Leo ^^ 😍😍 you're welcome. 😏

So, Irresistible Love is officially Mia Regina and Imperial Love is Mio Re.

Vote, comment, share, and enjoy! Also point out my errors. ❤

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          "Sirena!" Gus averted my eyes from Leo and pinned it on him as he rushed in my direction and scooped me up in his arms, twirling me around as if I held no weight. "Holy shit!" He placed me back on my feet and took a good look at me, squishing my face in his palms. "You're really here."

(Hottie Augustus! 😍😍🙌🙌)

"Hey," I greeted him, removing his hands from my face. "How are you?"

          "Better now that you're here," he kissed my temple and wrapped his arm around my shoulder before looking at Verona whose husband was still awestruck by my presence here. "This is going to be so fun." I whipped my head to look up at him, causing the idiotic grin on his face to crumble. "Maybe not."

"I feel sick," I mumbled, sensing unwanted bile threatening to rise up my pipes. Swallowing hard, I forced it down internally and watched everyone creep in my direction like a band of tigers. But it was a family of mafia instead.

"Arie!" Amelia, Leo's ever so young mother, embraced me warmly. "You look lovely, darling."

          "You look better," I forced a smile on my face, trying to fight back all my tears and the demons that threatened to crawl back.

          I caught Sophie gawking at me with astonishment plastered on her face, her eyes darting between me and Gus. From my peripheral vision, I could see Verona tugging Leo in my direction and I braced myself. Turning to Ashton, I immediately pulled him to my side so that he could hold me up and together.

          "Verona," Gus smiled at the woman who was now standing right before me as her husband caught up. My heart skipped a beat when Leo's enchanting blue orbs locked with mine. "This is," Gus continued as I peered down, playing with the dirt on the ground and digging my nails into Ashton's arm who soothingly ran his hand up and down my back. "This is my ex-girlfriend, Arie."

          My head cocked up at his lie as Verona flashed her perfect teeth. "I wondered how everyone knew her." She opened her arms and softly embraced me, taking me aback. My brows furrowed together at her sudden gesture while my gaze fell on Leo once again who couldn't seem to keep his eyes off me despite the pain engulfing his features.

"Brother," Gus called out, shaking Leo out of his daze who instantly cleared his throat and smiled sweetly at his wife. "I don't think you ever met Arie. Come meet her."

Leo's jaw twitched ever so slightly at whatever Gus was trying to insinuate, but he still obliged and stepped forward. His intoxicating scent wafted up my nose, triggering multiple memories we made together. The good and the bad ones. Every single moment I spent with him was flashing like the craziest movie in my head and I couldn't slow it down, however, the world around me came to a rest like it did before.

His hair softly waved in the hectic wind that got stronger, his eyes not even blinking for a second as they looked into mine and saw everything in me. Saw my broken soul and how much I... missed him. His sharp jaw was clenched tight, but those blue marbles were tender and drowned me like they always did. If I wasn't holding onto Ashton, my knees would have definitely buckled under his strong gaze that I held with... love? No, I couldn't.

          Slowly, he swallowed his pain and put his hand forth. "Leo Bonferroni," he introduced himself like a stranger. I was almost tempted to say Aquarius Pepperoni like the very first time which made me chuckle at that distant memory now. But that voice. That raspy, deep voice that I adored feathered my ears so blissfully that I could almost fall in his arms and listen to him talk with that unique Americanized British accent of his.

          Gus cleared his throat loudly which promptly jerked me out of my daze. "Sorry," I took a deep, shaky breath before returning my attention to the man who was never mine. Slowly, I reached to shake his awaiting hand, but as soon as we touched, electricity jolted through me like never before. My hand felt cold and numb, yet very tingly to hold his. His heat was igniting my resting senses that were at bay for years and seared them with the fire only he held. I shoved my disastrous emotions down and shook his hand slowly. "Arie Noelle."

His gaze didn't falter. He basked in each one of my features. From my eyes to my lips, and everything in between. He was unraveling me. Pulling apart all of my pieces and studying me with his intense gaze alone. I felt naked. His eyes were stripping away all the layers I wore to mask away my true self and feelings. Like he always unveiled everything about me with that one look and I was too scared to let him see the truth that I hid from everyone associated with him. The one that I had to keep in secrecy until the right time.

Before I could be the one to break our tense eye contact, he did it first by raking his eyes down to the locket I was wearing, the one he had lovingly given me. The promise that he made to me. He frowned in sadness before continuing his trek down to my wrist where the promise I made to him was intricately engraved. Till my last breath, Mio Re.

His lips slightly parted, his pupils enlarging upon seeing those words etched onto my skin painfully as his forehead creased a bit. I immediately pulled my hand away from the handshake that lasted way too long before he looked at me in question. My breath hitched in my lungs and I could feel my heart racing faster than ever. My stomach flipped a thousand times in that very second and I wanted to unload my insides out instantly, but I tried to hold back.

"We should start dating again," Gus stated, pulling me into his chest and looking down at me. "Mom approves."

"I'm going to throw up," I muttered, trying to shove down the bile bubbling up. Everything hurt. Everything felt disgusting. I felt disgusting. Even more so, my stomach did.

"C'mon, Sirena," Gus chuckled, giving my cheek a quick peck. "You know I'm not that bad."

"No." I nudged him and tried to turn around before I could barf on him. "I'm seriously going to throw up."

"Please," he laughed, but didn't let me get too far. This idiot!

Unable to keep it in any longer, I vomited, unleashing all the disgusting juices running a ruckus in my stomach onto his expensive outfit and painting it with my morning breakfast. Precisely to say, it was bacon and eggs mixed with coffee which didn't look so lovely right now.

"Should have listened to her the first time," I heard Eros comment with a laugh as others chuckled to themselves at Gus' stupidity.

"Real smooth, Sirena," Gus narrowed his eyes down at me after I finished my puke session.

"Don't say I didn't warn you, you dumbass idiot," I shook my head and finally heard Leo chuckle. Sweet Jesus! I wanted to face him and watch that smile of his, but I refrained myself and instead walked away to throw up a little more.

"God damn," I could sense Ashton making faces behind me as he held my hair back like a good brother along with my purse.

"Arie, are you okay?" Soph caressed my back soothingly after I finished up.

"I feel really sick," I grimaced at my own pile of puke on the ground. "I'm sorry. I think I'm going to have to skip your wedding."

The look on her face surely screamed her dismay with my decision, but Gus definitely made one for me. "The fuck you are," he snorted as I looked back at him. Leo and Verona weren't there anymore and neither was Amelia. "After puking on me you're not going anywhere but to Italy. Now get your ass on the plane."

"We won't bite." Another familiar voice rang in my ears before I realized who it was. That Italian accent with a soft hint of British wasn't an easy one to forget. Combined with those looks, definitely not.

          "Federigo," I smiled at the man after wiping my mouth with the tissue Ashton handed me from my purse. Remembering our last encounter where he opened up about Leo's real mother warmed my heart, but it also made me shudder considering I left his son and kicked their lifestyle away after he spilled his most precious secrets to me.

          "It's good to see you." A smile creeped on his strong face before he looked at Ashton. "Arie's brother?"

          "Yes," Ashton stepped forward and shook the man's hand. "Ashton Noelle."

          "Federigo Bonferroni, Leo's father," he broke the handshake first. "I hope to see you both inside." After a slight nod that basically said, 'I better see you both inside or you're dead', the man climbed up the mobile stairway and entered the massive plane that had Ferroni painted on the side.

"Why is everyone in that family so good looking?" Ashton groaned.

"Don't even think about it," Athena warned, blocking my path as I tried to walk away. "Get on the plane, Arie."

          "You lied to me," I yelled in a hushed tone as everyone else got on the plane, except Lina and Eros who were standing next to Athena, and Ashton who stood quiet behind me.

          She laughed. "I never told you to trust me, and don't tell me you didn't like the surprise."

          "This isn't what we agreed on," I spoke through my gritted teeth. "One day is what you said."

          "Now you have two weeks," she smiled.

          "Please stop doing this," I begged forcefully as my anger started to hit the fan. "Stop torturing me like this. I can't do it."

"You both are blind and foolish beyond belief," she hissed, taking a step closer to me. "I practically begged you to not leave him, but you did. You hurt him and he let you go even though it killed him because he loved you. Now you both are living like everything is alright. Let me be the devil and knock some bloody sense into your heads."

          "Just come to Italy," Eros chimed in to back his woman up by placing a hand on her lower back, calming her down. "It's a great place." When I didn't budge, he turned to my brother for assistance. "Ashton?"

          Ashton sighed audibly and turned me around to face him. "Just two weeks, Arie. You can ignore Leo and have fun with Sophie. You finally have some time for yourself."

          "They're dangerous people, Ashton. You don't understand," I tried to reason, but it was as if everything went over his head.

          "Dangerous people that can kill us if we don't listen," he laughed immaturely with Eros and Lina.

          "Rest assured," Athena said, ushering me towards the stairway that lead to the massive aircraft. "No one would dare hurt you."

I snorted and reluctantly got on the plane with Athena right behind me so that I couldn't make a run for it. This bitch.

"I could definitely live here," Ashton commented as we entered and laid our eyes on the common area.

A large U-shaped sofa sat in the middle around a black table that was thrusted into the white floor which was outlined by black just like everything in here. Small square pillows were propped on each seat including the ones on the sides that faced one another.

          "Arie, can I talk to you?" Soph pulled me to a corner, away from the hustling people, a lot of whom I didn't recognize. "You didn't tell me you dated Augustus."

          Laughing, I shook my head. "Well, now you know."

          "So, do you know about," she hesitated, clearing her throat. "About what the family does?"

          "Why do you think I disappeared?" I sighed. "I know more than I should."

          "And I brought you back into all this," she caught up and frowned. "I'm so sorry."

          "Don't be," I reassured her with a hug. "I never would have imagined you being in the mafia and all though."

          A scoff blew past her lips. "It's so much more, Arie," she chuckled, pulling away. "I thought they were just the mob, but I couldn't be more off."

          Locking my arm with hers, we slowly sauntered towards the people I knew. "Ashton doesn't know anything about this."

          "I don't have a big mouth when it comes to spilling secrets," she snickered. "The secret of your kids is safe too, so bitch, let's just have fun. Sit with me."

          She plopped down onto the round sofa next to Wren who grinned at her as they intertwined their fingers. The twinkle in his eyes accentuated even more after she pecked his lips and I could swear this wasn't the Wren I knew. He was a whole new person.

          Without wanting to bother them, I casually took a seat next to a shirtless Gus on the other side who was having a deep conversation with my brother.

          "Ex-girlfriend, huh?" I laughed as he looked at me, propping his arm around my shoulder.

          "Had to do it for Verona," he smiled smugly, leaning down. "You can be my current girlfriend though."

          Snorting, I pushed his face away as Eros took a seat next to Ashton. This area was quite open, but was pretty crowded with the staff moving around with luggage, some rolling with suitcases and others climbing the stairs by the entrance that led to the second floor of the plane. By guesstimating, this plane could easily fit a hundred people. Probably even more.

"Move aside. J.K. Growling coming through," a voice shouted out, urging people to get out of his way as he sauntered in with a small black pug in his arms. If I remember correctly, he was Eros' little brother that I met four years back. To be honest, he hadn't changed that much except for a bit more tattoos on his arms and the same old dog.

(Ash Stymest as Roman Azallion, one of my favorite characters from Escort Me Baby 🤗🤗)

"Bitch boy, what's good?" He greeted his older brother and smirked while throwing himself down next to him. "Did you miss me?" He spoke in a baby voice while pinching Eros' cheek.

"Took you long enough," Eros swatted his hand away.

"Sorry, I was stuck in an orgy," he explained, causing everyone to laugh while I groaned inwardly in disgust. "These Brazilian models are the shit. Big sweet asses and those curves had this boy dying."

"You're learning the ways. That's what I'm talking about," Vince laughed and high-fived the boy before sauntering away towards the exit.

"My man," Gus laughed before looking at Wren and Soph who were all mushy-gushy opposite us. "You guys are doing a good job at making me gag."

"You guys are doing a good job... shut up!" Wren mocked, pulling his woman further into him. "Jealous much?"

"I can't help it," Gus sighed, removing his arm from my shoulder and leaning forward. "I don't know how you scored such a beautiful woman." His brown eyes fanned over Soph. "You should be with me, not him. I'm better, but don't worry. I still have two weeks before the wedding to steal you away and make you mine."

"Augustus," Amelia came up behind our side of the sofa and squeezed his shoulders. "Apologize to your brother."

"Mom," Gus chuckled, "I'm just playing."

Instead of firing at Gus, Wren smirked mischievously and turned to his fiancé. "Do you want to join the mile high club, baby?"

"Wren!" Amelia shot her other son a stony glare as everyone laughed.

"Go ahead," Gus brushed them off and put his arm around my shoulder again, looking down at me. "I'm already in the mile high club. Would you like to be a member? I could help you out," he winked at me.

"Do you want more puke on you?" I asked, removing his arm from me. "Keep talking like that and I'll throw up in your mouth."

"Damn, you're a freak. I like that," he smirked as I scoffed at his persistence.

          "I remember you," Eros' brother chirped up and let his dog loose who ran up to me. Smiling, I lifted the dog and began rubbing its belly. "Arie, right? It's Rome, the guy you turned down."

          "I remember very vividly."

          "You'll definitely go out with me after this," he cleared his throat as if to give a speech and straightened his spine. "What do the mafia and pussies have in common?"

          "I can't wait for this," Gus grinned, casually slouching back.

          "One slip of the tongue, and you're in deep shit," Rome cackled.

          "Oh my God!" Amelia gasped as laughter broke out in the area amidst all the ruckus of the staff shuffling around.

          Rome grinned ear to ear like a Cheshire Cat, leaning forward smugly. "Do you regret your decision now?"

          "Not one bit," I countered by playing with the dog and stifling my laugh.

          "She's my girl, Roman," Gus challenged, pulling me into him sideways. "Your body will be snapped in half like a twig."

          Ashton broke the air with his frustrated laugh. "Leave my sister alone. She has a man."

          "Well, someone's going to get into an accident today," Gus commented before I pinched his side. "Oh, what the fuck, Sirena?"

          "I'll break your bones," I warned, shoving his naked chest away.

          "I thought I heard wrong." I knew he'd be around here, but his voice that was so broken the last time I heard it, dropped my heart to the floor. I didn't want to turn around and face him after what I did, but I knew I had to. Involuntarily, treacherous tears blurred my vision as I slowly rose from my seat and turned around to face him with a boulder on my chest.

"Mike," I whispered with a smile tugging on my lips and tears swimming in my eyes.

"Arie," he smiled meekly before trapping me in his arms tightly. "It's really good to see you." He slightly lifted me off my feet as I nodded, unable to say anything due to my clogged throat and tears that rolled down my cheeks.

Sniffling, I pulled away and looked at him. His green eyes frowned as he wiped my tears with his thumb. "You don't look good crying," he said.

I chuckled, brushing away the remaining tears. "I heard you got married."

          "A month ago, yeah," he nodded with a meek smile, looking at the floor.

          "And are you happy?"

          "She's good to me," he answered my question indirectly. I could still see the glint of pain in his eyes and cursed myself for being the cause of it.

***

(Leo's POV)

          She sat there chatting and laughing with the others, her voice so soothingly silky and melodic to my ears like it always was. Even standing back here, I could sense her smile that always made my heart skip multiple beats at a time. Her velvety skin glimmered under the sun rays casting through the small windows of the plane, her beautiful lips curling at the jokes everyone cracked with their nonsensical banter, Lina being number one on the hit parade of insulting and mocking others.

          I had to admit, Arie looked more beautiful than ever. She had definitely grown into her body with those accentuated curves that complemented every single nook of her. She was a woman now. The most gorgeous one at it and my eyes wanted to keep looking at her to make up for the years lost where I wanted to push away all thoughts of her, but the feeble attempts were to no avail. Every cell in my body knew that I could never forget her even though I so desperately wished to. She was the woman who shook up my world so violently and pulled the frail reins to my heart that pumped for her, yet she was still nestled deep in my heart, rooted firmly.

"Bourbon or just a sweet little martini?" Gus offered Arie who kindly shoved his towering chest back.

"She doesn't drink," Arie's brother informed, taking a glass from one of the servers on the plane.

          "Well, there's always a first time," Gus winked at her, holding the martini glass to her lips. "Like the mile high club, but have a taste of this first."

          His comment made my blood boil and I knew he was doing it intentionally. This fucker!

          "No," she slowly pushed the glass away, being careful not to drop the liquid inside. "Keep pushing me if you want the drink thrown in your face."

          Everyone chuckled as I smirked to myself. She still had that fire in her that I adored, but Gus' ignorant persistence was souring my mood. "Just a sip, Sirena."

"Lei ha detto no (She said no)," my voice bellowed as I finally stepped into the room fully, grabbing a glass from the tray a server was holding for the pleasure of my family.

          Arie gulped, turning her gaze to her fidgeting fingers as Gus smiled cheekily like a child. "Leo to the rescue," he laughed. "Where have you been hiding, brother?"

Ignoring him, I walked further in. "Wren," I called out, silently asking him to follow me through the small archway to the right as I took a swig from my glass. We sauntered down the aisle and unlocked the door that opened to a small conference room.

After occupying one of the seats, I looked at him. "What is she doing here?"

"She's Sophie's best friend," he answered, sitting down opposite me.

"They haven't been in touch for years," I reminded him. "How did she get here."

"Sophie ran into her a couple days ago and they reconnected," he shrugged as if it was the most nonchalant thing in the world. "She came to the party last night."

"And you didn't bother telling me this?" I continued as Mike sauntered in.

"Look," he exhaled. "She didn't want to be here. She told me that if she knew Sophie was marrying me, she would have never come."

"Then what is she still doing here?"

"I have no clue."

I huffed, pinching the bridge of my nose. Frustration couldn't begin to describe the tornado of turmoil causing a havoc inside of me. Arie shouldn't be here. She never wanted this, never wanted to mingle with any of us which is why she tore my heart out and left. Now she was sitting here and I wondered why. Having to see Verona and Arie together at the same time wasn't a calming sight. One was my wife and the other was the woman I fell for. Fuck!

"I need you to send Arie back home."

"Let her stay," Mike decided to give me his opinion as Wren's mouth parted.

"Why should I do your dirty work?" Wren arched his brow, crossing his arms in exasperation. "Do it yourself."

          "Do as I say," I gritted my teeth together.

          "No," he yelled. "Sophie is really happy with Arie being here and I'm not ruining my woman's happiness because you can't stand to have your ex-girlfriend and clueless wife in the same damn place." He rose from his seat and began walking towards the door. "We are in the air for fuck's sake. If you really want her to leave so badly, push her out the damn exit yourself."

          He stormed out fuming as Athena walked in through the same door. "What's going on?"

          "He wants Arie out of here," Mike answered for me with a yawn as I rubbed my tired features in irritation.

       Athena sighed audibly as I heard her getting closer to me. "Arie isn't a problem."

"She is for me," I slammed my fist onto the table. "She can't be here. I can't have her and Verona in the same place."

"But they already are," Athena sat next to me, brushing her hand over mine. "And they are also talking right now." Horror raced my heart for the hills as Athena continued, "Verona seems to like her and I think Arie would have told Verona everything about you two if she wanted to by now."

"I can't stand to look at her. This is absolute torture."

"You love her."

"I don't," I waved her hold off, squeezing my eyes shut. "She isn't a part of my life anymore."

"Then let her stay," Mike suggested. "She's here for Sophie anyways, not you."

"Mike is right," Athena agreed with him. "I know you're worried about Verona, but it's only two weeks. Everything will go smoothly. The wedding will happen and she'll go home. Let her stay, please."

I swallowed my emotions and buried my face in my palms. Only two weeks and then I wouldn't have to see her. I tried to convince myself for the sake of Sophie who had been through some good amount of shit.

"Fine, but keep her away from me."

***

Nothing but bright, twinkling stars decorated the dark sky as I gazed out one of the small windows in my room. Sleep wasn't being too friendly when I needed it the most, instead it shoved insomnia my way. With Arie being on the same plane, I felt restless. Nowhere to escape from her, from her thoughts, from her face that kept flashing before my eyes like a broken tape stuck on the same spot, repeating the same fucking thing.

Everyone was having a blast downstairs by the bar while I decided to turn in. It was a shame that I couldn't even rest my eyes for a second while my wife was sound asleep on the bed, exhausted from everything and worried to face nonna soon for the first time after she returned. I had to reassure her that she never needed to worry about anyone when I'm with her, but panic still gets the best of her. It does every time I leave.

          I stretched and yawned before kissing Verona's lips who shifted a bit and smiled in her sleep as if she knew it was me. Smiling to myself, I quietly walked out of the room, not bothering to put on a shirt. Booze was the medicine to calm my frantic nerves and I desperately needed it.

The seats on the second floor were all empty except for one that was occupied by someone who was curled up into a ball. Walking further down the aisle to get a good look at the person, my eyes were graced with her resting face. Arie's lids were shut, and her breathing was calm and serene while her skin glistened under the moonlight kissing her cheeks. She looked absolutely breathtaking and I couldn't keep my eyes off her.

A few loose strands played on her face and I was so tempted to tuck them away for her, but I didn't want to risk waking her up from her peaceful slumber. She shifted a bit causing her blanket to scoot down to reveal the locket I had given her which meant nothing now, yet she still wore her. I chuckled to myself and looked at the tattoo on her wrist. Gesu Cristo!

I couldn't help my fingers that unconsciously brushed over the dark ink. My hands wanted to hold her so desperately that my wretched fingers reached her face and touched her soft skin to tuck the rogue strands behind her ear.

          "My love," I smiled to myself, too entangled in her thoughts and her beauty that I didn't realize she was awake and looking right at me with her misty eyes. A tear cascaded down her cheek that brutally gnawed at my heart as her hand squeezed mine tightly.

          Her tired eyes were in pain that reflected mine, her lips softly quivering. "I'm sorry," she whispered before removing my hand from her face and turning the other way.

          I couldn't move my damn feet, for I was frozen in that very place. Her back shuddered and all I wanted to do was pull her into my chest and hold her protectively, but I couldn't. No matter what, I just couldn't. I have a wife and this wasn't fair to her. This would never be alright. Never...

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