Claimed By The Mafia Don (Ariella and Asher) novel Chapter 428

ASHER

Shit.

Shit.

And another shit.

I knew this day would come. I just didn't expect it so soon.

I could see the determination in Ariella's eyes when she said it. She was ready and she really wanted to do this. Shit.

“I am going to see her,” she told me firmly. “I want to go later in the evening to the flower shop. My mom loved gardening and flowers. She took great care of her garden and..... My father always came back from work with her favourite flowers..... So I'm going to get her some flowers and maybe some plants for her garden......”

She swallowed.

“And I can see from the look in your eyes that you don't want me to do this..... But I'm doing this.”

I didn't respond. There wasn't anything I could say.

We just kept staring at each other for a few minutes before she nodded once and then walked out of the room. The second the door closed behind her, I let out a long breath and sat heavily on the edge of the bed. I felt a headache coming.

I just couldn't find the words to tell Ariella no. I couldn't, not after everything. Not after what she'd been through.

How the hell was I supposed to stop her?

Should I pay her mother another visit?

Threaten her?

"Godamn it!"

I wasn't in the mood for breakfast anymore or anything else for that matter. I quickly walked into the bathroom, took a quick shower, got dressed, and left the estate without a word.

The moment Luca saw me walk in, he frowned.

"Oh boy. What happened?"

"Every time I think things are getting better with Ariella, they just get worse."

I dropped into a chair. Luca immediately reached for a bottle and poured me a glass of whiskey. I didn't care that I hadn't had breakfast. I took it and swallowed the entire thing.

"What hasn't happened?" I muttered. "She has been doing so great. Everything has been doing better, or so I thought..... But then today she told me she's going to see her mother."

Luca paused.

"She's going to see her when? Today?"

I nodded. Then shook my head.

"I don't know. But she told me that this afternoon she was going to get her mother flowers for her garden."

I rubbed a hand over my face.

"Yeah. I think she's doing this today."

"God damn it."

I covered my face with both hands.

"What am I gonna do, huh, Luca?"

He stayed quiet.

"What the hell am I gonna do?" I looked up at him.

"I'm supposed to be the most powerful man in the world, and I can't control one tiny woman."

"Calm down," Luca said.

"You want me to calm down?" I almost laughed. "I have to take her to buy those goddamn flowers for her precious mother."

Luca pressed his lips together.

"She'll probably ask me which ones look nice or something," I added. Thought about it and I threw my hands up. "And then I have to take her to her mother's house."

I pointed dramatically.

"And then just sit there waiting for the explosion." I shook my head. "I can't do it, Luca. I'm telling you, I can't do it."

"Relax." He said again.

"I am relaxed."

"You are absolutely not relaxed."

"Fine. I'm not relaxed."

Luca sighed.

"Let me do it."

I stopped. Then slowly turned toward him.

"What do you mean?"

"Let me help you with this."

"No." The answer came immediately. "I can't let her do this alone. I can't let her go see her mother alone. No. I have to be there for her, she needs me."

"I'm the one she should be scared of, considering she wants to hurt my wife. But she still wouldn't listen to me."

I pointed at him.

"She stood her ground even though she knew I could eliminate her without lifting a finger. What makes you think she'll listen to you?"

Luca calmly poured himself a drink and then took a sip.

"Let's just say I'm good with older women. They love me."

I raised an eyebrow. Trying very hard not to laugh.

"Not in that sense," he added immediately.

That almost made me laugh anyway.

"I just mean maybe I know something you don't. She knows how much you love Ariella and she knows that unless Ariella says otherwise, she is always safe."

I remained unconvinced.

"So let me go see her." He placed his glass down. "I think I can talk her out of it."

I stared at him. He looked confident, far too confident for a problem that was about to give me a heart attack.

"So what's it going to hurt?" he asked. "Ariella is already going there. Anyway."

He wasn't wrong.

"Whatever I can do to stop this..." He reached out and squeezed my shoulder. "Trust me."

His voice was steady and Certain.

"Mrs Costa isn't going to tell Ariella anything."

He looked so serious. So sure. Like he'd already won the argument before it even started And maybe that was what worried me.

Because I knew Mrs. Costa. I knew Ariella. And I knew how stubborn those Costa women can get. I also knew exactly how badly Mrs Costa wanted to hurt her daughter. So forgive me for being sceptical.

Eventually, with no other options, I nodded.

"You know what?" I pointed at him. "Take your shot."

A grin appeared on Luca's face.

"Let's do this."

I leaned back and sighed. Because if Ariella was really going there today... I was fucked.