“It did,” Zeynep said from next to her. “I saw it with my own eyes. It was grainy, but there was someone out there on the dock with her and she was pushed. I know you don’t want to believe us, but if you care at all about this baby, you can’t stay. He’ll eventually find a reason to kill you, too.”

An icy shiver went down Yasmin’s spine and her chest tightened as she warred with indecision. She didn’t believe that the couple was telling her the whole truth, but she’d seen and experienced what Volkan was capable of. Yes, she believed he could kill. But would he… could he kill her? And was she willing to take the chance?

“Okay, say I believe you,” she said as the vehicle pulled into the dockyard parking lot. “I definitely don’t trust you. How do I know you don’t have your own reasons for getting rid of me? Why should I get on a helicopter you two procured for me? I’d rather find my own way to the embassy.”

“You have to trust us,” Zeynep said, opening her door as Demir parked it next to the building. “We’re out of time. Volkan will have realized that you’re missing by now.”

Demir opened the back door, gripped Yasmin’s arm and jerked her out. She landed on her hands and knees, letting out a sharp cry as the pavement abraded her hands.

“Come on!” He yanked her to her feet and dragged her toward the building, but instead of going inside, he strode around the side to a set of metal steps leading up to the roof.

“Take it easy, Dem!” Zeynep called, hurrying to catch up, her high heels tripping her up.

“Why do you want to get rid of me?” Yasmin shouted over the sound of helicopter blades as they started whirring. “It’s the baby, isn’t it? Something to do with your inheritance? Or maybe the business.”

She was striking out blindly, but her intuition was telling her that Demir wanted her gone, that he didn’t care if she lived or died. His wife was on a different wavelength though. When Zeynep caught up to them, she grabbed Demir’s arm and tried to stop him.

He backhanded her with enough force to send her tumbling down the metal steps. “Get off me, you childless bitch,” he snarled, then continued up the steps, Yasmin still held tight in his grip.

As he pulled her onto the helicopter pad, the wind kicked up by the whirring blades hit her, sending her veil flying into Demir’s face. The momentary distraction gave her the opening she needed to jab her elbow into his ribs. He released her and she lunged away from him.