The Carrero Solution (Carrero Book 3)
Chapter 81

The room is huge with high ceilings, and the smell is overpowering with the array of a hundred flower arrangements placed on every wall and row of seats. Beautiful garlands at every high-arched window and colored sashes act as a walkway to my red-carpeted aisle. It’s a glorious and stunning wedding venue, made more magnificent by the people standing and watching me with beaming happy faces as I pass by.

I scan the aisles as we walk on and take in the faces as we go, the Carreros at my left in their droves. Now, people I consider myself close to. Rows and rows of beautiful Italian-looking people with big smiles, most of whom I’ve only briefly met in these past few months. Then there are all Jake’s friends. He seriously has too many people in the world that he classes as family or friends. I feel like I’ll never get to the end of all the people he knows.

On the right are those from Carrero Tower and Carrero House that worked alongside me and knew me when I was a different person. I am not ashamed that they sit in place of my family because my family is all here with me, watching me walk down toward him, and he’s all I need.

I catch sight of some of my favorite women on the right-hand side of the aisle. Margo is wiping a tear from her eye and nudging Wilma in her side as both woman wave to me. They’re blowing their noses and crying as Donna throws tissues their way. My crazy trio of motherly hens. Donna’s mascara is pouring down her normally flawless face. I spot Rosalie waving from behind a very handsome man, grinning wildly and looping her arms with him, a look of radiant happiness on her pretty face. I beam back at them with a tiny wave before moving on in time to the music, slow steps, with Giovanni leading the way.

I catch sight of the Huntsbergers, my new extended family sitting close by, and smile warmly at them. The row of adopted children and Huntsberger father looking so proud of his family. Ben and his baby son are near the end of the row. He is cuddling him proudly and looking every bit the doting dad. He is now his sole parent, seeing as Marissa lost all interest in a baby she had no purpose for anymore. She went under the communication radar soon after giving birth, not that I’m complaining. I’m happy that Marissa stopped being our problem, and we’ll likely never have to deal with her again.

The girl Ben has been dating for the last six months sits beside him in the row and smiles my way shyly. Grace is everything Marissa isn’t, and she dotes on little Adam as much as Ben does. We’ve all started to become friends recently, and she seems to be looking like a permanent fixture in Ben’s life. A new mummy for the most beautiful little mini-Ben you could ever see. It’s obvious Ben has found his Emma, and Jake has regained some sort of friendship with him over the last few months. Hunter is a little jealous that someone is moving in on his bestie in a very manly ‘bromance’ way, and it’s endearingly amusing.

Jake’s staff from the Manhattan apartment are sitting nearer the front as part of the family. Nora, Jefferson, the array of security guards, and of course, good old Mathews, another of my heroes that never leaves my side nowadays. He is like a guardian angel and makes my life in our Hamptons home safe and secure. He rarely leaves my presence when I go anywhere. Jake didn’t need to ask that of him. He naturally became a father figure to me and took it upon himself to always watch over me in a very protective manner since he felt like he failed me when Vanquis came after me.

He hauled ass to a hospital with me and saved my life that night. I was suffering from a bleeding brain injury caused by the blow to my head, which would’ve been my end if Vanquis had managed to take me from the house as intended. I only lived because of the fast-medical attention given to me because Giovanni and Mathews showed up when they did.

I catch his eye and smile warmly as he and his wife grasp hands, and I swear I see a tear. It tugs my heart and makes me smile widely. I would trust my life under his care and protection for an eternity, and I never doubt my safety when I am with him.

My eyes scan the room as I walk the long white aisle, rows of white benches edged with wildflowers and lilies, and my eyes can’t help but travel the last distance to the most beautiful thing in the entire room, getting achingly closer … That gorgeous man smiling my way. I’m drawn to him and know that once I meet his glorious face, I’ll never turn away for anything in the world ever again.

He’s watching me walk toward him with his steadfast green gaze and attractive smile, giving me courage and grounding me to him in the way he always does. He looks every bit the billionaire playboy in a flawless navy suit and gray cravat and waist sash, perfectly tailored and groomed; every bit the man of my fantasies. He can pull off the groom-to-be look effortlessly. His calm façade not failing once as he stands gazing at me in his usual casual yet cocky pose. I smile back radiantly, my heart swelling with pride at the picture he makes, and I quell the urge to run the last few steps and jump into his arms.

He’s standing between Arrick and Daniel, holding the most precious little blue-eyed bundle of mischief in his arms near his face. My chubby-legged little heart, my tiny perfection of blonde curls, and happy smiles that can make my whole day better with a mere sigh. They’re beckoning me to come and finally join them in name and make our family unit complete. The most enticing reason to ever walk toward anyone ever in the whole wide world. These two precious faces hold my entire universe. My little girl, so like me and almost three months old already, adoringly gazing up at the daddy who is as smitten with her as I am.

Jake pulls her to his face and kisses her tenderly on the forehead, hugging her one last time before handing Mia to Sylvana with a beaming smile. He’s unable to conceal the adoration of a daddy, rarely separated from his daughter since the day she was born. She’s as much his world as she is mine. Our reason for living.

I reach instinctively for my little one as we close the last gap, my heart swelling with overpowering love, and my stomach aches with pride at that flawless piece of perfection held in her grandmother’s arms. I kiss her tiny little head, inhaling Mia’s unique smell with closed eyes, and take a moment to make her laugh for my enjoyment, a sound that brings my heart to unbelievable swelling completion.

She always has laughter for her mother, a smile, and a cheeky little face. I coo at her, biting my lip with overwhelming love as her grandmother moves aside. Jake and I watch her go for a moment before turning back to one another. Our eyes lock, filling with tears as we take each other in and realize what this moment is. He looks as stunning as the first time I ever laid eyes on him, and I can’t help instantly longing for him, despite having been with him for as long as I have.

Giovanni releases me to Jake and takes Sylvana’s arm to help his wife and grandchild back to the waiting seats. They are amazing, loving grandparents and spend as much time trying to steal her from us as Leila and Sarah do. Everyone loves Mia to death and fights over her affections endlessly.

I turn to look at the men before me. They look gorgeous, the three most handsome men you ever saw, and I know Leila will be behind me bawling her eyes out the sight of the man who has been begging her to marry him for months. Daniel is well and truly a changed man, and Leila is close to giving in and trusting him for once. The boy is smitten; the wild party animal with an endless stream of porn stars, booze and drugs is long gone. He treats her like she’s his princess and bought her a house almost across from ours in the Hamptons. I’m rather proud of how fast Hunter is becoming another domesticated good boy, much like Jake.

The fiery nature of Leila and Daniel’s relationship still exists but in a much healthier way, despite her sometimes-violent outbursts, and he’s sticking around for an eternity. She never has anything to worry about with him again, and I feel Hunter will be a surprisingly good daddy. He’s already amazing with Mia and little Adam; after the first shocks of learning he was going to be a father wore off.

Jake’s eyes hold mine, his hand slides into my fingers, and he pulls me toward him with a determined tug and a naughty smile on his handsome face. He doesn’t wait for permission but kisses me fully on the mouth. His lips molding to mine and cupping my jaw so he can get as close as possible while naughtily gliding his tongue, passionately, across mine. He puts an arm around my waist and brings me to meet his body with another tug. I’m not sure full-on tongue is appropriate, but I have no chance of resisting given the way he kisses; I never could. His kisses always have the ability to make me forget where we are.

“I think you’re meant to wait for the ‘you may now kiss the bride’ bit,” Daniel smirks at us when Jake pulls back and fixes my lipstick with his thumb. He throws Daniel a defiant smile looking like the cat who got the cream.

“Fuck off. I can kiss her whenever I damn well please … It’s a perk of being hers.” Jake grins, his effortlessly ‘I’m hot, and I don’t give a fuck’ smile that melts my panties on sight. He turns back to me, almost ignoring the uneasy shuffling of the man above us, ready to take us through our vows. “Sorry, Father,” Jake mumbles apologetically. “She’s irresistible, and I can’t help it.” He smiles up at the poor priest with a decidedly unapologetic look. The man just nods with a rather blushed face and rattled expression. I guess he doesn’t like his service being played out backward. I nudge Jake with my bouquet to tell him to behave, but he only winks at me and earns himself a sigh.

Jake has never cared about making public displays of affection, and he isn’t going to change now; the small titter of laughter running from the audience confirms it. I can’t say that I’m mad, this is the guy I fell in love with, after all, and this is part of him I wouldn’t change for the world.

“You look breathtaking, Bambina … woman of my dreams. My angel.” He lifts my hand and kisses it, his eyes never leaving mine the whole time. The man in black uses throat-clearing coughs to bring us back to attention and back to the reality of the few hundred people staring at us, patiently waiting on the end of Casanova Carrero. I glance at Jake as he moves me to stand before him, taking my hand in his and holding it tightly.

Daniel moves to one side, pulling Leila gently with him to stand at the step below us, fingers entwined, kissing her on the cheek lovingly and proudly.

“You look stunning, baby girl,” he whispers at her, and I catch the rise of color in her cheeks, and a small giggle escapes the lips of a completely smitten girl. I have no worries that the wedding is coming since I know Leila is ready to put him out of his misery and say yes the next time he asks. I’m sure it won’t be long, as asking her to marry him has become a fortnightly habit until she does.

Arrick takes his place behind them and smirks, looking from us to Sophie as she sashays into the space next to him, taking his arm with a cheeky grin. She is becoming a cute and feisty little woman, developing so fast it’s terrifying, and Arrick is probably the only one she ever listens to nowadays. They have an almost sibling bond. His calm Jake-like nature cools her jets when others fail to get her to listen. They look adorably cute side by side, and he’s whispering something in her ear that makes her giggle. She adjusts her dress to smooth it down before using her hip to bump into him and grin his way. He reaches up and tucks a stray hair behind her ear, and they look our way like an innocent pair of teens who could do no wrong. It’s hard to believe there’s a five-year age difference between them, especially when they stand side by side and look like the most adorable couple ever.

Sarah replaces her place next to Marcus, who has wandered over from the side, looping his arm in hers with a smile and a gentle kiss on her cheek. They look like the ultimate example of happiness, despite turbulent ups and downs, which now seem forgotten, and he looks good for his part today. I smile at them all with such an embracing love in my heart. They are my new family, and I wouldn’t have this day any other way. They make it as much as Jake does.

Now it’s only Jake and I standing on the top step. The others have taken their places on the podium below us, and we turn to face the man who will join us forever in vows and love and step up to meet him. Jake keeps a firm hold of my hand and pulls me to his side, close enough so no one else will hear. His strong body makes me weak with his mere touch as he leans in closer and turns his head my way with a flash of those bewitching hazy greens.

“I love you, Bambina.” He throws me a sexy wink and a Carrero Casanova smile then tilts his head to lean down to me, rubbing his nose against mine in the way that Jake has perfected.

“I love you more.” I lean up and kiss him on the nose cutely, dying to be alone with him, to see what he’s hiding under that sexy tailored suit and cheeky grin.

We turn to face the voice of the man who will join us in marriage and feel nothing but love, devotion, and certainty, standing hand in hand with bodies touching. Without a doubt in my heart, I tell the man of my dreams that I’ll be his forever.