Page 236 of A Vicious Love

“I’m aware of time.”

“Then perhaps you should also be aware of consequence.”

I smiled.

His voice had firmed.

Cute.

Men always found a little courage right before they lost leverage.

“Consequence,” I repeated.

“Yes.”

“You want to talk consequence?”

His throat moved.

I leaned closer. “If one person at this retreat tells Sienna the merger changed before I speak to her, I will turn your family event into a case study.”

“You will not threaten me family on my land.”

“I’m not threatening them.”

“No?”

“I’m informing you what happens if your family decides to tell her.”

He stared at me.

I continued, voice low. “Her commitment to the Crow family is not to be mentioned to her. Not by you. Not by her mother. Not by Celeste. Not by some cousin with too much wine and too little self-preservation. Not at breakfast. Not at dinner. Not in some quiet garden conversation staged to make her cry politely into a napkin.”

His eyes sharpened at that.

Good.

I had guessed too well.

Bellemere families probably loved quiet garden conversations. Women told devastating things under wisteria because it made the cruelty look better.

“No one tells her,” I said.

He exhaled slowly. “And you will?”

“Yes.”

“When?”

“When I decide.”

“That is not acceptable.”

“Your daughter has spent three years accepting things she shouldn’t have had to. You can survive a few days of waiting.” I stepped back. “And Celeste stays out of my way.”

His expression shut down. “Celeste has done nothing wrong.”

“She stood close.”