Chapter Two

Amara barely remembered leaving the hotel hallway alive.

One moment Damien Blackwood was staring at her with those cold grey eyes, and the next she was back downstairs carrying champagne trays while her hands trembled so badly she nearly dropped an entire bottle on a senator’s wife.

Her mind replayed the scene endlessly.

The blood.

The silence.

The way Damien had looked at her like he could see every frightened thought crossing her face.

And worst of all?

He knew her name.

By midnight, the gala finally ended.

Amara rushed into the employee locker room, changing out of her uniform as quickly as possible. Her body ached from exhaustion, but anxiety crawled beneath her skin too violently for sleep.

Sienna sat cross-legged on one of the benches scrolling through her phone.

“You look like you saw a ghost,” she said immediately.

Amara grabbed her bag shakily. “I might have seen worse.”

That got Sienna’s attention.

“What happened?”

Amara hesitated.

Then shook her head.

“I can’t talk about it.”

Sienna narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “That sentence alone sounds criminal.”

Normally Amara would laugh.

Tonight she couldn’t.

Her phone suddenly buzzed again.

Hospital.

Her stomach dropped instantly.

She answered immediately while hurrying toward the exit.

“Hello?”

“Miss Bennett?” the nurse said gently. “Your brother had another episode tonight.”

Amara stopped walking.

The world around her blurred.

“Is he okay?”

“He’s stable now, but the doctor wants to continue treatment immediately. We’ve also discussed the overdue payments before…”

Of course they had.

Bills.

Always bills.

Amara closed her eyes painfully.

“I’ll pay something tomorrow,” she whispered.

“You said that last week.”

The call ended softly, but the shame lingered long after.

Sienna touched her arm carefully once they stepped outside into the rain.

“Hey.”

Amara looked away quickly before tears could form.

“I’m fine.”

“You’re clearly not.”

The city streets glittered with reflections from headlights and neon signs. Rain soaked the sidewalks while expensive cars rolled past like silent predators.

Amara wrapped her thin coat tighter around herself.

“I don’t know what to do anymore,” she admitted quietly.

Sienna’s expression softened instantly.

“We’ll figure it out.”

But Amara wasn’t sure anymore.

Because figuring it out required money.

And hope.

She was running out of both.

A sleek black car suddenly pulled up beside the curb.

Too expensive.

Too polished.

Too familiar.

Amara froze immediately.

The tinted back window rolled down slowly.

And there he was.

Damien Blackwood.

Still wearing the same black suit.

Still looking terrifyingly calm.

Rain streaked across the dark glass beside his face while city lights reflected against his sharp features.

Sienna blinked twice.

“…Why is a billionaire outside our workplace looking at you like that?”

Amara’s pulse began hammering violently.

Damien’s gaze stayed fixed on her.

“Get in,” he said.

Not rude.

Not loud.

Worse.

Certain.

Amara stared at him in disbelief.

“I’m sorry?”

The billionaire leaned back slightly against the leather seat.

“I dislike repeating myself.”

Sienna immediately stepped closer to Amara.

“Nope,” she said. “Absolutely not. That sounds like the beginning of a true crime documentary.”

For the first time, Damien glanced at Sienna.

Unimpressed.

Then his attention returned to Amara.

“Your brother’s hospital bills are overdue by forty-three thousand dollars.”

Amara’s breath vanished.

Sienna looked shocked.

“How do you know that?” Amara whispered.

Damien ignored the question completely.

“If the payment isn’t made by tomorrow morning, his treatment stops.”

Fear sliced through her chest instantly.

“How do you know about Noah?”

“I know many things.”

Rain crashed harder against the pavement.

Amara suddenly felt cold all over.

Not because of the weather.

Because this man standing before her had somehow entered every fragile part of her life within hours.

And she had no idea how.

Sienna looked ready to call the police.

“What do you want from her?”

Damien finally opened the car door himself.

Elegant.

Controlled.

Terrifying.

“I’d prefer not to discuss personal business on the street.”

Amara didn’t move.

Every instinct screamed at her not to get inside that car.

But Noah’s pale face flashed through her mind immediately afterward.

Hospital monitors.

Medicine.

Fear.

Desperation made dangerous things look reasonable.

Damien watched her silently.

Then he delivered the final blow.

“I can solve every financial problem you have tonight, Miss Bennett.”

Her chest tightened painfully.

“Why?”

The billionaire stepped closer beneath the rain.

Close enough for his voice to lower.

“Because I need something from you in return.”

Silence stretched between them.

Sienna grabbed Amara’s wrist.

“Do not go anywhere with this man.”

But Amara already knew she was going to.

Because poverty had a cruel way of cornering people.

And Damien Blackwood looked exactly like the kind of man who thrived in corners. 🖤