Chapter 18

"Which hospital?" Luca looked at Carla as she climbed into the back of the ambulance.

"Presbyterian," Carla said. "Go grab Daisy. Meet me there as soon as you can."

Luca nodded. The hard lump in his throat suffocated him as he heard the doors of the ambulance slam shut and the sirens turn on. He stepped back as they took off down the street, rushing Gia to the hospital.

"How could you?" Daisy's voice pulled Luca out of his head.

He looked over his shoulder as the blonde marched up to Angelo with fire in her eyes. Her hands were clenched at her side as if she too was trying to hold on to reality.

"She's your daughter!" Daisy yelled. "You're supposed to prote-"

Before Luca could comprehend what had happened, Angelo raised his hand and struck Daisy across the face. Someone on the street began to yell as another woman gasped.

The bone crushing chill that spread over Luca's body was unlike anything he had ever experienced before. He didn't know how he moved so quickly as he shoved his father back and stepped in front of Daisy, shielding her from the man's eyes.

"How dare you fuckin' touch her?" Luca stepped forward as Angelo landed against a parked car and quickly regained his balance.

"Luca!" The man yelled, shocked by his son's actions.

"It's always the same anger, isn't it?" Luca asked, his eyes narrowed and dropping with anger. "I've watched this anger of your's slowly kill my mother bit by bit."

"Stop getting so fuckin' emotional, damn it," Angelo snapped. "What are you? A fuckin' pussy? You gonna cry now?"

Luca clenched his jaw the same way Daisy had balled her hands into fists. He felt her grip his arm from behind as he did his best to keep her as far away from the two of them as he possibly could.

"She's out there trashing the family name and you want to protect her?" Angelo questioned. "It's your name. Your family!"

"Not another word about Gia," Luca warned.

"Don't fuckin' threaten me, boy," Angelo laughed. "You do as I say. I'm the head of this famil-"

"If anything happens to Gia," Luca said through his teeth. "I'll forget you're my father and I will end you."

"Those are some big words," Angelo shook his head. "You can't handle the weight of those words."

"Try me," Luca warned. "You really want to see the difference between my mother's son and the one you raised? Because I'll fuckin' show you."

"You're nothing," Angelo snared. "I'll remember this. And when time comes, I'll kill her and this one behind you right in front of your eyes."

"Leave," Luca said. "Or I will kill you right here, right now."

"You're a fool, Luca," Angelo said. "You'll regret this. You're throwing everything away."

Luca didn't respond. He took hold of Daisy's arm and guided her onto the sidewalk, his eyes trailing his father and watching him until the man got into his car and drove off. When he was sure there was no danger of a window rolling down and gunshots firing, Luca turned towards Daisy and pulled her under the streetlight.

"Let me see," he said, tilting her face up to the light to see her cheek. The skin on Daisy's cheek was red and tender. The corner of her eyes were wet as if she was too stunned to shed tears from the obvious pain Angelo had caused her. Luca felt a wave of new rage roll over him as he slowly raised his hand and touched the edge of Daisy's face.

"What kind of man says those things about his kids?" Daisy asked, opening her eyes and letting that hazel gaze settle on Luca's face.

"Our father," Luca said dryly. "I'm sorry for his actions. Are you okay?"

Daisy nodded.

"You're an idiot," Luca said. "Why would you step up to him like that? Do you have no regard for your unborn child?"

"I didn't -"

"You didn't think he would hit a girl?" Luca asked. "Sunshine, that man wouldn't hesitate to shoot you in broad daylight. He pushed his own daughter in front of a car and you thought it would be a good idea to go up against him?"

"Someone needs to stand up for G."

"I'm standing up for G!" Luca yelled. "You stand back! Please, for the love of god. Think before you act!"

"I can't think!" Daisy shook her head. "Not now. Not when we're both covered in Gia's blood."

Luca let out the hot breath he was holding inside of his fuming body, "I'll handle it."

"Are you going to kill him?" Daisy asked.

"No, I'm not going to kill him," Luca rolled his eyes. "I'll have the entire Patriarcas after me."

"The who?" Daisy arched her brow.

"Nothing," Luca shook his head. "We have to get to the hospital. Let's go."

"What are you going to do about your father?" Daisy asked, following Luca to the car. "I'm not saying you should kill him because that's your father but he can't just walk away after doing this to Gia."

"He won't," Luca said, opening the car door for Daisy.

"What's the plan?" Daisy asked, getting into the car.

"There is no plan," Luca closed the door and walked over to the driver's seat. "My only plan right now is to make sure Gia is safe and to make sure you use your fuckin' head and not put yourself or the baby in any danger. Ragazza stupida." (Stupid Girl) 

"This is the only time you're allowed to call me that," Daisy said, surprising Luca. "I'll admit I forgot for a minute I was pregnant."

Luca was too tense to argue with her. He swiftly pulled out of the parking lot and headed towards the hospital as Daisy clipped on her seatbelt and sat with her bloody hand over her belly. From the corner of his eyes, Luca looked at her hand several times.

"She's going to be fine," Daisy muttered to herself. "She'll be okay."

"She will be," Luca assured her, knowing she wasn't speaking to him. "I won't let anything happen to her."

Daisy nodded, her bottom lip sucked in between her teeth as if she was holding her breath.

"Can you do something for me?" Luca asked, his eyes flickering towards Daisy.

"What?" Daisy turned to look at him.

"Can you go home after we get an update on Gia's condition at the hospital?" Luca asked. "Please."

Daisy shook her head, "I can't-"

"I swear to god, Daisy," the muscles in Luca's jaw flinched. "I'll have the nurses sedate you."

"I'm okay!" Daisy's voice rose. She quickly grabbed Luca's arm and guided his hand to her face. She could feel his racing pulse as she spread his fingers over her stinging cheek and said softly, "I'm okay......"

"You're not," Luca gripped the steering wheel, feeling how warm her skin was. "You've had a stressful day. You don't need this right now."

"Don't make me go," Daisy held his hand rightly. "Please.....I.....I'll go crazy if I'm away from you right now."

Luca's head snapped towards Daisy.

"And Carla," Daisy added quickly. "I....I need to be around people right now. Please."

Luca wasn't convinced. He slowly pulled his hand back and focused on the road as Daisy sank down in her seat and leaned her head against the window, a habit of her's Luca was beginning to notice. Neither one spoke for the rest of the short ride until they arrived at the hospital.

"You can stay, under one condition," Luca said, taking off his seatbelt.

"What is it?"

"I'll have a room set aside for you and you have to stay in there," Luca said. "Lay on the bed and get off your feet. You understand?"

"It's not a hotel, Luca," Daisy said. "The rooms are for patients."

"And you will be one if I have to get the nurses to sedate you," Luca warned.

"Fine!" Daisy agreed.

_______________________

Luca stood against the hospital walls looking down at the ground with his hands in his pocket and the weight of the night on his shoulders. He couldn't get the image of Gia out of his head as she had stumbled back onto the road. The fear in her eyes would keep him up for days if not years. If anything happened to her...

Luca couldn't even go there. His chest hurt from just the thought of it. He had lost too many people in his life to lose his sister too. Luca meant every word he said to his father. Angelo had been treading on very shallow waters for years. Luca was upset with himself that it had taken so long for him to realize the decision to break away from his father was always his. Maybe if he had made the call earlier, Gia wouldn't be in the position she was in. Or Daisy's cheek wouldn't be so red.

As he stood thinking, Carla walked up to Daisy in the waiting room and handed her a cup of tea. She sat down beside the somber girl and gently ran her hand through her blonde locks to offer some comfort. Luca stared, wondering if he should send her home. All the stress of the night couldn't be good for her. And she obviously hadn't complied with her agreement from earlier. He was about to ask Carla if she would be okay taking Daisy home when his phone buzzed in his pocket.

"What is it?" Luca asked as he picked up the call from one of his men downstairs.

"Daniel Dimaggio just entered the hospital," Aaron, Luca's most trusted man after Manny, informed. "What do you want me to do?"

"Don't cause a scene," Luca lowered his voice and pushed off the wall. "I'll be right down. Don't let him come up."

"You got it," Aaron said.

Carla looked up as Luca began to head for the elevator, "Where are you going?"

"I'll be right back," Luca said as he pressed the button for the lobby and gave Daisy a small nod. She stared back at him with round hazel eyes as if she knew everything. Oddly, it alleviated some of the pressure on Luca's shoulders. There was just something about the way Daisy looked at him that made Luca feel as if she could read every little thought in his mind. The good, the bad, the dirty and the pure.

Luca grinded his molars as he waited for the elevator to land on the ground floor. He was exhausted from the day and the last thing he wanted was to see Daniel. His blood boiled and he was pretty sure if he didn't keep cool then he would end up committing murder. The feel of Gia's warm blood on his hands as he had held her fueled his rage as he walked out of the elevator and spotted Daniel and Aaron in the lobby.

"You need to leave," Luca said as he walked up to them and pinned Daniel with his heated gaze. "Get the fuck out of here."

"How did this happen?" Daniel ignored the fire in Luca's eyes. "How is she?"

Luca's eyes widened slightly, "Do you hear yourself right now?"

He looked so much like Stella at that moment. The same brown eyes and the same style of making you believe every emotion in them were real and true. Luca's hands balled into fists as he reminded himself that he could no longer be easy with Daniel just because he was Stella's brother. The boy had crossed a line and it had landed Gia in the hospital.

"Look," Daniel's jaw clenched. "I know I fucked up bu-"

"Fucked up?" Luca arched his brow. "That would imply this was a mistake."

Daniel closed his mouth. His shoulders were tense and his eyes desperate. Luca marveled at how well the sibling duo could lie. Daniel almost had him believing his feelings for gia were real.

"This wasn't a mistake, was it, Daniel?" Luca asked, his voice as sharp as a double edged knife. "This was thought out."

Daniel didn't say anything. His silence only angered Luca. It burned Luca's insides as words bubbled out of him with bitterness he had never felt before.

"You want to play with her reputation because you think I fucked up Stella, right?" Luca said through his clenched teeth. "Well, guess what? Your sister did all that on her own."

Daniel's eyes narrowed.

"She was the one to call off the engagement," Luca said, holding Daniel's heated gaze to make sure his words were heard.

"You're lying," Daniel said.

"No," Luca laughed. It was the first time he was speaking the world aloud to someone beside Dr. Ford. His heart pulsed like a broken pump as more words and anger surfaced.

"What about the baby?" Daniel asked.

"It wasn't mine," Luca said bitterly. "Stella and I were never physical with each other because she was obsessed with portraying the good girl image and wanted to wait until we were married."

The color drained from Daniel's face as luca's words sunk into his skin like fangs.

"She forced me to propose to her," Luca continued, thinking of how Stella had cried, yelled, and threatened him to jump off their apartment building if he didn't buy her a ring and get down on one knee.

"Because she knew she was pregnant," Luca added. "And when I found out, she freaked out. But I was still willing to keep her secret."

Daniel looked unwell. He was as pale as a ghost. Luca could not seem to care. He deserved it all after what he had put Gia through.

"Until she decided she wanted to be with the biological father of her child!" For a man who held a world of hurt and pain in his eyes, Luca did a remarkable job at keeping himself quiet in the lobby of the hospital. "Stella was the one who wanted to end the engagement! She made me the bad guy because it fit her narrative. Broken hearted girl....who would dare question her if she moved on too quickly after a heartbreak like that. The tragedy queen."

"Stop," Daniel said through his teeth.

"No," Luca shook his head. He was determined to see the world crumble around Daniel. "No, I'm not going to stop because for years I've been quiet. I protected your sister's reputation and took the blame for everything. I loved her and I still do. The whole world still thinks she was the perfect girl who I destroyed. And I'm okay with that. I'm okay being the bad guy if it meant Stella's reputation would still be intact."

It was the truth that would keep him caged for the rest of his life. Luca knew he would never be able to love another after what he had gone through with Stella. No matter how much Dr. Ford told him to keep an open mind, the road to Luca's heart was forever drowned and lost.

"But now I see what a fuckin' idiot I was," Luca hissed, his anger turning inward as he thought about Stella and his father. "Gia wouldn't be here today if I hadn't kept my mouth shut. I was out protecting Stella's reputation and you were out destroying Gia's. The fuckin irony."

"I don't believe you," Daniel said.

"Believe whatever the fuck you want," Luca said. "The damage is done. It doesn't matter now."

"You're a liar."

"And what are you?" Luca snickered. "You played with an innocent girl and broke her heart. But that wasn't enough. You filmed her. How fucked up are you?"

Daniel's eyes snapped up, "What did you say?"

"You wanna bring family into this?" Luca asked. "Let's bring family into this."

Daniel stared as if he had no idea what Luca was talking about.

"If you release that tape, I will open my mouth and tell everyone about Stella," Luca said, surprising himself. He was shocked by how true those words were. He knew in his bones he would throw Stella's dead memories if Gia was in any danger.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Daniel asked.

"The tape, Daniel," Luca's voice was stern. "Of you and Gia."

"What tape?"

"Oh, this is fantastic," Luca laughed sarcastically.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Daniel said. "Are you out of your fuckin mind?"

"You have no idea?" Luca jeered. He pulled out Angelo's phone that he had managed to sneak away from the man and showed Daniel the video. "No idea about this?"

The colors from Daniel's face washed off as if he was standing under hellfire. His jaw clenched and his hands balled into fists beside him as he looked up at Luca.

"Stella's reputation for Gia's," Luca said, his voice cold as ice. "I swear to god, Daniel, if anyone sees this video I will make sure every wall, every window, every door in Del Mare are covered in posters about what Stella did. Don't fucking test my patience."

"No one's going to believe you," Daniel shook his head. "Stella loved you, you fucking prick."

Luca scuffed, "You didn't know your sister."

"Say another word about her," Daniel stepped up until he was face to face with Luca. "I fuckin dare you."

"Say another word about Gia," Luca smirked. "I fuckin dare you."

"I don't know where that tape came from," Daniel said. "It wasn't me."

"I don't believe you," Luca threw his words back at him. "You're a liar. That's all you've done since you got here."

"I di-"

"Luca!"

Luca felt a chill run down his spine as Daisy's voice rang out in the lobby. For a moment he was forced back with flashes of his nightmare where she was trapped inside the car as it rolled off the cliff. Her fists banging on the glass as she creamed and begged for him to help her. Turning around, Luca caught sight of the girl as she came running out of the elevator.

I'm going to kill her if she doesn't stop running, Luca thought to himself.

Daisy's eyes were wide and alert with panic as she ran into Luca's arms. He could feel her beating heart through her skin as she gripped his hand with all her might.

"What's your blood type?" Daisy's speech rambled. "She needs blood. They won't take mine. There's a blood shortage. They can't find any at the blood banks. Carla isn't a match. You need to come upstairs right no-"

"It's okay," Luca cupped Daisy's face to get her to focus. She was hyperventilating and her tears were making it impossible for him to understand her. "Hey, hey....look at me. Eyes on me."

"She needs a blood transfusion," Daisy's bottom lip trembled.

"I'm O+," Daniel jumped in.

Daisy turned to look at Daniel for the first time since she arrived at the lobby. Her eyes narrowed and her features pinched into a bitter expression.

"Why the fuck is he here?" She demanded to know.

Ignoring her, Daniel turned to Luca, "I can donate blood to Gia. I'm O+ and she's B+."

"You must be out of your goddamn mind," Luca's voice was bitter. He stepped away from Daisy and put his arm back to hold her behind him. "Get the fuck out or I will kill you."

"I sure damn will," Daisy said from behind Luca. "Motherfucker, I'll cut your heart out and pump the blood myself."

That's my girl, Luca wanted to laugh to ease some of the tension in his body. He could feel Daisy pushing forward as if he would ever allow her to go anywhere near Daniel in her condition. Maybe if she wasn't pregnant he would have given her his gun but that was a different story.

"She needs me right now, Luca," Daniel said.

"She doesn't need shit from you!" Daisy sneered. "Burn in hell, scumbag."

Luca turned slightly to place his hands on Daisy's hips and hold her back.

"Luca, please," Daniel demanded. "You can hate me after. Just please let me give blood."

"No," Daisy shook her head. "Absolutely not."

"You want her to die?" Daniel snapped, looking at Daisy.

"You're not the only one who can donate," Daisy pushed Luca's arm down and stepped up to match Daniel's glares. "We'll take it from anyone else but you."

"But she needs it now," Daniel said in frustration. "You're wasting tim-"

"He's right."

Luca looked up to find Carla. The woman had aged overnight as she walked up to where the trio stood and looked at Luca.

"We can't wait to find donors," Carla announced. "She'll need a transfusion as soon as possible."

"What are the chances that no one in this entire hospital is a match for her and he is the only one?" Luca asked. "I'll pay anyone who's a match."

"Then you go look for them," Carla snapped before turning towards Daniel. She didn't utter a word but the anger and rage was clear in her eyes. "This way."

"Carla, you can't be serious," Daisy said in disbelief.

"I'm doing my job," Carla said. "To me Gia's life matters more than anything else right now."

Luca held Daisy's arm to keep her from running into the elevator. If she was any angrier, smoke would be coming out of her ears like a mechanical bull.