Claimed By The Mafia Don (Ariella and Asher) novel Chapter 53

Chapter 53

I cried ugly tears.

Big, ugly, dramatic sobs.

But I didn’t care. I wanted the drama. I needed him to see the side of me that wasn’t composed calm or cool. Because if I didn’t get through to the part of Asher that still loved me-really loved me-I was going to leave here today with nothing. And I wouldn’t get another chance.

I knew once I left, he’d talk to Luca, and they’d make sure I couldn’t reach him again.

I only had two days left to fix this. One day to save us. And I was willing to use everything I had-every tear, every trick, every truth-to fight for our love.

“What the fuck… are you crying for?” I suddenly heard his voice, closer now.

Before I could say anything, he was pulling me into his chest. His arms wrapped around me as he gently patted my back, smoothing a hand over my hair, holding me steady as my body shook. He murmured quiet things, soft things, trying to calm me.

It worked. Eventually, the sobs died down into soft sniffles. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a handkerchief, and began wiping away my tears.

Then he leaned down and pressed a kiss to my

rehead.

“I don’t want you to cry,” he whispered. “Please don’t cry.”

“Then why are you doing this?” I asked, my voice hoarse. “Why are you hurting me like this? I don’t like what you’re doing.”

He smiled-like he was speaking to a child who didn’t understand something painfully obvious.

“Now you know how it feels,” he said. “To be ignored.”

I pouted, frustrated.

“It doesn’t feel so good, does it?” he continued with a smile.

“But why would you do that?” I snapped, emotion rushing back into me.

I could feel myself gearing up again, so I took a breath and followed his lead when he sat down on the bed. I sank down beside him, close but not quite touching.

“Did I do something wrong?” I asked. “Or were you just being an asshole?”

It was half-serious, half-mocking-because I couldn’t let this get too heavy. I was scared that if the truth dropped too hard between us, it would break everything.

And what really terrified me was this creeping fear in the back of my mind-What if he knew about the

contract?

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Chapter 53

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What if he’d found out what his father planned… and decided to let me go?

That wasn’t the Asher I pictured. In every version of this nightmare of a contract in my head, he was always fighting for us.

But if he’d chosen not to…If he was done… I didn’t know what I’d do.

He turned fully to face me, his expression shifting into something serious-intense. His eyes locked onto

mine with purpose.

“Ariella Costa.”

I raised an eyebrow, confused by the sudden use of my full name. “Why are you saying my—”

“I love you,” he said.

He’s said those words before. But this time… this time it felt different. It felt powerful. Final.

It felt like the beginning of something I didn’t want to hear.

And just as I opened my mouth to speak, to stop him before he went where I feared he was going, he gently said,

“Shh.”

So I stayed quiet. My heart raced in my chest as I kept my eyes on him.

“I want you to listen to me,” he said, his voice soft. I nodded.

“I love you so much… more than you’ll ever really understand.”

“I love you too….” I replied, quick and breathless, like maybe saying it would keep him from slipping away.

“Shh,” he said again, and then he continued.

“I care about you. Not just you. I care about everything that means something to you. Your family. Your parents. The world you come from. I care because you care, and I love you. That means I have to care.”

My chest tightened. I could feel it coming-the thing I didn’t want to hear. I could see it in the way his eyes softened but his words sharpened.

He went on, “And because I love and care, I also respect you. I respect your parents. Your family. The people who shaped you, who love you. I want you to know that.”

My whole body tensed. I couldn’t breathe right.

He was doing it. This was it. He was going to let me go-because of love, because of duty, because of some twisted idea of honour.

“I want you to be proud of yourself. To hold your head up high. To walk in every room with pride and honour because that’s who you are. That’s already who you are. I see it every time I look at you.”

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Chapter 53

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“I know you do,” I whispered, desperate to hold on. “I see that and I do too…”

But he shook his head. “I don’t think you do,” he said. His tone shifted-serious and just a little colder. A

little more distant.

My heart dropped.

“What do you mean?” I asked, hesitant, scared of the answer.

“I mean, what the fuck was that?” he suddenly snapped, his anger rising to the surface again.

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