Claimed By The Mafia Don (Ariella and Asher) novel Chapter 32

Chapter 32

I loved the attention. I loved everything about this moment. But he was a lot older, and I was kind of scared. I wasn’t ready for that.

He must have noticed because he asked,

“Hey, are you cold?”

I said, “No, I’m fine.”

Still, he went inside his car, grabbed his jacket, and came back to drape it over me. Then, he just held my hand.

We stayed there in silence, just looking at the water, until suddenly, his phone pinged.

He glanced at it and then said,

“I set the timer for five minutes. Come on, let me take you home.”

He took my hand, helped me back into the car, and drove me home.

As we pulled into the driveway, I could already see my father watching through the window. He must have been stressed.

Asher parked, stepped out, and came around to open my door.

Asher turned towards me.

“You’re still underage, and I’m not allowed to kiss you, right?”

I laughed.

He smiled and then shook his head.

“Sorry. Ignore me.”

He seemed like he wanted to say something else, but my father had already opened the front door and was standing at the entrance, waiting.

Asher looked at him, then back at me.

“I’ll see you around, butterfly.”

And then, just as I started walking toward the house, I realized-I had his jacket.

I spun around and said, “Hey! Your jacket.”

But then he turned back toward me, smiled, and said,

“Keep it. I have a surprise for you in there.”

I got so excited. My father was already walking down the driveway, taking my hand and leading me inside the house. I was so excited that I just kissed my dad on the cheek and ran towards my room.

Once inside, I closed the door and started touching the jacket, running my fingers over the fabric. And what do

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Chapter 32

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you know? There was a phone number written inside.

I rushed to grab my phone, entered the number, and sent a text.

Hey.

He never answered.

The next day, my dad came home with the news. His face was serious, his voice heavy as he said, The Don’s wife has been murdered.

A rival family had attacked her car while she was coming back from a fundraiser. She wasn’t with the Don-her husband, Mr. Romano. She was with her bodyguard. They shot at the car. She was rushed to the hospital, but… she didn’t make it.

I felt numb. I was shocked. I mean, I didn’t know her personally. I usually just saw her at parties, funerals, weddings–you know, because she was the Don’s wife, she had to be there for a lot of social events.

But the only person I thought about was Asher.

I thought about what he was going through.

Whenever I saw him with his family, I could tell he was close to his mother. He had a younger brother-he was younger than me, in the class below me. It was just the two of them in the family. I knew they must be devastated.

I went back to my room and tried texting Asher again. I wanted to know if he was okay, if he needed anything, if … if he just needed someone.

He didn’t answer.

I thought maybe he was caught up with everything. That he was grieving, so I left him alone. The next day, I called him again and Nothing.

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