Daisy (Part I & II)

Part II - Chapter 29

There is no way her and those other two could've gotten away with what they did a couple weeks ago. Hadn't it been for me reasoning and talking down James before they got home, they would've all been grounded and possibly dead.

Not his baby of course.

I find it absurdly hot when he gets protective of his family.

So now sitting here with my fiancé's daughter we laugh and joke around while eating our gelato.

Whenever Daisy is happy I am happy. So even though we didn't do any exciting stuff today, at least we both enjoyed it and I got to spend it with my sweetheart.

-

James

I sit with my brothers with our family lawyer. I have been talking about doing this with the boys and Dante for a while now so I decided no better to do it now rather than later.

When I got that call from that officer almost three years ago I didn't know how much my life would change.

I went from a closed off and slightly cold mafia Don that went to work, killed people, came home, did more work, and then repeat the whole cycle over and over again. I was there for my brothers especially Roman and Xander, but they didn't need me so much so they never really bothered.

I lost myself years before I became the Don. I lost who I truly was once Daisy was taken. Even though I was thirteen at the time I became the person she relied on. I took care of her and made sure she was bathed and fed. She was my baby more than she was anyone else's.

So when I got that call on my baby sisters fourteenth birthday almost thirteen years after she was taken from me I finally felt alive again.

I felt that feeling of being whole and seeing her scared in that hospital bed made all of those feelings years and years ago come back.

I vowed to myself on her first night back that I would protect her with everything I had in me. Although I failed on multiple occasions she still sees me as her role model.

As her father figure.

The second she called me Dad instead of James was the moment I realized that I needed to do what I am doing right now.

So as I pick up the pen with this feeling of excitement and anxiousness I sign my name officially making me her adoptive father. Not guardian, no her adoptive father.

The second that the lawyer collects the papers I let out a cry. She is finally and officially my baby.

She is officially not just taken under my wing for custody but she is adopted.

When the lawyer leaves us I look up from my hands which we're covering my face and see all my brothers with tears welling up in their eyes.

They have proud looks and at that moment I knew I had everyone's support.

"You were her father long before she called you Dad. You deserve this and it's title as much as she deserves being adopted." Henry pulls me into his arms and I squeeze him tight.

"Yeah James, you haven't just taken care of her, you've taken care of all of us all our lives. I am just glad that you finally got the official document proving what you always were." Xan tells me walking up to me.

Years ago he wouldn't even make eye contact with me. He was so angry and upset. Now he hugs me after confessing his true feelings about how he feels about me.

"Sorry we didn't say it more often." Roman joins the hug. Noah stands there with a proud smirk.

"You are officially a Papabear." He says the nickname they all created for me years ago.

I sniffle and nod my head letting go of my brothers. "Come on we got to get home to our little one."

Noah throws his arm around my shoulders and we all walk out while I hold the paper with her official adoption form.

I already know when I am going to tell her but unfortunately I will have to wait a while. I think it's better that way because if I told her right now I am not sure if I would be able to keep all my tears in.

As we drive to our new home, one that wasn't cursed with terrible people, but rather one filled with new happy memories I can't help but stare at the paper. Re-reading it over and over again on a loop.

And as I do so, I feel my phone buzz in my pocket and sure enough it's the love of my life. He sent me a photo of my baby and him holding their gelato while sitting on rocks just beside the ocean.

She has this gleam in her eyes. Not one I saw two years ago. But rather one that I have noticed since we moved to Italy.

She looks relieved. Like she finally is enjoying life. Like she isn't haunted by terrible people and fighing off demons.

There is this feeling when you are a father. It's this emotion that bubbles inside of you. Seeing my baby unhappy, seeing her scared for her life, or seeing her panic, I feel this crazy sense of panic and sadness.

Failure.

So when you watch your child go through so much shit and come back out of it on top with a smile on their face and a beautiful gleam of relief in their eyes. You no longer feel like a failure. You feel proud.

And I can tell you right now that I am a very, very proud father.

-

James pov made me weepy. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter as always and I would like to say thank you everyone for sticking with my book this far.

Only one more chapter to go and then the Epilogue.

The book will be finished by the end of the week.

Then my focus will be on editing all the chapters throughly and working on Maggie.

Lots of love like always 💕