The Sicillian Rose (Former Sicillian Seductions)

Chapter 7 - Scorched

“Nadia!”

He paced about trying to look for a way in. Several pairs of feet were running up behind him.

“Splash the water!” He barked the orders to the workers from the vineyard, who had been fetching buckets of water and splashing at the fire. But it was no use. The fire was fierce and spread quickly.

“Raaf!”

Raul stopped, listened.

“Raaf!”

There it was again. Gino’s bark! Listening very carefully, he tried to follow the familiar holler.

“Gino!” There was no sound. A loud whistle shot out from Raul’s mouth. He listened. Nothing. At that very moment, Raul feared the worst might happen or the situation was close to a dangerous scene.

“Raaf! Raaf!”

Gino’s head appeared at a window big enough for a man and dog to get in together, or jump out from. Raul searched, trying to compose himself despite the rising panic within him. He didn’t hear or see Nadia. Finding a garden hoe, he grabbed it and with all his might, banged it against the window. The glass cracked. Again, he banged the metal onto the window and the remaining glass scattered to the ground in bits. Taking a leap, Raul jumped through the window only to find himself in a blazing enclosure of heat and smoke. Very quickly, he pressed his arm to his nose and mouth, to prevent himself from inhaling the fumes.

Gino, came running to him and bit down on Raul’s pant leg. It wasn’t a harsh bite just enough to get his attention.

“Gino, where’s Nadia?”

Gino was tugging hard at Raul’s pant leg, encouraging him to move in the left direction.

“Is she in there?” Raul bent to grab hold of Gino’s collar. Man to dog – they looked into each other’s eyes.

Gino barked as though he understood what Raul had said with his eyes. Gino ran. Raul followed the dog, as it hurried down a cement staircase, leading to a small room. The fire had not reached this place yet, but it soon will as Raul took a quick glance behind him. Glowing red-hot embers were inching closer and closer, with nothing but only a treacherous course in its wake - to destroy anyone and anything in its path.

“Nadia!” Raul pulled her by the album.

“No, Raul. Let me go. I need to get these out!” With strength, he didn’t know she was capable of, Nadia pushed him away and began to focus on what she was doing.

“You won’t be able to get these bottles out in time, Nadia. And it is dangerous to be in here.” He whirled her around by the shoulders and paused, taken aback in by the tears that flowed down her cheeks.

“No!” Her arms jerked out of his grasp. Through sobs, she shouted at him. “You don’t understand. These were made by papa. And I have to get them out.”

“Nadia!” He grabbed her arms and pulled her into a tight embrace so as to prevent her from shoving him away. “Listen to me. You are more important than these bottles. Your papa wouldn’t be able to bear it, if something should happen to you.

Those words. You are more important than these. Those words echoed in her ears.

Raul was saying a lot but she wasn’t hearing much. Like in a trance, she glanced around. The fire had reached the door to the basement cellar. Gino was barking at her. She looked back at Raul. Two other lives had come in search of her. When she had seen the fire, her heart had paused, only to worry about her family’s prized collection. It was the only tangible asset both Gia and she had, of their parents. But Raul was right.