Claimed By The Mafia Don (Ariella and Asher) novel Chapter 285

ARIELLA

Early the next morning, Luca came to knock on the door.

I was fast asleep, completely unaware he’d even been there. Asher had been the one to see him. I only found out later, when I finally woke up and went down for brunch. Yes… brunch. Because I woke up that late.

Apparently, Leon had gone looking for us earlier, too. Maria told me she’d had to use every trick in the book to keep him from disturbing us, because, as she put it, we were on our honeymoon.

Oh my. The word finally hit me..... I was on my honeymoon. With the man I loved. The man I should have always been with. The man I once believed I would never truly get to have.

So there we were, sitting down for brunch. Leon was already there, smiling and energetic as always. Maria had chosen not to join us, even though I’d wanted her to. She’d laughed and told me how funny it had been to keep Leon away from our room, then left us to it.

Just the three of us.

“Where’s Luca?” I ask, noticing his absence.

“He had to leave,” Asher says, sitting beside me, his hand finding mine. “He came by this morning, but you were fast asleep. I don’t think you heard a thing.”

“Oh,” I smile. “Why did he leave so early? He couldn't atleast have breakfast and say goodbye?”

“We can’t both be away from home,” he says, glancing at Leon as he speaks. “A lot has happened. You know that. Some people might think the power has shaken. That there are cracks, in the Romano famiglia, in the control I have. We can’t all disappear at once.”

Then his tone softens as he kisses my hand.

“Besides,” he adds, “I’m on my honeymoon. I’m with my family. My beautiful wife.” He kisses my hand again. “And my son. My heir.”

Leon beams up at him, his smile bright and proud.

I don’t know why, but seeing that light in Leon’s eyes whenever he looks at his father fills me with a deep, quiet contentment. In that moment, I feel like I have everything.

And yet, there’s something in Asher’s voice. Something subtle. A cold edge. A trace of apprehension. A hint of uncertainty I can’t quite explain.

It makes me uneasy. Because I know that world. I know that life.

And when I look at Leon again, my smile turns bittersweet. Because I know that whoever comes for Asher… will come for him too. Leon has no idea what being a Romano heir means.

I shake my head, trying to push the thought away. I shouldn’t be thinking like this. Not now.

“Hey,” Asher says softly. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” I reply quickly. “It’s nothing. Just… all this talk about the famiglia.....”

“It’s going to be okay,” he says, tightening his grip on my hand, his eyes locking with mine. “I’m here. And I’m going to protect you. All of you.”

He looks at Leon then.

“Nothing is going to touch you,” he continues. “I will do anything, everything, to make sure you’re untouchable.”

I nod. “Just… be careful. Remember we need you alive. Okay?”

“I’m always careful,” he says. “And now more than ever. I have too much to lose.”

We used the four days left of our honeymoon the way they were meant to be used..... like people who finally had permission to breathe.

Mornings started slow. Sunlight slipping through open curtains. Leon was climbing between us with uncontained excitement, his laughter pulling us out of sleep. Breakfasts stretched into late mornings, always outside, fresh fruit, warm bread, salt in the air

One day, Asher took Leon out early, just the two of them. I watched from the terrace as they headed toward the water, fishing rods over their shoulders. Leon talked nonstop, his hands moving wildly as he told his father something only he could understand.

They came back hours later, sun-kissed and triumphant, Leon holding up a small fish like it was the greatest achievement of his life. Asher looked… lighter. Proud. Like a man seeing himself reflected in his son. And I couldn't be happier to see them bonding and getting along so smoothly like this.

"How was fishing?" I asked Leon after a kiss from Asher.

"I caught one, see..." He replied proudly holding out his catch.

I kissed his head and roughed up his hair, watching his catch before I clapped a little too enthusiastically.

"Dad taught me. You should see what's in the ice box. Dad caught a huuuuge...... Fish."

I laughed along with Asher. Before I asked "You spent half the day, and each only caught one fish?"

"We let the others go. We only brought this to show you. Dad promised he was going to teach me hunting next." Leon quickly responded. "You should come with us next time."

"Yeah, maybe I will next time," I replied even though I know that I wouldn't.

I wanted them to spend as much time together as they could.