Page 7 of Ruthless Secrets (Alpha Mafia Daddies #6)

Chapter Six

CLARA

I knew that there was going to be a catch when I accepted this job at Nox. I just didn’t expect the catch to be that my new boss is also the father of my child—a child that he has no idea about.

I’m meant to start work in an hour, and I’m so nervous I could be sick at any moment. I sort of wish my old boss wasn’t so understanding of my circumstances and forced me to work a notice period. But instead, Liv was more than happy to step up to replace me, so they let me go early.

I should be grateful, but right now, as I look at Zoe rolling around on her playmat I feel nothing but dread.

What is Marco doing?

The sex we had that night at the Plaza was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. Granted my only experience was Adam, so there wasn’t much competition, but still.

Even though I woke up to an empty bed the morning after, I half expected the guy to track me down. But maybe I was wrong. Maybe the sex wasn’t that good for him, which is why he didn’t call .

So, why track me down now? Does he know about Zoe, is that it?

The thought has me breaking out in a cold sweat as I look into my daughter’s brown eyes. His brown eyes.

Marco admitted himself that hiring me was no coincidence. That when he learned who I really was, it made him want me even more.

Whatever game Marco De Luca is playing, I need to watch my back because it’s not just my heart on the line now. It’s Zoe’s too.

“Five more minutes, baby girl, and then we have to go to Auntie Sam’s.”

Zoe attempts to pull herself up onto her knees. She’s so close to crawling, and I dread the day that I pick her up from Sam’s or daycare and learn that I’ve missed another first.

Anxiety floods my stomach as I think of spending the day with Marco.

He’s incredibly intimidating with his broad frame and piercing dark eyes.

I don’t remember him being so intimidating but then again, I was drunk the last and only other time we met.

If we’re going to be spending a lot of time together, he’s going to find out the truth about Zoe eventually, and I’m terrified of his reaction.

He’ll be so angry that I made no effort to find him.

I realize that it’s selfish on my part for keeping him out of Zoe’s life but in my defense, I had no idea who he was and no way to contact him.

Where would I even start looking for a man who I had met at a bar and brought to my honeymoon suite for a night?

No names were said, no numbers exchanged.

And it’s not like I could afford a PI to look for a ghost.

Besides, what if he bailed on her like he did on me that night ?

I know all too well what it’s like to have a father walk out on your family, and I should be enough for Zoe. Right?

Before I get ready to leave, I make sure to change the wallpaper on my phone from a picture of Zoe to one of the preset pictures in case Marco happens to catch sight of it. There’s no denying that if he saw Zoe, he would know she was his, and I need to protect my daughter.

I’m not exactly sure what the De Lucas are involved in, but one thing I do know is that it’s not always legal.

Marco is the last guy I should be getting caught up with, but I guess I don’t have much of a choice when my daughter shares half of his DNA.

Thankfully, Zoe falls asleep in the stroller on the walk over to Sam’s apartment.

After Sam comes down to help carry her inside, I quickly unpack Zoe’s things and set some bottles of milk in the fridge for her to have when she wakes up.

“How are you feeling?” Sam appears in the doorway to the kitchen.

I shut the fridge. “Nervous.”

“I still can’t believe Marco is your boss. And after what you told me last night about what happened between the two of you and the fact that he is Zoe’s dad… I mean, this can’t be a coincidence.”

“Do you think he knows about Zoe?” The question has been playing on repeat in my mind all night, and I can’t decide if I’m better off not knowing the answer.

Sam shrugs.

“Maybe… But even if he doesn’t, I think there’s more to this situation than Marco is letting on. You need to be careful, Clara. ”

“I know.” I sigh.

Sam’s warning echoes in my mind as I arrive at Nox.

Once again, the place looks closed and there’s no lights on, but Marco assured me that he would be there to let me in, so I knock on the door and try to fight the urge to throw up.

When the door eventually opens and he appears, my entire body breaks out in goosebumps.

“You’re early,” he says in that rich voice of his.

He’s wearing charcoal-colored slacks today with a white shirt that is rolled up at the elbows to expose his powerful forearms.

I can’t believe that I slept with this man. I still replay that night over and over in my mind. What it was like to have his weight on top of me, to hear his groans of pleasure as he moved inside me?—

“I was always told that if you’re on time, you’re late, and if you’re early, you’re on time.”

Shut up, Clara.

“That’s very good advice.” He steps aside to let me in.

My cheeks burn, so I quickly untuck my hair so it can fall in front of my face.

I swear every time he looks at me, I blush like a teenager with a crush.

I’m a twenty-four-year-old woman with a child, for Christ’s sake. I need to get my shit together.

“Can I get you a drink? Coffee? Water? Something stronger?”

I shake my head. “No, I'm fine, thanks.”

My mouth is bone dry, and I seem to have forgotten how to speak, so we walk in silence across the main floor.

“I thought we could go to my office to get all of the paperwork out of the way and then I can go through all of your responsibilities.”

All I seem to be able to do is nod .

I can feel Marco’s eyes on me, but he doesn’t say anything as he holds open the door that is just off the bar, and I follow behind him along a narrow corridor.

“These two closets are for storage, extra towels, and what not, and then my office is through here.”

Still, I say nothing. How can I when all I can focus on is how good his ass looks in those pants?

He punches in the code on the door, and the sound of it unlocking snaps me back to the present.

I follow Marco inside and try not to balk at the sight of his luxurious office.

The color scheme of Nox continues into his office, with its black walls and black leather furniture.

A fully stocked drinks cart sits beside the couch at one end of the room and at the other is a large black desk with chairs on either side.

The dark emerald rug is the only color in the room, and I feel as if I’m walking into a very expensive dungeon.

“Do you like it?”

I jump at the sound of Marco’s voice.

He’s standing behind me as I stare around the room. He’s so close that I can smell his expensive cologne. The very one he wore that night…

You have a daughter!

The words are on the tip of my tongue as I stare around the room.

It’s apparent that Marco has money, and lots of it. It would be in Zoe’s interest to tell Marco the truth, but the thought of him only throwing money at her rather than wanting a relationship has me keeping my mouth shut.

I would rather struggle for money than risk Marco breaking Zoe’s heart.

“It’s impressive.”

Marco chuckles, and I cringe .

Maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad idea to have a shot of tequila to take the edge off.

I cross over to the desk just to put some distance between us and take a seat. It’s like my body is in tune to his every move. Even when I can’t see him, I can feel his presence like a shadow passing over me.

I keep my eyes lowered as Marco walks around the desk, but when he doesn’t take a seat, I glance up at him and frown.

“Come and take a seat here.” He pats the back of his chair.

I blink, but I do as he says.

As I stand, I make sure to run my hands over my black skirt to smooth out any wrinkles and when I look up, I catch Marco staring.

I was told to wear a white shirt and black skirt, nothing out of the ordinary or particularly eye-catching. But ever since having Zoe, my breasts have almost doubled in size and that’s not the only thing to have gotten bigger.

I tried my best to find something a little less tight fitting, but most of my clothes are from my pre pregnancy era, and I didn’t exactly have a lot of notice to go shopping.

I was feeling self-conscious when I was getting dressed this morning but given the look that Marco is currently giving me, I’m suddenly feeling a lot better.

My breath catches as his eyes flick to my chest, but then he blinks, and the moment passes.

How the hell are we meant to work together? It’s clear that there is this weird connection between us, regardless of Zoe, but somehow we just have to ignore it? Is that the plan here?

My sudden lack of sex over the past fifteen months is making itself known as I walk around the desk and take a seat in Marco’s chair where I’m instantly engulfed by the smell of his cologne .

I take a deep breath and try not to moan as the scent instantly transports me back to that night at the Plaza. I have to squeeze my thighs together, but it does little to relieve the ache that is starting to build between them.

Being pregnant and single was hard, and the last thing on my mind was dating.

Then Zoe came along and well, having a baby doesn’t exactly leave you with a lot of time to date.

So, my one night with Marco was the last time I slept with anyone, and I’m starting to find climbing into bed alone night after night incredibly lonely.

“Let’s get you all set up with a staff login,” Marco says.

I freeze as he leans over me and reaches for the mouse.

“This is needed to access the tablets and tills behind the bar.”

“O-okay.”

I catch the muscles in his forearms flexing as he fires up the computer.

He has to be doing this on purpose. Surely, he knows the effect he’s having on me, considering the fact that my face turns a bright shade of red every time he looks at me.

In what universe did I think this was a good idea?

The moment I realized who Marco was, I should have turned down the job.

But it’s too late to walk away now. If I did, it would only raise questions that I’m not sure I can answer. Besides, no other hospitality job in the city is going to offer me a salary that is even close to what Marco is paying me.

I have to remember that I’m doing this for Zoe and her future.

I’m hit with a wave of guilt as I sneak a look at Marco, whose dark eyes are focused on the screen.

He deserves to have the chance to bond with his daughter, and I’m standing in the way of that .

I need to tell him, and the longer I wait, the angrier he’ll be.

I just have to hope that he can find a way to forgive me from keeping his daughter from him all this time.