Page 122 of Guarded

“As of today, Cassiel “Leatherface” Ontiveros will start a three-month probationary period. For three-

“Just cut the shit and start the vote,” Cassiel says, cutting him off.

“Get the fuck out of my club.” Hueso snarls.

“Fuck you. Fuck all of you. You want to make me out to be the villain?” Cassiel snaps.

Silas steps in front of him, both chest to chest, staring each other down.

“These are your brothers now, Ghost?” Cassiel snarls. “Where the fuck have you been this whole time?”

“I’ve been picking up all messes you fucking made! You came here with one intention. And that was to feed your ego!” Silas throws back.

“Get out of my face.” Cassiel threatens

“Or what?” Silas challenges.

“Let him go, Ghost. We got bigger fish to fry.” Hueso calls from the front of the room.

Silas reluctantly moves at his elder’s command, spitting to the side before stepping back. Cassiel turns and looks straight at me.

“You’ll regret this.”

Letting the threat roll off me, I find relief in his absence. I’m voted in as President and Jasper as Vice President. A duty and an honor for both of us.

“Last order of business,” Hueso starts. “What do we do about the Italians?”

“We don’t have the strength to start a war right now.” Chunks says.

“Ghost, can you arrange a meeting with Savino Biondini for me?” I ask.

“I’ll see what I can do.” He replies

“What about the Russians?” Jasper asks. “They’ll want us to pick sides.”

“Our loyalty to the Russians remains, but we keep our nose out of shit that doesn’t belong to us,” Hueso states, handing me the gravel.

“All who agree say Ay.” I wait for the unanimous vote and slam the gravel down.

As soon as I return to the front lawn, I find a teary-eyed Ariella arguing with Cassiel. She looks at me with those ice-cold eyes before meeting me halfway across the lawn with a sharp slap to my face.

“Tell me it’s not true.” She goes to strike again, and I grab her wrist. I look between Cassiel and her.

“You son of a bitch!” I growl.

A surge of adrenaline has me lunging forward, shoving him. He staggers back slightly but finds his footing. His cold, dead eyes stare right through me. Just like hers, his are flooded with hurt and betrayal.

“Fuck you!” he grunts, charging toward me with a closed fist.

The punch lands squarely on my jaw. I swing back, hitting him in the left eye before the world turns into a blur of fists and shouts.

It takes four men to pull me off of him. Anger courses through my body, possessing me. I spit out blood and stumble to my feet. Through the swelling in my eye, I see Ariella walking in the opposite direction.

“Ari, I can explain.” My ribs hurt when I walk, but I continue to follow after her.

“How long, Nero?” her question demanding an answer.“How long have you been using me to get information on Genesis?”

“Ari, let me explain.”

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