Page 33 of Ruthless Secrets (Alpha Mafia Daddies #6)

Chapter Twenty-Eight

MARCO

The hours are long, and I feel restless, so I don’t bother trying to get some sleep. Instead, I pace around Andre’s office, going over the plan that we spent the last few hours cultivating, searching for any weaknesses.

The worst part of this isn’t the fight that will ensue, or the blood or the death that will follow. It's waiting. The silence that comes before the storm. It gives me time to think, to remember everything that I’m leaving behind if I’m not successful.

The image of Clara looking up at me with panic in her eyes, her lips trembling as she asked me to be careful, plays on repeat in my mind.

I made a promise to come back to her, and I never break my promises.

By the time the sky starts to lighten, Andre and I are ready.

Our weapons are checked, and the plan is solid.

Take out Alfonzo and try not to die in the process.

Andre tucks a handgun into the holster under his jacket. “It’s time.”

We drive in silence to Alfonzo’s estate, the tension thick in the air.

Jax and Enzo are following behind us in a separate car but once we get close, they hang back.

We don’t want to seem like we’re ambushing him, though we have enough weapons on us to do some serious damage if it calls for it.

The sun is fully risen by the time we pull up outside the gates.

Andre lowers the window and flashes a smile to the two guards stationed outside. It’s clear by the looks on their faces that they know who we are and that we’re not here for a friendly visit.

“We want to talk to Alfonzo.”

The guards glance at each other.

I lean over. “It wasn’t a request.”

Just when I think we’re going to have to storm the place, I catch movement out of the corner of my eye.

My pulse stays steady as I spy Alfonzo stepping out onto the balcony of the second floor.

“Looks like Alfonzo has decided to grace us with his presence,” I tilt my chin to let Andre know where to look.

Even from this distance, the cruel smirk on his angular face as he looks down at us is clear as day.

Andre nods. “It’s showtime,”

We step out of the car.

Alfonzo sets his hands on the balcony wall. “Well, well. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“We need to talk.” Andre’s voice is sharp and commanding.

Alfonzo chuckles as he tucks his hands into his pockets .

My body tenses, my fingers flexing with the need to reach for my gun.

“I have nothing to say to you.”

Of course, he doesn’t.

I step forward. “Then I suggest you listen. We’re giving you a choice. Back off now and leave our family alone.”

Alfonzo’s smirk fades just a little. He knows this isn’t a casual warning.

“And if I don’t?”

I hold his gaze for a beat, hoping he can see the fury in my eyes even from a distance.

“Then we burn everything you have to the ground.”

For the first time, something like uncertainty flickers in his eyes, but it disappears soon enough.

Does he seriously believe this to be an empty threat? If he does, he’s even more of an idiot than I thought.

When he stays silent, Andre turns back to the car. “Think it over. But don’t take too long. You have one hour.”

“Think he’ll listen?” I ask under my breath.

“I’m not sure.”

“He’s a fucking coward. He only has loyalty to the side he thinks will win.”

But it seems Alfonzo is smarter than we gave him credit for. Just as we’re about to get back into the car, the gates start to open.

Andre and I are silent as we make our way on foot up the drive to Alfonzo’s mansion, followed closely behind by two visibly armed guards.

If it’s meant to scare us, it doesn’t work.

I scan my surroundings, noticing the multiple security cameras along the front of the house as well as more guards stationed within the grounds.

There is every possibility that this is a trap, but we can’t turn back now .

Once inside, we’re led across the foyer with its polished marble floors and grand chandelier hanging from the ceiling, and into Alfonzo’s office. The room is dark and stuffy, the air thick with the smell of cigar smoke.

Alfonzo lounges in one of the leather chairs, a cigar hanging out of his mouth and a glass of scotch in hand.

“Take a seat.” His cigar bobs as he speaks.

I unbutton my jacket and take the seat opposite him, trying to keep my expression neutral despite my racing heart. I can’t help but feel that this meeting is a waste of time, time we’re just handing over to Tommaso to take out my family.

But this is why I let Andre take the lead. He’s much better at keeping a cool head, whereas I tend to shoot first, think later.

Alfonzo slouches back in his chair, completely at ease. His expensive silk shirt is unbuttoned at the collar, and I catch sight of a thick gold chain around his neck, glinting under the dim overhead lights.

He takes a long drag on his cigar as he regards us, acting like he has all the time in the world.

My teeth grind together as I take in his easy demeanor.

He should be pissing himself right now but instead, a slight smirk tugs at his lips. “What can I do for you, gentlemen?”

Andre sits back on his chair. “We decided to give you a chance to have Tommaso call off the hit.”

For a moment, Alfonzo looks at us blankly before barking out a laugh, making the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

He shrugs. “I don’t know what you expect me to do. Tommaso won’t listen to me.”

Andre cocks his head. “That’s not our problem. You’re going to convince him to call it off, otherwise we’ll hold you accountable. ”

Alfonzo blows a ring of smoke into the air between us. “I wish I could, truly . But I’ve got no control over him. He’s out for blood and nothing is going to stop him.”

I don’t trust a single word coming out of this bastard’s mouth.

Alfonzo has always been a snake, only having loyalty to the side that might keep him alive, so why should this time be any different?

I lean forward, resting my elbows on my knees. “You see, Alfonzo, here’s where I call bullshit. You and Tommaso were thick as thieves just a few months ago, and now you’re telling me that suddenly you’ve got no pull with him? You really expect us to believe that he’s completely cut you out?”

Alfonzo’s smile fades slightly as he shifts in his seat, adjusting the thick gold watch on his wrist. “That’s exactly what I’m saying. He’s gone rogue.”

Andre lets out a slow breath, shaking his head. “You really expect us to buy this?”

Alfonzo’s mask slips. “I don’t give a fuck what you buy. I’m telling you the truth. Tommaso doesn’t answer to me anymore.”

Andre looks at me, and in that split second, we come to the same decision.

Alfonzo is useless to us.

I stand up, drawing my gun so quickly that Alfonzo barely has time to register what’s about to happen.

“Wait—” His eyes widen.

“Times up.” I pull the trigger.

I land the shot right between Alfonzo’s eyes.

His body jolts, his cigar dropping from his fingers and rolling to the floor before he slumps back in his chair.

Blood starts to drip down his forehead, his lifeless eyes staring back at me .

Andre exhales, rubbing a hand over his jaw. “Well, that was overdue.”

I shake my head, slipping my gun back into my pocket.

“He was never going to help us.”

“No, he wasn’t.” Andre gets to his feet and re-buttons his jacket.

I glance at my brother.

His lips are pressed into a thin line, his expression grim. “Now the real fun begins.”

“Sometimes, I really hate how much bastards like him underestimate us. Did he really think we were just going to shake hands and leave?”

“We can mull over it later, Marco. Right now, we have bigger things to worry about.”

He’s right.

Tommaso is the real threat. He has the balls to actually follow through on the hit against us.

I nod. “What now?”

“We call in Cillian’s help to find Tommaso, and we force him to call it off. Failing that, we put a bullet in his skull.”

I can’t deny it’s a solid plan.

As we cross the room toward the door, my phone buzzes in my pocket.

“Wait.” I hold up a hand.

Andre pauses, his brows pulled together in a deep frown as I pull out my phone.

There’s a message from an unknown number but from the sinking feeling in my stomach, I might already know who it is.

My gut twists as I swipe open the message.

Unknown

You think the girls are safe? Think again.

It’s the very same number that texted me after Zoe was left on Andre’s doorstep.

My pulse spikes but before I can react, another message comes through except this time, it’s a photo.

“Shit.” I look at the crystal-clear picture taken through the living room window of the cabin.

Clara is sitting on the couch with Zoe and Holly, completely oblivious to the threat that is right outside.

Andre frowns. “What is it?”

I turn my phone to show him, and his jaw tightens, his nostrils flaring as he takes in the image.

“That motherfucker.”

I immediately try calling Clara on the burner phone, but I’m met with nothing but the sound of a failed call.

Panic surges through me, white-hot and suffocating as I realize I can’t get through to her.

“It won’t connect.” I go to throw open the office door but before I can, Andre steps in front of me.

“We need to stay calm.” Andre places a hand on my shoulder.

“You’re fucking joking.”

“We don’t want to alert the guards to the fact we’ve just killed their boss. We can’t help the girls if we’re dead, so let’s just make it back to the car and then we can go from there.”

The urge to pull out my gun and open fire on every guard we pass on our way back to the car is almost too much.

My body is vibrating at the thought of some fucker being so close to the girls.

We’re over an hour away from the cabin, which means there is a high chance we might not get to them in time.

“Fucking move, Andre.”

My brother glares at me as we pass through the open gates.

I don’t know how he’s managing to look so calm despite the fact that his wife and child are perhaps moments from death.

“Keep your shit together.” He throws open the car door. “Get in.”

I barely register climbing into the passenger seat. I desperately try to call Clara again as Andre speeds away from Alfonzo’s estate, the tires screeching against the road, but there’s still no answer.

“Fuck!” I yell as the call fails yet again.

Andre’s knuckles are white as he grips the wheel. His expression is stone-cold, but I know him well enough to see the anger simmering underneath.

“We’ll get there in time.” His voice is low and determined.

We don’t have a choice. Not if we ever want to see our girls alive again.