Page 47 of Sin of Silence

“I think we’ll go with the choices of prime rib or salmon for the reception dinner with a vegetarian alternative. We’ll add roasted garlic rosemary potatoes, fresh greens and fresh-baked sweet buns. That should do for the Westerners, and we’ll servevepro-knedlo-zelo, roast pork with dumplings and sauerkraut for the locals. Oh, I forgot to ask, do you have any dietary restrictions?”

Shaun blinked at Dasha as her brain kicked in to repeat the question. “No, nothing. I don’t eat a lot of red meat and I try to limit sugar and alcohol, of course.”

“Of course.” Dasha squeezed her knee. “You’re a doctor; you would know best how to protect your body.”

Shaun started to snort and cut it off so as not to offend Dasha. She clearly did not know how to take care of her body, as it had been through the wringer the past several days. She’d been kidnapped, pushed around, attacked with guns, accosted in a women’s washroom, and forced to sleep in a cold dank prison cell. She wasn’t doing awesome at taking care of herself, but most of that wasn’t her fault.

“I vote for the prime rib.” Saskia wandered into the room, though she’d clearly been standing near the doorway for longer. “With mashed potatoes, gravy, biscuits and green beans smothered in fresh butter. Our English and American attendees will love it.”

Shaun decided to cast her vote for Saskia’s menu. It sounded amazing. “People will come that far for a last-minute engagement party?”

“Of course they will, we’re extremely rich, dear.”

Shaun had to smother a laugh. This was the second time Dasha had reminded her of the Koba wealth as though it should be perfectly obvious the family would get whatever they wanted.

Dasha turned the full force of her frown on her youngest daughter. “You shouldn’t eavesdrop; it’s not ladylike.”

Saskia dropped into the ornate chair sitting opposite the couch and reached for a cucumber sandwich, stuffing it into her mouth before pulling her legs up underneath her and getting comfy. “The menu for Jozef and Shaun’s engagement party is hardly top-secret business.”

Dasha glared at her daughter as she cleared the samples off the table. “I can hear your sarcasm, daughter, and I don’t like it. You need to do something with your life rather than wander the house looking for mischief.”

Saskia straightened in her chair and glared fiercely at her mother. “University isn’t a waste of time!”

“This family is where you should focus.” Dasha stood regally. It looked like magic to Shaun, the way she simply stood up from the rather low couch in her four-inch stilettos, the epitome of grace. “You spend far too much time with your head in the clouds and not enough on building the family business.”

“You want me to help run drugs and weapons?” Saskia snapped, fire in her eyes. “Sure, mother, just tell me when and where. I’ll be sure to bring my most bedazzled Uzi for protection.”

As mother and daughter bickered, Shaun was given the impression that this was not a new argument. Saskia clearly wanted something she wasn’t getting in the mansion and Shaun suspected it was an education.

“This free ride won’t last forever. You must watch your tongue and act like part of the family if you wish to continue the benefits of such luxury living,” Dasha lectured.

Saskia jumped up from her chair, her short compact body rising with a burst of energy. “I don’t want it to last forever! You’re the ones who keep me here like some kind of prisoner.”

As soon as the word ‘prisoner’ flew out of her mouth, Saskia gasped and smacked her palm over her lips, her gaze going to Shaun.

Dasha took advantage of the momentary silence by saying coolly, “I’ll see you both at dinner. Saskia, I expect you to keep a civil tongue in your head.”

Dasha walked away, her steel tipped heels tapping against the hardwood flooring as she walked, her long flowing scarf exiting the room after her as though the accessory was choreographed perfectly to her every movement.

“Are you okay?” Shaun asked quietly.

Saskia was standing with her fists and teeth clenched, staring at the doorway where her mother had just disappeared. She looked at Shaun in confusion then seemed to snap to the present. Her expression smoothed out and she reached for another sandwich before dropping back into her chair.

“I’m fine,” she mumbled, then said more clearly, “I’m sorry I made that comment about being a prisoner. I’ve been told sometimes I can be insensitive.”

Shaun smiled kindly at her. “I think you’re genuine, not insensitive. You say what you think. I knew you didn’t trust me the moment I walked in the dining room, yet here we are, chatting like friends.”

Saskia narrowed her eyes. “I still don’t trust you.”

Shaun laughed and reached for a sandwich, feeling more comfortable with the youngest Koba than she had in Dasha’s presence. She kicked off her shoes and curled her legs up on the couch.

“So what do you want to study in University?”

Saskia shrugged, her shoulders slumping.

“If you don’t want to talk about it, I understand,” Shaun assured her, eating the surprisingly delicious sandwich. Who knew cucumber and mayo on bread would taste decent? “I’m not a bad person to run some ideas by since I have eight years of University experience. I can probably answer any questions you might have.”

Saskia glanced up, her face a heartbreaking mixture of hope and despair. This really was a dream she wanted but couldn’t bring herself to hope for because her family didn’t approve. Once again, the strangeness of the alternate world she was inhabiting hit Shaun. The Kobas were fine with Jozef committing murder and kidnapping, but they didn’t approve of their youngest daughter furthering her education.

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