The Orsini Bride

Chapter 5: The Wedding

Soul mates...two halves of the same soul joining together in life's journey

-Author Unknown

Marco Orsini's POV

I am talking to a group of businessmen trying to enjoy the wedding reception of the Duke and Duchess of Caprielle here in Palazzo di Cavelli. My bowtie seemed too tight around my neck. I took a deep breath. In truth, weddings aren't my thing. But I can't just let this wedding pass. It was my best friend's wedding and I am his damn best man since our other friend, the Greek bastard, couldn't attend this wedding because there was an emergency to the shipyard he owns.

As much as I tried to amuse myself inside the grand ballroom of the Palazzo di Cavelli, I felt bored. I wished Nikos was here so we could both annoy the groom. 

Lucca was busy adoring his wife on the other side of the ballroom. He couldn't take his eyes off his wife even for a second. I shook my head in resignation. My best friend had finally admitted to the world his downfall by giving his Tatiana the wedding of the century. It was the grandest Italy must ever see in my opinion.

But was it worth the effort? I asked myself silently. To surrender yourself to a single woman? I don't think so.

That's why I didn't bring a date today. Women get the wrong impression when you bring them to a wedding they think that you're starting on hinting something to them. That is absurd. And to think that I need to suffer the same thing when the icy widow finally found my bride is horrifying. I have no desire to get married...

"There's Marietta Ferrara over there. Do you want me to make your introduction now?" That single comment made me smile despite the fact I tried to stop it from showing.

I turned around to face the woman I've been looking for since I saw the glimpse of her at the cathedral earlier. Now I can finally enjoy this wedding. "Does the earth tilt upside down?" I asked in a sardonic manner she hated. "Or I have entered a different universe where you were so kind to me without realizing it?"

The signature frost she'd always throw in my direction was back. I couldn't help but grin. This is getting interesting. Annoying Francesca Marcolini was my favorite pastime.

She scowled in my direction. "Can't you reply without being sarcastic, Signore?"

"You look ravishing," I commented completely ignoring her reprimand.

"Stop mentally undressing me!" She practically hissed, eyeing the men I've been talking to for quite a while behind us. Her hazel eyes snapped with fire. "If you continue to repeat this mental harassment with me as your subject I will personally kill you with my bare hands!"

"Mental harassment?" I asked innocently, though the devil inside me roared with laughter. "What is that?"

"Devil!" She whispered while glaring at me. I think she's imagining that the champagne fluke she'd been holding in her hands was my neck from the tight grip. "You always mentally undress me whenever we are in public places. And you were doing it right now at the wedding reception of our dear friends. Where is your decency?"

"Darling," I told her. I knew laughter was not dancing in my eyes as I eyed her from head to toe. "I think 'decency' is boring. Why not try adventurous I think we'll both love it."

"You—"

"Like I said before, do you want me to undress you the other way round, Francesca?" I suggested raking my gaze over her sexy figure.

"When hell freezes over." She replied fumingly. "You—"

"Was Marietta Ferrara really here?" I asked her, cutting off whatever she was about to say.