Chapter Ten
XERXES
“ NOOH (GRANDSON).”
“ Pedarbozorg (Grandfather).”
When I noted the number on the phone I could sense the anger that was stemming from the other side. Hearing his voice only confirmed my suspicions.
“Are you vith your pedar (father)?”
The scowl on my father’s face remained even when he opened his mouth to speak.
“I’m here.”
I’d given Vanya space after the issue with her date, but not enough for her to feel my absence. She was looking for a horse property for me and arrangements needed to be made to get them out of quarantine. Her things had been moved out from her apartment the next day and I’d put her up in my suite at the Warren since I wouldn’t be using it until we got her furniture moved into the penthouse. Navi had access to it as I’d informed her of what had gone down. She was pissed she’d missed the action, but I told her I wanted her to ensure there was no more action around Vanya. Witnessing two murders within the last few days was going to fuck with her. Things were justified, but that didn’t mean watching someone die wouldn’t mess with your head.
As soon as I hired Vanya as my agent, I started the process of getting them into the country. They only had a few days left before they were released and I wanted them to have a home to get acclimated to. The idea of space for us was me heading back to my parent’s place and to get more of my belongings from the home I had in Tennessee packed up. I had a moving company organizing everything up but I was going to pack the sentimental things and take them with me. I’d stopped by my parents to pick up something important from the vault when the request for a phone call came in from my grandfather’s secretary. I was now in my father’s office, a decidedly more muted version of my mother’s, with the call on speaker wondering how quickly this would go left..
“I need someone to clarify vhy zhere have been some issues vith our finances in zhe last few days.”
We glanced at each other and my father fought a smile before he responded. “Issues how?”
“Vhere is our money?”
My grandfather’s arrogance was more than obvious when it came to what he thought was owed to him. Other than my uncle Afshin, none of the other members had their usual weekly deposit made into their account. The crown had been cut off and the reserve funds had been emptied out. My family was essentially cut off from all funds they didn’t earn themselves. Which was a small remittance of the oil money that they received. Of the government controlled fields they only received about ten percent of their total profits. The rest came to us. Greed and immediate profit meant they’d made a deal then that would have them beholden to us.
I held my hand up to my father, wanting the ire for this decision to fall on me despite it being a joint one. After the connection that the Consortium wanted to make with William Avery was exposed and almost missing out on my chance to be with Vanya, I needed to get our forever in motion. She wasn’t used to this life and despite helping Frankie beat that girl’s ass before Frankie killed her; she hadn’t been exposed to much.
I didn’t think the murder I’d committed in her living room counted since she gave me the okay.
“I’m not sure Vhat you mean by our .” My emphasis was clear and I knew he would take offense to what and how I’d said it.
“Zhe money zhat belongs to zhis family! Zhe family zhat allows you to move zhrough zhis area with the ease that you do.” My grandfather’s voice was tight and I knew his old wrinkled face was in a sneer.
Baba sat forward because the implication of him withdrawing that ease was clear. But again, I raised my hand because there was no need for him to get upset. Baba chuckled under his breath and leaned back in his leather chair.
“I move with the ease that I do because of the business contacts that I have made that have furthered the Mahdavi name. Nothing more or less. People understand that crossing me is dangerous to their health. Whatever ideas you have about help you feel you’ve provided me in my life, I’m sorry to say you are mistaken.” I laid it out for my grandfather and my father’s smile was brighter as he stifled his laugh.
“Is zhat how you feel? After all I’ve done for you?!” I could practically see the spit and rage falling out of his mouth. It would be just my luck that I angered him into a heart attack before I could get my revenge.
“And vhat have you done for my eson, father? Enlighten us.”
My grandfather’s huff was even arrogant and I could only smile that he was going to say the same things he always did. “I reinstated his title—”
Baba chuckled and looked like he would rather hurl the phone out of the window than continue to speak. He gathered himself but still spoke through clenched teeth. “Because his mother, you remember the woman that you openly hated, saved you from ruin and her family secured your throne for you. So his mother has done more for all of us than you ever could.”
“You still espeak to me ziz (with) esuz (such) disrespect as zhough I’m not your fazer!” His yelling had both of us cracking up unable to hold it in any longer. That only caused him to continue to berate us, this time in Farsi as though we both didn’t speak the damn language.
“I espeak to you as zhe man vho tried to have zhe love of my life assassinated and instead of allowing you to fall on your face zhe way you deserved, she helped to preserve your legacy for my sake. Alzough I didn’t give a damn about it. But she understood how having access to help zhe very people you’ve continued to neglect during your reign would far suit me better zhan allowing zhem to suffer along with you. And instead of zhanking her, you act as zhough she is still somehow someone zhat should try to earn your favor.”
I looked around the room noting the objects my father kept as his prize possessions. A picture of my mother and me, seconds after I was born, before tragedy struck. A binder I knew kept drawings and papers that were things I’d done throughout my childhood. His love for my mother was everywhere as was hers for him. The Persian rug in front of the fireplace with a throw blanket over a chair for her when she got cold. Her keeping the small bar for his coffee and tea for him to enjoy throughout the day, I was going to ensure I could keep them this happy and find the same for myself.
“You vere engaged to someone else.”
That was the main reason my grandfather hated my father. He was supposed to marry some woman who had been introduced to him. Ever the dutiful son, he’d agreed to it until he saw the same woman being escorted into my uncle’s quarters. When he spoke to his father about it, his father told him to get over it because the deed was done and even if something came of their affair the baby would still have Mahdavi blood. His disgust at the situation led him to come to the US. Since the woman was no longer a virgin, she was disgraced and her family was outraged. I knew payment happened to her family but she and my uncle continued to mess around even though he was married.
“And yet praise be to Allah zhat my true love found me instead of a woman who had no issues sleeping with my brother but still trying to marry me.” My father clasped his hands together, his 24 karat gold rings softly clinking, as he praised God for saving him.
“I am not here to rehash old matters zhat will get us nowhere. Vhat is going on with zhe money?” He knew he was backed into a corner and had nothing he could say against my father. Instead, he went back to his original concern, which was usually his only concern.
“Have you handled the situation wiz Kamran yet?”
I was calm when I spoke, despite already knowing the answer to the question. I’d discussed with my grandfather the issues that Kamran’s actions had caused me. He felt that since there was no direct harm to the Mahdavi family, or so he thought, that nothing should be done. I impressed upon him that the consequences for my cousin not being dealt with would be severe. They truly underestimated that severity.
“Vhat situation? Zhe one with zhe horse girl? Surely you didn’t zhink I would punish him severely for doing somezing purely in his nature?” He was laughing it off sounding just as demented as his sons.
“He attempted to kidnap a well-connected woman—”
“She is of no importance here so her connections mean nozing.”
And that, as always, was his problem. My grandfather had a king’s mindset but not one of a strategist. Having been raised to take and expect instead of to earn, he didn’t feel the need to gain the respect of his neighbors unless it benefited him. Goodwill wasn’t something that he did unless he was getting something in return. He lacked empathy for anyone outside of himself and those who fed his ego. My grandfather was a true narcissist and it was the reason my father hadn’t been back to Tehran in years. The king also had an issue with Arabs despite one of his wives being Arab. The attempt to preserve the Iranian culture and to keep themselves separate from those who originated from the Levant, Africa and the Semitic people was another nod to his elitism and lack of progression.
I chuckled softly at the slight he paid to Dr. Briggs. Her value extended far beyond the men she was connected to, but I had to bring them up so he could understand just how badly he’d messed up. “Her connections could bankrupt your entire country several times over.”
“But you wouldn’t allow zhat to happen.” His laugh had my jaw clenched and my eyes turning to baba. I’d wanted to keep a level head, but it was clear that my anger was the only way to communicate what was going to happen.
“You seem to forget zhat it is only by our grace zhat modernization of building projects in your country have commenced. And we only did that because of our familial ties. Few people are itching to visit Iran, but your attempts at making it zhe next destination for the Middle East were met wiz our agreement. Millions have been poured into it, but it is a loss zhat we are more zhan willing to take.”
I was flipping the heavy solid gold pen that my father kept at his desk around in my hand as I worked my neck from side to side. I found my happy thought and held her in my head to use it to ground me so that I could stay focused.
“We have beautiful bodies of water to the norz and the souz. A climate just as good as the UAE!” His jealousy was clear, but it didn’t stop him from spending his considerable allowance in the UAE continuing to fill their coffers instead of tending his own. He thought that was work best delegated to lesser members of the family and so we saw to it for him. But with our own motives in mind.
“And vhat about zhe passion projects zhat we’ve funded? Restoring zhe mosques, building infrastructure to support your visions?”
Baba was getting mad again and I didn’t want him to waste his energy on something so negative. I wanted his time in Charlotte to be good and this would set the tone for his visit there. For him and maman to travel there to pick out a house and to give me their opinion on the woman of my dreams. His mind would be stuck on how his father was going to strike so I would probably need to push everything back.
“Zhat is for the betterment of your family.”
“And yet we are not reaping any of those benefits are we? Funny how I’m part of the family when I’m doing something zhat you approve of. Somezhing zhat allows you to hoard more wealth or buy more useless items.” My grandfather collected status symbols and had for years. I would be more than happy when I sold all that shit off.
“Zhat is what a son is born for. If you would move back—”
“Vhat has my brother done besides spend the money zhat we earn for this family? Hmm? Zhe crown prince. Vhat good deeds does he do for zhe people he wants to rule?” My father’s face was turning red, the vein in his neck bulging as he tried not to let his father get under his skin.
I knew this argument between my father and his would devolve into familiar territory quickly. But for my father to question his brother’s actions was surely to upset the old man.
“He is zhe crown prince, he understands his duty!”
“Yet he does nothing. Does not believe in good works to help the citizens. No, my son and I are the ones who ensure that the people are taken care of and he takes the credit. I’m sure if we were to pull all the aid and forced you to fund it, your palace would be stormed within minutes.”
“Bijan, you see how you speak to me? Your fazer. Your KING! Zhat is vhat I was afraid of. You always zhought it vas her skin color that vas vhat ve disagreed with most. No, it vas her lack of valuing our vays and staying in her place and now she has corrupted you as well.” Now my grandfather was pissed off and his voice kept elevating.
“One ting you will never do vhen I am the reason you have meat on your table is disparage my mozer. I will have a drone drop a bomb on your palace before I hear of any slander toward Babette Cannon.”
I purposefully left off my father’s surname, despite my mother carrying it to piss him off. He felt as though my mother should’ve turned over all her family had ever worked for to him just because she married into royalty. He was angry that she hadn’t converted to Islam. That she was still beautiful and dressed like the American woman she was instead of overly modest the way he thought she should. He didn’t even marry overly modest women, but he was angry my mother hadn’t gone to extremes to confirm or to prove she was good enough for my baba.
“You do all of zhis arguing but no one has said vhen our deposits will be made.”
It was with great pleasure that I looked at my father and nodded my head so he could deliver the news. He grinned and the redness throughout his features receded as he spoke. “Zhey won’t be.”
“Vhat does zhat mean?” My grandfather’s confused tone made this even more sweet.
“Zhe oil production that you all actually still own is what your income is. It is all you will have to survive on.” Baba dropped that bomb and leaned back with his hands crossed over his abdomen.
“I can’t live on zhat type of money! It is pennies!”
“Pennies? Over twenty million dollars is pennies?” I was chuckling because even I with all my streams of income would never say something so damn absurd.
“You act as zhough all the family doesn’t partake in zhat fund. All but Afshin. I’m sure you’re not going to make him suffer.” My grandfather practically spat out my uncle’s name like the thought of him brought shame and disgust.
“Afshin has a job. One zhat you all make fun of him for but he’s paid very well for it. I do not control his finances.” And as always, my grandfather failed when empathy was the necessary skill.
That was only partially true since the stake in the refinery that was gifted to baba when maman saved them all was deeded to Afshin. Since this branch of the Mahdavis controlled so much of it, I didn’t need that source of income the way he did. My grandfather was too prone to punish people by cutting them off financially. This way, Afshin didn’t need to feel beholden to him or used as the brunt of jokes just so he could continue to eat. I didn’t want him doing the right thing because he was beholden to me, either. His independent income that no one could control would help me see the type of person he was. That is why I was so trusting of him.
“A job. What prince has a job?” My grandfather was completely affronted by the idea of actually having to work. I was grateful everyday for my father not being like them.
“One who wants to continue to eat. I suggest you should tell your sons and grandsons zhey should learn someting from him if zhey want to keep full bellies zemselves.”
“I will give you zhis one last chance to do vhat you should before I have to take drastic actions, Xerxes.”
My eyes flickered to my father and he gave me a subtle nod. My actions would have ramifications for our entire family and I didn’t want to do anything without putting them on notice.
“Do what you must and I will respond accordingly. You agreed to make this right. You did not. So I had to in a way I saw fit. It has cost me greatly and until I feel that I am paid back in full, the Mahdavi monarchies will need to retrench. You would hate for word to get out that you do not pay your debts. For it to be splattered about the tabloids that you and your offspring take part in events so sordid that self-respecting families won’t want to be involved with you.” My grandfather might think he was better than the other countries around him, but he needed them. His father had an Egyptian bride and he himself had married my father’s mother who was half Palestinian. If his secrets got out publicly, the other countries who still held monarchies wouldn’t want to do business with him nor marry their children into the Mahdavi family.
“Remember, I gave you the chance to do what was right.” My grandfather was attempting to strike fear in my heart when there was no strength behind his words.
“Remember, you were given the same chance and you decided that my request for justice should be ignored. So now your desire for a handout will be.” I was still attempting to be diplomatic but I knew he would take it as a threat.
“Handout! Like I am a pauper like your uncle. Disgusting. Disrespectful. You should hope you live to regret your actions.”
He said nothing else and we didn’t expect him to. The dial tone was expected and baba leaned forward to hang up the phone.
“You’re going to need to tighten up security.” Baba looked concerned despite him knowing I could take care of myself.
Instead of waving off his advice I agreed with a nod to calm his worry. “I will have to tell Sho and Quentin you think they’re lacking.”
He grinned, and for the first time today he looked calm. “Is your lady protected?”
“She is.” I informed him of who I had in place and he could only smile at one of Mir’s people being with her. But I knew he approved of my actions.
“We will get zhings settled here and zhen make our way to Charlotte.” My father’s proclamation surprised me because I didn’t expect him to say that.
“Settled?”
He waved his arm around the room. “Ve will have to ensure the house is more than secure. Your pedarbozorg is not going to allow his nooh to outsmart him.”
“But it is vhat is expected. I’m going to wait for him to strike and then it will give me all the ammunition I need.”
“Vill you tell her vhat is going on?” His face told me what his opinion on the matter was but I had to disagree with him.
I was tired of everyone wanting me to strike fear in Vanya’s heart. “I do not see the reason.”
“You say she’s not into zhis life—”
“She’s Liam’s wife’s best friend.” The last thing I could do was tell her that my family was going to try to kill her.
“But Francesca has been around far longer and vitnessed more. You say she’s soft. Don’t you tink you should varn her?”
I huffed as my chest tightened at the ramifications my honesty could bring. “So that she can try to run away from me?”
“You do not give her enough credit.” He looked irritated with me and my lack of transparency. Baba might have been able to say that a few weeks ago, but not now.
“Maybe I don’t give myself enough credit. I want tings between us to be somewhat peaceful before it all comes out. She’s already seen things, hasn’t said a word.”
He studied me and when he saw I wouldn’t relent he moved on. “I’ll be there to help you ease her fears when the time comes. For now, I have to prepare to grovel to your maman.”
“Why?”
“Because I was right and she was wrong.” Baba’s smile was a mix of arrogance and lust and I couldn’t understand what he was talking about.
“About?”
“Needing to kill my father. She’d hoped zhere vould have been redemption in him. I zhink it is because her fazer and zhe ozer men vere so good she didn’t tink I could be born from somezing so vicked.” His explanation still made no sense to me.
“But vouldn’t zhat mean she would need to grovel to you?”
Baba bust out laughing so hard he had to wipe tears from his eyes. “Eson, are you sure you are ready to be married? I would never desire my wife to grovel to me. I vill go and tell her how sorry I am my bloodline is so unvorthy to be attached to hers because of zhe abominable way zhey behaved. Vhat she has done me and zhem great honor zhat we did not deserve all these years. I will zhen beg for zhe honor of taking off zheir heads zhe way I have desired for almost fifty years and all vill be right in our vorld.”
It was my turn to laugh because he was advising me to be deceptive after advising me to be honest. “So, manipulation.”
“Do you believe zhat your mother isn’t esmart enough to know vhen I’m flattering her? Zhe beauty of our relationship is zhat she knows I do it so she never feels wrong. A soft life for a woman doesn’t stop at just paying bills. It extends to zheir emotions. Zheir egos and zheir hearts need protection even from zheir own kindness. I will always be zhe person zhat does zhat for your mother. Ensure zhat you are zhe esame for my future daughter-in-law.” He raised his brows pointedly and I had to admit, my daddy was smooth as hell.
“I vill take notes and ensure to practice vhat you have preached.” I put my hand on my heart to seal the vow and my father just waved me off and stood up.
“Good. Now get out of my house. I am a blessed man zhat my estamina is estill more zhan enough to esatisfy boz your mozer and myself. I plan to test the bounds of the boz of us tonight and I do not need you to interrupt.” He walked around his desk, leaned over and kissed my cheek before playfully patting the back of my head. “I could not ask for a better son. Now vrite esonnets for your mother’s new best friend. And make sure if necessary you tell her vhat she’s getting into.”