Claimed By The Mafia Don (Ariella and Asher) novel Chapter 135

Chapter 135

“I said I’m sorry,” I whispered.

I truly hadn’t thought. All I cared about was what was going on and if Leon was okay at that moment in time.

He let out a frustrated breath and then, almost out of nowhere, pressed himself against me, hard and unapologetic.

“Also, you’re not exactly helping my situation,” he muttered.

I felt the pressure of his hardness against my stomach, and even after everything we’d done, I still went crimson. Flushed and breathless like a girl with a first crush. Although technically he was my first crus…. My ever crus… My first everything.

“Please,” he added, a little softer, teasing now. “Don’t come out here dressed like this. Cover my goods.”

I couldn’t help it, I laughed. He was being playful. But still, I couldn’t forget the blood. The fear.

“You’re sure you’re not shot?” I asked again, needing to hear it one last time.

“I promise,” he said, his voice gentler now. “I’m not shot.”

“But the blood,” I whispered, my hands already roaming over him again, his chest, his shoulders, his stomach just to be sure. Just to feel that he was whole. That he was okay.

He smiled. A slow, knowing smile. “You care about me?”

(C

“Of course, I care about you,” I said, half-laughing, trying to lighten the knot in my chest. I’m your prisoner, and you’re my prison ward. I need you to take care of me.”

Something flickered across his face then. Something unreadable, soft, dangerous, maybe both.

Before I could figure it out, he kissed me. Hard.

His hands gripped my waist with a heat that made me gasp like he was trying to hold me together, hold us together, Like if he let go, something might break. And for a second, I couldn’t breathe. Not with his mouth stealing all the air from mine, not with his hands clamped around me like I belonged to him.

Then just as suddenly, he pulled away.

“Go inside,” he said, breathless but firm.

“What? Why?” My heart pounded as the adrenaline returned.

“One, we were attacked.”

“You were attacked?” I cut him off immediately, voice rising in panic. My eyes went wide.

“Yeah,” he said quickly, trying to ease the blow. Don’t worry. It’s nothing. We were just leaving a meeting. I’m sure someone said something they shouldn’t have. Which means….” “You think someone’s trying to kill you?” My voice was barely a whisper.

He looked down at me, and for a moment, I saw something softer in him. Something that looked too much like pain.

“I have a lot of enemies, Ariella,” he said quietly. A lot. Even though my father was a Don and I deserved that crown, taking his place, being the Don at such a young age… it wasn’t had to kill a lot of people. And a lot of people wanted to kill me. So… this?” He nodded toward

The water soon started. And kept going.

And kept going,

He took so long in the shower that I began to worry again. I found myself staring at the bathroom door, my legs twitching under the blanket, tempted to knock, to ask if he was okay. To ask if he needed me.

Because now I was certain of one thing. I needed him. I wanted him. I wanted to know if he was okay, I wanted to feel he was okay…

The ache had moved past longing, it was something physical now, like a pull in my chest. I couldn’t sit still. Couldn’t pretend that I didn’t feel it.

So I got up. Quietly, I crossed the room and walked into the bathroom. I didn’t knock. I just pushed the door open…. and there he was.

In all his glory.

He was bent forward slightly, bracing himself with one hand against the slick tiles while the water beat down on the back of his head, his neck and his shoulders. He looked… out of it. Lost in thought. Or pain. Or both.

But the moment I stepped inside and closed the door behind me with a soft click, his head lifted.

He turned and we just stared at each other.

For a long second, the air between us held everything we wanted to say. Everything. All the need. All the things we were too scared to feel but kept feeling anyway.

Then, without a word, he reached back and turned off the water.