Chapter 9 - THE NIGHT THE BRASS RAIL BURNED
The fire started shortly after midnight.
Harper had just finished closing.
She was in the kitchen when the alarm sounded.
At first, she thought it was a malfunction.
Then smoke poured beneath the storage-room door.
“Fire!” someone shouted.
The staff rushed toward the exits.
Harper grabbed Khloe's arm.
“Go!”
Khloe stumbled.
Harper pushed her toward the rear door.
Then she heard coughing.
Marco.
The chef.
He had fallen near the walk-in refrigerator.
Harper turned back.
Smoke burned her throat.
She found Marco on the floor.
He was conscious but disoriented.
She helped him stand.
Together, they stumbled toward the kitchen exit.
Outside, firefighters were arriving.
Harper collapsed onto the pavement.
Her lungs burned.
Someone wrapped a blanket around her shoulders.
Then Vincent appeared.
He pushed through the crowd.
“Harper!”
She looked up.
His face was white.
He knelt beside her.
“Are you hurt?”
She tried to speak.
Coughed.
Then whispered:
“Marco's okay.”
Vincent looked toward the ambulance.
Then back at her.
His hands trembled.
For the first time, Harper saw him afraid.
Not angry.
Not powerful.
Afraid.
He touched her cheek gently.
“I thought I'd lost you.”
May you like
Her eyes filled.
And suddenly, the distance she'd tried to create between them felt impossible.
