Page 30 of Ruthless Secrets (Alpha Mafia Daddies #6)

Chapter Twenty-Five

CLARA

It’s an empty threat. I know it and from the look on Marco’s face, he knows it too. But it’s the only move I have left to play.

My heart is hammering in my chest as I look up at him. His face is deathly pale, and I can see the panic in his eyes.

At first, I thought he was lying as a way to get me to talk to him, but not anymore.

He slumps down into the armchair and puts his head in his hands.

“Marco, what is going on with you?”

He keeps his head down. “I have been avoiding you. But not for the reasons you think.”

I cross my arms over my chest. “Tell me the reasons.”

“The truth is…” He takes a deep breath and glances up at me under his dark lashes. “I see a future with you, Clara. I see the whole goddamn picture, and it scares the shit out of me.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

“No, but I need you to understand… I told you I’ve been in love once before, and I put everything I had into that relationship only to have it ripped away. So, the thought of losing it all again is terrifying, which is why I’m so hell bent on keeping you safe.”

“By pushing me away in the process?”

Marco sighs. “Yeah.”

“If you weren’t ready for a relationship, then why did you bring me back into your life and try so hard to pursue me? That’s not fair on me, or Zoe, Marco.”

“I know, I’m sorry. I thought I was ready… No, screw that. I am ready. I guess I just needed time to realize it.” His shoulders slump a bit. “These past few weeks with you and Zoe have been the best of my life, Clara. I honestly can’t imagine a future without the two of you in it.”

I had thought hearing Marco say these words would have me jumping for joy. But instead, my blood turns cold in my veins as sorrow clouds his eyes.

“How serious is this threat?”

“It’s serious.”

My legs threaten to buckle as Marco’s words hang heavy in the space between us.

I thought I had already lived through my worst nightmare when Zoe was taken, but I have a feeling that was only the tip of the iceberg. This time, they’re not just targeting Zoe to send a message, they’re targeting all of us to destroy the De Lucas.

“What are you going to do?”

Marco tries his best to offer me his signature smile to put me at ease, but it doesn’t reach his eyes.

“I’m going to do what I always do. Take down the bad guys.”

The hard set of his jaw and the cold determination in his eyes contradict his matter-of-fact tone.

This isn’t just about taking down bad guys. This is about his life. His survival .

I know Marco will do whatever it takes to protect Zoe and me, he’s proven that already. But what if it’s not enough?

"I worry about you. About your safety.” I’m barely able to keep the tremor from my voice as I think of him never coming back. Tears start streaming down my face. “What if you don’t survive?”

Marco is on his feet in an instant, and the next thing I know, I’m being wrapped in his strong arms and held against his chest.

He might have been driving me crazy over the past few days, but that doesn’t matter when I’m potentially facing the reality that after tonight, I might never see him again.

“Please don’t die.” I wrap my arms around his waist as I sob into his chest.

“Don’t worry about me, love. I can take care of myself.” He kisses the top of my head. “I promise I will come back for you, and for Zoe.”

I want to believe him, I do. But deep down, I can’t help but worry.

The weight of everything we’ve been through sits heavy on my chest, and it’s hard to shake the fear that he might not come back.

As if Marco can sense where my thoughts are going, he lifts me into his arms slams me against the wall.

“I need you,” I gasp.

We waste no time undressing. He just releases himself and lifts my dress, pulling my panties to the side and sinks inside me.

I gasp as I stretch around him, so he gives me a second to adjust to the size of him.

But my need for him is overpowering. I want to feel every inch of Marco’s skin against mine, but we don’t have time for that now. This is just us reconnecting before our world ends, so I dig my heels into the hard muscles of his ass, pushing him deeper inside me as he kisses along my neck.

“Don’t stop,” I pant as I arch against him.

With each powerful thrust of his hips, my body jolts, and I moan with pleasure as my sensitive nipples brush against the fabric that’s keeping them from touching his chest.

“Look at me Clara.”

Our eyes lock, and Marco’s dark brows pull together in agony as he thrusts his cock inside me. He’s hitting me so deep that I can barely catch my breath.

He fills me so perfectly, it’s as if we were made for each other. To think that this could be the last time we’re ever like this has me clinging to him.

“Marco…” Tears start to stream down my cheeks.

Marco pulls back slightly so he can look at me.

“I love you Clara. I fucking love you.”

I can’t stop the tears from flowing down my cheeks.

To have Marco be so raw and vulnerable with me feels like a gift, but one that is about to be snatched away from me.

“I love you.” Tears run down my cheeks as I take his face in my hands and kiss him.

I thought I knew what it meant to love someone when I was with Adam, but that was nothing compared to what I feel for Marco. Maybe it’s because despite all the hurt and the pain, despite the uncertainty of our future, we’re still choosing to love one another.

Both of us are panting, our bodies slick with sweat as we chase our release.

“Fuck, I’m coming,” Marco chokes.

My thighs start to tremble.

“ Marco .”

“I love you,” he whispers in my ear as he spills inside me.

I hold him as close as possible as my pussy pulses around his cock, taking every last drop he gives me .

Even when we’re both finished and gasping for air, Marco makes no attempt to move because we both know the moment he does, we have to face the reality that we might never see each other again.

He rests his weight on his right forearm and gazes at me with such affection in his eyes.

I know deep in my heart that he meant every word he said.

This man loves me, so much so that he’s willing to risk his own life to protect me and our daughter.

But I can’t help but think of the past.

Why was he hurt so badly that he couldn’t bear to get close to another woman until now?

The fact that Marco has only ever skirted around the details makes me wonder if something bad happened to her.

Though time is short and I hate to ask, something tells me that I need to know because history tends to repeat itself. “What happened with your last girlfriend?”

Marco’s eyes darken for a brief second, and I can tell he’s deciding how much to tell me. “I can handle the truth.”

Marco reaches out to brush the hair out of my face.

“She was driving home from work when someone…” Marco’s throat bobs as he tries to keep himself composed. “Someone shot her.”

“Oh, my god. Was it a hit and run?”

Stuff like this happens in movies all the time, but you never think about it happening in real life.

“It was a revenge killing.”

“For what? Who would do that?”

“To get back at my father.”

It’s almost too much for me to comprehend.

Marco lost the woman he loved because someone wanted revenge against his father. What kind of sick and twisted world did he grow up in ?

“I’m so sorry.” I throw my arms around his neck and hold him. “I’m so, so sorry.”

“I never thought I would be able to get over it and I guess in some ways, I’m still not there. But I’m trying.”

“Me too.”.

I try to hide the tears in my eyes from Marco as we get our clothes back in place.

My heart is being ripped out of my chest every time I look at him.

Marco kisses me on the forehead. “I’m going to get Lila and Rosa. I’ll meet you downstairs in five minutes.”

My throat is too thick to speak, so I just nod.

Once he leaves, I don’t give myself any time to cry.

Right now, I need to focus on getting Zoe out of here, so I head next door to my room and turn on the bedside light.

Immediately, Zoe starts stirring in her crib, so I freeze, hoping that she’s in deep enough of a sleep that I’ll be able to pack without waking her up.

A door slams down the hall and immediately, Zoe starts wailing.

“Shh…” I go and pick her up.

There’s no point trying to get her back to sleep when I’ll have to put her in the car. I really need to pack, but she’s inconsolable from being woken up so suddenly.

Thankfully, Marco appears to take her downstairs, and my heart breaks even more when I watch her cuddle into his chest.

I’m throwing the last of Zoe’s things into her bag when my phone pings from the bedside table where I’ve plugged it in to charge.

Marco hasn’t told me anything about where we’re going, and I don’t want to get stuck without a way of contacting him.

I glance at the screen and frown when I see inmate call flashing on the screen.

“What the hell?”

The only person I know to be incarcerated is my brother, Ben, and he doesn’t have my number.

This must be some kind of mistake. Even if he wanted my number, the correctional case manager would have to contact me first to ask for my permission, and I sure as hell haven’t given it.

I wait until the screen goes blank before grabbing it off the bedside table and opening up my call log. The last thing I need right now is for Marco to see this, so I quickly erase the list before turning my phone off.

Shoving my phone into my bag, I try to ignore the sinking feeling in my gut as I head downstairs to the living room where Marco is waiting for me.