Chapter 20

"Maybe you should stay outside," Daisy said as she pulled out her keys in front of her mother's apartment door.

"How will you carry everything out?" Luca asked.

"It's not much," Daisy muttered. "Just a few things."

"It'll be quicker if there are more hands," Luca said. "We have to hurry. They're almost ready for us at the airport."

Nodding and taking a deep breath, Daisy unlocked the door and pushed it open. She prepared to find her mother passed out drunk on the sofa. But she was not prepared to find her mother passed out drunk on with sofa with million pounds of confetti around the house.

"What happened here?" Luca asked as he pulled on a hanging streamer.

"I don't have the brain power to ask any questions right now," Daisy said as she walked towards her mother on the sofa. She quickly peaked at the woman before shutting off the TV and taking the wine glass out of Patty's hand. "My room is towards the back."

Luca turned on his heels and headed down the hall, leaving a trail in the confetti. Daisy watched him as he moved through the darkness and disappeared into her room. She grabbed the throw off the sofa and laid it over her sleeping mother before following Luca's trail.

"Is your mother okay?" Luca asked as Daisy entered the room and began to grab random things.

"Yeah," Daisy nodded, not hearing what Luca asked. All her attention was directed towards her room. Her eyes bounced around as if she couldn't decide what was worth taking and what she was comfortable parting with. Luca had assumed she would head for the closet and start packing her clothes but Daisy surprised him by walking over to her desk and gathering up her sketches.

"You drew all these?" He asked, walking up to stand beside her at the desk.

"Yeah," Daisy nodded once more. She quickly shoved loose pieces of paper into her folder and sketch book before reaching for the work that was taped against the wall.

"Let me," Luca said, stopping her from looming over the table.

Daisy settled back down on her feet as Luca's long arms gently pulled off each piece of paper from the wall. He passed them to her and she quickly placed them inside her folder for safe keeping.

"What is this one supposed to be?" Luca asked, holding a pencil sketch of a man that had clear resemblance to himself.

"My great grand uncle," Daisy said, snatching the paper out of his hand as he chuckled.

"You didn't get his nose right," Luca teased. "If you want me to sit for you so you can sketch me, just say so."

"I have no intention of staring at you for that long," Daisy said. "I'm already nauseated just thinking about it."

"It's not me," Luca laughed. "It's the baby."

"What baby?"

Daisy gasped and whirled around to find her mother standing in the doorway. For someone who was probably still drunk and half asleep, Patty still managed to push her hair out of her face and adjust her silk robe to appear as if she was walking up from a deep beauty slumber.

"Who are you?" She asked, looking at Luca.

"This is Luca," Daisy said. "Gia's older brother."

"What are you doing in my daughter's room in the middle of the night?" Patty arched her brow.

"You don't have to answer that question," Daisy said to Luca before turning towards her mother. "Why is there so much confetti in this house? Was it on sale?"

Patty's face pinched with a sour expression. She clutched the two sides of her silk robe before crossing her arm over her tiny waist dramatically.

"We had a party tonight," Patty announced. "Brandon proposed to me. It was our engagement party."

"You didn't tell me," Daisy paused.

"I meant to call," Patty said. "I've just been so busy with helping Molly move and the party."

"I didn't get an invite to the party," Daisy could feel Luca's eyes on her. She didn't want to be having this conversation in front of him but she couldn't stop the hurt that bubbled up inside of her. "No one asked why your own daughter wasn't here at your engagement party?"

"I thought you were away with Eric," Patty said.

"Eric and I broke up," Daisy announced.

"What?" Patty's eyes flickered towards Luca. "Why?"

"What was it that you put down on your divorce paperwork?" Daisy pondered. "Irreconcilable differences."

"Eric was the best thing that happened to you," Patty walked into the room in anger. "He was perfect for yo-"

Daisy suddenly felt her stomach churn from the smell of alcohol on her mother. She gagged and pressed her hand over her mouth as her eyes watered from the way her tummy rolled.

"Bathroom?" Luca asked, immediately grabbing Daisy and dropping the sketch book.

Daisy shook her head, "No. No, I'm fine."

Patty watched with suspicious eyes as Luca hovered, "Are you sick?"

"I'm pregnant," Daisy announced, shaking out her head to push back some of the dizziness.

"What?" Patty's eyes widened. "Who's the father?"

Once again her eyes flickered towards Luca.

"Is this why Eric broke up with you?" Patty asked. "Did you cheat on him?"

"Who said he broke up with me?" Daisy's brows furrowed. "I broke up with him."

"Why?" Patty questioned. "Who's baby are you carrying? I told you to be careful. I told you t-"

"To not end up like you?" Daisy asked. "Don't worry. It won't happen."

"You should be with Eric right now," Patty said. "How will you take care of a baby on your own? You're barely out of school!"

"We all know it's not my education you care about," Daisy laughed. "Relax, I'll be fine."

"Are you planning to move back in here with the baby?" Patty asked. "Brandon and I have been talking about offering Molly this roo-"

"You're giving away my room?" Daisy asked in disbelief.

"You moved out!"

"All my stuff is still here."

"You can put it all in storage."

"Are you going to pretend I don't exist?" Daisy asked, her chest tightening. "You're going to play pretend with Brandon and his daughter? Your perfect little family?"

"Don't be so dramatic," Patty said. "You moved out! And you didn't even tell me about your baby!"

"With all due respect, Mr. Clements, you don't have to yell right now," Luca spoke up politely. "We're all standing around here."

"You," Patty seemed to suddenly realize Luca was standing in the room. "What are your intentions with my daughter?"

"You do not have to answer her question," Daisy said to Luca.

"Is this your baby?" Patty pointed to Daisy's belly. "Did you do this to my daughter? Does your family know?"

"Mom!" Daisy yelled. "Cut it out!"

"I know the circles you move around in," Patty said, her eyes narrowing as she glared at Luca. "If you think you can get my daughter pregnant and not take full responsibility for her and for her chil-"

"We're leaving!" Daisy grabbed the last of her sketchbooks and a few of the gifts Gia had gotten her over the years. She shoved everything in her purse alone with her hospital records and birth certificate before grabbing Luca's arm and tugging him towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Patty demanded, following them down the hall.

"To hell, probably," Daisy said. "But for now, to the airport. I'm going to be away with Gia for a few. Not that it matters to you."

"Daisy, if he is the father of your bab-"

"What do you want?" Daisy stopped and turned to look at her mother. Luca grabbed her elbow to hold her back as Patty came to stop right in front of her daughter. "You want me to marry him and trap him with a baby? Get all his money and make him pay child support for the next eighteen years? Is that what you want?"

"Yes!" Patty admitted. "Yes, I want him to be responsible for his child."

"It's not his ch-"

"You don't have to worry about it, Ms. Clements," Luca pulled Daisy back. "I'm going to take full responsibility for your daughter and for our baby."

"Luca!" Daisy smacked his arm.

"I want it in writing," Patty said. "There needs to be a prenup. How much is my daughter entitled to? How exactly will you be taking care of her?"

"You're insane," Daisy shook her head. "You're actually insane."

"Daisy, stay out of this," Patty said. "I have to make sure you won't end up as a single mother with no way to financially support you-"

"I don't want his money!"

"She can have all of it," Luca said.

"Luca, if you don't shut up, I will hu-"

"I'm fortunate enough to earn a decent living," Luca said, smiling politely at Patty. "If Daisy wants to be a stay at home mother and never work for the rest of her life, she is more than welcome to. Actually, I would prefer it be that way. She can raise the baby and take care of the houses."

"Houses?" Patty's brow arched.

"We have multiple properties," Luca said. "I'm sure it'll continue to grow with our family."

"What are you doing?" Daisy gripped Luca's shirt and tugged. "Shut up."

"You won't have to worry about Daisy," Luca said, his attention still on Patty. "She will be taken care of. Even if we decide not to marry, I will make sure she has everything she needs. After all she's the mother to the heir of my family."

"The heir?" Patty's expression shifted to Daisy's mortification.

"Yes," Luca laughed. "Everything I have will one day be my child's....Daisy and my child's."

"I think I'm going to throw up," Daisy said, knowing neither one was paying any attention to her.

"I would love to stay and chat but I have booked a private vacation for Daisy to help her stay off her feet," Luca looped an arm around Daisy's waist and pulled her to his side. "The jet is waiting for us at the airport."

"How thoughtful of you, Luca," Patty smiled.

"Of course," Luca said, smiling down at Daisy before looking back at the woman. "We'll see you soon."

"Yes!" Patty said happily. "Welcome to the family. I must introduce you to Brandon and Molly."

"Don't you dar-" Daisy began to say but Luca was always carrying her out the door.

"Thank you," He waved back at the woman. "Good night."

"Good night," Patty stood at the door until the elevator doors closed.

Daisy pinched Luca as hard as she could before twisting away from under his arm and moving to the far end of the small elevator. Her hair was all over her face as she glared at the man holding the side of his stomach.

"What the hell?" Luca hissed in pain.

"What the fuck were you talking about in there?" Daisy demanded. "Heir to the family? Mother of your child?"

"I told her what she wanted to hear," Luca said.

"You lied!"

"Don't you?"

"Not about big things like this!" Daisy gasped. "What the actual fuck!"

"Relax," Luca rolled his eyes. "You'll be in California for god knows how long. Who cares what your mother thinks."

"I care!"

"Why?" Luca asked. "She clearly does not care about you, sunshine."

Hearing the words be spoken aloud, Daisy flinched. Luca didn't seem to notice how she pressed herself back against the elevator walls as he rambled on about what a horrible mother Patty was. His blood boiled wondering how someone could not care about their child, about their Daisy.

"She didn't think to invite you to her engagement party?" Luca asked. "Who does that? You're her family. You should be there planning everything with her. You're not her roommate! The fact that you didn't tell her immediately that you are pregnant speaks volumes about your relationship with her. My god! She is not a mother. My mother would be over the moon for you right now. You would be the center of her univers-"

"Well, I don't have a mother like you!" Daisy snapped. "Patty is the mother I have."

A deep frown formed on Luca's face as he turned to look at Daisy. The corners of her eyes shimmered with tears as she shot daggers at him with her heated gaze.

"You had no business telling my mother all that," Daisy said. She stepped forward and jabbed a finger at Luca's chest. "Who the hell do you think you are to tell my mother that you want me to be your housewife and raise your kids? You're a box of crazy on heroin if you think I'll-"

"If I think what?" Luca pulled up to his true height from where he was leaning against the elevator wall. He towered over Daisy as he pressed her back against the elevator and grabbed her wrist. "What are you going to do?"

Daisy hated the stupid smirk on Luca's lips. It was like an open challenge. His green eyes mocked her if she didn't rise up.

"Maybe I will marry you," Luca said, his voice low and threatening yet still playful and taunting as if his sole goal in life was to get under Daisy's skin. "What are you going to do about that, sunshine?"

Daisy opened her mouth but no words came out as Luca moved closer. He let his mouth hover over her as their eyes met one another.

"What are you going to do if I make you my wife, keep you in our home and fill you up with our babies?" Luca's large hands slowly slide up Daisy's side to her ribs. He held her as if she was a precious trophy. "Four, five kids....a big house, nice car, picket fence, a beautiful pregnant wife..."

Daisy couldn't put the words together in her head. She heard sounds but nothing made sense. Luca's scent was intoxicating. Her eyelids were heavy as she filled her lungs hungrily.

"You keep pushing my buttons and watch what happens," Luca laughed, a low rumbling down that Daisy felt in her bones. "I'm gonna make you have all my babies. An heir, a spare, a few extras so they don't get lonely. How does that sound?"

Daisy lifted her lashes to catch the tease in Luca's eyes. She felt her ears heat up as she pushed him back and glared.

"Tutto Fumo e Niente Arrosto," Daisy snorted. (All barks, no bites)

"You want me to bite, baby?" Luca laughed.

"Don't you dare come near me!" Daisy held up her hands as if she would karate chop him.

"Or what?" Luca asked, poking one side of her belly and then the other. "Huh?"

"Ow, Luca!" Daisy clicked her tongue, cornering herself in the elevator to keep him away.

"You're going to hurt yourself."

"Me?" Daisy shrilled. "Motherfucker, I'll hurt you!"

"How? You can't even reach," Luca placed his hand over Daisy's head and measured.

"Fuck yo-"

"Can you two be any louder?"

Upon hearing the doorman's voice, both Daisy and Luca straightened up right away. They turned to find the old man shaking his head with disapproval as he stood for them outside the elevator.

"Are you drunk again, Ms. Daisy?" Albert, the doorman, asked. "I did see your mother's friends leaving earlier with their speech slurred. Who's this?"

"Nobody," Daisy said, stepping out of the elevator. "I'm not drunk, Al."

"When you say again," Luca spoke, stepping out. "How many times would you say you caught her drunk?"

"This year?" Albert asked.

"Daisy," Luca gasped and turned towards the girl.

"Mama didn't raise no bitch, Luca," Daisy pushed her hair over her shoulder.

"No, but a raging alcoholic apparently," Luca said. "Don't you dare think about drinking with the baby now."

"You're having a baby?" Albert looked at Daisy.

"Announce it to the whole world, Luca!" Daisy said before turning to the old man. "Yes."

"Congratulations!" Albert laughed, clapping his hands together. "How exciting!"

"Th-thanks," Daisy said, feeling a warm fuzzy feeling blossoming in her chest. It was the first time someone had been so happy to hear the news of her baby. She didn't know an old man's smile could bring such joy to her.

"Oh you're going to be such an amazing mother," Albert said. "I remember when you used to babysit Mrs. Hudson's children."

"Thank you, Albert," Daisy felt a blush creep up to her face.

"Oh god bless you sweetheart," Albert said. "And big man here is right. No more drinking for you."

"That's right," Luca added. "And you have to curse less too."

"Correct!" Albert joined in.

"Sure, anything else while I grow a human being inside of my body?" Daisy smiled sarcastically.

"I expect dinner on the table by seven PM every night," Luca couldn't keep a straight face.

Daisy waited until Luca was looking at her to catch his eyes and say, "I thought I was dinner."

Luca's eyes widened slightly as he glanced at Albert and then back at Daisy. His expression caused Daisy to burst into laughter as he jumped forward and turned her towards the door.

"We're leaving," he said. "Get in the car."

"What happened?" Daisy asked. "Are we making an heir before dinner or after dinner? What about the spare?"

"Get in," Luca chuckled, pulling the door open for her.

"Tutto fumo e niente arrosto," Daisy said once more, sticking her tongue out of her mouth.

______________

The early morning hours were the perfect time to be driving through the city. Luca didn't have to worry about slowing down for traffic as he zoomed down the highway towards the airport. He had already received words from Carla that Gia was ready to be airlifted. He knew by the time he and Daisy got on their flight, Carla would already be up in their air with Gia.

In the silence of the car with Daisy asleep on the passenger seat, Luca let out a deep sigh. For a few minutes back in the elevator, he had been able to breathe without the worry or fear of his family. Somehow, the few short moments teasing Daisy made everything seem normal for once. Better than normal.

Luca looked over at the girl sleeping beside him in the car and smiled. He carefully reached out and tucked her hair back while keeping an eye on the road to make sure he didn't put them in any danger. The late summer night air was warm and thick with humidity. Luca gripped Daisy's hand tightly on his lap as he drove into the private airstrip and headed towards his gate.

"Are we here?" Daisy asked, feeling the car stop.

"Yeah," Luca said, his eyes immediately falling on the figure sitting on the motorcycle by the private jet. "Stay in the car."

"What? Why?"

Luca didn't answer Daisy's questions. He climbed out and locked the doors to his car as he headed over to where the motorcycle was. His head started to throb from the tension on his shoulders as he grew closer and closer.

"This your plane right here?" The man sitting on the motorcycle asked, his eyes watching Luca approach him.

"Yes," Luca said.

"It's nice."

"Thank you," Luca observed the man carefully. "What are you doing here, Felix?"

The corner of the man's mouth curved up. His lopsided smile would have appeared charming and boyish if it were for his buzz cut, dog tags and neck tattoos. Felix raised his hand and rubbed his jaw as if to work out some tension from the gum he was chewing. The dark ink on his knuckles were hard to read from where Luca stood.

"I came to talk about our deal," Felix said. "You man wasn't so clear about the terms."

"One month, no delivery charges," Luca said. "We'll take care of shipping and handling."

"And a thirty grand discount for the rest of the year."

"Absolutely not," Luca said impatiently.

"You need my men right now, Silvano."

"Not any more," Luca said. "As far as I'm concerned, your men have all returned an hour ago."

"They were patrolling the whole block," Felix said.

"And for that a free month of delivery is more than enough."

"Who said that?"

"I did," Luca said. "We're not renegotiating delivery charges for the rest of the year."

"I heard Mcarthy's men are charging less."

"Then go have a dead man handle your shipments," Luca said. "I don't need your business, Felix. You need my services."

Felix's jaw worked as he thought Luca's words through. His eyes were calculating. Luca knew there had to be more to why he had come all the way to the airstrip. It wasn't like Felix to come discuss business matters so casually.

"Is that your girl?" Felix spoke after a few seconds. He nudged his chin towards where Daisy stood beside the car, swaying on her feet from the sleep in her eyes.

"No," Luca said, cursing under his breath. When he turned back around, Felix's eyes were traveling up Daisy's figure. "Don't look at her."

"If she's not your girl, it's open season," Felix grinned.

"Take your eyes off of her or I will pluck them out and deliver them to your grandmother along with your next shipments."

"You would do that, Luca?" Felix asked, chuckling. "Shit...my grandma really likes you, man. She was into the whole suit and tie."

"She'll be happy to bury you in a suit and tie then," Luca said.

"Luca," Daisy called from where she was by the car.

Felix stared at Daisy over Luca's shoulder.

"I said take your eyes off of h-"

"She's gonna be sick," Felix said.

Luca looked over his shoulder just as Daisy hunched over and vomited on the side of the airstrip.

"Oh damn," Felix muttered.

"Leave, Felix," Luca said, dismissing the man. "Thank you for your help today but no you're not getting a reduced delivery price."

Luca didn't fully catch what Felix muttered under his breath as he hurried over to Daisy and gathered her hair. He began to rub her back as a flight attendant from the plane ran out with a bottle of water in her hands and a rolled up warm towel.

"Good morning, Mr. Silvano," she smiled as she held out the water.

Luca barely glanced at her as he took the bottle and towel and turned back to Daisy.

"Can you walk?" He asked.

Daisy nodded, her eyes shut and lips pressed tightly together.

"No, you can't," Luca said, moving forward and scoping her up into his arms.

When he turned around, Felix was nowhere to be seen. Luca didn't wait around to see where the man had gone as he hurried over to the private jet. As he grew closer and closer to the steps, Luca was suddenly reminded of how he had carried Stella onto the plan the night he had proposed.

What's the surprise, Luca? Where are we going? I love flying with you.

"I hate flying."

Luca looked down at Daisy in his arms as he stepped into the plane. She wiggled down from his arms and quickly sank into the first seat she saw and placed her head against the window.

"Water?" Luca asked, kneeling beside her.

"No," Daisy shook her head. Her eyes were closed but her brows were knit together. Her face scrunched up as if she would throw up again.

"What do you need?" Luca asked.

"Just get up in the air," Daisy said. "I'll be fine once we take off."

"Are you sure?"

"Take off and land are the worst," Daisy said.

Luca nodded as he buckled her in and sat down beside her. He urged the pilot to prepare for take off as the flight attendant jumped into her seat and strapped in. Daisy groaned, rolling her head onto Luca's shoulder.

"It's not so bad," Luca said, tucking her under his chin.

"I don't like being up in the air."

"It's a short flight," Luca said. "Give me your hand."

Daisy moved her hand onto Luca's lap. He opened her palm and placed his finger down in the center. As soon as the plan began to move, he began to trace his finger up Daisy's arm.

"What are you doing?" Daisy asked, her eyes still shut tight.

"We're walking," Luca smiled, slowly tracing up Daisy's forearm.

As the plane picked up speed, so did Luca's finger.

"Now, we're running," he said.

Daisy shivered from his touch but moved closer. She had an iron grip on his free arm as his fingers moved over her skin.

"And now......." Luca waited for the nose of the plane to rise off the ground. "We're up, up, and aaaaway."

Daisy's nails dug into Luca's arm as if she was scared she would fly out of her seat. Her face paled as she buried her head in his chest and bit down on her bottom lip. Luca quickly wrapped his arms around her and pressed a kiss to the top of her head as the plane turned and they were moved around in their seats.

"I hate this, I hate this, I hate this," Daisy chanted.

"I got you," Luca chuckled. "You're with me."

"I might throw up again."

"I have the barf bag ready," Luca said.

Until the plane was put on the right course and they could no longer feel any turbulence, Daisy did not relax her nails. She stayed buried in Luca's arms until she was sure there would be no more sudden movements that would send her heart into her throat.

But by that point in the flight, they had grown used to the position they were in. Luca dozed off with Daisy on his chest as she listened to his heartbeat softly like a lullaby.

"The finger trick was cute," Daisy muttered.

"My mom taught me," Luca smiled, his eyes closed and arm around Daisy. "I used to be scared of flying too."

"You said she would have been over the moon for me?"

"Yeah," Luca grinned.

"I would have liked to meet her."

"Me too," Luca said. "I would give anything if you two could meet."

"Do you think she would have liked me?"

"Depends," Luca teased. "Can you make meatballs?"