Exposed to the CEO Behind the Mafia Mask

Chapter 497: Chapter 93 Dangerous Loyalty

Lila’s POV

I watched Beckett loading the last suitcase into his armored Mercedes with a heaviness settling in my chest. ”Are you certain you must return to the family estates now?” The words slipped from my lips before I could contain them.

”The Sullivan operations require my immediate attention, Lila,” he replied, enveloping me in his protective embrace. His voice carried the weight of someone who commanded vast underground networks. ”But I give you my word we’ll coordinate visits more frequently.”

I melted into his arms, treasuring these moments with the only family member who truly cared for my wellbeing. ”Tell our father I’m managing the Thorne transition successfully. No need for him to concern himself with my security here.” With those parting words, I waved farewell as his convoy disappeared around the corner, their reinforced vehicles becoming mere specks in the distance.

Daniel’s powerful arm encircled my waist as we approached his police-issued sedan. ”Little one, that woman refuses to abandon her schemes,” he said, his voice tight with barely controlled fury. ”The Thorne building security can prevent her from accessing your residential floors, but nothing stops her from ambushing you at the law school.”

He’d been repeating these warnings recently, and though I recognized the validity of his concerns, I felt cornered without viable alternatives. ”I understand Claire’s relentless, but what options do I have?” I sighed, settling into the passenger seat of his vehicle. We’d resumed our established pattern—him serving as my personal security detail, navigating the dangerous intersections between legitimate business and family obligations.

”File formal charges against her and Justin with the organized crime unit,” Daniel pressed, his knuckles whitening as he gripped the steering wheel. ”Make this official through proper law enforcement channels.”

My heart contracted painfully. ”Daniel, she’s my mother. And Justin—regardless of our strained relationship, he’s connected to our bloodline. I maintain hope that eventually she’ll release whatever vendetta drives her and acknowledge me as legitimate family. Surely she harbors some maternal feelings, doesn’t she?” Tears gathered in my eyes. The psychological warfare within mafia families remained incomprehensible to me.

Daniel’s voice hardened with bitter experience. ”Lila, this pains me to articulate, but that woman embodies nothing resembling maternal protection.” His words struck like physical blows. ”She gave birth to you, yes, but authentic maternal figures don’t orchestrate the psychological torture you’ve endured.”

Alarm coursed through my veins. ”Exactly what intelligence did Beckett share with you?”

The systematic abuse throughout my childhood had become such routine background noise I barely registered its severity anymore. The emotional manipulation, the calculated abandonment—merely footnotes in my survival narrative within the Sullivan power structure.

”He revealed sufficient details to make me desire permanent incarceration for both that manipulative woman and her unstable son!” Daniel’s rage barely remained contained within acceptable limits.

”Daniel, I’ve extracted myself from their immediate influence. I’m operating under Thorne protection now. Those incidents belong to the past,” I insisted, failing to convince even myself.

His eyes flicked toward my carefully concealed injuries. ”It’s not historical when I can detect her handprint beneath your makeup foundation. It’s not resolved when your lip still bears healing cuts from her signet ring and the bruising marks her assault left on your skin. It’s not finished when I was forced to physically restrain that unstable punk from striking you again during their last intimidation attempt.”

I swallowed against the rising panic. ”Very well. I’ll comply with whatever security protocols you recommend—including withdrawing from law school if absolutely necessary—but I refuse to involve law enforcement against family members.” That represented my absolute boundary, and his expression revealed it wasn’t the response he’d hoped to hear.

”Here’s our immediate operational plan,” he stated, his tone brooking zero negotiation. ”You maintain constant companion security during all campus activities. I’ll personally escort you to classroom entrances and retrieve you from identical locations afterward. The same protocols apply at Thorne headquarters—Jude will maintain surveillance responsibilities during my absences. I’m seriously considering hiring dedicated private security contractors—”

”That seems disproportionate,” I interrupted. ”What’s the most severe action she could take beyond verbal intimidation or attempting to force my return to Sullivan properties? If she succeeds in abducting me, you’ll mobilize every available resource, eliminate all obstacles in your path, and recover me safely.”

He glanced sideways with dangerous intensity. ”You’re absolutely correct about my response, even while you persist in defending her supposed maternal status.” His voice softened marginally. ”If she touches you again, Lila, I’ll personally ensure she spends her remaining years where she cannot inflict further harm.”

I ran gentle fingers through his dark hair. ”Don’t allow anger to consume you. Let’s hope circumstances don’t escalate to that extreme.”

”My fury isn’t directed at you, little one,” he said, capturing my hand and pressing tender kisses to my palm. ”I’m enraged contemplating recent events and everything your brother revealed about your childhood within that toxic family structure. Nobody inflicts harm on you—not while I draw breath.”

His fierce protectiveness touched something profound within my soul. ”Thank you for caring so intensely. Sometimes I wonder if she developed severe psychological complications when I was born. Perhaps that explains her inability to develop genuine maternal attachment.”

”Lila, her lack of maternal instincts stems from fundamental character defects within her—not shortcomings in you,” Daniel stated with absolute conviction, stealing a kiss as we paused at traffic signals. ”I must handle urgent business in Greenleaf, but I’ll return before your afternoon lectures. If unexpected delays occur, Jude will assume protective responsibilities. Please exercise extreme caution.”

I agreed, though I suspected they were overreacting to manageable threats. When we reached the Thorne corporate building, Daniel waited until I’d safely entered the lobby before departing. In the elevator ascending to the legal department, I encountered Jude emerging from the executive floors.

”Hey there, Tiny Cipher,” he said, draping his arm across my shoulders in familiar camaraderie. ”How are you managing the family pressures?”

I studied his haggard appearance carefully. ”I’m stable, but you look absolutely exhausted.”

Dark shadows underlined his bloodshot eyes, betraying sleepless nights. ”Another restless evening. Nora contacted me—she’s demanding divorce proceedings.” He’d been patiently waiting for months for his wife to return after she’d requested indefinite separation. The situation struck me as particularly cruel; he was suffering while accommodating her emotional whims.

”What’s your intended response?” I asked with genuine concern.

”I’m traveling there soon. Told her we should discuss this matter face-to-face, but she refused the meeting. Claims her legal representation will contact me here instead.” Despite his obvious heartbreak, his voice maintained steady professionalism.

”That’s unnecessarily cruel, Jude.”

”And professionally cowardly,” he added bitterly. ”At minimum, she owes me the courtesy of direct communication after everything we’ve shared. Don’t I deserve that basic respect?”

I squeezed his arm supportively. ”You deserve far more consideration than she’s demonstrating. Have you informed the other Thorne partners?”

”Only you currently. I’ll brief the others after I return from attempting to see her.” He sighed heavily with resignation. ”Thank you, Lila. You’ve provided invaluable emotional support throughout this ordeal.”

”That’s what genuine friendships provide,” I replied with an encouraging smile as the elevator doors opened.

”Look who’s arrived—our inseparable partnership!” Xavier’s voice greeted us from my desk area. He was occupying my workspace, appearing equally exhausted as Jude. ”The dynamic duo makes their entrance.”

”What brings you here so early?” Jude asked, surprised to find him preceding our usual arrival.

Xavier shrugged casually. ”Couldn’t achieve sleep, so I decided productive work might prove more beneficial. Completed everything on my agenda and grew restless, so I’ve been managing reception duties.” His smile failed to reach his tired eyes. Then he noticed my facial injuries. ”What happened to you, Lila?”

Despite careful application, the makeup hadn’t completely concealed the bruising, exactly as Daniel had observed. I spent the following period recounting the recent violent confrontations to Xavier, who immediately suggested assigning company security personnel to shadow my movements. Like with Daniel, I dismissed the proposal as excessive. These men shared an obsession with protective protocols—or was I stubbornly refusing to acknowledge genuine danger? Either way, I pushed the disturbing possibilities into the recesses of my consciousness, unwilling to consider that my resistance might represent a terrible miscalculation.