Claimed By The Mafia Don (Ariella and Asher) novel Chapter 396

ASHER

I wanted to devour her. To take her apart piece by piece and still want more when I was done.

“Heaven,” I muttered against her lips, my voice rough as my mouth moved over hers again.

My tongue chased hers, slow at first, then deeper, tasting, learning, claiming every inch like I had no intention of stopping.

“You taste like heaven…” I breathed, barely pulling back, my forehead resting against hers. “I swear, I want to take you upstairs and do very dirty things to you right now.”

And I meant every word.....Every. Single. One. But in the next second, Ariella pushed me away. Hard enough that I actually took a step back. The sudden distance hit me like a slap. I stared at her, chest rising, pulse still racing, every nerve in my body lit up and nowhere to go.

Frustration, Desire and Tension coiling tight under my skin.

“We can’t do this.” Her voice was soft. Firm.

But it didn’t stop me. Because in that moment, I realised something.... I didn’t even want to go to the ball anyway. Not really. All I wanted was to stay here with her, Upstairs, in our room, where it would just be the two of us.

Where no one else could look at her.

Where I didn’t have to watch every move, every glance, every shadow in the room.

Where I didn’t have to stay on edge the entire night, waiting for something to go wrong.

Where would she be safe?

Where she would be mine.

I stepped forward again, ready to pull her back to me. But Ariella, being Ariella, surprised me. She ducked under my arm, swift and light, and before I could catch her, she was already moving, running toward the car in those damn heels, laughing softly as she escaped me.

I stopped and just stood there for a second, watching her. And then I couldn’t help it either. A smile pulled at my lips. Shaking my head slightly, I followed after her at a slower pace, no rush now, just watching the way she moved, the way she glanced back like she knew exactly what she was doing.

The driver hurried out the moment he saw us, opening the door for her. She slipped inside quickly, almost like she thought that door would protect her from me.

Like I wouldn’t just follow. Like I wouldn’t still have her exactly where I wanted her. And maybe she was right... or not. The moment I got into the car, she raised her hand at me.

“Listen to me Don Romano.... " she began. "You’re not messing up my hair. You’re not messing up my makeup. And, you’re not messing up this dress. Do you know how many hours I had to get ready to look like this?”

I stopped, just staring at her.

I had no idea how many hours she did.

“Yeah,” she said, nodding her head and narrowing her eyes at me. “You have no idea. So stay away, mister. I want to look good today. I want to look presentable. And I want these people to actually respect me. And you’re not gonna mess with that.”

She opened her clutch, took out her lipstick, her phone, and then went to business on her lips like I wasn’t even there.

“I want you exactly where I can feel you… and see you.”

And for once, she didn’t argue right away. She let me hold her hand as the low hum of the engine filled the car and we began to move.

I held on. And I kept holding. Her fingers shifted slightly in my grip, adjusting, not resisting, just… settling.

“Control freak,” she muttered under her breath, but there was no bite to it.

I let out a quiet laugh. “Only when it comes to you.”

She turned her head then, fully, her eyes searching mine like she was trying to read something deeper.

“And you love it,” I added.

A small smile tugged at her lips.

“You’re going to suffocate me,” she said, but there was warmth in her voice now.

“No,” I replied calmly. “I’m going to protect you.”

And then we just… stared into each other. With A long, quiet, meaningful look. The kind that didn’t need words..... The kind that said everything.