November 15th
It was the next morning.
After Lillian had fallen asleep on Lorenzo's lap, Lorenzo and his mother talked for a few moments, Isabella catching him up on his sister, too much to Lorenzo's dismay, his brother as well, before he told her to sleep in one of the guestrooms. Not wanting his mother out this late, having sent her driver home for the night.
Once Lorenzo and his mother had bid each other goodnight, Lorenzo made his way to his bedroom, carrying Lillian. He managed to lay and tuck her into his bed, making sure to secure her in so she wouldn't fall, before making his way to the bathroom to shower. Once he had showered, he quickly changed into a black shirt and a pair of sweatpants before lying down beside Lillian. It takes not even a full minute before Lillian moves to his side, seeking his warmth and comfort. Surprisingly, much like the night before, Lorenzo fell asleep quickly, something he hadn't done in a while.
Throughout the night, Lorenzo had moved to hold the tiny child to his chest in a protective state, his fatherly instincts, something that no one would have suspected he would have, began to get stronger as he spent time with the tiny girl, who was now his daughter.
The sun shone through a small opening that the curtains that attempted to cover the large window in Lorenzo's bedroom, shining directly into Lillian's eyes as she faced the specific window, clutching onto Lorenzo's arm. Fliching slightly at the light, she slowly opened her eyes, before burying her face into the pillow and rolling over facing Lorenzo, still managing to keep her hold on Lorenzo's arm.
Once again, she slowly opened her eyes to set on Lorenzo's peaceful sleeping face.
Even though she was only three years old, she taught herself, out of instinct not to trust any adult, especially any of her father's friends who came to drink and do stuff with needles. She didn't trust anyone. But she was confused as to why she felt that she could trust Lorenzo, one thing her three-year-old brain couldn't process correctly.
But she did trust him, but in a still wary way, making sure to watch him carefully. Even Though he hadn't done anything to her in any way to harm her, she still thought that he could turn from his nice caring, gentle way, to an angry, mean way with just like a flip of a switch, just like her father.
Lilian frowned slightly before her green eyes found a small edge of a tattoo peeking from the sleeve of his black shirt. Her three-year-old curiosity took the best of her, knowing that she shouldn't because it might wake him, but she couldn't help but move her small pointer finger to trace it. Her touch was light and gentle, making sure to be careful.
However, Lorenzo was training, and he immediately felt the movement, waking him up the second her small hand touched his skin. Lorenzo opened his eyes slightly, seeing the pure innocence dripping out of the three-year-old's eyes. A soft smile grew in Lorenzo's eyes as he watched her. He normally would have instinctively put the person who touched him in a choke hold, however, the soft caring touch told him exactly what was happening.
"Good morning sweetheart." He whispered, catching Lillian off guard. Lilian's green eyes flickered up to Lorenzo's face, immediately drawing her hand away, scared she would get into trouble.
Lorenzo still smiled softly, understanding. "It's okay sweetheart, you can trace it. He said moving his sleeve up more to reveal a rather large shoulder piece. Lorenzo watched as Lillian's eyes widened, a spark of hope lit inside of him when she immediately moved her hand to draw it.
A few moments later, Lillian had completed tracing the tattoo, which told Lorenzo it was time to get up. He softly moved to sit up. Picking Lillian up in the process of standing up, he moved his way to the bathroom, carefully helping the tiny girl use the bathroom, before picking her up and beginning to make his way downstairs.
As soon as he got halfway down the steps he immediately was hit with the sweet smell of chocolate, more specifically chocolate crêpes, the ones his mother made him as a child.
"It seems like someone made some yummy breakfast." He said to Lillian, moving to kiss her head as he continued down the stairs.
He soon was in the kitchen, to see his mother behind the stove, cooking a rather large display of crêpes, along with some other breakfast foods.
However as he took in the sight of the large array of food that was made, his eyes caught the large amount of shopping bags along the ground. With a questioning look to his mother who knew her son had entered the kitchen, her motherly senses hitting her as if he was still a child trying to sneak up on her.
"Oh those bags are just some things that I had bought for Lillian after you went to bed, I had someone pick them up this morning, I can't believe I get to shop for a child again, lord knows your sister won't be having a child anytime soon," Isabella said excitedly moving to get a small spill-proof cup out of the fridge, already filled with some water.
"Here, I bet she's thirsty," Isabella said, handing her son the cup before turning to Lillian who had hidden, much like the night before, in Lorenzo's neck.
"So precious." She whispered before going back to the kitchen.
Lorenzo smiled at his mother's excitement, before moving to sit in the seat he had sat in the night before. Moving Lillian in the same position, in front of him, her back against his chest. "Here sweetheart." He said giving her the cup, and helping her drink which Lillian did.
Soon two plates were put in front of the two, one had already had perfectly bite-sized pieces, Isabella having cut it for her. Soon another joined them, Isabella taking a seat next to Lorenzo. Lorenzo immediately began to feed Lillian, not caring if he ate, which astonished Isabella.
She is so proud of her son and she had no words to compare how her son looked as a father. After Lillian had eaten, he too began to eat as well. Lillian comfortably sat against Lorenzo's chest, feeling it vibrate as he spoke to his mother. The two conversed while they ate, his mother talking about the ball that she would be throwing for the mafia and its business partners for Christmas, making sure to remind her son that he would have to attend, seeing as everyone had not known of his arrival just yet.
Lorenzo nodded along, listening but watching Lillian. Soon after they had eaten, Lorenzo had one of the many maids clean up, as he made his way back to his room to get himself and Lilian ready for the day.
Once in his room, he put on a movie, one similar to the movie they had watched the other night, letting Lilian get consumed in the moving characters as he got ready. He simply changed into a regular black dress shirt, paired with black dress pants. Once he was dressed, having done so in the closet, he went to change Lillian. Having only a select few clothes he only had normal clothing, knowing he would either send one of his assistants, or his mother would volunteer, lord knows she would enjoy it far too much. However, he dressed her into a black pair of tights, and a plain blue shirt, putting on a pair of white socks, they made their way downstairs.
Lorenzo made his way to his office on the second floor, taking Lillian with him, planning on seeing how the businesses were since he had been gone. The office itself was the same size as his bedroom, having enough space for him to have private meetings with important business partners, which he realized he would have to figure out to do differently from now on. His desk sat on the right side of the room, it being five feet from the wall, having three bookshelves behind it. The desk is made of oak, it has been his father's and grandfather's and many dons before, and it is paired with a newer office chair. In Front of the desk were two leather armchairs, with two matching leather sofas behind them, with a matching coffee table in front of the fireplace, that was unlit, a tv hanging just above it.
Sattng Lillian on his lap, he quickly turned on the same movie he was playing upstairs, he grabbed a piece of paper and pen he had on his desk setting it in front of her, before moving her to sit on his right leg, rather than both, giving him enough room to do work, hoping that her drawing would be able to occupy her. Lillian was confused for a moment before her attention was caught in the movie.
The two sat like that for over an hour, Lillian having realized that she could draw about ten minutes into the movie, with Lorenzo encouraging her of course. However, she had never written before so after Lorenzo showed her to hold the pen, her drawings were more of scribbles. Soon after the page had been filled with a rather large amount of scribbles, Lillian had moved to lay back against Lorenzo's stomach, relaxing while watching the movie.
Lorenzo managed to get mostly caught up before the movie ended. Once the credits rolled around Lorenzo went to pick a new one before his phone began to ring. Selecting a random movie Lorenzo picked up the phone, seeing it was Luca.
"Yes Luca?" he said as he answered the phone.
"Sorry to bother you, Lorenzo, I know you wanted a few days with Lillian, but I think you need to come to the office," Luca said, answering the question, a small hint of panic in his voice.
"Why?"
"The deal went bad, Marco got a few ribs broken, three men died, and all the money was stolen." Luca replied."
Lorenzo gritted his teeth, "Merda," Lorenzo sighed as he looked down at Lillian who was watching the movie, oblivious to the world as she placed Lorenzo's hand. "Have Marco come to the house. I'll be there in twenty," he answered.
Lorenzo hung up immediately after that, catching Lillian's attention. "C'mon sweet girl, let's get a snack yeah?" he asked her before picking her up and standing, moving her to his side before making his way to the kitchen. Lori was off again today, with his mother promising to come back for dinner, and his maids having done their work already for the day, it was just him and Lillian at the moment.
He knew he couldn't take Lillian to the office just yet, knowing that this specific problem would probably end up frustrating Lorenzo, especially with whom he was dealing, and would more likely make him angry, which was something that Lorenzo did not want Lillian to see. This is why he planned for Marco to watch Lillian, knowing it would be too much for Lillian, but he noticed she was somewhat more comfortable with Marco rather than Luca.
Grabbing some strawberries and grapes, knowing she liked them from dinner, he quickly got to cutting them up into bite-size pieces so that Lillian could eat them, having sat Lillian on the counter who watched him with curious eyes.
Once they were cut, he grabbed the cup Lillian had used from breakfast, washing it but he poured some juice he got from the fridge before making his way to the living room to let her eat.
She managed to finish it just as the door opened, footsteps approaching just as the door had shut, revealing Marco. Who was clutching his side?
'Marco, how are you feeling?" Lorenzo asked, making sure to clean Lillian's face since she had finished eating, helping her drink some juice.
"Like shi..." Marco went to answer, noticing Lillian, "In a lot of pain." he answered after realizing there was a child.
"Sì, cosa è successo?" Lorenzo asked, not wanting Lillian to hear the details of what happened.
"Stava andando tutto alla perfezione, Sanchez era normale finché non ha dovuto pagare, poi i suoi uomini sono sbucati dal nulla, hanno ucciso tutti i ragazzi e mi hanno attaccato, riuscendo a prendere Sanchez due volte prima di farmi fuori." (It all was going perfectly, Sanchez was normal until it went for him to pay, then his men came out of nowhere, killed all the guys, and attacked me, managed to get Sanchez twice before they took me down.) Marco replied, Lorenzo nodded before he sighed, taking account of everything, him one hundred percent believing Marco.
"Sì, visto che hai bisogno di riposare, ho bisogno che tu tenga d'occhio Lillian" (yes, well since you need to rest, I need you to watch Lillian) Lorenzo replied, Lillian having looked up hearing her name, but not knowing what was said.
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Sorry for the long update, this is more of a filler chapter, The plot will get better once I find more ways to fill the holes in the plan that I have for the book
Thank you for reading!!!
Please comment with thoughts and opinions, and please be nice when you do!!
More Chapters to come!!
~vlm~