Sin of Silence (Sinner's Empire #1) - Nikita Slater Page 0,87

have expected a yes when he proposed.

He had no real understanding of Shaun, of her actions or reactions. She was too far out of his realm of experience. They were from two different worlds.

She was so deep in thought that she didn’t notice them turn into the long winding driveaway of the Koba estate until the vehicle came to a halt. She looked up, blinking in the gloom and glanced at Jozef who was already halfway out his door.

Shaun unbuckled her seatbelt and reached to open her door, but it was jerked from her hands. Jozef grabbed her arm and pulled her from the SUV, not waiting to see if she was clear before dragging her toward the house. His tight grip and the set of his shoulders told her he was angry.

“Jozef, stop it!” she gasped as she tripped on the pavement and nearly fell.

He paused only long enough to allow her to regain her footing before he pulled her into the house. Shaun blinked at the bright chandelier-lit interior of the foyer.

“Hey,” Saskia greeted them as they passed her in the hallway on their way to Jozef’s suite. She held a melting ice cream cone in her hand and her lips were smeared with chocolate. “How was your date night?”

Jozef ignored his cousin.

“Is everything okay?” Saskia asked, turning on the spot and watching with concern.

Shaun glanced over her shoulder but didn’t have time to answer.

Saskia’s concerned gaze followed the pair as they disappeared around a corner and entered Jozef’s wing of the house.

He pulled keys from his pocket and unlocked the door, shoving Shaun inside before following her. He closed the door with a bang and reached out to grab her, wrapping his fingers around her upper arm and swinging her around until she was shoved up against the hard wood.

They stared at each other for long seconds, then Jozef dipped his head, slanting his mouth over Shaun’s.

She pushed at his chest, but he was impossible to move.

He gripped her jaw, forcing her mouth open. The second his tongue was inside her mouth she slammed her teeth together. Jozef pulled back just in time.

“No, you do not get to kiss me without permission!” Shaun angrily wiped her mouth with her sleeve and glared at him.

He looked startled for a moment, as though only now realizing she hadn’t actually been participating in the kiss. Then his eyes narrowed, his expression hardening. He reached for her again, but Shaun slid sideways away from the door and backed away from him. He stalked her through the outer room until her back was up against the bedroom door. He stopped a few feet away and she breathed a sigh of relief. Then she realized he was only giving her space so he could communicate.

You don’t get to say no to me. I am law and order here. I take what I want.

“It this what you want?” she answered back, glaring at him. “You want an unwilling bride?”

Instead of answering the question he gripped her by the head and shoved her back against the door. Though he was taller than her at 6’3” she was tall enough that they were able to look each other in the eyes. He continued to hold her head, his fingers spanning her skull, but didn’t make any further moves. Shaun took the opportunity to attempt to reason with him.

“Is this the life you want? To get told who you have to marry based on one violent incident? This life of yours is dangerous. It’s brutal and it’ll eat away at you. What’s the life expectancy of a mobster? If I had to guess, you guys probably don’t die of natural causes.”

When he continued to silently stare at her, she pressed on, “You can’t possibly want to be forced to marry a woman you barely know. There’s still time to call this whole thing off.”

The words had barely left her mouth and he was kissing her again, his lips moving over hers, trying to coax a response. She shoved at him again, turning her face to the side.

“I said no.”

Jozef slammed his hand into the door over her head, shaking the thick wood with the force of his strike, then he dropped it to turn the knob, pushing her into the bedroom.

“Jozef, stop it!” she shouted as he reached for her new leather jacket, yanking it down her arms, trapping them at her side.

He shoved her backwards and she fell across the bed, unable to catch herself with