Page 8 of Shâhzâdeh

I knew how this would end so I said my goodbyes and hung the phone up grinning because Frankie and Liam were a demented fairy tale come true. I wasn’t sure if I would’ve been strong enough to forgive him the way she’d been, but of course, he hadn’t left her much choice. They were the type of couple that were just toxic enough to let folks in bad situations believe it would always work out. But everyone didn’t have the foundation of forever that they had.

I’d spent weeks worrying about her when she’d gone, well had been taken, back home by the real father of her daughter. I’d spent years wanting to fight him for exiling her from their hometown and I wanted to mount a rescue to get her back. I looked at her and saw someone who was making a terrible decision about their life.

And then she told me they were getting married.

I was trying to be a good friend because she seemed to walk into the situation with her eyes open. And there were moments that, when Frankie wasn’t paying attention, I saw just how deeply Liam loved her. My ultimate confirmation that he was completely in love with his wife was the way he protected her even without her knowing. We’d been out at a day spa and had been harassed by two men apparently that his uncle knew. The uncle that hated him and would try to hurt his wife to get to him. He’d had eyes on her the whole time and one of his friends had been there to step in.

I wanted to be grateful for the rescue but that was the day I saw him.

Xerxes Cannon.

A man that was even more unique than the name he was given. My first exposure to him had been at Frankie’s wedding. But I was so uptight and worried that day he’d barely registered to me. Other than me wanting to get far away from anyone that was linked to Liam. So everything he said to me I stonewalled and lumped him into the same category as his friend.

And I’d been right.

At least about him being the same as his friend. From the brief interaction where Xerxes stepped in between the men who’d been sent by Liam’s uncle and the unfortunate appearance of my ex, he’d displayed the same amount of chivalry and adoration that Liam did with Francesca. I’d felt more seen and taken care of by these strangers in moments than my entire or relationship with the man I’d married. He’d ensured I got home safely and left his number for me to reach out in case I needed him.

I never used the number, but that didn’t mean I hadn’t been tempted. He kept up this casual intensity that I could always feel whenever I was around him. And since we had mutual friends, that had been often. At least until Frankie and Liam had gone to his family seat in Scotland so she could give birth. With them coming back, I knew he was going to be in my orbit yet again. I’d only missed seeing him when they’d initially come back to the states because he had been traveling. Frankie told me he’d made a special stop in Scotland to meet the baby and give her a push present. I thought that was the daddy’s job, but clearly the man was generous. Something else I wasn’t used to. Gifts had never been given to me before I met Frankie. And any favor I’d needed had conditions that left me feeling degraded or humiliated.

No, thank you.

Despite the lead time that Frankie had given me, I knew I needed to get up. If I stayed still too long, I would think. Thinking led my mind into wallowing and wallowing led to depression. The idea of something controlling me, even if it was medication that would improve my mood, was repulsive to me. I had to fake my way into being normal and hopefully one day it would stick.

It had been five years and that day hadn’t come yet.

Instead of being upset, I got out of bed and looked at the print of one of my favorite artists. It was a woman with fair skin and freckles and obviously Black features. She was drawn in the Italian renaissance style with a golden halo around her head. She had reddish brown hair and was painted so beautifully she made me feel beautiful. I called her my guardian angel because someone saw her as worthy enough to be put on canvas and it somehow also gave me a boost of confidence knowing people were admiring her through this painting.

I was going to dinner but I still had errands to run beforehand. I wasn’t going to show up empty-handed, something my research into how normal people behaved showed as being a no-no. There were little things I did to make myself feel normal and going to get my nails done was one of them. Nothing crazy, but taking care of myself had been something I’d become passionate about. If they had time, I would get a wax even though no one but me was ever going to see it.

I pulled out a blue floral dress that reminded me of spring and was nothing like the ugly clothes I used to be forced to wear. I dressed to stand out and loved bright colors especially white because I now had the means to take care of them. I grabbed flat sandals out of my closet and headed to take a shower. I couldn’t wait to hug my friend and soak in the warmth that always came from being around her and her family.

I could feel his eyes on me.

There was an intensity behind them that made me uneasy. It was unnerving in a way I felt exposed. And not naked and ashamed, but vulnerable to whatever he wanted to do. And even then, there was an air of security around his gaze that didn’t leave me feeling afraid. I should’ve known when I saw a Black SUV that didn’t belong to my friend stationed outside her house that something was wrong. Stupidly, I assumed she might’ve just gotten a new car. Liam was constantly buying her cars to make up for the one that he stripped so I thought nothing of it. Clearly I should have. Would I have left? Probably not. But then again, my fight-or-flight senses only worked for other people. My instincts normally had me freezing but at least I knew with him, I wouldn’t be in any danger. And if he got stupid, Liam was right there to make sure everything was fine.

“Vanya, wuid yoo like some’in’ else, lass? Yoo ‘ave ‘ardly touched yoor food.”

I glanced up from where my eyes had been focused only on my plate. I’d been doing my best to avoid his gaze and apparently I’d insulted my hosts by not engaging in conversation. Liam’s green eyes were concerned and I gave him a small smile because he wasn’t the problem. My attraction to his friend was.

“No! I’m sorry, just a lot on my mind with work is all. Everything is perfect as always, Frankie.” I gave a nod to my friend whose beautiful face no longer held the fullness it had before she went to Scotland to deliver their son. Her skin was the same deep chocolate but it kept the pregnancy glow despite the weight being gone.

They were dressed down, Frankie in a soft green wrap dress she said was for easy nursing. Liam wore joggers and a t-shirt. I’d thrown a cardigan over the linen shirt dress I’d run errands in all day. My hair was wild around my face as I eschewed the buns it had been trapped in for so long. My bare face made me feel vulnerable sitting next to him for reasons I didn’t understand.

“Don’t thank me. Li cooked. That’s why he’s so worried.” She reached over to squeeze his hand and I immediately felt terrible.

I gave him an apologetic smile hoping I hadn’t insulted him. “Oh! I’m sorry to assume—”

He smiled as I grabbed my fork and knife and held out a hand to stop me. “Vanya, ’tis okay, lass. I just wanted to make sure I ‘adnae made a meal ‘at didnae agree wit’ yoo. But I ken ‘ow work can make one distracted. I’ve come across ‘at problem often myself.”

“Zhe work of saving lives does tend to do zhat to a person.”

His voice carried as gently as a breeze with the depth of a well. It wasn’t the deepest voice I’d heard but it was soaked with pure masculinity. And power. Both things I was wary of. His words seemed like a symphony. A lulling hypnosis that would have even the strongest woman under his spell and not realizing she’d been entranced until her bank accounts were empty and her heart broken. The cadence of his voice was like most southern men, but his inflections were of someone who’d learned English as a second language. I could only assume that the cadence was learned after so many years of living here. Either way, his voice alone was enough to mesmerize me. I hated to think I was like the people I’d grown yup with, enticed by the exotic, but this man would try the celibacy vow of a nun.

Liam’s face lit up, green eyes dancing as he smiled. “Is ‘at ‘ow we’re posin’ it now? Aye, I like it. Makes me sound ‘eroic.”

“You know you’re my hero, baby.” Frankie squeezed his chin affectionately and he sat up from his position. Their daughter, Skye was in her high chair happily eating her food unbothered by her parent’s display. It was a testament to how much love filled their house because she hadn’t met her father until after her first birthday, but you’d never know that by how she adored him.

“Reul, yoo requested a year at least a’fore yoor belly was swollen again. Dinna make me forsake a promise to yoo. I wuid more than enjoy the practice but I feel like yoo wuid tie me to the bed again.”

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