Page 47 of Tall, Royal Hater
“No! You should have told me if he was bothering you. Why didn’t you tell me? How many more secrets are you going to keep from me?”
Mum’s eyes flashed. “Don’t raise your voice at me, Shehryar Timur.”
Yanking at my hair, I paced in a circle like a caged animal. I tried to keep my voice low and calm as I came to a quick stop. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
She gestured to me. “Your anger, Shehryar.”
I jerked forward. “Well, how else am I supposed to react to finding out he’s been harassing you?”
“He isn’t harassing me. And if you just stopped and listened, I could explain it to you.”
I couldn’t keep still, but I managed to lock my teeth tight enough to keep my blazing words quiet. Mother sighed heavily. “Your father sends me the occasional email. Not to harass me or bother me. In fact, we don’t often ask about each other at all. But he does ask about you, Sher.”
I reeled back, disbelief splattering like cold water over my skin.
No way…there was no way the bastard asked about me.
Not after he’d let his wife kick me out of his house after I’d travelled hours to see him.
He’d told me never to return. He’d made it clear he didn’t want to see me ever again.
“You’re lying,” I croaked before anger slammed back into me. “You’re lying.”
She shook her head softly. “I’m not. I can show you the emails if you would like.”
In return, I shook my head too. Harder. In denial. “Why would he?”
“You’re his son, Sher.”
“The son he wanted nothing to do with,” I hissed, the reminder burning through my chest.
She went to speak but sighed and slumped her shoulders. “I can’t defend him or explain his actions. Only he can.”
The meaning behind her words shone in her eyes, and I choked on a hoarse sound of shock. “Are you…are you saying I should talk to him?”
“No. I can’t tell you what to do, Sher. I can only tell you that he has asked to speak with you.”
“Speak?” I scoffed. “About what?”
“My only assumption would be your relationship. He’s your father—”
“No, he isn’t,” I snapped. “He is nothing to me.”
She was quiet for a dozen of my pounding heartbeats. “Then maybe this is your chance to change that.”
I laughed, but it was loud, hollow, and bitter. “It’s ten years too late for that.”
A sad glaze washed across her stare. “Give him a chance.”
My eyes widened. “A chance? How couldyouof all people say that? Why are you defending him?”
“I am not defending him. If anything, I’m doing the opposite.” She stood up and came towards me. “You were hurt by him. You arestillhurting, and you’re angry. But you have never had the chance to talk it out with him. To make your feelings known to him. This is your chance to do that, dear.”
She put her hand to my cheek. I tried to pull away, but she pressed her other hand to the side of my face and forced me to look at her. “Talking won’t fix what he did,” I said roughly, quietly.
“Maybe not. But at the very least, you can get your answers and stop hurting over what happened. This is your opportunity to take your rage out on him and let some of it go before it drowns you. And maybe this will also help settle your worry about the future too.”
When I didn’t say anything, she drew my face down and kissed my forehead. “Think about it, Sher. I believe he’s in Touma right now too, so if you wanted to see him in person, you could.”
