Chapter 5

Sophia's voice was thick with tears.

I gritted my teeth, turned around, and ran back anyway.

The smoke stung so badly I couldn't keep my eyes open. I pulled off my jacket, pressed it over my nose and mouth, knelt beside the steel beam pinning her calf, and heaved with all my strength.

A cramp tore through my belly, and my arms wouldn't stop shaking. Finally, the beam lifted a little, and Sophia yanked her leg free.

"Go!"

I grabbed her arm and dragged her toward the door.

We were almost out when a burning steel frame overhead came crashing down. It clipped my right shoulder, and the red-hot metal burned straight through my clothes. The pain spread from there across my whole back.

I stumbled, but I kept a tight grip on Sophia and got us both out of the fire.

Several black SUVs screeched to a stop outside the warehouse.

Vincent jumped out with his men and reached us in a few strides.

Sophia instantly shook off my hand and threw herself into his arms.

"Vincent!"

Vincent held her tight and checked her over from head to toe.

"Where are you hurt? Can you move your leg?"

Sophia was crying too hard to speak. She just kept shaking her head.

"Don't be scared. I'm here." Vincent rubbed her back. "Forget the shipment. All that matters is that you're okay."

He used to fuss over me and pepper me with questions whenever I got so much as a scratch.

Now it was like he couldn't see me at all.

With nothing left to hold me up, I sank to the ground.

The shoulder of my shirt had burned through, and blood mixed with fluid from the blisters was running down my arm.

It was a long time before Vincent noticed me.

He looked startled. But when he came over, the first thing out of his mouth was, "Victoria, thank God you were with her. If anything had happened to Sophia, I don't know what I would've done."

My heart went cold, and I raised a hand and pushed him away.

His eyes finally landed on the wound on my shoulder, and he frowned.

"You're hurt too? As soon as Sophia's bandaged up, I'll send the doctor over."

I was in too much pain to speak.

And I still had to wait my turn behind Sophia.

When the doctor cut away the fabric stuck to the wound, my vision kept going dark, and soon I passed out.

By the time I came to, it was the next morning.

I was lying in my bedroom at the estate, my right shoulder wrapped in thick bandages.

Anna brought me a glass of water, wiping at her tears. "How did you get hurt this badly? Ms. Russo's already out horseback riding, and the Don hasn't come to look in on you even once! All he cares about is keeping her company. The doctor says you need at least a month of rest, or there'll be lasting damage!"

I hadn't even recovered from losing the baby, and now there was this injury on top of it. I could barely lift my arm.

On my phone was the address Professor Walker had sent for the interview in Los Angeles. My flight left in three days.

And I couldn't even lift my right arm to hold a chisel.

I sniffled and let the tears fall. Anna wiped them away, heartbroken for me.

Suddenly, raised voices came from downstairs.

I pulled on a jacket and went out. The port manager had come straight to the house.

"The warehouse supervisor reported that the ship's generator was leaking oil. Ms. Russo was the one who insisted on turning the power back on, and that's why it blew!

"The Commission owes us an answer!"

Sophia was hiding behind Vincent, her eyes red, her face still pale with shock.

When Vincent saw me, his eyes went to my shoulder.

"Does it still hurt?"

I kept my eyes down. "Not anymore."

Once a wound goes numb, it stops hurting.

Vincent couldn't quite meet my eyes. "I was just about to come find you."

He sighed, pulled me aside, and lowered his voice.

"The Commission needs someone to take public responsibility for the fire. This was Sophia's first time leading a crew, and she barely made it out of there alive. She can't handle being grilled by those people right now."

Vincent took my hand, his voice growing softer and softer.

"You were carrying my seal yesterday, so on paper you were the supervisor on site. Could you tell everyone you were the one who ordered the generator restarted, and apologize to the injured workers' families on Sophia's behalf?

"It's just for show. I'll handle the compensation and everything after."

Then he gave my palm a gentle squeeze. "Please? For me?"

My heart dropped like a stone.