Exposed to the CEO Behind the Mafia Mask

Chapter 388: Chapter 172 Shadows of Doubt

Dominic’s POV

When I returned to our secured bedroom, Gemma had already fallen into an uneasy sleep. I thanked Ryder for maintaining watch over her while I debriefed the rest of our crew about the afternoon’s bloody chaos. Settling beside her, I observed the subtle rise and fall of her breathing until exhaustion finally claimed me. I awakened to darkness enveloping the room and an empty space where she should have been.

Alarm coursed through my veins as I bolted upright. I found her in the bathroom, standing motionless beneath the scalding shower spray, her body shaking uncontrollably with her eyes sealed shut. The sight made my chest constrict painfully. How long had she been torturing herself like this?

I immediately shut off the water and enveloped her trembling form in a thick towel. Only when I lifted her into my arms did her eyes flutter open, distant and glazed. I carried her back to our fortified bedroom, carefully dried every inch of her skin, and tucked her beneath the heavy blankets before sliding in beside her and drawing her against my body heat.

”What are you doing?” Her whisper was barely audible as she attempted to put distance between us.

I tightened my grip, my voice gentle yet immovable. ”I’m protecting my woman.”

”I’m not your woman,” she replied, and I felt something cold settle deep in my chest. Something had been wrong since she’d ordered me to escort Beatrix to the emergency room, but I couldn’t identify what had shattered between us.

”Yes, you are. I don’t need a marriage certificate to know what lives in my heart,” I declared, refusing to release my hold on her.

Then I felt them – warm tears dropping onto my bare chest. I reached for the lamp, bathing her face in light as I tilted her chin toward me.

”I intended to wait until morning, but I can’t any longer. What’s tearing through that beautiful mind of yours?” I asked, desperate to understand the source of her anguish.

Gemma sniffled, avoiding my gaze. ”There’s nothing to discuss, Dominic. I witnessed how you reacted when you saw Beatrix bleeding in that wreckage. I saw your devastation. Release me, please.”

”No, I won’t let you go,” I insisted firmly. ”Whatever twisted thoughts have infected your head, we’re going to destroy them together. And until that happens, I’m not letting go of you.”

Her body convulsed with fresh sobs, and I massaged soothing circles across her back until she could speak again.

”You realized you still love her,” she managed between ragged breaths. ”I saw it all. I witnessed your desperation.”

I couldn’t comprehend what I was hearing. ”Are you serious, Gemma? You’re this destroyed because you’re jealous of a deranged woman who nearly killed herself trying to murder you?” Disbelief and frustration sharpened my tone. ”I don’t know what’s worse – your baseless jealousy or your lack of faith in my devotion to you.”

”I saw it with my own eyes,” she protested weakly.

”What exactly did you see?” I needed to understand her twisted perspective.

”I saw you terrified of losing her, gripping her hand like she was your lifeline. I watched you treat her with such tenderness. I witnessed your panic while coordinating with our corrupt cops. I was right there, Dominic, shoved aside while I observed your every gesture.” Her tears continued streaming down her face.

”You’ve completely misunderstood everything, Gemma.” The emotional barrier I’d been maintaining since the hit finally crumbled, and hot tears spilled down my face.

I sat upright, wiping my eyes roughly. When Gemma tried to escape, I maneuvered her onto my lap, positioning her legs on either side of me and gripping her waist firmly.

”Look into my eyes,” I commanded, brushing away her tears. ”There’s no confusion here. See what you missed before, and never doubt my love for you again.” I held her gaze intensely. ”What you witnessed was basic human decency toward someone in critical condition. I kept her conscious because her injuries were life-threatening. The entire scene was a bloodbath, Gemma, but not once was there love in my actions. I don’t love Beatrix. My heart belongs exclusively to you and our unborn child. From the moment that vehicle came speeding toward you, my only thought was that I could have lost you both. That’s what terrorized me.”

I exhaled deeply and closed my eyes, fighting to control my turbulent emotions. When I opened them again, Gemma was studying my face with intense scrutiny.

”When I realized Beatrix was behind the wheel, I understood her intention immediately. She aimed that car directly at you, wanting to end your life before taking her own. But seeing her mangled condition, demanding answers would have been inhuman – and despite what our enemies believe, I’m not a monster. I felt pity for how she’d destroyed herself with this obsession over me. I showed the basic humanity anyone would in that situation,” I explained earnestly.

”Dominic, don’t lie to me. I saw your panic when speaking with our people,” she challenged.

”Of course you did. They showed me surveillance footage of Beatrix starting the engine and accelerating straight toward you. What you witnessed was my horror at nearly losing you and our child. You can’t imagine the terror that consumed me.” I tried desperately to make her understand, though her emotions remained raw.

I pulled her against my chest, holding her tightly. We remained locked together until her stomach growled audibly, bringing the smallest smile to my face.

”I think our child is demanding food,” I whispered against her ear.

”His mother is too,” she grumbled, still sulking.

”So that’s why you’re so emotional and irritable,” I teased gently. ”Let’s remedy that. I’m confident once you’re fed, you’ll remember exactly how much I love you.”

Gemma sighed heavily but didn’t return my smile, which wounded me deeply. I couldn’t bear her unhappiness.

”Do you want to go down to the kitchen, or should I have something brought up to our room?” I asked, still holding her securely.

”I’d like to go downstairs for a while,” she replied with another weary sigh.

”Alright, let’s get dressed and head down,” I agreed, helping her to her feet, determined to restore the light to her eyes and eliminate every shadow of doubt from her mind.