Page 55 of Shâhzâdeh

“As progressive as we are, Ms. Benoit is not into women. We asked.” That was Mr. Miller’s way of letting us know he’d done his best to avoid this and it hadn’t worked.

“And the alliance with her brother as second wouldn’t be strong enough for us to throw as many resources behind this.” The shit we were in was coming even more clear by the second.

“Precisely.”

I wanted to run my hand down my face in frustration but I didn’t. It would show that I was conflicted and I wasn’t going to show that type of hand to anyone. My eyes flickered to my mother who signaled to me that she understood how I was feeling by the gentle raising of her brows. Since Midas was off screen, he could express his aggravation with all of this far easier than I was. His foot was shaking, as was his head. I knew he was trying to find someone to blame, but he couldn’t. His wife wasn’t guilty in any of this just because Nev knew the girl who was involved. I could also tell his frustration stemmed from her father having this conversation without his daughter present.

“And so you will propose marriage to one of us. I thought you had a son who was to be the heir to your empire.” Ori didn’t give a fuck about this man and what he wanted. He’d lived the ramifications of a woman being used for her father’s benefit and he refused to do it to someone else.

“He is. But one thing I’m more than keenly aware of is his faults. My son has a tendency to want too much control and sadly he has been granted it by virtue of his affluence throughout the world. He’s not a bad person, but I wouldn’t want him to mess up the entire foundation of your organization simply because he couldn’t or wouldn’t allow his wife the control of what her family built.”

“He sounds like an asshole.” My mother was blunt and I waited to see if I would have to leave this man’s wife a widow depending on how he spoke to her.

“He absolutely takes after his mother in his arrogance. Another reason a more powerful hand is needed with my daughters.”

“You don’t trust them around their own mother?” Mr. Miller was now sitting forward and I could see the Nakoas exchanging glances.

Mr. Avery hesitated briefly, which forced me to glance at Midas. His shoulder rose like he had no clue what was up. I knew he was going to ask his wife as soon as he could. “There is a lot to say to that which could be discussed further later. Patriarchy is a thing in every part of the world touched by colonization. Eritrea is not exempt from it. But I have come with the proposition. I understand that moving money around is something that needs to happen on a larger scale because of the amount of influence and revenue you all bring in. I have the capacity to do that. I’m more than happy to waive any fee that would customarily be provided in exchange for the assistance needed with helping Eritrea.”

“Wait a minute, you want us to float our money through your network and all you want us to do is to help with knocking off a few corrupt people in your homeland? Without collecting a fee? No offense but how ugly are your daughters for this to be a concern?” Ori was being blunt as usual but I couldn’t help but wonder the same damn thing. It was crazy to think he was going to do all of this without wanting payment. I could understand being proud of your homeland, but to work for free and put up your kid as collateral was wild.

“I have twins, you may know one of them as Sasha Avery.”

“The model?” Ori sounded intrigued as well as confused. Sasha Avery was a beautiful woman so there was no way in hell she would give up her life to be a mob wife. Her profile as a model, former or current, was almost too high for us.

His smile was one of a man that truly loved his daughter. But parents could play favorites and he was still offering a kid for a business deal. “Yes. Because of her work and her stubbornness, her sister who is far calmer than she is would be the person who was better suited to this type of lifestyle.”

“Have you discussed this with either of them?” My mother was pissed about this and was going to step in however she could to see that this girl was protected.

“The idea has been battered about but nothing set in stone. Because of the heart she has, I know my daughter will put herself up for this. Whoever gets her will be getting a strong and caring wife. I hate to speak of her in these terms, like she’s chattel—”

“Yet you’re doing it anyway.” Ori was pissed off and I wasn’t sure if I was going to interfere or not. He seemed far too involved right now.

Mr. Avery cleared his throat as he sidestepped Ori’s accusation. “But there are still other considerations. I won’t take any fees from your organization, but my daughter has to be well provided for. I’m not sure of your views on divorce, but if it’s not allowable then I’m fully prepared for my daughter to live a life separate from whoever is her husband. Mr. Cannon I understand that you travel extensively so that wouldn’t be a problem for you. Mr. Nakoa, you’re a part of the government and are actually in the same area as she is currently.”

Ori’s brows dipped harshly as he stared at his screen. “Who is your kid?”

“Avery. Dr. Asha Avery. She is a professor of—”

“Criminology at Georgetown.”

It was Mr. Avery’s turn to frown up at Ori’s recognition of his daughter. “Yes. How did you know that?”

“I know her. Knowofher. Through a case.” Ori was backtracking and fumbling, which is something that never happened.

“I thought the FBI used their own people.” Mr. Miller now honed in because he peeped what I did, too.

“We do. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t cases where outsiders aren’t needed to be brought in.”

Mr. Miller nodded before looking at his screen to speak directly to Ori and me. “Gentleman, I understand this isn’t what you all expected to hear when you got on the phone. I’ve told Mr. Avery that a few days would be needed to go through the discussions on all of this. I’ve already discussed with Mrs. Cannon moving resources into the area through some of our Middle Eastern contacts to help those who are in the most need first. At least until a decision can be made on which family will take the Averys into the fold.”

“I’ll do it.”

I sat forward not willing to let my brother stand in the way of this for me. “Ori—”

He was shaking his head and refused to look at the screen. His hair was braided back off his face, the blazer from his suit long discarded somewhere. He had his sleeves rolled up and his tie was gone. “I said I would do it. Everyone knows that Xerxes is in love with someone. I’m not going to relegate him to a life of being without her because I want to stay in my singleness.”

“You’d make that type of sacrifice?” His grandfather was looking at him like even he wasn’t sure what his grandson was doing.

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