Page 173 of The Silver Fox Brother

"She left you," I say to his back.

"She walked out because you cheated on her. You took her for granted. That's not my fault."

Rowan stops, his hand on the door handle. He doesn't turn around when he speaks.

"She'll forgive me. She always does."

Then he opens the door and walks out, slamming it behind him. I stand there alone in my office, my jaw throbbing, my mind racing.

He doesn't know. Rowan doesn't know about Naples. Doesn't know I've touched her. Doesn't know I've had her in ways he never will again. But he also said he was at her place last night.

Is that true? Did she see him? Did they talk?

I pull out my phone and pull up Winter's contact. My thumb hovers over the call button. Then before I can dial, my office phone rings. I set down my cell and answer.

“This is Knox.”

"Knox, we have a situation in Boston."

It's Fletcher, and his voice is tight with urgency.

"There's been a fire."

I go still. "What?"

"Construction site. HVAC system malfunction in one of the upper floors. It spread fast. Fire department got it under control but there's significant damage."

"Was anyone hurt?"

Fletcher pauses.

"One of the contractors. Third-degree burns. He's at Mass General right now."

My blood runs cold. "How bad?"

"Bad enough that his family is threatening to sue. OSHA is already on site. We need you here. Now."

I close my eyes and press my fingers to the bridge of my nose.

"I'll be there in four hours."

"Thank you. I'll meet you at the site."

I hang up and stand there for a moment, my phone stillin my hand. I look down at Winter's name on the screen.

I need to ask her about Rowan. Get to the bottom of whatever the hell is happening. But I don't have time. I need to get to Boston. I grab my jacket and head for the door.

***

By 4pm, I'm standing in what's left of the fourteenth floor of the Boston development. The smell of smoke is overwhelming. Burn marks streak across the walls and ceiling. The HVAC unit that malfunctioned is a charred, twisted mess of metal.

Fletcher is beside me, hard hat on, clipboard in hand.

"Fire marshal says it was a faulty installation. The contractor who got hurt was doing routine maintenance when it ignited."

"Where is he now?"

"Mass General. ICU. Burns on his arms and chest. They're saying he'll survive but it's going to be a long recovery."