I focus my attention on the beautiful navy, turquoise, and red vase, the mosaic patterns forming a ten-pointed star.
“I think Alya Hanim will like it. Right?”
“Definitely. She loves blue,” Murat agrees.
He calls a store assistant closer and asks for the vase to be packaged. When I’m standing at the counter to pay for my purchase, I glance around at all the pretty items, thinking I’d like to get Gabriel a gift to say thank you for everything he’s done for me.
Glancing up at Murat, I ask, “What do you think Gabriel would like?”
He lets out a chuckle. “Nothing in here.”
“A tie?”
He shakes his head. “He gets plenty of those from Nisa Hanim and Alya Hanim.”
After I’ve paid for the vase, Murat carries the bag as we walk from store to store, looking for something Gabriel might like.
As we pass a boutique, a dress in the window display catches my eyes. I stop for a moment to admire the shimmering silver gown. With a low neckline, the material is folded softly around the front. The back is exposed, and it would stop right above my butt.
I wish I could wear something like this but won’t dare with the scars on my back.
“Do you like it?” Murat asks.
I nod. “But I’ll never wear something like this. It’s beautiful, though.”
Continuing my search, I finally find a store that looks like it caters to men. There are cigar boxes that I avoid.
I stop in front of a display case. There are beautiful pens encased in wooden boxes. One draws my attention, and I ask the man behind the counter, “Can I see the gold fountain pen?”
He places the rectangular box on top of the display case, and I stare at all the tiny watch mechanisms in the middle of the pen.
“He’d like that,” Murat agrees.
I check the price tag and almost swallow my tongue.
Holy crap.
Murat’s phone rings, and as he takes the call, I stare at the fountain pen.
It’s five thousand, four hundred and ninety-nine dollars. That’s a lot of money. My teeth worry on my bottom lip.
The money in my account came from Gabriel, so it wouldn’t be a bad thing to spend it on him. Right?
I glance at Murat, who seems to be on a serious call, so I can’t ask for his advice.
I look at the pen again, and really wanting to give Gabriel something back, I decide to get it. “I’ll take it,” I inform the man.
My stomach starts to spin like crazy as I watch the store assistant close the beautiful wooden box the pen comes in. When I have to pay, my hand trembles.
It’s for Gabriel.
I swipe the card and enter my pin just as Murat joins me again. “Ready to head home?”
As I carefully take the package from the cashier, I press it to my chest, ready to guard it with my life.
I nod quickly. “Yes, let's hurry.”
So I can hide the gift safely under my bed until I can give it to Gabriel.
Chapter 32
Gabriel
Worried about Lara, I can hardly focus on my work.
When Murat doesn’t respond to my message, asking if they’re okay, I press dial on his number.
He immediately answers after two rings, “Evet?”
“Is everything okay?”
“Evet. We should be heading back home in the next ten minutes.”
“Did Lara find a gift for my grandmother?” I go stand in front of the window overlooking the street below.
“Yes, she found a vase.” He pauses, then lets out a chuckle. “Lara was shocked when she saw her bank balance. She thinks it’s a mistake.”
“Tell her not to worry. Why are you still at the mall if she already found a gift?”
Murat pauses, then says, “Lara’s… ah… she’s looking at a dress.”
“What kind of dress?”
“A shimmery one… Hell, I don’t know. I know nothing about women’s clothing. The kind they wear to events,” he rambles, sounding uncomfortable.
“Does she like it?”
“Evet.”
“Get it for her,” I order.
“What?” he balks.
“Get the fucking dress for Lara.”
“But, Gabriel Bey … she said she won’t wear something like it.”
Thinking he’s afraid she’ll argue with him, I say, “After you’ve dropped her off at home, you go back and buy the damn dress.”
“I don’t know her size.”
“She’s a four,” I inform him. “Make sure she doesn’t see it and put it in my room.”
“Evet.” He lets out a sigh. “I’ll get the dress.”
Ending the call, I check the time on my wristwatch. She should be home by ten. Taking a relieved breath, I leave the office to find Emre.
He’s sitting behind the monitors, checking data with Elif.
“Any updates?” I ask.
Elif gives me an excited look. “He was spotted in New York.” She brings up an image of Mazur and Dudek, his guard, leaving a hotel.
“Finally,” I mutter as I lean closer. I stare at the old man, the need to take his last breath from him rearing up inside my chest. “Don’t lose him.”
“Evet,” Elif says. “I’ll get someone to follow him to make sure we don’t lose him.”
I have to wait until after my grandmother’s birthday before I can attack and wipe him out once and for all.
“What do you want me to do?” Emre asks.
“Tell the men to be on standby. The day after the party, we’re ending this.”
With most of the work done at Vengeance, Emre and I head to Retribution, where they’re busy renovating the club. I’m having an extra area built onto the main building where I can have another gambling section and offices.
I’m doing this with all the clubs, so I don’t have to do all my business from Vengeance, and we can switch up our routines. Right now, we’re making it too easy for the enemy to plan an attack against us. At least if we keep moving between the five clubs, they’ll never be sure which one we’ll be at.
Emre and I spend the day reviewing the floorplans and checking that everything we’ve ordered has arrived.
“You sure three docking bays will be enough?” Emre asks.
“Evet.” My eyes scan over the plans again, then I explain, “Retribution is smaller than Vengeance. Having more docking bays will draw attention.”
“Right.”
It’s after midnight by the time I mutter, “Let’s get some sleep before Eymen arrives.”
Emre lets out a groan as we head out of the building. “Eymen I love, but damn, Ayesenur Hanim and Eslem drive me insane.”
“It’s just for a week.”
He gives me a tortured expression. “Please try to remember Eslem is not my cousin. The woman can’t take no for an answer.”
I let out a chuckle. “I’m glad I don’t have to worry about you fucking her.”
“Yuck.” He pulls a disgusted face. “I wouldn’t touch her with a ten-foot pole.”
I’m not looking forward to their visit either and really wish my grandmother would reconsider this tradition of having a party just so they can visit. I know they’re family, but I’ve never been close with them.