Page 82 of Ruthless Secrets
Her eyes meet mine between mouthfuls. “Can I come to work with you tomorrow?”
“Clara—”
“You did hire me as your manager, remember? You’re paying me to do a job that I’m not doing, and I don’t want to end up being a bad business investment.”
I fold my arms across my chest. “You could never be a bad investment. So don’t worry about that.”
“Well, I do feel like one.” She pushed her food around her plate as a crease forms between her eyebrows. “I like to feel…useful.”
“You’re doing plenty just by taking care of Zoe.”
“That’s not what I mean. Besides, I just want to get out of the house. I never thought I would feel cooped up in a place as massive as this, but I do.”
I had thought the sewing would buy me a little more time, but it looks like I was wrong.
“I would love for you to come to work with me…”
“But?”
“But I can’t risk it. Not when I know Alfonzo is targeting me.”
Clara sighs before setting her fork down. She is all too familiar with the threat that Alfonzo poses, and she would be smart to stay away from Nox. But she is also stubborn, and I have a feeling she’s not going to let this go.
“I miss my friends. Or rather, my one friend.”
“I know.”
Keeping Clara here is for her own good, but that doesn’t mean I don’t feel guilty for isolating her.
She had a whole life before I turned up and ripped it out from beneath her, and she has let me do so with minimal complaints.
I frown as a thought hits me.
Maybe Clara can’t go into the city to see her friend, but perhaps I could bring Sam out here to visit.
“Why don’t you invite Sam over here?”
“Really?”
As much as I want to keep her all to myself, it would also be good for her to be around other people.
“Sure, why not? I can have Jax go and collect her so I’ll know she’ll be protected, and the two of you can hang out here. I know it’s not ideal, but?—”
“It’s perfect!”
One minute, Clara is sitting at her sewing table, and thenext, she’s climbing into my lap and throwing her arms around my neck.
“Thank you, Marco.” She kisses me.
“You don’t need to thank me,” I say against her lips as I rub my hands over her bare thighs. “I want to make you happy.”
“I am happy.” She trails her fingers along my jaw.
“Good,” I kiss her once more. “And I’m excited to meet your friend.”
Clara laughs. “She’s a force to be reckoned with, that’s for sure.”
“Is that your way of saying that she won’t like me?”
