"So heartless, yet so full of feelings."
* * *
- E R O S - R I C C I -
"What the fuck is taking so long?" I seethed into the phone as I paced in front of the church, the media having a field day out of my anxiousness.
"Calm down Eros, it takes a while for the bride to get ready. Everyone's here and oh-" Arturo stopped short, his sentence left incomplete while gritted my teeth in annoyance.
What now?
"You are most beautiful bride I have ever seen." I heard Riccardo say, my curses stopping mid way as I heard my girl's voice.
"Non piangere papà, farai piangere anche me." (Don't cry papa, you'll make me cry too) I heard her say before a throat was cleared.
"Sorry Eros, I've gotta go, but we'll be there shortly. Everyone's ready." He said and I hummed in response before hanging up.
I took a deep breath in, looking at the sky before shaking my head and going inside the church.
I felt my nerves getting the best of me, even though I could be the most calm and collected person in any situation, yet, I found myself panicking for some reason.
"How are you holding up son?" My father came up to me when I released a breath.
"They're taking too long. Too fucking long." I said under my breath, tapping my foot impatiently when he chuckled.
"What's so funny?" I narrowed my eyes at him when he shrugged, amusement dancing in his eyes as he looked at me carefully.
"Now you know what it feels like." He said almost triumphantly.
"What?" I gritted out when he smiled slyly.
"To fall." He said before walking away, leaving me frozen and stiff as a statue.
To fall.
One of my guards came up to me and told me Arturo was here along with the rest of the guests and I snapped out of it, gulping before taking a deep breath.
"What took you so fucking long?" I asked when Arturo approached me, raising his hands up in surrender.
"Sorry, we got caught up in a sentimental moment." He said wiping a fake tear from his eye when Juno came up to us.
"How are you guys holding up?" She inquired.
"Peachy." I answered, looking around and saw the Rosio's getting in their seats, making my heart rate spike once again.
"You're one lucky person, Eros." Juno said, winking at Arturo who grinned at her before walking away while I mulled over her words.
I know I am.
"Come on man, it's time." Arturo said and I nodded absent minded, following him out and standing on the altar.
"You have the rings?" I asked Arturo just as he was about to leave and he nodded, patting his chest pocket.
"Don't worry man, everything's going to be perfect." He said before walking out of the large church.
I sure fucking hope so.
When the doors opened for him, I saw the briefest flash of white and saw the maid of honour, Vanessa, standing next to Arturo at the entrance.
The priest came to stand beside me, offering me a small reassuring smile which for some reason eased my nerves.
But once the song had started to play, everything felt more and more surreal as the best man and maid of honour made their way to the altar, followed by Hunter and Juno who were the grooms man and bridesmaid.
Then I saw Hunter's twin kids throwing flower petals on the aisle and earning loving glances from the audience who awed at them.
And then I felt my heart race suddenly as another flash of white appeared before my eyes, her head down as I saw Riccardo first as he walked hand in hand with the girl I called my bride.
Her head bowed and her eyes on the ground, she walked towards me slowly and I felt the world slow down as my eyes scanned her fully and shamefully, lingering a lot longer than I thought as satisfaction burned in my veins.
"Wear the whitest dress." My own words rang in my ears.
And when I looked at her face, I felt the world come to a stand still as I stared into those gorgeous emerald eyes.
She looked absolutely ethereal. Beautiful. Stunning. Breath taking. Gorgeous.
They stopped right in front of the altar, a silent threat passing between me and her father's eyes before he kissed the top of her head and put her hand in mine.
"Protect her with all you have." He said to me and I could hear the vulnerability in his voice.
Always.
I nodded once, my face emotionless as my large hands encased her small ones, pulling her to the altar as she stood in front of me.
Beautiful, and so fucking perfect.
And then it was just us as we looked into each other's eyes, nothing else existed as everything else faded away and we just couldn't look away.
"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony." The priest started as I saw her eyes glossing over.
"Eros Marco Ricci, do you take this woman to be your wife, to live together in holy matrimony, to love her, to honour her, to comfort her, and to keep her in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?" The priest asked.
All attention turned to me and the words tumbled out of my mouth as if I'd been waiting my whole life for this moment.
"I do." I answered confidently, hearing her breath hitch momentarily and a tear roll down her cheek as my lips twitched in the slightest.
"Emerald Angela Rosio, do you take this man to be your husband, to live together in holy matrimony, to love him, to honour him, to comfort him, and to keep him in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, for as long as you both shall live?" He asked and I looked in her eyes, waiting for her answer.
My grip on her hands tightened when another tear rolled down her cheek as she looked back at with fear.
I don't want her to fear me.
But the fear was gone as soon as it came and was rather replaced with confidence and wonder as she looked deeper into my eyes, as if she could see right through me, right through my soul.
"I do." She answered when I released a small sigh of relief and saw warmth swirling in her beautiful eyes.
"Now, repeat your vows." The priest looked at me.
"I, Eros Marco Ricci, take you, Emerald Angela Rosio, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part." I finished with a shaky breath when she tightened her hold on my hands.
"I, Emerald Angela Rosio, take you Eros Marco Ricci, to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part." She finished and released a small breath.
Till death do us part.
The priest asked for our rings when Arturo handed me hers, and I held her left hand softly, letting the ring slide perfectly onto her fourth finger with slightly shaky hands, her engagement ring on her other hand's fourth finger like mine.
"I give you this ring as a token and pledge of our constant faith and abiding love." I said when she was handed my ring and took my left hand, sliding the ring onto my fourth finger with shaky hands.
"I give you this ring as a token and pledge of our constant faith and abiding love." She repeated when we were asked to join hands once again as I took hers again.
"By virtue of the authority vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife." The priest said and I saw the tears cascading down her face, making something tug in my chest.
"You may now kiss the bride." The priest said when my lips twitched upwards as I hooked one arm around her waist, pulling her closer to me and wiped her tears away with the pad of my thumb and leaned down to her lips.
"So beautiful. And all mine." I whispered against her lips before placing them on her soft ones and sealing our fate.
Mine, all mine.
Our lips moved with each other in sync as everyone cheered when I bit her lip, making her gasp and slid my tongue inside her mouth, devouring her completely when the cheers and hoots got louder.
"Get a room!" Someone yelled when we finally pulled away, although I wanted to kiss her more.
I chuckled at her red face as she averted her gaze and buried her face in my chest. I kissed her forehead, lingering a moment before linking our arms together and making our way down the aisle while everyone clapped for us.
We made our way to the car that was going to take us back to the estate for the reception, the cameras taking pictures as we walked towards our car parked in front. I pushed her back against the car's door, sealing her lips with mine once again.
Talk about zero self control.
She squirmed under me but kissed my back nonetheless, my hands holding her face while hers held onto my blazer collar for support.
I pulled away, resting our foreheads together while both of us breathed heavily, her face flushed while she looked into my eyes.
"You look absolutely stunning, my darling girl, my beautiful wife." I whispered against her lips and saw her shy smile as her eyes roamed my figure as well before smiling at me.
"Thank you. You look really nice too, my handsome husband." She teased and I immediately felt the heat rush down my body when she called me her husband, even though she was only teasing.
Hot.
I cleared my throat and pulled away from her, watching her slightly exposed chest heave up and down, the dress hugging her curves perfectly as I felt even more turned on than I was before.
Shit.
"Fucking hell." I muttered under my breath, ignoring everyone's looks as I opened the car's door for her and helped her get in before following suit. We sat in silence the ride back to the estate.
I glanced at her, my eyes lingering on her when she turned her head to look at me, our eyes connecting as we both refused to look away.
And I felt myself crumble the deeper I looked.