Claimed By The Mafia Don (Ariella and Asher) novel Chapter 174

I had closed my eyes as I screamed, bracing myself for… something. Anything. I didn’t know what exactly I was waiting for... a slap, a shove, the full weight of his fury? But I knew I was waiting for impact.

But nothing happened. Not immediately.

Seconds passed. Long, trembling, breathless seconds and the silence that followed was louder than the scream that came before it. That’s when I opened my eyes.

Luca had taken two steps into the room. He stood just beyond the threshold, his fists clenched tightly at his sides, his chest heaving with restrained rage. His face… God, his face. It was pure fury, twisted and sharp, his jaw locked so tight it looked painful.

But he wasn’t moving. He was just standing there, staring at me. Frozen. Trembling. The air between us crackled with something I couldn’t name.

Had my scream stopped him? Or was it something else?

Behind him, Maria stood at the door, her arms stiff, her eyes locked on him with something I had never seen on her face before that looked a lot like fear.

Maria. Always composed. Always in control. Never shaken. And yet now, she looked afraid.

And that’s when I knew. I wasn’t out of danger. Not even close.

We stood awkwardly facing each other, the tension choking. Luca was as stiff as leather — rigid and unyielding, just like the shine on his shoes. His frustration was aimed straight at me, his anger radiating all around the room.

I couldn’t understand it.

I had no idea what I had done. Why he was so angry. What had triggered this storm.

Still, I stood there, nervous and afraid, my eyes flickering around the room like I could somehow will a door to appear. But there wasn’t a way out unless I wanted to crawl through the window and that wasn’t even a real option. Not in this dress. Not in this situation. Just… no.

Then my gaze landed on the bathroom door. That… could be my only option now. My only sanctuary if he moved even one more step.

Luca saw me glance toward the bathroom door, and maybe he understood exactly what I was thinking, because his voice cracked through the silence like a whip.

“Don’t even think about it.”

I froze in place.

“I said, don’t move,” he snapped, and this time, it wasn’t a warning, it was a command. My breath caught in my chest. I couldn’t move even if I wanted to.

He closed his eyes then, and I didn’t know why. His fists were still clenched at his sides, knuckles white, shoulders tense like a spring wound too tight. He looked up to the ceiling, released a sharp, audible breath, and then brought his eyes back to me.

"What is wrong with you?" He asked almost in a whisper.

Then, he exploded.

“I said, what the fuck is wrong with you?” he shouted, and it hit me like a slap.

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