Exposed to the CEO Behind the Mafia Mask (by Silver Spoon) novel Chapter 389

Chapter 389: Chapter 173 Seaside Healing

Gemma’s POV

Dominic practically dragged me from the private bathroom of the Thorne family safe house, leaving me utterly bewildered as armed guards cleared the hallway ahead of us. My mind raced with confusion as I tried to process the bloodshed I had witnessed. Unable to contain my emotions any longer, I poured out everything that had shattered me during the hit attempt. Though he held me against his bulletproof vest and repeatedly swore his fear of losing me to rival families, I couldn’t ignore one crucial fact—not once during the firefight had he checked if I was okay. How could I believe his desperation was genuinely for me when his Capo instincts had kicked in so ruthlessly?

The thought crept into my mind that perhaps Dominic kept me close solely out of obligation because of my pregnancy. After all, Caleb was planning to marry that scheming woman thinking she carried Thorne blood. Maybe Dominic shared the same sense of duty as his Don, bound by the family’s codes regarding bloodlines and heirs.

God, I was so confused! My thoughts were a tangled mess of gunfire echoes and blood-stained memories, and I didn’t know what to believe anymore. After eating under the watchful eyes of family soldiers, I stretched out on the reinforced living room couch and closed my eyes, desperate to sort through my chaotic thoughts. Dominic joined me, wrapping his scarred arms around me and refusing to let go despite my silent protests. He remained stubbornly attached to me, as if afraid the rival families might steal me away in the night.

As dawn approached through the bulletproof windows, I remembered a conversation with Nadia from weeks ago about how she had recovered from losing her first pregnancy during a territory war. She’d found healing by the protected coastline, and suddenly, I yearned for the same solace away from the constant threat of surveillance and retaliation.

Moving with careful stealth to avoid the motion sensors, I slipped past the sleeping guards and made my way through the secured grounds to the rocky outcrop where Nadia had shown me she used to sit watching the ocean beyond the family’s coastal defenses. As I settled onto the cool surface, the sea breeze caressed my face, bringing with it the salty scent of water crashing against the fortified rocks below. The melodic sound of waves breaking on the private beach mingled with the morning calls of seabirds circling above the watchtowers. Night had almost completely surrendered to day, though the sun hadn’t fully risen beyond the horizon where Thorne patrol boats maintained their vigilant rounds.

Peace gradually enveloped me—a tranquility that seemed to synchronize my body with the steady, soothing rhythm of the waves, so different from the staccato burst of automatic weapons that still echoed in my ears. As I sat there, something began to shift inside me. When the first rays of sunlight crossed the sky and touched my skin, I felt the ice that had formed around my heart during yesterday’s bloodbath slowly melting, replaced by a comforting warmth flowing through my veins.

Alone with the vast expanse of sea before me, protected by the family’s invisible perimeter, I first wept for the violence I’d witnessed, then sighed deeply, releasing all my worries about rival hits and family obligations into the wind. Slowly, I felt my heart beating again—rhythmic, warm, restored. The moment the sun revealed itself in all its morning glory above the Thorne maritime territory, I felt renewed and ready to face whatever deadly games came next. It was precisely then that a steaming mug appeared before my eyes, carried by hands unmarked by the calluses of weapon handling.

"Coffee?" I inquired, reaching for the cup while scanning automatically for threats.

"Not today. Today it’s hot chocolate because we need comfort, not more stimulants after last night’s chaos," Nadia said, handing me the mug before settling beside me with the practiced ease of someone born into this dangerous world. "Do you mind?"

"Of course not," I smiled, still adjusting to having family allies in this brutal landscape. "I borrowed your sanctuary for a bit."

"It’s magical, isn’t it?" she asked with a knowing smile, her eyes scanning the horizon with the ingrained vigilance of a mafia daughter. "Even with all our security measures, this place still feels free."

"Completely!" I replied, still mesmerized by the expanse that seemed to stretch beyond the reach of family wars and blood debts.

"It’s here for you whenever you need it," she said, gazing at the sea while unconsciously checking her concealed weapon. "Want to talk about what’s happening inside you after yesterday’s hit?"

"Are you willing to listen to a civilian’s perspective on your family’s world?" I asked, meeting her gentle but alert gaze.

"I’ll always be here for you. You’re like a sister to me now, and in our family, we protect our own," Nadia responded with the fierce loyalty characteristic of Thorne women.

"The love I feel for Dominic transcends anything I ever imagined could exist in this world of violence and vendettas. It’s a connection that goes deeper than family codes," I began, hoping she’d understand my fears about navigating mafia relationships. "Yesterday, watching him handle that hit on Beatrix, I felt like I lost him to his Capo duties, like he couldn’t see past his responsibilities to notice I needed him."

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