Page 96 of Ruthless Secrets
“Clara?” Rosa calls from the living room. “I think Zoe’s hungry!”
“Oh, crap.” I wipe at my cheeks and plaster a smile on my face.
The last thing I want is to cry in front of Marco’s seventeen-year-old sister.
Though it seems my efforts were in vain as the moment I walk back into the living room, Rosa takes one look at me and frowns.
“Oh, no, what has my idiot brother done now?”
I sit back down on the mat and pull Zoe into my lap.
It seems nothing gets past this girl.
“Nothing, it’s just hormones,” I lie as I reach for the clip on my bra. “Sorry, do you mind? I can take her upstairs if you’re uncomfortable.”
Rosa waves her hand. “Don’t be silly. I got used to Lila whipping her tits out at every opportunity when Holly was born, so I’m immune to it.”
Rosa is quiet as I get Zoe situated.
When my daughter’s happily drinking, I run a hand over my face and let out a long sigh. “He’s shutting me out. I can feel it.”
“You’re overthinking this way too much.”
“How can I not? I mean, he put together the most romantic evening, and then I woke up to find him gone, and he barely evenlookedat me when he walked in the door. One minute he’s hot and the next he’s cold, and I just can’t—” My voice cracks as I look at Zoe.
This is what I was afraid of—that both of us would get attached just in time for Marco to get bored of playing the part of the doting father.
He can play with my heart all he wants, but I draw the line at him playing with Zoe’s.
“My brothers are often moody.Especiallywhen business isn't going their way. But they usually snap out of it pretty quickly.”
“I appreciate that you’re sticking up for Marco but?—”
“Oh, believe me, I’m not. What I’m trying to say is that they can get a little self-absorbed, thinking that they are the only ones who are stressed or who have shit going on. Often they just need someone to call them out on it, and they’ll come back down to earth.”
“He didn’t even want to see Zoe.”
“I doubt that. He probably doesn’t want to subject Zoe to his bad mood.”
“I guess…”
“This is what my brothers do. They push the people they love the most away because they think they’re protecting them. I’ve seen it happen countless times with Lila and Andre, and to give my eldest brother some credit, he has been a lot better.”
Despite what Rosa is saying, I can’t help but worry.
Relationships need communication in order to work. I don’t care if Marco is pushing me away in order to protect me. He doesn’t get to make that choice on my behalf. If this is going to work between us, he is going to have to start talking to me, whether he likes it or not.
“Don’t let Marco’s broody act put you off. He’s a big teddy bear underneath all that muscle.”
“I know…” I take Zoe off my nipple and put her over my shoulder to burp her.
“Anyway, do you know how long you’ll be staying here?”
I pull up my top. “I have no idea…”
I’m not sure how much Rosa knows about my situation, and I don’t want to stick my foot in it by telling her about the target on my back.
“I hope it’s for a while because you, me, and Lila can have so much fun together!”
