"Baby, wake up. We're almost here." My eyes flutter open slowly, falling on the sculpted face before me. Stretching languidly, I rise from the bed, rolling my eyes at Luciano's lustful expression. "How long was I out for?" I ask as I get dressed and run my fingers through my hair. "A couple of hours." "Didn't you sleep?" "I did. I woke up half an hour ago." We walk out of the bedroom together and head towards the front of his jet. The pilot announces over the intercom to prepare for landing as we settle in our seats.

I look out the window as the beautiful coastline of Amalfi comes into view. Luciano has surprised me with a trip to Italy, specifically Amalfi where his family was from. Although Luciano and Emilia were born in the US, their grandfather was from Italy and they regularly had family vacations here with the rest of the family who still resided here. The plane lands and we head out to the Range Rover parked right outside the plane, a fleet of SUV's behind it in a line. "Overprotective much?" I mutter quietly to Luciano teasingly and he just places a kiss on my temple. "I will never take your security for granted." "You do realise I'm an assassin right?" Luciano laughs at my dry tone, helping me into the car. "Then, this is for my safety."

The car ride is mostly silent, Luciano occasionally pointing out a few buildings to me. I was too nervous to focus, my mind racing about the impending reunion. Luciano's uncles ran the mafia here and to say I was nervous about meeting the rest of the extended family was an understatement. It had been plaguing my thoughts since he told me about the trip a few days back. "What's going on in that head of yours?" "Hmm?" I turn to look at an amused looking Luciano. "You're biting your lip. What are you nervous about baby?" "Umm...I'm a little nervous about meeting the rest of your family and y'know, staying with them and all that ." Luciano looks at me in confusion for a few seconds before nervousness and was that fear? dawned on his face. "Shit." "What?" "I didn't tell you did I?" "Tell me what?" "Uhh you see. We're not exactly gonna see them." "Wait what?" "I mean, we will see them and spend the day with them before we leave but we're not staying with them." I blink a few times, my mind processing this. "Then why the fuck did you tell me we were gonna stay with them?" "I did not!" "Yeah you did. You told me we were coming to Italy for a vacation and you were gonna introduce me to your extended family." "Did I not mention that we were gonna stay at my villa?" "NO!!" "Oops." "Don't you oops me Moretti. I have been internally panicking for days over this." "Why would you panic over this? My parents already love you." "Emilia told me about your aunt. She's uhh how do I put this..fixated on setting you up with some chick named Bella or something?" Luciano curses and pulls me close. "First of all, Emilia has been running her mouth as usual. Second of all, I promise you have nothing to worry about. Yes my aunt spoke to me about Bella but this was over a year ago, before I met you. And I never agreed to anything. The last time I met Bella was years ago when we were kids." "I'm not worried about Bella. I just...she's the daughter of Italy's most prominent businessman and politicians and she's known your family for years. Marrying her would do wonders for your family. And here you are bringing home an orphan." A fierce look appears on his face as he cups my face. "You are my life. You hear that Amore? I don't care about your past the same way you have never judged me for mine. You make my life better, you make me better. We love each other and that's all that matters. Anyone who says otherwise, family or not, can go fuck themselves." I feel my lips curling up as I snuggle closer into him. "Have I ever told you how sexy you are when you're all serious like this?" "Dolchezzaaa.." I laugh, pulling away as the car pulls to a stop. Alighting from the car, I freeze in my steps. Beautiful doesn't even begin to describe the villa in front of me. It's located on a cliff overlooking the beautiful ocean. The villa is open and airy and just screams Italy. "Welcome to our second home amore." Luciano takes my hand and guides me in, his men bringing in our luggage behind us. I take a look around the ground floor as he quietly talks to one of the men in fluent Italian. "Come on." I turn around to see him waiting by the steps, the men having left as quietly as they came in. "Where did they go?" "They're around. I told them to give us some privacy." "Oka- wow." The master bedroom is paradise. There's a four poster bed in the centre of the huge room with french doors opposite it. I could see the sparkling blue ocean from here. As I exit the french doors, there's a pool and a hot tub right at the cliff, allowing you to perch safely on it while looking at the stunning view. Luciano comes up behind me, wrapping his arms tightly around my waist. "I always dreamed of living here if I didn't have the mafia." I turn around to face him, stroking his jaw. "Let's do that. One day, when you retire from the mafia and pass the torch to our kids, let's move back here." His eyes widen in surprise. "Really? You would move to another country for me?" "I'm insulted you would even ask that." "It's just that it's a huge step." "I have you. Besides, if I ever get tired of you I can just dump you in the ocean."I say smirking. He laughs shaking his head at me. "We have a deal then Ms Morino." He seals it with a passionate kiss that leaves me breathless.

Our stay at Amalfi has been wonderful. Luciano and I had the whole place to ourselves and we spent our days lazing around, cooking, swimming, reading or just talking. The both of us decided to switch off our phones, so that we could focus on us and not work. The mafia was in Angelo and Luca's hands for the time being and if there was an emergency, they could get in touch with Luciano's head of security here. I have to admit, I hadn't been on a vacation in years. It was always work day in and day out. For instance, I had been to Italy before but it wasn't for a holiday. Luciano has taken me sightseeing and we spent a day with his family yesterday. They were so sweet just like Giada and Sergio. Thankfully, Luciano's aunt didn't bring up Bella and was super nice to me. I guess she just wanted him married.

We had two days left before our flight home and I was already starting to dread it. Luciano had taken me out on his family yacht again today and we had just gotten home. He was in the shower while I dried my hair. Dressing in a pair of shorts and one of his T-shirts, I head out to the lit pool area to admire the beautiful scenery. Leaning against the balcony like area that stood atop the cliff, I inhale deeply, smiling as the salty tinge of the ocean envelops my senses. The moon shines bright in the sky, reflecting against the dark waves of the ocean. In the distance, I can vaguely hear the sounds of people laughing and cheering joyfully, enjoying the breezy night. The sound of light footsteps behind me bring an involuntary smile on my face before a pair of warm strong arms wrap around my waist. Luciano smells divine, the combination of his body wash and cologne making me heady. "Hi." I laugh at his innocent tone, tilting my head backwards to look at him. "Hi." He bends down to plant a kiss on my lips, holding me close. We just stand in each other's arms for a while, enjoying the view and each other.

"I've always envied what my parents have." Luciano breaks the silence, his tone soft and light. I turn around in his arms to face him, slightly confused at the nervousness in his voice. He doesn't look at me though, continuing to stare at the ocean behind us. "My father always said that my mother was his safe harbour. That no matter what happened, he could always come home to her. Even if he was broke and lost, she would always be there for him and he was right. Through every hurdle in life, they have always been a team. They are a team. When he passed the mafia to me, I told him I didn't mind waiting a few more years. He laughed, that fatherly laugh when your child doesn't quite understand something yet. He said 'Figlio, my family has always come first. You, Emilia and your mama are my life. I would give up everything I have, even the mafia to keep you all safe and happy, to keep us together.' He didn't have to retire that young but he did it for my mother. She sacrificed so much for him, for us that it was time for him to pay it back. She's always loved travelling but she rarely did it when we were younger because of us kids but also because of my father. She knew the risks of travelling overseas and the security detail we would need. So she put it on hold until now." He smiles softly, looking down at me. "I never understood my father when he said he would give this life up for her. Ever since I was a kid, the mafia was all I knew. I trained and prepared for the day I would become the Don and when I did, I never looked back. But then you came into my life, this fiery angel who had no qualms standing up to me. That's when I understood, for that was the day I met my match." He slowly unwraps his arms and takes a step back. I notice his hands shaking slightly as he reaches into his pocket, simultaneously getting down on one knee. He wasn't-no this wasn't happening. "People always say a King is nothing without his Queen but you tesoro are far more than my queen. So Alessandra Chiara Morino, will you be my safe harbour?"

Tears well up in my eyes as I look into Luciano's steel grey eyes, full of love and warmth. Everything around me disappears and it's just me and him in our little bubble. For the first time in my life, I was utterly speechless and dumbfounded. It was like my brain had short circuited and couldn't process what was happening right now. I must have been standing there like a fool for a while because the nervous yet hopeful smile on Luciano's face was slowly fading into a look of fear and despair. YES! YES! My brain screams but nothing comes out of my mouth. All I could do was nod my head repeatedly like a broken china doll. Luciano's face lights up at my non verbal response. "Is that a yes?" "YES YES YES!" Oh now you know how to speak again. I have never seen him smile so big as he stands up, slowly sliding the beautiful diamond ring onto my finger.

It's perfect." I whisper as it fits just right, glinting in the moonlight. The tears don't stop streaming down my face as I throw myself into his arms, my feet lifting off the ground. Cupping his face lovingly, I gaze into his twinkling eyes. "You're my safe harbour too Vincenzo." I don't miss the slight sheen that covers his eyes as he proceeds to kiss me soundly. "Ti amo dolchezza." "Ti amo Vincenzo."

******************************************** Hi guys. First of all, thank you so much for your support and your sweet comments. Second of all, he finally did it!! So a part of me feels that I should end the book here but another part of me feels like Alessa and Luciano deserve an epilogue. What do you think? Epilogue or nah?