His lips quirked, but his expression remained grim. “It was more than a few temper tantrums. I was obsessive. If there was something I wanted, I would stop at nothing to get it, using violence when necessary. They discussed institutionalizing me for the safety of everyone around us.”

Yasmin wondered what he’d done to cause such alarm, but figured she was better off not knowing. If Volkan wanted to share the details, he would. “I take it they didn’t have you locked up?”

He shook his head. “They gave me focus instead. From the age of eleven, I’ve been involved in the family business. I learned how to sail when I was fourteen and how to fly when I was sixteen. Transportation is in my blood and it gives me an excellent place to focus my obsessions.”

“Until I came along,” she said softly.

“Until you,” he agreed.

She bit her lip, wondering if she should say anything, then decided now was as good a time as ever. “What about Caria? Was she an obsession too?”

“No,” he said, his voice devoid of emotion. “She was fun and interesting. She loved to laugh and have a good time.” She nodded, and he captured the back of her head in his big hand, his dark eyes boring into hers. “I didn’t kill her, Yaz. I need you to believe that.”

“I do,” she said immediately. “Of course you didn’t kill her.”

He looked shocked. “Everyone else believes I did it.”

She shrugged. “I’ve refused to go along with you almost every step of the way, and you didn’t hurt me. In fact, you went out of your way to make sure I wasn’t injured.” She stopped, then added. “Though one day we’re going to talk about all those druggings.”

He chuckled but sobered quickly. “Caria never made me as angry as you have because I was never in love with her the way I am with you.”

“I understand,” she said, kissing his chin and then snuggling her head against it. “What happened to her was a terrible accident. It’s time to let her go.”

He held onto her like he would lose her if he let her go and they fell asleep that way, cozy in the tiny pilot’s office, the wind and rain howling as the storm passed over the island.

Chapter Forty-Six

The storm passed during the night, and early the next morning, they were woken by the sound of a plane coming in for a landing. Volkan was cautious, heading out to greet the arriving plane while instructing Yasmin to stay hidden.

After a few minutes, he came back inside and found Yasmin nervously pacing the tiny office.