Page 77 of Ruthless Secrets
“Me too, though one thing’s for sure is that the De Luca men put family ahead of everything. It’s reassuring to know that they would do anything to protect our children.”
I want to agree, but I can’t help but fear at what cost.
Lila stacks the dirty dishes in the dishwasher. “So, are you and Marco like an official couple?”
“Oh, uh…”
“Only because I’ve never seen him so invested in a girl before. He really likes you.”
I can’t stop my cheeks from heating. “I don’t really know what we are.”
Just like I’m not sure why I didn’t tell Marco about Ben this morning when he asked about my siblings. If we’re really going to attempt to make a relationship work, we need to be honest but for some reason, I found myself lying.
I mean, it might as well be true due to the fact I haven’t seen Ben in over a decade. There’s been a few times over the years where I’ve thought about reaching out, but my brother always brings with him a level of drama I don’t want in my life,especiallynow that I have Zoe.
“Do you want to be a couple?”
I never get a chance to answer her question as the sound of the front door slamming shut has me running out the kitchen. “Marco? Marco!”
I almost fall to my knees when I catch sight of Marco standing in the foyer. But when he turns around to face me, I let out a gasp.
“Oh, my god, what happened?” I take in the blood all over his shirt and his bloody and bruised knuckles.
“I’m fine, Clara.” He offers me that smile that under normal circumstances would make me melt but right now only makes me feel more uneasy. “I just needed to take care of something.”
“Something or someone?” I press as I fold my arms over my chest.
Marco raises his eyebrows at me.
“Do you really want the answer to that?”
When I don’t answer he lets out a long sigh.
“I need to shower. I won’t be long, I promise.”
I stand frozen at the bottom of the staircase as Marco disappears upstairs. I know I should be afraid of this darker side of him, but I’m not. In fact, it’s the opposite.
Maybe my judgment has been clouded by what happened between us last night, but I’m so desperate for more.
I had convinced myself that the first night with Marco after my failure of a wedding was a fluke. Considering the fact that I was drunk and heartbroken, I didn’t think it would take much to make me feel slightly better. But last night proved that it was anything but a one-time performance.
Marco definitely knows his way around the female body, and I’m eager to show him my own set of skills.
I start making my way up the stairs before my confidence decides to disappear.
Marco is already in the shower by the time I enter his room.
My heart is racing in my chest as I strip out of my clothes, leaving them in a pile of the floor by the bed, and pad into the bathroom.
It’s already filled with so much steam that all I can make out is the outline of Marco’s body through the glass.
His head is hung low and his hand is braced against the wall. He looks lost in his thoughts, and not in a good way.
Marco’s shower is more like a wet room, so I easily sneak inside without him noticing. It’s not until I wrap my arms around his waist and press my naked body against him that he realizes I’m here.
He groans. “Clara…”
“I’m here.” I kiss the skin between his shoulder blades. “I’m not going anywhere.”
