Oh god, he wasn’t going to punish her for the escape attempt, but the man who’d tried to stop her.

“Volkan, don’t do it,” she said desperately, wanting to grab his arm and plead with him, but too frightened to edge past the guard.

“Begging won’t work this time,” Volkan said to her, his voice gentling. “Go to bed, my love, and wait for me. I won’t be long.”

He closed the door on her and seconds later, she heard the sound of a fist hitting flesh and a man grunting in pain. She covered her ears, but it went on and on until Yasmin couldn’t stand it anymore. She was helpless to do anything. She rushed into the bedroom, slammed the door shut, and collapsed to the carpeted floor at the end of the bed. She wrapped her arms around her knees and dropped her head, rocking and sobbing until she had no more tears left. She curled up on the floor, pillowing her head on her arm, her gaze fixed on the door. It felt like hours passed before she heard him re-enter the flat.

Though she hadn’t turned any lights on, the dim glow of the city allowed her to see the misting of sweat on his naked body as he approached. He knelt next to her and she traced flecks of blood across his skin with her eyes. It made her stomach roil and the room spin. She closed her eyes against it.

He gathered her in his arms and placed her on the bed. He removed the suit jacket and covered her with the blanket, then sat next to her, brushing her hair away from her face. “You shouldn’t have done that.”

She nodded but said nothing.

“I’m trying to be gentle with you, Yasmin, but you keep forcing my hand to harsher methods.”

She wanted to scream at him, to tell him she wasn’t forcing him to do anything. He was forcing her. But there was no point. His twisted brain thought he was doing the right thing and nothing she could say would convince him otherwise.

“I need you to sleep, aşkım,” he said, reaching into the breast pocket of the suit jacket, which he’d tossed on the floor next to the bed and pulling out a syringe.

Oh no, why hadn’t she thought to check all the pockets? That syringe could’ve gotten her past the guards if she’d been able to use it on them. Or maybe used it on Volkan while he was asleep.

“I can see your thoughts in your eyes.” He said, a grim smile creasing his lips. “You are quite expressive. As much as I prize your feistiness, I think you’ve had enough for tonight. It’s time to sleep.”

She grabbed his wrist as he uncapped the syringe. “Please, Volkan, don’t.”