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

“Which one do you think I should buy?” she asked, turning the computer screen toward Shaun. “I rather like the Monet, but the Van Gogh is more expensive.”

Shaun choked on her laughter. “Since when do you like classic artwork?”

“Since I visited the Koba mansion and realized my own collection is woefully lacking.”

“Maybe you should find out if there’s a limit to Jozef’s generosity,” Shaun pointed out drily.

Fatima shrugged. “I’ll let him know when I reach the limit of the credit card he gave me. He told me to buy some things for you too, since you don’t seem as interested in spending his money.”

“It’s not my money to spend!” Shaun protested.

Fatima gave her a stern look. “You were kidnapped and tortured with the knowledge that you were going to die. You were forcibly confined and then poisoned. If that’s not enough, you were forced to witness an assault in the Montréal hospital where you should have been safe. Then, you were kidnapped for a second time. I don’t care if you love the guy, you deserve to spend his damn money.” She paused, then added, “And so do I.”

Shaun stared at her mother who was busily trying to choose her new painting.

“I never told you I loved him.”

“You love him, not loved. Not past tense,” Fatima corrected Shaun, her sharp golden eyes on her daughter. “I suspected when you refused to testify at your own kidnapping hearing. I knew for sure when I saw you two together. I’ve never seen you look at anyone the way you look at him.”

“I’m sorry,” Shaun whispered.

“For what?” Fatima said impatiently. “Loving the wrong man? Welcome to the ranks of every woman ever.”

Shaun laughed and swiped at a tear threatening to spill. She reached for the laptop. “Buy the Monet; you’ll like it better. We’ll buy you a Klimpt for the bathroom to offset the lack of expense.”

While her days were spent in the company of her mother, her evenings belonged to Jozef. If he was busy with work, he would have Shaun meet him in the club so he could still spend time with her. He didn’t ask her to translate again, but he often met with contacts while she was there. At first, she wondered why, since he clearly didn’t want her to be part of his job, but she realized he simply wanted her near and this was his compromise.

The men who met with him weren’t allowed to so much as glance at Shaun, let alone talk to her. She would have appreciated the gesture if she wasn’t becoming so bored. Her only contacts, besides the occasional visits from Saskia when she wasn’t busy with school, were Fatima, Karl and Jozef. She occasionally saw Havel, but he didn’t have much to do with Shaun.

It was the ever-increasing boredom that finally made Shaun break down and decide to ask Jozef for more freedom. She’d been trying to keep her restlessness to herself. Jozef was a busy man, his workload having increased drastically when he split from the Koba organization. Not only did he have to work with his men to ensure the flawless delivery of all contracts, but he had to handle the logistics of moving his offices into a new building. The security involved in the building and the people housed within was not a small job.

Shaun was also grateful to Jozef for not only allowing her mother to live in the same place as them, but for allowing the two women to freely visit one another without restrictions. She knew that she was fortunate and she didn’t want to complain.

Jozef was mafia through and through, yet she’d seen him change so many things in his life simply to ease her mind and make her comfortable. Though she didn’t condone kidnapping, or the lives he took, and probably continued to take, she was grateful for the things he was giving her. He could’ve decided to do things his way. Lock her up and throw away the key. Force her compliance.

All of this was in her mind when she approached Jozef after another evening spent in the club. They’d had a good night, even dancing a little once Jozef had finished with his meeting. She’d gotten the opportunity to see his body move to music. He was graceful and fluid, quite beautiful to watch. He’d tossed aside his leather jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, showing off the tattoos on his arms and throat.

Shaun had moved with him, brushing against him, allowing the music to flow through her. As much as she despised the noisy atmosphere of nightclubs, she was starting to like Zmatek. It was a class unto itself with its glittering clientele and rich décor.

Jozef’s men cleared the floor so there was enough space for Shaun and Jozef to dance. The world disappeared as she whirled in his arms, the skirt of her red silk dress flying to wrap around her legs. He pulled her into his embrace, her back against his chest, his arms wrapped around her middle, trapping her arms against her side. They swayed together, Shaun turning her head so Jozef could kiss her waiting lips.

After a satisfying evening they found themselves curled up on the couch, the lights dimmed, the city spread out below them in blanket of colour. Jozef pressed kisses along her jaw and hairline, sending showers of sparks through her veins. They hadn’t had sex again, nor had Jozef given her any more orgasms like he had in the club. He was either respecting her request for no sex until they sorted themselves out, or he was so tired after long days of work that he wasn’t interested.

Judging from his near constant erection when he was around her, she suspected it was the former.

“Jozef, can we talk?” she asked huskily.

He moved back so she could see his hands. She felt the loss of his body next to hers like a visceral tearing