Total pages in book: 55
Estimated words: 51051 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 255(@200wpm)___ 204(@250wpm)___ 170(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51051 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 255(@200wpm)___ 204(@250wpm)___ 170(@300wpm)
“I’ll go next,” I said. “That big box is from me.”
“I think women prefer tiny boxes,” Cyrus said, elbowing my ribs. “Those giant boxes are only cool when you’re seven.”
“Watch and learn, grasshopper,” I replied, beaming as Azadeh opened the box and her face lit up.
Azadeh pulled out Lavashak, Iranian fruit leather, Gaz, Iranian nougat, Sohan, a type of Persian toffee with pistachios, and various other Iranian sweets and snacks. “Oh, my god, Zeke! How did you get all this?”
“I ordered it from Los Angeles. I would’ve also gotten you some baked goods, but I wasn’t sure how they would travel. One day, we’ll visit Tehrangeles. I know it’s not Theran, Shiraz, or Rasht, but L.A. might fill in some of the void.”
Azadeh jumped up to hug me, and I breathed in her scent. I’d never tire of how my girl smelled.
“There’s one more thing in the box.”
Azadeh squealed as she moved back and dug into the box, pulling out an ornate copy of The Shahnameh. She gazed at me. “Zeke, this… this is beautiful.”
“Yes, yes, me next,” Cyrus said, pushing past me and handing Azadeh a slender package about forty inches long.
She laughed as she swiftly untied the half-hazard bow and pulled out a Persian sabar.
“You got me a shamshir,” Azadeh said in delight.
She jumped up, hugging Cyrus and almost tackling him to the floor.
Cyrus turned to Lev. “Beat that.”
“I guess I’m next,” Lev said, pointing to the small package. “That small one is from me.”
Azadeh smiled as she abandoned her death grip on Cyrus’s head. Picking up the small package, she opened it. She didn’t speak, but her eyes welled up as she pulled out a long gold chain with a winged man holding ropes of some sort.
“You got me a Farvahar.” She turned the pendant over. “Good thoughts. Good word. Good deeds.”
Lev moved toward her, clasping the gold necklace around her neck.
“I’m never taking this off,” she whispered as she touched it gently.
I leaned into Cyrus. “Guess we both lost.”
Chapter 19
Cyrus—Age 30
Present Day
Icrack open Azadeh’s bedroom door without knocking. “We’re still mad at Lev, right?”
Azadeh glares at me. “Yes. Come in and close the door.”
Fuck, she’s so cute when she’s mad. I’ve been thinking about all the ways I can get her to fuck me right now. Last time she was this pissed, I ended up with a bunch of scars on my thigh. You’d think I’d have an aversion to more scars, but the ones she gave me are as hot as fuck. My little vampire.
I jump on the bed beside her and lean on my elbows. “I think you should ride my face while telling him he’ll never be man enough for you. That seems like a good punishment.”
“Do you ever not think about sex?” Zeke asks.
“Oh, hey there, Ezekiel, I didn’t even see you. Do you ever get bored being a pathetic crybaby?”
Zeke jumps up and straddles my waist. His hands move to his zipper as he knees his way up the mattress until his crotch is level with my face. He pulls his dick out. “Someone should’ve taught you to keep your pathetic mouth shut years ago.”
He leans forward and brushes the tip of his dick between my lips. My mouth opens wide, taking in his girth.
“Looks like you’re the baby now, Cy, needing a big fat cock to pacify you.”
I grip Zeke’s hips and push him back, smiling smugly as his ass hits the floor. Tugging down my zipper, I unleash my dick, hold it in my hand and wave it at his face. “Nah, pretty boy. If anyone is going to suck on a soother tonight, it’ll be you.” I slap him on the face with my dick. “Say ah.”
Zeke lunges and grabs my ankle, yanking me forward. I stumble and lose my balance. His hand flies to my throat and presses firmly, restricting my airway so that speaking is almost impossible. I love it when he’s like this.
Most of the time, Zeke holds back, scared of what others will think of him if they discover who he truly is. Sometimes, he even hides this part from Azadeh, but this side of him has to be fed so he can hold us all together. Because we all need him to be the strong one, the kind one, the one who pushes us to be the best we can be.
Maybe that’s why we all go to him first. He’s the first to know our secrets and struggles and the first to hold us in the dark and tell us everything will all be okay. Every once in a while, I poke at his rage so he can unleash it and get what he desperately needs but is too frightened to ask for.
I fist my fingers in Zeke’s hair, pulling at the loose strands. I yank his head until his fingers loosen on my throat, using my weight to slam his body on the floor with a thud. “Fuck you, Zeke. You want to choke me with that pathetic dick, make me.”