Page 81 of Shâhzâdeh

“And you’re laughing.”

The doctor chuckled at my concern and I wondered if he was just as crazy as the rest of them.Of course he is Vanya, he’s here isn’t he?

“He’s harmless.”

“Well, that much I know is a lie. The man is a… he’s… Xerxes.”

Xerxes bowed his head in thanks and I watched in fascination at the way his abs flexed beneath his skin. He wasn’t some extra buff man that looked like he was one whole day of chicken away from ‘roid rage. But he was broad and muscular, his frame firm and tall. Defined even beneath his clothing.

“Zhank you, ziba. Zhat was a beautiful compliment.”

“Anyway, Ms. Vanya. I need to sew up his arm and he’s refusing to let me until you can be in here. Do you mind sitting with him for a minute while I get him patched up?”

“Why aren’t you listening to the doctor?”

He furrowed his brows without a hint of contriteness. “Because it is little more zhan a flesh vound and vill heal on its own.”

The doctor chuckled before he turned his now annoyed face toward Xerxes. “I’m here, I say you need the thread. You know they’ll hold your big ass—”

“Not in front of the lady, Dr. Davis.” Quentin butt in from behind me and I shot him a look chastising him for keeping to that stupid rule. He just smiled like he was happy to be annoying me and I wondered if I would hurt his feelings if I gave him the middle finger.

When I turned around, Dr. Davis looked at me apologetically and I wanted to roll my eyes at how they were really following this man up. While it felt good to feel respected, I also wanted people to be themselves around me. I’d been outsider-ed my whole life and didn’t want that now.

“My fault. You know they’ll hold you down while I either numb you up or knock you out. The choice is simple but if you’d rather make it hard…” He shrugged like he almost wanted Xerxes to battle with him. Like he wanted him to put up a fight.

Definitely as crazy as the rest of them.

“Tavior, it is a small hole in my arm. It vill be fine vith no need for surgery.” Xerxes looked completely disgusted at the idea of having his arm sewn up and I watched the blood saturate the cloth that was covering it every time he moved. That couldn’t be good and I glanced around, looking at the mix of concerned and angry faces.

I reached out to Xerxes turning his face to me by his chin. His face was filled with surprise and then softened seeing what I could only guess was the worry on my face. “Xerxes, I think we might need to listen to him.”

“Thank you, Ms. Vanya.” Even from behind me, I could hear how smug Dr. Davis sounded, but I couldn’t be bothered with that when I needed Xerxes to cooperate.

“You vant to side against me? I zhought ve vere building somezing.”

“I can’t build with someone who is too stubborn to listen to good advice. You’re letting your anger dictate your actions instead of being the calculated man we know you to be. If you rush, you’re going to make a mistake. And I feel as though they’re hoping to have flared your anger enough so that you do something out of character. Don’t let them get the best of you because you wanted to move quickly instead of being smart.”

“Yoor fate is sealed, lass. I ‘ope yoo ken yoo cannae get rid of any of us now.”

I turned and looked at Liam who was grinning without a care as to how I felt about this proclamation. “Well, you’re my best friend’s husband so you were going to be around no matter what.”

“And me?” Xerxes question was asked so gently I didn’t feel the need to tease him.

“You’re pretty much guaranteed a spot which guarantees one for everyone else. Now will you please let the doctor, who went through many years of school, sew you up? It would make me feel much better about this. You’ve got blood dripping down your arm and I can’t sit by and watch the literal life drain out of you.”

“You sound as zhough your heart is breaking.” He sounded hopeful that I was experiencing some type of pain, which should’ve been obvious from how I worried over him the entire way here.

“My something is something. So I need you around to ensure that we can figure out what all of that is. Okay?”

“Your every vish is mine to fulfill.” I wanted to kiss him, but I wasn’t sure if now was the right time. Or if he would let me. In all the time we’d been around one another, Xerxes never got in my personal space. It was always a very carefully controlled, respectable distance that he kept while still emphasizing that he wanted me.

“While Tavior is sewin’ up yoor poke, I think we need to ‘ave a discussion.” Liam stepped forward looking between me and Xerxes.

“You don’t think this can wait? He got shot.” I stood up in front of Liam keeping Xerxes behind me but he immediately moved me out of the way. My actions only made Liam smile even more, which irritated me.

“Aye, ‘e did. Comin’ tae yoor rescue.”

His words weren’t a jab, but I flinched all the same, which caused Xerxes to shift behind me. I didn’t turn around but I could tell he’d been held back from moving. “Which I’m very grateful for.”

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