Claimed By The Mafia Don (Ariella and Asher) novel Chapter 234

ARIELLA

“Okay, just wait a minute.”

Asher’s voice cut through the night. He seemed a lot closer than before, closer than he should have been when I opened my eyes.

“So we’re going to kill her because what? Because she’s the reason all of this is happening?” he asked, his words sharp, “ But wait. I thought you said this was all about Dinara. Are you going to kill Dinara after this? Because what......she’s next? You're going to kill Dinara later?”

The questions tumbled out of him in a rush. His tone was mocking, but it carried a cold kind of curiosity, the kind that made every word feel dangerous.

“I could just pay you the money now.” Asher finished off.

“Stop it!” Alan snapped, shoving the gun from my head. My breath caught as he raised it, but this time not towards me, he pointed it straight at Asher.

“You think I’m an idiot? You think Alex trusted me, that I made him so much money, helped him hide it all for so long because I’m an idiot?” His voice cracked with fury, but his grip on the gun was steady, terrifyingly steady.

“No,” Asher said quickly, cautiously, almost soothing. “I never said that. Like I said.... I’ve heard about you. I respected your work.” He leaned in slightly, testing the edge of the tension.

“But come on, this? Really? You’re not a man to hold a woman at gunpoint. You’re not involved in the war. Alex is dead, just like you said. You’ve already made your money. You already have a rich life. A future. You could go and find a young model, any woman you want. So why are you doing this?”

His voice grew quieter, almost probing. “I mean, I’ve heard your whole story, but I still don’t understand. Why would you risk your future, your new life, when you could just disappear instead of… this?”

Asher’s tone wasn’t mocking anymore. It was curious, almost genuine, like he needed to know the answer for himself.

And maybe I wanted to know too. At least now the gun wasn’t pointed at my head. It was pointed at Asher. I told myself that it was better. I think.... I don’t know.

He chuckled low, bitter, almost like gravel grinding in his throat.

"You think disappearing is that easy?" he asked, the gun steady in his hand though his knuckles whitened around it. His eyes flicked between me and Asher, wild, uncoordinated.

"Alex promised me a way out. He promised me I’d never have to look over my shoulder again. But then… then he brings her into it," he jerked his chin toward me, his lip curling, "and suddenly, everything I worked for, every dime, every drop of blood, it all came crashing down. Because of her."

"Asher’s right," I whispered before I could stop myself, the words trembling out of me. "This isn’t about me. This isn’t even about Alex anymore. You have everything you need to start over. You don’t need to...."

"Shut up!" he barked, the gun whipping back in my direction so fast my breath caught. My heart nearly cracked through my ribs.

"I wasn’t running around with her," Asher shot back, his voice firm. "You see, Ariella and I… we go way back. I mean, I guess you could see it now. I have a five-year-old son with her, after all. And I’ve only been married to Dinara for what? Two years? One and a half?"

Alan blinked, thrown for a second.

"So, if you do the math," Asher continued, his voice rising, "I knew Ariella before I ever met Dinara. I didn’t even want to marry Dinara. You want to cry a sub-story? I could cry a sub-story, too. I didn’t want to marry Dinara, but I had to. So we both have to deal with the cards we’ve been dealt. The difference is.... I found a way to get my happiness."

His eyes hardened. "So I’m going to ask you this one last time, and don’t you dare threaten me about killing her. If you wanted to kill her, she’d already be dead.... So I’m asking you: what do you want, Alan? And think about it very carefully, because if you mess up this question… this will be your last day on earth. And I’m not threatening you, I’m telling you."

"You can’t threaten me," Alan growled, tightening his grip. "I have her in my arms."

"Great," Asher said coldly. "Then shoot her. Just shoot her, so we can kill you and get this over with. At least then we can leave this place. Just make a decision already."

His voice shook with impatience. "I’m not good with this negotiation thing," he gritted out,

I could sense it; he was on the edge of his anger and his patience. And I was terrified that the cost of that edge snapping… would be me.