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“About?”
“About what happened in the dining room, damn it.”
Zahir rarely cursed in her presence.
She took heart in it. He was upset. And while maybe she should feel badly about that, she was actually pleased. “What exactly did you want to talk about?”
“You caught me having a meal with my former mistress.”
“You were gathering evidence for the court case
against her brother.”
“You would expect me to have told you my plans prior to meeting him. I’m sure you are further angered by the fact I did not tell you about the attempt to blackmail your father.”
“Nope.” She thought about it to make sure and then shook her head. “Not angry.”
He opened his mouth, but then closed it again without speaking.
“You wanted to protect me from upset while I was pregnant.”
“I cannot guarantee I would behave differently if you were not pregnant,” he said, as if admitting some deep dark secret.
“I get that.”
“You do?”
“What do you think I mean when I tell you that I love you, Zahir?”
“I do not know.”
“That’s becoming more than a little apparent. I don’t just love the bits about you I find comfortable. I know you see the world through eyes influenced by generations of responsibility that comes with your role. You protect your family, you protect your people, you protect me. It’s in your DNA.”
“That does not bother you?”
“I’m not promising never to get angry, or call you out over it, but for the most part? It makes me feel safe. Cherished.”
“I do cherish you.”
“I believe you.”
“You do?” his voice was tinged with wonder.
She smiled. Nodded. “I do.”
“I did not want you under more stress than you already are.”
“I understand.”
“You do?”
“Yes. I would do the same for you.”
For once, it was easy to read her world leader love’s facial expression. Utter shock and a shade of disbelief.
She laughed. “Don’t you think your mother has ever protected your father from stress when she could?”
“Yes, but…”
