Exposed to the CEO Behind the Mafia Mask

Dominic’s POV

The moment I stepped out of the elevator at Zenith Systems headquarters, I was cornered by Zoe, Nora, and Mia, who were practically vibrating with anticipation like soldiers awaiting intel from a successful operation.

"About time you showed up, Frost!" Zoe huffed as I glanced at my watch, her tone sharp enough to cut glass.

"I’m not even late, Zo," I protested, showing her the time on my Rolex.

She rolled her eyes dramatically. "But you could have been considerate enough to arrive early and fill us in on what happened with Gemma. We’re absolutely dying here! And need I remind you that I was your fairy godmother in this whole bloody affair?"

I couldn’t help but grin at their eager expressions. These women ran some of the most dangerous operations in our territory, yet they were gossiping like schoolgirls. "Ah, so that’s what this ambush is about. Come on, let’s grab some coffee. My weekend was nothing short of spectacular."

The three women erupted into delighted squeals, jumping up and down like teenagers at a concert. After giving them a condensed version of how Gemma had forgiven me and how ecstatic I was about our reconciliation, we dispersed to our respective duties in the organization. However, I made sure to pull Zoe into my office. I knew she was hiding something I needed to know about, and in our business, secrets could get people killed.

"Get in here, Zo. You’ve got some explaining to do," I said, practically dragging her through the reinforced doorway of my secure office.

"About what?" She feigned innocence, but her calculating eyes gave her away.

"My mother and Andrew Taylor," I stated plainly, watching guilt flash across her face. Andrew was a former family doctor turned private physician for high-ranking members, and lately he’d been spending considerable time with my mother.

"She finally told you, huh?"

"’Finally’? Just how long has this been going on?" I demanded, my voice taking on the edge that made subordinates tremble.

"What exactly do you know, baby Dominic?"

"Don’t ’baby Dominic’ me, you scheming matchmaker. Spill it. I caught my mom with Taylor on Saturday, but Gemma stopped me from confronting them. Now it seems your conniving little brain had something to do with this whole situation," I complained, pacing the floor like a caged predator.

"Sit down, Frost," Zoe commanded with unusual seriousness. "Gemma was right to stop you. I’ll give you the essential information."

"Essential information?" I questioned, confused by her formal tone.

"Yes, just enough so you don’t act like a territorial five-year-old when you talk to Bee." Her tone made it clear this was non-negotiable.

"First thing you should know," Zoe began, settling into her briefing mode, "is that Andrew is an incredible man. His marriage has been deteriorating for years. A while ago, his wife demanded a divorce, and they were handling it civilly until he discovered she’d been feeding information to a rival family for years while carrying on with their accountant. Can you believe that treacherous bitch?"

"Damn, poor bastard," I said, genuinely feeling for him. Betrayal within family circles was a death sentence in our world.

"Absolutely. He took it harder than you did with your situation. But he finalized the divorce and, with his daughters backing him, left that backstabbing woman with nothing but the clothes on her back – exactly what she deserved. Naturally, she moved in with her contact that very day."

"Does Taylor still have feelings for her?" I asked, suddenly concerned about my mother getting hurt.

"Like I said, their marriage was already broken beyond repair. He doesn’t love that woman anymore, but it was a relationship of many years that he honored. He was devastated because he felt humiliated and completely played."

"I know that feeling all too well," I muttered, thinking of my own past betrayals.

"Anyway, he wanted to completely renovate his house because in his anger, he destroyed a bunch of his ex-wife’s precious possessions. That’s why I introduced him to Bee," Zoe concluded with a self-satisfied smile.

"So it was just for her to redecorate his house?" I asked hopefully.

"Of course not, Frost! If it was just about interior design, I would have recommended this fantastic decorator I know," Zoe laughed, crushing my naive hope. "The thing is, your mom is gorgeous, kind, and utterly lovable. Andrew is equally amazing. I wanted to set them up. Your mom went through similar betrayal, and I thought they’d understand each other perfectly."

"Zoe, you orchestrated this entire thing?" I asked incredulously.

"Absolutely!" She beamed. "And don’t be ridiculous, Andrew is treating your mom like the queen she is, and your mom is happier than I’ve seen her in ages. She’s even making good use of those security upgrades you installed for her."

"God, Zo! That was excessive," I groaned. "And you know he lives in my neighborhood, right?"

"Oh right! I didn’t even consider that," Zoe burst into laughter. "Afraid of hearing your mom’s happiness, Frost?"

"You’re evil. Pure evil!" I pointed accusingly as she doubled over with laughter in my office chair. "Does Finn know about your little scheme?"

"Of course he does. He helped me plan it," Zoe wiped tears of laughter from her eyes.

"Traitor," I grumbled. "You’re both incorrigible matchmakers."

"Frost, let your mother experience happiness, for heaven’s sake. Love is amazing, and having someone wonderful who appreciates you is even better. Don’t be selfish!" Zoe’s words hit home. She was right, even if it was uncomfortable to think about my mother’s romantic life.

After Zoe left, Caleb called to invite us to dinner at his fortress-like mansion to celebrate my reunion with Gemma. Our crew was eager for all the juicy details.

I met Gemma for lunch, and we seized the opportunity to purchase the remaining furniture for our heavily secured house. Her excitement was contagious as she added more decorative items to our collection. We were simply happy building our fortress together. After our shopping spree, she didn’t return to work; I dropped her off at her apartment and headed to my mother’s penthouse.

"Dominic, sweetheart!" My mother greeted me with a radiance I hadn’t seen in ages. "I didn’t expect you so soon." I gave her a puzzled look. "Zo called me."

"Of course the meddling intelligence officer called you," I complained, which made her laugh.

"Come, son, let’s talk." My mother guided me to the secure living area. "What do you want to know?"

"Aren’t you going to ask about Gemma?" I deflected, settling into the reinforced seating.

"Vincenzo already told me everything when he called earlier," she said with a knowing smile. "He was quite excited about your reconciliation."

"Of course he did. Can’t keep anything quiet in this organization," I muttered, though I wasn’t really annoyed.

"So, about Andrew..." my mother began, her expression becoming more serious.

"Mom, I just want to know if this is serious. I don’t want you getting hurt again."

She reached over and took my hand. "Dominic, it is serious. We’ve been seeing each other for months now, and I care about him deeply. He’s a good man who treats me well."

"And he knows about... everything? About what we do?"

"He’s been our family physician for years, sweetheart. He’s always been discreet and loyal. Nothing has changed except that now we care for each other."

I studied her face, seeing genuine happiness there. "If you’re happy, then I’m happy for you, Mom."

After spending time hearing more about how their relationship developed, I left to pick up Gemma for dinner at Caleb’s, which was conveniently close to our new home.

When Gemma opened her door, I was alarmed to see her terrified expression and eyes swollen from crying. She was too distraught to speak and simply handed me an envelope.

I was torn between examining the envelope and comforting Gemma. I guided her to the couch and pulled her onto my lap. Only then did I look at what she’d given me, and my heart nearly stopped.