Claimed By The Mafia Don (Ariella and Asher) novel Chapter 51

Chapter 51

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Luca had been driving for a while. I didn’t know how long-we’d left the city behind, and the houses were gone, replaced by long winding roads and thick clusters of trees. But I wasn’t watching the time. I was too busy rehearsing over and over everything I was going to say to Asher.

Still, the longer the drive stretched, the more my nerves twisted. I shifted in my seat and turned to Luca.

“Why aren’t we there yet? This is taking forever…”

He glanced at me, then shrugged. “I could drive as fast as I want, sure. But I’d rather not have your death on my hands. I’m sure Asher would kill me twice if something happened to you. So yeah, I’m sticking to the speed limit.”

I sighed, frustrated. “I’m tired of sitting in this car. I just want to see Asher.”

He chuckled, low and amused. “I want to see Asher. I want to see Asher,” he mocked in a singsong voice, then laughed at himself.

I frowned. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing.” He smirked. “You really love him, don’t you?”

The question caught me off guard, especially with how casually he threw it out there.

“Of course I do,” I said, straightening in my seat. “Why else would I agree to marry him? To be with him?”

He shrugged again, eyes still on the road.

“I mean… you being you, your father being who he is, and Asher being who he is… I think we both know there are other reasons someone like you might want someone like Asher.”

I narrowed my eyes at him.

“I’m just saying,” he added quickly. “I don’t care why you two are getting married. I was just curious.”

“Can you just drive?” I snapped, more tired than angry.

He laughed again, and this time, the car picked up speed. Faster than I was comfortable with-but I didn’t complain. I just gripped the seat and focused on the only thing that mattered right now:

I was going to see Asher. And I didn’t care what it took.

Excruciating minutes later, we pulled up to a huge white house by the beach. It was beautiful-elegant and open-but I didn’t have time to take it in. The driveway was crowded with expensive cars. People were milling around everywhere-some drinking, others smoking, most already a little too loud. But I didn’t stop to see who was there or admire the view. I didn’t care.

I just wanted to see Asher.

I trailed behind Luca as he walked through the front door, nodding at people as if this chaos was normal.

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Chapter 51

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We moved through the crowded living room and into the kitchen. Without saying anything, he reached into the fridge and handed me a can of soda. I gave him a look, but he just shrugged like, what did you expect?

People kept approaching him, mostly women. They leaned in close, whispering things in his ear, giggling at whatever he muttered back. A few of them shot me death glares as if I was intruding on their space. I didn’t care. Let them stare. Let them wonder. Let them assume I was with him.

They didn’t matter. None of them did. I wasn’t here for them.

Just as I turned to walk away, tired of watching him flirt with the two girls clinging to him, Luca caught my hand. He muttered something to the girls, something like, give me a minute, and they stepped back- though their eyes stayed sharp on me. I could feel their hatred, their questions, their judgment burning holes in my back.

But as we’ve already established: I didn’t care.

Luca laced his fingers with mine-not in any romantic way, just like a casual claim-and started heading up the staircase. I followed, expecting a hallway full of bedrooms, maybe people hooking up or passing

out.

But I was wrong.

The second floor was where the real party was happening.

Loud music spilt from somewhere I couldn’t place. The open space was packed-people lounging on oversized cushions, draped across sofas, leaning on walls with half-empty drinks. Through the open sliding doors, the veranda was crowded too. Smoke hung in the air, thick and lazy..

Luca glanced left, toward a small group gathered on a sunken couch, laughing and chatting like they owned the world. I didn’t recognize anyone immediately, but something about the way a few of them looked up-expectant, smug-made my skin prickle.

Still, I didn’t see Asher.

I started to pull my hand away. I didn’t want to walk over there. I didn’t want to deal with their eyes or assumptions. I just wanted to see the man I loved.

But Luca held on, tightening his grip slightly as if to say, not yet. He pulled me with him anyway.

As we got closer, that’s when I saw him. The king himself-Asher-was right there, buried in that small

crowd like a throne of shadows.

He didn’t look up. His dark hoodie was pulled low over his head, and his eyes were glued to his phone.

He looked… detached. Untouchable. Cold.

There were two girls flanking him-one blonde, the other with a sleek pixie cut that looked like it belonged on the cover of a fashion magazine. Neither of them touched him. They weren’t even speaking to him. But the way they looked at him like he was some kind of god and they were just waiting for permission to breathe, made my chest hurt.

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Chapter 51

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I had spent the whole night worrying. Freaking out. Wondering if he was even okay-if he was alive.

And here he was. He had his phone in hand with him.

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