Page 12 of Shâhzâdeh

His dark brows and bedroom eyes were softened by the smirk on his face. “Alhamdulillahnot when I’m asleep.”

“What does that mean?”

“Praise be to God. It’s a more…emphatic vay of saying, zhankfully.”

“That’s very beautiful.”

“Zhank you.” He stared at me barely blinking as though he didn’t want to miss something. His phone buzzed and it snapped him out of his trance. “As much as I hate to go, I have a few zhings zhat I need to do before business calls.”

“Going to see your folks?”

“Yes. My mozer swears she misses me but I zhink she just wants to bully me a bit. Which I don’t mind.”

He moved back from his seat lifting his big frame up almost apologetically. He moved behind my seat at the same time Liam moved behind Frankie’s. Xerxes helped me up out of my seat and then scoot it back under the table. He then went to Skye’s high chair and helped her out, smiling down at her like she was the greatest thing in the world. Quad had slept through dinner, which only meant he was going to wake up and give his mama hell. It seemed like he ate every fifteen minutes according to Frankie.

We chatted as we made our way through the hall and toward the front door. “Thank you for stopping by, Xerx. It’s always a pleasure.” Frankie glanced at me as she spoke and I hoped she didn’t get awkward.

Xerxes glanced at me before kissing Frankie on her cheek and giving her an embrace. “I would’ve rearranged everyzing I had going on to be here today.Inshallah, we can do it again very soon.”

Xerxes turned to me and hesitated for only a moment. In that time, I stuck out my hand, unsure how things worked with him culturally. The bit I knew, shaking hands with a woman you weren’t related to or didn’t know was frowned upon. Instead of making him feel uncomfortable, I reached out so he would know I didn’t mind the contact.

His normally brooding face broke into a wide smile reminding me of just how much God favored him to have a face that looked like this. He and Liam were about the same height and build, with Xerxes being slightly less bulky than Liam. There was an athletic elegance to his build. A regal bearing that belied the deadly nature underneath. And a dimple that made him look even more charming.

“Zhank you.”

He took my hand and shook it gently before placing a kiss on it. But he didn’t put it down, just sort of held it.

“I might not know a lot but I understand there are rules.”

“For you to feel comfortable enough to grant me zhe permission to engage wiz you physically. Zhat is a monumental gift.”

“It’s a handshake.”

“No, ziba. It is far more. But zhat is a conversation for anozer day.” He didn’t say more, simply gave my hand a squeeze before he handed Skye off to her mother, but not before saying something in what I assumed was Farsi. From the way Liam rolled his eyes, he was promising to send her a new daddy or a life size princess castle.

He leaned back and turned to his friend who was still looking at him annoyed. “Did yoo really just promise to bring ‘er a ‘orse?”

“I did. And she can name it as well. Every princess needs a pony, Liam.” He unabashedly promised to send a horse to this man’s house and he was not going to reconsider.

“Every princess does not need an Arabian racehorse. Keep that at your place.” Frankie was putting her foot down, but I could tell by the look on Xerxes’ face, he was going to figure out a way to get Skye her pony.

“Fine, but she still gets to name it.” He held open his arm before he and Liam embraced. I had never seen men who were okay with being in physical contact with one another, but they made it seem completely normal.

They pulled back and Xerxes’ eyes found me again. “Until next time, ziba. Zhank you for zhe joy of your company.”

CHAPTER TWO

Making Moves

XERXES

“ARE YOU ESURE you vant to do zhis?”

I’d been avoiding his gaze for a few minutes now. Ever since I’d delivered the news that I was sure he would have questions about. Making a move wasn’t unusual in our line of work, but the reasons had to be there. I had never given my father or my mother a reason to question anything I did. Until now.

I sat in my father’s expansive office he worked out of in the primary home he shared with my mother. He’d taken a step back from the day-to-day managing of the massive commercial breeding and real estate firms he’d started before I was born and handed down to me. That didn’t mean he wasn’t still the CEO and person I wanted to ensure approved of my work.

The MC Corporation had only been under that name since their marriage. The Mahdavi name had been one he’d used his entire life, but in the states he had no issue going by my mother’s name. Especially since it held more love and provided the same access to power as the Mahdavi name. It was another strike against him with his family. That he would think to adopt his wife’s name in any shape. The crazy thing was, it was nothing official, just what he was called. He wasn’t any less who he was because people referred to him as Bijan Cannon instead of Prince Bijan Mahdavi. He preferred the self-made man he’d earned over the title he’d been given. Another reason why they couldn’t understand him. And much to their chagrin, he raised me with the same values.

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