A Silent Reckoning: Sinner's Empire by Nikita Slater (world best books to read .TXT) 📕

into her mother’s warm golden eyes, the exact shade as her own, and saw the truth. “You are an incredible woman, and I’m so proud of everything you’ve accomplished. I’m proud of the way you’ve handled yourself this past year, your strength and determination to return to work after you were kidnapped and poisoned. I’m proud of the grace you’re showing now, in the face of a major upheaval in your life. If I’m disappointed at all, it’s for the dreams you’ll be losing if you stay here.”

Shaun nodded, allowing a few tears to fall.

She was saved from having to delve too deeply into her uncertain future when Karl’s voice echoed through the apartment.

“In here,” she called, pushing herself off the bed and meeting him at the bedroom door.

“Boss wants you to meet him in the club this evening.” His eyes strayed to Fatima who was standing next to the bed, straightening her clothes. “He wants you to translate for him.”

Shaun was instantly transported back to her last experience in the club when she’d translated for Jozef. The drugs, the cavalier attitude toward murder and mayhem, the confrontation with Giselle. She felt the blood draining from her face as she remembered the way Jozef had attacked Giselle in the club washroom.

“No,” she whispered.

Though Karl looked concerned, he knew whose orders he had to obey. “I don’t think he’s asking.”

Shaun shook her head, her stomach churning with anxiety.

Fatima caught sight of Shaun’s expression and demanded, suspicion in her voice, “What happened in the club? Why don’t you want to translate?”

Shaun tried to think of something to say that wouldn’t upset her mother, but as always, she came back to the truth. Maybe Fatima should know what kind of a life they were facing if they stayed with Jozef. As much as it would break Shaun’s heart if Fatima decided to leave, her mother would be safer in Canada.

“Jozef pulled a gun on a woman who was bothering me. He threatened her life.”

Fatima looked alarmed. “Does he do this often?”

Karl smothered an amused look, while Shaun answered, “He seems to do it whenever he thinks someone is threatening me. I’ve seen it happen twice.” She didn’t tell her mother that the second time had happened the night before, right outside the club, probably while Fatima was already inside.

“He can’t control himself?” Fatima’s concern grew.

“No, that’s not it.” Shaun was quick to correct her. “The gun is an extension of him. Like a tool that he’s so comfortable with he barely notices it’s there.”

“But do you think he really would shoot someone?”

“Yes.” Both Shaun and Karl answered at the same time.

Fatima sat down on the bed, looking shaken. Shaun wished she could ease her mother’s fears, but she didn’t know what to say. They were living a dangerous new reality where everyone around them was armed and threats were very possible.

She sat next to Fatima and took her hand. “He won’t hurt us, Mom. We’re safe.”

Fatima straightened her spine and pulled her hand from Shaun’s, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. “I know he won’t hurt us; at least not you, and probably not me by extension. But I would argue that we are most definitely not safe. He leads a dangerous life and he’s dragging you into it with him.”

“I know, but there’s nothing we can do about it.”

It looked like Fatima wanted to argue, but she glanced at Karl and pressed her lips together. Finally, she nodded and said, “Go to the club, but remember who you are. When he says jump, you tell him to fuck off.”

Chapter Nineteen

Saskia walked fast with her head down, her books clutched to her chest. Damn, it was getting cold. She was more of a warm weather girl. She preferred sun and beaches, crackling fireplaces and her bed. It was days like this that she regretted her decision to take university courses in the city.

Her parents had tried to convince her to take her courses online at the mansion. She’d insisted that her education would be subpar if she wasn’t allowed to take her classes in person. They’d relented and allowed her to go to the Charles University in Prague as long as she kept her guards nearby at all times. Her father had gone to the dean of the university and told him of their unique situation, with a sizable donation to soothe any ruffled feathers.

Saskia hated that her family had gotten involved in the one thing she was attempting to do for herself. She’d bitten her tongue though and accepted her bodyguards. She allowed them to follow her, unwilling to risk her university career on one stupid decision, like running from her guards.

There was only one exception to her no-giving-the-guards-the-slip rule.

She waved at her main bodyguard. She’d tried flirting with the man once and only once. He’d looked at her like she was about as attractive as a rock, then he told her father. She’d gotten a stern tongue lashing and a threat to have her removed from the campus. She hadn’t tried engaging the man since.

She pushed open the door to the women’s washroom and went inside, locking the door behind herself. She pushed open all the stall doors to make sure she was alone, set her books down and climbed up on the counter. She unlatched the window and stuck her head out.

“Romeo, Romeo,” she whispered dramatically, then, catching sight of her prey, said with a grin, “There you are.”

Nikolay reached up and pulled himself through the window. He’d made the same move about half a dozen times since Saskia had enrolled at the university and each time made her sigh all over again. The big muscles on his arms bulged as he lifted himself, pulling his body through the window frame and dropping to tiled floor.

He reached for Saskia and their lips met before either said another word. He kissed her hungrily as though he’d been waiting years to do just that. She wrapped her arms around