Page 35 of The Mafia's Second Shot

“Rossi’s men are still looking,” Marco replies. “They’ve been asking around near the city, but no one’s given them anything solid yet.”

“Yet,” I echo, the word tasting bitter on my tongue. “How much longer do you think we have?”

“It’s hard to say,” he admits. “They’re not being subtle, though. If they keep pressing, it’s only a matter of time before someone talks.”

I grip the edge of the counter, my knuckles turning white. “Keep me updated. And double-check the security around the scattered factions. I don’t want anyone slipping through.”

“Already on it,” Marco says. He hesitates before adding, “Cooper... be careful.”

“I always am,” I reply, ending the call.

But the truth is, I don’t feel careful. I feel exposed. Vulnerable. The idea of Rossi’s men finding us—finding Zoey—makes my stomach churn. I can’t let that happen. Not again.

When I turn around,Zoey is standing in the doorway, her hair tousled and her arms crossed. She looks at me, her expression a mix of curiosity and concern.

“Everything okay?” she asks.

“Yeah,” I lie, setting the phone down. “Just checking in with Marco.”

She raises an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. “And?”

“And Rossi’s men are still looking,” I admit, exhaling sharply. “But they haven’t found anything yet.”

Zoey steps into the kitchen, grabbing a mug and pouring herself some coffee. She moves with a calmness that surprises me, but I can see the tension in her shoulders.

“How much longer do you think we’ll be safe here?” she asks, her voice quiet.

“I don’t know,” I say honestly. “But we’re as secure as we can be for now.”

She nods, taking a sip of her coffee. “And after that? What happens next?”

I lean against the counter, crossing my arms. “We’ll figure it out. One step at a time.”

“That’s not an answer, Cooper,” she says, her tone sharper now. “I need to know what your plan is. For us.”

Her words hit like a punch to the gut, and I feel my defenses rising instinctively. “My plan is to keep you safe,” I say firmly. “That’s all that matters.”

“And what about you?” she presses. “What happens if keeping me safe puts you in danger? What happens if?—”

“I’m not going anywhere,” I interrupt, my voice hard. “As long as you’re with me, I’ll do whatever it takes.”

Zoey sets her mug down, her hands trembling slightly. “You keep saying that, but it’s not enough, Cooper. I can’t live like this—always looking over my shoulder, always wondering when the next threat is coming.”

I rub a hand over my face, the weight of her words pressing down on me. “You think I don’t feel the same way? Every day I ask myself if I’ve made the right choices. If I’ve done enough to protect you. If I’ve done enough to deserve you.”

Her expression softens, and she steps closer, her hand resting lightly on my arm. “This isn’t just about protecting me,” she says gently. “This is about us. About whether we can survive this together.”

The tensionin the room shifts, the raw vulnerability between us cutting through the fear. I reach for her hand, threading my fingers through hers, and pull her closer.

“I don’t want to lose you,” I admit, my voice barely above a whisper. “Not again.”

“You won’t,” she says, her eyes searching mine. “But you have to let me help. You have to let me face this with you.”

Her words stir something deep inside me—a mix of fear and hope. I’ve spent so long trying to shield her from the worst parts of my life, but maybe she’s right. Maybe it’s not about keeping her out. Maybe it’s about facing it together.

“I don’t know how to do this,” I say honestly. “I’ve spent so long protecting people, I don’t know how to let them protect me.”

Zoey smiles faintly, her hand squeezing mine. “Then we’ll figure it out together.”

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