Chapter 4 - Fire in the Vault
Damian hit the steel door.
"Get down."
Smoke thickened.
Harper crouched beside the deposit boxes while Damian called security.
No signal.
Of course.
Harper examined the ceiling.
"Fire suppression."
"What?"
"There has to be a system."
Damian followed her gaze.
The sprinkler head above them remained inactive.
"Disabled."
"Can we trigger it?"
He removed his jacket, wrapped it around his fist, and smashed the emergency sensor.
Nothing.
"Fantastic," Harper coughed. "Very expensive bank."
Damian grabbed a metal chair and struck the sensor again.
Water exploded from the ceiling.
Harper gasped.
The smoke thinned.
Outside, gunshots cracked.
Damian pulled Harper behind the concrete partition.
"Stay here."
"Absolutely."
He gave her a look.
She corrected herself.
"That meant absolutely not."
The vault door opened.
One of Damian's guards appeared.
"We need to move."
They escaped through a service corridor.
The fire had been staged.
So had the alarm.
Someone knew exactly when they would open Box 317.
Back at the estate, Damian examined the ledger.
Names.
Dates.
Payments.
Judges.
Police officials.
Developers.
Politicians.
Then Harper saw Richard Vale.
Claudia's father.
Beside his name were payments stretching across twenty-seven years.
"This could destroy him."
"It could destroy half the state," Damian said.
Harper unfolded her mother's letter.
The remainder was worse.
Evelyn had discovered Vittorio Costa was secretly building an evidence archive—not to expose his organization, but to protect Damian from allies planning to kill him and seize control.
Vittorio had trusted Evelyn because she existed outside the criminal family.
Before he could use the archive, he died in what police called a boating accident.
Damian had been nineteen.
"You said he was murdered," Harper whispered.
"I always believed it."
The letter identified the person Evelyn suspected of arranging it.
Richard Vale.
Claudia's father.
Harper looked toward Damian.
"Does Claudia know?"
"I intend to find out."
He found her in the dining room.
Claudia was drinking champagne.
"Did your father kill mine?"
The glass stopped halfway to her mouth.
That was enough.
Damian's voice dropped.
"You knew."
Claudia stood.
"I knew there were rumors."
"Don't."
Her confidence fractured.
"My father told me Vittorio was going to destroy everything."
"So he killed him?"
"I was sixteen!"
"But you knew before you agreed to marry me."
Claudia said nothing.
Damian removed his engagement ring from the chain inside his vest and placed it on the table.
"The wedding is canceled."
Claudia stared.
"You can't do that."
"I just did."
"Our families—"
"Your family murdered mine."
"And yours murdered plenty!"
Damian's eyes turned cold.
"Leave."
Claudia laughed.
Then she looked at Harper standing near the doorway.
"This is what you wanted."
Harper shook her head.
"I wanted a paycheck."
"You think he'll choose you?"
"This isn't about me."
"It became about you the second he looked at you."
Claudia moved toward Harper.
Damian stepped between them.
That broke something inside Claudia.
She whispered, "You'll regret humiliating me."
Then she left.
That night, Harper couldn't sleep.
At midnight she found Damian on the terrace.
"Do you love her?" she asked.
"No."
"Did you ever?"
"I tried."
"That's depressing."
"Most strategic engagements are."
Harper studied him.
"You really were going to marry someone you didn't love."
"Love wasn't considered necessary."
"And now?"
His gaze settled on her.
"Now I'm reconsidering several policies."
Harper's pulse changed.
Damian stepped closer.
Not touching.
Not yet.
"You're my employee," he said.
"Correct."
"You're also connected to evidence that could start a war."
"Less romantic when you say it like that."
A faint smile appeared.
Then a rifle shot shattered the glass behind them.
Damian threw Harper to the ground.
Another bullet struck the wall.
Guards flooded the terrace.
Harper looked toward Damian.
Blood covered his shirt.
May you like
"Damian?"
He collapsed.
