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Chapter 31
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2022-10-19 14:19:34Related chapters
Sinner's Empire Series: Sin of Silence, A Silent Reckoning, Goodnight Sinners Chapter 32
The drive back to the mansion was done in tense silence. Jozef stared broodingly out the window, his scarred visage flashing in the dim streetlights that they passed. Shaun didn't know what to do with herself, so she sat as quietly as humanly possible, not wanting to draw attention. She didn't know how to feel. Part of her was upset that she'd ruined their perfect night, even though she couldn't possibly accept Jozef's proposal. The other part of her was angry at Jozef for pulling such a stunt. He had to have known what her answer would be. Didn't he? Maybe he didn't. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, watching his frozen expression. He sat completely motionless as though lost in thought. Maybe he really did think Shaun would want to marry him. What in his experience had taught him otherwise? He was born and raised in a violent lifestyle with a cutthroat family. The violence and trauma of her abduction, when seen through his eyes, probably wasn't as big a d
Last Updated : 2022-10-19Sinner's Empire Series: Sin of Silence, A Silent Reckoning, Goodnight Sinners Chapter 33
Their truce lasted less than a day. Shaun had spent a good part of their evening together telling Jozef all about her upbringing and her love for her family. He'd nodded in all the right places, his face softening as he listened to her. He even pulled her in for a hug when she told him of the devastating loss of her father. During their conversation, Jozef looked much less like a gangster and more like a man she would actually date. So it came as a shock to her when he refused to listen to reason when she requested a phone call to her mother. He stood firm, his face a granite carving as she'd pleaded with him. He was unmoving though. "But if she knows I'm alive, she's much more likely to stop looking for me. I can't know for sure, but if I know my mom, she's pulling in every connection she and my dad had to try and find me. If even a single person in that hospital recognized you, she'll be able to find me. Plus, you aren't exactly low profile, going to clubs and flaunti
Last Updated : 2022-10-19Sinner's Empire Series: Sin of Silence, A Silent Reckoning, Goodnight Sinners Chapter 34
The moment Shaun walked out of their suite, Jozef sent his fist flying into the nearest wall. Luckily it wasn't one of the stone walls. A thought that didn't occur to him as his hand sank through the plaster, sending dust flying in the air. He growled and yanked his fist out. He'd never been so emotional that he couldn't hang on to his temper. His uncle had raised him to make calm, cool and logical decisions so he could always do what was best for the family. Emotion was a liability and therefore stamped out of him at a young age. So why couldn't he control himself around one particular woman? Women were for fucking, not fucking with his head. Shaun made him feel out of control. Yet he couldn't consider a life where she was dead, especially by his own hand. He had no choice but to keep trying with her. He was starting to realize his lack of control with her wasn't his only dilemma. Her inability to settle down and accept her new position was problematic. Jozef h
Last Updated : 2022-10-19Sinner's Empire Series: Sin of Silence, A Silent Reckoning, Goodnight Sinners Chapter 35
Shaun spent most of the afternoon avoiding Jozef, which wasn't a difficult feat considering the size of the Koba mansion and the level of activity going on inside. The engagement party was in two days. Flowers were being brought in and placed in a special refrigerator to keep them fresh. The extra staff Dasha hired for the event were arriving in droves to join the fray. Shaun was amazed at their ability to immediately pick up their tasks and carry on like they'd been there for years. They looked as though they belonged far more than Shaun did. Shaun trailed after Dasha for a while, who generously tossed a few party planning tidbits Shaun's way. Dasha already had her mind made up about everything so Shaun's opinion was often overridden or ignored entirely. It wasn't out of maliciousness. Dasha knew what she was doing, and she was in her glory doing it. She was like a military general with armies of servants and boatloads of money at her disposal. "Silver or gold for napk
Last Updated : 2022-10-19Sinner's Empire Series: Sin of Silence, A Silent Reckoning, Goodnight Sinners Chapter 36
"Mom?" There was a long tension-filled pause. "Shaun! Oh my god, is that you?" "It's me, Mom." Tears rushed to Shaun's eyes as the sound of her mother's voice reached out to her. It was like she'd been swimming in a dark void these past weeks, never knowing which way to turn, terrified for her survival, and hearing her mother was like a lifeline. "Oh, my baby, oh my god!" Fatima's words came out in a panicked rush. "Where are you? Are you hurt? What happened?" "Mom, calm down, I'm okay." Shaun could hear fumbling in the background and something dropping. "Hang on, I'm calling the consulate." "No!" Shaun exclaimed, pacing inside the closet. "You can't do that." "What the hell do you mean I can't call? You were kidnapped from a hospital, for god sakes. Someone was killed! Of course, I'm going to call the authorities. Tell me where you are." Shaun smiled grimly. This was Fatima Patterson, a force to be reckoned with. When her daught
Last Updated : 2022-10-19Sinner's Empire Series: Sin of Silence, A Silent Reckoning, Goodnight Sinners Chapter 37
Jozef was in their suite when Shaun quietly opened the door and let herself inside. At first, he didn't see her. He was sitting on the sofa, the TV blaring a music video. The lyrics for Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" filling the apartment as Jozef tapped on his phone, texting someone. Shaun was surprised he enjoyed retro music. Based on the club, she would've pegged him as more of a DJ kind of guy. Shaun wasn't ready for a confrontation with her intense captor, so she quietly closed the door and moved noiselessly toward the bedroom. It was a mistake. Something must've alerted Jozef to her presence because he was on his feet instantly with his gun in hand pointing it at her. Shaun made a terrified squeak and jumped away, bringing her arms up to protect herself, as if they could stop bullets. Once Jozef recognized her he put his gun back in the holster strapped to his chest. I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were here, he signed, remorse bright in his eyes. I prom
Last Updated : 2022-10-19Sinner's Empire Series: Sin of Silence, A Silent Reckoning, Goodnight Sinners Chapter 38
Shaun reached out tentatively and touched the scar on his throat. "When did it happen?" He hesitated, as if deciding how to answer. She suspected this was a topic he didn't enjoy talking about, which was why she hadn't brought it up before. Now that he seemed more willing to share with her, she wanted to know about him. About the kinds of things that had shaped the man he was now. Finally, he told her, I was stabbed in the throat when I was seven. I don't remember anything except waking up in the hospital with my aunt and uncle by my side. They told me my parents were both dead. Shaun frowned and scooted closer to him on the couch, leaning in to examine the scar. This close she wasn't able to sign, so she whispered, "Whoever stabbed you would have damaged your trachea, causing vocal cord paralysis. This is why you can't speak, isn't it?" Shaun had suspected, but she hadn't put a lot of thought into why Jozef communicated nonverbally. His lack of speech cou
Last Updated : 2022-10-19Sinner's Empire Series: Sin of Silence, A Silent Reckoning, Goodnight Sinners Chapter 39
Jozef wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of the evening holding Shaun in his arms while she slept, but he had a meeting to attend. Krystoff wanted to talk to him about some information Jozef's team had dug up. They'd finally managed to discover the whereabouts of Vasiliy Stanovich, the mastermind behind Krystoff's kidnapping. Unfortunately for them, Vasiliy was holed up in the neighboring country of Poland. Jozef suspected his uncle was going to send him on an out-of-country job, not something Jozef wanted to do while he was still unsure of where he stood with his fiance. Would she try to leave him the moment he was out of the country? Would her heart grow cooler with distance? He didn't want to risk their budding relationship on a job, but his uncle's word was law, and if Krystoff ordered Jozef and his team to go on a job, they didn't have a choice but to go. It was the way they had always done things. Krystoff was head of the organization, Jozef was his loyal d
Last Updated : 2022-10-19
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Sinner's Empire Series: Sin of Silence, A Silent Reckoning, Goodnight Sinners Chapter 149
Jozef sat in the window of his hut, looking out at the incredible cerulean blue of the ocean beyond. When Shaun had found out that Jozef had never spent time near the ocean, except briefly when he was on mission, she'd insisted they choose an oceanside setting for their honeymoon. It had been four months since Jozef had murdered his aunt, and he still thought about that moment. Her confessions, her reaction to his being there. He felt intense anger when he thought of her killing his parents and her attacks on Shaun, but time had given him a better perspective. She'd grown up in the mafia. She'd been highly intelligent and motivated. Like Jozef, like his uncle, like the best in the business. Perhaps if she'd been born a man, given her own organization to play god with, she might have channeled her abilities into better use. Her death made him think long and hard about himself. He wasn't much different. He killed too. She used death and destruction to manipulate w
Sinner's Empire Series: Sin of Silence, A Silent Reckoning, Goodnight Sinners Chapter 148
Saskia loved everything about school. She loved the books, she loved her laptop, she loved taking notes, she even loved exams. When Jozef deemed it safe enough for her to return to the University, she'd immediately registered for her winter classes. It took some cajoling to get into a few of them, given her late attendance, but she managed a full course load. Saskia loved university and opted to spend more time on campus than off. She ate in the cafeteria, she studied all over the place, wherever she could find a sunny nook. She spent time in the library almost every day, soaking in the atmosphere. It was the university that made her return to Prague bearable. The shining goal of finishing her linguistics degree. As a child she had grown up with tutors, only attending classes with other students in her two years of boarding school. That had been different from the university. The students were similar age and background, and class sizes were limited to a handful
Sinner's Empire Series: Sin of Silence, A Silent Reckoning, Goodnight Sinners Chapter 147
Dasha woke with a start, the clicking of heels on the tiles of the hospital floor reminding her of muffled gunshots. She took several deep breaths, trying to calm her pounding heart. Slowly, painfully, she sat up, reaching for the water on her nightstand. The process was made awkward by her other hand being cuffed to the bed. She'd been transferred the day before. She'd waited as long as she could manage before finally giving away her condition. She'd been in so much pain, the poison twisting her guts; the fever raging through her that she'd raved with hallucinations. Screamed obscenities at the prison staff as they strapped her to a gurney and moved her. She took long sips of water, pulling it through the paper straw. It felt like heaven against a throat raw from days of vomiting. Her hand shook as she set the water down. Collapsing against the pillows, she forced herself to stay awake, to keep alert. She was here for a reason. Someone had poisoned her. Not some
Sinner's Empire Series: Sin of Silence, A Silent Reckoning, Goodnight Sinners Chapter 146
Your mother is here, Jozef signed, crouching next to the bed. Shaun looked at him, tears bright in her eyes. She hadn't stopped crying in almost two days. She tried to tell herself to snap out of it, to stop feeling sorry for herself. But she couldn't. Of everything that had happened to her in the past few years, this felt the worst. It was the final straw. She couldn't take anymore. "I don't want to see her." Jozef frowned, thunderclouds growing in his eyes. You turned her away yesterday, which we allowed since you need time to heal, but you will not turn her away today. You need your mother, and you will see her. He was the epitome of patience when it came to Shaun and her feelings, but he wasn't going to allow Shaun to push her mother away. She could already see it on his face. He thought she needed her mother, and he wouldn't take no for an answer. She pushed herself up on the bed, feeling dizzy and nauseous. She hadn't left the bed si
Sinner's Empire Series: Sin of Silence, A Silent Reckoning, Goodnight Sinners Chapter 145
"Krystoff..." He moved closer to the bed. Dasha squinted against the harsh glaring light, but he still looked like nothing more than a shadow, frustratingly insubstantial. She knew it was him, though. She knew his shape, his scent, his touch... She'd poisoned him. More than once. She hadn't regretted it at the time, but she regretted it now. She worshipped him. She shouldn't have manipulated his love. Soon she would be with him again, and she would have to explain her actions and hope he could forgive her. Dasha had poisoned her first victim when she was five years old. Miss Anya. She'd hated her nursemaid. The woman was sour, dour, and no fun at all. She insisted Dasha wear dresses and always have her hair brushed. She was never allowed out if the weather was bad, and she was always made to complete her studies. If she didn't learn her letters, then she would get a sharp smack across the knuckles. Dasha had overheard her mot
Sinner's Empire Series: Sin of Silence, A Silent Reckoning, Goodnight Sinners Chapter 144
Jozef didn't know what to do. It was a strange sensation for him. He always knew what to do, but this time he was out of his element. He crouched next to Shaun's chair, holding her hands in his as she sobbed. He hated every tear that crawled down her face. He was usually the one to cause her tears, but this time, it wasn't him. It was the doctor who'd disappeared discreetly from the room. They were in the fertility clinic where Shaun had gotten her referral. They'd been called to the clinic for the results of their first round of testing. Her tears dripped onto his hands where they were clasping hers. He bowed his own head, blinking back his own tears. Her heart was breaking, and he couldn't do anything about it. He couldn't kill the thing without hurting the woman he loved more than anyone or anything in the world. He couldn't kill PCOS. Polycystic ovary syndrome. Shaun was infertile and the diagnosis was destroying her. He would have to take go
Sinner's Empire Series: Sin of Silence, A Silent Reckoning, Goodnight Sinners Chapter 143
Nikolay had a bad feeling. He'd had it for months, but when no one accused him of betraying Jozef, he'd shoved the feeling aside. They didn't know. He was safe. Then why did he feel like the sword of Damocles was hanging over his head, awaiting the right moment to drop? "Saskia." He'd been standing in the shadows outside her suite, waiting for her to appear. She was coming down the hall toward him, her blue headphones wrapped around her neck, her wild brown hair a messy halo around her head. She wore tight ripped jeans, a black hoodie and running shoes. It hit him that she was really quite beautiful in her own way. He'd never found her particularly attractive when they'd dated. She was too wild and headstrong, and he preferred his women compliant. Submissive. Not words one could use in association with Saskia Koba. Yet, in this moment, with the light of the sun behind her, she looked ethereal. He felt a moment of loss, but quickly shook it away. His
Sinner's Empire Series: Sin of Silence, A Silent Reckoning, Goodnight Sinners Chapter 142
Fatima giggled at Shaun's description of a drunk Jozef. "He must've been a bear the next morning," Fatima mused. "It seems so out of character for him to overindulge." Shaun laughed and sipped the rich burgundy liquid from her wine glass. "He was certainly growling like a bear. It took a lot of convincing before he would let me take care of him, but I finally got some painkillers and toast into him and he turned back into a human. Later, he told me he rarely drank that much and didn't plan on ever doing it again." "Famous last words." "Yes," Shaun agreed. "Though Jozef is usually pretty responsible. I think it was the excitement of meeting with the other Vor for the first time. I wonder if the other wives discovered drunk husbands in their rooms that night?" Shaun was filling her mother in on the details of her trip to Russia with Jozef. The five days spent at the palace were indeed the vacation Jozef had suggested they would be. Except for evening m
Sinner's Empire Series: Sin of Silence, A Silent Reckoning, Goodnight Sinners Chapter 141
Shaun sucked in a breath as images from that day slammed through her. She had worked with her counsellor on mitigating their impact, but when the head of the Vor told her she was meant to be dead, it was like a fresh wound being ripped open again. "So I've been told," she murmured, bringing her teacup to her lips with a shaking hand. "You survived." He didn't sound either approving or disapproving, and Shaun wondered where the direction of the conversation was going. "You were poisoned, and you survived. You were attacked, stabbed, and you survived. Your husband was attacked, many within the building fell, yet you still survived." A chill ran through Shaun and she felt nauseous. She desperately wished she'd told Jozef where she was going. Was Ivan angry over the deaths that seemed to follow Shaun? Did he blame her for what happened to Krystoff? She didn't know what to say to Ivan, but he'd paused, seeming to expect some kind of response. "Yes, I survived."
