Fangs & Fire

Chapter 9: Amara Was Delivered

Amara sat in the vast penthouse, the silence pressing down on her as she ran her fingers over the blanket draped over her lap. She wasn’t sure how she ended up here, or what was going to happen next, but one thing was clear—she couldn’t stay in this massive space alone, not after everything that had happened.

She grabbed her phone and dialed Olivia’s number, needing to hear her sister’s voice, needing some sense of normalcy. When Olivia picked up, her voice sounded concerned, as if she already sensed something was wrong.

“Amara? Are you okay?” Olivia asked, her tone laced with worry.

Amara exhaled deeply, trying to sound calm even though the anxiety was crawling under her skin. “I’m fine, Liv. Just… I’m at Dominic’s penthouse. I just needed to get away from everything.”

There was a pause on the other end of the line. “Dominic’s penthouse? Wait… Dominic’s? How did you end up there?”

Amara hesitated for a moment, glancing around the luxurious, unfamiliar space. “It’s a long story,” she said, keeping her tone as casual as she could manage. “I just… I’m not sure where else to go right now, and Dominic said it wasn’t safe for me to be anywhere else. He’s out right now handling some things.”

Olivia didn’t respond immediately, likely processing everything in her head. “What do you mean it’s not safe? What’s going on? Why are you at his place?”

“I’ll explain later, okay?” Amara said, trying to brush off the urgency in Olivia’s voice. “I’m just… I’m fine, Liv. I just needed some time to figure things out. But I don’t want to be here alone. Can you come over? I texted you the address”

There was a moment of silence before Olivia responded, her voice still full of concern but now with a note of determination. “Yeah, of course. I’ll take the train over. It’ll take about 45 minutes to get there.”

Amara let out a quiet breath of relief. “Thanks, Liv. I’ll be waiting.”

“Stay safe, Amara. I’ll be there soon,” Olivia said before hanging up.

Amara placed her phone down and let out a slow breath, trying to calm the anxiety that still bubbled in her chest. She wasn’t going to tell Olivia everything—not yet, at least. For now, she just needed her sister to be there, to give her some comfort, even if only for a little while. After an hour passes, she made her way down to the lobby, her footsteps echoing in the quiet space. She was eager to get Olivia inside, knowing her sister would have a million questions as soon as she saw the extravagant building.

As Amara approached the front desk, the doorman, a tall, neatly dressed man with a friendly smile, greeted her.

“Good afternoon, Miss Campbell,” he said, his smile warm as he glanced up from his duties. “How can I assist you today?”

Amara gave a small nod. “I’m here to pick up my sister, Olivia Campbell. She’s just arriving.”

“Of course,” the doorman said, with a knowing look. “I’ll let her through.” He turned to the side and nodded at the security guard, giving Olivia a brief wave to signal she was cleared. He turned back to Amara with a wink. “Anything for you, Miss Campbell.”

Amara smiled in thanks before walking over to the elevator. She heard Olivia’s excited voice as she approached, and Amara couldn’t help but grin.

Olivia was practically bouncing, taking in the high ceilings and gleaming marble floors of the lobby. “This place is amazing!” she said in awe, her eyes wide as she spun around. “It’s like something out of a movie. How the hell did you get in here?”

Amara laughed softly, trying to ease some of her anxiety. “It’s Dominic’s place, Liv. You know, the guy I’ve been staying with.” She gestured toward the elevator.

The elevator doors opened with a soft chime, and Olivia stepped in, looking at the sleek interior. “This elevator goes straight up to the penthouse?” she asked, her voice full of wonder.

“Yeah,” Amara replied, stepping in after her and scanning Dominic’s keycard. The elevator began to rise, the hum of the machinery filling the quiet space.

Olivia turned toward Amara, still wide-eyed. “I have to know—how did you bag New York’s most eligible bachelor? I mean, this place... I’m assuming you didn’t just bump into him at a coffee shop, right?”

Amara looked at her sister, a mixture of amusement and embarrassment on her face. “It’s not like that, Liv. I didn’t exactly... plan for any of this.”

Olivia leaned in with a playful smile. “Uh-huh. Whatever you say. I’m just saying, you’re looking pretty cozy in a place like this.”

Amara rolled her eyes but couldn’t help but laugh. “Just wait until you see the penthouse. It’s insane.”

The elevator dinged, and the doors opened to reveal the penthouse’s grand entryway. Olivia gasped, stepping out first and taking in the luxurious space around her. The floors were polished marble, with high-end furniture scattered around the open-concept living area.

“Oh my God,” Olivia said, her voice full of awe. “This place... this is like a dream. I thought I was used to nice things, but this? This is something else.”

Amara smiled, watching her sister’s reaction. “Yeah, it’s pretty over the top.”

Olivia grinned and nudged Amara playfully. “I just want to know how the hell you got yourself into this situation. You’ve got to tell me everything.”

Amara sat down on one of the plush chairs in the penthouse living room, with Olivia sitting across from her, still taking in the grandeur of the space. Amara’s nerves were still raw from everything that had happened, but she knew it was time to tell Olivia at least part of the truth.

“So, here’s the deal,” Amara began, exhaling slowly as she gathered her thoughts. “Yesterday, Rick... he tried to attack me again. I thought we were past it, but he’s completely spiraling. He got caught up with some gang, and I think that’s when everything started to go downhill. I don’t know what happened to him, but he’s not the same anymore.”

Olivia’s eyes widened in concern, but she didn’t interrupt.

“And my car…” Amara continued, her voice quieter now. “It’s completely destroyed. I don’t even know what to do with it. It’s all wrecked, and it’s like it just… isn’t worth fixing. I’m kind of stuck with nothing now.”

Amara hesitated, then decided to tell Olivia the next part, but left out anything too strange or mystical. “But there’s more. Rick’s gotten involved with this weird gang, and today they tried to kidnap me. I don’t know what’s going on with them, but Dominic and Arthur are dealing with it right now. They’re out there, handling things.”

Olivia blinked, her expression changing from confusion to complete shock. “Arthur?!” she exclaimed, her voice incredulous. “Arthur’s involved in this? How is he connected to all of this?”

Amara paused, looking at Olivia before answering. “I didn’t tell you this before, but Arthur and Dominic… they go way back. They were old war buddies. I don’t know all the details, but it’s clear they’ve got a history.”

Olivia let out a short laugh, shaking her head in disbelief. “Small world, huh?” She shook her head again. “This is all insane.”

Amara nodded, her heart still racing as she tried to process everything. “Yeah, you have no idea.”

For a moment, they both sat in silence, the weight of the past few days hanging heavily between them. Olivia leaned forward, her eyes softening with concern. “What now? What are you going to do about Rick and everything?”

Amara sighed, feeling the exhaustion setting in. “I don’t know, Liv. I don’t even know what comes next. But I can’t keep living in this constant fear. I’ve got to figure it out—somehow.”

Olivia nodded, her gaze unwavering. “You don’t have to do it alone, Amara. I’m here for you, no matter what.”

The girls sat on the plush couch in the penthouse, the soft hum of the flatscreen filling the background as they watched the movie. Amara had set it up earlier, trying to keep herself distracted, but the constant weight of everything going on kept creeping back into her mind. The tension from the past few days hadn't quite left her, even with Olivia's company. She glanced over at her sister, who had ordered food for the both of them, and was now casually eating, her attention occasionally flicking to the screen.

For a while, the quiet was comfortable. They talked about trivial things—Olivia’s latest dating disasters, Amara’s work life—but the feeling of the men still being out there, not back yet, gnawed at her.

As the hours passed, the sun started to set, casting long shadows across the room. The glow from the flat screen and the streetlights outside were the only sources of light now. Amara shifted in her seat, glancing toward the door as if expecting them to walk in at any moment, but the silence remained. She felt a strange restlessness bubbling inside her.

“Why is this all happening to me?” Amara muttered quietly, more to herself than to Olivia. “What did I do to deserve any of this? It’s like the universe just… picked me for something I didn’t even ask for.”

Olivia didn’t answer immediately, sensing the seriousness in her sister’s voice. She turned slightly to face Amara, her brow furrowed with concern. “What do you mean?”

Amara shifted uncomfortably, her eyes tracing the patterns on the rug beneath her feet. “I mean... why is all of this happening to me? I’m not special. I don’t have some grand destiny like in those fairy tales. And yet, here I am, caught up in this mess.” Her voice cracked slightly, revealing just how much this uncertainty weighed on her.

Olivia sighed, her tone softening as she leaned forward. “You don’t have to make sense of everything right away. We all go through stuff. But that doesn’t mean you’re alone in it. You’ve got me, and now, I guess, Arthur and Dominic are in your corner too.”

Amara glanced over at Olivia, the question lingering on her mind. “Do you know anything about your birth parents?”

Olivia’s face softened, her gaze turning thoughtful. She shook her head slowly. “Not really. I know where they are now, but that’s about it. I never really tried to dig deeper into it.”

Amara raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. “Would you want to know more?”

Olivia paused, clearly torn, her fingers playing with the edge of her shirt as she thought. After a long moment, she finally nodded. “Yeah, I guess I would. It’s just... I don’t know. It’s complicated.”

Amara leaned in a little, her voice gentle but insistent. “Then what’s stopping you from reaching out to them?”

Olivia’s eyes dropped to the floor, her expression pensive. “I’m scared. I mean, what if they don’t want to know me? What if they reject me after all these years? I don’t know if I could handle that.”

Amara’s heart ached for her sister, and she reached out to place a hand on her arm, offering her support. “Olivia, listen. If they don’t want to be a part of your life, it’s their loss, not yours. You’ve built yourself up into an amazing person, with or without them. If they can’t see that, then you were already great without them.”

Olivia looked up at her sister, her eyes softening with gratitude. She took a deep breath, slowly letting it out as she processed Amara’s words. “You’re right,” she said finally, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. “I’ve got to stop holding myself back because of the fear of rejection. I don’t even know what they’d be like now. Maybe they’ve changed. But if I don’t reach out, I’ll never know.”

Amara gave her a reassuring smile, squeezing her arm before sitting back. “Exactly. If you don’t try, you’ll never have the chance to see what could come from it. Whatever happens, you’ve got me. And that’s not going to change.”

Olivia smiled fully now, grateful for her sister’s unwavering support. “Thanks, Amara. You always know what to say.”

Amara shrugged lightly. “I’m just telling you what you need to hear.”

Olivia looked at Amara with a thoughtful expression. “What about you?” she asked quietly.

Amara’s gaze dropped to her lap, her fingers absently tracing the fabric of her shirt. She didn’t have an answer. The memories before foster care were like a distant blur, an empty space in her mind that she could never quite fill. She shook her head slowly, her voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t remember anything from before I was placed in the system. It’s like it was erased. I don’t even know if I had a family or what happened. I was just… there.”

Olivia’s eyes softened with understanding, and she sat a little closer to Amara, resting a hand on her shoulder. “Our foster mom, Becky, told me something about you,” Olivia said, her tone gentle. “She told me that one day, you just showed up at their front door. They didn’t know what to do. They tried to put you into the system, but… they couldn’t. They ended up taking you in instead.”

Amara’s head snapped up at that, meeting Olivia’s gaze with a mix of surprise and curiosity. “What? They took me in? Just like that?”

Olivia nodded, a small smile on her face. “Yeah. Becky said it was like fate or something. They had no idea where you came from or who you were, but something about you just… made them decide to keep you. I guess it was the best decision they ever made, huh?”

Amara felt a lump form in her throat as Olivia’s words sank in. “I… I don’t even know what to say to that,” she murmured, her voice thick with emotion. “I didn’t realize it was like that. I just thought I’d always been a part of their family.”

“You have,” Olivia reassured her softly. “From the moment they took you in, you’ve been part of the family. And it wasn’t just them that chose you. You chose them too.”

Amara looked at Olivia, her heart full, the weight of everything she’d felt over the years shifting just a little. Maybe she didn’t have a past she could remember, but she had a family now. And that, for better or worse, was all she needed.

Olivia, noticing the slight hesitation in Amara's expression, gave her a soft nudge. "You know, we should visit Becky and Dad sometime this week. They’ve been asking about you, and I think it would really make them happy."

Amara paused, looking out the window for a moment, her thoughts drifting. She hadn't been back to visit them since the breakup with Rick. She hadn't felt strong enough to face them—too wrapped up in her own shame and the depression that followed the breakdown of her relationship. It felt easier to stay away than to face her foster parents with the weight of everything that had happened.

“I haven’t gone back since... since everything happened,” Amara admitted quietly, her fingers tracing the edge of her coffee cup. “I just didn’t feel like I could. I wasn’t... I don’t know. I wasn’t in a good place.”

Olivia’s eyes softened with understanding, and she gently placed a hand on Amara’s. “I get it, sis. But Becky and Dad, they missed you. And they’re family. They’ll never see you the way you see yourself. They’ve always been there for you, and you’re allowed to lean on them too.”

Amara let out a shaky breath, the tension in her chest easing slightly at her sister’s words. It was hard to admit, but Olivia was right. Becky and Dad had always been there for her, and avoiding them was just making her feel more isolated.

“I think I’ve missed them too,” Amara whispered, finally looking up at Olivia. “I just... I’ve been avoiding them because I didn’t want them to see me like this.”

Olivia’s smile softened, her eyes warm. “They’ll understand. And maybe, just maybe, it’ll help you get out of your head for a bit. Plus, I’m sure Arthur or Dominic will want to tag along,” Olivia teased with a wink. “Could be fun, right?”

Amara managed a small laugh, shaking her head. “Yeah, they probably will. But I guess it’s okay. They’re just trying to help, and it’s not like I can keep hiding forever.”

The subtle ring of the elevator brought Amara to her feet. As the doors opened, Dominic stepped out, helping a groggy Arthur toward the sofa. Arthur was leaning heavily against him, clearly struggling to stay upright. Olivia stood up from the couch, looking at the two of them with curiosity. Dominic nodded at her, acknowledging her presence.

Amara's concern grew. “Is everything okay?” she asked, her voice tinged with worry.

Arthur slumped onto the couch, face down, groaning softly. Dominic looked at Amara, offering a brief, reassuring nod.

“Everything’s fine,” Dominic said, his voice calm. He then turned to Olivia, giving a polite smile. “I’m Dominic,” he introduced himself.

Olivia smiled warmly, a bit surprised. “Thank you for letting me come to your place,” she replied, her tone appreciative.

Amara knelt beside Arthur, her concern deepening as she studied him. His usual vibrancy was gone, replaced by a ghostly pallor. The gashes on his body seemed to be in the middle of healing, but something about them was off.

She looked up at Dominic. “What happened to him?” she asked softly, her voice filled with worry.

“He’ll be fine,” Dominic says, fishing something out of his pocket. He tosses a set of keys to Amara, the metal glinting in the dim light as they land in her palm. “Happy Birthday” he adds, his voice steady, but his eyes giving away a flicker of concern.

Amara shook her head, still in disbelief, and held up the car key. “I can’t accept this,” she said, her voice firm but conflicted. “This is too much, Dominic.”

Dominic, however, didn’t even look back as he turned to walk toward his office. “You don’t have a choice,” he said simply, his voice impassive. “I’ve already handled it. I’ve got work to do.”

Amara hesitated, then, driven by gratitude and confusion, she ran up to him and grabbed his sleeve. “Thank you,” she said, her voice soft but earnest. “You’ve done so much for me... I don’t know how to repay you.”

Dominic paused for a moment, his eyes scanning her face as if weighing her words. “You don’t need to repay me,” he said, his tone almost imperceptible. “I’ll explain everything later when Arthur is awake. You’re safe for now.”

He turned to leave for his office, but Amara stopped him once more. “Dominic, I... I want to ask you something,” she said, her voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions she was feeling. “Can we take a trip tomorrow to visit my foster parents?”

Dominic paused again, his expression unreadable as he considered her request. After a long moment, he sighed. “Let me think on it,” he replied, his voice almost resigned. “I’ll get back to you.”

As Dominic walked into his office, Amara called out after him, her voice a little more lighthearted despite everything. “And Olivia’s staying over tonight!”

Dominic’s voice came back, muffled from the hallway as he entered his office. “Got it. Make yourselves at home,” he called back, his tone neutral but with a hint of amusement, as if the request didn’t faze him at all.

Amara stood there for a moment, staring at the door to his office, processing everything that had just happened. She could hear Olivia bustling behind her, still bouncing with excitement over the car, but her thoughts were still on the request she had made. Would Dominic agree to it? And more importantly, would she get the answers she was looking for about everything that had transpired?