Page 20 of Tall, Royal Hater
“Shehryar.”
I stopped and sighed. There was no getting out of this, so I pivoted back around.
He watched me as if he was giving me a chance to say something, but when I didn’t, he stepped closer. “Look…I know you dislike me—”
“I don’t dislike you, Prince Arsh,” I quickly corrected, but rather than the bored tone I’d been aiming for, the words bordered on harsh.
His mouth tipped in a self-deprecating smile that made guilt pinch my skin. “Well. You don’t exactly like me then, shall we say.”
I didn’t correct him, but he wasn’t deterred by my silence. Neither did he break eye contact as I took him in, considered him, and formulated my answer.
There was nothing overtly wrong with the man. Health, job, or personality wise.
Just over fifty, he was tall, lean, and active. I could see why his bright hazel eyes, charming grin, and brown hair scattered with a touch of grey could be deemed attractive. And while he’d never been married, he didn’t have a toxic arrogance about him that came with some lifelong bachelors who “chose” to be single because it was “fun.”
In fact, he was the opposite, really. Now that they weren’t hiding their relationship, he hugged Mother and kissed her wherever they were. It was weird how touchy-feely he was, though Esmeralda claimed it was romantic. But at the end of the day, he was kind to Mum—the entire Touman royal family was—and he respected her too. He gave her everything no other man ever had.
And yet…
“It’s not you, Prince Arsh,” I finally said. “I don’t like that, for four years, Mum thought she couldn’t tell me about her relationship with you. I don’t like that if I hadn’t found out the way I had during the Peace Celebrations, then I would probably be standing here right now none the wiser. And I just…”
There was more, but I drifted off. Because the more I thought about it, the angrier it made me. And I didn’t need to start spitting fire in his face when it wasn’t entirely his fault.
“Would your reaction have been any different if she had told you sooner?” he asked.
Honestly? I probably would’ve reacted worse if Mum had told me a year before I found out, let alone more than four. That was saying something considering when Esmeralda, Prince Kai, Fay, and Adam, and I had walked in on them kissing nine months ago, I threatened to kill Prince Arsh, effectively committing a minor form of treason. With how hot-headed I had been four or five years ago, I probably would have followed through on the threat.
So, maybe it wasn’t so bad I’d only found out early in the year, and in truth, I’d gotten over the hurt of Mother not telling me sooner. But it was impossible to accept or like the situation, knowing there was another rich man who now held her fate in his hands.
One more powerful than my bastard of a father had been.
Yet even with how powerful he was, the world still had the right to comment on everything in his life. Including my mother. That’s what worried me most of all.
I rotated away and then revolved back on a deep breath. “Probably not. But when I was told isn’t as important as what comes after. And this situation…” I shook my head. “Your circumstances…”
“I know.” He shuffled closer but still kept a safe distance. “I know my being a prince isn’t ideal—your mother has dealt with enough scrutiny from people who can’t keep to themselves as it is. But being a prince is also what has allowed me to gain approval across the states to change the marriage and law acts. For your mother’s sake. Not anyone else’s.”
His voice dropped but was just loud enough for me to hear over the music. “And I understand more than you realise, more than the world will ever know, what it’s like to watch your asshole of a father hurt your mother in a way she never deserved.” A tightness pulled through my body that was reflected in the older prince’s demeanour too. “That protectiveness you feel for your mother, I feel for mine too, and any other woman who has been through a similar situation.
“And while I know you have no reason to trust me on this yet, I swear to you on my life, my family, and my title that I willnevertreat Katiya the way your father did. Nor mine. I love her, Shehryar. And I will put her first. Above everyone and everything else.”
He seemed genuine, and I couldn’t pretend there was a single word in his sentence that was amiss that I could latch onto or would have given me comfort in my distrust of him.
There was nothing comfortable about the feeling of being wrong nor the guilt of knowing I was judging the man because of someone else’s actions when he was being sincere.
While it was the kick up the backside I probably needed to actually try to give my mum’s fiancé a chance, it wasn’t enough to convince me the problem with the rest of the world would be solved.
Prince Arsh hadn’t yet actually managed to pass the revised version of the marriage and law acts, so technically, while they were engaged, he couldn’t marry my mother. And the fact there was a law that prevented a “low-born” maid from marrying royal blood in the first place was an impossible barrier that I could not get over. The people in power had never wanted their blueblood to be soiled. Especially not by an unmarried single mother.
So many people already had a lot to say about it online as it was.
I knew many of these things were out of Prince Arsh’s control. That didn’t stop me from placing some of the blame on him for putting Mum in a vulnerable situation. But my mother was more than a willing participant in their relationship, which made me feel even shittier for making it seem like I was against them.
“Okay,” I said quietly, forcing the tension to leave my shoulders. “Okay. But I meant what I said the last time I was here.” Ignoring all rationale, I edged closer, looking down my nose at him. “If you hurt her. Iwillkill you. Painfully and slowly.”
That was my second act of treason in less than a year, but the man grinned happily. “Of course. I wouldn’t expect anything less.”
I stuck my hand out, and he settled his palm against mine and squeezed just as firmly as I did.
