Exposed to the CEO Behind the Mafia Mask (by Silver Spoon) novel Chapter 319

Chapter 319: Chapter 103 Families Become One

Dominic’s POV

I pulled up outside the Thorne Corporation building, watching as Gemma emerged flanked by two armed soldiers from Caleb’s personal guard. My chest tightened at the sight of her - she moved with the deadly grace of someone who’d learned to navigate our world, her spine straight and steps confident like a queen surveying her domain.

The moment our eyes met, her face transformed with genuine joy. She dismissed the guards with a professional nod and ran toward me, launching herself into my arms. The familiar weight of her against my chest felt like sanctuary in a world built on violence.

"I missed you," she whispered against my ear, her breath sending fire through my veins.

"Me too, Songbird." I pressed a hungry kiss to her lips before helping her into the passenger seat of my armored vehicle.

The drive to her mother’s house was filled with easy conversation, laughter cutting through the tension that always simmered beneath the surface in our line of work. I couldn’t help but notice how her posture shifted as I parked outside the modest home - her shoulders tensing, expression becoming guarded.

"What’s troubling you, Songbird?" I asked, placing my scarred hand on her knee and squeezing gently.

She exhaled slowly. "My mother is going to want to interrogate me about everything."

"She’ll understand," I reassured her. "Though Vincenzo will put a hit on me when he discovers we visited your mother without bringing him along." That earned me her musical laugh, dissolving the tension.

"Those two have formed quite the alliance," she agreed. My nephew possessed the rare gift of charming even the most hardened soldiers in our organization.

When we rang the doorbell, Ryder answered with the warm smile of a man who’d found unexpected happiness later in life.

"There you are!" He pulled us both into an embrace. "How are my favorite young people?"

"Good, Ryder, thank you," Gemma replied as we crossed the threshold.

He gestured toward the back of the house. "Come, we’re gathered in the kitchen. Willow decided to prepare grilled fish for everyone."

The sound of genuine laughter reached us before we entered the backyard. Nothing could have prepared me for the sight that greeted us - Willow, Gerard, Carmen, and Vincenzo all seated around the table, with my nephew regaling them with some tale while they hung on his every word.

Gemma’s face lit up with delight. "Well, this is certainly a surprise!"

"Auntie Gemma!" Carmen leaped from her chair and rushed to Gemma.

"My favorite little dancer, I’ve missed you terribly!" Gemma knelt to embrace her, and something in my chest shifted watching them together.

Willow approached me with the warm smile that had initially surprised me in someone connected to our world. "I hope you don’t mind that I extended an invitation to your sister’s household, Dominic."

"On the contrary, Willow, it brings me great pleasure," I replied, folding her into a respectful hug.

"I called Vincenzo directly, knowing he and Carmen would want to join us for dinner, so I invited Nadia and Gerard as well. I’m thoroughly charmed by your family," she explained.

"They are remarkable people indeed," I agreed, watching our two families blend as if they’d known each other for decades rather than months.

Gerard raised his wine glass when he spotted me. "Dominic! Finally, our substitute parents have returned to us."

"Already scheming to take advantage?" I asked with mock suspicion.

He laughed heartily. "Naturally. Nadia has been wanting to take that trip to Sicily."

"Dominic, I heard you had the pleasure of meeting my son Zander," Ryder said, clapping me on the shoulder.

Zander appeared beside his father, grinning with the confidence of someone who knew he was well-protected. "And I heard you rushed back from a business operation because jealousy got the better of you."

"I won’t deny it, Zander. After Vincenzo informed me you were one of the rare perfect gentlemen in this city, I expedited my return," I confessed, noting Gemma’s confused expression.

Vincenzo eagerly launched into his tale of how he’d manipulated me into cutting short my trip to Chicago, spinning an elaborate story about Gemma and Zander that had everyone roaring with laughter. Dinner unfolded with the kind of easy camaraderie I’d never expected to experience. Watching our families merge so naturally filled me with a contentment I hadn’t known was possible.

"But Gemma—" Willow began to protest. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

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