The alley behind The Sapphire Lounge was like a deep, dark canyon. The air was cold and damp, smelling of rotting garbage from the dumpsters and the wet, earthy scent of old bricks. Ace leaned against the rough wall, trying to calm his racing heart. The sharp burst of adrenaline he had felt during the chaos inside was fading, leaving him feeling shaky and empty. He could not stop picturing the scene in his mind: the shower of sparkling glass, the other waiter's horrified face, and the crushing weight of Vincenzo's suspicious stare.
He had done what he was supposed to do, and he had won. Yet, it felt like a loss because he had saved himself by destroying someone else's night and possibly even their job.
