Page 97 of Ruthless Vengeance
Cillian’s face flashes through my mind, and anger starts to simmer once more in my veins.
The way he spoke about those women with a fucking smile on his face makes me sick, and I can’t help but imagine Zoe getting caught in the crosshairs of a world like his.
The thought of someone like Cillian ever getting close enough to touch my daughter…
I can barely even stand to think about it.
But one thing I know for sure is that I would rather die before I let anything like that happen to her.
I stroke Zoe’s hair. “I’ve got you, baby. Daddy will do anything to keep you safe.”
I wish I could keep my girls locked away in this house forever, but I know that’s not possible. At some point, Clara is going to start her studies at the Fashion Institute, and Zoe will be in kindergarten.
I want them to live full lives and chase their dreams. But in order for them to be able to do that, I need to take care of the threat that is Cillian Moore.
As Zoe finishes her bottle, I pull my phone out of my pocket with my free hand and start making a list of any contacts I could call upon to help and any weaknesses that come to mind.
If I’m going to take Cillian down, I need to be ruthless but also smart. He’s likely already considered the possibility that I will betray him, which means I need to be prepared for one hell of a fight.
Because this isn’t just about power or revenge anymore.
This is about protecting what’s mine.
Chapter Twenty-Five
CLARA
Marco’ssoft voice comes through the monitor as he sings to Zoe, and it’s so sweet that my heart feels like it’s going to explode.
I climb out of bed and head next door, but I pause in the open doorway when I spy Marco sitting in the rocking chair, cuddling Zoe against him. Her tiny body is nestled into his chest, a bottle long gone in her hand, as she sleeps soundly in Marco’s arms.
If this isn’t the most beautiful, heart-melting thing I’ve ever seen, then I don’t know what is.
Tears prick the corners of my eyes as I lean against the doorframe, watching the two of them.
There’s something so tender in his expression as he looks at our daughter, as if he can’t quite believe that he gets to be her dad. That he gets to love this little girl with every fiber of his being.
And it makes me love him even more.
Without even thinking, my hand slides down to my stomach, resting over the place where a brand-new life is quietly growing inside me.
I know in my heart that Marco is going to be overjoyed at the idea of having another child. Everything he missed with Zoe, the first time she kicked or the first ultrasound when I could hear her heartbeat, he’ll get to experience it all with this baby, and it will be wonderful to share those experiences with him this time around.
I clear my throat softly, making my presence known, and Marco glances up and gives me a smile.
“Hey, I thought you were asleep,” he says softly so as not to wake Zoe.
“I was, but I heard Zoe on the monitor, and I came to check…” My eyes flick down to our daughter. “You’re amazing with her, you know that?”
Marco’s smile widens as he brushes a curl from Zoe’s forehead.
“She’s been asleep for a while now, but I just can’t bring myself to put her back in the crib yet.”
He looks back at me, and there’s a rawness in his eyes, something that makes my heart swell and ache all at once.
“We made this,” he murmurs, like it still surprises him.
“We sure did.” I take a slow step into the room.
