Page 16 of His Aries Heiress (BLP Signs of Love #21)

Aries men fall fast and hard, but most times, they won’t admit they’re in love until it’s too late.

Another sleepless night on the books. After they got back from the lawyer’s office, Cassydie had asked him for some space to watch her video. At the time, it was fine with him because he wanted to watch his, too, which he had done right away.

Grim had done nothing but show him love and get on his ass about stepping up and being the man he raised him to be. He was normally really slow to take that advice from Grim, but there was something about hearing it when his OG was in the grave that made him want to step up.

He waited up all night for Cassydie. He wanted her to come to him so he could tell her the full truth about Tato, but she never came. Marcellus wasn’t the most patient man, so at seven in the morning was when he decided to get out of bed and go find her.

The first place he looked was the guest bedroom. That was where she disappeared to the night before, and he was glad she was still in there. Cassydie was curled up in a ball and still in the same clothes she’d been in the night before.

Quietly, he got into bed beside her and held her in his arms as he kissed her all over her face.

Over the past month, he’d found it extremely hard to be out of her presence.

Last night taught him that he didn’t like that shit at all.

She was his little rider. Anytime he had somewhere to go, she came with him.

He showed her things about the business and the council, and nothing was kept in the dark once she became privy to his lifestyle. Aside from Tato being his son . . .

“Baby, wake up,” he whispered between kisses.

Cassydie was a hard sleeper, so it took a few minutes, but when she woke up, she immediately pulled away from him and sat up. He watched as she rubbed her eyes and looked around the room.

“What time is it?” she asked, her voice heavy with sleep.

“Why you pullin’ away from me?” Marcellus asked as he pulled her closer to him by her thigh.

“Stop, Cell. What time is it?” she asked again, looking around the bed. He realized she was looking for her phone when she reached down onto the floor and scooped it up.

“What’s up wit’ you?” he asked as she looked at her phone.

Her puffy eyes finally found his, and his heart sank. The look of betrayal couldn’t be missed, even if he wanted to pretend not to see it.

“I know about Tato,” she said in a clipped tone.

He sighed and shook his head. He should have seen this coming.

Marcellus had been hardheaded for years about his truth.

Of course Grim saw no other choice but to tell someone else that bit of information to keep Marcellus from hiding it forever.

What his OG didn’t know was he was fucking up something Marcellus was extremely scared of losing.

“OG told you?” he asked for confirmation.

She nodded slowly, and he could feel the hurt and anger rolling off her in waves. “I just need you to explain,” she finally said, her shoulders slouching as she rubbed her temples.

Marcellus saw that as a good thing though. If she wanted him to explain, it meant she wasn’t going to run from him. At least not yet.

He sat up slowly and put his back to the headboard while he contemplated his words.

Finally, they just kind of tumbled out of him.

“I ain’t never want a kid, but I got this around the way girl named Cambria knocked up, and she wanted to keep it, no matter how much I told her I wasn’t daddy material.

I finally got used to the idea of being a daddy, but my responsibilities ain’t stop, you know?

I think shorty wanted more out of me than I was willing to give, and that made her resent me or some shit.

“By the time Tato was born, I was ready to give fatherhood my best try, but Cambria no longer seemed interested in being a mother. It was like since she couldn’t have me to the fullest, she didn’t want Tato.

Something wasn’t quite right in her head, because one day I came home, and she was trying to . . .”

He choked up just thinking about it, and he had to take a moment to breathe through his emotions.

It surprised him when he felt Cassydie’s hand on his back.

She grounded him, and he was thankful for that because she didn’t allow her feelings to get in the way of how they naturally comforted each other over the last few weeks.

“What happened, Marcellus?” she finally urged. He knew she needed to hear the story. It just wasn’t an easy one for him to get out.

“Cambria . . . she was trying to kill Tato. He was only a month old. If I hadn’t gotten there . . .”

“Oh my God.” Cassydie took in a sharp breath as she covered her mouth with her hand. Marcellus ignored her reaction and continued. He feared if he stopped now, he might never get this out.

“I killed her, Cassydie. And I won’t sit here and pretend like I’m sorry for it either.

That shit fucked me up, and I got scared, man.

Like he always did, OG picked up my slack.

I always made sure Tato was good. He knows who I am and that I would do anything for him.

That was good enough for me, but then Grim died, and I have to step up and be a father, but I don’t know how to do that shit.

I don’t know what the hell I’m doing. Grim did such a good job with Tato, man. I don’t want to undo all that good.”

A tear of frustration slid down his cheek, and he swiped it away as he looked straight ahead at the wall. Silence filled the room, and Marcellus felt like he was on the chopping block. He hated it.

“I don’t have any family left.” Her voice was so small, Marcellus almost missed what she said.

“What you mean?” he asked as he finally looked at her.

She curled in on herself as if she wanted to make herself as small as possible, her knees pressed against her chest. “You still got us. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.

It’s been heavy on my mind. Please believe that. This shit ain’t easy for me at all.”

“I know,” she conceded. “I understand now, but it doesn’t mean my understanding makes this any easier for me. I feel like I’m back at square one.”

“You ain’t though. Far from it. I don’t think you understand how much I’m feelin’ you.

I know this secret is a lot to take in. Trust me, I get it.

I just want the chance to show you the real from now on.

” When she didn’t respond, he wiped his tears and continued.

He figured now was the time to put all his cards on the table for this woman he’d been falling for.

“Let me show you how serious I am about you. I ain’t ever asked a woman on a date before, but I’ll do all that corny shit for you.

You ain’t gotta be alone. I know a lot of shit was just dropped in your lap, but you still got me, and you still got Tato.

We ain’t goin’ nowhere.” He wiped her tears as he spoke.

Her features softened as she seemed to surrender to what her heart desired.

In return, he softened toward her completely.

This woman had no idea the hold she had on him.

Nobody had ever been able to tame him. Nobody had ever been able to change him.

He was a bolder that couldn’t be remolded .

. . until she came along. Now, he would be whatever she needed him to be.

She sighed heavily and shook her head sadly. “I don’t know, Cell. This isn’t easy for me.”

“It ain’t easy for me either,” he admitted.

“I lost a little brother,” she said sadly.

His heart ached. He never wanted to be the cause for her tears.

“You ain’t lose him. You may not be his sister, but your role in his life doesn’t have to change much. Just like I’m not his brother. . . that fact ain’t gon’ change how I am wit’ him. I’m still me. He still gon’ be just as spoiled, and we gon’ kick it all the same.”

Cassydie thought about it. “I see what you’re saying, but it still isn’t that easy for me. I just need some time to process.”

Marcellus felt defeated, but not enough to not take a stand for what he wanted.

“Take all the time you need, but tomorrow night, I’m taking you on that date.

You gon’ let me put a smile on that pretty face whether you like it or not.

” The corners of her lips turned up slightly, and that gave him all the hope in the world.

“Yup, just like that. We’re off to a good start. ”

She chuckled sadly before bumping his shoulder. “Fine, but me going on that date doesn’t mean I forgive you.”

He grinned. “That’s okay. You will.”

He kissed her forehead and then got up from the bed.

He wouldn’t overcrowd her today, but best believe tomorrow, he was on her ass heavy.

No way was he losing this woman because of some shit he should have handled a long time ago.

Aries were hardheaded as hell, but once they learned their lesson, it sure as hell stuck like glue.