Stolen by a Sinner (Sinners #3)(51)

My eyes widen. “Gabriel gave me all this money?”

“Yes.” Murat hands me the slip, then nudges my lower back. “Let’s move. We can’t stay in one place for too long.”

Stunned out of my mind that Gabriel gave me twenty thousand dollars, I walk in a daze until Murat tugs me into a store.

“What about this vase?” he asks.

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.