Shâhzâdeh (The Consortium #8)

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE Meet the Mahdavi-Cannons

“ARE YOU SURE about being here?”

I looked at Vanya who was sitting peacefully beside me in the back of the SUV and couldn’t help but feel nervous about what we were on our way to do. Not nervous about the actions, but nervous about how she was going to react.

“Yes. Your mother needs support.” She turned to me and smiled brightly and I could only stare at her, which made her laugh. The sun was setting but there was still light that cast their rays towards my wife. Like even the sun as it was fading couldn’t help but want to reach out and caress her, and highlight her beauty before it took its rest.

Not that I could blame it all.

I angled my body toward her as Quentin turned onto the street, getting us closer to our destination. I was stuck admiring the gold red highlights that wove themselves through her hair and the freckles that dominated her skin. “Zibā, do you understand what is going to happen?”

She gave me a curt nod her face confident in her answer. “I do.”

“So why would you zhink my mother would need support?” Because that was the wildest thing I could think of her saying in response to my question.

“Because if I’d found out someone had done this to me. Robbed me of the ability to have more children, I would absolutely need someone to hold my hand through it.” She was staring at me and put her hand protectively over her stomach and I understood immediately.

My heart quickened as love for my wife washed over me. It was always present, but when I thought I had reached the maximum capacity of the emotion, Vanya demonstrated that she hadn’t even begun to make me fall in love with her as deeply as she would.

“You are everyzing my soul craved, my heart desired, and my body and mind could want Vanya Cannon.”

“I love you too, baby but right now we need to get down to business.” She was playing with the bracelet stack that I couldn’t help but add to. She was wearing a custom petite diamond bracelet that was set in white gold and totaled five carats. She refused to wear something that was too flashy daily and despite her having security I understood. The bracelet my mother gifted her on our wedding day was there as well as a small turquoise butterfly pendant bracelet she’d seen and felt like it complimented her stack. She’d also added an evil eye bracelet that was a part of the new turquoise parure that Nev was completing. Vanya didn’t know there was another tiara being crafted, but what she didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her.

It was crazy seeing her telling me to put my game face on. Revenge and witnessing a few murders would have your wife feeling differently about a lot of things.

“You are right. Let us see what maman and baba are up to.”

The residential neighborhood was one that was supposed to be secure. Our SUVs and the ones carrying my parents and their guards were already here, my parents having purchased a house a few houses down for this specific date with destiny. We parked in their garage and then I went around to open the door for Vanya. She was dressed in a black silk wrap dress with her hair in a singular braid down her back. She wore designer ballet flats and carried nothing else with her. Despite our phones being specific creations for DoAmHart Inc ., we still wouldn’t carry them tonight. We had enough protection, enough weaponry and the people we needed the most were waiting on us. Her outfit was an attempt at being inconspicuous, but there was no need. We wouldn’t be seen on the street and our presence here was easily explained by being part owners in this home. We’d taken a brief road trip after I allowed Vanya to sleep as long as possible. We weren’t too far away from home, the beauty of having a helicopter, and I could get her tucked into bed before midnight.

Not that we would be seen from anyone who wasn’t a part of our group. These homes had the unique feature of bordering a natural preserve that had a walking path close to it. Each house had access to the walking path from their back gate. We’d already taken advantage of a naturally scheduled maintenance outage that we would control when it came back online. We walked through the garden walkway of the backyard of the home and onto the walking path. We were silent, our men lined up every few feet to ensure no one came out of their gates but were inconspicuous enough to not draw attention. It was late enough that no one would be coming out to run tonight.

We made quick work of getting into the house where business was being conducted and I could hear the gentle hum of my mother coming from what I could only think was the dining room. This house was typical of one in the neighborhood with nice finishes and polished hardwood floors. Shame no one else could enjoy it again after we were done.

“She seems to be in a good mood.” I was surprised at how happy my mother’s tone sounded.

“Weren’t you when you went around righting a bunch of wrongs?” I squeezed her hand as she sassed me. I was happy that she cared about my mother, but I had to ensure she wasn’t stressed out in her condition.

“Yes, I was. So I can only imagine she’s in a terrific mood. I would still like to witness it for myself.”

We followed the sound of my mother’s voice and saw her gleefully putting the water goblets on the table. When she heard us come in, a smile came over her face.

“My loves. You came to see me.”

“We did. You knew your son wasn’t going to miss this.” Vanya walked around the table carefully before she hugged and kissed my mother on both her cheeks.

Maman squeezed Vanya’s cheeks before she turned to me. “Such a good boy I have. A blessing to me in every way.” I walked toward her and could see her tears filling her eyes.

“Maman.”

“ Bozorgtarin shadi man .” She squeezed me tightly and I allowed her to release the emotions she needed to.

To hear her call me her greatest blessing brought a smile to my face. “I see you are more zhan ready for tonight’s events.” She noted our all black attire with a smile on her face.

“Always.”

“Good. But I need to finish. We are almost ready to start.” She pat my chest, her smile bright and went back to what she was doing.

My mother continued to hum as she set the table with the finest china in the house and waited for the guest of honor to arrive.

I walked back over to where my father stood speaking quietly with my wife.

“I hope you see she’s okay now.” Vanya stuck her tongue out at my gentle I told you so with a smirk on her face.

“I still wanted to be here. So there is nothing that would have kept me from witnessing her taking back her power and righting this wrong.”

“I don’t zhink you understand how much zhis means to Babette. You both being here.”

“There’s nowhere else I would want to be.” She hugged my father before he turned at the sounds of my mother’s voice.

“The guest of honor has arrived.” My mother clapped her hands excitedly and even Vanya smiled at her joy.

When Quentin and an older man walked in with a gun to the back of his head, I had to put a hand on my father’s chest to make sure he didn’t lunge at him.

My mother clucked her tongue at my father and waved her hands in front of her. “No, no, no, Bijan. This is almost thirty-five years in the making. Don’t ruin this for me, please. Dr. Seawell, won’t you sit down at the head of your table?” Ever the gracious hostess, my mother nodded to the head of the table inviting him to sit down.

“What is going on?” The old man was looking around petrified and my father wrapped his arm around mama’s waist as she grinned. They looked like two exceptionally dressed, attractive people getting ready for a night on the town. Only instead of dinner, my parents were going to enjoy an evening of murder for their date night.

“Don’t you understand what is happening? This is an auspicious meeting of my family and yours.” My mother waved out her arms like the well-mannered southern belle she was and Dr. Seawell’s wife flinched.

Their entire family, including their children, were all at the table bound to the chairs beneath them. They’d been invited over for dinner by their mother, but hadn’t realized who the invitation had actually come from.

Babette Henriette Mahdavi Cannon.

A few carefully crafted words into cloned cell phones to discuss something serious and blocking them from being able to call or ask questions had created the sense of urgency they needed to get their asses here. Her oldest child, there were three, had thought it was a good idea to come over early. They were quickly subdued and placed at their seats to await their fate.

Dr. Seawell was standing there shaking, trying to figure out why any of us were here.

“Vell, go ahead and sit down, Dr. Seavell. Your place is at zhe head of zhe table vith your family.” My father motioned to the head of the table with the gun he now held in his hand and the good doctor seemed unable to move.

Dr. Seawell was pale, looking around at his family and then back at us. “If it’s money you want—”

Everyone in the room that was with us burst out laughing even Vanya. It was insulting to think that anyone who could orchestrate something of this magnitude would want his money. Judging by how deeply leveraged he was, there wasn’t shit to steal.

“Dr. Seawell, my husband is a prince and so is my son. My family is wealthier in this generation than your entire bloodline has ever been. You think that someone who wanted the pennies that you have in the bank could pull off orchestrating your demise like this? I’m offended.” My maman had her hand pressed against her chest, grasping the literal pearls that were at her neck. In true genteel Babette fashion, she was wearing a 1950s style dress that tied around the neck and was navy with white polka dots and a wide belt. Since she didn’t like these people, she was wearing shoes in their house and tracking dirt everywhere.

“Then what is it that you want? What have you done?”

“Did you tell your wife why you’re home early? Of course you haven’t. No matter, your husband has been suspended without pay pending an investigation of his misappropriation of funds from the clinic he runs. There, we’re all caught up.” She clapped her hands in delight as she aired out this man’s dirty laundry.

“I’ll have to remember to zhank Adam for putting zhe extra information into his report. Ruining his reputation before we murder him will be far more sweet zhan simply ending his life.” My father had immediately asked me to look into the man who had been there and had taken care of my mother. The file I’d gotten had given me everything I needed to know and more.

“Murder? I’m a doctor, I heal people. Why would you want to kill me?” He looked at my parents as though they were deranged, which wasn’t too far off. But their madness had a purpose.

“Do you not remember me, Dr. Seawell?” My mother was never vain but she was truly playing up to it so that Dr. Seawell was still on edge.

“Surely you aren’t insulting my mother-in-law by saying she’s aged. It can’t be that. Especially not in front of her very overprotective husband and son.” Vanya’s head shook side to side as though she pitied the doctor for his misstep.

“An action he vill soon come to regret, d?khtar , I promise.” Baba walked from where we were moving close to my mother, ensuring that Dr. Seawell was further away from her. He was in protective mode despite the man having a gun to the back of his head.

“Are we ready to begin?” She looked around the room and smiled. “Bien!” She turned to Mrs. Seawell and bent to hear face. “If you scream or spit, please know I will cut out your daughter’s tongue and instruct my men to remove her teeth.” With that warning, she removed the woman’s mouth gag and all she could do was sit there silently and weep.

“Please don’t hurt them. I’m going to pay the money back. I’ve been speaking with people all afternoon!” He was standing there begging and I wondered when it clicked with him that shit was going to end poorly for him.

“You were? It was funny that you put a hit out on your wife’s life today so that you could collect the life insurance on her.” My mother stood there placidly and she continued to ruin his life.

“What?!” The woman who had looked so afraid was now incensed as she looked at her husband.

“Barbara, do you believe the people who have you tied to a chair?”

“Would she believe you who has her in this mess in the first place because of your selfishness?” My mother was making too many good points and Barbara looked as though she would kill her husband if she weren’t tied up.

“What did he do?” She was trying to turn around and look at my mother but she couldn’t.

“Thirty-four years ago I was a young wife in Tennessee and wanted to go to the best doctor in the area when I found out I was pregnant. Little did I know my father-in-law, bitter, disgusting man he was, found out who my doctor was and gave him an offer he didn’t refuse.” My mother’s voice cracked slightly but she took a deep breath and continued.

“It wasn’t like that!”

“Here is the thing. You decided that you were going to take all hope of me having a table set like this. One that was filled with the laughter of my children. But my son has brought me a magnificent daughter-in-law. One whom I love as though she were mine. So even when you succeeded, you failed.”

“What was I supposed to do? He threatened to kill me. My wife was pregnant with our second kid and I needed—”

“You needed to do your job! To live up to the oath that you took that you clearly didn’t abide by: First do no harm . You harmed. Me and my husband. My son and the siblings he could never enjoy. But thankfully, he wasn’t robbed of the ability to have brothers or sisters. Were you?” Her watery brown eyes turned to me still shining with hope no matter what she had endured.

“No, maman . My brozers have given me many sisters and an abundance of nieces and nephews. And soon, you will have grand babies filling your table.” I glanced at Vanya and she smiled and I was glad she wasn’t furious that I had revealed the news.

“A baby? You’re going to make me a grand-mère ?” The stunned look on my mother’s face almost made me tear up again. Vanya wasn’t holding back and was already crying.

“Next Eid zhere will be a new blessing to celebrate around zhe table. She is due in spring.”

My mother walked over to us and kissed both me and Vanya on the cheek. “Even more reason to take care of this old business. I told you all would be well, did I not?” She put a hand over Vanya’s belly and smiled at her as Vanya tearfully nodded.

“I’m a father with grandchildren. Please, have mercy on me.”

My mother whirled around, and even Vanya looked angry at the doctor’s hypocrisy. “Mercy on you ? You mean the mercy that you didn’t show for me? The mercy that you aren’t even requesting for the people that are here because of you!”

“They wanted me to kill your son. I couldn’t do that to an innocent child. So I did the next best thing! That was mercy! Why can’t you have any for my family? They didn’t do anything.” Dr. Seawell was pointing at the full table of people as though we hadn’t put them there.

“And zhe innocent children are absent from zhis table aren’t zhey? Only your children are to be made to suffer zhe sins of zheir father. It seems only right based on vhat you’ve done zhat you have zhe same pain inflicted on you. I mean, how else will you be able to empazize since you haven’t even apologized for vhat you’ve done? Only made excuses for zhe harm you caused my wife. I held her as she cried. Vhen she vept wiz every milestone of our son because it vas zhe only chance she would have to see a baby grow. Because of our life ve couldn’t adopt ozer children to fill zhe void. You vere supposed to care for her and instead you hurt her. Turn about is fair play because it is clear you haven’t learned from your mistake.” Baba was furious and maman was now rubbing his back to get him to calm him down.

“The more wrong a person can get away with, the easier it is for them to commit the next bigger wrong.” Maman was thoroughly disgusted by someone that would commit a crime selfishly. Sure we were criminals, but it was normally for the greater good.

“Isn’t that what you’re doing? Being wrong by having us here?” His wife was trying to save herself and her children and I couldn’t blame her.

“This, my dear, is karma. What your husband has sown coming to roost. If you want to be angry with anyone, discuss it with him when you meet again in hell.”

“You could always kill yourself and save zhem.” My father posed the alternative as a gun was laid down on the plate in front of the doctor.

He stared at it, and then to his children before he exhaled. “If that is what will save them. I’ll do it. Do you promise to spare them?”

“Yes, as soon as the bullet enters your brain, we will release them.” Maman smiled brightly as the thought of his death lightened her spirit.

He looked at the gun, and he glanced around the table again. “I’m so sorry I let one mistake ruin everything. I just wanted you to have a good life and I knew that with the money we could have that.”

“Do you know what you sound like? You sound like the slavers that brought my ancestors from Cape Verde and Liberia. The ones who dragged us from Haiti and put us to work in New Orleans making it the French powerhouse it was then. I’m sure that they were rationalizing with themselves the entire time that they were doing this for the betterment of their family. The families they were destroying never played into their calculations. No, no, their selfishness was more than enough to keep them warm at night while my ancestors starved and suffered unimaginable pain.”

Barbra blinked at my mother taking in her obviously affluent lifestyle as though she shouldn’t care about her ancestors’ suffering. “But look at you. Look at the money—”

My mother slammed her hand on the table in front of her rattling the china and forcing Mrs. Seawell to keep her mouth shut.

“Was through the kindness of someone else. Someone who had to give my ancestors freedoms they were denied at birth. That wealth built up from the dirt until my family could make something of themselves. What, you think I have this accent for fun? No, my ancestors were raped, their offsprings sold to fancy girl houses because of how they looked. Those lighter children were conceived through violence off the plantation as well as on. Free women having to keep their heads high and do what they needed to because no one would bring them justice. Those children born enslaved sent into the fields and only by God’s grace were they allowed to end up on a benevolent plantation where they were freed. But you think money makes up for all that evil? It doesn’t. See, I speak the way I do as a reminder. A reminder to them of what their ancestors did to mine. And a reminder to my ancestors that the culture that harmed them is now mine to flaunt. I don’t praise the French. Revered as revolutionaries to the rest of the world but are the same people who brutalized others. No, I remember my heritage because no one is going to erase me from it. You forced it upon us so don’t try to take it away now that our inability to be kept down is evident. Besides, I make this shit look good.” My mother tossed her ponytail flippantly and my pride for her strength couldn’t be contained.

“You damn sure do, eshgham. And later on, I will remind you of how proud I am of you.”

“Sir, for the sake of your family, you should probably do what she asks. My husband is not a patient man when his mother or his wife are upset and I’m getting angry being in the room with someone who could do something so evil.” Zibā attempted to give the doctor good advice but his stupid wife ruined it by speaking.

“But your father isn’t evil for making my husband kill himself?” It was like she’d forgotten the man had put a hit out on her on his way home. Priest already had the money in his account and I’m sure it would be donated to some worthy cause.

“Your husband chose his fate the second he assaulted this woman without remorse. Even now he’s offering excuses instead of apologies. He lacks empathy and that makes him a very dangerous person. And people like us don’t allow dangerous people time to find another victim. As it is his files are probably being combed through to see how many other perfectly healthy women ended up needing senseless hysterectomies after dealing with him. I’m sure it’s far more than her.” Seeing my sweet wife boss up right now had me feeling like my father wanting to reward her in one of these people’s bedrooms.

“It’s fine, I’ll do it. I don’t want anyone else to suffer for what I did. If it gives you all any peace, I am sorry for what I did.” He held his hands up in surrender as he was forced down into the seat where the gun was laid out on the dinner plate like it was the main course.

“Less talking, more shooting, please.” My mama clapped her hands and said that shit so smoothly I couldn’t help but laugh at her. Dr. Seawell didn’t even think about shooting any of us because he knew his fate would be far worse no matter who he hit.

Dr. Seawell put the gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger, causing everyone at the table to gasp. When nothing happened, he looked between me and my mother, confusion and fear on his face.

“What happened?”

Maman smiled brightly before she bent down so she was eye level with him. “Nothing. It is a terrible thing to give people false hope isn’t it?” She tapped his cheek mockingly before she stepped back from the table.

“I can remember begging you to save my vife. And you did. But I didn’t know I had entrusted her into zhe devil’s hands. Zhat is a wrong festering over zhirty-tree years. I am here to right it.” My father’s scimitar was in his hands and cut across the doctor’s wife’s throat within seconds. Blood bubbled through her mouth, and I knew he’d cut her shallow enough to make her suffer while her husband watched as helplessly as my father had when my mother needed him.

“Barbara! No!” He jumped up and the children shouted but Dr. Seawwell was shoved back down into his seat.

“Oh, be quiet. You are sobbing for having to watch her die vhen you were happy to have a contract put on her life. Vhat, you were okay with her death as long as you have to vatch? You cannot will someone to die wizout being man enough to take zheir life. To vatch as zheir soul, zheir consciousness, escapes. You were a coward to harm my wife just as you were a coward to pay someone to harm yours. And yet you vant grace? Mercy? And you call yourself a healer.” Baba was lecturing this man as he wiped his scimitar clean on her shirt and she convulsed.

Their children sat there with stunned faces as though they couldn’t believe we’d actually done this. Which caused me to smile as the doctor wailed.

“You know it’s funny. You went to medical school and went into obstetrics with a man who was famous for providing a Mississippi appendectomy . Do your children know what that was?” I was attempting to be civil by even having this conversation with him.

“Are you going to help her?” He had the audacity to be crying as though his tears would somehow move us.

My mother looked at him with disgust before she laughed. “Of course not. I’m having a grand time watching her bleed. Be grateful my husband does not gut her the way you did me.”

“A Mississippi appendectomy is when zhey sterilized Black women to control zhe population of Black women able to give birz. It seems zhat is zhe reason my grandfazer sought you out. Luckily for zhem, zhey’re already dead. As for anyone who might have aided you, they will be next.” I gave him a wink so that he knew he would at least have friends to share in the misery of jahannam with.

“You’re monsters.”

The daughter looked so angry with all of us it was as though she had heard none of the things her family had done. They’d all been scared or beaten into silence before we arrived and her speaking up now was a mild irritation.

Maman focused on her, and I could see the subtle shift in her demeanor. “No. Monsters would be having your kids here with you. Your spouses. Luckily, it’s just the one and maybe your husband’s family will help him raise the girl. I don’t really care.”

“But my mother didn’t have anything to do with this. It was our father’s fault! Just kill him.”

Vanya looked so confused because as someone who hadn’t had family, I knew she couldn’t understand why or how their daughter was so easy to throw them under the bus. “After everything he’s done for you? I mean he said he was mutilating Black women but you don’t really seem to care too much about us. Just saving yourself. Are you as selfish as your father?”

The daughter sneered as though she’d momentarily forgotten her current predicament. “The number of abortions that flow through the ghettos—”

Vanya emptied the clip in a gun I didn’t even realize she was holding, shocking the fuck out of everyone in the room. I walked to her slowly but saw how calm she looked holding that gun. There was no recoil in her arm and now I had questions.

“ Eshgham , what was zhat?”

None of us were bothered by the muffled screams of everyone else at the table as their sister bled out. Vanya’s shots were controlled, and precise enough for me to know none of them were luck. The silencer on the gun prevented any shots from being heard and she calmly handed the gun to Shoaib who I assume had handed it to her. And again, I was gonna have questions.

“I’m tired of white people speaking on shit they caused and then refuse to fix. Like the entire reason Black people are still viewed as less than isn’t because of their racism, hatred and jealousy. I lived that my whole life. Suffered because of it. Tried to love it out of the people who hated me because of how I was born. My grace and giving them space to unlearn their bullshit is over. They should’ve been happy when Black folks only wanted equality. Now? I’m moving with the spirit of vengeance.” She was serene as she spoke and I wasn’t sure if I need to be worried that I’d corrupted my wife or happy she was letting the fiery spirit she possessed shine through.

“Which one of my men do I need to zhank for your precision?”

She grinned cockily at me before she answer. “Navi.”

I barked a laugh as distressed tears and sobs played out in the background. “I should’ve known zhere was more to your showing houses and girl talk. But Frankie is your best friend so I clearly never should’ve doubted you.”

“Not underestimated. You’ve allowed me to flourish. Complete the metamorphosis into who I’m going to be. Apparently, you planted the seed for the final stage already. That’ll be completed sometime next year.” She was smiling and despite where we were I just wanted to cradle her in my arms and keep her protected.

“Such a good man we raised, Bijan. Let us leave the past here so that we can fully enjoy the blessing of our future.”

My mother and father shared a look, one of understanding, the pain of loss and the desire to end all who had hurt them. My mother made quick work of ending the last two kids before my father turned to a still sobbing Dr. Seawell. I knew, no matter how short his life was going to be that he would never get these images out of his mind. She’d taken his children from him, the same way that he had taken children from her. But the good doctor? He was left for my father.

“You touched my vife in malice. You vere supposed to protect her but you used your position to harm her. And to zhink you want pity. Understanding? Grace! After all zhe harm and mental anguish you have given us. Alhamdulillah for the child we have. Zhe son who is as fiercely as protective over his wife as I was my own despite how I failed her. Zhis son and now his soul mate will restore our hearts in zays that only He can. Zhey are zhe positives born of zhis tragedy. But you are going to suffer a little zhile longer. A swift deaz would not appease my wife’s decades of suffering. So dine wiz zhe corpses of zhe family you protected by destroying mine. May your last moments of earth torment and haunt you. May zhe sins of zhis life follow you for as long as time exists.”

Baba backhanded the shit out of the crying doctor and I knew he wished he would’ve had the chance to kill him. His chest heaved in the black button down and jeans he was wearing before he reached behind him to grasp my mother’s hand. He pulled her to his side, wrapping his arm around her before she stepped in front of him. The intensity between the two of them was the highest I had ever seen it. Like every emotion they could feel was floating between the two of them right now. As though choreographed, they moved toward each other exchanging a kiss that I should’ve never had to witness. Which was saying a lot given how I grew up.

“Will that be us at their age?” Vanya wrapped her arms around my back and we stood watching them express their love for one another.

I looked over my shoulder at her with a smirk. “We will probably be worse.”

“Good. That’s a promise I plan to hold you to.” She stood on her tiptoes and I crouched slightly so that I could meet her lips.

“I hate to interrupt since I’m such a firm lover of love, but we need to get moving. This was such a lovely family outing, Xerxes. I am thankful however that we do not need to ever do this again. Unless my fearless daughter-in-law would like to. You handled yourself beautifully, papillon .” My mother kissed Vanya on both of her cheeks happily.

Vanya glanced behind my mother at the table, and I saw her concern. “What will happen to him? Not like I’m suddenly blood thirsty—”

“You have a little Mahdavi-Cannon baking. It vouldn’t be unheard of.” My father was grinning proudly and I could see the joy the present and the future were bringing him.

“They are going to have a gas leak while having a lovely family dinner. The entire house will be blown to bits and no one will detect what went on with them. The house in between theirs and ours is for sale so no one will be hurt but they’ll receive a nice insurance payout that will more than cover the damage and what they could get for it in this market. Ours will be as well but it is a small price to pay even if we weren’t getting insurance for it. No one will pinpoint it as foul play but many will suspect it because of the news the good doctor got. It’s truly the best ending to a very ugly chapter. And the start of a beautiful one.”

Vanya bit her lip and eyed my mother nervously. I squeezed her to me to give her the confidence she needed. “I hope it won’t be too painful for you, but I’m going to need your help. I understand I have a lot of mother figures, but only one I would want with me through all of this.”

Maman was wiping her eyes and smiling gratefully. “It would be an honor. I should be happy we got the house when we did. It looks like the trip to Tennessee is going to be one to move permanently.”

“You don’t mind?”

“Bijan missed working with his horses everyday and between the two of us, I’m happy for him to take a step back. He has worked hard for so long he should be able to truly enjoy all of his hard work. Same as Xerxes. And I cannot lie, the idea of you allowing me time to bond with my grandchild is something I can’t pass up.”

“Zhen it’s settled.” Baba kissed maman on the side of the face both looking much lighter than they had before.

“It is. But let us go. I’m happy to blow this place up and move on with our lives.”

My mother looked around the once nice dining room that now held a sobbing patriarch that was being tied down to his chair as his family’s corpses deteriorated around him. He was being confronted with the weight of his choices, and now he was going to die with their blood on his hands. But the Mahdavi-Cannons were walking away and would let the fire that was soon to come raze the fields of the past in our wake.

We made our way back home with my mother doting over my wife the entire way to the airfield. I knew the way my mother fluttered over her was new and some people might have found it too much. But with Vanya she had craved connection for so long she welcomed that my mother not only loved her but genuinely liked her. It was just further validation for her that the Kennedys had been terrible people. She wasn’t wasting a moment to get her essentials packed up in Tennessee so she could join us in Charlotte.

By the time we got home, I’d had to carry Vanya to bed. She’d wanted me to lie down with her just for a little while. As always, she was the physical embodiment of melatonin and my ass easily fell asleep. I was only awoken when a special vibration on my phone roused me; the pattern signaling it was an emergency and something was seriously wrong.

I sat up quickly, the movement disturbing Vanya, who grumped slightly at me but rolled over. I kissed her shoulder and grabbed my phone.

“Ori.”

I was moving toward my closet on the other side of the bedroom to get dressed. It didn’t matter how tired I was, I was going to my brother when he called. Ori had never used his distress message, that’s how we knew something was wrong.

“Bruh—” he seemed to be at a loss for words and I put him on speaker while I gave him a minute to gather his thoughts. I was only dressed in boxer briefs to go to bed so I had to pull on a shirt and grab some basketball shorts. If I needed to leave the house I was going to call Ahmad and Navi to come with be with my wife because I would need Shoaib and Quentin with me. There would be no telling what I was walking into. Despite how she handled herself when we were with the good doctor, I would always ensure she had an extra layer of protection. Shit, I might need to ask her to go to the bomb shelter.

“Xerx, I know it’s late but you gotta come up here. Everything is fucked up.”

He sounded panicked and one thing Ori didn’t do was panic. Despite him being a hothead, he didn’t move until he knew he could act up how he wanted to. Ori’s voice being deeper and me still able to hear the anxiety in it had me moving faster.

“What is wrong? Are you in danger?”

“Shit, I might be.”

He chuckled and I could hear the sounds of the city behind him, which meant he had to be on the roof deck of his place or on the deck at our place in the city.

I stopped moving as frantically as I had been because I needed him to elaborate before I left my Vanya. This big overgrown muthafucka wasn’t making sense and I could still be snuggled up around my wife or inside of her. I was always there for my brothers, but I needed Ori’s ass to elaborate before I hung the damn phone up.

“You sound way too calm for zhis shit to be an emergency.”

“It is an emergency.” His voice went back to sounding tense and I needed to know if he was drinking or smoking. If he wasn’t going to clear this up, I was about to take my Black ass back to sleep.

I sighed trying not to lose my patience just because I wanted to slide back in bed with my wife. “So tell me what’s wrong?”

“I think my fiancée is a serial killer.”

The End