Page 3 of The Mafia's Second Shot

“You should’ve told her everything back then,” Marco says, his voice laced with judgment. It’s not the first time he’s said it, and it won’t be the last.

“I know,” I snap, rubbing a hand over my face. “You think I don’t know that?”

“You’re the one who wanted to keep her out of this life,” he reminds me, his tone neutral but cutting. “But now she’s in it, whether you like it or not.”

I stand, pushing away from the desk, and pace to the window. The city below is alive, buzzing with lights and noise, but it feels distant. Empty. I can’t stop thinking about the way Zoey looked at me tonight—angry, yes, but also scared. Vulnerable. She’s always been strong, unshakable even when the world threw its worst at her. Seeing her like that? It wrecked me.

“She’s not going to trust me,” I say, more to myself than Marco. “Not after... everything.”

Marco doesn’t respond immediately. When he does, his voice is low, deliberate. “She doesn’t have to trust you. She just has to stay alive.”

His words hit harder than I want to admit. He’s right, of course. Zoey’s safety is the only thing that matters right now, even if it means forcing her into a corner she doesn’t want to be in.

But the thought of her hating me even more than she already does? It’s like a knife twisting in my gut.

“What do you suggest?” I ask, turning to face him.

“Surveillance,” Marco says without hesitation. “We can keep an eye on her without her knowing. Make sure she’s protected.”

I shake my head. “No. She’d figure it out. And when she does, she’ll never forgive me.”

Marco raises an eyebrow. “And you think she’s going to forgive you for dragging her into this mess?”

I don’t answer, because we both know the answer is no. Zoey’s forgiveness isn’t something I deserve, and it’s not something I’m going to get. But I can live without that if it means keeping her safe. Barely.

“I’ll talk to her,” I say finally, the words heavy on my tongue. “Face to face.”

Marco snorts. “Because that went so well tonight.”

“This time, I’ll tell her everything,” I say, ignoring his sarcasm. “She needs to understand how serious this is.”

“And if she doesn’t listen?”

“She will.” My tone is firmer than I feel. “She has to.”

Marco studies me for a moment before nodding. “I’ll have the men ready, just in case. You know Rosetti won’t stop.”

I nod, but I don’t say what I’m thinking—that I know exactly how far Rosetti will go. He’s already proven he doesn’t give a damn about collateral damage, and Zoey? She’s just another pawn in his eyes. But to me? She’s everything.

Marco leaves, and I sink back into my chair, the weight of the situation pressing down on me like a lead blanket. I rub my temples, willing the throbbing in my head to subside, butit’s no use. The memories keep coming back, unbidden and unforgiving.

Zoey, smiling at me like I was her whole world. Zoey, screaming at me when she found out the truth. Zoey, walking away and never looking back.

I failed her then. I can’t fail her now.

The phone on my desk buzzes, jolting me out of my thoughts. I grab it, my stomach tightening when I see the message. It’s from one of my informants, a man who owes me more favors than I care to count.

“Rosetti’s people are talking. Zoey’s name just came up. They’re moving on her soon.”

The words send a chill through me, colder than the whiskey I’ve been nursing all night. Zoey’s name. On their lips. On their list.

I clench my jaw, the glass in my hand cracking under the force of my grip. It doesn’t matter how angry she is, how much she hates me—I’m not letting Rosetti or anyone else get to her.

Not again.

I stand, already reaching for my jacket. Time’s up. I need to make her understand, and I need to do it now.

3

---