Page 29 of B.D.E: Falling Hard For A BBW

Marcus

“Like I said, Ms. Green, the numbers don’t lie. You give me until Friday, and I’ll make sure that return hits your books before the end of the quarter. Trust me.”

I leaned back in my chair, cradling the phone between my shoulder and my ear while flipping through the contract draft on my desk. She laughed on the other end.

“You always make it sound so easy, Mr. Delano.”

“That’s because it is... when you’re working with me,” I smiled, ready to seal the deal and get off the phone so I could finally breath.

This was one of many contracts that I’d been trying to secure for a weeks now.

I usually spoke with her assistant, but I insisted on speaking with her because I knew once I had her on the phone, I could win her over with my charm and these good ass numbers I predicted if she decided to come onboard.

“Well, I think you’ve just about convi?—”

The door flew open and my assistant, Yvette, barged in like the damn building was on fire.

“Marcus! Sorry, but there was an explosion at your father’s estate. He’s fine, but it’s Marcellus who didn’t make it out. He’s dead,” she said handing me her phone with the screen already pulled up to the breaking headline.

Explosion outside Burnbridge estate leaves one dead. Sources confirm victim to be Marcellus Vaughn

“What the hell?” I muttered, pulling the phone from my ear and the words in the headline set in to my brain.

Who in the hell got close enough to Gideon’s house to make this happen?

His security was tighter than Fort Knox.

And Marcellus... he was way too alert and sharp to ever get caught slipping like that.

Something about this felt off and the only person who had answers was Gideon.

I turned back to the client still on the line. “I’m sorry, Ms. Green, somethings come up. Can I give you a call back to continue the conversation?” I asked

She hesitated, then spoke. “Well, I’d much prefer to meet in person and your convenience.”

“Perfect. My assistant will reach out to schedule something. Thanks for understanding.”

I ended the call before she could respond My chair shot back and slammed into the wall as I stood.

My blood was boiling just thinking about Marcellus being dead.

He was like family to me… like a damn uncle, and he was my father’s right hand for over twenty years.

He didn’t deserve this shit at all. I knew it couldn’t be random it was personal, and if Gideon wasn’t behind it, he damn sure knew who was

“Hold all my calls and clear my schedule,” I told Yvette, grabbing my keys and jacket. “Heading to my father’s estate to see what the hell is going on.” She nodded, still standing in the doorway. Things were bad, real bad. I could feel it in my gut.

By the time I made it to my father’s estate, I still hadn’t calmed my nerves.

The thought of Marcellus being killed, blown the hell up, just didn’t sit right with me.

The smell of smoke still lingered in the air and the charred remains of Marcellus’s car sat at the far end of the gated driveway, now taped off by his private security.

The guards looked like they were all on edge with their rifles out, pacing like they were waiting for another bomb to drop.

After parking, I jumped out my car, slamming the door and stormed inside of my father’s house, not even bothering to knock.

The guards knew me well, so they knew not to address me at all.

I’m sure he’d already spotted me on his top tier security system when I first pulled into the driveway.

I walked through his house and down the hall to his office where I knew he would be.

I twisted the knob and walked right in and there he was sitting calm as ever, twirling a glass of dark liquor like he had not a care in the world.

“Tell me what the fuck is going on, Gideon!” I spat.

“Marcellus is dead, I’m alive… simple, son,” he said flatly, still staring off as he cupped the glass of liquor tight. I could see the redness in his eyes, but it didn’t look like it was from crying, more like anger and war brewing behind them.

“His car blew up in your driveway. Ain’t shit simple about that, dad.”

He stood and walked over to the small bar, pouring himself another drink. “This isn’t the first loss I’ve taken and it damn sure won’t be the last. It’s a part of war; son and it eventually comes for you in this line of business.”

I stared at him in disbelief at how calm he was acting when his best fucking friend was charbroiled outside.

“Don’t start that bullshit, talking in circles! Why are you so calm about this? Like you don’t give a damn about your right hand be dead, Dad? Did you?—”

“Ghost did this.” He blurted out before taking a sip from the glass of liquor.

“It was a message. Some shit, that doesn’t concern you, son. Now, I want you to go back to the office and hand?—”

“A message from who?” I asked, ignoring his comment.

He turned at stared at me dead in the eye. “Ghost.”

I paused, trying to gather the words he’d just spoken.

Why the fuck would ghost be coming after Marcellus?

He hadn’t been around in a minute but that wasn’t unusual.

Dad always kept him busy doing whatever ‘jobs’ he had set up for him to do.

The truth was, I knew Ghost was a killer, and I knew Gideon paid him to kill people.

I also knew that was once his job before my mom died.

Knowing that still didn’t explain why Ghost was coming after them.

“Wait a minute… why would Ghost kill Marcellus? What are you not telling, Dad?”

He paused, like he was contemplating on telling me, then nodded slowly. “I wasn’t sure how to tell you, Son. I never wanted to drag you into this shit unless I had to, but now… it’s time you know the truth about everything.”

What truth? Dad, stop all the?—”

“Ghost’s father is the man that murdered your mother.”

Those words hit me like a ton of bricks.

My mother had always been a soft subject for me, being that she was snatched away from me at such a young age.

I could still remember the sweet smell of her perfume she’d wear every day and the way she nurtured and loved me.

I knew that Gideon had to be off his rocking to say some crazy shit like that. I mean, what were the odds?

“This isn’t the time to point fingers with your crazy ass conspiracy theories!” I yelled. The air between us tightened as he sat his glass down and walked towards me.

“I found out a few months ago. I’ve always kept a couple friends in high places looking for answers and for the most part, the trail went cold…

that was until a few months ago when one of my guys called and told me that the DNA found at the scene the day Isabella was murdered, was a match to the DNA of a prisoner in West Inkling facility. Clifton Carter...”

“And how are you so sure that it’s his father? There are a million people with the last name Carter.”

“Aw, shit, son! Think! Do you really think I wouldn’t do my research?

When I first took Ghost, I researched everything about him, down to his drug head mother who overdosed in front of him.

Clifton Carter is his father, and he is the son of a bitch that killed my Isabella!

” He shouted with so much rage, the pictures on his office wall fell to the floor, glass shattering everywhere.

“So, tell me this. Did you know that was Ghost’s father when you took him in? Was this just some sick joke to begin with, Dad?” I asked.

“Hell no,” he said firmly. “I had no fucking idea back then. I’ve been searching for the bastard for years.

. nothing ever came up. Btu I swear to you, I knew nothing of who he was when I brough Ghost into my home, and I don’t appropriate you asking me some shit like that either, Marcus,” he spat, voice laced with venom.

“Shit, what am I supposed to think? You brough the killer’s son into our home and raised him to be exactly what his father is. Where is he now? Still in prison? Does Ghost know all this?”

Gideon ran a hand down his face, finally slumping into the leather chair behind his desk.

“Clifton Carter died last year from covid complications while still serving a life sentence. And no, Ghost doesn’t know.

At least, I don’t think he does. But I do know he’s the one who rigged that fucking car.

He wanted me to know it was him. I taught that nigga everything he knows and know he wants to use it against me.

If it’s war he wants, then war it is. Marcus, I don’t want you nowhere near this bullshit. Go back to the off?—"

I took a step back, mind spiraling. Clifton Carter. Ghost. My mother. None of it made any goddamn sense, but Gideon believed it with his whole chest. And if there was even a chance that it was true...

“Nah. I can’t do this shit with you right now,” I muttered, storming out before he could stop me. My fists were balled up so tight my nails dug into my palms. My mind was racing, and I need some fucking air. I needed?—

Ding.

My phone vibrated in my pocket. I fished it out and unlocked it, half expecting it to be Yvette with an update, but it wasn’t her.

T: I was craving some dick, and it just so happened to be yours. I’m already at your place. Hope you don’t mind

I let out a short bitter laugh and threw the car in drive. Tension still sat heavy in my bones from the conversation I’d just had with Gideon, but I needed a distraction… a release and Tori was about to give me a real nasty one.