Ruthless Vengeance (Alpha Mafia Daddies #7)

1. Clara

Chapter One

CLARA

I can’t breathe.

Somehow, my brother is standing in the doorway of my cell when he is supposed to be in prison.

His hands are stuffed into his pockets, the dim light from the hall casting his body in shadow. But it’s him.

“Ben,” I whisper, not quite believing that he’s real.

Ben steps into the room, and as the light slowly reveals his face to me, my blood turns cold in my veins.

It’s been years since I last saw him, and yet somehow, he still looks exactly the same, except for his sandy-blond hair, which has been cropped short, almost to the skin.

He even wears the same smirk on his lips that has my skin breaking out in goosebumps as he takes in the sight of my half-naked body, curled up and trembling on the old, stained mattress.

I think back to the incoming call I received just before Marco brought Zoe and me to Alio’s cabin.

Was it Ben calling to say he was getting released early? Or was it for another reason?

I guess I’m about to find out.

“What the hell are you doing here?” My voice is hoarse, barely above a whisper, though that might have something to do with the lack of water I’ve had over however long I’ve been locked up in this cell for.

“Nice to see you too, sis.” His voice is colder than I remember.

I stiffen, my nails digging into my palms as I force myself to stay seated on the edge of the mattress.

I don’t trust myself not to lunge for him, and that will only end badly for me.

Even after all these years, I still haven’t forgiven him for what he did to our mother, and I’m not sure I ever will.

Ben tilts his head, an amused expression on his face, as he leans in the doorway to my room.

“You’re supposed to be in prison.”

Ben shrugs before pushing off the doorframe and stepping further into the room, his boots scuffing against the dirty floor.

“Yeah, well…I got out.”

I frown.

I might have refused to attend Ben’s sentencing in person, but I made sure to look up his parole information for when he eventually did get released. I wanted to be prepared for the reality that he might track me down once he got out, so I know that he had at least another decade to serve inside.

“Got out?” My heart hammers in my chest. “H-how?”

None of this is making sense.

“You should be grateful. This place is three times the size of the cell I was kept in.”

His green eyes flick to mine, and my breath catches when there is nothing but pure, undiluted loathing in them.

“What the hell is going on, Ben?” My palms start to sweat.

“I escaped.” Ben shrugs once again as he tucks his hands into his pockets. “I’m surprised you didn’t see it on the news.”

He escaped?

I almost laugh at how insane he sounds.

Inmates don’t just escape from prison, not unless they have help from people on the outside…

The realization hits me like a ton of bricks.

I have to swallow down the bile that burns my throat as I consider the fact that my brother could be working for the man who is keeping me imprisoned, who kidnapped Zoe .

Ben takes another step toward me, and I crawl back onto the mattress.

My brother has always been intimidating, with his tall frame and muscular build, but it seems he’s put on a large amount of muscle while in prison.

His eyes glint. “Or that no one bothered to warn you.”

Warn me .

A chill runs down my spine as I think of the phone call from the penitentiary. Could I somehow have prevented all of this from happening if I had just had the nerve to answer the damn phone? The thought has a sob building in my throat as I think of Marco and Zoe.

All this time, I was worried about getting caught up with Marco’s family when it was mine that was the threat all along.

How could I have been so blind?

My eyes flick to the open door, and then back to Ben.

Even if I was fast enough to get past him, I have no doubt that there will be someone a lot more terrifying waiting for me on the other side.

Even with an escape route in sight, I’m more trapped than ever.

“You’re clearly not here to help me, so what do you want?”

Ben strolls over to the far wall and drags his finger across the peeling paint.

I can’t help but notice a few stark white scars etched into the skin of his hands.

“Let’s just say I’m repaying a debt.”

I swallow hard.

What the hell has Ben gotten himself into?

“Are you working with these men?”

Ben doesn’t bother answering, so I don’t press for more details, knowing that whatever comes out of his mouth will likely be a lie.

I watch him as he continues to trace lines along the wall, my chest aching with an old pain I thought I buried years ago.

Somehow, he has aged decades while simultaneously holding on to some of his boyish youth.

When memories creep into my mind, and I think of my brother, that’s how I think of him—young and carefree, not yet hardened by the world.

I used to wonder if things would be different once he got out of prison, if losing so many precious years to a jail cell would change him for the better. But as I look at my brother now, at the cold rage in his eyes, I realize that was nothing more than wishful thinking.

He’s changed, yes, but for the worse.

“Whatever you’re caught up in, Ben, I promise there is another way out. You don’t need to do this?—”

“It doesn’t work like that Clara.”

“You don’t know that. If you just let me, I could help you.”

“Help me.” He scoffs. “That’s rich, coming from you.”

My lower lip trembles as I fight back tears.

He and I both know that there’s no truth in my words, but all I can see in my mind as I plead with my brother is Marco and Zoe. Every second that passes, they slip through my fingers.

“So, family means nothing to you?” My desperation claws at my words.

Ben could be my way out of here. If he could just get a message to Marco, warn him of what is happening, there is a chance we could all come out of this alive.

Ben lets out a humorless laugh, as if he can read my thoughts. “You say that like it means something to you?”

I grind my teeth together.

Family means everything to me, but he lost his place in mine a long time ago.

I made it perfectly clear to Ben all those years ago that I wanted nothing to do with him. Every call, every letter, went ignored. He might have thought me cold and heartless, but I had to protect myself. After all, once mom died, I was on my own.

But that doesn’t mean I wanted Ben dead, which is exactly what is going to happen to me if he doesn’t get me out of here.

“You know Tommaso’s going to kill me. Is that what you want, Ben? For me to die in this place?”

Ben’s smirk fades as he shakes his head, his gaze lowering to the floor as a crease forms between his eyebrows.

“You’ve got it all wrong, Clara. Tommaso promised me that no harm would come to you.”

A hysterical laugh escapes my lips. “You actually believe that?”

Ben’s eyes snap to mine. “Yes. All he wants is Marco.”

“No.” My blood turns cold.

His name sends a stab of pain through my chest.

I squeeze my eyes shut for a second, trying to breathe past it, but I can’t. If anything happens to him…

“Please, Ben…” My voice cracks. “You have to stop him.”

“Why? Surely, it’s enough that I’m making sure you get out of this alive? Which is a lot more than you deserve, by the way.”

I flinch at my brother’s words. “You don’t mean that.”

“Don’t I?” Ben’s eyes turn ice-cold. “You couldn’t wait to cut me out of your life.”

He’s right. I couldn’t.

“So, you want me dead? Is that my punishment?”

“How many times do I have to fucking tell you? Tommaso wants Marco.”

“And I’m the bait that brings him here.”

This is nothing but a game to Tommaso, one I didn’t even realize I was playing.

I think of the phone call to Marco.

Even if he has worked out it’s a trap, there’s no way he won’t come for me. He’ll walk through fire to make sure I’m safe, even if it costs him his life in the process.

“Whatever has happened between us… Please Ben, don’t let it be the reason Marco dies.”

“That’s not up to me. It’s like I said, I’m here to repay a debt.”

“And there’s no other way?” Panic starts to build in my chest as I think of Marco bleeding out on the ground, a bullet wound in his chest. “Please, you can’t do this?—”

“Shh!” Ben glances over his shoulder at the open door.

I snap my mouth shut as I catch the faint sound of footsteps.

Ben creeps over to the door and peers out into the dimly lit hallway.

My entire body is shaking as I brace myself for one of the men from the cabin to appear and put a bullet in my chest like they did Alio.

But when the footsteps eventually disappear, Ben turns to look at me over his shoulder.

He runs a hand over his face. “Just…do as you’re told, and you will be fine. I’ll make sure of it.”

I want to believe him, but how can I?

He might think he can protect me, but I know better.

Marco told me himself that Tommaso has put out a hit on every member of his family, which means he’s not going to stop until his hands are stained with blood. Marco’s, mine, Zoe’s.

“You really think Tommaso is just going to let me go?” Tears start to sting at my eyes. “You’re delusional if you think that.”

Ben’s jaw clenches as he looks down at me.

I stare him down, hoping that I can get through to him. “He’s going to kill me. And once he’s done, I bet he’ll even kill you too. You’ve traded one set of handcuffs for another.”

Ben’s entire posture shifts, the muscles in his back and shoulders tensing as he turns to face me.

“You don’t know shit, Clara.” His voice is low and cold. “Maybe you should keep your mouth shut before you say something you regret.”

I clench my fists, digging the nails so hard into my palms that I’m sure I’ve pierced through my skin. “I think it’s a little too late for that.”

“If you die, it’s on you.” He storms out, slamming the door shut behind him.

The lock clicks, and I exhale a shaky breath.

Regardless of what Ben says, I know better than to trust Tommaso’s words. He might only be using me as bait to lure Marco to him, but that doesn’t mean he won’t toss me aside once I’m no longer useful.

I crawl into the middle of the mattress and pull my knees to my chest as I try to think of a way out of this that doesn’t involve either Marco or me dying.

Whatever happens, Zoe can’t lose both of her parents.

But it seems our fate is being held in my brother’s hands.

Tears slide down my cheeks as I look around my dark cell, realizing that there is a high chance that I won’t be getting out of here alive.