Chapter 6 Sacrifices #3
“I have twins, you may know one of them as Sasha Avery.”
“The model?”
Now I was sure he was talking about the right set of sisters but something was still not adding up.
Sasha Avery had a high-profile life. A lot of attention was on her so the idea that she was open to being married had me wondering if she was about to be involved in a scandal that we needed to protect her from.
“Yes. Because of her work and her stubbornness, her sister who is far calmer than she is would be the person who was better suited to this type of lifestyle.”
I instantly knew he was talking about my little misandrist and was surprised with how filled with love his voice was.
“Have you discussed this with either of them?”
“The idea has been batted about but nothing set in stone. Because of the heart she has, I know my daughter will put herself forward. Whoever gets her will be getting a strong and caring wife. I hate to speak of her in these terms, like she’s chattel—”
“Yet you’re doing it anyway.”
I was now glaring at Mr. Avery wondering if this was why his daughter hated men. If his affection for her was only because he thought she was biddable. Soft, calm. If he thought that was true, then he didn’t know shit about the daughter he’d raised. Which only pissed me off more.
“But there are still other considerations. I won’t take any fees from your organization, but my daughter has to be well provided for.
I’m not sure of your views on divorce, but if it’s not allowable then I’m fully prepared for my daughter to live a life separate from whoever her husband is.
Mr. Cannon, I understand that you travel extensively so that wouldn’t be a problem for you.
Mr. Nakoa, you’re a part of the government and are actually in the same area as she is currently. ”
My brows dipped harshly as I waited for him to speak her name instead of dancing around it. It was like torture for me to wonder if there was yet another daughter he was going to pull out of a hat. A secret triplet that had been hidden away from the world because she didn’t compare to her sisters.
“Who is your kid?”
“Avery. Dr. Asha Avery. She is a professor of—”
“Criminology at George Washington.”
It was Mr. Avery’s turn to frown up at my recognition of his daughter. My grandfather’s eyes were boring a hole in the side of my head and I wanted to smile as I ignored him but I refused to give him the satisfaction.
“Yes. How did you know that?”
“I know her. Know of her. Through a case.” Fuck.
Stumbling over my words now had everyone on edge because I never cared to correct myself when I spoke.
Choosing my words carefully meant I gave a fuck.
And giving a fuck meant that I cared and they all knew it.
Xerxes’ brow flickered questioningly but I returned the gesture, letting him know we’d discuss it later.
“I thought the FBI used its own people.” Mr. Miller now honed in on my slip up and I knew that the prodding would start gently but would become more intense real soon.
“We do. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t cases where outsiders aren’t needed to be brought in.”
Mr. Miller nodded before looking at his screen to speak directly to Xerxes and me.
“Gentlemen, I understand this isn’t what you all expected to hear when you got on the phone.
I’ve told Mr. Avery that a few days would be needed to go through the discussions on all of this.
I’ve already discussed with Mrs. Cannon moving resources into the area through some of our SWANA contacts to help those who are in the most need first. At least until a decision can be made on which family will take the Averys into the fold. ”
“I’ll do it.”
Xerxes’ face seemed stunned before he sat forward in his seat as if he could actually reach me through the screen. Too bad for him Dom hadn’t invented a way to do that yet.
“Ori—”
I looked down at my hand while I spoke because displaying emotion irritated me too much. “I said I would do it. Everyone knows that Xerxes is in love with someone. I’m not going to relegate him to a life of being without her because I want to stay in my singleness.”
“You’d make that type of sacrifice?” My grandfather’s eyes were now so intense I could almost feel his emotions like they were trying to penetrate my brain.
“As I said, I know her. And she’s a nice girl.
Whether we’re compatible outside of working on a case,” I shrugged because at this point it wasn’t that big a deal.
“And don’t think of it as a sacrifice. This is what family does.
Just make sure you get your girl so this wasn’t all for nothing.
” I looked at the screen and shot him a look that screamed he needed to stop acting like a bitch and get his lady.
Mr. Avery grimaced before he spoke up. “I wouldn’t say that my daughter was for nothing.” I shrugged, despite thinking it was brave of him to stand up to me in defense of his daughter. Stupid, since he needed us, but it showed he did actually love her. For that, he earned my respect.
“No, but you should know upfront that my mother and father had an arranged marriage. It’s something I said I would never do. I’m not a cruel man, despite how I may look or sound. She will be well respected and I wouldn’t want her to change anything about herself.”
“Ori, are you sure?”
“It makes sense, Xerx. We run the ports and have the shipping contacts. They need help to get to their people who are along the coast of the Red Sea so it’s accessible.
If your people want to help, they’re literally on the other side of the peninsula in the Gulf.
We could launch a ship from Bushehr to Massawa and have our first delivery to the people within 9 days since it’s roughly 1500 nautical miles.
” His problem was one that we could easily solve as a family.
We transported items all over the world with our ships so doing this wouldn’t be easy but it was far less complicated for us than for any other family.
And they would have to go through us for help anyway so why not cut out the middleman.
“Can’t believe you can still do zhat in your head wizout issue.”
“Y’all call me Aquaman for a reason.”
We joked for a few more seconds before the original topic of conversation was brought back to the forefront.
“So, is this agreed then?” Mr. Avery interrupted the moment of levity but I could understand that he was anxious.
I’d seen it play out often, like when Xerxes’ father Bijan found out his people were still suffering despite Persia’s prosperity.
It made him hungry to give back and was why he and his son were so well loved there.
“Further conversations have to take place. And I’m remiss to do anything without speaking to your daughter myself.
As the father of a princess whom I love more than my sons, I have to know this is her will and not pressure from you.
I will offer her a haven from you if I think you’re forcing her into this.
” Mr. Miller didn’t hold back putting Mr. Avery on notice that we didn’t play that shit.
I knew he would speak to Dr. Avery to ensure she was doing something that she wanted to do.
“I wouldn’t do that. If you only understood—”
Mr. Miller held up his hand to stop whatever he was going to say.
“Your reasons are not for me to hear. They are hers. And maybe Ori. Ori is a good man. One that I’ve watched come out of his shell.
When he says he will treat your daughter well, that’s not lip service.
Just because you didn’t have the example that we would’ve wanted you to, son, doesn’t mean that the ability to make something like this work isn’t within you.
The only person who ever doubts you is you, Ori.
Maybe it’s time you stopped.” The sincerity in Mr. Miller’s words let me know he’d allowed a little Uncle X to sneak into this conversation.
“So we are agreed then? Xerxes may pursue his choice?” Auntie Babette’s words cut into the conversation and I was stunned she was putting it out there so easily.
“You’ve more than approved of her, Babette. If House Cannon sees no issue, then we have no problem with Xerxes pursuing her. He’s got to win her over first though from what I heard.” The smirk on his face let me know that Uncle X was in full control.
“You doubt me?”
“I’ll be awaiting the wedding invitation.” He grinned and wrapped up the meeting. “If nothing else, I’ll be speaking with you William and you Ori soon. We’re done here.”
The call disconnected and there was silence in the office as my grandfather and I were both lost in our thoughts.
“It doesn’t have to be soon.”
My eyes darted to him and I knew what he was speaking on, but it not being soon wasn’t something that we could allow to linger.
The help that the Averys needed was going to occur often.
Pulling resources for someone that wasn’t a part of the family and therefore not contributing wasn’t something that would happen before there was a strain.
Even with the promise of a marriage, without one taking place there was only so much that could be done.
“We both know that’s not true.”
“I can buy you time. I’m sure there’s more than enough going on especially if Xerxes has his own lady to pursue. It will give you time to learn her.”
I wanted to laugh because even if I had a few millennia there was nothing I would learn about Asha Avery that she didn’t want me to know.
I ran a hand down my face in shock because I’d done the one thing I said I would never do. And I had done it willingly. “It won’t be necessary. I’ll leave planning and stuff up to her. I don’t care about any of this.”
I ran a hand over the braid I’d pulled my hair into before I left the house. Somehow my brain had known this was going to be a fucked up day and ensured I wouldn’t have a chance to rip my hair out in frustration.
“You aren’t even going to try, are you?”