Page 10 of His Aries Heiress (BLP Signs of Love #21)

Fat tears slipped out of Tato’s eyes, and Marcellus had to blink back his own. He grabbed Tato by the head and hugged him tightly to his side. “It’s gon’ be aight, man. It is. God ain’t lie to you. When have I ever let you down?”

Tato didn’t respond. He simply sobbed into Marcellus’s side while Cassydie swiped her own tears and rubbed Tato’s back.

That was how they stayed the rest of the ride, and regret creeped in the closer they got to his house.

He understood now why Cassydie suggested they wait.

He wanted nothing more than to stay with Tato right now, but his impulsive behavior had led him astray.

He was locked into this meeting, so he knew there was no way around it.

“We’re here, boss,” Goldie said sadly from the front seat.

Marcellus pried Tato from his side and looked into his son’s eyes. His heart broke into a million pieces as he saw the pain there. “Listen to me, Tato. Cassydie is going to go inside with you. I’ll be back real soon. You gon’ be aight without me?”

Tato sniffled. “You can’t stay?”

Marcellus shook his head with guilt tugging at him. “Nah, man, but I’ll be back soon. I can bring back some pizza.”

Tato shrugged. Not even his favorite food could cheer him up at that point. Marcellus wouldn’t give up though.

“Goldie, can you bring Tato inside? I need to holla at Cassydie for a second.”

Goldie nodded while Marcellus squeezed Tato’s shoulder. “Go put on some TV. Cassydie will be right in.”

Tato nodded and did his best to wipe his tears. Marcellus allowed him a moment to gather himself before he helped him out of the truck. He watched as Goldie took him into the house before he got back inside and closed the door.

“Thank you,” he muttered while maintaining eye contact with her.

Tears streamed down her face as she nodded. “No problem.” She looked away from him as she gathered her words. “I could tell that wasn’t easy for you.”

“It wasn’t for you either,” he noted. “I ain’t know all that stuff about yo’ people.”

She laughed bitterly. “How could you? We just met yesterday.”

He shrugged and let that statement marinate in the air for a moment before he spoke again. “I know we don’t know each other, but I think Tato got somethin’ right.”

“What’s that?”

“You was sent to us. I hope you’ll stick around a while. He gon’ need you.”

She thought about it for a second. “Are you going to need me too?” Fire danced in her eyes as she gazed at him, and his gut tightened.

He didn’t know what it was about this woman, but she had him feeling shit he had never felt before.

Under her gaze, he squirmed in his seat. “That’s what you said, ain’t it?”

A smile played on her lips, and he realized she was teasing him. His little comment earlier didn’t get by her. He had a feeling not much got by her.

“Yeah, I guess I did say that.” He grabbed the back of his neck. “What you say? You gon’ stay a while?”

She shrugged. “I don’t really have anywhere else to be. I just need to find a job.”

His response was so quick, he didn’t need to even think twice about it. “Look, I used to pay Nicole to look after Tato. After today, I think it’s best I cut ties with that situation. What do you say to taking over, and I can pay you to look after him?”

She paused for a second. “There are so many questions I have, but I’ll stick to just one since I know you have to get going. Why did you pay her instead of Gregory?”

He stilled. She had him there. He was smooth with his response though. “I helped out with Tato a lot, even when Grim was alive. It was just one of the things OG delegated to me. Since he’s gone now, there’s a lot on my plate, and I’ma need the help.”

She peered at him like she wanted to ask more, but she didn’t. He breathed a sigh of relief.

“I’ll help you out, but I’m still going to look for a job. I don’t feel right being paid to watch my own brother. Damn.” She leaned back into the seat. “I can’t believe I have a brother.”

Marcellus watched her as she contemplated that. He wished he could give her more time, but he really had to get going. “I’ll be back in an hour or two. Let’s exchange numbers in case you need anything. Just . . . try to cheer him up.”

“I will,” she promised. They exchanged numbers, and he hopped out so he could open the door for her, something he never did for women. He felt Grim’s spirit smiling down on him, and that made him want to go harder when it came to both her and Tato.

“Go ’head in. Text me what you like on your pizza.”

She smiled. “I got you.”

He watched as she turned and walked into his house as if she lived there, and he summarized that it was a sight he could get used to.

Silence danced around the room, leaving whispers of disbelief in its trail.

Marcellus had just finished telling the council that Grim was dead and he had a daughter.

Since everyone in the council knew Tato was Marcellus’s son, per council rules, it came as a big shock to hear that Grim had a daughter.

That nigga had gone thirty something years without telling the council about his daughter, which would have gotten him in a heap of trouble were he alive.

Instead, it seemed that trouble was about to fall on Marcellus.

“A daughter?” Karma asked. “Aw, nah. If I was forced into this shit, then she needs to be too. Ain’t no passes when it comes to the council.”

Marcellus expected that from her. Her father, Jamison, had sat on the council for years.

It wasn’t until a few years ago that they found out he was a damn crook, and he paid for it with his life.

Karma was the child he disowned when she was a baby, and when the council found her, they had to do heavy persuading and even a little bit of threatening to get her on board.

They were lucky she finally found the positives in the life that had been handed to her. It hadn’t been easy at first though.

“I agree,” King Ro voiced. He was the rule follower, and he made sure the council stuck to them.

If he hadn’t, then a lot of shit would slip through the cracks, and that wouldn’t be good in the long run.

Marcellus respected it, even though this particular situation meant he would have to take a back seat. He dreaded that.

As if she could read his thoughts, Nyx spoke up. “What does that mean for Cell?”

Everyone looked at him. Nobody said anything.

Marcellus cleared his throat. “I know the rules, man.” He hung his head.

In a matter of twenty four hours, he’d lost a great deal.

The council was a blessing, and because of Cassydie, he was about to lose it all.

As pissed off as he wanted to be at her, he knew it wasn’t her fault.

She knew nothing of this, and she’d had her own great deal of loss and change, and there was more change coming her way.

“Nah, man. That ain’t fair,” Pop stated, his tone aggressive. “Cell been down since he was a kid. We can’t just push him to the side like that.”

“I agree,” King Ro said once again. Marcellus looked at King Ro and noticed he was in deep thought.

Everyone waited in anticipation of what he was going to say.

“Look, Cell, you been through a lot. Losing Grim is a blow to all of us, and right now, you’re the only one who knows how to keep imports and exports running smoothly.

In the interim, you are our new connect.

“I talked with Grim in depth about your role, and while we both know the reasons you have yet to take over fully, we also know all that shit is null and void now.

You gotta step up. Grim having a daughter does complicate things though.

Per rules, she is technically the heir to the import business.

Per rules, she has to be our new connect.

“Here’s what I propose. I propose you bring her into the fold.

Let us feel her out. Tech has already done an extensive background check, which is good.

Cell, you train her and prepare her for this life change.

In the meantime, we will create a new role for you to stay within the council.

Pop is right. You been down with us since you was a kid.

We all grew up together, and you family.

We take care of family. We ain’t ’bout to dog you like that. All in favor?”

Marcell felt a lump form in his throat as he watched everyone in the room raise their hands.

This was unexpected. He figured he would be out once they found out about Cassydie.

If he felt he could keep her lineage under wraps, he might have tried it and ignored the issue, but dealing with the council forced honesty.

They always found out eventually. Always. Jamison was a great example of that.

King Ro nodded. “You got until the end of the week to fill her in and schedule another meeting so we can meet her.”

Emotions swarmed Marcellus, and he bowed his head to keep them under control.

He chuckled slightly to himself. There go that Aries shit again.

Marcellus brought a whole new meaning to sensitive gangsta.

That was what he was, and his mind flashed to Cassydie.

Sensitive gangsta fit her well too. One second, she was punching Nicole with all the nonchalance in the world, and the next she was crying with Tato and caring for him better than Marcellus ever could.

As he looked around at the only family he had left outside of Ronny and Tato, he knew Cassydie would fit right in here. And he only hoped she would take the news well, because there were only a few more days left in this week, so he needed to act fast.