to have some man grab onto his arms to hold him back.
“Naw, let him go.” Aries smiled as he slowly got to his feet. “You a soldier? Ready to go to war, huh? I’m ready, too.”
“Gentlemen…” Mr. Smith stated, both warning and worry in his voice.
“I tell ya what. I’ll fight you with one hand behind my back, cousin Dunce. Deal?”
“It’s Dunes!”
“Nah, it’s Dunce in my book.” Aries snuffed out his cigarette in an ashtray. “Let’s see how big of a man you are. We can square up like geometry. You’ve got the wrong motherfucker. I’m not my father. There’s nothin’ prim and proper over this way, nothin’ lavish at all. Definitely not puttin’ on airs, but I promise to give you an ass beatin’ you’ll never forget if you threaten me one more gotdamn time.”
“Ain’t nobody afraid of you! Come on!” the man screamed, spit spraying out of his twisted mouth as if his thin lips were a hose and Aries was the fire. Now two more people joined the fray, holding him back and pulling at his jacket as if he were a raging bull in ugly clothing.
“Dunce, if they let cha go, it’s going to be a sad state of affairs. In a Nano-second, your blood will be all over this office once they turn you loose, so it’ll be easy for us to take a DNA test on you versus me, see just how much bitch you got in ya. I bet it’s ninety-nine percent. The remaining one percent is yellow-belly cricket blood. When you wish upon a staaaar! Isn’t that how your song goes?”
“You sack of shit! You fucker!” he roared.
“That is enough! Mr. Dunes and Mr. Creed, you’ve both crossed the line!” the lawyer’s voice boomed, interrupting the ruckus. Aries took his seat and laughed. “Gentlemen, I know emotions are high and tempers have flared, but there are women present in this room! That language will not be tolerated in this office. I suggest you both get yourself under control and Mr. Dunes, have a seat and settle down, or leave. I’m not giving another warning.”
The man’s lips twitched as if he wished to say more. He flopped down in his chair and leaned forward, writhing about like he had to take a piss. Soon, the distraught blond and her husband returned. Her face was red and puffy as she pressed a tissue against her bloated eyes and took her seat. The melodrama in this place is unbelievable. These are the kinfolks, huh? Glad I missed the family reunion… “I would like to continue now…” Mr. Smith removed several papers from the folder and handed them to Aries.
“Mr. Creed, that is a copy of the properties your father owns. They will be officially in your name by the end of the week. He has very specific directions on what he would like seen done with all of them. Terms for future sales and rental management, things of that nature. Of course, he leaves the final decision to you, but he has provided reasons if you care to read over them, and I encourage you to do so. Additionally, he was under the impression that you have a son. Is that true?”
“Yes. Aiden.”
“How old is your son?”
“Thirteen.”
“Very good. When your son turns eighteen, Mr. Creed, your father has set aside a trust fund for him that he, too, can claim. This money is in addition to the amount specified in the will.”
“How much is in the will? Can you at least tell us that?” another man asked, clearly perturbed but at least trying to keep his composure.
How is that going to help you? Apparently you aren’t gettin’ none of it, either.
“Unfortunately, Mr. Anderson, that is confidential.”
The man snorted and shook his head in disbelief. The next twenty minutes were spent discussing some legal matters, a bunch of mumbo jumbo. His father had in fact left a few material possessions, smaller items, to those present in that room, some worth enough to soften the mood. But the bulk of the ponderosa went to Aries. Despite him trying to keep a calm exterior, he was hiding a frantic heartbeat. He’d been sitting there in pure shock. His father had owned a successful construction company there in Atlanta, Georgia. No one besides the attorney seemed to know his exact net worth. Google wasn’t much help, either, but from the looks of things, it was nothing to sneeze at.
Aries had been called three days prior and told that his