Love is a Game

Prologue

PROLOGUE

BARAN

Seventeen years ago

They had him chained to the dishwasher. The foul-smelling men with guns at their belts had kidnapped him from the house where he and his family were staying and pushed him inside a car, then into this kitchen. Now those men sat at a table across the room, eating chicken out of a bucket while playing cards.

There were four of them. Baran was memorizing everything and everyone he saw, just as his brother Hakan had taught him. Once his brother came for him, there would be hell to pay.

One of the men laughed and threw another chicken bone at his head. He ducked and growled. He didn’t care what happened to him. All he cared about was the door to his right. The door that led to a room which held his sister. They had been taken together, but then a man had come to the kitchen shortly after they’d arrived. A very scary man with an enormous scorpion tattooed on both his forearms. Baran had fought him as well as he could, had kicked and scratched at his arms when Scorpion Man had pulled Leyla away from him. He’d been no match for a man who was twice his size. All it had gotten him was a split lip. He wouldn’t give up though. His father’s mantra echoed in his head.

Winners don’t quit, and quitters don’t win.

One of the men cursed. Another laughed. The one scratching his scruffy chin belched as he grabbed a beer from the fridge. Money was exchanged.

All Baran could think about was his kid sister. She was only ten years old. He was much bigger, and older. By ten minutes. Leyla kept saying they were the same age, but Baran knew the truth; he was her big brother, her protector. His father had told him so.

Beyond that table full of thugs was his little sister. They had separated them yesterday and he hadn’t seen her since. Baran swallowed.

Have to find her.

Have to find Leyla.

And then what? San Francisco wasn’t like Istanbul. He spoke English, but he didn’t know anyone here, nor did he know the area. He would have to steal a phone. His parents and big brothers were surely looking for them. They wouldn’t call the police. No one in their family ever did.

His stomach growled. As if on cue, Scruffy turned and threw a chicken wing at his head.

He lurched at the man. The chain around his neck bit into his skin and he fell back. Raising his chin, he cursed the man’s entire family.

Scruffy laughed and turned back to his game.

Never forget a face.

I never forget a face.

A movement caught his eye and his head turned toward the two men who had entered the kitchen. The men at the table hadn’t noticed them yet.

The one on the left was the biggest man he had ever seen. Even bigger than his oldest brother. In the shadowy kitchen his hair looked almost white, and his blue eyes as cold as ice. He looked as if he could easily break someone in two with his bare hands. Their eyes locked, and a strange wave of understanding passed between them. Baran didn’t move a muscle. He hardly dared to breathe.

Friend or foe?

His eyes landed on the other one; this man was dressed in black from head to toe. He hardly seemed to notice Baran. Instead, his gaze was settled on the four men who were still playing cards. A chill went through Baran. This man wore a dark suit and wasn’t as big as the other one, but somehow looked more dangerous.

Then guns erupted and bullets started to fly. The Dark One took down two men with a head shot. Blood sprayed against the white tiles on the wall.

The Big One ducked beneath a table, and threw a hammer. It hit Chicken Wing Guy in the chest, making his legs buckle as his head hit the floor and landed in a bucket of chicken wings.

Wow, a hammer!

Before the last man standing, Scruffy, could even grab his gun the Big One smashed a fist in his face. Baran could hear bones cracking. Scruffy dropped to the floor like a sack of potatoes.

Once again Baran pulled at the chain around his neck, but it was no use. He tensed as Hammer Man—yeah, that was a much better name—searched Scruffy’s pockets. When he pulled out a key, Baran’s heart started to thrum, but he still reeled back when Hammer Man came to stand before him.

Hammer Man held up his hands. “I’m not going to hurt you, okay?” He pointed at the chain around Baran’s neck and showed him the key. Then he held out his fist.

Baran looked at him suspiciously, but understood. He gave Hammer Man a fist bump.

“Good, so we understand each other.”

Baran waited in anticipation as Hammer Man unlocked the chain around his neck. Once he was free from the chain, Hammer Man went back to Scruffy who was trying to crawl back to his feet.

The Dark One stood before him.

“Korkma. Bizden sana zarar gelmez,” he said.

Baran was surprised to hear the man speak in his native language. He wondered if he was speaking the truth. Would they really not harm him?

When he asked if his brother had sent them, the man shook his head.

From the corner of his eye, Baran saw Hammer Man wrap the chain around his fist and smash it into Scruffy’s face.

“Chaining up kids? What.” Smash. “The fuck.” Smash. “Is wrong with you?” He looked at the Dark One. “So, who is he?” he asked, gesturing toward Baran.

So, this other man had not come here for him. But he hadn’t been sent by his brother or father. Had he just been freed one moment to be used for ransom the next? And what about Leyla? Everything inside him wanted to make a break for that door. But he feared any sudden movement might provoke them. Maybe they would chain him up again.

“I’ve heard rumors about the kidnapping of the Kaplan kid,” the Dark One said. “He’s the son of one of the biggest heroin dealers in the world. His family issued a million-dollar reward for finding him.”

Baran relaxed. They were here for a bounty. They were going to deliver him to his family.

“A million?”

“Fifty-fifty split, bratan.”

There was suspicion in Hammer Man’s eyes. “You need him for something.”

“Not him.” The Dark One pulled out his phone. “His father. A man usually impossible to contact.”

Baran longingly looked at the phone. He was just about to snatch it from the Dark One's hand and make a break for his sister, when the man handed him the device.

Without hesitation, Baran called his father. Then he gave the phone back to the man.

“Iyi akşamlar, Mr. Kaplan. I’m one of the men who just freed your son. I’ve sent you our location. You can come and get him anytime. In the meantime, let’s talk business.”

All Baran could think of was Leyla in the adjoining room. Scorpion Man had taken her there. He could be guarding her.

Hammer Man had left the room and as the Dark One exchanged a few more words with his father, Baran scanned the kitchen for a weapon. He spotted a gun under the table, which must have fallen there during the fighting. He grabbed the weapon and took off to the room where his sister was being held.

The room was empty. Leyla was gone. And so was Scorpion Man.