“Well, I’m sure he’ll be flattered by the invite. I wasn’t aware he was your type.” A smirk covers Aidan’s face.
“Notwhat I meant?—”
“But I have to admit I believe Marcus has a boyfriend, so he’ll probably turn down your offer.” He snickers.
“It wasn’t an offer,” I snap.
“No need to deny your true feelings. It’s important to learn how to process our emotions.”
“Keep talking and I’ll put a bullet in your knee next.”
“Violence is never the answer, Declan. I thought you knew that already.” His snicker turns into a full-fledged laugh as I shoot him my best‘I’m going to strangle you’look.
“I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if violence is never the answer, you may want to consider a new line of work,” I offer.
“I would, but then I wouldn’t get to see your bright shining face every day. And what a disappointment that would be.”
“You’re a pain in my ass.”
“I am. But you love me anyway…” He holds his chin between his index and thumb, contemplating. “So, who would you like me to tell Marcus you want a date with? Since he’s unavailable.”
“Zahra.”
“Is she ready to publicly stake her claim on the Persian Empire? Or is she still trying to keep her identity a secret?”
I stifle. Of course word about Zahra has gotten out by now. I have no doubts my uncle would have continued to make a fuss while Aidan checked in on him post-surgery.
“I’m not sure,” I confess.
Aidan’s persona shifts from relaxed to rigid as he switches to work mode as my second. “Well, if she’s ready to make an entrance, a very public dinner will do it. And if you two show up together arm in arm…that would send a message to everyone about where our two families stand. How much power our allyship still has.”
“Exactly. Now more than ever, we need to show everyone that no one and nothing can break us. Tell Marcus to call Zahra,” I order.
“Sounds good, Boss.” Aidan gives me a tense smile. “And Declan?”
“What’s up?”
“You know you can tell me anything, right? I can handle it.”
Under normal circumstances, I would say yes in a heartbeat, but these weren’t normal circumstances. So instead, I give him a terse smile and wait for him to leave before finally planning my next steps.
4
ZAHRA
“Say the word and I’ll get you out,” Arman reassures me as the car pulls up to The Black Rose, an elite members-only restaurant that politicians and mafia dons regularly attend to discuss their business moves. Declan chose the location of our first public encounter wisely. I have no doubts that the second this reservation was booked, every boss in the city was informed that Naser’s heir would make their first public appearance.
“She is more than capable of handling herself.” Azula rolls her eyes, double-checking that all my guns and knives were secure in the holsters embedded in my blazer. Despite her collected and harsh exterior, the subtle hint of uncertainty in her eyes clued me in to how she was really feeling. I couldn’t blame her for being nervous. Once my true identity was revealed, I would also have to announce my new second in command. Azula had been an obvious choice from the beginning. Her financial savvy and ruthlessness in torturing information out of our enemies was unmatched. Plus, I refused tobe the only woman sitting at the table during our inner circle meetings.
My father committing to making me his heir of the Empire was a step in the right direction, but I wanted more than a step. If I was going to break boundaries and expectations of what a woman’s role in a mafia should be, I was going to do it alongside other strong women who had been kept in the dark for too long. Other women who had been underestimated. My tenure as boss and all I’ve accomplished reflect on my success and stand as a means for proving the worth of all the women by my side, as well as those who have been discredited for their entire lives. It’s an immense amount of weight to bear on my shoulders. And it’s one I carry with extreme diligence. I have no illusions about what will be said about me as I rule. And nothing will give me greater joy than proving my doubters wrong.
“I’m well aware she can handle herself. I am still her head of security though, which means it's my job to ensure all threats are removed,” Arman huffs as we all exit the car and head toward the entrance.
“You’ll never be able to keep me entirely safe, Arman, and you know that. Though I do appreciate your dedication.” I give him a terse smile before stepping away and approaching the host.
“I’m here for Mr. McAlister,” I announce, not missing the ever-so slight eye roll I get in response.
“While I’m sure Mr. McAlister is dying to see his…beautiful friend, he’s awaiting avery importantbusiness meeting, darling. But I’ll be sure to let him know you dropped by.” His condescending tone is like nails on a chalkboard to me. I try not to take it too personally. I’m sure this isn’t the first time he’s had to ward off eager mistresses dying to get a hold of whatever man had used and discarded them. Still, I can’t stopthe bile building in my stomach at how easy it was for him to dismiss me. How easy it was for someone to assume I wasn’t worthy of their time.
