Claimed By The Mafia Don (Ariella and Asher) novel Chapter 366

ARIELLA

We found Margaret was placing the last bowl on the table.

“Everything ready, Margaret?” I asked.

“Yes,” she said. “Everything’s ready.”

“Okay, I’ll go get everyone.”

Maria shook her head, already taking a seat. “I’ll just stay here. Why don’t you go and get them?”

I paused, looking at her.

“What the hell are you afraid of?”

“Nothing,” she said quickly. “I mean, there’s no reason for the two of us to go back and tell them dinner is ready. Plus, this was your idea… and it’s your house.”

I shook my head at her and turned back, heading toward the sitting room.

When I walked in, I found Asher and Sia exactly where we had left them. Still standing and still close. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, just quiet voices, almost like they were whispering to each other. And there was no sign of Luca or Leon.

I frowned for a second before I knocked lightly on the door. The knock made both of them turn towards me. And the moment Asher saw me, he walked straight toward me and kissed me, right on the mouth.

I blinked, caught completely off guard by the sudden force of it. When he pulled back, I glanced briefly at Sia, hoping I hadn’t just made things awkward.

“What’s that for?” I asked.

“Because I missed you the whole day,” he said simply.

I rolled my eyes, even though something in me softened.

“Where’s Luca and Leon?” I asked.

“Well,” he said, “Leon and Luca started bickering like siblings, so they went to have a rematch in the playroom.”

I nodded. “That sounds like them. Dinner is ready.”

Then I looked at Sia. “Sia, dinner is ready, I’ll just escort you to the dining room before I get Luca and Leon.”

Sia shook her head lightly. “No, it’s fine. You go ahead and get them. I know where the dining room is.”

I hesitated for just a second before nodding.

“Okay.”

But I couldn’t help the small, quiet feeling that lingered in my chest. Something I still couldn’t quite name.

I watched as Sia smiled at Asher, then nodded at me before she turned and walked out of the room. Asher’s hand on my waist brought me back to the present as he pulled me gently toward him.

“What are you thinking?” he asked.

“Nothing.” I shook my head slightly and turned towards him. “How was the funeral?”

He exhaled, his expression shifting.

He raised a questioning eyebrow before he responded.

"There is nothing to tell Ariella. I told you, Luca, and I had always been close, and Sia is his young sister, so growing up, of course, all our siblings looked up to us and followed us around everywhere."

I hesitated for just a second. I knew I shouldn’t bring it up, but something about it was bothering me.

“I know I shouldn’t be asking, but… what were you guys talking about, just now?”

For a split second, something flickered across his face, almost like he had been caught off guard.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen her,” he said. “Things have changed a lot since then.”

“Ah… okay,” I nodded slowly. “So what were you guys talking about?”

He looked at me for a second longer this time.

“Nothing important.”

I raised an eyebrow. “So the two of you were just whispering for nothing?”

“What’s this about?” he asked.

“It’s not about anything,” I said quickly. “I was just curious, that’s all.”

He studied me for a moment, then exhaled.

“As I said, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen her. We were just… catching up." He shrugged. "I asked about her life, how she took the death of her father. With everything that’s been happening since then, I’ve been busy fighting for my place, making my place in the world… I haven’t really had time to see her. So yeah. Nothing. Just normal stuff.”