Exposed to the CEO Behind the Mafia Mask novel Chapter 446

446 Chapter 42 Mine to Keep

Daniel’s POVO

My mind raced through countless scenarios, each one darker than the last, but one truth remained unwavering-I couldn’t survive the thought of losing her or watching her walk away from the fortress I’d built around us.

The penthouse wasn’t just my home; it was the one place in this city where the Martinez family name couldn’t touch her, where Thorne Group’s protection extende like an invisible shield, where Lila could exist without the constant threat of Claire’s manipulation or my father’s political machinations.

“Lila, when I brought you into this world-my world-I warned you that I’m not some young street soldier still figuring out his territory. I’m a man who’s survived decades the shadows between law enforcement and family loyalty. And what I know with absolute certainty is that I want you here, protected, within these walls. I don’t need time to calculate that decision like some rookie cop working his first case. Whether we’re in your apartment or mine, I intend to shield you from every threat this city can throw at us, unless that’s not what you want.” I kept my voice steady, hoping she understood that in our world, geography meant everything-safety, territory, control. She met my gaze with that fierce intelligence that first caught my attention at Thorne Group, seeming to weigh every word against the realities of mafia life she was still learning to navigate. A shadow crossed her features, and I wondered if our age difference created more than just emotional distance-it might represent entirely different approaches to survival in families like ours. That possibility sent ice through my veins, knowing how such gaps could fracture even the strongest alliances between crime families.

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“Maybe you need more time to understand what you’re truly choosing, and I’ll respect that. You’re young, Lila, and it’s natural to have doubts about binding your life to someone like me. But understand this-I have absolute certainty about wanting you here, under my protection, for as long as we both draw breath in this dangerous game.

After I finished speaking, my pulse hammered with the same intensity I’d felt during undercover work, waiting for her response while scanning her expression for any hint of her decision. I noticed something flicker through her eyes-something I couldn’t quite identify, like secrets she wasn’t ready to share. Lila drew a deep breath, studying

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-446 Chapter 42 Mine to Keep

me with an intensity that reminded me she was Sullivan family blood, raised to read between lines and calculate risks. We remained locked in that weighted silence until she finally seemed to reach some internal resolution.

“You know what, you’re absolutely right-it is just geography. I don’t need time to know I want to be with you, despite everything that comes with your last name. Thes past months have shown me what real protection feels like, what it means to have someone willing to stand between me and Claire’s schernes, between me and Connor threats. Being here with you is the first time I’ve felt truly safe since I learned what th Sullivan family really does for money. I don’t want to be apart; I want to be with you. have no doubts about that.” Her voice carried conviction, and I sensed genuine resolv in her decision-her authentic desire to stay-yet something remained hidden benea the surface, something she wasn’t ready to voice.

“Good. If you’re certain about making this your permanent sanctuary, why do I still fe like you’re holding something back?”

“Oh, Daniel…” She closed her eyes, confirming my suspicion that whatever she was protecting, it wasn’t easy for her to share.

“Tiny one, in this business, secrets get people killed. Tell me what’s weighing on that brilliant mind of yours.”

“Daniel, I grew up in a small town where my mother’s moral crusade ruled every aspect of my existence until I escaped to the city. Even after I joined Thorne Group, she maintained control because I desperately tried to avoid giving her ammunition for arguments or reasons to unleash Connor’s people on me, though that strategy rarely worked anyway.” Lila was revealing something about her upbringing that I knew caused her significant pain.

“I’m already aware your mother uses guilt and shame to control you.” (

“It runs deeper than manipulation. She raised me to believe that a woman should preserve herself exclusively for her husband-that virginity should only be surrendered on the wedding night. Obviously, that’s no longer the case for me. But she also convinced me that marriage is sacred, and living together without legal union makes a woman worthless in the eyes of respectable society.” She exhaled heavily.

“You realize that’s extremely outdated thinking, don’t you?”

“Absolutely. But throughout my entire childhood, she systematically convinced me that if I wanted marriage, I needed to remain untouched, or else I’d be nothing more

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446 Chapter 42 Mine to Keep

than entertainment for men like Connor. She raised me to believe that men don’t value women who give themselves before securing commitment-that they only use such women for physical pleasure before discarding them like trash. She drilled this so thoroughly into my head that it’s become part of me. Rationally, I know the world has evolved and this thinking is wrong, but something deep inside keeps triggering these doubts. I haven’t been able to shake them yet.” She inhaled deeply. “And sometimes I worry that you’re just…”

“I can’t believe you’d think me capable of that level of betrayal, Lila.” I interrupted before she could finish that devastating thought. The idea that she might believe I was using her was more painful than any bullet wound I’d survived. I recognized the psychological damage she’d endured; I’d watched my father use similar tactics to control Sybilla before she escaped to Thorne territory. I fought to maintain my composure. “Do you honestly think I’m just playing some elaborate game with your heart?”

“Oh, Daniel, how can I explain the conflict in my head? I know logically that you’re not using me, but sometimes I feel ashamed for living so freely when I was raised to save myself for marriage.” Her voice grew tense and apprehensive. I desperately needed to understand what she was thinking.

“Lila, do you regret what we’ve shared? The intimacy we’ve built?” I asked, dreading her answer more than any dangerous assignment.

“Never! I don’t regret it and never will! I know you’re not just using me–I know there’s something real between us that goes beyond family politics. But I’m damaged, Daniel, broken in ways that run deep. Changing beliefs that have been part of me my whole life isn’t as simple as flipping a switch.”

“I understand completely. Your mother manipulated you for years, and now you’re breaking free from that control, but it’s a gradual process that creates internal

conflict.”

“Exactly.” She exhaled, appearing relieved that I understood her situation.

“You’re growing, little one, becoming the woman you want to be rather than the person others tried to make you. That naturally creates discomfort during the transition. But you need to take control of your own life and follow your heart. I spoke with the calm patience I’d use with a traumatized witness.

“You’re absolutely right,” she agreed after a moment of consideration. “You know what,

446 Chapter 42 Mine to Keep

regardless of how this turns out or how long we last, I want to be here with

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