Daisy's Choice (A Tale of Three Hearts) (76 page)

His eyes opened and he stared at the ceiling. Daisy was sure that Amy was his, and in his heart so was he. What if she really was his kid? Aiden moaned as his dick grew harder in Daisy's mouth and she sucked him masterfully. The thought of Amy filled his heart and mind again. He couldn't put her through another test. He could tell her the truth, the real truth, that he was daddy.

He couldn't let another man raise his child.

Daisy sucked on his dick like a Hoover machine, which had him gripping the sheets. “Damn Daisy, sloooooow down.” His back arched off the mattress. She refused him any release. Just before he burst, she lifted her head, sheet rising up with her, a sly grin to her face while she held his cock. She ran her flatten tongue over his knob and kissed him, staring at him.

“
Getting good at it, ain’t I?”

“
Come here,” he said, trying to ignore the pain in his cock. He needed to flip her and make her behave as she slid that body up against his and he nearly lost it. “Fuck this. I need you to know.”

“
Then say it. Tell me Aiden. You can tell me anything.”

He stared into her eyes. She told him she wanted him to be the father. Told him that she wanted them to have the family. Wasn’t there a way for him to know for certain before he opened this wound again? “I love you, Daisy.”

She laughed. “Yeah I know. Now lay back. I’m getting on top… going to ride you dry.”

He chuckled, grabbing her by the waist to put her in position.

****

Pete rolled to his side. He checked for a sleeping Nina. She gave a light snore, curled up tight into a fetal position. He tried to straighten her out through the night but she always returned to that position. He kissed her shoulder and fell back over on the pillow.

He was so scared and terrified that she wouldn’t want to start over. He had really crashed and burned in the love department so many times that he thought he’d never find happiness. But she did. She let him in. This time he vowed not to fuck it up.

Reaching over to the nightstand, he picked up his wallet and flipped it open. Before he said a goodbye to Amy, she wanted to give him a picture, her school picture. Daisy cut one for him to put in his wallet. There she was; hair tussled out of the ponytail from playing before they put her before the lens. Those eyes that were his stared back at him.

She was so beautiful. An angel. He loved her before he met her, and he would be the father she needed. Always.

“
She’s so cute,” Nina yawned.

“
I thought you were sleep?”

She rolled over, resting on his shoulder. “She knows you’re her daddy.”

“
Yeah, she knows. She now has two daddies.”

“
Two daddies, huh?”

“
Yeah.”

“
Lucky girl,” Nina smiled.

“
Right. God help us both,” Pete said, putting down the wallet and rolling up against her. “Okay, so I got some making up to do.”

“
Aw, I’m tired babe.”

“
No worries. Just lay there. I’ll do all the work.”

Nina giggled. “I think I’m going to like being pregnant.”

He winked. “Me too.”

Epilogue

“
Where’s my baby?”

Daisy eased her foot off the gas. The sleek black-on-black Ferrari purred, coasting into a manageable speed. She owned the road. The car handled superbly along the sharp curves and deep slopes through an open valley covered by a fresh snow. Italy was majestic this time of year. Picture perfect for love and romance, it inspired her. And she couldn’t wait to see if Aiden felt the same way. She missed him something awful. With the GPS as her only guide, she remained cautious and alert along the roadways or else hit a patch of ice and spin out of control. Aiden hated her travelling alone. But she loved the freedom. Being Mrs. Keane had brought on unforeseen pressures from whores that wanted to test her marriage at every turn to leeches that sucked on his veins. She was fiercely protective of him—and her family.

Now she needed to hurry. Her plane had landed in Milan hours ago, but she had to make a few stops along the way. She had twenty minutes left to make it to the ferry. 

“
Where are you two now?” Janette asked, sidestepping her question about Amy.

“
Italy, just outside of Milan. I told you that the casino opens on Christmas Eve. I got in this morning. I haven’t seen Aiden in over a week and I can’t wait to get my hands on him.”

“
Yeah, yeah, I know. So you sure you two will be here on Christmas day? Like you promised? Amy is all worked up about it. Keeps calling Aiden on my phone.”

“
He taught her his number. She can dial him anywhere,” Daisy beamed with pride.

“
Well, he should have taught her to call collect,” Janette chuckled. “She’s saying he told her that there will be no Christmas until he gets here. Now, she’s telling everyone we can’t have Christmas until her daddy comes. Her
real
daddy. Where did she get that from?”

Daisy chewed on the inside of her jaw. Aiden knew better. She rubbed her brow. “Did she say that in front of Pete?”

“
I talked to her, I don’t think she will, but you said he's accepted things.”

“
She's a kid, Janette. They just say stuff. It’s nothing to worry about. Aiden and Amy are close; they live together for Christ sake.”

“
Mmhmm. Hold on.”

Daisy thought about what Amy said. She would talk to Aiden,
again
. He promised to behave. He knew better. She settled into the leather bucket seat that fit the contour of her back perfectly. The warmth blew from the air vents, enhancing her comfort. She pushed her shades up from her face. The day was grey. Snow in beautiful Milan seemed unnatural. The overcast clouds prevented any hope of sun.

“
Back, you there?”

“
I’m here.”

“
So, Aiden has settled into being a
step-daddy
?”

“
Yes, for the last time he has. He’s stressed, okay? Opening a 200 million dollar Casino can do that to a man. And he doesn’t want to disappoint her. Those two speak in code. So if he said it, its just part of their game or something.”

“
Game?”

“
Let it go, Janette,” she snapped. She didn’t mean to, but she was tired of them second guessing him at every turn. He was her husband, and he was a good one. Why couldn’t her family just accept that? There was no big bad wolf; she had Aiden’s heart and trust. Finally, she could believe in that. There were no secrets.

In front of her was a passenger bus packed with tourists, the roof overloaded with luggage. It drove at a moderate speed on travel worn tires. “Damn it!”

“
Hey, sorry, no need to curse.”

“
Not you, Janette. I’ll miss my ferry.”

She blew her horn. On a two-lane highway, it meant nothing, but at least she could take her frustration out somewhere. The house Aiden built for them was on the small private island,
Isole Borromee
. She’d been in Mango Grove tying up business so she could join him and be on his arm in time for the christening of his latest monument. Ireland comes to Italy, Aiden Keane style. Tonight, she was hosting a party for the elite, for the infamous, for Italy's Prime Minister.

“
Sammy put that down and get out of the kitchen!” she heard Janette snap at her youngest son. Daisy could see home clearly with her sisters crowding her mother’s kitchen, while her father sat out in the den with his pipe, trying to put together some new bike. It would be her first Christmas home since he died. Missing him pulled hard on her heart. How she wished he had a chance to meet Amy and get to know Aiden.“

I miss my baby; I want to hear her voice. Where is she?”

“
Pete picked her up ten minutes ago. Nina was with him this time. She’s about ready to pop. Girl is huge, but cute, and Pete is so sweet with her.”

Daisy endured the sharp pang of jealousy. Not for the past. No, she and Pete were done. They were in a good place, as long as she kept Aiden from thoughts of him and the two apart. Her jealousy was over her inability to get pregnant. She and Aiden had been trying. He hadn’t said anything, but she knew he hoped she was pregnant by now. But things were looking up. Her period was six weeks late. That should mean something.

“
Pete bundled little Amy up and they headed out to buy a Christmas tree. They will be putting it up tonight. He’s really glad she gets to wake up with him and open presents.” Daisy heard the clanking of pots. Visions of her daughter in front of a tree without her and Aiden there to hang ornaments and the Christmas star plagued her. They had put one up after thanksgiving. She found Aiden sleep on the sofa with Amy in his arms. Empty boxes and tinsel was strewn everywhere. The tree was gorgeous.

“
I’m just glad you convinced Aiden to spend the holiday here in Kentucky.”

“
He wouldn’t miss a Christmas with Amy. You know that,” Daisy sighed.

“
Hey, stop being so testy. The man acts like Kentucky gives him the hives. Mama hasn’t forgiven him for convincing you to go off and get hitched in Paris. It broke her heart.”

She bit down on her bottom lip to keep from reminding Janette that Aiden offered to fly them all in and mama declined. “I know.”

“
Oh, she wanted me to tell you that she expects for him and Pete to be at the Christmas table for dinner, for Amy. Will he be able to handle that?”

“
He will. He’s fine.”

“
Mmhmm.”

“
He’s been really good to us, Janette. He loves Amy, and when he loves he loves hard. Look, it’s been seven months. We’re married, we’re happy, and if the Lord wills it, hopefully pregnant.”

“
Are you?”

She cut her eyes over to the passenger seat and the tiny shopping bag. A quick stop for a pregnancy test turned into a frustrated scavenger hunt in the small village. Finally she found one. “I don’t know. I’m just saying, my hubby has been a good boy this year. He’ll be on his best behavior when we get there. I got plans to get him in the mood.”

“
I like Aiden, Daze. He’s a little intense, never opens his mouth around the other men, never smiles, just watches you and Amy as if he’s your guard. But I like him. I’m just saying that since all the drama is over this is our first holiday with you back, I want it to be okay. I want us all to get along.”

“
It will be.”

Daisy cut the wheel hard and swerved out of her lane into the next passing the rusted blue passenger bus. Her life was different now. She had made good on her promise to take Amy to see Pete soon after they learned he was her father. She had even left her baby girl for a few days with her mama so they could spend time together. Aiden was furious. She’d told him that it would be a brief visit. She tried to understand his anger, but it was really misplaced. Pete was Amy’s father. They needed to encourage and support their bonding. Eventually, they got through it. A month later they were arguing again over Pete. He just couldn’t truly accept the role as step-daddy. He doted on Amy like she was his and then pouted for weeks when she made those visits. Four visits in seven months and Aiden still hadn’t gotten used to it.

Christmas was a good time of year for acceptance, tolerance, and change. It had to be different now, considering that every other part of their love was so good. “So she’s staying the night with Pete?” Daisy asked, wheeling into the marina. The blare of the ferry’s horn greeted her as she parked.  

“
Yes, for the final time, he’s bringing her back Christmas day like we agreed. By the time you two get here, she’ll be here though.”

“
Aiden likes to say goodnight to her, no matter where he is on business. It’s their ritual, I guess. I’ll call Pete so he can…” Daisy sucked in a deep breath. “Look, I have to catch my ferry. I will call you on Christmas morning. We’ll be there.”

“
Love you.”

“
Love you, too. Bye.”

She grabbed her purse and hurried out into the cold. The icy wind froze her cheeks and dried her eyes. There was one more pain point, stress factor that kept her stomach in knots. Aiden had finally worn her down. Their agreement was to live outside of this life. But he needed her and Amy with him during this venture. Now she’d have to tell Pete that they were moving to Milan for a year. They would live on their own island. It would be paradise. She walked along the icy pier to the ferry’s booth, digging in her purse for her change purse. Sometimes she felt caught between their life and the life she had to make for her daughter. Sometimes she wished again that Aiden was Amy's father.