Page 13 of Ruthless Secrets (Alpha Mafia Daddies #6)

Chapter Eleven

MARCO

I knew I was right to leave Zoe at home while I went to pick up Clara. What I wasn’t right in doing was not taking backup with me. Of course, Alfonzo had eyes on Clara’s apartment, but I thought I could handle them on my own.

I might have gotten us away, but it was fucking close. The moment they opened fire and shattered my bulletproof glass, I should have gotten Andre on the phone.

If I hadn’t been able to lose them…

Bile burns my throat as I think of what could have happened.

My mistake almost cost my daughter the lives of both of her parents. Tonight has been a terrifying wake-up call. I can’t afford to be as reckless as I used to be.

I almost feel guilty for teasing Andre for being so overprotective of Lila and Holly. But after what happened tonight, I understand completely where he is coming from. What I don’t understand is how the hell I’m going to navigate all of this going forward.

Despite what my brother might suggest, and against all my instincts and thrive, I can’t keep Clara and Zoe locked up inside this house for the rest of their lives as a way to keep them safe.

I’ll have to think of a more permanent solution later.

But first, I need to get Clara out of this car.

“Clara?”

She hasn't moved a muscle since I parked the car.

I have no doubt that she’s absolutely terrified by what just happened, but I need to get her inside where it’s safe. Andre’s estate might be littered with security, but Alfonzo Rossi isn’t afraid of a little hard work. It’s perhaps the only similarity we share, other than our desire for revenge.

“Shall we go inside?” I suggest as calmly as possible.

Clara still doesn’t move a muscle. It’s like she’s paralyzed—a level of fear I haven’t felt in a long time. Though I have a feeling that is about to change now that Zoe is in my life.

I’d be more than willing to carry Clara inside but somehow, I don’t think she would appreciate my help, so I decide to take a different approach.

“Zoe is waiting for you. Shall we go and see her?”

The mention of our daughter is enough to snap Clara back into her body.

She lifts her head and looks at me with wide eyes.

I nod and offer a small, hesitant smile. “You’re safe.”

She nods back, though her body still trembles violently. In one night, she’s had to deal with her daughter being kidnapped as well as being shot at.

I can’t deny that maybe she was right to keep Zoe a secret from me…

A heavy weight settles on my chest at the thought, but I don’t have time to focus on it right now.

I get out of the car and head around the back to open Clara’s door. I give her space as she climbs out but when her knees buckle, I instantly wrap an arm around her waist to keep her upright .

“Now do you understand why I had to leave her here?”

Clara glances back at the car and winces at all of the bullet indents in the metal work. The car is unsalvageable. But I’d rather lose the car than lose Clara.

I lead us both up the front steps of Andre’s house and punch in the code for the door.

We’re barely inside when Lila and my brother appear in the foyer, with Zoe perched on Lila’s hip.

When she spies Clara, Zoe immediately starts to cry.

“Baby girl,” Clara sobs.

She rushes over to Lila and scoops her baby into her arms.

Zoe instantly stops crying as Clara hugs her tightly and peppers kisses all over her face.

Seeing them reunite is an overwhelming relief that has a lump forming in my throat.

“My sweet girl.” Clara strokes her dark hair. “Mama loves you so much.”

Zoe giggles, and the sound is like music to my ears.

My brother steps forward. “I wish we were all meeting under different circumstances.”

Lila shoots him a glare before looking at Clara, her gaze softening. “We’re just glad everyone is all right.”

I’m not sure Clara is even listening. She’s too focused on showering Zoe with affection, but I don’t think Lila and Andre take any offense. They would be the same if anything were to happen to Holly.

“What took you so long to get here?” Andre comes and stands by me.

I subtly shake my head and glance at Clara.

“Later,” I mutter under my breath.

Andre nods and glances at Lila.

“Sweetheart, why don’t you go and get Clara settled in her room. Delilah is preparing you some food, which she’ll bring up shortly. ”

Clara looks too overwhelmed by everything to respond.

“I’ve already set up a crib for Zoe.” Lila places an arm around Clara and starts guiding her toward the enormous staircase that leads to the first floor.

Andre and I watch them go, neither one of us speaking until there’s a faint sound of a door closing.

My brother shakes his head. “I still can’t believe you have a kid. If she didn’t look so much like you, I’d say you should demand a paternity test.”

I bristle at his comment. “Zoe is mine.”

“How the fuck did this even happen? It’s not like you to not be careful.”

“It’s fifteen months too late for the safe sex talk. Besides, Clara happened.”

“She seems very different from Melanie?—”

“I’m going to stop you right there. I don’t want to finish the night by discussing my dead ex-girlfriend.”

“So… Is Clara your new girlfriend?”

“It was a one-time thing, nothing more.”

My brother’s lips twitch as he tucks his hands into the pockets of his black slacks.

“I’d be inclined to believe you if it weren’t for the fact that Clara is the new manager of Nox.”

“She was the only person I could find qualified for the job.”

“Besides you.”

My patience for this conversation has officially run out. “You want to know why we took so long getting back here?”

Andre nods, and I tilt my head toward the door.

“Come with me.”

I lead my brother back outside, and the minute he sees the state of my car, a string of curse words leaves his lips.

“Yeah. We need to deal with Alfonzo now . Before he forms any more alliances. ”

Andre frowns. “We don’t have any evidence to suggest he’s working with Tommaso.”

“Fuck the evidence! If this happened to Holly, you wouldn’t just sit around.”

“I’m not saying we should.”

“Then what are you saying?”

Andre rubs at his jaw as he stares at my car. “Did you get the plates of whoever did this, at least?”

“No. I was too fucking busy trying to shake them off.”

Andre walks around the trunk of the car and crouches down. “Your parking cameras might have caught them. I’ll have Jax load up the footage.”

While Jax gets to work importing the footage from my parking cameras into Andre’s computer, I pour myself an extra-large bourbon. My body is still running on adrenaline, and I need something to take the edge off.

I just have to keep reminding myself that Clara and Zoe are just down the hall, completely safe and unharmed.

For now.

I down the rest of the drink as the thought plays on repeat in my mind.

“Found anything?” I get to my feet and stalk back over to the bar cart. It feels like we’ve been in Andre’s office for hours, and I’m itching to send a message of my own to Alfonzo.

Jax clicks away on the computer. “Just loading the footage now.”

I finish pouring my drink and walk over to the desk so I can see for myself what the camera caught. Thankfully, it wasn’t damaged by any of the bullets, so the footage is pretty clear .

But when Jax starts skipping through it, I find I have to look away. It was hard enough when I lived through this nightmare once. I don’t want to remember how close I was to losing Clara.

“There.” Andre points at the screen.

Jax pauses the footage and zooms in on the black car.

Andre’s eyes stay glued to the frozen image. “Do you recognize that plate?”

“No,” Jax mutters. “But if you give me a second…”

A deep crease forms between his dark brows as he furiously types away on the keyboard. He’s definitely an asset to have on our payroll in terms of both his brute strength and technological skills.

Jax sits back. “Got it. It’s registered to Antonio Mancini.”

Andre clenches his fists. “Fuck.”

I look between the two. “Who’s that?”

“There’s our link to Tommaso.” He runs his fingers through his hair.

“You have got to be fucking kidding me.” I scoff. “Is that enough evidence for you?”

Andre frowns. “Yes and no. Alfonzo is one thing, but going up against Tommaso is a whole other story, Marco.”

“I’m well aware of that, but since when does that stop us?”

“It doesn’t.” Andre heads over to the drinks cart to pour himself a bourbon. “But we need to be clever in how we go about taking them down.”

“If Tommaso is the main issue here, then we need to find his weakness. Everyone has one, and we’ve often used them to get them on our side. Let’s get him to turn against Alfonzo with us.”

“Perhaps…but it’s risky.”

“It’s either that or recruit someone new that they won’t be expecting. Someone with beef against the Costas.”

Andre’s eyes light up as he swirls his drink around .

“You know what? I know just the person to reach out to.”

I stay in Andre’s office even after he and Jax have left. I want to give Clara and Zoe a little more time to themselves.

Lila has set them up in one of the guest rooms on the far side of the house so they can have some privacy, though not too much, seeing as I’ve taken up residence in the room next door.

When it’s nearing midnight, I leave Andre’s office after making a significant dent in his bourbon supply and head down the hall to Clara’s room.

It’s quiet inside, so she might be asleep, but I knock softly on the door regardless. “Clara, it’s me. Can we talk?”

There are footsteps on the other side and then the door opens.

Clara has changed into a pair of pajamas, and her cheeks are damp with fresh tears.

I almost reach out and pull her into a hug, but then I remember all the shit that went down in the car, and I shove my hands into my pockets instead.

“Hey. We should talk.”

She nods before stepping aside and letting me in.

I look around the room and breathe a sigh of relief when I spot Zoe sleeping soundly in the porta crib that Lila set up for her. I cross over to it and look down at her peaceful face. “She’s so beautiful.”

I still can’t believe she’s real.

This might have been the night from hell, but one good thing to come out of it is having the chance to meet my daughter. That is a memory I will cherish for the rest of my life .

I turn around to find Clara perched on the edge of the bed, crying softly as she watches Zoe.

“I was so scared. She’s all I have.”

I cross over to the bed and take a seat beside her.

“I swear to you, on my life, that I won’t ever let anything happen to our daughter.”

Clara’s throat bobs as she looks at me.

“Are you still angry with me for keeping her a secret?”

After tonight, I’m not sure if it’s fair to be angry with Clara, and I simply don’t have the energy to fight.

“What’s done is done.” I reach for her hand and give it a reassuring squeeze. “I suggest we just focus on the future.”