"You've gone against the mafia rules, Darian." Gaius declared harshly, his eyes ogling Darian's body as he stood amid every member of the Dawson family mafia. "You can't lead us anymore, we don't want a boss who works in cahoots with the enemy."
Darian chuckled, "Works in cahoots with the enemy, you say?" He repeated.
"Yes, how do we trust you after you went back to an enemy and let her stay in your house?" Judson chirped in.
"Judson, I know you've always wanted the position of the Don, but I promise that you will never get here, you won't sit your ass on that throne." He stated frantically, throwing his fingers towards the throne chair.
Judson chuckled devilishly. "Let's see how long you will last there."
Darian lowered his gaze on Judson, he put him under the scrutiny of his eyes and after a while, he stared away from him and looked at Gaius.
"You have no right to come up with the decision, let the people decide if I should be reinstated or removed." He narrowed his gaze on them, everyone present in the room. "And of course, the voting would commence after everyone listens to my side of the story."
"Darian, we have made our decision and that will stand. There is no time for unnecessary voting." Gaius said.
"I am still the Don of the Dawson family mafia and my words shall stand and always be followed until I am no longer Don." He didn't waste time to start with the story of how Isabella and his father met and the affair they had that led to his existence. After a very long time of thorough explanation, he finally finished with a smile. "And my mother was termed an enemy because she fell in love with my father, her only crime was loving my dad but that became her worst nightmare. She's in my house because I have chosen to take her back and take care of her. She's suffered all her life and it isn't a bad idea to make her happy once again."
Gaius' shoulders sagged when Darian finished with his story. He wasn't pleased with the calm countenances on everyone's faces. As he looked at them, pondering what they wanted to agree on.
Darian glared at Gaius, he had never been any rival to him. He'd always been his mentor over the years and their paths had never crossed, but now, he was seeing the side of Gaius he thought he didn't know.
This side was ruthless, ready to forcefully take everything away from him. Though he cared less if he wasn't Don anymore, all he was after was his happiness and that of his family.
"What do you all decide on? If you want present Don to remain as Don please do let me see your hands up."
All hands in the room were up, surprising Darian. He smiled and nodded his head. "Thank you, everyone." He appreciated them with a small smile.
Judson banged the table, rising to his feet, he looked at everyone and said. "I see he bought you all with his untrue stories."
"It is the truth, Judson and I won't argue that fact with you." Darian retorted. "Thanks for letting me stay as the Don, I have never failed you all and I promise that I will never fail you as long as I continue to be the Don of the family."
Judson chuckled, clapping his hands in awe.
"I thought you all were smarter than this, how can you let a small boy like him buy your votes with his words? How can you be so ignorant of the family rules that anyone who works with the enemy should be punished."
"Judson, we're different. Our personalities make us different from one another. You don't know what family means and that's why you are this way." Darian had heard of how Judson maltreated his wife at home and how the unlucky woman was constantly unhappy in her marriage.
"What the fuck are you talking about? I have a family, a well-loved family and you don't even know about us."
"I see that your family is loving and that's why your…" He stopped when he didn't want to disrespect Judson further. "That doesn't matter here."
"What do you want to talk about? My family? Do you want to talk about my family here?" He tugged at Darian's shirt and squeezed the neck. "How dare you talk about my family when you know nothing about it?"
Judson's grip was hard on Darian but he fought to free himself. Dusting his crisp shirt, he glared at Judson and fumed with anger.
"This is one of the reasons you can never be the Don, your violent act isn't what the people need."
"And you think your betrayer ass is what they need?" Judson asked, his eyes blazing with extreme fury.
Gaius had not intervened, he just sat on one of the chairs, taking an interest in the ongoing drama between Darian and Judson. The truth was that he was fed up with the whole thing and he honestly felt Darian was right for bringing his mother back, but he had to stand against it because he was the godfather and it was required of him to react whenever there was a case like that in the family.
He had planned to let Judson take over the position but it was obvious that Judson was not worthy to be Don at all, he didn't have what it took to be a leader and only Darian was truly fit for that position.
"I am not a betrayer, I only did the right thing because family means so much to me."
"I see," Judson stepped back, looking back at Gaius for support, but he looked away from him. He chuckled, shaking his head. "Now, I understand what this is all about." Kissing his teeth, he clapped his hands and shook his head again. "I will be back for you." Turning around, he walked out of the room without looking back.
Darian looked around sternly and said, "There are some rules in the Dawson family mafia that need urgent adjustment, and we will look into that in the next family meeting. For now, the meeting is over."
After they all dismissed, Darian was on his way to his car with Jay when he saw Gaius with his bodyguards. He was mad at him for proposing the topic of his removal, he wanted to stay mad at him forever but he couldn't.
"Let's go, Jay." He said and he started the car, taking the route that led to his house because that was where Darian wanted to be.