Claimed By The Mafia Don (Ariella and Asher) novel Chapter 179

I looked at Luca. He was still sitting there in that chair, watching me, always watching.

“I’m sorry, Luca, okay?” I finally said, my voice barely a whisper. “It was a mistake. I don’t even know what’s wrong with me. Can we just... forget it all happened?”

And then I waited. For the answer I wasn’t sure I deserved.

“You want us to forget?” Luca said, his voice dripping in sarcasm as he let out a bitter laugh. “You know this is gonna cost me, right?”

I frowned. “What do you mean? How?”

He looked at me with disbelief. “When Asher finds out that I not only went against his wishes....which, by the way, he is very mad about, but also that I pushed you right into another man’s arms? The enemy?” He let out a humourless chuckle.

“Do you know how he’s gonna act? Because I have no idea. But I can promise you, it won’t be good. It won’t be good to watch, and it sure as hell won’t be good to be on the other end of his wrath.”

I swallowed hard, already feeling my hands grow clammy. “I’m sorry. It was a mistake.”

“That’s not gonna help anything now, is it?” he snapped, eyes narrowing.

I looked down. “So what do you want me to do?”

“That’s a great question,” Luca said as he stood up, his full frame looming now, no longer relaxed, no longer pretending. “Since it seems like you’re just that unable to live freely and live the life you should be living, knowing who you are, I think it’s time we do things Asher’s way.”

His words made my chest tighten. My voice barely came out. “What do you mean?”

“You know exactly what I mean,” he said, locking eyes with me.

“No way, Luca. You can’t do this!”

“I actually can.” His voice was hard, steady, but not cruel. “ I need Asher’s head in the game. I need Asher thinking about the war we’re about to get into. I need him to be strategic, focused, not spiralling over you kissing some guy we’re supposed to be watching.”

I opened my mouth, but I didn’t know what to say.

Luca wasn’t done.

“And when he finds out about this little indiscretion of yours,” he continued, stepping closer, “all logic will walk right out the window. And then I’ll be the one cleaning up the aftermath. I’ll be the one holding the pieces.”

He exhaled sharply, shaking his head.

“And that,” he finished, “is not going to happen.”

“Wait, Luca,” I called out, my voice cracking. “What are you gonna do? I don’t deserve this. This is so unfair.”

“You think this is unfair?” he scoffed, spinning around to face me. “You think I gave you this mansion of a house to live in freely just so you could do whatever the hell you wanted?”

“That’s not what I mean,” I snapped back. “And you know it.”

“Then what do you mean? Please, enlighten me,” he said, arms crossing over his chest, his voice laced with sarcasm. “Because from where I’m standing, it’s either you wanted Asher’s attention so badly that you’d pull some reckless shit to get it, or you’re just that stupid. So which one is it?”

“This is not fair!” I shouted. “Asher gets to be with his wife, he gets to fuck her and lie in her arms every damn night. But I just kiss a guy and suddenly it’s a whole goddamn war! Suddenly, I’m getting dragged from one place to another like I’m a criminal? I won’t stand for it!”

Luca’s eyes flared. “I don’t give a fuck if Asher is out there fucking your sister right now,” he bit out.

I flinched.

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