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“I’m not anxious.”
He studied me as if he didn’t believe me.
“I-I’ve got to go.” Marching to the door, I wrenched it open and practically ran to my car.
Tonight was four years since Aslan was shot.
I had a phone call to make.
* * * * *
“Çok tutarlisin, kizim.” (You are consistent, daughter).
I sat on the sand, my eyes locked on the stars above, my ears full of the softly snoozing waves.
“Without fail at seven p.m., you call me,” Cem added.
“It’s two in the morning here. The same time you murdered him.”
“Ah, was that the time?” He chuckled. “All I remember was I was hungry and needed to go home to eat.”
“You repulse me.”
“You said that last year. No new insults to share?”
“Give me your address. I want to come visit.”
“Why? So you can rifle through my house and try to find him?”
“So I can prove that he’s still alive.”
He sighed heavily. “This has got to stop, kizim. I’m afraid for you. Your mind is broken as well as your heart.”
“My mind is fine.”
“But your heart is not.” He clucked his tongue. “I know about the specialist appointment you had today. Are you going to leave Ayla an orphan? How about I take her? She could be my heir. I rather like the thought of a girl taking over my empire. It would go against many traditions and delight me no end.”
Molten fury poured through me. “You will never get within ten metres of my daughter.”
“We’ll see.”
I hated that cryptic reply.
I stewed with one of my own.
Before I had a suitable slur or slander, he murmured, “Allow me to put you out of your misery, Nerida. Aslan Avci is dead. You have my absolute word. He is dead. I made damn sure of that.”
Snow settled over my heart. Soft and silent, gentle and hushed. I didn’t know why, but those words did something to me. They nudged my foggy intuition. They itched and nibbled at something unexplainable.
The conversation paused for a long time.
Almost long enough to hang up.
But then a question spilled free, straight from my soul. “And what of Aslan Kara? Is he dead too?”
“Beni bir kez daha sasirttin.” (Once again, you’ve surprised me). His voice deepened with a strange hitch of...pride? “You continue to reveal why my son fell for you. You were worthy of him, I see that now.”
“You’re saying he’s alive?”
