Ruthless Heart

“Woah, someone got out on the wrong side of bed!” one of the guys joke, seeing my stormy expression.

I grab a Thermos of coffee from the table and remind myself: I’m here for a reason. And it’s not biting the head off every rich asshole around.

Eyes on the prize, motherfucker.

“Let’s get this show on the road.”

It’s a small group, just four of us. We take a couple of ATVs out into the woods, parking them in a small clearing and walking the rest of the way to the trap, in the trees. As we settle in with our rifles, I make sure that I’m positioned next to McKenna. It’s the first time I’ve gotten near him so far, and I need to make it count.

“Nice day for it,” he says, friendly, as we unpack our binoculars and breakfast.

“Uh huh,” I murmur. Then I remember everything Lily’s been preaching at me, about building a connection. Social bullshit isn’t my style, but if that’s what it takes to secure this real estate deal, then fuck it, I’ll make small talk all day long.

“It’s a great spot,” I continue, “Have you been coming out to the lodge long?”

McKenna nods, digging into the breakfast sandwiches the chef prepared for us. “A few years now. You know, it was Rex over there who talked me into my City Council run, right here on one of these trips.”

He points out Rex, a paunchy older guy, set up in the other trap.

I hide a snort. Backroom deals, movers and shakers. Sounds about right.

“What about you?” McKenna asks, eying me curiously. “What brings you out to the woods this year?”

A certain cash payment to one of the founders of this getaway, buying my spot in the lodge. But of course, I’m not going to tell him that.

“Oh, you know, seemed like a good opportunity to widen my circle,” I reply. “Plus, it’s nice to get away from the city, get some fresh air.”

“I agree,” McKenna says. “Something about being in nature, really puts everything in perspective. You’re in the transport industry, aren’t you?”

“Sure am,” I reply, even though we both know that’s just the Barretti cover. “Shipping, trucking, logistics… But I’m branching out into real estate now.”

“Are you?” McKenna plays it cool, looking through his binoculars. “Interesting.”

“Building a better New York. Isn’t that what we’re all aiming for?”

“True enough.”

One of the other guys hushes us, already on his stomach with his rifle scope primed. “C’mon, quiet. You’ll scare them away.”

McKenna shoots me a grin and rolls his eyes. “Yes, mom,” he says, and takes up position. I follow suit, even though I couldn’t care less about the hunt.

The real prey is right beside me.

We wait in silence for a while, which is broken when a text alert sounds.

“C’mon!” the serious guy complains. “What are we doing here?”

“Sorry!” McKenna pull the phone out of his pocket and checks it. He sighs when he sees what’s on the screen.

“Work trouble?” I ask.

“I wish,” he says, turning the phone off. “At least that I could solve. But women…”

I give a friendly chuckle. “I swear to God, you can’t live with ‘em.”

“Aren’t you here with that blonde?” McKenna asks. “My wife was talking about her. Lily, wasn’t it?”

“Uh huh,” I try to look like a loved-up schmuck. “I swear, she has me wrapped around her finger.”