Chapter One: Set it Alight

“FIRE! ANDREA THERE’S A FIRE!” Tobias’ shrill voice sounded from the kitchen and I almost dropped the plates I was precariously balancing on my arms. With a wild look in his eyes, he ran into the front room not caring that he was scaring the living daylights out of the customers, who had increasingly concerned looks on their faces.

It just had to be the day I was left in charge that Tobias would set the place ablaze.

I rushed into the kitchen, quickly slipping the plates I was holding onto the counter and as I felt the heat of the room blast from the stove that was indeed going up into flames I wondered how Tobias was still employed.

Roaring flames, that tried their best to lick the highly flammable ceiling, burst from the pan. In a display of orange and red, a distinct difference to the burning blue of the hob’s flame.

I didn’t have time to think, I couldn’t remember if a wet cloth was the best for these sorts of fires so I just did the most rational thing and reached for the fire extinguisher, heaving it up with a little difficulty due to my slightly smaller than average frame and spraying the heck of the flames. 

They thankfully died down pretty quickly and I let out a sigh of relief. Wiping the perspiration from my brow and trying not to think about the ruined and incredibly burnt and wet food that was charred at the bottom of one of our newest woks. 

“Tobias, you’re going to get us killed one day you know that?” I deadpanned, tightening my apron and preparing myself for damage control.

He smiled sheepishly accentuating his freckles and causing his thick-rimmed glasses to lift slight, “Sorry?” he offered and with that adorable face I couldn’t stay mad at him. I was sure that was why Mrs Wilfer kept him around and I couldn’t fault him for that.

“Now I need to calm everyone down, tell them that no one’s hurt apart from the food I guess,” he laughed at that which was a contagious sort of sound before I laughed too.

Ok, damage control time.

I thought as I walked into the main restaurant, a sea of surprised faces with different levels of shock painted across the multitude of people, “Hi everyone sorry about the panic, everything is under control and no one is hurt, so please feel free to enjoy your meals, and as an apology, I will be providing everyone with extra sides,” I had already planned to pay out of my own pocket for this so Mrs Wilfer wasn’t losing any money. I knew in my business heart that I should make Tobias pay for it, as it was his fault but I couldn’t bring myself to. 

I did hear a few cheers from the younger patrons, school kids who liked our middle-of-the-road restaurant. Fancy enough to impress their friends, but not too expensive that they would have to sell a kidney to get a reservation. 

There was one more steely patron who was giving me a once over, his pale skin illuminated in the low lighting and analysing eyes that were a deep grey, a halfway point between green and a murky blue and he couldn’t take his eyes off of me. 

I felt a shiver run down my spine when he stood from his seat, and I realised that he was the only one whose food had gone up in flames.

And from the looks of it, he wasn’t the most forgiving type.

I was glued to the ground unable to get my legs to move and by the time I had regained the smallest amount of sensation in my legs, he was already at the counter, with a surly countenance, with a displeased frown.

“Are you the owner of this establishment?” his voice was smooth deep timbre that rumbled through the room drawing many eyes as I gulped down the sudden fear that bolted through me.

“Uh, no,” I sounded terrified, pathetic even and as though I would collapse right then and there.

He was incredibly intimidating with that sort of stone-cold face you knew not to mess with and just looking at him brought back a thousand memories I would rather keep buried, “But I have been left in charge for today.”

 He gave me blistering once over that made my skin prick up with goosebumps under the stress of the situation.

“You’ll have to do then,” he spoke in a cryptic tone which I found incredibly rude, what did he mean I would have to do?

“I’m sorry sir I don’t really understand what you mean.”

He gave me a withering look that once more made nerves split through each of my veins, and I began to fidget with my hands not being conscious enough to hide my anxiety, his eyes snapped to my moving hands, the way I was pinching at my skin, twisting my fingers into intricate knots that I would then untangle and repeat the whole process over.

“As far as my understanding goes it was my food that was burnt, in your little incident,” I really felt like I was a child being chastised and I felt a bubble of sickness rise to my throat, as I tried to form words.

“Yes, sir you have my greatest apologies, we will be re-making it and I can discount the price for you due to your troubles,”

He didn’t speak for what felt like an eternity.

And when he did I wished he hadn’t spoken for another eternity.

“And who’s to say this experience won’t lead me to take action against the restaurant?”

I was flustered, what the hell? It was an accident nothing more, and it must have been the thought of Mrs Wilfer suffering for a mistake that had been made under my watch. I needed this job and she had been kind enough to hire me when the whole world seemed to shun me. I couldn’t find work anywhere, he had made sure of that.

“I’m sorry sir, but it was an accident, a mistake that won’t happen again but I do not think the restaurant should be punished for it,”

He rose a brow, perfectly carved matching all the other smoothly cut angles of his face, sharp and poignant in every way, a jaw that could probably cut through stone, “Then who should be punished for it? Who should take responsibility?”

My eyes flickered over to Tobias who had gone deathly pale watching the interaction between me and this incredibly terrifying man who judging by the pressed suit and clearly expensive watch and cufflinks, could destroy whoever he wanted.

Much like another ruthless man I knew.

I couldn’t let that happen to Tobias. Not when I knew how much a man of power could ruin someone's life. Tobias had so much potential he had been studying so hard for the Bar wanting to be a lawyer was his dream. A man of this standing probably had a thousand connections to the judiciary system.

Tobias’ career would be over before it even began. 

And I couldn’t let that happen.

Not again.

Never again.

I could see that he had followed my gaze to Tobias so I snapped my eyes back to him, defiance in my eyes as I straightened my back and dropped my hands so I was no longer fidgeting.

“I take full responsibility, the incident happened under my watch and I was placed in charge of the restaurant. I will face the sanctions,” I swallowed down the rising fear as he regarded me for a long moment.

“And how are you planning to rectify this mistake?”

“As I said I will be discounting the price of your meal but I am sorry that is as much as I can offer you.”

“I doubt that Miss,” he stared at my name tag a polished slab of metal with my surname embossed into it, “Laurence. I am sure there is much more you can do.”

I couldn’t comprehend what he meant, but he wasn’t like some of the other leering businessmen I had met in my time, his tone was one that demanded respect, which was an indicator of just how much power he possessed.

“I’m not sure I understand sir.”

Tobias had shuffled back into the kitchen casting me a grateful look as he tidied up the mess and began to take orders once more from the other wait staff. I saw Archie go in and help him re-do the cooking, whilst the rest of my colleagues looked at me with pity.

I ignored the looks still trying to keep my head up high as I waited for the inevitable words that would probably have me fired.

“You seem to be a capable woman,” he spoke finally and I was floored. That was definitely not what I was expecting and I was too at a loss to even speak.

What was even happening?

My head felt like it was spinning off of its axis and maybe I was just imagining things. I blinked slowly in a really stupid manner which caused him to look at me with another brow raised in question but he continued.

“You handled the situation well, you appear to be competent,” that sounded far too much like a backhanded compliment and I opened my mouth to speak but the man who I didn’t even know the name of.

But he kept charging forward as though he was entirely aware of all the power he wielded. Which I am sure he was.

“I have a proposition for you, Miss Laurence.”

“A proposition?” the confusion was both laced in my words and intertwined in my features.

“Yes, a proposition.”

“What sort of proposition?”

“A proposition that allows this restaurant to stay open,” my throat was dry and I knew the words were just a dolled-up threat. There was danger in his tone, “I propose that to make up for the burning of my food, the less than stellar service and the potential harm that could have been caused to me and your other patrons. In order for you to prevent me from contacting the health and safety officer of this county, I propose that you work for me.”