Mafia Legacy

Chapter Nine- Luca/Charlotte

Luca: 5 years ago

"Hi guys!" I came out from my office as I heard Char and the kids come traipsing in from the garage. "How was school?"

"Hi daddy!" Lucy beamed, throwing her backpack into the bench and wrapping her arms around my legs, nearly knocking me over. She was nine now, and I loved every second of the stage. She still idolized both Charlotte and me, and didn't think we were embarrassing like the older ones were starting to. She also didn't have the angsty teenage attitude, like her sister. I'd love to go back to the time where Layla loved us like this too. At 15, we were just an annoyance to her.

"Great." Cole said. "I got an A on my book report!"

"That's awesome, Bud." I smiled.

"Can you take me to get football gloves this weekend? I need them for practice on Monday." Leo brushed past me and into the house towards the kitchen. He was growing like a weed right now and was literally always hungry.

"Sure we can!" I called over my shoulder. "How about you, Layla? How was your day?"

Char's eyes widened as she shook her head conspicuously at me, trying to get me to stop talking. Layla glared at me, dropping her bag to the ground and stomping up the stairs. A few seconds later, we heard a door slam that nearly shook the entire house.

"What is her deal?" I turned to Char, completely confused about our interaction.

"She's always in a bad mood." Landon rolled his eyes and followed his brother into the kitchen. Lucy scurried up the stairs to play in her bedroom.

"She's just having a tough day." Char said sympathetically, kissing my cheek. "How are you?"

"Good. I got done a little early and figured I could finish up from home." I said, wrapping my arms around Char and brushing my lips against her neck. "Or do other things."

"Stop." She giggled, wriggling out of my grasp. "It's 3 o'clock in the afternoon."

"So?" I chuckled, slapping her ass.

Char rolled her eyes. "Luca, we can't right now. I need to go talk to Layla."

"What is going on with her?" I frowned, folding my arms over my chest.

She sighed heavily. "There's a kid at school that she really likes. A senior. And she thought he was going to ask her to prom, but he asked another girl today."

I stared back at her, processing all the information that she'd just shared with me. The thought of my daughter liking a boy was almost enough to give me a coronary. In my eyes, she would always be my baby girl and I really wasn't ready for all of this dating nonsense. "Well, it's a good thing that he didn't ask her. Did you tell her we never would have let her go with a senior?"

"Oh Luca..." She rolled her eyes, batting at my arm. "That's not the point. She's heartbroken."

"Heartbroken?" I stifled my laughter. "Charlotte, she's fifteen. She doesn't even know what that word means."

"But it feels that way to her." Char frowned, pursing her lips. "You and I both know it's just a crush, but it feels like more than that to her."

"You're right." I smiled gently. "Why don't you let me go talk to her?"

"Seriously?" Char arched her eyebrow at me suspiciously.

"Yeah." I let out a heavy breath. "I may be completely opposed to her dating, but I hate it when she's upset."

Char smiled and then leaned up to kiss me. "You're such a good father, you know that?"