A Silent Reckoning
Sinner’s Empire Book 2
Nikita Slater
Copyright © 2021 Nikita Slater Writing Services Ltd.
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author except in the case of brief quotation embodied in critical articles and reviews.
To my best friend and beta reader, Jennifer. Your infectious excitement for my books gives me life.
Contents
Author’s Note
Koba Family Tree
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Coming Soon…
Bonus: The Assassin’s Wife
Bonus: Born a Queen
Also by Nikita Slater
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About the Author
Author’s Note
Dear readers,
Thank you for purchasing A Silent Reckoning. This is the second book in the Sinner’s Empire trilogy, following Sin of Silence. If you haven’t read Sin of Silence, you will want to go back and start with the first book before continuing with A Silent Reckoning. Each book must be read in order for the full reading experience.
A Silent Reckoning takes place one year after the events of Sin of Silence. This book will continue the pattern of the first book, with all sign language conversation taking place in italics. This book is a work of fiction and while some aspects will seem realistic, this book was written from the author’s imagination. I am not an expert in sign language, medicine, mercenary work, mafia, geography, or any other subject written into the book. I do research the subjects and themes within my books and try to write as realistically as possible, but this book should not be taken as an accurate representation on any of the above subjects. Having said that, it is important to me, as an author, to shed light on experiences that are not necessarily mainstream in romance writing. I hope that you enjoy my diverse characters and the situations I thrust them into.
Please note, some of the scenes in this book contains elements of PTSD and panic attacks, which can be distressing for some readers. Please read with caution. I hope you enjoy A Silent Reckoning, the second book in my Sinner’s Empire Series.
Thank you,
Nikita Slater
Koba Family Tree
Prologue
The People’s Republic of Luhansk - The first time Jozef saw Shaun
Jozef watched his target leave the bookstore and walk north on Pavlivska Street. He followed the man as he headed toward the Optovyy Rynok market. It was mid-afternoon on a Wednesday. The streets weren’t deserted but they weren’t filled with people either. Jozef and his team could easily grab Gustav now, as he cut through a side street on his way to pick up groceries, but that wasn’t the plan.
Jozef refused to do a job without the proper surveillance and equipment. It was something he and his team had become well known for throughout the mafia underworld. They were unparalleled when it came to completing operations to their client’s satisfaction. Though this particular mission was personal, Jozef wouldn’t fuck it up by snatching his target too early. He was in Luhansk for surveillance only.
As he walked, he started to give Gustav more space, not wanting to spook the man. In the five days since Jozef’s uncle, Krystoff Koba, had been kidnapped, Jozef had come up with only one lead. Gustav. The man responsible for mailing a finger to Dasha Koba, Jozef’s aunt. The desire to cut the man’s throat, to avenge this insult to Jozef’s family was strong. His time would come. The courier was living on borrowed time.
“Excuse me.”
Jozef’s gaze snapped from Gustav’s back to a woman who’d stepped out of a small store and into Jozef’s path. He was about to grunt a response and move on, when his gaze landed on her face. He froze, stunned by the exotic beauty of the stranger as she passed him without lifting her eyes. She was looking down at the phone in her hand.
Jozef turned to watch her walk away, his gaze taking in the gentle swell of her hips, the confidence in her walk and her unusual complexion. There were so few black women in that part of Ukraine that he had to blink a few times to be sure he was seeing her right. She stopped on the sidewalk next to a child and crouched down, smiling and holding out her hand. The boy hesitated and then took her proffered hand, giving it a shake.
She said something to him, but he shook his head and pointed at his ears. She shifted so Jozef could see her face again. He was so drawn to her that he found himself taking a few steps toward the pair before forcing himself to stop. He watched her smile fade into a frown of concern as she carefully set her bag on the pavement and sat next to the boy on the curb.
Jozef didn’t want to look away, he wanted to see every expression her mobile face made, every tiny movement of her graceful hands, but he wasn’t here for her. He was here for Gustav. Jozef glanced over his shoulder and saw Gustav heading toward a corner. Jozef would have to jog to catch up.
Yet, he couldn’t seem to tear himself away from the woman. Finally, he let Gustav go, shaking his head in frustration. What was wrong with him? He was a duty first kind of guy. Women were interesting for sex only, but not
