Page 31 of Ruthless Secrets
Clara has left by the time I head out into the main bar area with Andre.
I’m pissed that she was listening in to a conversation that was none of her business. But as much as I want to reprimand her for not leaving when I told her to, I also don’t want to lose her. Not when I’ve barely gotten a chance to get her back.
After I see Andre out, I head back into my office to load up Clara’s employee documents which lists her home address and contact details. I quickly add her to my contacts as well as program her address into my map before heading out.
It seems my business with Clara Peterson is not over for today, after all.
Clara’s apartmentis all the way in Midtown, which is a fairly decent commute on foot from Nox.
It makes me wonder why she even took this job. Her previous job was closer to where she lives, though I guess not as well-paying.
Is money her only reason to take it, or could it have something to do with me?
I’m curious to know the answer.
I park my Mercedes on the street outside her apartmentbuilding, not caring that I might get a ticket. I never need to pay them anyway.
The building is pretty nondescript with its red-bricked exterior and large rectangular windows. The neighborhood seems fairly quiet for a Wednesday evening, which I’m glad for.
I don’t like the idea of Clara coming home late at night as it is, but at least she’s not coming home to one of the rougher parts of the city.
Just as I’m heading up the front steps of Clara’s building, someone is coming out, so I quickly dart inside before the door has a chance to close me out.
There’s no elevator, so I take the stairs up to the third floor and find Clara’s apartment at the far end of the hall.
I take a steadying breath before wrapping my knuckles against the dark brown door.
At the sound of footsteps, my heart rate spikes, but I try to keep my expression neutral and my posture relaxed.
She’s going to be surprised to see me, but I hope it turns out to be a good surprise.
But when the door opens and Clara locks eyes with me, her complexion instantly pales.
Bad surprise it is.
“Marco? W-what are you doing here?”
She’s changed out of her work clothes into a pair of leggings and an oversized jumper. Her blonde hair is pulled back into a ponytail, and her face is free from makeup. She looks just as beautiful as she did when I saw her a few hours ago and yet, something is different about the look she’s giving me.
Gone is the soft pink blush on her cheeks or the slightly flirty bite of the lower lip she does when I look at her a little too long.
There’s something close to fear in her eyes, which is exactly what I was afraid of.
“I need to talk to you. Can I come in?”
She glances anxiously over her shoulder and adjusts her body so I can’t see past her into the apartment.
“I, uh…I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Fuck. She definitely overheard my conversation with Andre. There’s no other explanation for why she’s being so standoffish toward me.
“Clara, please let me explain.”
The sound of a baby crying suddenly filters out of Clara’s apartment, and I instantly tense.
“You have a baby?”
The last of the color in Clara’s face drains as she looks up at me with such sadness in her eyes. “Yeah.”
