Page 131 of Shâhzâdeh

“Well, insults or not, we are not going to leave the rest of these people waiting. No one will be able to say we weren’t gracious hosts. Comepetites, we have far more important guests to attend to.”

“Was that okay? It looked intense and I’m not above destabilizing a country.” Jada, who’d somehow become co-Maid of Honor with Asha Avery since Frankie was Matron of Honor, was walking toward me, looking like she was ready to fight. Mere inches away from her was Smoke, about as nonchalant as a human with a pulse could be.

“Sweets, we said we weren’t doing that today, remember?” He casually reminded his girlfriend that she wasn’t going to overthrow a foreign government today like it was normal. But again, it was Jada, so it probably was.

“That was before I saw a bitch wearing white to a wedding and I know it’s in poor taste in their culture as well. I looked it up just to make sure I would be right if someone stepped outta line.” Her hair was in an intricate half up half down style, her locs curled down her back. The champagne gold of her gown looked gorgeous next to her skin.

“You’re really serious.”

Her eyes widened like I was the one being ridiculous. “Girl, yeah. I mean, kinda, Pippi. I did it more so for me because I hate being wrong and I just had a feeling something stupid was going to pop off. And again, who was the lil bitch all up in his face like the replacement bride? Ole scab as bitch.”

“Did you call that girl a scab?”

“Yeah. Because she crossing a line that shouldn’t be just like the scabs did back in the day when people were protesting and shit for better wages. I need y’all to know your history. I wasn’t calling her a scab like from a wound.” She rolled her eyes as though her calling the girl a healing wound was somehow out of bounds.

I wasn’t one to normally triangulate a man into a situation, but Jada wouldn’t listen to anyone else. Jasmine was caring for her son and Jerica was pregnant with twins. I wouldn’t want to get them involved in any of this mess so he was it. “Smoke—”

He held up his hands shifting his black tuxedo as though he expected me to say this. “I ain’t got shit to say. I already kept Sweets from rolling up over there while you were talking to the king. I’ve done my good deed for the day. The only other way to keep her calm is dick and I doubt y’all wanna see that at your reception.” Xerxes said that Smoke rarely talked, but he seemed to do fine whenever he was around.

Jada smirked and shook her head before she swayed to the music that was playing. “Baby, I already scouted a place for us for later.”

His smile was filled with so much love it was stunning to see his emotions break through. “Bet.”

“I know I’m the new person here, but that was all a power play. And it seems you handled it well. Everyone who does any business internationally knows that the king is a degenerate.” Asha Avery who had strolled up mid conversation just shrugged like it was a well-known fact.

She was becoming even more intriguing each time I saw her. “How do you have that intel?”

“My father is in the oil business amongst other things. He just works on the African side.” Asha spoke in that posh British accent speaking about international business like it wasn’t a big deal.

“Girl, you walking around sounding like the real Posh Spice, you want to try that again?” Jada was teasing and I hoped that Asha wouldn’t take offense.

“I’m never on the Black British side of the argument so don’t lump me in with them. I’m Eritrean. Grew up in Britain for a while but have lived in the United States for years. All good things come from Africa so it’s about time Black people of the diverse nations have been able to profit. My family was one of them.”

“Oh, so you’re rich, rich.”

She blinked before she dodged Jada’s question. “My father is. I’m just a professor.” The glasses that she normally wore were gone allowing her beauty to be even more on display.

“Nah, you’ve got that look in your eye. That upper RP accent is just a cover for you being a maniac. It’s okay. Just likePippi, I can tell we’re gonna get along well,Posh.” Jada was doing the grin that meant her madness was seeping out.

“Are you truly going to call me that?” I had to bite my lip cause she really didn’t understand who she was dealing with in Jada.

“When you’re speaking the queen’s English better than her ass did? Hell yeah. And besides, we all know they only called Melody Scary because she was the lone one with melanin. Swear to God everything is racist.” Jada crossed her arms in a full pout like she was irritated.

“And she’s always like this?” Asha looked at me and Nev not from shock but more for confirmation.

“Yes. You get used to it in a good way.” Nev tried to comfort her friend but Asha was as wary of Jada as I had been last year. I wasn’t sure if it was her quietness that didn’t mesh with Jada’s outgoing personality or if Jada was right and Asha was quiet because she was crazy. In this organization, time would surely tell.

“It’s fine. Xerxes seems to think everything will be okay so I trust him. The girl was clearly brought to be a replacement bride and his grandfather seemed to know all my business.”

“How do you feel about that?” Nev was just as protective of us as Midas was.

I hadn’t had time to process the conversation because I believed Xerxes when he told me not to worry. I was sure they all knew what went down at my office so they were all on guard. “The man is normally halfway around the world and if Asha is right, and I’m sure she is, he doesn’t hold any power. He’s like a child throwing pebbles and Xerxes is a man with… well, with artillery, if I’m being honest.”

“Well, that’s beautiful. You really out here singing your man’s praises like that. I’m so glad I didn’t have to ask Smoke to kill you.” Jada’s hand was on her heart like she hadn’t thought about killing me.

“Sweets, you don’t have to say everything on your mind.” Smoke had his hand at the back of her neck rubbing her softly.

“But then the intrusive thoughts have nowhere to go and they stay in my brain and fester into something bigger. We wouldn’t want that for Vanya.” She pat my hand lovingly like she wasn’t still talking about harming me.

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