Celeste rushed through the door the mont Amara opened it. She didn’t wait for permission.
She didn’t stop to take in her friend’s expression. She just grabbed her and pulled her into her arms with a shaky breath that refused to steady.
"I told you I was fine," Amara said softly against her shoulder. Her voice was trying to stay calm but she still carried that faint tremor Celeste didn’t miss. "Also, it’s too late for you to be here."
"Shut up," Celeste murmured into the hug, holding tighter, like she could squeeze the truth out of her. "Also, Dominic accompanied . He’s in the car, waiting, so it’s not too late."
Her heart was beating too fast, and Amara could probably feel it. Celeste pulled back only enough to search her friend’s face. She was scanning her for cuts, bruises, or anything.
Amara sighed, tugging her inside with a small shake of her head. "You’re so dramatic."
"Dramatic?" Celeste shot back, shutting the door behind her. "You tell a man cornered you on the street, and I’m dramatic for showing up? You’re insane if you think I was going to sit at ho and wait until morning."
The corner of Amara’s lips tugged up, almost a smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. She led Celeste toward the couch. Her steps were slow, as though the weight of the night still clung to her.
"Sit down," Amara said gently, motioning. "I’m still a bit shaken if I’m being honest but I’ll tell you everything, so you don’t have to remain worried."
Celeste sank into the cushions, restless. Her hands curled and uncurled against her knees. She hated the way her stomach twisted, and she hated the thought of Amara standing in the dark with so thug in her face.
Amara sat across from her, and for a mont she looked like she was gathering herself. The words were stones in her throat which she had to drag out one by one.
"It was late. I was on my way ho... it wasn’t even a busy street, Celeste. Just one of those quiet ones. He ca out of nowhere. He was big, about 6’ 4 if I estimate properly. I couldn’t see the guy’s face properly, but I knew he had a rough look. He said my na." Her voice dropped on the last part, the syllables trembling.
Celeste’s jaw tightened. "He knew your na?"
Amara nodded, swallowing. "That’s what scared most. I didn’t even have ti to run before he was in front of . And then—" she paused, biting her lip as if replaying it in her head, "—Elias showed up."
The na hung in the air, and Celeste’s stomach clenched instantly. Sothing in her gut scread.
"Elias?" she asked carefully, too carefully. "As in Elias, the man you barely know?"
Amara’s face softened in relief, though, and that made Celeste’s unease worse. "Yes. He was just... there. At the right ti. He pulled the guy off and scared him away."
Celeste leaned back against the couch, trying to keep her face still while her insides twisted tighter.
This was too convenient. Way too convenient. What was Elias doing on a quiet street that late at night? Why there, why then, why her?
Her eyes stayed on Amara, but her mind was already racing. Everything sounded straight until Elias showed up.
It now sounded preditated.
However, she couldn’t just jump to that conclusion, not yet. Not when Amara was sitting in front of her looking both fragile and relieved. Not when she was already clinging to the idea that Elias had "saved" her.
Celeste forced her voice to stay even. "And he just... appeared?"
Amara nodded, twisting her fingers together. "Yes. I didn’t even see where he ca from. One mont that man was in front of , the next Elias was there. He moved so fast, Celeste... the way he pulled him back, it was like he knew exactly what to do. And the man... the he just ran."
Celeste bit down on her tongue before answering. That was another problem. n like that didn’t "just run." Not if they’d gone through the trouble of waiting in the shadows, and learning their prey’s na. Sothing about it didn’t add up.
"Did Elias explain why he was there?" Celeste asked carefully.
Amara hesitated. "He said he was out for a walk. That he’d been restless."
Celeste’s gut twisted harder. Restless. At that hour? On that quiet street? She wanted to shake Amara, wanted to snap her out of whatever soft gratitude she was feeling, but she knew better.
If she pressed too hard, Amara would dig her heels in and defend him. She’d always been that way. Hard, yet soft, willing to see the good in people, even when the shadows were obvious. Her mind flashed back to the evening after their spa day. He also appeared
Celeste leaned forward, catching her friend’s hands. "Listen to . You can’t brush this off. He knew your na, Amara. That’s not sothing you take lightly. And Elias showing up exactly then? That’s..." she trailed, watching Amara’s face.
"Lucky," Amara whispered.
Celeste’s chest tightened. "That’s not the word I’d use."
Amara pulled her hands free, crossing her arms like she was protecting her chest. "You don’t know him the way I do."
Celeste raised a brow. "Exactly. You don’t know him either."
Silence followed Celeste’s words. Amara looked away first, staring down at the carpet like she could find her answers woven into the fibers.
Celeste softened her voice. "I’m not saying he isn’t kind. I’m not saying he didn’t help you. But Amara, ask yourself—why was he there? How did he know? Don’t you think that’s strange?"
Amara opened her mouth, closed it again, then shook her head. "I don’t want to think about it right now. I just want to be glad it’s over."
Celeste leaned back, sighing. She wanted to press, God, she wanted to press, but Amara looked like one push would make her break. Her friend wasn’t ready for suspicion, not when fear was still hanging on her shoulders.
"Fine," Celeste said finally, though the word tasted bitter. "But promise you’ll be careful. Promise you won’t be alone with him until you know more."
Amara gave a small nod, her eyes still fixed on the floor. "I promise."
It didn’t sound convincing.
Celeste studied her for a mont, then stood, and began pacing the room because she couldn’t sit still anymore. The air was too heavy, and the silence was too thick.
She walked to the window and pulled the curtain back just enough to catch a glimpse of the black car outside. Dominic was there, waiting. She could almost feel his eyes on the house. The thought grounded her, even as it unsettled her further.
She turned back.
Amara was watching her now, with that familiar mixture of affection and defensiveness. "Don’t tell Dominic," Amara said quietly.
Celeste frowned. "Why not?"
"Because he’ll make it worse. He’ll overreact, and then I’ll never hear the end of it."
Celeste let out a humorless laugh. "Overreact? Amara, a man ambushed you in the street. That’s not sothing we sweep under a rug. Dominic will find out eventually, and when he does, you know damn well it’ll be worse if he thinks we hid it."
Amara’s lips parted, then pressed together again. She didn’t argue. She knew Celeste was right, but the reluctance in her eyes was clear. If there was sothing wrong with Elias showing up there, she clearly didn’t want to know. At least for now.
Celeste softened, walking back to her and sitting beside her this ti. She took her hand again, squeezing gently. "Listen to . You’re safe now. That’s what matters. But don’t mistake relief for safety. There’s a difference."
Amara blinked rapidly, and for a second Celeste thought she might cry. But she didn’t. She just leaned against her, resting her head on Celeste’s shoulder.
Celeste wrapped an arm around her, holding her close. But even in the quiet comfort, her mind kept circling back to the sa thought:
What the hell was Elias doing there?
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