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But I knew it wasn’t right. I knew Papé’s blood still called out for justice. I knew Leonie’s grandfather had taken the fall for Réjean.

Because how had her frail, elderly grandfather managed to kill my strong one?

No, I knew Réjean had been the one to kill Papé, had been spotted in the area. He had seen a Bastide by himself and taken the opportunity to cut down a rival from behind.

And he still lived.

But now I had the chance to finally make it right.

Now I had the chance to crush the Pinoteaux and their schemes against me, to destroy Réjean’s plans to expand their borders and enrich their wealth.

And as the Bastides filed in behind me, I felt power flowing through my fingertips. At one point our families had both been nearly equal in power. Not anymore. Through bad business decisions, poor treatment of their workers, and mismanagement, Pinoteaux had been on the downslide for years. The massive influx of cash a few years ago had been the only thing to slow their decline.

In fact, it had dragged out their destruction. . .

The only thing that bothered me, as I felt triumph singing through my veins, was the report that someone had shot at Hugo.

It was possible my brother had enemies, but someone who was bold enough to risk capture by my guards?

My first instinct was that Hugo had been trying to fuck with me, but then Léonie had verified it was true.

Léonie couldn’t lie to me. Ever. My wife was simply not capable of it.

So it must have happened, and I’d need to investigate it. What if she had been accidentally shot in the crossfire?

Once my vengeance was complete, I would figure out who had a grudge against Hugo.

I nodded to Faustine, putting a hand on her lower back to guide her into the tavern, making sure my fingers spanned her bare skin as the ring sparkled on her finger.

The low-roofed room smelled like cigarettes and foul beer and shit in here.

Yves and Réjean and their other kinsmen had arrived before I did, but I didn’t care. Let them think they had the upper hand.

All I cared about was justice for Papé and killing anyone who was a threat to my family. And then his blood would finally rest easily.

I could not lead the Bastides with this insult still unpunished.

Every eye was on me as the Pinoteaux dogs waited for me to guide my mother into a chair behind me.

Then I put Faustine beside me, my fingers sliding lasciviously along her chin as she turned those shining eyes to me.

She was a very beautiful woman, and more than one of Léonie’s kinsmen had asked to pay a bride-price for her.

I sat in the middle chair. Right in front of Yves. Ignoring the amber mug of beer set in front of me.

“I am here for justice,” I said. “I gave you a bride-price based on a faithful, virtuous wife. Now that I have caught her in bed with my brother, I see that was a lie. I demand restitution. Immediately.”

Their faces were blank, but if word got out, dishonor on their house, dishonor on their lands, dishonor on their ancestors and descendants. It risked every business relationship they had ever developed.

“Peace has been good between us,” Yves said, clearing his throat. He was a heavyset man with a red beard streaked with silver. “To keep the peace, we are willing to offer you a significant amount for your compensation.”

I put an arm around the back of Faustine’s chair, my fingers curling over her shoulder, brushing along her skin.

“No,” I said. “As the head of the Bastides, I can’t risk the threat to my status being seen with a whore would be. I want the bride-price back. All of it. You gave me a bad bargain. I’m owed that money.”

“The bride-price is not—available,” Yves said after a moment. “That was a large sum of money.”

The look on Réjean’s face went down like a fine whiskey, inside I feasted on their utter panic and helplessness.