Sin of Silence (Sinner's Empire #1) - Nikita Slater Page 0,95
behind him and locking it. He never left the family’s security up to chance.
Jozef was stunned by Havel’s parting words and not just because they were downright romantic, but because they were spoken by one of the toughest, most staunch bachelors Jozef knew. It was Havel’s position that Shaun should’ve been killed in the basement before ever getting to know any of them. It seemed strange that now Havel was advising Jozef to keep her. Had Havel loved and lost? And when had it happened? Havel had been with the family for decades, since Jozef was a teenager. Jozef didn’t remember any point at which a woman featured in the older man’s life.
Then Havel’s words struck Jozef like a punch to the chest, leaving him stunned, his mouth open and his hands clenched on the arms of his chair. He wanted Shaun more than he’d ever wanted anything.
He loved Shaun.
Chapter Thirty-Four
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 napkin rings?” Dasha held up two rings, which sparkled their shiny best in the lights of the formal dining room.
“Uh…” Shaun had heard of napkin rings, but she’d never seen one. “Silver?”
Dasha shook her head, her dark, perfectly arranged waves bouncing around her shoulders. “No, I think the gold will be more effective. We have a gold underplate with white china place settings, silver cutlery and silver lined teacups. A little more balance is needed.” She nodded sharply to herself. “Yes, the gold.”
She handed the gold ring to a hovering servant, who hurried away with it to presumably find more. Dasha turned on her heel and walked briskly to a wall lined with rows of windows and French balcony doors. The formal dining room and ballroom faced the gardens, with doors opening out onto the terrace, leading into the plush green paradise.
“I’m not convinced this drapery will do. It is perhaps too heavy for the season.” She fingered the heavy rich brown fabric with silver strands throughout. “I think something lighter, maybe saffron velvet with a sheer gold overlay. We’ll save white for the wedding day. What do you think?”
She turned to look expectantly at Shaun.
Shaun marvelled over how impossibly perfect the older woman looked while orchestrating an engagement party likely to become the event of the season. She wore a pencil skirt suit, with pink frills at the throat and sleeves. Instead of looking overly feminine, the delicate fabric somehow complemented the severity of the suit. Dasha’s dark hair was shot through with honey-coloured highlights and styled to perfection. Shaun wondered if the woman had a professional stylist on her payroll.
The amount of money flowing through the Koba empire was staggering. Being surrounded by that kind of unimaginable wealth was definitely a learning curve for Shaun, who still lived out of boxes three years after moving into a cute and modern condo townhouse situated between the hospital and her family home.
“Shaun, are you with me, dear?” Dasha said impatiently, snapping her manicured fingers.
Shaun blinked and looked up, trying to force her lips into a smile. “Sorry, I was daydreaming about Montréal.”
Dasha’s face reflected sympathy and she rejoined Shaun, leaving the problem of the drapery for a few minutes. She put her arm around Shaun and gave her a squeeze. It was an awkward perfume-filled half-hug, but Shaun was grateful for the sentiment.
“It’s only natural that you should be thinking about your homeland at such a time. You’re far from home during this very significant event in your life. Your friends and family aren’t here to support you and