Page 11 of Ruthless Secrets (Alpha Mafia Daddies #6)

Chapter Nine

MARCO

It seems I’m not the only one who has learned of Zoe’s existence tonight.

Zoe. My baby’s name is Zoe.

And my worst nightmare has come true. Alfonzo Rossi has gotten his filthy hands on my daughter. If I’m not careful, I might not ever get the chance to meet her.

“Clara, I need you to stay calm.” I start driving back toward her apartment.

I am anything but calm, but I don’t want to freak Clara out any more than she already is. I need her to know that I have this under control and that, despite my feelings about her dishonesty, I will make sure that she and Zoe are protected.

Clara’s hysterical sobs filter in through the sound system in my car, and I press my foot all the way to the floor.

“I’m going to get her back.” I dodge in and out of traffic, ignoring the blaring horns of cabs as I pass them at lightning speed. “I need you to know that I have this.”

“My sweet baby,” she sobs.

“Promise me you’ll stay right where you are. ”

Clara continues to cry, but I need her to assure me she’s not going to do anything stupid.

“Clara?”

“Okay,” she mumbles.

“I’ll be there in two minutes.” I hang up.

I knew Alfonzo was a sick fuck, but the fact that he’s kidnapped a six-month-old baby is a new low even for him.

I’ll make sure he regrets ever laying a finger on my child.

As expected, Clara is a complete wreck when I turn up at her door. Her entire body is violently trembling, and her eyes are red and swollen from crying.

Despite everything that’s happened, I wrap her in my arms and pull her against my chest as she cries. I can’t even begin to imagine how she’s feeling.

I stroke her hair. “Everything’s going to be okay.”

I’m not sure if she believes me. Hell, I’m not even sure I believe me, but I can’t let my emotions run away with me.

If my assumptions are correct and Alfonzo is the man behind this, then I need to keep my cool.

Alfonzo Rossi is a very smart man, but unlucky for him, I’m smarter.

Clara pulls herself out of my hold, wiping at her eyes. “We need to call the police.”

“That’s not a good idea. I will handle this.”

“How the hell are you going to handle this? Some psycho took my baby, and you want to go after them?”

“They have our baby.”

“Is that really what is important right now?”

I run a hand over my face as I try to put a lid on my anger.

Clara’s right. As pissed off as I am at her, what’s important right now is getting Zoe back. Only when that is done will Clara and I sit down and talk through everything properly.

“What if something has happened to her? What if she’s…” Clara’s face crumples .

“Clara, look at me.” I take her face in my hands and gently wipe the tears rolling down her pink cheeks with my thumbs. “I promise you that I won’t let anyone hurt Zoe, okay?”

Her lower lip trembles, but she nods.

“I need you to breathe.” I inhale deeply, not breaking eye contact with her.

Her lashes are all wet and stuck together, and her eyes are all puffy.

She’s hurting so bad, and it’s for reasons like this that I haven’t ever gotten close to a woman since Melanie.

My world is dark and dangerous, and it’s unfair to bring another person into that without giving them a choice.

I took that very choice away from Clara the night we slept together, and now all I can hope for is that our daughter doesn’t pay the ultimate price.

“I’m going to have Levi come here to keep an eye on you.” I quickly type out a message on my phone to him.

I need to call a meeting with Andre, but I can’t do that until I know Clara is taken care of, and there’s no way in hell I’m leaving her here unprotected.

Clara’s eyes are wide when she turns them to me. “Where are you going?”

“To find Zoe.”

“I’m coming with you.”

“No, you’re not.”

“If you think I’m going to sit around here while some psycho has my bab?—”

“I can’t risk your life too. Zoe will need her mother.”

It seems my words hit the mark as Clara’s shoulders slump, and she nods.

“I promise you that I won’t rest until our daughter is found.”

It feels strange saying the words out loud, but that’s what Zoe is. She’s our daughter, and right now she’s in the hands of one of my family’s most dangerous enemies.

I meet Levi on the front step of Clara’s building ten minutes later and give him strict instructions to stay by Clara’s side until I get back. I leave out the specifics of the situation, but Levi knows better than to ask questions.

He stalks inside, and I feel better knowing that Clara won’t be alone. Not that Levi is particularly warm or comforting, but at least he can protect her.

Once I’m back behind the wheel of my car, an eerie sense of calm washes over me.

I’ve been in plenty of high-stakes situations before, and the adrenaline coursing through my blood helps to narrow my focus as I dial Andre’s number.

“What is it Marco?”

“Zoe is missing, and I’m almost certain that Alfonzo took her.”

“Who?”

“I need you to fucking listen, Andre.”

The sound of my engine rings in my ears, and my entire body is vibrating in my seat as I put my foot to the floor and speed away from Clara’s apartment building.

“I am, and I’m asking you who the hell is Zoe?”

I swallow past the lump in my throat as I think of my child who I’ve never even met.

“She’s my daughter.”

“I’m sorry, what? You have a kid? Since when? How?”

“Do I really need to explain procreation to you?”

“I’m just processing this.”

“You can fucking process it later. Right now, we need to find my kid. She’s only six months old, and I need to get her back to her mom.”

“Who is…”

“Not now, Andre. ”

“And you think Alfonzo has taken her?”

“Yes, to prove he can get to us.”

“This is exactly the sort of thing I was afraid of.”

“Not helping, Andre.”

“Drive to the house. I already have Jax and Enzo here. If we’re facing Alfonzo, we’re going to need back up.”

“You want me to drive all the way to Westchester to fucking carpool?”

“It wasn’t a suggestion, Marco.”

It’s not often that I despise the fact I have to answer to my brother, but right now is definitely one of those times.

“I’ll get them briefed. And Marco?”

“Yes?” I ask through gritted teeth.

“He’s not going to win.”

I can’t speak past the painful lump in my throat.

I thought tonight was already a shit show when I caught Clara listening in on my conversation with Andre. But then to find out I have a kid, and that kid has now been taken by Alfonzo fucking Rossi…

There’s no amount of bourbon that is going to make me forget this night.

It’s a miracle I’m not stopped by the police on my drive out to my brother’s estate. Not that I would have bothered stopping for anything. Each second that passes is another second where my daughter’s life is in Alfonzo’s hands.

All the lights are on in my brother’s house as I speed down the gravel drive. There are four SUVs parked outside along with Andre’s car. He must have called for even more backup, which I’m grateful for.

Alfonzo’s already proven tonight that we’d be stupid to underestimate him, so I want to make sure we’re prepared for any situation.

My heart is racing in my chest as I climb out of the car. Watching the minutes pass by on my dash on the drive here had my adrenaline turning into fear.

I can’t be too late.

I’ve already lost both of my parents and Melanie. I can’t lose Zoe too. Surely, the world isn’t that cruel?

I race up the front steps and almost trip over the crying bundle of blankets that is lying outside the front door.

“What the fuck?” I bend down and pull back the blankets to find a pair of brown eyes, identical to my own, staring up at me. “Zoe.”

I collapse to my knees and scoop her up into my arms. The relief I feel holding her against my chest is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.

She’s alive.

“Hi, Zoe.”

She yawns, and I can’t help but laugh.

“You had us all worried for a second, but I want you to know that I’ve got you.”

As I look into Zoe’s big, brown eyes, it hits me that I’m holding my daughter for the very first time.

The rush of emotion is overwhelming, and I know that I will do whatever it takes to keep her safe.

“Let’s call your mama, huh?” I reach for my phone.

I freeze as I notice a message on my lock screen from an unknown number.

Nothing and no one is out of my reach.

My teeth grind together.

I don’t know how the hell Alfonzo managed to get my number, but that’s the least of my worries.

Right now, I need to call Clara .

Zoe blinks up at me as the phone rings, and I can’t help but smile.

She’s so beautiful, and I can’t wait to have a chance to get to know her.

“Have you found her?” Clara asks.

“I’ve got her right here. She’s absolutely fine.”

“Oh, thank god.” Clara starts crying once again on the other end of the phone.

I know I should put Zoe in the car and take her right back to Clara, but I don’t. Alfonzo likely has his guys watching me right now, and I’m not about to give them another opportunity to send my family a message.

Clara’s sobs slow a bit. “Where is my baby?”

“We’re at my brother’s house in Westchester. I found Zoe on the doorstep.”

“She was left on a doorstep ? Why the hell would someone do that?”

“Someone was trying to send me a message.”

“This is not okay, Marco. I’m not having my daughter used as a pawn in whatever sick and twisted game your family is playing.”

“We’re not playing. You think I’m not furious about this too?”

“It’s different for you, Marco. You don’t even know Zoe.”

“And whose fault is that? If anyone should be angry, it’s me. You had no right to keep my daughter from me.”

“Tonight has only proven to me that I did make the right decision. Now bring me my baby, and then I want you gone.”

“What?”

“I’m not having you risk Zoe’s life.”

“Clara—”

“Bring me my baby, Marco. Or I swear I’ll call the police.”

How is it that I’ve built up this image of Clara in my head, and we’re barely forty-eight hours in, and she’s completely shattered it?

I guess lying about the child we made is one way to do it, but now she wants to keep Zoe from me too?

Well, fuck that.

“Fine, call the police. But Zoe is staying here with my brother where it’s safe. So, if you want to see her, you’ll have to come and stay here.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life. So, what will it be, Clara?”

Alfonzo knows where she lives and will likely try to use her too in order to get to me.

No matter how pissed I might be at Clara, I’m not about to risk the life of my baby girl’s mother.

I need to get her the hell out of that apartment, and the only way I can think of doing that is by using Zoe as a bargaining chip.

Clara huffs. “Fine.”

“I’ll see you soon.” I hang up the phone.

Clara can hate me all she wants, but we have a child together, and that sort of connection will follow us for the rest of our lives. So, she better start getting used to having me around.