Family Comes First

Chapter 46

With each word spoken, my resolve to be stronger hardened until I was literally on fire with it.

I was going to change for the better.

I was determined to be better than I ever was before.

No longer was I going to be weak.

No longer was I going to hide in the shadows.

No longer would my voice be drowned out.

When I awaken, I am going to open my eyes, guns blazing. The Russo's better have an explanation ready when I finally escape this mental prison the shadow had me in.

"Yes, there is the girl we've been waiting for." the voices laughed, its presence light.

Watch out, brothers. I finally have my claws out, and it's time for me to fight back for what I want and deserve.

~

- S a l v e s t r o R u s s o -

It's been three days since Amara fainted from blood loss, and she was now hung up on an IV drip so that her body can get back the nutrients it needed.

Her skin was pale and ghastly looking, lips chapped with dark eye bags under her eyes as she slept, fingers twitching once in a while.

"When is she going to wake up?" asked Santino, giving a pointed look to Amara's still form.

I shrugged. "Don't know. She'll wake when she wants to wake up."

"And when is that?"

"How would I know?" I countered, "Does it look like I'm in her head?"

"No," admitted Salvino, "But that doesn't mean we can't be curious."

"She lost a lot of blood." I sighed, running a hand down my tired face. "And her mental health is suffering."

"And?"

I took a deep breath, trying to control my growing annoyance at the constant questions Sandeo and the twins were firing at me. My heart was already heavy from the amount of guilt pressuring it. They weren't helping.

"Which means that even if she did wake up, she might not even be responsive." I growled, rubbing the crease in between my brows as I tried to relieve the tension.

As if Amara heard me, her eyes suddenly fluttered open, and she squinted for a minute, getting used to the light before she finally began to take notice of her surroundings.

Noticing the four of our presence, she stiffened up, but otherwise didn't say anything. No questions, no comments, no sound left her mouth as she sunk into the mattress.

Amara stared at the needle sticking out of her arm like it was the most interesting thing in the world as I opened my mouth to tell her a few things.

Sandeo beat me to it though.

"Amara?"

No signs of acknowledgement, and I can feel the fear inside of me grow rapidly as my suspicions of her becoming a shell of herself slowly began to unravel in front of my eyes.

"Amara?" Salvino tried this time. Still no response.

No...

As if a miracle happened though, her head turned towards all of us as her eyes narrowed onto each one of our figures.

Amara sneered as if our presence disgusted her as she turned back to playing with the needle in her arm and my entire body sagged with relief.

It didn't matter that she looked like she hated us with every inch of her being. What mattered was that she had still not broken yet and was still surviving.