I glance at the door, wondering if Nisa has any painkillers. Getting up from the chair, the world spins a little as I walk to the door and open it. I glance up and down the hallway, then step out of my bedroom.
I quickly walk to Nisa’s room and knock on the door. When there’s no answer, I knock again.
“She’s probably sleeping,” Gabriel suddenly says.
My head snaps in his direction, where he’s walking toward me. My heart plummets to my feet, the pounding in my head instantly increasing tenfold.
I hunch my shoulders and press close to the wall as I quickly dart back to my door, but before I can open it, Gabriel reaches me.
“About my grandmother…”
I keep my head down, pinching my eyes shut.
I can feel his gaze on my face, and it makes my anxiety spike to unhealthy levels. My head spins again, and I rock on my feet.
Gabriel raises his arm, and I instinctively flinch, bracing myself for the hit. Instead of punching me, his cool hand settles over my forehead. I flinch again, an icy tremble shuddering through me.
“Jesus,” he mutters, sounding upset. He throws my door open, then his arm wraps around my lower back, and I’m ushered into my bedroom. “Get in bed,” he orders, and not wanting to upset him more, I quickly obey.
Before I have the covers pulled over me, Gabriel rushes out of the room, leaving the door wide open. I sit awkwardly, wishing I could rest my throbbing head on the pillow.
I close my eyes again and startle when I hear Gabriel come back into the room. He’s carrying a tray with a glass of water and other things on it. Only when he sets it down on the bedside table, do I see there’s medicine.
“Take the pills for your fever and get some sleep.” His tone is still harsh.
I pick up the medicine and quickly swallow it down.
“We’ll talk in the morning,” he instructs.
Feeling more confused than ever, I cautiously lie down.
Without another word, Gabriel leaves the bedroom, drawing the door shut behind him.
He gave me medicine?
Does that mean he’s not as angry with me as I thought?
I don’t get to worry about things for too long before exhaustion drags me into a restless sleep and feverish dreams.
Chapter 18
Gabriel
Guilt creeps into my chest as I walk away from Lara’s bedroom. She probably got sick because I scared the living shit out of her.
I’ve never second-guessed my actions until two days ago when I lost my temper with Lara. I regret how I handled the situation, and since then, it’s clear Lara’s frightened of her own shadow again.
I hate how she flinches and cowers away from me. It makes me feel like shit.
Ignoring the guilt, I head to the east wing. When I enter my grandmother’s private sitting room, she tells me, “I’m going to teach Lara how to knit.”
I drop down in one of the plush armchairs and meet her eyes. “I think it’s too early for you to interact with her.”
“Allah Allah,” she huffs. “She’s been here a month, Gabriel! I’m tired of staying in the east wing, and Nisa loves her. You and Emre are in and out all day, busy with work. You know I get lonely, right? I need fresh company. Lara doesn’t look like she could hurt a fly. Don’t make the poor young woman pay for Mazur’s sins. Nisa tells me Lara has suffered a great deal.”
Christ, give me strength.
“I don’t trust her,” I voice my opinion.
At least, not entirely. I’m not as guarded after having her in my house for a month, and my gut still tells me she’s being truthful about everything. The woman is too scared to lie to me. She’d offer Mazur up on a fucking platter to save herself.
Letting out a sigh, I mutter, “But if it pleases you, I’ll allow her to have access to the east wing.”
I’ll never win when it comes to the women in this house. They have me wrapped around their little fingers.
After giving my approval, my grandmother leans forward, an eager expression lighting up her face. “Now that Lara’s no longer banned from the east wing, there’s so much I can teach her, seeing as you and Emre refuse to get married and give me great-grandchildren. I wonder if she loves gardening?”
“I wouldn’t know,” I say as I get up from the chair. I don’t want to spend the rest of my evening talking about Lara. “I’m heading to bed. Don’t stay up too late.” Walking to my grandmother’s chair, I press a kiss on her temple.
“Iyi geceler,” she wishes me a good night. “Gözümün nuru.” Hearing her call me the light of her eye, the corner of my mouth lifts as I leave the sitting room.
On my way to my own bedroom, my thoughts turn to Lara and how quickly Nisa accepted her and how eager my grandmother is to get to know the woman.