Page 94 of Shâhzâdeh

“I zhink zhey’re perfect. I was just zhinking about all the antique markets and zrift stores I will need to research so zhat we can continue to add to your collection.”

She pulled back from me her surprise clear. “You’d do that? Go thrifting with me I mean?”

“Is zhis not my home as well? I truly zhink a woman finding beauty and comfort in her home is paramount, but I would love to watch your process. And provide my input if it is requested.”

“I mean, it’s your house—”

“Our. I dislike that word, your, unless it is regarding you. What’s yours is yours. What’s mine is ours. You act as zhough I will be requesting your money to pay zhe bills.”

A light went off in her eyes as though I’d reminded her of something she’d been meaning to talk to me about. “How are those getting split by the way?”

“You are surely joking.” I could only laugh in her face, however disrespectful she found it because my manhood had been completely insulted.

“No.”

I unwrapped her from my arms before crossing them over my chest. “Split what?”

“The bills, this place is gonna cost a lot to heat, cool. Maintain.” She was smiling and I didn’t want to wipe the grin off her face but I would have to.

Instead of saying a word, I pulled out my phone, dialed a number and placed it on speaker. Her face went from confident to nervous as she waited on the call to connect.

“Salâm pesar-am. Dovomin dalil barâye nafas keshidan-e man.”

I smiled at the effusive way my father always greeted me, despite Vanya looking confused and then uncomfortable. As always, he’d called me his second reason to breathe a title I was proud to hear each time he bestowed it on me.

“Engilisi, bâbâ.Azize delam injâst pisham.” I requested that he speak in English because I had Vanya here with me.

“My apologies to Vanya. Hello, my dear. Congratulations are in order and ve cannot vait to meet you. My Babette is not here and she will be esurely be jealous she did not get to dote on you herself.”

“It’s a pleasure to speak to you and I cannot wait to meet the both of you as well.” Vanya nervously tucked a strand of her fiery red hair behind her ear.

“Bâbâ, Vanya has stated she will be splitting the bills in some fashion in the house.”

“What?!”

His increased volume caused me to laugh but startled Vanya and I saw the stress enter into her eyes. I immediately put my hand on hers as my father began to curse me out.

“Man to ro mard bâr âvardam! Mardi ke bâyad nân-âvar o panâh-e azizâsh bâshe. To rafti donbâl-e in zan, ke azash bekhâi zendegish-o bâ to takmil kone? Marizi mage? Bâ mâdaret harf mizanam, ye do’â-i, ye rishe-i barât migire. Motma’enam ye doone az mohat hanooz too khune hast!(I raised you to be a man! To provide for and to protect those you love. You have chased this woman only to ask her to supplement her life with you? Are you ill? I will speak to your mother and have her put a root on you. I am sure there is some of your hair in the house somewhere).”

“What is he saying?” Vanya tried to whisper but failed miserably. I was chuckling but I could tell she was worried that we’d disturbed him.

“He is telling me zhat he raised me better zhan zhat to ask a woman to spend a dime of her money in a household. He is saying he will cover all your expenses if I will not but he also says I am not worzy of you if I do not wish to treat you in the way zhat you deserve.”

Her face was getting redder with each sentence I translated as bâbâ continued to berate me. “Mr. Cannon—”

“Mahdavi.”

She swallowed and I’m sure she felt as though his sharpness was directed at her but really he was still pissed with me. Vanya balanced her hand on the Carrera marble counter like she was truly worried she’d upset my father. “I’m sorry. Mr. Mahdavi, it was my idea to help pay the bills.”

“Does she not know how much you are vorth,nafas-am?”

I smiled again at him calling me his soul before I responded to him. “She does, bâbâ.”

“Have you not told her that you vill support her in every vay?”

“I have, bâbâ.”

My father seemed to calm down once he realized that I had done all he’d taught me throughout my life. “Azizam, my son would not dare ask you to pay a bill because zhat is not your job,”

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