Reputation's Memories (Book 2)

Ch.24 Eye of the storm

Chapter 24 

Sleep was becoming a long distant friend. Luca laid awake in bed staring at his mother's ring and the new engraving he had asked the jeweler to put inside.

Sunshine

What the hell was I thinking? Luca slammed the small black box shut and tossed it under his pillow. Rolling onto his back, he stared up at the ceiling as his jaw ticked. He placed his arm behind his head, hoping to get comfortable but nothing helped.

The racing thoughts in Luca's mind would not quiet down. He felt like a tea kettle with immense pressure building up inside his chest. All he needed was something to ignite the anger in him.

Growing restless with every passing hour, Luca sat up and reached for the ring once more. He pulled the lid back and held it up to the moonlight, letting the diamond sparkle brilliantly in the darkness like a glass flower.

Why didn't you just get another ring? Luca asked himself as he sat the ring back into the box. Now it's forever changed. It'll always be her size. Made for her hand. A perfect fit for her.

Fuck, Luca groaned, running his hand through his hair. Stop thinking about her. Stop.

The restlessness began to travel up from Luca's legs to to the rest of his body. He stood up and paced the floor of the guest bedroom as the floorboards creaked beneath him. The night creatures sang their song outside and the moon bore witness to the torment raging through Luca's mind.

Ever since his conversation with Dr. Ford, Luca couldn't look at Daisy. He couldn't look at her without feeling as if he was drowning. The air would run out of his lungs and leave him feeling light headed. The tightness in his chest only amplified the confusion he felt when he was around her. He knew he could never love anyone beside Stella. Yet, every time he looked at Daisy....his heart did strange things.

It was wrong. All of it.

Luca knew he shouldn't play with the girl's emotions. His affection for her would run out someday. It was bound to happen. No one could ever replace Stella. No matter how different Daisy felt....she was not Stella.Luca had to keep reminding himself of that. Daisy was not Stella. Daisy was not Stella. Daisy was not Stella.

She could never be Stella.

As Luca stood staring out at the dark woods behind the barn, heavy footsteps hurried across the floor overhead. Something dropped and then the sound of gagging could be heard.

"Daisy?" Luca pushed the ring box into the pocket of his sweatpants and ran out of the room. He took the stairs two at a time before arriving at the landing and finding the blonde hunched over the toilet down the hall.

"I'm okay," Daisy said, holding up her hand as she covered her mouth with the other.

"Jesus," Luca said under his breath as he saw her face.

Her eyes were teary and her cheeks flushed. She looked as if she too had been tossing and turning in bed from the way her hair stuck up from the back of her head.

"I'm fine," Daisy flushed the toilet quickly before Luca could enter the bathroom.

"Are you sure?" Luca asked, standing over her and looking down with concern.

"Yeah," Daisy nodded just a second before she gagged once more and leaned over the toilet.

Luca kneeled beside her and sat her down on his lap. He began to rub her back and hold her hair back as she placed her elbows on the toilet seat and groaned. Every time they thought she was done, a new wave of nausea came over her. Goosebumps rose all over Daisy's skin as she began to tremble from how weak her body was growing.