Page 231 of A Vicious Love

People made it interesting.

Animals just died.

The Bellemere men gathered at dawn near the northern edge of the estate, where the pine forest thickened. The retreat staff had set out coffee, black cars, gun cases, riding coats, dogs, maps, and enough old-family bullshit to decorate a museum wing.

Her father stood near the largest gun table, smiling because he thought inherited land made him powerful.

Mr. Bellemere had the kind of face men got when they had spent decades being obeyed. Not feared like Crows were feared. Bellemere power came dinner seating and daughters arranged like corridors. He looked comfortable in the forest. Beige coat. Leather gloves. Rifle broken open over one arm. He laughed with Sienna’s brothers and uncles while two dogs circled his boots.

I watched him from the edge of the path and decided I hated him more outdoors. Inside, at least, men understood walls. Out here, they mistook trees for freedom.

Every sane man in that forest noticed the second I arrived.

Good.

I had worn black because I disliked costume. Black trousers. Black coat. No hunting tweed, no ridiculous cap, no bright little tie to make the ritual feel old and charming. My rifle stayed with Reeves, still locked in the case, because I had no intention of shooting anything that didn’t know how to answer questions.

The dogs saw me first. Both stopped moving.

Smart animals.

Then the men.

Conversation thinned. One of Sienna’s brothers looked toward me and immediately looked away. Her uncle adjusted his gloves. Two cousins near the coffee table straightened like someone had just dragged a blade over their spines.

Her father turned last. His smile faltered by half an inch before he repaired it.

“Jamison,” he said. “You decided to join us.”

“I was invited.”

Technically, I had been assigned. Not the same thing. But I enjoyed the way his mouth tightened.

“Of course.” He recovered quickly. Bellemeres were good at that. Smooth recovery was practically bred into them. “We weren’t sure you’d attend. Sienna mentioned you usually had commitments in Harlan.”

Sienna mentioned.

My jaw tightened.

How many years had she explained me away to these people? She stood in this place alone and said I was busy.

“I cleared them,” I said.

His eyes flicked briefly to my hands. Checking for blood, maybe. There wasn’t any. That felt generous of me.

“How considerate,” he said.

I smiled.

No one relaxed.

We moved into the forest fifteen minutes later.

The Bellemere hunting party split into small groups like the whole thing had been planned by men who wanted privacy but disliked admitting it. Her father walked at the front with two sons and one older uncle. I walked beside him because I had not come here to trail behind anyone in a fucking forest.

The ground was wet from the night rain. Pine needles softened the path. Mist moved between trunks. Somewhere above us, birds made noises I found personally irritating.

One of the dogs flushed something out of the low brush.