Stolen by a Sinner (Sinners #3)(24)

When I walk into the security room at the club, it’s to find Mirac keeping his wife, Elif, company.

“You’re keeping her from work again,” I joke as I take a seat behind the monitors. Elif once tried to explain how everything works, but hacking will never be one of my strong points.

“She’s distracting me from working,” Mirac mutters.

“Right.” I nod toward the monitors. “Anything on Mazur?”

Elif shakes her head. “It’s dead quiet out there. He’ll come to the surface at some point. They always do.”

Just then, my phone starts to vibrate in my pocket. Pulling the device out, I see Emre’s name flashing on the screen.

“Evet?” I answer as I rise from the chair and walk toward the doorway.

“Where are you? One of Mazur’s men just showed up, demanding to talk to you.”

My right eyebrow lifts as I leave the office.

“He just showed up? Armed?” I ask Emre.

“Unarmed.”

That’s not fucking weird at all.

“I’m close to my office. Take the man to the freezer where we keep the beverages.”

Turning around, I head toward the section holding all the freezers and meet Emre, where he’s talking with Daniel, the head of the guards.

“So, this guy knocked on the door and demanded to speak with me?” I ask again, unable to believe someone would be that stupid or desperate to die.

“Evet,” Emre nods. He gestures to the freezer’s door, and opening it, I’m on guard as I step inside.

I come face to face with a middle-aged man who looks more like a sickly accountant than a soldier.

Frowning at him, I demand, “What’s your name and what are you doing at my club?”

“Filip,” he answers, his arms wrapped around himself for some warmth. “My name is Filip. Mr. Mazur sent me to check if the girl you shot is dead.”

What?

Surprise slithers down my spine, then every muscle in my body tightens. “What girl?”

“Lara Nowak. One of the maids. The CCTV showed you shot her during the attack and took her away.”

Frowning, I give the man a look of warning. “You’re fucking brave walking into my club, demanding to talk to me, and then demanding I give you information.” I take a step closer, narrowing my eyes on him.

He’s scared shitless, but he had to know he was undertaking a suicide mission when he came here.

“Did Mazur guarantee to pay your family for your death?” I ask.

He doesn’t even bother to withhold the information. “I only have months left. At least this way, my family will be well off.”

I lock eyes with the dead-man-walking. “You’re carrying a listening device,” I state the obvious, to which the man nods. Knowing Mazur is listening to this conversation, I say, “You can’t hide forever, Mazur. I will find you.”

The man clears his throat, his features drawn tight with the fear of his impending death. “Mr. Mazur also wants to know why you attacked him.”

I let out a dark chuckle, slowly shaking my head. “If Mazur wants that information, he’ll have to ask me in person.”

The man’s eyebrows draw together, nervously licking his lips. “And the girl? Is she dead?”

If Mazur sent a man to check if she’s alive, Lara is worth something. Or she’s been fucking lying to me and doing a damn good job of it.

“Why do you want to know if the woman is dead?” I counter his question.

“Mr. Mazur just cares about his employees.”

Right, and I’m fucking Santa Claus.

“She’s dead,” I lie. Taking my gun from behind my back, I keep eye contact with the man. “May you find the rest you so desperately came to seek.” Sparing him the time to agonize any further about what lies in the beyond, I train the barrel between his eyes and pull the trigger. I hope, for his sake, Mazur will pay his family for his sacrifice.

“Bury him,” I order before stalking out of the freezer.

“Where are you going?” Emre asks, following after me.

“I’m going to find out what Lara’s been hiding from me,” I snap, anger already pulsing through my veins.





Chapter 16


Lara



Life is wonderful. I can’t stop smiling.

Every day my heart fills with more warmth, and I’ve grown so attached to Nisa I can’t imagine life without her.

Murat has also grown on me. He’s always quiet in the shadows, but his presence is comforting, offering me a sense of safety I didn’t even know I needed.

I’m making pide the way Nisa taught me and have learned I enjoy cooking and baking.

Placing the dough mixture into the oven, I quickly rinse my hands and dry them. Nisa’s busy making jam from fresh raspberries. It’s incredible, and I love watching her.

“I’ll get started with the manti,” I say.

I’m busy placing a small amount of shredded beef on a square of dough when Gabriel stalks into the kitchen, his features drawn tight with anger. Without a word, he grabs hold of my forearm and yanks me out of the kitchen.

I almost stumble over my feet as I try to keep up with him, my heart instantly setting off at a wild pace.

Over the past month, my fear has lessened, and I’ve started to let my guard down. The sudden aggressive anger from Gabriel has my mouth going bone dry and a tremble shuddering through my body.