Page 107 of Ruthless Secrets
“Seriously! You’re kicking us out?”
“What? No, I’m not kicking you out.Fuck.” I wipe a hand over my face. “That’s not what I meant?—”
“You’re unbelievable, Marco.” She starts tidying up the boxes of ribbons and scrap material that are stacked up on her table. “I can’t believe I fell for your act.”
My act?
“What are you talking about?”
“Don’t play dumb, you’re better than that. Or maybe you’re not because I don’t even know who you are.”
I really don’t have time to be having this conversation right now.
“Clara, please.” I reach for her arm.
She snatches her arm away, glaring at me with something close to hatred in her eyes. “Don’t you dare touch me.”
I’m losing her.
“Clara…” My voice cracks, but she doesn’t seem to notice. “Please, we can’t do this now. You and Zoe…you’re not safe here. We need to leave now while it’s dark so it’s easier to spot if we’re being followed.”
Clara shakes her head.
“I’m not going anywhere until you talk to me.”
“Did you not hear me? Your life is indanger! This is hardly the time to talk?—”
“There’snevera right time to talk to you lately!” She throws her hands up in the air. “I cook you dinner to try to cheer you up, I give you space, I ask about your day, but you’re not interested, Marco. Quite frankly, if this is how you are when things get tough, then I think Zoe and I are better off being by ourselves.”
I run a hand over my face as I try to take a steadying breath.
Clara has every reason to hate me. After how I’ve acted, I deserve to have her walk away from me and never look back. But she can’t do that if she’s dead.
He’s offering a million-dollar reward for every bodydelivered to him.
“They’re coming! Tommaso and Alfonzo have put out a hit on every member of my family, and if I don’t get all of you out of this house rightnow, then you’re all going to die.”
I snap my mouth shut as the color drains from Clara’s face. I didn’t mean to tell her the whole truth, but she wasn’t giving me much of a choice.
“Fuck, I didn’t mean to scare you… But I really need you to listen to me.”
Clara’s throat bobs as she looks at me.
“You need to talk to me right now, Marco. Otherwise, I swear I will take Zoe and walk out of here, and you willneversee us again.”
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?”
