Claimed By The Mafia Don (Ariella and Asher) novel Chapter 342

ARIELLA

I laughed.

Luca reached over and lightly hit Leon on the back of the head.

“You little rascal,” he said. “I’m only letting you win because I liked you.”

Then he leaned forward, gripping his controller.

“Now let me play for real and see you running back to Mommy.”

Leon stuck his tongue out at him. Luca looked at him seriously, but Leon only smiled back before suddenly grabbing him to distract him. The two of them started struggling, laughing loudly as they pushed each other around.

I took that moment to walk toward Maria.

“Hey,” I said as I sat down next to her.

“Hey,” she said back.

“You look a little down,” I told her gently. “Are you okay? Are you feeling okay? Are you sick?”

“No,” she said immediately. “I’m fine.”

But her eyes drifted toward Luca again before returning to me.

“You enjoying watching the boys play?” I asked.

“Leon is kicking Luca’s ass,” Maria said.

“Hey!” Luca shouted suddenly.

I hadn’t even realised he could hear us or was listening.

“I’m only letting him win.... You know what?” Luca continued. “I’m about to play for real. And don’t come complaining to me when Leon is crying his eyes out. I will not be held responsible.”

Maria and I both laughed at that.

“Okay,” I said after a moment. “I’m going to check on dinner and come get you guys.”

Leon and Luca nodded without even looking away from the screen.

Maria stood up.

“I’ll come with you.”

“Okay,” I said.

We walked out of the game room together and headed toward the kitchen.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” I asked her again quietly.

“Yes,” she replied quickly. “I’m okay. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Nothing,” I said with a small shrug.

When we reached the kitchen, the food was already ready and being placed on the dining table.

“Dinner is ready,” one of the staff members said.

I turned to Maria.

“Can you go get Leon and Luca? I’m going to check on Asher.”

“Sure,” she replied.

I headed upstairs and was halfway up the stairs when Asher appeared at the top of the landing. I stopped there, smiling at him.

“You were taking so long,” I teased. “I was coming to see what was holding you up.”

He smiled back.

“I’ve been waiting for you to come get me,” he said. “But you took too long. I thought Leon was keeping you busy and you forgot about me.”

“You can’t possibly be jealous of your own son,” I teased.

He shrugged.

“I said I was going to show you how a real man plays,” Luca corrected.

Leon grinned proudly.

“You still lost.”

Asher chuckled under his breath.

“Careful,” he told Leon. “You’re embarrassing your uncle.”

“He should play better,” Leon replied immediately.

The table went quiet for half a second before we all bust out laughing, Luca included. Then Asher smirked.

“You’re right.”

Leon nodded seriously as if he had made an important correction.

That made everyone laugh again, including Luca, who shook his head as he reached for his glass.

“Ungrateful little monster,” he muttered.

Maria forced a small smile, but I noticed her fingers were twisting together under the table. She wasn’t really listening to the conversation. Her mind seemed elsewhere. I watched her quietly for a moment before turning to the food.

Dinner began normally. Leon talked the most, telling Asher everything that had happened that day, how he had beaten Luca three times in the game, how he had practised running, how tomorrow morning he was going to beat his father, too.

“You’re very confident,” Asher told him.

Leon shrugged.

“You’re old now.”

Luca burst out laughing.

“Careful, Leon,” he said. “Your father kills people for less.”

The moment Luca said the words, my eyes widened immediately went to Leon.