Claimed By The Mafia Don (Ariella and Asher) novel Chapter 465

ARIELLA

It wasn't because he found it amusing. It was because he had enjoyed it.

"I was hoping you'd do that," he said almost softly.

Fear curled up my spine. Bastian lifted a hand and rubbed the red mark on his cheek before chuckling to himself.

"I can see why Asher likes you." His smile turned sly. "I can't wait to see what more there is to discover about Ariella Romano."

I tightened my hold around Leon.

"Don't touch me."

His smile only grew.

"I wasn't planning to."

Then his smile turned wicked as he looked towards his men.

"Well... Not yet. I won't be the only one doing the touching."

My stomach twisted. I looked towards Luca, hoping for something that wasn't going to come. He was the only man I knew here. In this room.

I knew that, despite being a mafioso, he was a good man. He couldn't be this person.

"You don't have to do this," I called to him. "You can still stop this."

There was only silence. Although I saw his jaw tighten for the briefest moment... That was all.

"You're wasting your breath. You have no idea who Luca is." Bastian laughed. "You have no idea the things that go on in his mind when he's looking at you."

I frowned.

"You're mad."

His smile only widened before He walked back towards the camera.

"Is it ready?"

One of the men nodded.

"Ready."

"Good." He clapped his hands together once. "Now Let's call Asher so he can see what we have here. So he knows what he's going to lose if he's not here in..."

He looked down at his watch.

"Forty-five minutes?"

He tilted his head towards me.

"Is that too little?"

"What?" I breathed.

"An hour maybe?"

My heart skipped a beat.

"Well... The longer he takes..." A slow, cruel smile spread across his face as his eyes settled on me. "...the longer I'm going to enjoy his wife."

Every muscle in my body locked. I instinctively pulled Leon closer, shielding him with my body.

"If you touch me," I whispered, my voice shaking despite everything, "Asher will kill you."

Bastian laughed.

"Oh, I know he will try."

He walked closer, completely ignoring the armed men watching us.

"And that's exactly what I'm counting on." He stopped only a few feet away. "You know what your husband has never understood?"

I didn't answer.

"He has always believed strength wins wars." He smiled. "But people... They're much easier to break."

His eyes dropped to Leon sleeping peacefully in my arms.

"A wife. A son. A choice." He slowly looked back at me. "Even the strongest man in the world falls to his knees when you threaten the people he loves."

I swallowed hard.

"You'll never get away with this."

"Won't I?" He chuckled. "I've already burned his home, I've turned his confidant against him. I've already taken his wife..."

His fingers lightly brushed the ends of my hair.

"...and his son."

I jerked away immediately.

"And Asher..." His smile widened into something monstrous. "If you think this is a bluff..."

He reached down and gently brushed Leon's hair away from his forehead.

"...ask yourself why your son still hasn't opened his eyes."

Asher's voice came through the speaker, angry, desperate, and filled with vengeance.

"If you lay a hand on them...."

Bastian laughed, cutting him off before he could finish.

"Tick-tock... We've already sent the location to your phone."

He tilted my head sideways, almost playfully.

"You have forty-five minutes. Don't be late."

Then he nodded towards one of his men. The man immediately reached forward and ended the call. The screen went black.

Silence settled over the office once again. Bastian let out a satisfied sigh before looking toward Luca.

"Now..." A broad smile spread across his face. "We meet our partner."

He straightened his jacket and glanced toward one of his men.

"Bring him in."

The man nodded before disappearing through the office door. My heart began pounding all over again. Partner? There was someone else?

I looked toward Luca, searching his face for any kind of explanation. Nothing. He stood there as calm as ever, his expression unreadable. Bastian, however, looked almost excited. Like a child about to unwrap a long-awaited gift.

He rubbed his hands together.

"I've been looking forward to this meeting for a very long time."

"You have no idea," Luca added.

The room filled with anticipation. For a few long seconds, no one spoke. Then the office door opened, and two armed men walked inside first. I felt like I had seen them before.

Before I could place where... Another man stepped through the doorway. The moment I saw him... My eyes widened. It couldn't be. No...

My gaze shot toward Luca, then back to the man. The betrayal... It ran deeper than I had ever imagined.

Far deeper. Deep enough to reach blood.