Claimed By The Mafia Don (Ariella and Asher) novel Chapter 348

ARIELLA

I nudged Asher with my elbow to shut him up.

Leon had already grabbed a piece of toast and started eating like someone who had not seen food in weeks.

“Slow down,” I told him.

“I’m rebuilding my strength,” he said with his mouth full.

Asher sat down at the head of the table beside him.

“You’ll need it. Tomorrow morning we run again.”

Leon froze for a moment. His eyes immediately ran toward me.

“Mom,” he pleaded.

I smiled at him before I replied.

“You remember the promise you made me in your bedroom?”

He nodded, though he clearly wasn’t thrilled about it anymore.

“You’re going to prove to your dad that you’re stronger than he thinks, aren’t you?”

“Yes… But I thought, I could rest tomorrow. May legs hurt so bad.”

“No,” I said gently. “If you do it again and again, that’s how you get better. You can’t start slacking now.”

He thought about it for a second.

“Okay,” he said reluctantly. “But you’re coming, Mom. Because Dad…” He leaned closer like he was sharing a serious secret. “He was like a whole different person, Mom. You should come to make sure he doesn’t try to hurt me.”

I laughed.

“He’s not going to hurt you.”

“I know,” Leon said with a sigh. “But he’s going to make me wish I was.”

Both Asher and I chuckled at Leon's statement before we dug into our breakfast, the meal filled with a comfortable silence. It wasn’t awkward. It was the kind of quiet where we shared little looks instead of words.

Sometimes Leon would catch my eye and grin.

Sometimes I’d look at Asher and he’d wink at me, doing that thing where he just exists as himself, confident, amused, impossible not to notice.

Then the two of them would exchange their own silent conversation. Leon would puff up his chest, trying to look bigger and stronger than he actually was.

Asher would give him that look. That dangerous look. The one I knew very well. The one he used when he was truly angry. But now there was no fire behind it, no darkness. He was just pretending. Still, it worked. Leon would immediately avoid eye contact, and Asher would break into laughter.

Once we finished eating, Asher wiped his hands with a napkin and turned toward Leon.

“Oh, before I forget,” he said casually. “I’m bringing a few people to the house today.”

Leon looked up.

“Why?”

“So your mom can choose a tutor for you.”

Leon’s eyes lit up.

“That’s so good!” he said excitedly. “When will I be going to school again?”

“Not for long,” Asher said vaguely. “The teacher just needs to see where you left off in your last school. That way they can get you up to speed so when you rejoin the others, you’re heading in the same direction.”

Leon’s smile widened. I knew how much he loved school. But it wasn’t really the studying part. It was the friends.

“Okay!” he said brightly. Then he looked at his father. “Can I also choose a tutor I like?”

Asher turned toward me.

“Well,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “I’ll leave that up to Mommy. What do you say?”

“No!”

Leon gasped in horror. Then look on his face was worth it. I laughed.

“You know what?” I said. “We can interview them together.”

“Yay!” Leon cheered. "I am going to choose the best tutor ever...."

“Who says I’m having a hard time with him?”

“Oh, please.”

“I’m serious,” he continued, straightening. “I have never met such a small human being who gets on my nerves the way he does.” He paused, then added, almost thoughtfully, “And I have never felt the need to prove my authority to anyone the way I do with my own son.”

That made me laugh.

“Exactly.”

He shook his head, but there was a smile tugging at his lips now. “This is entertaining,” he admitted. “It’s actually the highlight of my day.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“Oh?”

“Yeah,” he said, stepping closer to me. “Knowing I’m coming back to you…” His voice softened slightly. “You’re warm. You’re home.”

My heart did that quiet little shift it always did when he said things like that.

“And then,” he continued, a grin forming again, “there’s that little rascal, waiting to irritate me.”

I laughed.

He leaned in a little, lowering his voice like he was sharing a secret.

“Honestly? Whatever my enemies are planning out there…” he shrugged lightly, “…it looks like child’s play compared to handling the two of you.”

I couldn’t help it. I laughed out loud.

Not just because it was funny.... But because of the way he said it. Calm. And that mattered because I remembered how he used to be when the attacks started. He was always on edge, restless......like everything was about to explode at any moment.

I know it's because no one had ever come for him like this before.

Not like this.

Not his family.

And it had shaken something in him. But now… Now he sounded different. Still dangerous. Still in control. But calmer. Like he had found something worth anchoring himself to.