Shadows In Durango

*****Vincent's POV*****

I ended the call with my father, the echo of his words still bashing around in my ears.

He had made it painfully clear that this was my last chance to make a decision to accept Frazier's offer to secure the marriage deal or face the consequences...

I forced the phone back into my pocket, but the weight of his demand settled heavily on me as I headed back in to the hospital.

The hallway was quiet, the pale lights giving everything a ghostly cast, as if the whole hospital knew how close I was to my breaking point.

I dragged myself in to the waiting room and over to the chair, letting out a quiet sigh as I sat back down with no sign of the girls yet.

Reid looked up the moment I settled, his eyes sharp with curiosity and concern. "So what happened? You look pissed." he asked, his voice low but insistent.

I shook my head, my gaze focused on the floor as I scowled down at it like a child - attempting to burn holes through the tiles.

Talking about it was the last thing I wanted to do. How could I explain that my father had just added another stone to the mountain already on my shoulders, forcing me to consider an ultimatum that I'd been trying so hard to avoid? "Nothing new to discuss," I muttered, trying to keep my tone even, though I knew he'd see right through me.

I wasn't lying though, he already knew the ins and outs of the marriage proposal with the only new thing being the added pressure from my father to give him my decision.

Reid's frown deepened, but he didn't press me. He just nodded, his face thoughtful as he looked away.

After a while, the door down the hall finally opened, and my eyes flicked up to find Sofia and Emma returning back from Daryl's room.

My heart stumbled when I saw her face. For the first time in what felt like forever, she looked directly at me, her expression much softer than before, her eyes holding something I hadn't expected - was it sorrow? Maybe guilt?

It hit me like a shock, making me sit up straighter, instinctively searching her face for clues as to what was going through her mind. Maybe seeing Daryl awake had made her feel worse for what happened to him?

Emma gave Reid and me a quick nod, breaking the tense silence. "Daryl's asleep again. The nurse said he'll probably be out for the rest of the night," she explained, glancing between us. "So... I think it's best if we all head back to Vincent's place to rest up if that suits you two?"

Reid instantly nodded, already reaching for his jacket, but my attention stayed on Sofia. She lingered near the door, her expression unreadable, almost hesitant, as if weighing whether to say something to me or not.

I wish she would...

"Yeah let's go." I announce, deciding that she probably won't be talking to me any time soon...

But as we all made our way to leave, I felt a gentle tug on my hand, stopping me in my tracks and allowing for Emma and Reid to walk on ahead of us.

Sofia's touch was light, almost hesitant, but it was enough to make my pulse quicken and my eyes to grow wider.

"Can we... talk about this again when we get back home?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, but filled with a weight I couldn't ignore.

I nodded instantly, not wanting to disappoint her. I couldn't read her expression completely, but there was something there, a glimmer of the girl I'd fought so hard to right my wrongs with and for the first time today, a faint ounce of hope stirred within me.

Was she maybe even willing to forgive me now?

Without another word, we moved out into the cool night, the air sharp and biting as we approached my car.

The drive home was mostly silent, the weight of everything hanging between us as the girls sat in the back with Reid and I in the front.

I stole a glance at Sofia a few times in my mirror, catching the way she occasionally shifted in her seat, lost in her own thoughts as Emma held her hand for comfort knowing she had been through the wars recently.

It thankfully wasn't too long before I pulled up into the driveway, finding an extra car parked there which I assumed belonged to my father, before I cut off the engine.

Reid and Emma climbed out first, exchanging a few quiet words before heading into the house ahead of us. Sofia stayed seated in the back, hesitating just a moment as if not sure on what to do next...

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"Should we stay and talk out here? I think my Mom and Dad are home and might get in the way?" I offer, as Sofia nods and inhales a shaky breath.

"Come sit with me in the front?" I add, not liking that she was behind me as though I were some taxi, as she opens the side door and slips out before joining me in the passenger seat.

My mind was replaying every mistake I'd made, every wrong thing I'd said, but I had to let her lead this conversation - since it felt like she was ready to say something, and I didn't want to risk breaking the fragile openness forming between

us.

"Vincent," she began, her voice low but steady, "I just... I wanted to say that maybe I was unfair earlier. I was so caught up in everything that I didn't take the time to really... see what you were going through too." She states, almost knocking the air completely out of me.

I didn't expect to hear that, at least not today!

The unexpected words sent a surge of relief through me, as I was quick to respond, "Sofia, you don't have to apologise to me for any of this. I get it - I fucked up bad and I should've been honest with you from the start. I thought I was protecting you by keeping things hidden until I could figure it all out, but I see now that all I did was push you away." I admit.

I literally did push her away, I pushed her out of my home and in to the grasp of Ashton... all because I held my secrets in!

She nodded slowly at my words, and for a moment, I saw her guard slip just enough to glimpse the vulnerability behind it.

"I was just so angry," she admitted softly, her voice catching ever so slightly. "Angry that you made choices that affected my life without telling me... that you thought you knew what was best without letting me have a say... especially when it comes to my father."

Hearing it put so plainly made the regret settle deeper in my chest. I felt like an idiot for every decision I'd made that had led us both here, but seeing her willingness to be open, to admit her own anger and pain, gave me a glimmer of hope that maybe this could all be fixed with time...

"I know that I messed up," I said, leaning forward, my voice filled with a rawness I couldn't hide. "I thought I could handle it all on my own, that I could fix everything if I just kept you away from the worst of it. But I was wrong and if I have any chance of fixing this... I need you to tell me how... I'll do anything for you Sofia." I state, my voice holding intense conviction.

She looked at me, her eyes softer than what I deserved. "I don't know, Vincent. I honestly don't know how to fix this. But maybe... maybe we can start by being honest with each other from now on. No more secrets, no more trying to protect me by shutting me out. I don't want to have to leave town, to start over again, I want to make this work."

I nodded, unable to look away from her. "You have my word." I state, but before she can respond, an incoming call from Reid begins to come in through the car speakers.

Confused, my brows knit together as his name flashed up on the dashboard screen. He knows I'm outside? Why is he calling?!

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Ignoring it, not wanting to ruin the moment we were sharing, I'm suddenly pissed to see that the second the call ends - another one comes through.

Why is he calling me again? He wouldn't do that unless it was important...Content protected by Nôv/el(D)rama.Org.

"Maybe you should take that?" Sofia suggests, as my thumb instinctively moves to press the answer button - hearing his voice play out in to the car.

"Vincent, drive off! Take Sofia with you! I think her brothers are here, they are fucking sitting downstairs!" Reid's tone hammers out at record speed and without a second thought, I put the car in to reverse and skid out of my driveway. I turn to glance at Sofia, her mouth fully open and her eyes the size of planets at what she had just heard.

"Are you fucking kidding me Reid?! How do you know it's them? Is my father in there too?!" I bellow out down the line, suddenly furious and feeling panicked that this was shaping itself to be a set up on his part.

Why the fuck would he invite Sofia's brothers over to our house knowing the circumstances?!

"Yeah he's with them, but he seems surprised to see them too, I popped my head in to say hi and that's when I saw them both sitting there... he asked me if I had seen you today, and I lied and said that I hadn't... he seems to be trying to cover for you, saying that you were out of town again with the girl which I'm guessing is Sofia and that's who they are here asking about." Reid rambles in detail what happened, as my hands grip the wheel in a fury.

"This is bullshit! Why didn't he fucking text or call me to give me a heads up then if he's trying to save my ass?!" I fume, as Sofia's breathing becomes laboured from beside me.

We just very nearly walked right in to that trap!

"Well they both had their coats on still which I'm guessing they must have arrived just before we did... they seemed like they were being civil with your Dad but I heard them say 'our Dad just wants an answer he's worried sick' and that was the final nail for me to call you... thankfully you stayed out in the car for five minutes longer!" Reid rants, as I suddenly hit the wheel and curse loudly, causing Sofia to jump from beside me. She's terrified, and it's all my damn fault!

"I'm taking Sofia to a safe place, text me and keep me updated, try to hang around and hear what else they say. I'll call you when I get there!" I state, before Reid agrees and we cut the call. "M-My brothers... they've found me!" Sofia chokes out on a sob the second that Reid hangs up, as I reach across to grab her thigh with my right hand.

Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse... here we are.