Page 39 of Ruthless Secrets
I stroke her hair. “Everything’s going to be okay.”
I’m not sure if she believes me. Hell, I’m not even sureIbelieve me, but I can’t let my emotions run away with me.
If my assumptions are correct and Alfonzo is the man behind this, then I need to keep my cool.
Alfonzo Rossi is a very smart man, but unlucky for him, I’m smarter.
Clara pulls herself out of my hold, wiping at her eyes. “We need to call the police.”
“That’s not a good idea. I will handle this.”
“How the hell are you going to handle this? Some psycho took my baby, and you want to go after them?”
“They haveourbaby.”
“Is that really what is important right now?”
I run a hand over my face as I try to put a lid on my anger.
Clara’s right. As pissed off as I am at her, what’s important right now is getting Zoe back. Only when that is done will Clara and I sit down and talk through everything properly.
“What if something has happened to her? What if she’s…” Clara’s face crumples.
“Clara, look at me.” I take her face in my hands and gently wipe the tears rolling down her pink cheeks with my thumbs. “I promise you that I won’t let anyone hurt Zoe, okay?”
Her lower lip trembles, but she nods.
“I need you to breathe.” I inhale deeply, not breaking eye contact with her.
Her lashes are all wet and stuck together, and her eyes are all puffy.
She’s hurting so bad, and it’s for reasons like this that I haven’t ever gotten close to a woman since Melanie.
My world is dark and dangerous, and it’s unfair to bring another person into that without giving them a choice.
I took that very choice away from Clara the night we slept together, and now all I can hope for is that our daughter doesn’t pay the ultimate price.
“I’m going to have Levi come here to keep an eye on you.” I quickly type out a message on my phone to him.
I need to call a meeting with Andre, but I can’t do that until I know Clara is taken care of, and there’s no way in hell I’m leaving her here unprotected.
Clara’s eyes are wide when she turns them to me. “Where are you going?”
“To find Zoe.”
“I’m coming with you.”
“No, you’re not.”
“If you think I’m going to sit around here while some psycho has my bab?—”
“I can’t risk your life too. Zoe will need her mother.”
It seems my words hit the mark as Clara’s shoulders slump, and she nods.
“I promise you that I won’t rest until our daughter is found.”
It feels strange saying the words out loud, but that’s whatZoe is. She’s our daughter, and right now she’s in the hands of one of my family’s most dangerous enemies.
