Innocent - Roe Horvat Page 0,4

being served.

Abruptly, Zana pushed off the railing and stepped down the patio stairs. He hurried through the crowd to the bar counter where a servant had just poured ice water into Navid’s glass.

“Navid, will you walk with me?”

Even though Zana spoke quietly, Navid startled. His dark eyes flashed to Zana. After a second, he gave a jerky nod.

His pulse hammering, Zana led the way toward the rose garden, where he hoped to get a semblance of privacy. He could feel many eyes on them, but he ignored the curious looks. He paused under an arch, just out of earshot from the nearest group of strangers. The red roses hanging down in abundance would partially obscure Navid and him from view.

Zana wanted to ask a thousand different things, but he’d be lucky to get a few minutes.

“Have you ever traveled, Navid?” Damn, he hadn’t thought this through, had he? But Navid was bright. He’d understand.

“You know I haven’t,” Navid said quietly.

“Never?”

“No. I’ve never left this city. But my baba brings me books when he travels.”

“Books? No clothes or jewelry?”

Navid smiled shyly, his teeth glistening. “Why should I dress up? I barely go anywhere. But when I read, I can travel.” Meeting Zana’s gaze briefly, he grew serious. “Stories can take me far away from here.”

“Why have you never accompanied your baba?”

“My father says it’s not appropriate for a young omega to leave home more than necessary.”

“But you’d like to?”

“Yes. I’d love to see different countries. The mountains. And snow.”

In the intense midday sun, Navid squinted at the sky as if he were searching for the imagined mountains.

“Navid, would you like to travel with me?”

The glass in Navid’s hand wobbled, a few drops spilling over. Zana took it from him in an automatic movement. Navid blushed fiercely, his cheeks almost the color of the roses surrounding them, but he nodded.

Zana’s heart slammed in his chest. His hand moved of its own volition and caught the edge of Navid’s sleeve between his fingertips. As close to a real touch as he could get.

“Navid, look at me, please.”

Those deep dark eyes, naked and fearful, lifted to his face, and Zana swallowed. Voices drifted toward them, loud laughs and a child’s shriek. He needed to hurry. “I want to talk to your father tomorrow and claim you as mine, but I won’t do it against your will. Tell me, please, if I’d better forget you.”

Even as he trembled, Navid didn’t look away. He parted his lips, then shook his head slowly. Did that mean that Zana shouldn’t forget him? Or that he shouldn’t claim him? But Navid’s face was so open, so hopeful.

“Say the word, Navid, and I’ll take you away from here. You’ll live with me on the other side of the world, and we’ll travel wherever you wish to go. I want to make you happy. I’ll keep you safe and take care of you. Please, darling.” He was getting lost in Navid’s gaze, forgetting that they weren’t alone in the garden. At any moment, someone could approach and interrupt them. “Will you be mine, my treasure?”

“Yes.” The word was a whisper. Navid inhaled deeply and lifted his chin. “Yes, I will,” he said in a stronger voice.

Zana couldn’t help but smile as exhilaration thrummed in his veins. He’d made his choice.

“I’ll come tomorrow, then.”

Here he was, putting his future into the hands of a seventeen-year-old boy. Was he crazy? But when Navid smiled back, his nervous excitement mirroring Zana’s, Zana knew. He’d made the right decision.

“We’d better get back,” he whispered.

They returned to the crowd and parted with a quick look. Zana sought out Navid’s father, who was standing on the patio with a wine glass between his fingers, a displeased sneer on his rugged face. He narrowed his eyes at Zana. Zana had taken the liberty of talking to Navid without supervision. It seemed Sajid didn’t like not knowing what had been said.

Well, no time like the present.

Zana briskly walked up the short steps and approached him.

“Your Excellency, thank you for this wonderful day.” He bowed slightly. “I need to leave now. I promised I’d dine with my parents tonight. But if you’ll allow me, I’d like to meet you tomorrow morning to discuss a private matter.”

Sajid’s face transformed from a suspicious frown to a satisfied smirk in a second.

“You will be most welcome, Zana. At nine.”

“Thank you, Your Excellency. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

The following day, Zana put on his best suit. His butler had polished his shoes and prepared his