Claimed By The Mafia Don (Ariella and Asher) novel Chapter 343

ARIELLA

But Leon didn’t seem to understand what Luca said.

He didn’t look shocked or confused by Luca's words. If anything, he simply looked annoyed.

“My father doesn’t kill people, Uncle Luca,” he said confidently before returning to his food.

The dining room went silent. My gaze shifted towards Asher who was looking at Luca.

Luca shrugged. “What?” he said casually.

“He’s five.” I couldn’t help it.

"Six."

“Luca,” I snapped.

That was when he seemed to realise what he had said.

“Oh… sorry,” he said quickly. “I thought his dad was already teaching him about the family.”

“He's a child for Christ's sake!” I bit back.

Luca raised his hands in surrender.

“Sorry.”

“We’re eating,” I added sharply.

“I said I was sorry, Ariella,” he added.

I didn’t reply. Instead, I returned to my food.

Leon kept talking, asking questions about random things, completely unaware of the tension that had just passed over the table.

Thank God he didn’t ask about killing people.

Luca had really made me angry by bringing that kind of subject up here, especially when we had been having such a lovely dinner.

Yes, I knew Asher was a killer. He was. And Luca was one too. We all knew it. But Leon didn’t grow up in this world. He adored his father and the two of them were still building their relationship. The last thing I wanted was for that image to be planted in his head.

Dinner eventually ended. Thankfully. Before anyone said anything or the plates had been cleared from the table, Luca stood up first.

“I’m going outside for a smoke,” he said.

Maria also stood.

“I’m going upstairs. I think I’ll get some sleep.”

Since I usually helped Leon get to bed, I let her go. Besides, she didn’t look well. Something was clearly bothering her, and I didn’t want to pressure her further into doing something she didn't want to do.

So Asher, Leon, and I went to the movie room. We put on a movie, Leon sitting between us. Asher and I held hands behind Leon’s head where he couldn’t see. A few minutes into the movie, Leon was already asleep.

“I’ll carry him to bed,” Asher said quietly.

He gently picked him up and carried him upstairs. I turned off the screen and was on my way upstairs to our bedroom when I suddenly remembered that I wanted a bottle of water. So I went down to the kitchen.

The house was quiet now. Too quiet. I grabbed the water and started walking back toward the stairs. That’s when I saw Luca.

He was coming down the stairs from upstairs, looking a little troubled.

I froze on my steps.

It wasn’t unusual for Luca to visit the house, but he usually roamed the ground floor. Mainly, he would stayn Asher’s office downstairs when they were working. I had never seen him coming from upstairs before though.

When Asher woke up the next day, I heard him moving and opened my eyes. I turned toward him just as he was getting off the bed. The moment our eyes met, he smiled.

“Good morning, my love. How are you?”

“I’m fine,” I said, smiling.

I stretched slowly, my arms above my head, and he just sat there watching me, his face filled with peace and calm. It was a look I didn’t see much in his face anymore. So for the moment that I got it, I basked in it.

“I’m going to take a shower and head out,” he said. “I still don’t know who is behind the bomb or the attacks on the businesses, so I can’t slack off now.”

I quickly sat on the bed with my back against the headboard.

“What happened yesterday at your meeting with the Volkov Bratva?”

He turned his full attention toward me. The two of us looked at each other as he said,

“Alex Volkov isn’t responsible for the bombing.”

“How do you know?” I asked, frowning.

“Because he told me so.”

I was sceptical.

I mean, even if he was the one doing something, if Volkov were to ask him about his involvement in the death of his son, he would have also flat-out refused.

Asher saw the look on my face and chuckled lightly.

“Yeah, I know you won’t understand, but trust me on this. He is not responsible. When I saw him, he was a lot frailer and a lot older than the last time I saw him,” he said, as if remembering the moment.

“And I’m not sure he’s still a hundred per cent in charge.”