Chapter 255 DYSFUNCTIONAL.

Chapter 255 DYSFUNCTIONAL.
\~~~LUCIANO.

For the first time in what felt like forever, I woke up without immediately reaching for my phone.

There was no emergency calls, no reports, no traitors.

Just peace.

A month had passed since the docks.

A month and honestly, it still felt strange.

I turned my head slightly.

Raina was still asleep beside me, curled beneath the blanket with one arm tucked under her cheek.

A small smile tugged at my lips.

She looked younger and softer when she slept.

The stubborn COO who argued with me daily somehow disappeared completely whenever she was asleep.

I brushed a loose strand of hair away from her face before carefully climbing out of bed.

She stirred slightly and then immediately went back to sleep.

Good, she needed it.

The last month has been busy enough.

Not dangerous, just busy.

The empire had spent weeks repairing everything Gabriel had damaged.

And they were the kind of boring work nobody ever wrote stories about.

I freshened up quietly before heading downstairs.

The moment I stepped into the dining area, I immediately regretted it.

Romano was there.

Viktor was there.

Alessia was there.

And another elder, Lorenzo, had somehow found his way into my house before breakfast.

Wonderful.

"Look who finally joined civilization," Viktor said.

I ignored him and sat down.

Ah, did I by the way mention that Viktor had gotten brighter and somehow chatty these last few weeks?

"Why are all of you here this early?"

"Business," Lorenzo answered.

"Liar," I replied.

He laughed immediately.

The chef placed breakfast in front of me.

I had barely taken a bite when Romano suddenly cleared his throat.

A dangerous sign.

Whenever Romano cleared his throat like that, somebody's peace was about to disappear.

Unfortunately, that somebody was usually me.

"You should take a honeymoon."

I paused and slowly lowered my fork.

Then I looked at him. "What?"

"A honeymoon," he repeated.

"No."

The answer came immediately.

Viktor nodded. "I agree with him."

I looked at him. "You agree with him?"

"Absolutely."

I looked around the table.

Alessia raised her hand.

"So do I."

Traitor.

Lorenzo lifted his coffee cup.

"Same."

I stared at all of them.

Had they lost their minds?

"There will be no honeymoon."

"Your marriage is almost a year old," Romano pointed out.

"And?"

"And normal people celebrate things."

"We are not normal people."

"Exactly why you need one."

I rubbed my forehead.

God.

These people were exhausting.

Before I could properly defend myself, footsteps echoed from the staircase.

Every head turned and it was my Raina, my wife, still half asleep and still beautiful.

Oh, and still  entirely capable of ruining every plan I had for this conversation.

She walked into the dining room wearing one of my shirts and immediately frowned when she saw everyone gathered.

"Why does this look like an intervention?"

Alessia immediately burst out laughing.

"Because it is."

Raina blinked.

"What happened?"

I pointed at Romano.

"Him."

"Excuse me?" Romano scoffed.

"He started it."

"I am trying to save your marriage."

"My marriage is fine."

"It could be finer."

I wanted to throw something at him.

Raina slid into the chair beside me.

"What did I miss?"

Viktor grinned.

"We are forcing you two to go on a honeymoon."

Then Raina blinked. "Honeymoon?"

"Yes."

"We have been married for almost a year."

"Exactly," Alessia said excitedly.

"Think of it as an anniversary honeymoon. You should be away for like two months or so."

I immediately knew I was losing this battle.

The moment Alessia got involved, reason left the room.

"Anniversary honeymoon?" Raina repeated.

"That sounds made up."

"It absolutely is," Viktor admitted.

"See?" she pointed.

"No."

"No?" Alessia gasped dramatically.

"No."

Raina grabbed a piece of fruit.

"I have a job."

Everyone groaned, immediately, at the same time.

"I knew she was going to say that," Viktor muttered.

"I am serious," Raina argued.

"I am the COO."

"So?" Romano asked.

"So?"

She looked genuinely offended.

"I cannot disappear for two months."

Two months?

I looked toward Romano.

"You said two months?"

The old man nodded.

"Minimum."

I laughed and then looked at Raina.

"Well."

She narrowed her eyes.

"No."

I leaned back in my chair.

"Guess we are spending two months there."

Her mouth fell open. "Luciano!"

I shrugged.

"The council has spoken."

"The council can mind their business."

That immediately made everyone laugh and even Lorenzo nearly choked on his coffee.

"You cannot be serious."

"I am very serious."

She looked around desperately.

Nobody was helping.

Not a single person.

"Alessia."

"Nope."

"Viktor."

"Already voted."

"Mr. Romano."

The old man smiled.

"Denied."

Raina looked horrified.

I was enjoying this entirely too much.

Finally she pointed dramatically toward Romano.

"Please."

"What?"

"When are you going back home?"

The entire room exploded into laughter and Romano looked personally offended.

"I live here half the time."

"Exactly my point. You’ve been visiting us too much since last month.”

More laughter followed and even I couldn't stop smiling.

God.

A month ago everyone had been preparing for war.

Now we were arguing about vacations.

Raina folded her arms.

"Why does everyone suddenly want me gone?"

"We don't want you gone," Alessia corrected.

"We want you on a beach."

"Doing nothing."

"Relaxing."

"And being happy."

One after another they kept adding suggestions.

Raina looked completely betrayed.

Then her eyes landed on Alessia's stomach.

Her bump had become more obvious now.

Immediately, a smirk appeared on Raina's face.

“You wanna get rid of me too?”

"God, you’re still the godmother!”  Alessia laughed.

"What?"

"Two months won't change that."

The room erupted again and Alessia threw a napkin at her.

Raina laughed. "Stop."

"You started it."

"I did not."

"You absolutely did."

I watched them continue arguing and honestly?

It felt nice, and normal because for once, nobody was plotting murder, and nobody was kidnapping anybody.

We were just family.

A ridiculous, dysfunctional family.

But family nonetheless.

Eventually Viktor leaned back in his chair.

"You know, she is right."

Everyone looked at him.

"What?" Raina asked suspiciously.

"You should celebrate your birthday there too."

Her eyes widened.

"Oh no."

"Oh yes."

"Absolutely not."

"Absolutely yes."

I frowned thoughtfully.

Actually, that wasn't a terrible idea.

Her birthday. Our anniversary. A vacation.

The more I thought about it, the more appealing it sounded.

Raina immediately noticed the look on my face.

"No."

I smiled.

She pointed at me.

"No."

I smiled wider.

"Lou."

"I think Viktor has a point."

The betrayal on her face was magnificent.

"You too?"

"Especially me."

She looked genuinely abandoned.

The room laughed again.

Then she turned toward me fully.

"What about work?"

"It will survive."

"What about meetings?"

"They will survive."

"What about reports?"

I waved a hand dismissively.

"Viktor can suffer through them."

"Excuse me?" Viktor frowned.

"You volunteered."

"I did not."

"You implied it."

"I absolutely did not."

I ignored him and Raina sighed dramatically.

Nobody cared and she knew it.

For several seconds she simply sat there while everyone watched her expectantly.

Then finally, she exhaled,  "You people are impossible."

Cheers immediately erupted around the table.

Alessia literally clapped, Romano looked victorious and Viktor pointed at her.

"I knew she'd crack."

"I didn't crack."

"You absolutely cracked."

She groaned.

I slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer.

She immediately glared at me.

"Traitor."

"I prefer husband."

That earned another eye roll then she leaned slightly into my side anyway.

And just like that,  the decision was made.

A honeymoon almost one year late but apparently happening regardless.

Honestly?

For the first time in a very long time...

I was looking forward to it.