Claimed By The Mafia Don (Ariella and Asher) novel Chapter 346

ARIELLA

I bent down and started lifting Leon up so I could take him upstairs. But before I could, Asher quickly stepped forward, scooped Leon into his arms, and then jogged up the stairs with him. While talking the entire time.

“You see this? You see this little boy?” he said proudly. “You think you can carry me up the stairs while running two steps at a time?”

Leon groaned weakly in his arms. I couldn’t help shaking my head with a contained laugh, as I went after them. I followed them upstairs, still shaking my head at the father-son shenanigans.

Asher reached the top of the stairs without even slowing down, Leon still hanging in his arms like a completely defeated soldier.

“See?” Asher said proudly. “Not even breathing hard.”

Leon groaned.“That’s because you’re a giant,” he muttered weakly.

I laughed softly as I reached them.

“Alright, that’s enough torture for today,” I said. “Give him to me.”

Asher looked down at Leon. “You’re giving up already?” he asked him.

Leon didn’t even open his eyes.

“Yes.”

Asher chuckled but finally walked into Leon’s room and laid him gently on the bed. The moment his little body touched the mattress, Leon stretched his arms and legs like a starfish and sighed dramatically.

“I think I’m dying.” he groaned.

“You’re not dying,” Asher said calmly, standing at the foot of the bed.

“My legs don’t work anymore.” he lamented.

“They will work again tomorrow.” his father responded with a smile.

Leon’s eyes snapped open in horror.

“Tomorrow?!”

I laughed and sat on the edge of the bed, brushing his sweaty hair off his forehead.

“No running tomorrow,” I said reassuringly.

Leon immediately looked relieved.

“See? Mommy understands.”

Asher crossed his arms.

“Mommy is spoiling you.”

Leon pointed a tired finger at him.

“Daddy is mean.”

“Daddy is training you,” Asher corrected.

Leon rolled onto his side and buried half his face in the pillow. “I liked Uncle Luca better.”

Asher narrowed his eyes.

“Careful.”

I bit my lip, trying not to laugh again.

“Alright,” I said gently. “First things first. Shower.”

Leon groaned louder than before.

“I can’t move.”

“Yes, you can,” Asher replied.

“No.”

“Yes.”

“No.”

I watched the two of them for a second before standing up. “Fine,” I said. “Then Daddy will give you a shower.”

Leon’s head lifted immediately.

“No! I can move!”

Asher smirked.

“That’s what I thought.”

Leon slowly sat up, moving like an old man with aching bones.

“Yes,” he said quietly.

“Well… Daddy felt the same way when you called him a grandpa.”

Leon frowned.

“But he was horrible, Mom,” he said. “And he didn’t stop. He was like a machine.”

That made me chuckle a little. When he looked at me with those innocent, wide eyes, I softened my voice.

“Just listen. If you stop teasing him, I’ll tell him to stop teasing you. Deal?”

He seemed to think about it carefully.

“So… I’m not going running with Daddy again?”

“It depends,” I said. “Do you want to?”

He thought about it for a moment before saying seriously,

“I will answer you later. I first have to go and talk to William. Then I’ll talk to Mikey. I’m sure they have a trick to teach me so that I can beat Daddy in running tomorrow.”

That surprised me.

“I thought you didn’t want to run anymore,” I said.

He thought again before answering honestly.

“I don’t want Daddy to laugh at me. Besides, William says I’m still young and there’s a lot to learn. Maybe I won’t beat him today… but as soon as I can do it, I will beat him.”

He lifted his chin slightly.

“He’s getting older, and I’m getting stronger.”

I couldn’t help laughing. I ruffled his hair, kissed his forehead, and said,

“Okay. I’m going to get Daddy.”

“Okay,” he said, smiling now, his face bright as if he had solved his problem.

I couldn’t help smiling back at him. I opened his door and stepped outside..... Only to find Asher standing there. Right outside the door. Like he had been..... Eavesdropping.

“Were you eavesdropping on our conversation?” I asked. I was completely surprised by this new revelation