Page 59 of The Hunter's Empire

People begin moving in every direction at once as confusion overtakes the gathering. Several guests stumble backward whileothers rush toward the platform. Voices overlap in frantic bursts of concern.

"Lucien!"

"What happened?"

"Get a doctor!"

"Move!"

Darragh is already running before anyone else fully understands what has occurred. The entire scene dissolves into chaos. Yet through all of it, Domenico remains standing. He ignores the guests reaching for him. Ignores the questions and the blood soaking through his jacket.

Instead, he looks directly at me. Even from across the clearing, I feel the force of his stare. His dark eyes lock onto mine with terrifying precision.

For one brief second, neither of us looks away. And in that second, he sees it. The satisfaction. The tiny flicker of triumph I failed to hide quickly enough. His expression changes immediately. Not anger or surprise. But recognition. The bastard knows exactly what I did.

I wipe the smile from my face so quickly it may never have existed. The rifle slips from my hands and lands in the grass as I force panic into every feature.

Then I run. "Oh my God!" My voice rings across the clearing as I push through the crowd. "Mon Dieu, Lucien, je suis vraiment désolée!"My God, Lucien, I’m really sorry!

People immediately step aside, allowing me through.

By the time I reach him, I have completely transformed into the role everyone expects me to play. The horrified fiancée. The devastated woman who has just made a terrible mistake.

My hands immediately reach for him.

"I didn't mean to." I exclaim, allowing my voice to tremble. "The recoil threw me off balance. I lost control of the rifle. I swear I didn't mean to."

Without waiting for permission, I grab the side of my skirt and tear off a long strip of fabric. Several guests gasp at the sight, but I ignore them completely as I wrap the material around his arm and apply pressure to the wound.

Domenico looks down at me. The pressure of his hand against the injury has already slowed the bleeding, but blood still stains the sleeve of his expensive jacket.

His jaw tightens. His eyes narrow. And for a brief moment, I genuinely wonder whether he is about to expose me in front of everyone.

Instead, he leans down slightly. Just enough that only I can hear him. "You shot me, woman."

I continue adjusting the makeshift bandage without looking up. "I can't possibly be the first woman who's shot you."

For a second, silence hangs between us. Then the corner of his mouth twitches. The bastard is amused. Actually amused.

My eye twitches.

Darragh finally reaches us and crouches beside Domenico. "Jesus Christ, Lucien."

"It is fine."

"It is bleeding everywhere."

"It looks worse than it is."

Darragh clearly doesn't believe him. Neither does anyone else. I remain at Domenico's side, maintaining my performance perfectly.

"I'm so sorry." I repeat quietly.

His gaze drops to mine. There is enough warning in that look to last a lifetime. Then he turns toward Darragh.

"Vivienne is perfectly capable in many areas." He says evenly. "Firearms simply aren't one of them."

Several nearby guests laugh nervously. My jaw clenches.