Claimed By The Mafia Don (Ariella and Asher) novel Chapter 50

Chapter 50

An agonizing hour later, Luca finally calls.

“I’m below your window,” he says.

I don’t know how the hell he knows which window is mine, but I pray he’s right. I’ve never snuck out before, not like this. And the second I crack the window open and peer out, my stomach flips.

It’s far. Like, break something far.

I lean out just enough to spot him-there he is, standing casually beneath my building in a black hoodie, hands in his pockets like he’s got nothing better to do. No fear. No nerves. Just still and calm.

Doesn’t he care that my parents might see him? Or is he just built differently? I stare, uncertain. He stares back, expression blank.

I grab my phone and text him:

Me: How do I get down?

He reads it. Looks up. Shakes his head.

I wait for a response-but instead, he raises his voice, shouting loud enough to make my soul leave my body.

“How were you expecting to get down in the first place?”

“Shhh!” I hiss, putting a finger to my lips, frantic. Is he trying to get me caught?

He just smirks, totally unbothered.

I text again:

Me: I don’t know, but I’m sure you’ve snuck out before. Just tell me what to do.

He glances at the screen, then up at me.

“Jump,” he calls.

“You want me to jump from up here? No way!” I whisper-shout, freaking out.

He exhales dramatically and starts turning away.

“This was clearly a waste of my time,” he mutters.

“No-wait, stop!” I shout louder than I should have.

He turns, his eyes sharp now.

“I left pussy. Young pussy,” he says bitterly, “to come here. For this? So you can what-have a panic attack? I’m not Asher, Ari.”

He’s mad. Pissed, even. Whatever. I don’t care. I just want to see Asher.

“Okay! I’m going to jump!” I yell, adrenaline surging through me as I start climbing out.

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Chapter 50

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But then-he walks toward the building, arms lifting fast.

“Just-stop, stop, stop!” he says, eyes wide for the first time all night. “I don’t want you breaking your neck on my watch.”

“So what do you want me to do?” I ask, face flushed as I lean out the window and glare down at him.

Luca barely looks up. “Why don’t you just sneak out through the front or back door?”

“My parents will hear,” I hiss down at him.

He shrugs. “Well, take a chance. Since you’re all about taking chances tonight.”

“Take a chance on what exactly?”

11

Take a chance at getting caught and saying that you were sleepwalking to the kitchen? That you just happened to wander out into the night for a glass of water?” Then He deadpans,

“Or take a chance on breaking your neck. Which one sounds more appetizing?”

I groan and roll my eyes. “Fine. I’ll go out through the back door. If they catch me, I’ll pretend I went to get something from the kitchen.”

“There you have it.” He smirks. “Such a good girl, aren’t you?”

He doesn’t wait for my response. Just shakes his head and strolls off toward the back of the house like this is all perfectly normal.

I shake my head too, exhaling hard. My heart’s hammering. I crack my bedroom door open. Slowly. Silently.

One step at a time, I tiptoe down the hallway, then down the stairs, the dark swallowing my every move. I pause in the kitchen, listening for any sounds. Nothing. No voices. No creaking floors behind me. Just my own breath.

I grip the back door handle. Then I open it-inch by inch-until I can slip through and close it again just as carefully.

And there he is. Luca.

Standing by the door, knocking softly as if to mess with me.

“Those things’ll kill you,” I whisper, motioning to the cigarette hanging from his mouth.

He just flashes that annoyingly carefree grin and flicks the cigarette away. Then he grabs my hand and starts pulling me toward his car like this is some ordinary night adventure.

He opens the passenger door for me.

I slide in, buckle up, and glance back toward the house, still half-expecting to see lights flick on and hear my name scream from a window.

But nothing.

Luca settles into the driver’s seat, flicks the door shut, and then punches the ignition.

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Chapter 50

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“So… where to, Little Ari?”

I stay silent for a beat, still watching for any flicker of light from home. Nothing.

Then I turn to him. “Just like I said. I want to see Asher.”

He rolls his eyes and mutters, “All right. But you won’t like it. He doesn’t want to see you.”

“I don’t care,” I say, my voice sharper than I mean it to be. “I want to see him. I want to talk to him.”

We’ve been driving a while in silence when I finally ask, “Did he say anything?”

Luca keeps his eyes on the road. “Anything about what?”

“About me,” I say, quieter now. “about why he’s mad at me.”

He sighs like I just handed him a puzzle he doesn’t want to solve.

“Look, I don’t know. He hasn’t told me anything.”

“But why would he be mad at me? I didn’t even do anything. I’m the one who should be mad. I’m the one who

})

“Okay, okay,” he cuts in. “I can’t drive the whole way with you being dramatic like this.”

I blink, caught off guard.

(C

Come on,” he says, glancing over at me. “It’s not like he sits with me and spills his thoughts while we braid each other’s hair and cry over chick flicks. He doesn’t tell me everything he’s feeling. So no, I don’t know why he’s mad. And honestly, whatever you two are, or aren’t, it’s not my business.”

He pauses, then adds, “But when he’s like this… the best thing you can do is stay out of his way. Let him work through whatever storm’s in his head. And when he’s ready-he’ll come find you. On his time.”

“I don’t have time,” I snap, louder than I meant to.

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