Sin of Silence (Sinner's Empire #1) - Nikita Slater Page 0,92

toward one shining goal, a new path feels like misery.”

“Misery is better than death.”

Shaun sighed her annoyance. Krystoff sounded just like his nephew. They were all telling her to settle down, to forget her old life, but how did she forget the career she’d spent their entire life driving toward and the loving family that had supported her every step of the way?

“I don’t think so,” Shaun disagreed. When Krystoff looked up sharply, she was quick to add. “Don’t worry, I don’t have a death wish. I’m just getting sick of being told by this family that my life is being decided for me and it would be best to just settle down and forget my past life. You wouldn’t be saying any of this if I was a man.”

Her words were bold, and she briefly wanted to recall them. What was she doing mouthing off to a guy who called entire countries allies? The man who made massive life-altering decisions as though he was choosing a tie. He could easily decide she was too much of a pain in the ass to keep around and order her killed and buried under one of his rose bushes.

Instead, he chuckled and said just as bluntly, “If you were a man, you would be dead.”

His words sent a chill through Shaun. He was right. The ease in which Jozef put a bullet in Danilo’s head told her that the Kobas had no problem killing innocent men. She was very lucky that she was not only a woman, but a woman Jozef found attractive. It was likely the only thing that had saved her life.

Krystoff reached for her hand and squeezed. “You are part of the family now; you have nothing to worry about from us.” He turned on the bench to study her, his sharp blue eyes seeing far more than Shaun was comfortable with. “You helped my grandson when he broke his arm. This is not something I will forget.”

Shaun felt the significance of the moment. The Godfather of Prague was basically telling her he owed her one. Since she didn’t think she could ask him to forget the whole marriage plan and send her home, she wasn’t sure what his protection would mean for her.

“I didn’t do anything but diagnose an easy break. How is he doing? I haven’t spoken to Leeza since yesterday.”

“He was just out here skipping around the stone path. He’s fine,” Krystoff assured her. “He took a rougher tumble than usual, and it scared him. He’ll be back to normal once the cast is off.”

Shaun was relieved that the injury was as minor as she’d thought. She imagined there would be hell to pay if any member of the Koba family came to harm. She wondered if their fierce loyalty would one day extend to her. Maybe it already did.

Krystoff squeezed her hand again and stood. He looked down at her, his eyes squinting against the sunlight. “One day you will find your normal again. It might seem difficult now, but you are resilient.”

He reached behind the bench and, using the gardening shears he pulled from his baggy pocket, cut a red rose. He held it to his nose for a few seconds, enjoying the simple pleasure of a fragrant flower. Then he handed it to Shaun and walked away.

Chapter Thirty-Three

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 had been naive in his belief that bringing her home and forcing her to accept her place at