Chapter 58

Daisy's hand trembled as she handed the phone back to Marco. She could hear her heart pounding in her ears as she looked up at him and he took her hand.

"What's wrong?" Marco asked, bringing Daisy's hand to his lips and placing kisses over her knuckles.

Daisy's stomach churned. She pushed down the nausea and shook her head, "Just worried about Theo."

"He'll be fine," Marco sighed. "Now, let's go."

"Go?" Daisy's heart tripped. "Go where?"

"Back to the mainland," Marco said. "We have to pick him up from the car."

"Right...." Daisy's head began to spin. She knew Luca would be on his way to the island. She needed to delay leaving as long as she could.

"What's wrong?" Marco asked, noticing the way her eyes flickered around.

"I just.....I'm not......" Daisy stepped back and took a seat on the edge of the bed. "I'm not feeling well."

"The drugs will wear off," Marco said. "We need to get moving."

Back to the mainland, Daisy thought. How could she delay this?

Daisy began to chew on her bottom lip. Her heart ached with each beat as her knuckles turned white from how hard she gripped the edge of the bed.

"Daisy," Marco's voice was laced with impatience.

Luca was on his way, Daisy thought as her knees bounced. She could see him at the docks if she went with Marco. But what if they missed each other? And what would Marco do once he realized Theo was not in the car?

"Come on," Marco sighed. "We don't have all night."

"Can I....." Daisy looked around the room. "Can I change into something else? This dress is uncomfortable."

"Do you have to?" Marco asked. "We don't have much time."

"It'll be easier for me to get around if I'm not in a dress."

Marco still for a moment, thinking Daisy's words through. His eyes narrowed and his mouth twitched. He didn't like to be delayed. But the way Daisy stared up at him with her big eyes and small frown on her lips did things to his heart he couldn't explain. He battled with his logic and his emotions to decide what the best course of action would be. He almost denied her simple request when she reached out and took his hand.

"Fine," Marco sighed. "Hurry. You have two minutes."

Daisy jumped to her feet, ignoring the way her head swayed and ran towards the closet. She rummaged through the new clothes until she found a pair of jeans and a white button down shirt. Quickly slipping out of her black dress, Daisy dressed and used the back entrance of the bathroom to sneak out into the living room. She could still hear Marco pacing in the bedroom as she hurried to the kitchen and then to the mudroom.

The last time Daisy was on the island, Luca had hung the spare lifejackets in the mudroom and placed the emergency first aid kit on the shelf above them. As Daisy pulled it down, she prayed the box contained what she was looking for.

"Daisy?" Marco's voice startled her from the end of the hall.

Daisy quickly threw the box open and searched through it until she found what she was looking for.

The flare gun.

"I'm grabbing some shoes," Daisy called back, trying to keep her voice even as she tucked the flare gun under her shirt. As soon as she was done, she whirled around and stepped out of the mudroom.

Marco stopped with a deep frown on his face. His eyes narrowed, "You didn't tell me you were coming in here."

"Was I supposed to?" Daisy asked. "I'm not a child."

"What are you doing here?"

"Getting a pair of shoes," Daisy pointed to the sneakers she held.

Marco did not seem convinced. He stepped closer. It took everything in Daisy's power to not move away from him. Marco's eyes scanned her face as she held his gaze. When he looked behind her towards the mudroom, Daisy knew she needed to act fast before he figured out she was up to something.

"Marco?" She said gently.

Marco looked back at her.

"You trust me, right?" Daisy asked. She pushed her fear up to her eyes. All the tears she was holding back began to appear in her aid. "I just......Luca....he......"

Marco stepped closer as Daisy lowered her gaze.

"I felt like a prisoner with him," Daisy whispered. "Constantly doubting me. Always checking my phone, always sending his men with me. Questions after questions......"

Marco watched a tear slide down Daisy's face. He reached up and caught it on the tip of his finger.

"Do you remember the day at the hospital?" Daisy looked up, leaning into his touch.

Marco nodded.

"On the way home.....he......he told me he would kill me if I ever spoke to you ever again," Daisy peered up at the man through her lashes.

"He will never hurt you," Marco said. "I'll make sure of that."

"Then why are we running from him?" Daisy asked. "Shouldn't we stay and fight?"

"Not today."

"He will never leave us alone," Daisy said. "We have to stay here and make sure he knows he can't separate us. We have to face him."

"Not here, my love," Marco shook his head again.

"I can't keep running from him!" Daisy pushed his hand away. "He's going to find us no matter where we go. We have to stop him today. I don't want to go back to him. Please."

"Daisy," Marco closed his eyes and sighed. "Please....not today. Not when he's here in Del Mare."

"Please, Marco," Daisy begged, trying to buy Luca some time.

"Not today," Marco said once more. He ran a restless hand through his hair and then shook his head. "Now let's go. They're waiting for us."

Daisy stayed where she was, "They?"

Marco nodded.

"Who's they?" Daisy asked.

"Angelo's men," Marco said.

"They're here?" Daisy felt the air in her lungs burn.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because Angelo wants Luca," Marco said. "If Luca comes here, Angelo gets what he wants and I get what I want."

"Oh...." Daisy's head started to throb. Suddenly, she regretted telling Luca where she was. Had she sent him an invitation to his downfall?

"Ready?" Marco asked.

Daisy slowly nodded her head. Her thoughts were jumbled. She didn't know what to do as Marco took her hand and led her towards the entrance of the house.

"Put on your shoes," Marco said.

Daisy did as she was told. Her eyes scanned the dark skies and the water, hoping to catch sight of Luca. Right as she finished, Marco's phone rang and he pulled it out of his pocket. Daisy watched him read the text carefully.

"What is it?" She asked, seeing the way Marco's face twisted and his shoulders tensed.

"Nothing," Marco said, taking Daisy's hand and going back into the house.

"What's going on?" Daisy asked.

"We're taking the back exit."

"Why?"

"Because Luca will be at the front," Marco muttered.

"He's here?" Daisy's feet stilled. "On the island. Right now?"

"No," Marco shook his head. "He's on his way. But don't worry. Angelo's men are ready to greet him."

Daisy felt more tears rush down her cheeks. She opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. She couldn't keep up the game. Her heart wanted Luca. She wouldn't be able to live with herself if anything happened to him because of her.

"He can't hurt you anymore," Marco said, wiping her face. "Let's go."

Against her wishes, Marco began to pull Daisy out of the house and towards the dense trees in the back of the bungalow. Daisy couldn't breath as they entered the darkness and moved farther and farther away from the docks where a group of men waited for Luca. She constantly looked over her shoulder, trying to keep the light of the bungalow in her sight. Her feet struggled through the tree roots and fallen branches.

The narrow trail was unkempt and almost hidden. Marco had spent his childhood on the island. He knew every tree, every rock, and every slope of the land. Even in the darkness, he was able to guide Daisy through the path as quickly as possible. But just as the first gunshot fired in the distance, Daisy stilled and gasped in the darkness.

"Don't worry," Marco said, looking over his shoulder.

Daisy's ears rang. She felt the humid air of the jungle stick to her skin as her tears rolled down her face like a waterfall. When the second gunshot fired, she almost jumped out of her skin.

"We have to keep moving," Marco said. "Let's g-"

Using all her strength, Daisy shoved Marco as far away from her as she could. Without waiting to see if he would fall or stumble, she whirled around and ran back in the direction of the bungalow.

"Daisy!" Marco yelled in anger, his feet already pounding on the ground as he raced after her in the dark.

"Luca!" Daisy screamed. The low branches snagged up her hair, scratched at her skin and scraped her arms as she ran through the woods. "Luca!"

A string of gunshots fired somewhere inside the bungalow. Daisy felt her heart clench with each bang that filled the night air. She could hardly see through her tears. Her lungs burned as she wiped her eyes and pumped her legs faster.

"Luca!" Daisy screamed as she emerged out of the woods and onto the sandy beach.

Somewhere inside the bungalow a light went out and then a gun fired. Daisy raced towards the sliding glass doors with her eyes fixed on the dark figures moving around inside the house.

But before she could step foot onto the wooden deck, Marco closed the gap between them and grabbed her arm. Daisy screamed as he whirled her around and struck her across the face.

"What the fuck?" Marco yelled, jerking her closer and then grabbing her face. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

"Let go of me!" Daisy tried to push him away. She hissed in pain when Marco's fingers drug into her cheeks, gripping her jaw like a shark.

"Why are you doing this?" Marco asked. "Why are you being this stupid? I had everything planned out for us!"

"Let go of me, Marco!" Daisy raised her knee and jabbed it into Marco's groin.

"Oh, fuck!" Marco groaned, doubling over in pain.

Daisy pushed his arm away and twisted towards the bungalow. She leaped towards the deck but Marco grabbed her ankle.

"Luca!" Daisy yelled for help again. Her ears were ringing from the gunshots that were breaking the night sky. She kicked at Marco's hand on her ankle and tried her best to pull herself away without falling over. When Marco pulled her to the ground and climbed on top of her, Daisy couldn't stop the ear shattering scream that came out of her mouth.

"Shut up, shut up!" Marco hissed, grabbing her face and looking into her eyes.

"Please," Daisy cried, turning her head from left to right to try and get away. "Get off of me!"

"Listen to me!" Marco snapped. "You will do as I say or I swear to god, my love, I will do this my way."

"Let go of me," Daisy cried, feeling her body growing more and more tired of the fighting.

"I'm not going to hurt you or your baby if you listen to me," Marco said. "Now, shut up and listen. Can you do that?"

Daisy cried harder thinking of the baby inside of her. She felt helpless and defeated as Marco gripped her face and waited for her to answer.

"Can you do that?" He asked again.

"Yes," Daisy weeped.

Marco nodded. A small smile came across his mouth as he lowered his lips to her.

Daisy shut her eyes and started to shove him as his mouth covered her's and he forced his tongue into her mouth. She could feel the flare gun digging into her back as his body weight crushed her into the sand and his free hand pushed her shoulder down.

"Daisy!"

Luca's voice snapped Daisy's eyes open.

He was close. He was so close.

Daisy began to struggle harder against Marco. She squirmed her hips to try and throw him off as her ears filled with pounding footsteps on the wooden deck. When she couldn't get the man to budge, she parted her lips and let his tongue enter her mouth farther. As Marco deepened the kiss, Daisy bit down on his tongue as hard as she could.

Startled, Marco pulled his head up. His eyes filled with rage in the darkness as he raised his hand and struck Daisy across the face again.

"Do that one more time, I swear to god, Marco!" Luca threatened from where he struggled with two of Angelo's men on the deck.

Snaring, Marco looked straight ahead to where Luca was. Daisy tried to roll away from beneath him but he was still pushing her hips down with his weight. She placed her hands on his chest and shoved, knocking him off balance just as another figure tackled him off of her from the right.

Without wasting a second, Daisy rolled away. The sand coated her hair and scratched her face as she pushed up to her knees. Her head swayed and her vision blurred. She could hardly make out anyone in the dimly lit beach as someone classed to her.

"Daisy!"

Daisy turned her head towards the figure that held Marco down. The man's hand pushed Marco's face into the sand with his knee resting on his neck. Daisy had never met him but he knew her name. She blinked several times to get the sand out of her eyes as the figure raised his hand and threw something at her. She had no time to react as the object collided with her head and fell before her.

"Shit!" The man held up his hand. "Sorry!"

"Archer, what the fuck!" Luca yelled from where he pushed one of the guys over the balcony railing.

"I thought she would catch it!" The man over Marco, Archer, yelled back.

Daisy looked down to the sand and realized Archer had thrown a gun at her. She quickly picked it up and turned towards Luca.

"Daisy, stop," Luca warned, dodging a right hook swing from a bulky man who's footsteps made the wood on the deck groan. "Put the gun down!"

Daisy raised the gun and pushed herself up to her feet. Her whole body swayed as if the wind from the ocean was knocking her around like the trees.

From the corner of his eyes, Luca kept watch of his wife. Her face was as white as paper. Her eyes were barley open and thanks to Archer, she had a huge red bump on her forehead. He moved as quick as he could. Stepping behind the man in front of him, Luca used the base of his gun to knock him out before shooting him in the back of his head. His insides twisted as the blood splattered all over the wood. He knew his father had given orders to kill. If Luca didn't take them out, they wouldn't hesitate to shot him.

"Daisy!" Luca turned towards the beach. "Put the gun down."

If she fired the gun, the kickback would surly knock her off her feet. She was so unstable. It made Luca see red. He wanted to shred Marco to pieces as images of him kissing Daisy flooded his mind. Once he got his hands Marco, Luca was going to make sure death didn't come easily to the bastard.

"Luca, watch out!" Archer yelled as two more men came running out onto the deck behind Luca as he ran towards his wife.

"Daisy, put the gun down!" Luca yelled again.

All Daisy could hear was the ringing in her ear and the loud rushing of water behind her. She could barely make out a figure running towards her as she tried to hold the gun steady in her trembling hands.

"Luca!" Archer yelled just as someone on the beach fired a shot.

Daisy felt her body jump with fright. She began to realize Luca was coming towards her as someone from behind him fired another shot. Luca ducked, barely missing the bullet.

"No...." Daisy frowned.

Her finger rested on the trigger and she pulled it back.

"Fuckin' hell!" Luca yelled as the bullet lodged into his right arm. "Daisy!"

Someone else fired another shot and Daisy raised her gun again.

"No, no, no!" Luca said from where he had hunched over for a split second to grab his bleeding arms. His eyes widened as Daisy stepped forward and fired her gun again. Luckily, this time she managed to shot one of the men running towards them.

"Nice shot, Mrs. Silvano!" Archer said as he pulled Marco's gun out from the man's pants and shot the second man on the beach. "You okay, Luca?"

"Luca..." Daisy tried to speak. Her mouth felt like cotton. Her eye lids began to close and before she knew it, the gun fell out of her hand and she crumbled to the sand.

"Daisy!" Luca's voice was laced with panic as he slid up next to her on the sand. He grabbed her shoulder and pulled her head into his lap with his aching arm. The blood trickled down and soaked the fabric of his shirt as he pushed Daisy's hair out of her face and shook her. "Baby, open your eyes. Come on!"

Behind Luca, Marco managed to grab a handful of sand and throw it over his shoulder. Archer groaned as the small sharp bits and pieces splashed against his eyes. His hold on the man wavered just for a second before Marco pushed him off and climbed to his feet.

"Shit!" Archer hissed as Marco delivered a kick to his ribs. He began to gasp for air when Marco kicked him a second time, making sure to aim for the chest. But the third time he tried, Archer grabbed his ankle and pulled, knocking Marco off his feet.

"Luca!" Archer yelled, climbing over Marco once more and punching him in the face. "What do you want to do with him?"

Luca did not hear. His heart pounded in his chest with worry and terror as he held Daisy and shook her.

"Come on, come on," he said over and over again. "Open your eyes, damn it!"

Daisy was unresponsive. Her hands were cold and her lips were begging to turn blue. Luca couldn't think straight. He looked over his shoulder and began to shout, "Call Mateo! Tell him to get Carla!"

"A little busy, right now!" Archer yelled back while beating his fists against Marco's face.

At the sight of the man, Luca's mind snapped.

He jumped to his feet and ran towards Marco leaving Daisy on the sand. Pushing Archer off, he wrapped his hands around Marco's throat and pushed him into the sand.

"What did you do to her?" Luca asked through his teeth.

Marco's eyes widened from the pressure on his throat. His skin began to turn red as his lungs burned for air. When Luca noticed his eyes rolling to the back of his head, he let go of Marco's throat and swung at his jaw.

"Archer," Luca said, taking a pause and holding Marco down. "Call Mateo. Get Daisy to the hospital."

"What about y-"

"Now!" Luca didn't wait as he used one hand to pin Marco to the sand and his other to deliver punch after punch, blow after blow. His knuckled were bloody and bruised, his heart torn and swore. All he could think about was Daisy calling his name in panic as she tried to run away from the monster.  

That was crazy lol Poor Luca