Page 180 of Shâhzâdeh

“We gone let him get away with calling you cousin like that?” Midas’ irritated voice caused me to smile cause I knew he wanted a chance to get at the other side of my family especially because of what they’d done to my mama.

“You see I ignored zhat shit, right? Zhat’s my bâbâ’s brozer’s boy. You’re zhe onlypesar dâyiI have.”

“My only brozers are standing next to me. Zhat’s just my sperm donor’s son.” Bâbâ added fuel to the fire by denouncing all the men in his family who were only getting angrier by the second.

Laughter broke up the seriousness of the moment on at least our side and I could see that my grandfather was realizing there was nothing he could say that would appeal to our love of him because we didn’t have any.

“Zhe vorld vill vant to know vhat has happened to us. Zhey vill vant to investigate—” The king was blustering again, grasping for something that he could hold on to that would save his life.

“Investigate what? An accident? Zhat’s what zhis will look like. A tragic accident, as you all are heading to one of your many trips over zhe sea to engage in debauchery. One is on your schedule if I recall zhe information I gazered about your preference for blonde sex workers.” My hands went behind my back as I studied their faces. It was fascinating to watch the realization that we had been playing the long game for decades come over them.

“You are lying.” My grandfather’s words were little more than a whisper, the fear keeping him subdued.

“Dom, he’s saying zhat your intel is faulty.” I spoke over my shoulder to the genius who’d been lounging in the back.

“Don’t piss me off, Xerx. I’m trying to just be a casual observer and shit but theBlerdcan get active at any moment.” His voice was flat and unbothered, but we all knew how this man could cut up.

Adam had been sitting back kicking his feet up cause he was gone always have Midas’ back. But insulting his ability to gather information was the quickest way for him to want to come from behind the screen and fuck somebody up. Unlike the man that supposedly ran Oz, Dom’s ass was a legit wizard with this shit.

“I trust my sources more zhan I trust you. Especially since Kamran was still stupid enough to send all zhe information to a man he hadn’t heard from in monzs.”

“Two quick text messages was all it took for y’all dumb asses to allow me access into all your phones. But you wanna play dumb like Xerx ain’t thorough wit’ his shit.” Adam scoffed before sitting his Aldis Hodge looking ass back down on the table he’d previously occupied.

“Well, now zhat we’ve spent all zhis time at least explaining why you’re going to die, we should get on with it. I’m still sick and I am ready to lay under my wife.” I clapped my hands and then rubbed them together to get my blood flowing.

“What yoo got in mind for the good people, Xerxes? Yoo ken my people love to tell stories. What will we learn today?” Liam rubbed his hands as he stood with Bhaltair next to him watching the festivities.

“Does anyone know zhe story of Xerxes? One zing he’s known for?”

“Being a king.” Yacouba’s ass was gone spot me exactly what I needed as I began to pull out the equipment that Sampson had trained me on only hours before. I hit the button, allowing the conveyor belt that was in the ceiling to crank up before I spoke again. The Mahdavis were all watching it with morbid curiosity ignoring what I had to say.

“Not just a king. He was known for invading Greece and losing, despite winning large portions. Only, unlike my namesake, I wouldn’t leave a man behind to fight my battles for me and my brothers in arms would never have me assassinated. But you bastards have tried many times.” The hook came to a stop in front of us and they kept their eyes on it in fear.

“We could’ve told them the attempts would be time and energy wasted. The anointed may stumble but they never fall. Witnessing the arrogance I’ve seen today, they would’ve kept on despite the warning.” Jahmir dropped his word while looking like he wanted to unleash the deepest part of Priest out to play. He was never escaping the nickname Venom because even now I could see the darkness start to creep up. The madness that could overtake him at any moment and then recede back leaving the man of God.

“As my brozer says, it is not my fault zhat I have favor. I have a praying mozer who does whatever she can to keep me protected so zhat no weapons formed against me shall prosper. Zhat and I was fine to play zhis game with you all until you came after my wife.” The machine lowered slightly and I turned to my family to see which one was going to speak up.

“Zhose bullets were meant for you. She would’ve been a fun consolation prize to take back home. Vhether you survived, knowing she was getting passed around zhe palace before being lost at one of our gazering as a favor would’ve killed you.” Ibriham spoke up, meaning he was going to be the first to feel me.

“Xerxes—” Ahmad’s voice was filled with warning because he was going to lose it.

I turned to him because I needed him to see how filled with disgust I was at their words. “Trust me,barâdar(brother), I will ensure you are more zhan satisfied with zhe outcome of today.” My eyes went back to the offender that was going to meet his fate. “No, touching my wife would’ve killed you. Much faster zhan your current predicament.”

“You vould’ve gone against our entire army? For one voman.” Ibriham was laughing as though he and his guards hadn’t been taken down by a few men with guns and careful misdirection of his aircraft.

“I would’ve gazered every available man and woman I had access to in my country and yours to ensure she was safe and unharmed. Faced down a worzless king and his army zhat is nozing without zhe weapons I supplied zhem. Do you zhink I would’ve given you somezing I could not control? I have been spoon feeding you your death since I took over your finances from my mother a decade ago. Each handout came with a leash. Zhe invisible control that further proved your lives were in my hands. A king getting fed an allowance. Having his army supplied guns he didn’t oversee zhe manufacturing of. See,amoo, you were too happy to leave zhe actual work to zhose you felt were beneaz you. And now we know your government better zhan you. Our generals know Afshin as zheir leader because he is there to give more zhan useless commands. Zhey see me as zhe one who has trained zhem on zhe weaponry zhey use to ensure zhat zheir homes are not invaded and zhere are no random bombs being dropped on zheir family. My fazer has scholarship funds set up at every university in Iran in his name. Over two zhousand schools zhat have students zhat can speak to the caring nature of Bijan Mahdavi,shâzâdeh-ye gomshode.Zhe lost prince zhey hold in higher esteem than their king. ”

“Are you saying your weapons are faulty?” Babak looked like he was trying to find a way he could take a shot at me, but he should’ve known I didn’t give a fuck about his opinion.

“I’m saying my weapons have a built in command zhat if executed zhey won’t work. I could cripple you and your entire army wiz zhe push of a button. Not only do we have zheir loyalty, but the guns have a failsafe. Zhat means you couldn’t use zhem to come after us. Zhank you again for zhat, Dom.”

“Ain’t shit.”

“But zhe people we worked wiz didn’t use your weapons. Zhey had zheir own.”

My smile was arrogant, sinister and filled with the malice I wanted to inflict on them as Ibriham confirmed what he’d done. “Which is why zhey are all dead and we aren’t. Only zhe best are armed wiz what I provide and I don’t work with organizations zhat deal in anyzing zhat is untoward. You were smart to hire outsiders because any weapon of mine have tracking on zhem that is undetected.”

“How is zhat possible?”

---