy from an orphanage in Wales where she was from. She said she saw him grow up and promised to adopt him one day, so I let her. Wren was a happy child and he filled in the other loss of our family that we lost that day with Leona. Leo, Gus, and Belle adored him from the moment we brought him home and it felt like our family was restored again, but we all knew that it would never be the same no matter what."

"Leo's maternal grandmother, Marsilia," a distasteful look embellished his face as he thought about that woman. "She's a nightmare. She opposed Amelia the most because Amelia wasn't Italian, she was English due to which she also didn't let her sit on the throne with me. Nothing traditional happened. Only legal documents were signed. Marsilia allowed me to sit on the throne alone until Leo turned twenty-two. She forced me to put it all on the heir to the throne and made him the king. Leo was doing great with the job of the king, but Marsilia didn't let Verona sit on the throne and didn't let them have the royal wedding either because Verona wasn't fit to be a queen."

We stopped dancing as he cupped my face into his large hands and lifted it up to look at him. "Figlia (daughter), you're a strong woman and I'm telling you this because I see the traits of a regina in you. Strength and a king is a queen's power. I know I came off as a villain from the very start, but time and loss has made me like that. I personally have nothing against you and I'm sorry for the terrible things that I've done ever since you got to know me. I always try to look out for my family. That will always be my priority no matter what and I know I may take the wrong road at times, but I always have the intention of the betterment of the empire and my kids."

I smiled into his warm hands and squeezed them gently. "It's okay," I forgave him. "You did what you thought was right."

"I'm glad you understand," he smiled genuinely and escorted me away from the dancing couples and handed me to Leo who was fuming upon seeing his father. "Here's your girl."

"What are you doing here?" Leo hissed at his father as he pulled me to him protectively.

"It's Athena's birthday. I had to come for that and I also had to come to check up on Lina. Did you kill the men behind the attack?"

"Yes, father," Leo glared, but still replied to his father's question.

"Good. What else did I miss?"

"Lina said that there was a blonde haired, blue eyed woman there along with those men and she had our tag." Federigo's jaw twitched before he pulled his phone out and walked away. "Did he hurt you, my love?" Leo immediately asked me.

"Not at all," I reassured him while I tried to fight my tears. "He's a good man."

Leo's brows frowned in confusion as his eyes tried to study me. "What did you guys talk about?" He asked cautiously.

"He told me a little about your family. Your mother in particular and everything that happened after."

His face sulked into the floor while he looked away to hide the emerging feelings that would rip the floor from right below his feet. A mix of emotions swiveled in those blue marbles that wouldn't meet my brown ones. "Love," he cleared his throat. "I have to give Athena one last gift and then we can leave." He kissed my forehead lovingly and walked away.

While he talked to Athena, all I could think about was Verona. Who is she? Where is she? I wanted to ask Leo. I needed to ask him. Curiosity welled up in me and they say it killed the cat. It might kill me, but I needed to know.

"Let's go," Leo said and escorted me into elevator.

"Why are we leaving so early?" I asked as the doors closed.

"Because I have some business to handle back in Italy until that is sorted out, you won't be seeing me."

"Are you serious?" I frowned and leaned against the elevator wall opposite him.

"Yes, I am." He laughed and grabbed my hands, pulling me closer between his legs. "I wanted to spend some time with you before I left which is why I brought you here."

"How long will you be gone?"

"I don't know exactly. I have never spent so much time in the states after I took over the throne and finished college. You kept pulling me back."

I smiled and laid my head on his chest, listening to his faint and steady heartbeat that synced with mine perfectly. "Don't go."

"Love, I wish I could take you with me." He sighed and wrapped his arms around me. "I promise when I get back, we will go on a little road trip. Just you and me. No bodyguards, different identities, just being normal without all the headache of work and Astor."

"Really?" I looked up at him in excitement while he kissed my nose.

"Yes, really." He chuckled and pinned his forehead to mine. "Normal middle class couple that's on a road trip through the deep valleys and beautiful mountains. I'll take you to a cabin of mine. You'll love it."

"I'll go wherever you want me to go," I whispered against his lips and kissed them softly before the elevator doors opened and let us out.

***

(Leo's POV)

          Cozying up next to me, she laid her head on my shoulder after we threw our masks aside while she wrapped her soft hands around my arm when we settled into the back of the limo. I didn't want to leave her behind, but I had to talk to nonna about her and convince her that Arie is fit to sit on the throne. She will be ballistic, but I won't let her ruin my love and chances with her. She never accepted Verona even though she was Italian. Filthy slut is what she labeled Verona as and refused to even look at her. Despite her rejection and everyone's objection, I went ahead and made her mine. Verona was my first love, but Arie will be my last.

          The way I feel with Arie is unexplainable. The feelings, emotions, and sensations that jump around in my body electrifies and intensifies each nerve ending my body holds. She puts me in my place and I love that about her while Verona was always a timid girl since the very first time I met her in the worst condition possible and that thought still enraged me. With Verona it was never this fierce and addicting as it is with Arie. This gorgeous woman had become my treasure over the months and I couldn't see myself without her in my future.

          "Leo?" She called for me. I hummed in response and rubbed my palm over her thigh slowly. "Can I ask you something?"

          "Anything, my love."

          "Can I know about Verona?" My chest tightened once again as she asked me warily. Her question tensed my muscles that were at ease just a few moments ago.

          "Arie," I tried to stop her curiosity, but I knew I had to tell her one day. I didn't know if she was ready. Hell, I didn't know if I was ready to talk about her after what happened two years ago.

"Leo, I know she was your wife. I want to know what happened. Please!" Her eyes begged as they looked up at me through her lashes. That one look could make the devil be good himself and what was I in front of this queen. Nothing.

"I killed her," I blurted out as the emotions I had tucked away broke through the thin glass they were encased behind. My heart sank low as Arie pulled away from me and silently wished I was lying, but it was the truth I hated to admit. It was all my fault. Her mouth was rendered speechless while her eyes pleaded for me to explain even though I'd be reopening the wounds I never got to cry over.

"I met her four years ago and I fell in love with her." I started the story that was already suffocating me, but Arie wanted to know and I would tell her anything. "She was gorgeous and so shy that it made me want to have her and I did. She worked for me and wasn't respected by many people for what she used to do. I picked her up and cleaned up her image. Nobody in the family supported our relationship. I was the king, so no one could defy me and I married her."

Placing my elbows on my knees, I leaned forward and hung my head low as her sweet memories flourished through like it was just yesterday. They broke my wall and ran all over my mind due to which my head started to throb in pain.

"Nonna didn't accept her as the new queen just like she didn't accept Amelia as my mother. The seat of the queen has been empty for fourteen years. Verona was my wife and that's all I needed. I was finally happy, but then father and nonna began pushing us for an heir."

"That push threw me off the wagon and destroyed everything. I let them get to me. I let them destroy my life." Tears that had Verona's name written on them threatened to finally pour down. I didn't want to grieve her after all those years when I just shoved her memories aside and went stray.

"Verona didn't want to be a mother so soon and I never pushed her. I always gave her everything she needed. I never raised my voice on her. I never hurt her even a little. For her, I'd do anything, but I don't think she ever appreciated that."

          Verona's intoxicating blue eyes flashed into my vision. I almost forgot what she looked like. Her beautiful smile, her face, and the little hesitation that always lingered in her eyes which made me question myself. Was I ever good enough for her? Was I doing something wrong? For some reason she was always scared of me when she didn't have to be and that made me question if she'd ever let go of that fear.

          "I knew she loved me, but she was always a little... scared of me which I didn't understand. I handled her with delicate hands after knowing what she had been through. I treated her better than anyone, even my own sisters and mother, but it was still the same and I tried not to bother myself over it. She lived in Italy at one of my houses that she loved and it was also close to her own home. One day when I got home to her after a long week of not seeing her, she seemed really upset and I sat down to listen to her. I was always there to listen to her and she told me that my father talked to her about giving the family an heir again."

          Vivid imagery of that day flew into my mind like the warm evening breeze that flew in from the open windows of our room. The water splashing on the rocky shore of Portofino below us. The yellow light that casted on her face and illuminated her blue eyes under the setting sun. Her black long waves blew like wind chimes down her tanned shoulders and over her white flowery dress.

          The edge of our bed was pressed down with her light weight as she looked down at me when I sat and placed myself at her feet while my hand reassuringly stroked up and down her soft legs. The disheartened look on her face upset me as her perfectly manicured brows frowned, her pink full lips slouching in distress. The strands of her long bangs tickled her face, forcing me to tuck it away for her and run my hand over his soft skin.

          "My father had talked to her regarding the heir thing on multiple occasions and it never bothered her because she knew I'd never force her and my opinion was all that mattered on that topic. But that day she was more upset than she had ever been regarding this. I knew it wasn't just my father's ignorant nagging, it was something else too, but she never told me. She kept saying that she didn't want to be a mother and I told her that we didn't have to worry about a child so soon. We were both too young to be parents. I just turned twenty-five and she was twenty-two."

          Slowly, I lifted my head up and glanced at Arie who listened intently with her brows furrowed together. She patiently waited for me to continue and so I did by leaning back into my seat and looking at my reflection in the mirrored ceiling of the limo. All I saw right now was the man who was about ready to break by talking about a lost loved one, not the lion that usually walked around.

"I told her that we'd think about a child in a few years when we'd both be ready and with that she lost it. I don't know what got into her. She never acted like that before. She was yelling, screaming saying she didn't want to be a mother right now or ever. Saying she wouldn't be a good mother and that our kids would be ashamed of her. I couldn't hear her talk about her like that so I yelled at her for the first time. I didn't mean to, but I couldn't stand her disrespecting herself like that."

Sighing deeply, I rubbed my face and swallowed my distasteful past that was surfacing before staring back at myself in the mirror above my head. "Unknowingly, I hurt her by yelling and I regret it because she ran out and took one of my cars to drive away. I didn't follow her. I gave her the space that she needed. I thought she'd drive to her mother's house, but I was wrong."

A transparent, blurry fog trapped my eyes and I couldn't blink them away this time. A wretched tear laughed at me and tumbled down the side of my face, but I continued. "A few minutes later I got a phone call from the local police and I rushed out immediately. I was by the port while they retrieved my wrecked car from the water. They said that it took a horrific fall off the road and rolled down the hill before crashing into the water. The car was completely broken, bent in the worst shapes possible."

I never cried when Verona died and today all those unshed tears were pouring down like a rainstorm. "A torn strip of her flowery dress was stuck to a sharp and broken edge of the car when they pulled it out. She wasn't in it. Experts said that she slammed through the windshield and drifted away with the currents of the water. Few traces of her blood were found on the broken edges while the rest was washed away in the water. A couple days later they found her body that was barely recognizable, but I identified my ring that she wore and the dress."

Resting my burning face in my palms, I sobbed for her. I thought I could hold it in forever, but not anymore. I let them out willingly after locking them in for so long. I never talked about her to anyone after her passing. I didn't want to relive her memories because they hurt. Until now, no one knew why it happened. It was all my fault.

"She died," I cried silently. "I killed her. I yelled and her delicate heart couldn't handle it. It's all my fault. I killed her."

Arie's soft hands brushed over my wet face before she climbed on me and wrapped her arms around my neck, hiding her face in my neck and cocooning me in her warmth and love. "You didn't kill her, Leo," she cried softly, tightening her grip on me. "Do you hear me? It's not your fault."

          My arms circled her waist while her legs captured my torso in them. She pulled her head away and raked her fingers through my hair before cupping my face in them. Dipping down, she kissed my tears and looked at me. "You didn't kill her and don't you ever blame yourself," she commanded authoritatively before hastily wiping her tears. "She was too broken and fragile that only one little argument pushed her over the edge."

          Pinning her forehead against mine, she released a shaky breath and kissed my lips. "I'm so sorry for opening up your wounds," she weeped. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

          "Don't be, love," I reassured her and palmed her back soothingly. "I didn't cry when she died. I just couldn't for some reason because something broke in me. Revisiting her today made me realize how much I needed to let it out and now I can finally move on fully with you." My fingers feathered back her strands and brushed her tears to nothing. "I love you more than I ever loved Verona."

          "And I love you." She pressed her lips to mine gently, moving mine in sync with hers. "How did I even meet you?" She asked dreamily while I chuckled.

          "If I remember correctly, we met at the station and you were wearing scrubs. Your face was red in anger. You kicked Wren's balls too after yelling at the officers in the interrogation room. I also remember that your hair were up in a cute ponytail."

          "I didn't mean literally, dumbass." Her cute laugh made me smile before she hid her face in my neck. Soon enough sleep took over her and I didn't bother moving her.

          Her faint snores tickled my ear while her relaxed heartbeat put me at ease. Things that I felt for Verona were my first true feelings of love and with Arie everything is intensified to the max. The desire and love that coiled in my bloodstream and heart could never be put down into a measly little paper or be spoken through words that would never perfectly describe how much I loved Arie. It could only be seen in my eyes and felt in my heart. If someone truly wanted to know my emotions, all they had to do was look deep into my eyes and they find a whole ocean of Arie's love. I was so in love with this woman that it would literally kill me if she wasn't mine.

          "It's time, my love," I whispered into her ear when we finally arrived at the private airport an hour later. "Wakey, wakey, my queen. It's time for your king to go."

          She groaned and yawned in my face before letting out a bark of laughter. "Sorry." She pecked my cheek and slipped off me. "Come back soon," she hugged me when we got out of the vehicle and pouted like a baby that she was at times. "I want you to come back to me."

          "I promise to come back as soon as possible, my love." I kissed the top of her head and pulled her further into me to shield her from the chilly breeze of the night. "Will you always love me?" I had to ask for the peace of my mind. I knew she would, but hearing it from her would lighten up my worst mood.

          She tiptoed up and kissed me passionately like no tomorrow. "Till my last breath, mio re (my king)."

          "What did you say?" A grin crossed my face as I gazed at my queen, the love of my life.

          "Did google translate fuck me up?"

          We laughed and I couldn't help myself kissing her again. I would never get enough of this women and I already missed her even though she's literally wrapped in my arms.

          "These two don't quit. They should make their own pornographic website with all their shenanigans," I heard Mike's voice echo through the starry night as I opened my eyes and watched him jump out of his Maserati with Wendy by his side. "Quit eating the poor girl's face. If you kept going at it, Arie wouldn't have a face in the morning."

          "Why do you always have to cockblock them?" Wendy yelled at Mike, forcing us all into laughter before they walked close.

          Cupping Arie's face, I gazed and drowned into her worried eyes. "You'll see me soon, my love. I love you so much."

          She leaned into my hands and closed her eyes as a lone tear rolled down her cheek. "I love you," she whispered softly and reached up to kiss me one last time. "Be safe."

          "You too." I kissed her tear and stepped back before walking towards the jet and climbing it with Mike and the rest of my men behind me. I watched her through the window as she walked to Wendy and hugged her.

          "So you're really going to talk to nonna about her?" Mike asked as he downed a bottle of water when the plane was finally in the air.

          "Which is why I'm taking you. You're going to help me convince her because she adores you. I want her to be on the throne, so I'm going to fight as hard as I can, more than I ever fought for Verona."

"You better because she's worth it."

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So many revelations in this chapter. Did you guys like it? Yay or nay?

Yes, Leo cried 😭😭

Who do you think was the other death besides Leona that Federigo wasn't too specific about?

Do you think Marsilia, the nonna will accept Arie?

Why didn't people approve of Verona?

Much love ♥️
~Reet