Sin of Silence (Sinner's Empire #1) - Nikita Slater Page 0,99

“I know, Mom, I was there. But things are complicated. If you call in the authorities, things could get even messier.”

“Shaun, tell me where you are right now.” Fatima tried to use her authoritarian mom tone, but the strain and worry in her voice were impossible to hide.

“I can’t do that.” Shaun sank to the floor of the closet and slumped against a chest of drawers.

“Why?” Fatima demanded.

Shaun could hear the creak of bedsprings as Fatima sat down.

“The people who took me… they’re into some dangerous stuff.”

“No shit,” Fatima growled. “They killed that young man at the hospital and kidnapped you. God… I thought we were going to find your body somewhere.”

Shaun had a flashback to the shadowed woods where Jozef took her to end her life. Fatima had no idea how close Shaun had come to fulfilling Fatima’s nightmare.

Fatima burst into tears which caused Shaun’s own tears to spill over. She cried freely as she listened to her mother’s sobs and tried to reassure her over and over. “They didn’t hurt me. They kidnapped me so I could treat a man who was injured. I saw too much though and they couldn’t let me go.”

“You have to get out of there,” Fatima insisted. “I’m calling the consulate.”

“Don’t!” Shaun said impatiently. “I’ll hang up and I really don’t want to. I want to stay on the phone with you for as long as I can.”

“But why?” her mom said just as impatiently. “What’s going on? Are they holding you hostage? Do they want anything? We’ll pay it. Anything, I’ll find a way to get it. Your father had a lot of friends in high places. I’m sure we could scrape together as much as we need.”

Shaun sighed and pulled her legs up, placing her head wearily on her knees.

“No, they don’t want ransom.”

“Then what? They have to want something, or why are they keeping you there?”

Shaun thought about telling her mom about the engagement but decided to keep it to herself. As much as she wanted to talk to her mother about everything, she didn’t want Fatima worrying more than she already was. Finding out her daughter was about to be forcibly wedded to one of the most terrifying men in Europe might put Fatima over the edge.

“I don’t know, mom. I guess they have to keep me since I saw their faces and know who they are.”

“And you can’t tell me?” Fatima asked again, desperation in her voice.

“I’m sorry,” Shaun whispered.

There were a few seconds of silence and then Fatima said, her voice calmer, “No, I’m sorry, baby. I shouldn’t be trying to force information from you that you clearly can’t give. I’m just so grateful to hear your voice. It’s been hell. I haven’t slept in weeks.”

Shaun nodded, though her mother couldn’t see it. “Me neither.”

“Are they treating you okay?” Fatima asked helplessly.

“Yes, please don’t worry about that. I’ve been assured that I won’t be harmed as long as I stay with them. In fact, I’m being treated more than fairly. They took me shopping to replace my clothes. I’m getting all my meals and then some. More than anything, I’m suffering from boredom. I’d kill for a surgery.”

Again, Fatima paused as she digested what her daughter was telling her. “You’re not… are you… getting attached to these people?”

“I don’t have Stockholm, if that’s what you’re thinking.” Shaun crossed her fingers in case she did actually have Stockholm Syndrome and was lying to her mother. “I’m just trying to make the best of a bad situation.”

“Okay, but I don’t want you to ever forget that they killed somebody. No matter how kind they are to you now, they’re killers, Shaun. I feel like…” Fatima choked on her words and paused to take a few deep breathes and gather herself. “I feel like I just got you back after thinking you might be dead. I can’t handle knowing you’re alive and well somewhere, only to find out they killed you anyway. I know you can’t tell me much, but I promise you, Shaun, I will do everything I can to find out where you are. I swear to god, if they’ve harmed a single hair on your head, I will kill every last one of them with my bare hands.”

Shaun choked back her tears as best she could as mama bear Fatima showed her claws. “Thank you,” she whispered.

They remained silent for another minute as they tried to calm down enough to talk. It hit Shaun for the first