Page 27 of Hunted Hearts
He laughed, cheeks growing pink. At that moment, Theo realized that Juliette had this effect on everyone. Henri was right—it wasn’t just her music that was special. That was the woman behind the artistry.
With the clock ticking down until she took the stage, the meeting was brief but filled with warmth and more hugs and promises to meet after the concert.
They stepped into the corridor, Theo keeping close as they moved toward the wings. The sound of applause from the string quartet filtered through the walls, swelling as someone announced Juliette.
Just as they reached the corridor leading to the practice room where she’d left her violin, the piercing wail of an alarm sliced through the building. Red lights flashed, washing the hall in pulses of color, and the crowd’s murmurs swelled into panicked confusion.
Theo was already wrapping his fingers around Juliette’s elbow. “We move. Now.”
Chapter Five
The alarm ripped through the venue, a shriek shattering the calm.
Through the wall between the side stage and the auditorium, startled murmurs and shrill voices erupted as guests started to panic. The overhead lights flickered once before the emergency systems kicked in, leaving the space washed in red.
Theo was at Juliette’s side before she could register what was happening. “We move. Now.”
She jolted, gaze darting toward the practice room. Wisps of smoke curled from the crack under the door, launching her heart into her throat. “There’s a fire! My violin—”
“Forget it.” He tugged her arm, forcing her to move in the wrong direction.
“I can’t! That’s my grandmother’s violin. It’s priceless, Theo—”
“Not the priority. Move.” His grip closed on her arm, and he steered her toward the exit, head pivoting as he scanned for threats.
She couldn’t leave her precious instrument behind. With the sheer strength of will backed by adrenaline, she tore her arm from his grip and whirled toward the practice room. Her heels clicked on the tile as she ran forward. When she reached the door, heat radiated from it, and she hovered a hand over the handle, remembering some training from childhood that door handles would be hot.
Panic surged in her veins, a tidal wave of emotion. Shecouldn’tleave her violin.
Gathering her skirt in one hand, she used the fabric as a barrier between the metal handle and her flesh. In one swift shove, she opened it.
Heat blasted out at her. She felt the mascara on her lashes stiffen and curl like twigs. The room flickered with flames, and off to the side, her violin was still resting on the small table next to the music stand.
“Juliette!” Theo hooked his arm around her middle and yanked her off her feet.
She kicked and flailed. “No! I need my violin!”
Theo dragged her several steps away from the door as the roar of the flames fueled by more oxygen threatened to claim more than her violin.
Denver materialized through the haze of smoke spilling into the corridor, motioning hurriedly. “Got her. Let’s go!”
Juliette resisted, heels scraping against the tile. “Theo, Ihaveto get it!”
“You willget out. I’ll get the violin!” He pushed her toward Denver.
Her eyes locked on his for a moment, panic worsening, but Denver didn’t give her room to argue. He wrapped a steadying arm around her and propelled her toward the flood of guests surging through the rear doors.
Her last view of Theo was him poised at the entrance of the inferno, his shoulders squared for a heartbeat before he disappeared into the smoke-filled room.
Chaos erupted around her, and Denver swept her along with the tide of people running for safety. Juliette looked at the sea of faces around her and suddenly realized she didn’t know where any of her people were.
“My team!” she yelled to Denver.
“They’ll get out safe.”
She didn’t ask how he knew this to be a fact, just prayed it was true. As soon as he ushered her into the warm open air of the parking lot, she spun to face him.
Then it hit her.
