Claimed By The Mafia Don (Ariella and Asher) novel Chapter 325

ARIELLA

That makes no sense.

" I told him Dinara was fucking my young brother under my roof.... and that brought shame to her family. I had evidence, he knew that. Hence he didn't want anything to do with her after that."

"But her brother loved her......" I argue.

"And her brother is dead.” he points out.

"Shouldn't you be wary of that since you had something to do with his death?" I remind him.

"I never touched him or have any connections to the men that did." He answers.

I can tell that he is not concerned about being involved in Alex Volkov's murder. So maybe I have nothing to worry about on that end.

I frown slightly. “Doesn’t he have other children?”

“He does,” Asher answers unbothered, “but they’re not really involved. Still… now that Alex is dead, he must be grooming someone else.”

He pauses, thinking.

“Maybe I should let Luca arrange that meeting with Alex Volkov afterall, just to get it out of the way. But something tells me this isn’t him.”

“Maybe it’s one of his children then,” I say quietly.

“I don’t know,” he admits. “But when I go into that meeting, I’ll find out.”

The room falls silent for a second before I ask the question sitting at the back of my mind.

“So… ever since his son died and his daughter died… how has your relationship with the bratva been?”

“Aside from handling things here after her death and making sure everything was done before I left, I haven’t really dealt with him,” Asher says. “After the burial, I came to you. Then we got married. I came back, and this mess happened.”

He gestures vaguely toward the world outside the office, toward the explosion, the guards, the tension pressing against the walls.

“We haven’t really seen each other. Haven’t really talked. I haven’t had the time to feel him out yet.”

I nod slowly.

“So I guess this meeting is long overdue,” he concludes

“Okay… alright,” I say, absorbing the information and mentally trying to connect all the scattered pieces.

Then another thought hits me.

“You told me about your brother and Dinara. Do you think maybe any of the men they used could be exacting revenge?”

He shakes his head immediately.

“No. What Dinara and Dominic had was fragile and unplanned. If they had this kind of power, they would’ve used it already. They don’t have the structure. They don’t have the intel.”

“Maybe they’re all working together,” I say quietly.

"I don’t know,” he replies. “But I’m going to find them.”

His voice drops, a dangerous, determined tone.

“I’m more determined than ever. I won’t let anyone hurt you or Leon. If that’s what they want, they’ll have to kill me first.”

“Please don’t say that, Asher.” The words come out faster than I expect, sharper too.

“We’ve only just found each other again. Leon is just starting to get to know his father. Please don’t talk like that.”

My voice softens.

“Please take care of yourself. Please make sure you come back to us. Please.”

This time, he places his hand on the desk.

Slowly. Deliberately. I immediately place mine over his, and he closes his fingers around it.

“I promise,” he says quietly. “I’ll be careful.”

Relief moves through me, warm and fragile.

I want to keep him here.

I don’t want him to go out there.

A quiet fear rises in my chest, sudden and sharp. I’m scared he’ll walk out that door and never come back, and the thought settles deep enough to make my fingers twist tighter into his jacket.

I don’t mean to hold on so hard.

But I do.

He notices. Of course he does. He always does.

His hand lifts to my face, gentle, steadying, and then he leans down to kiss my forehead.

“I’m coming back to you,” he murmurs against my skin.

The promise should calm me, but instead it makes everything feel more real.

More fragile.

More uncertain.

My breath catches, and I feel myself tense without meaning to. Slowly, reluctantly, my grip loosens. My hands fall from his jacket, though every part of me still wants to hold on.

His head lowers again. This time, he kisses me.

Soft. So soft it almost hurts. It’s quick, quiet, and careful, like something delicate that neither of us wants to break. And then it’s over.

Before I can reach for him again, he’s already stepping back. Turning and walking toward the door.

I watch him leave.

I watch the moment the door opens.

I watch the moment it closes.

And just like that.... He’s gone.