Claimed By The Mafia Don (Ariella and Asher) novel Chapter 424

424 /440

ASHER

Ariella had the right connections to get whatever drugs she could pump into herself if she wanted to. She had the means to do it, and I wasn’t going to let her.

“It’s gotta stop,” I told her point-blank without sugar coating it.

She narrowed her eyes at me.

“I know about your little alcohol issue,” I added.

“I don’t have an alcohol issue.”

“I found the bottles of wine. I know what you’ve been doing, and you’re stopping that shit, right now.”

“Oh my gosh,” she said a bit dramatically. “You’re not going to.....”

“That’s why I called you here,” I cut in. “I called you here because you’re going to stop. I don’t care if you have to go to rehab....”

“Rehab?” she snapped. “I’ve been drinking glasses of wine, not doing coke. Jesus.”

“Yes. That’s why you haven’t been acting like yourself. This cannot continue, Ariella. I won’t let you.”

“Leon won't have a drunk mother,” I added, sharper than I intended. “I won’t have a drunk wife. You won’t become a drunk. I won’t let you.”

"Jesus. Just give me a break."

“I’m taking you to rehab right now.”

"Don't you dare talk to me like that. You think you're some big macho man just because you get to dictate my life and push me around?"

“You see?” I gestured at her. “The way you’re angry because you can’t find alcohol. You won't talk to me or let me in. How am I going to deal with this, Ariella? You needed to deal with the pain and I thought I would be it for you..... But you went looking for alcohol instead, and I won’t let you.”

She swallowed, her anger still there, but it cracked at the edges. Her eyes narrowed at me, and I saw it, tears building, resisting, then spilling anyway. It was almost like she was trying to fight them, but she couldn’t.

I knew, at that moment, that was when she needed me. I stepped forward and pulled her into a tight hug. A huge hug. Holding her against me as if I let go, she might break completely.

I could feel her shaking And I couldn’t stop myself from speaking into her hair, low and rough, reminding her of everything I should have said sooner. Our vows, the promises we made when she was eighteen and every moment I could remember with her suddenly flooding my head like a curse and a lifeline at the same time.

I reminded her how strong she was. How strong she had been for so long on her own, how strong her father was and what he would have expected from her...... Then I reminded her of Leon. Because Leon needed her.

He needed his mother. He needed her alive. Not drowning herself in something that would steal her away piece by piece. And I told her exactly that. Because I couldn’t lose her like that. Not like this. Not after everything.

And that's when Ariella finally let go. That's when she finally broke. Right there in my arms, her body losing the fight she was trying so hard to keep up front.