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It was five in the evening and Mateo, River, Alessia, the twins, Susan and Lilith were in tarmac of Amalfi airport. And there was a pout on River's face which she just couldn't shake off.

"We will come back, you know." Mateo came to stand next to her. "And I will show you around the whole place, and the whole of Italy if you want me to."

River turned to him and gave him a flat look. And he knew exactly what she was about to say so he quickly put his hands up and said, "I know you are fully capable of doing it. I am just saying I would tag along if you let me."

River looked at the whole of him and burst out laughing - this man was the cutest dumb-ass she had ever met. And to think that the universe had linked them both together through two beautiful children was really heart warming. She thought she was one of the luckiest people out there.

"Alright, we are ready!" Alessia exclaimed as the door opened and the flight attendants took their spots to welcome the passengers.

"She still gets excited on flights." Mateo shook his head smiling as the couple watched the attendants first help Lilith in followed by Susan and Alessia who were helping the kids up with them.

River looked at Mateo and sighed. "Here we go again."

Mateo chuckled and gave her a side hug. "It's not that bad, is it?" He asked. "Life as the baby mama of a Sicilian Capo."

River gave him a flat look. "As much as I am happy that you are the father of our children, I don't think I will ever get used to the fact that you are in the Italian Mafia."

Mateo gave her a thoughtful look and shrugged. "What do you mean? You look like you are already completely used to it."

River raised a brow, wondering if he actually meant it. But she couldn't respond with anything because her train of thoughts were interrupted by Alessia's loud voice.

"You know the jet isn't a no-talk zone right?" She yelled from the door. "You could continue your conversation after you board?"

The couple looked over at her and then at each other and nodded. They needed to board.

"Unless you people are having a very inappropriate conversation that you don't want us hearing." Alessia chuckled. "Though you could do it in the bedroom. Among other things."

River's eyes widened and she hurried up the stairs with every intention of whacking her friend across her head. Alessia giggled and disappeared, knowing very well that with her twins were the safest place for her to be right then.

"She and Adam are so much alike." River frowned as the two sat down and put on their seatbelts.

"I know. I sort of ship them." Mateo confessed to River, though he wouldn't be found dead admitting it to anyone else.

"Me too." She whisper-yelled.

Mateo gave her a smile.

The announcements came about the take-off, and River looked over at Mateo when she felt his hand on her.

"Who takes the window seat when they are acrophobic?" She mumbled, her eyes falling on her daughter who was clutching her brother's hand. "Except you and your daughter." She shook her head.

Mateo peeked at his daughter and a smile appeared on his face as he looked over at River. "We have perfect children."

"We do." She smiled.

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They were back in New York. Yay.

'Though Italy was beautiful, there was nothing like breathing in the air of the city you were raised and lived your whole life in.' River thought to herself as she smiled, taking in a deep breath.

They were at the tarmac of the airport next to Mateo's private jet.

Lilith was filing into the car which would take them to their family house while Alessia, the twins and River were to go to Mateo's place in New York.

And Mateo was going to join Adam, Leonardo and Ricardo in Wyoming to deal with the situation that had messed up everything, but also provided some major sort of comfort.

And Sebastian, Alison, Jacqueline and Mia were still vacationing. They said they would be back next week.

"Take care." Susan said as she gave her kid a side hug, squeezing her arm.

"You too, Mom." River smiled at her and they walked towards the car where the babies were in Mateo's arms, saying their goodbyes to their GG.

"Visit us, now that everything is alright." Lilith said as she held her grand daughter's arms, pressing her lips to her wild curly hair as she bent down.

"We will." River promised. She missed the home she had grown up in.

"And you take care of yourself, my grandchild and great grandchildren, young man." Lilith pointed at Mateo who chuckled as he nodded.

River waved as the car drove off and turned back to the rest of her family- her babies and baby daddy.

"We will miss you Papa!" Kiara said as she hugged Mateo while Lucas waited patiently for his chance.

"I will miss you too princess." He placed a kiss on her forehead.

She stepped back and Lucas stepped forward.

"Take care of everyone while I am away, okay big boy?" Mateo asked as he pulled up Lucas' hood on to his head.

Lucas nodded but then shook his head.

"You won't?" Mateo looked surprised.

"I will. I will protect Mommy, Ki and Zia. But I am not a big boy Papa, I am Mommy's little baby!" Lucas said earnestly.

'My little prince!' River pouted. She realized he was saying that because he remembered the conversation the two of them had about how River would grow old when he becomes a big boy.

Mateo looked up at River and gave her a questioning look, wondering what she had told their boy that he was addressing himself as the baby he always protested he wasn't.

River just shrugged and then winked at him, who pursed his lips to suppress his chuckle as he shook his head.

The kids hugged their papa again and so did Alessia before they made their way to the car.

Mateo walked over to River and grabbed both her hands. She looked up at him, staring into those caramel orbs, intense and deep as always.

"Miss me." He said, a smirk already in place.

"You wish." River rolled her eyes, refraining a chuckle at the childish pout forming on his face.

"Trust me, you will." He placed a chaste kiss on her forehead, pulling her closer as he did.

River narrowed her eyes at him though she could feel her cheeks heat up. And he could see that too because his smirk had just gotten wider.

"See you soon wifey." He pressed his lips to hers, catching her completely off-guard. It was a sweet soft kiss that lasted only a few seconds, and she found herself missing his lips on hers as soon as he broke away.

The surgeon stared at the Sicilian Capo wide-eyed, his eyes twinkling with playfulness. He gave another peck on her lips, this time even shorter, before turning around and jogging off back into the jet which would fly him to Wyoming.

She stared at him until he was at the door where he turned around and waved at her with a giant grin on his face. River sighed, shaking her head as a chuckle escaped her mouth as she waved back.

"Byeee Papaa!!" The twins called out from the car.

"Bye bambini!" He called back, cupping his hands around his mouth.

"Bye fratello!" Alessia mocked while River turned around to look at her and laughed.

(fratello – brother)

"Bye sorella!" Mateo imitated her before walking in and disappearing from their sight, only after waving at her again.

(sorella – sister)

"I saw that!" Alessia nudged River as she made her way to the passenger's side.

"Saw what?" River asked cluelessly as she turned around to look at her, the car door held half open.

"Really? You are going to pretend to be clueless about that brief PDA in the middle of the tarmac?" Alessia asked, quirking a brow.

River rolled her eyes at her. "We are in our thirties woman, cut us some slack!"

She got in the car while Alessia laughed all the way to the driver's side. One of Mateo's men had drove Alessia's black Porsche to the tarmac in which all four of them were. But there were two more SUVs waiting. They were going to protect the four most important people in their Capo's life.

Mateo had arranged two bodyguards for the kids and one for River. She hated the idea. Especially the part about her own bodyguard. But she didn't argue with him because the man had every right to take every precaution he could. And it was all for the safety of everyone.

The immediate danger had passed but his line of work ensured new enemies on a monthly basis. They were letting their guard down a tad bit and sending the kids back to kindergarten. But they couldn't afford to let it down any lower. Better safe than sorry.

"Leo is dropping off Lia and Enzo today evening. There is a situation in Chicago." Alessia breathed out as she drove the car our of the place. The kids were buckled in their seats and were animatedly speaking to each other and not paying attention to their conversation.

River just nodded and didn't divulge more into the topic because she was pretty sure she wouldn't understand what was going on. Mateo had given her a brief idea of what was going on.

Leonardo was Mateo's cousin and the Capo of the Chicago unit of the Sicilian Mafia. River had assisted his wife, Michelia, give birth to their son, Lorenzo three months ago. He was so tiny and weak when he was born but within of week of staying in the hospital, the baby boy had healed to full health and he was such a beautiful little baby boy.

"Yo, now that there is some action going on between the two of you-" River gave her a pointed look, gesturing to the kids. They did not need hear any of this. "They aren't even listening. You are very independent River while Mateo is a clingy jealous alpha male kind of fella. So you guys probably will fight a hundred million times a day but do not let it affect your relationship."

River nodded.

"I don't know where our relation stands personally Sia, but you know when I imagine our relation, it always hovers above this certain level of understanding and trust and respect which we will never lose, because that comes because of who we are. Mommy and Papa of our babies. So no matter what happens, I don't think it will ever go below that." She said earnestly. This was something she fully believed in and would actually put a lot of effort on.

Every time Mateo and River had a misunderstanding or error in judgement, shit went down. It wasn't just about any physical harm coming to their children, they could not let them be affected emotionally, mentally or in any other way adversely because of their lack of cordiality with each other.

So, they had decided on no more fights. Hopefully their decision would stay strong for long, because Mateo had a knack for saying or doing something that would be way over the line and which caused a fight to break out between the two.

And as for Mateo's little stunt today, she was not going to lie to herself, it wasn't so bad. She kind of liked it.

It was just a ten-minute drive from the airport. River did not know why she had expected another great vast mansion. It was just his apartment. The same apartment he had brought her after their dinner a year ago.

And she felt glad to be in a compact place, though she did not think her little babies would feel the same way. They were so happy to be around ponies and then by the beach; they would definitely miss the ranch and Mateo's house in Italy. It also didn't help that they wouldn't get their weekend trips to their grandmother's house like they used to.

As they got off the car, River realized that if her dumb-ass' words were to be believed, he hadn't brought any other woman there after her.

She did not know why it should matter to her because well, she had not been that faithful in this relation as he had been but she just felt blah. She felt glad that he said he didn't sleep with anyone else after her. But what if it was just a lie? Something he said to mess with her? The thought of him with someone else made her feel blah.

It's called jealousy,

River groaned. She didn't like it when her inner voice decided to speak up. She only said things that River hated and didn't want to hear or feelings she did not want to confront.

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Lucas was already exploring the huge penthouse apartment by the time all the luggage were brought up and River was introduced to the bodyguards assigned to the,. George and David were assigned to the kids and Victor to her.

"Mommy?" She turned around and looked down at her little princess.

"Yes precious?" She crouched down in front of her, wrapping her arms around her shoulder to pull her close to her.

"How long will we stay here?" She asked, her voice small, as if she was asking something she shouldn't have.

"Why baby? You don't like it here?" River asked her little Kiara, pulling away so that she could have a look at her little world's face.

"I like this place." She said in a small voice.

"Then what is it, honey?"

"But I loved the house with the ponies. I thought we were going back after our vacation." She said, her lips forming a very sad pout.

River mirrored her pout. She had already seen it coming but she hadn't thought of what she would tell them when they asked.

The twins always wanted a big house like her family home. They never liked living in the apartment. She guessed that if this place was like the mansion she predicted it would be, her little Kiara wouldn't have had been so sad about it.

The mother let out a sigh and said, "Mommy can always ask Papa to get you a house to live in. Or you could go live with GG, grandpa and grandma." She listed out what all she could do to make her happy again.

"Or you could get me a pony." She said, her voice gaining a bit of its usual cheekiness.

River gave her a knowing look which made her break out in a full-blown cheeky grin.

"I don't think we can raise a pony here babe." Her grin dropped instantly. "But I think we could get a puppy."

"Really?" Her eyes were so wide and her grin so big, River was going to melt into a puddle right there from all the cuteness.

River nodded, a soft smile on her face. "Of course."

"THANK YOU, MOMMY!!!" She threw her arms around her mother, hugging her tight before running off to find her brother.

They always wanted a dog. River guessed they had forgotten about it after the ponies and stuff but now that she had brought it up, they were going to be all over it yet again.

River's apartment complex didn't allow pets so she couldn't get them one but she was pretty sure no one will mind a pup here at Mateo's place. She knew that she was abusing his position but why not?

"We are getting a puppy??" Alessia came barreling. She looked like an older, fiercer version of Kiara with her wide eyes and grin.

Well, aren't they all just babies!

"Seems like we are." River shrugged, grinning.

"YAY!!!" Alessia hugged her friend, jumping up and down.

"Alright alright..." River laughed as she tried to stop her, but to no avail.

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"I thought you would gain some weight but nope!" Michelia said, popping the 'p', as she leaned in for a hug.

"But you sure did lose yours." River said, pulling back quickly to get her hands on the bundle of cuteness-overloaded in her friend's arms.

"Hi Enzo!!" She cooed as she took the baby from Alessia's hands.

"I think you should try for another one since you like babies so much." Alessia whispered which earned her a glare from River while Michelia laughed.

"Why didn't Leo come?" Alessia asked, turning to her cousin.

"He got some important business back in Chicago and he is scared he will change his mind if he stays with us any longer." Michelia shrugged, her eyes full of love for her husband.

"Alright. The kids are already asleep. We all need to sleep too." Alessia said, to which River agreed. Even she was very tired after the flight from Italy and the only thing that kept her going till then was the fact that Michelia and Lorenzo were coming.

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River closed the door of Michelia's room after helping her settle Lorenzo down and went into the children's room.

They were sleeping now but the way Kiara was stirring and turning told the mother that her little girl was not going to keep sleeping for long. Pressing kisses onto their foreheads, she adjusted their blankets and made her way to the master bedroom, the only vacant room available.

Yep, she was stuck with Mateo as always. But it was no big deal now that she had gotten used to sleeping with him.

'Sleep, here I come!' She thought as she plopped down on the bed.

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