Claimed By The Mafia Don (Ariella and Asher) novel Chapter 87

Chapter 87

Anger flashed across Asher’s face, fiercer than I have ever seen. This was real fury and for the first time,

it was directed at me.

“You’ve lived a sheltered life, Ariella. You have no idea what I would do if you broke your word. I’ve had hardened men say no, and in the end, they gave up all their secrets… So why don’t you stop whatever this

is and tell me what’s really going on”

“Then do what you have to do,” I snapped. “Cut off my toes and feed them to me. Beat me, burn me, cut

me…”

At my reaction, he laughed again, but there was no joy in it. It was hollow, disbelieving. He ran a hand down his face, exhaling hard.

“Are you serious?” he asked, breathless. “We just spent the whole day together… we just had sex.”

He paced for a second, rubbing his face again. “Okay, can you explain to me what the hell is going on right now? Because I don’t see it, at all.”

His eyes locked on mine, and I saw it, the confusion, the pain, the disbelief slowly turning darker.

“What’s going on,” I forced myself to say, “is that I realized this isn’t working. You were right when you said maybe I got cold feet,” I added quickly like that would soften the blow. “This isn’t working, and… I met someone else.”

His whole body tensed. He took a step forward, then stopped himself. His fists clenched at his sides as if he was holding back.

“When?” he demanded. “When did you meet this person? Where? Have you been seeing him at school? At home? Where did you meet him?”

I swallowed hard, silent. I didn’t have the strength to lie.

His voice cracked, then grew louder. “Did it happen when I was shot? When I was lying in bed, recovering? When I was trying to get back to you, and you were what…hooking up with someone else?”

He took a harsh breath. “Was that your green light? Because I almost died, you decided you could screw whoever you wanted? Is that why you slept with me that night?”

“No, it’s not,” I whispered, my throat burning.

The tears were coming fast now, but I bit them back. I had to be strong. I had to finish this.

“I just…” The words scraped against my tongue, dry and bitter. “I just don’t love you the same way anymore. I love someone else.”

His eyes went wild. “You have got to be fucking kidding me!” he snapped, shouting, sending a wave of tension through the air so sharp I felt it in my bones.

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Chapter 87

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His fists clenched again, but this time, he stayed still. A long silence stretched between us before he finally whispered something to himself, closed his eyes, and turned back around.

“I’m sorry,” he said, voice raw. “I didn’t mean to yell at you. This is a prank, right? Because I don’t…I

can’t…”

He looked at me with wide, desperate eyes.

“Ariella, please… just help me understand what you’re saying.”

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to look away from him. Looking at him, seeing the devastation in his eyes wasn’t making this any easier. My gaze drifted out the window,

“There’s nothing left to explain,” I said softly. “All you need to know is that I don’t love you anymore, and I don’t want to marry you. When we go back home, I’m going to call off the engagement.”

I paused,

“There is no more engagement, no more wedding between us. And I just hope that, in the end, we can be civil with each other.”

Suddenly, there was a loud crash behind me-something breaking. I flinched instinctively but didn’t turn right away. I couldn’t. I didn’t want to see the destruction I’d just caused.

“Peace? Civil?” he repeated with a dark, bitter laugh. “Now you listen to me, Ariella. Here’s what’s going to happen.”

He stepped forward, his voice rising.

“You gave me your word. Your father gave my father…the Don, his word that you were going to be my wife. That you were going to marry me. We have a contract, Ariella!”

“I don’t give a damn if you’re not in love with me anymore. You’re going to marry me. Do you hear me?”

He pointed at the floor like it was written law. “You’re going to marry me, and I’ll make you love me again. I will force you to love me again. I don’t care what it takes.”

His voice dropped, quieter now, but no less intense.

“You’re not going to be with someone else. You gave your word. Your father gave his word to the Don. That is a written law.”

He took another step toward me, and I could feel the weight of his threat.

“There is no way you’re getting away from me that easily, Ariella. So you better get those thoughts out of your pretty little head.”

Asher touched my hips and despite everything, the simple touch sent tongues of fire through my belly. I wanted him, maybe more than ever before. What was it that made dangerous men so irresistible?

“You mine Ariella.” he murmured. “Nothing and no one will ever take you away from me, do you hear me?

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Chapter 87

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“And I already made my decision. You can’t force me to be with you.”

His mask cracked.

“I think I can.”

Without warning, he gripped me and whirled me around so my back was pressed against his chest.

“I’m a patient hunter,” Asher said in a low voice that I could feel all the way to my core. “You will tell me what I want to know eventually.”

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