Page 32 of Shâhzâdeh

The last thing my ass was going to talk about was sex with a man who was getting it six times a day. “I hear you. But I have a favor to ask.”

“What is it?”

“Are your cousins still real estate agents?” Part of the Order’s success was for their agents to blend into everyday life. So many held certifications and degrees in a myriad of areas so that they could earn money while not on assignment as well as adapt while on a job.

“Yeah, why?”

“I need zhem to get licensed in North Carolina. I have an assignment for zhem.”

“An assignment? You know they might not want—” His cousins were two of the best assassins he had. Not only were they beautiful, they were brilliant. Whoever he sent would be more than able to look after Vanya if I wasn’t around.

“It’s protection. For Vanya. She already knows Shoaib and Quentin’s faces. She doesn’t know eizer of your cousins.” Having one of Quentin’s people for backup wouldn’t be bad, but having a man around Vanya would take her out of her comfort zone. I wasn’t willing to disturb her peace to keep her safe. At least not yet.

“I feel as though there is something brewing that we need to have a conversation about.” I didn’t want to put my brothers on high alert because that would have them ready for war. I wasn’t sure if war was needed and if they came on too strong that might force my father’s family to lash out against innocent people before I had things in place.

I sighed already feeling the peace I’d gotten from my time with Vanya began to fade. “Not yet. But when zhe time comes, zhe definitely need to put everyone on alert.”

“Talk to me, Xerx. Not to get too deep in family business, but what’s going on?” I wasn’t sure which side of my friend I was talking to now, but having him up on what was happening was probably necessary. He wouldn’t be any more rational than the others but he was at least slower to anger than Liam and more homicidally creative than Couba so that would buy me time.

“My cousin Kamran tried to use my name to back out of a deal wiz a rancher in Texas. One who has distant ties with Midas and Dom. I stepped in and told him I would provide zhe punishment for Kamran, but zhat hasn’t come to fruition.”

“And why not?” I didn’t take offense to him asking because he was the king of patience. His wait wasn’t a multi-generational get back like mine, but it was damn sure close enough.

“Because touching him has to be approved by the old man and he’s not going to do it. So I’m slowly ruining his life from a distance.”

I smirked and tried not to laugh along with him when the sound filtered through the phone. “How so?”

“Zhe horses are where he has his clout. He was the face of zhe business and had his minions do the work for him.”

“But your father’s money went into starting the stables. Hell, his name is still on all the businesses. Kamran is a glorified employee and anyone could see he’s trying to take credit for something he didn’t build.”

“Right, and since bâbâ and I are zhe owners, zhe determine what happens wiz zhe horses.” My cousins worked for us despite them making it seem like they were the owners.

“And you’ve decided…”

“Zhey’re being moved. Currently, zhey’re in a facility in Saudi where no one in zhe family would dare touch zhem.”

“Let me guess, Midas?”

Midas’ businesses in the countries surrounding my father’s homeland were strategic. The Mahdavis couldn’t invest in anything without it causing an issue and alerting the paternal family of our ones. The Cannons and the Warrens could do so without issue. I was sure that my father’s family was tracking what we did and how we invested, if they came out of their bubble of sin long enough to care. But they wouldn’t say a word because they couldn’t.

“Damn straight. And Ori vill be shipping zhem here as soon as we get zhe facilities set up and monitoring installed.”

“He moving them to Vegas or—”

“Or. Right now I’m looking for land here to hold zhem until a proper facility can be built. Or miracles upon miracles my Vanya finds me somezing zhat vill only need to be updated to my standards. Zhe entire operation will now be on US soil.”

He whistled, understanding the implications of the move I made. “Damn. That means unless he wants to uproot his ass out of the palace, he no longer has a job and has no importance.”

“It also means zhat he’s been stripped of any potential revenue or perks zhat would’ve come wiz his association wiz zhe stables. Which, of course, will cause an issue from the crown.”

“One avenue of revenue loss is a big deal. But they have other funds, right? Your grandfather will just continue to finance him because he’s the favorite.”

“You would zhink. But you can only tax your people so much. Zhe horses and zhe money made zhrough zhe deals zhey assisted wiz were almost seventy percent of zhe capital zhey fritted away during zhe year.”

“Damn. How are you a broke monarchy?” Jahmir sounded disgusted because although he had a bunch of money, he used it to do good works. Even the money he made as the head of the Order. Details on his biological father’s assets had been uncovered and even in death Pope was proving to be a better father to Mir than Cardinal ever was. All of Pope’s money had been held in trust for Mir as the heir of the family.

“Wars. More wars, greed, being petty and spending as zhough money has no limit because you’re a monarch. And having an obscene number of people charging zhe crown for zheir lifestyle. Zhe pinch is going to come quickly. And so will zhe backlash.”

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