Page 95 of Shâhzâdeh

She almost looked offended and I wondered what bâbâ had said that could’ve possibly offended her. “If you think I will cook and clean—”

Ohhhh that’s right. She has not met maman yet. I couldn’t even clear up her confusion because he was doing it for her.

“You own a business. Xerxes vill provide a cleaner and he already has a cook.”

I sat back and let my father gently rebuke Vanya in a way I couldn’t. I would end up pleading with her instead of making her see reason and that would have me giving in to her. If bâbâ did it, she would receive it better.

“So I can’t do anything?” Now it seemed like she didn’t like not having anything to push back against and I knew it was her feeling as though she needed to be on the defense.

“Xerxes, vould you have paid zhe bills if Vanya vere not zhere?”

I nodded despite him not being able to see me. “Yes, sir.”

“Zhen he is more zhan capable of paying zhe bills now zhat you are.Paying bills. Your mother has more money zhan me and I would not hear of her paying a bill.Wallah. A man who cannot afford a wife does not take one.”

“I tink she understands now. TellmamanI vill call her in the morning.”

“Ou hich chizi kam nakhâhad dâsht, Khashâyârshâ. (She is to want for nothing, Xerxes).”

I smiled at how adamantly he was defending Vanya, but I expected nothing less. She still sat across from me looking stunned at my father’s vehemence.

He spoke and I stood to get our plates together. I nodded my agreement and gave the both of them a promise. “Hargiz nakhâhad shod. (She never will).”

We said our goodbyes and when I hung up; I glanced across the island and watched concern flit across her face.

“Am I in trouble?”

I tucked my phone in my pocket smiling at her as I shook my head. “If anyzing, I am.”

That seemed to stress her out even more. “Why?”

I began to plate our food on the pieces I’d had laid out for us to dine on. “Because my father will wonder why you do not feel financially secure in my ability to provide. He might come here and start looking through my accounts to make sure I’m not messing up.”

“What? But you’re his son—”

I put a staying hand on hers, and she immediately stopped speaking. “And you’re a woman. One who is on her own. He would let no one, least of all me, take advantage of a woman and not treat her zhe way I am supposed to. I am more zhan willing and abundantly happy to spoil you, Vanya. I see it as one of the greatest pleasures of zhis life. I do not find joy in many zhings, but watching you sell houses? Seeing how your face lights when you acquire a property? I could live in those moments forever with you because zhere you express your rarest, purest joy.”

She blushed, the tint of skin deepening to match the copper hue of her freckles and her hair. She went back to tugging at her lip before she turned to the fridge to get some water, unable to meet my compliment with words of her own. I marveled at the silent way she absorbed the compliment and didn’t refute it this time. We moved silently to plate the lamb chop, couscous and grilled asparagus the chef had prepared. I’d asked Vanya to tell the chef if she had dietary restrictions, since she was aware there were certain things I didn’t eat.

“Why horses?”

I closed the door to the drawer microwave before I answered her. “Vhat do you mean?”

“With the… breadth of your other enterprises, I was wondering what made you land on horses as your lucrative endeavor.” Vanya looked comfortable, which was another point of pride for me. The house was nowhere fully furnished, but she looked at home. The brightly patterned Ankara print short set was a striking mix of pinks, blues, lime greens and purples in an aqua flowers pattern. The hint of midriff that was exposed showed that her freckles were indeed all over her body. Which had sent my mind reeling.

I sat back to keep myself from continuing to stare but failed as I studied the curious look emanating from her eyes. “Oh, zhat’s simple. My fazer was involved and I zhink he’s one of zhe smartest men I know.”

“Explain.” A concise command that brought a smile to my face. She said it with ease and was completely unafraid of my reaction. I liked the lack of fear and was more than happy to discuss with her the legacy my father had begun.

“When he was back home, he wasn’t meant to be involved on zhe political side of zhings in his family. Meaning he wasn’t zhe heir or the spare, so they had no use for him. He was free to explore zhe endeavors zhat would make him money. Zhe family didn’t want to be involved because zhey didn’t want to put any money into it.”

We took our food that had been warmed in the counter oven and sat at the bar to eat. I held her chair out wanting her as close to me as possible.

When her brows furrowed, I could see her preparing to ask the obvious question. “If his family was wealthy, why would he need to worry about money?”

“Because of zhe type of person my grandfather was and is. My fazer knew zhat he would need to make his own way or be under the zhumb of someone who enjoyed control too much. Besides, zhey didn’t have nearly as much as zhey do now and even zhat is shaky.”

“Your father is smart. I know how that goes and it sucks.”

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