Page 50 of Ruthless Secrets
Andre’s eyes light up as he swirls his drink around.
“You know what? I know just the person to reach out to.”
I stayin Andre’s office even after he and Jax have left. I want to give Clara and Zoe a little more time to themselves.
Lila has set them up in one of the guest rooms on the far side of the house so they can have some privacy, though not too much, seeing as I’ve taken up residence in the room next door.
When it’s nearing midnight, I leave Andre’s office after making a significant dent in his bourbon supply and head down the hall to Clara’s room.
It’s quiet inside, so she might be asleep, but I knock softly on the door regardless. “Clara, it’s me. Can we talk?”
There are footsteps on the other side and then the door opens.
Clara has changed into a pair of pajamas, and her cheeks are damp with fresh tears.
I almost reach out and pull her into a hug, but then I remember all the shit that went down in the car, and I shove my hands into my pockets instead.
“Hey. We should talk.”
She nods before stepping aside and letting me in.
I look around the room and breathe a sigh of relief when I spot Zoe sleeping soundly in the porta crib that Lila set up for her. I cross over to it and look down at her peaceful face. “She’s so beautiful.”
I still can’t believe she’s real.
This might have been the night from hell, but one good thing to come out of it is having the chance to meet my daughter. That is a memory I will cherish for the rest of my life.
I turn around to find Clara perched on the edge of the bed, crying softly as she watches Zoe.
“I was so scared. She’s all I have.”
I cross over to the bed and take a seat beside her.
“I swear to you, on my life, that I won’t ever let anything happen to our daughter.”
Clara’s throat bobs as she looks at me.
“Are you still angry with me for keeping her a secret?”
After tonight, I’m not sure if it’s fair to be angry with Clara, and I simply don’t have the energy to fight.
“What’s done is done.” I reach for her hand and give it a reassuring squeeze. “I suggest we just focus on the future.”
Chapter Twelve
CLARA
I wakeup drenched in sweat with my heart pounding in my chest as I gasp for air. But I don’t wait to try and catch my breath. I’m out of bed in an instant and rushing over to the porta crib where Zoe is sleeping soundly, cuddled up with her pink bunny.
She’s safe.
I sink to the floor beside the crib to watch my daughter as she sleeps, so blissfully unaware of the dangers that lie outside of these four walls.
Marco is in the room next door, which I find oddly comforting. It’s nice to know he’s nearby, and that I’m not completely alone.
I was sure he was going to put up a fight and insist on staying in the room with Zoe and me, but I’m glad he didn’t. I think it’s best that we keep a safe distance from each other while we try to navigate our new situation.
The sun is starting to stream through the windows, which means it’s close to morning. I must have fallen asleep for a few hours, which is surprising. Though any sleep I did get washaunted by the phantom sounds of gunshots, and I think it will be for a while yet.
