Yasmin looked at herself in the floor-length mirror, admiring the way the cherry-coloured wrap-around dress clung to her curves. She had to admit, while she hated the kidnapper, she didn’t hate his taste in clothes.

She left the bedroom and met him as he was coming out of the other washroom, his arm bent as he tried to attach his cufflink.

“Let me help,” she said automatically.

He looked surprised, then pleased, extending his arm to her and dropping the cufflink in her palm.

“I’ve never done this before,” she admitted, bending over his wrist, “but I’ve seen my mom do it for my dad, so I think I can figure it out.”

The memory of her parents doing this same thing was bittersweet. Would she ever see them again?

Volkan caught her chin and tilted her face until she was looking at him. “I don’t like seeing you unhappy.”

She bit her lip and looked away from him, remembering what he said if she was unpleasant to him. He wouldn’t ever let her talk to her parents again. “I’m sorry, I’ll try harder.”

He sighed heavily and shook his head. “What am I doing to you, my little love? Am I such a beast that you think you can’t have a brief moment of sadness in my presence?”

She stared back at him, not knowing what to say. Yes, he was a beast who tried to control her thoughts and actions, but he was also just a man with too much power and privilege. In some ways, he was relatable… sympathetic even, but only fleetingly.

Maybe he needed a woman to love him. To show him how to behave. But that woman wasn’t going to be her.

She forced a smile to her lips. “Let’s get these cufflinks figured out. I don’t want to be late for my first evening with your family.”

Chapter Twenty-Six

Yasmin was nervous about meeting Volkan’s family, but they accepted her into the fold immediately and with little fuss. She suspected they’d been warned of her resemblance to Caria because, while they all took turns staring at her, no one mentioned the likeness.

The meal itself was interesting. Narin directed the servants like she was the conductor of an orchestra. It was clear that the evening meal was her time to shine. There were four courses, each one plated like a work of art. She smiled coolly as the plates were placed in front of each person at the table and she watched with eagle eyes as they were cleared and replaced with the next course.