“They belong to us,” he assured her, taking her hand and leading her out of the building. “They’re refuelling at the gas shed, then we’ll leave. I’m going up to the house for a look before we go. Come with me.”

Yasmin thought about it and shook her head. “The men that attacked me are there.”

Volkan slid his hands up to her shoulders and massaged, easing the tension. “They’re dead, aşkım. You have nothing to worry about.”

“I know they are, but I don’t want to see their bodies.” Tears filled her eyes as she tried to explain. “I k-killed…”

Realization dawned on his face, and he pulled her against his chest. “Never mind the house. I’ll send a crew out to check when we arrive on the mainland.”

She sighed her relief and snuggled her head against his chest. It felt good to tell him about her fears and have him respond with sensitivity rather than forcing her to do what he wanted. Maybe he was right, maybe she was changing him for the better.

The flight back to the mainland went by in a flash. Volkan and Yasmin were so wrapped up in each other, they barely noticed the outside world. She’d admitted her love to him and that admission seemed to open the floodgates of his own understanding and trust.

She supposed going through a near-death experience together also strengthened their bond.

Narin met them at the helicopter pad when they landed and rushed to hug both of them, bursting into tears against Volkan’s chest, sobbing out her fury and pain at the arrest of her younger son. Together, Volkan and Yasmin tried to calm her, helping her off the pad and down the stairs.

Henry was waiting for them by the car and he shook Volkan’s hand as they approached, relief clear in his expression. He squeezed Yasmin’s shoulder as she passed, though he did it outside of Volkan’s view.

When Narin was settled in the car and was out of earshot, Henry said to Volkan, “Demir has been taken into custody. The police want your statements as soon as you’re ready to give them. They’ll finish charging your brother based on your statement and that of Ms. Mah… uh… the younger Mrs. Kartel.”

Volkan’s gaze hardened. “My wife will not be making a statement, nor will she be testifying. They’ll have to lay charges based on my statement alone.”

Yasmin squeezed his arm. “Please, I really don’t mind, especially if it’ll make things easier. I can explain that Demir wasn’t thinking right, that his actions were made in the heat of the moment. Maybe they’ll be lenient.”