Dangerously Quiet

14.

The honeymoon phase of new relationships should be blissful, right? Finding the good side to everything. Your boyfriend and yourself in full sunshine and rainbows mode. 

Amara found herself thinking back to the books she read and movies she watched about relationships as she stood at her doorway watching her boyfriend rush to a blacked-out vehicle. This wasn't what the romance authors wrote in their best sellers. Nor was it what she saw from couples around her.
It was Tuesday evening, another day of school ended, and they were simply enjoying each other's company when his phone rang. His happy expression turned dark which was accompanied by rapid French and tense pacing. When he ended his call and ready to rush out, if Amara didn't shout his name, he might have left her without saying a word. His goodbye was rushed and lacked the warmth it usually held, that worried her. Insecurities bombarded her but she fought them to stay away. That night, there was no call nor text, not even an email. The worse thoughts circled her head but she grabbed some confidence and sent him a good night text. 

No reply.

Amara went to bed that night with a heavy heart and found herself restless throughout the night. Waking up groggily, the next day, she dressed carefully hoping that it will cause some sort of reaction from Lucifer. Skipping breakfast and making her way to the garage, a text came in from Lucifer. Giddily she opened the text expecting to find one of his loving, funny messages but she was blessed with a straight forward one.

'Marcelle will drive you to school. I'll try to make it to lunch. Enjoy your day, baby.'

Before she can decipher his text, a horn blared outside her house. Going back through the kitchen and to the front door, she opened it just in time to see Marcelle striding up the walkway. Amara frowned. Where was the always smiling guy, he always had a cheerful smile for her? Coming towards her, his face was expressionless with dark circles under his eyes. He walked with a purpose, eyes darting around as he came closer to her.

"Ready?" He asked with a strained smile.

"Are you okay, Marcelle? Where's Lucifer?" She asked warily.

"I'm fine, mon amie. He has a bit of family business, he needs to take care of. He sends his apologies."

"I didn't know his father has him under his wing already. What is it that the Delacourdes do? I've researched and found a plethora of businesses under their name."

Marcelle escorted her towards an unfamiliar jeep and helped her settle in while telling her of the different businesses under the infamous name. He was careful of what he said, any offhand comment can lead to a conversation that he didn't want to start.  It was Lucifer's duty to tell her the real family business.
The situation that was currently happening may not be resolved within the time frame they planned. The fall back from dismantling Dominion's drug and sex trafficking business not only in Boston but the hot spots where the mafia owned has risen to an all-time high. The police in each area are overwhelmed, now they had to step in before it hits countrywide news. Being part of BlackHawk Private Security means being absent from school and lying to those they consider friends. In this scenario, his future queen. Everything happened so fast, Lucifer and the twins had to be the bosses they are, along with their cousins who arrived two days earlier. There was no time to ease Amara into their world.

During the drive to school, Marcelle was successful in distracting her until they arrived at school. Amara didn't spot them because she was oblivious to the illegal world around her. A couple of cars down with grey and black oversized hoodies, five guys were gathered next to a black SUV, talking to some freshmen and juniors, their eyes kept darting around the car park, alert and on the lookout for interference. Keeping up his laid back facade, he rounded the jeep and grabbed Amara's bag before she can do so.