A Silent Reckoning: Sinner's Empire by Nikita Slater (ereader iphone .txt) 📗

Jozef growled his annoyance and accelerated the car. If they wanted to talk to him, they could do it at the nightclub. The vehicle accelerated too, shooting past Jozef and cutting in front of him. Another vehicle came up alongside him, blocking him in.

Another text message came through. “What do you want us to do, boss?”

Jozef growled his annoyance and reached out to type the reply.

“Do you want help?” Shaun asked anxiously, her wide eyes on the vehicles surrounding them.

He wanted to reassure her with words, but he couldn’t, so he finished his message and then reached for her. He cupped her cheek and gave her a reassuring smile. She didn’t smile back, but the frown of terror creasing her beautiful face faded into worry. She could handle worry, but he didn’t want her thinking their lives were at risk.

The car in front of them began to decrease in speed. Jozef knew the drill. The two vehicles, with likely a third behind Jozef’s bodyguards, would force them off the road so they could conduct a meeting with Jozef on their terms. Of course, he wasn’t going to play their game. Not with Shaun in the car; not for any reason.

Driving one-handed he typed out a quick reply to Havel, then sent a message to Karl, who was manning the nightclub.

Jozef gripped Shaun’s seatbelt and tightened it until she was gasping. He gave her a significant look, but her wide eyes were blank. She had no idea what he was about to do and he had no way of warning her. He didn’t have time, he needed to act quickly.

First, he tapped his breaks twice, telling Havel he was ready. Seconds later Havel slammed on the breaks to his SUV and swerved his car to block their rear tail. Jozef braked so hard, the tires squealed and both the car to the side of them and the one up front shot past. Before the pursuing cars had time to react, Jozef cranked the wheel and hit the gas.

As his car accelerated from 50 km/h to 250 within seconds, the Bugatti earned every penny of its hefty price tag. Shaun let out a yelp, slapping her hand over her mouth as she was thrown back in her seat. Jozef tried to take the fact that they were being followed seriously, but he couldn’t help himself; a grin split his lips. There was nothing quite like watching the world fly past as a piece of beautiful and expensive machinery shot them forward into the night.

“Oh god, we’re going to die!” Shaun shrieked, gripping her seat until her knuckles were pale.

Jozef laughed and shook his head, reaching out to take her hand.

“Keep your hands on the wheel!” She slapped his hand away and Jozef laughed harder.

Shaun looked at him like he was crazy then started laughing too. She lifted shaking hands to her face, wiping her fingers beneath her eyes to stop her mascara from running. He didn’t think she was crying out of fear, but from the sudden adrenaline rush.

She twisted in her seat to stare out the back window. “I don’t see anyone back there; you can slow down now.”

Jozef ignored her. Once the pursuit vehicles realized what happened, they would speed up and either try to catch Jozef or beat him to the club. He had to concentrate on driving as fast as he could, as safely as he could.

If Shaun hadn’t been in the car it would’ve been no contest, but Jozef refused to take any risks with her. He was forced to slow down for corners and check traffic, so they didn’t slam into anyone. They arrived at the club at the same time as the government vehicles, while Havel pulled up directly behind them.

Jozef flung his door open and strode swiftly to the passenger door, jerking it from Shaun’s hands as she was getting out. He took her arm and pulled her to her feet. She stumbled on her high heels as he dragged her back to the curb where Karl, Halil and Cooper were already waiting.

Karl reached for Shaun while Jozef pulled his gun out of the holster beneath his leather jacket.

Shaun gasped as she caught sight of the weapon, but Jozef didn’t have time to explain that there would be no danger from government agents while standing on the corner of a busy downtown Prague street. He was merely posturing, showing them his anger at being pursued. He dropped a kiss onto her open lips then nodded at Karl who pulled her swiftly into the building, club security at his back, their sharp eyes scanning for any threats to Shaun.

Havel, Terek and Halil stood at Jozef’s back as he stalked toward a man dressed in a black business suit, white shirt and standard issue tie. He had an earpiece, which Jozef would guess linked directly to the Prime Minister’s office. From everything he’d learned in prison, the President was incorruptible while the Prime Minister preferred to keep his fingers in all aspects of Czechian society. At the man’s back stood two more government henchmen.

What do you want? Jozef signed furiously.

Havel stood at his side, interpreting.

“Why didn’t you stop on the highway, as you were asked?” the man in the suit countered.

Jozef sneered his disdain. You didn’t ask me anything. If you wish to play games with me, then you’ll end up in the ground. Now, tell me what is so important that you put my fiancé’s life at risk?

The man’s eyes dropped to the weapon in Jozef’s hand, as though he was only now realizing he needed to tread carefully. He lifted his hands in a peaceful gesture. “My apologies, we didn’t know you had a woman in the car. You were never in danger; we just want to talk.”

Jozef’s fury grew hotter. If there was one thing he wouldn’t tolerate it was someone being careless with Shaun’s life. One year ago, he accepted a lifetime of imprisonment to save her life. He