Shadows In Durango

*****Sofia's POV*****

The morning came too quickly, the kind of morning where the weight of the day presses down on you before your eyes are even fully open...

I hadn't slept much, despite being secured in Vincent's comforting hold the entire night, but my mind kept replaying the many 'what if's' as my anxiety took full control.

Vincent's words from the night before would act as a constant reminder of the hope we still had- "It has to work." That was what he'd said, and call me a fool, but I wanted so desperately to believe him.

I sat on the edge of the bed ready to go, my fingers twisting a loose thread around on the hem of my sweatshirt.

The place was quiet, eerily so, except for the faint sounds of Vincent moving around downstairs. The man could move like a ghost when he wanted, but I'd learned to pick up on the subtle creaks and footfalls that signaled he was still around... Pulling my knees up to my chest, I rested my chin on them, trying to steel myself for what was coming as I focused on my breathing - in and out - slow and steady.

My ears honed in on Vincent's ascent up the stairs, each brush of his foot on the step bringing him closer to finding me here on the bed in silence.

A small knock on the door frame jolted my head around, pulling me from my thoughts as though I was surprised to see him there - despite having known that he was on his way up.

"You ready to go? I'm cutting it pretty short for time now..." He explains, as I take that as my sign to push myself to stand, my sneakers finding the floor boards beneath me.

We made our way downstairs, Vincent grabbing both the house and his car keys from the hook by the door as I shuffled my way towards him.

He was dressed casually in some spare clothes he had kept here - black jeans and a dark green tee - but the tension in his posture gave him away and defeated the whole 'casual' vibe he had gone for today...

"You good?" he asked, his tone clipped but not unkind as his hand reached for the door.

I nodded, swallowing hard. "They definitely won't be in there waiting for me will they? What if this is all just a trap?!" I question, my deepest fears coming to the surface as he all but shakes his head.

"Nah, never! My father may be a dick but he wouldn't do that, he knows I'd fucking ruin him if he did!" Vincent states dryly, meaning everything he had said as I swallow and nod.

I just have to trust him on this...Original content from NôvelDrama.Org.

The drive back was quiet at first, with nothing but the smooth classics playing on the radio, acting as a mild distraction in the meantime. I stared out the window, watching the world blur by, trying to focus on anything other than the anxiety twisting in my stomach at the fear of showing up to Vincent's place - being forced to confront my brothers if they were to still be in there...

"Do you remember what we talked about last night?" Vincent broke the silence after some time, his voice low but steady.

"Yes," I replied quickly, almost too quickly. "I just... I'm still not sure how we're supposed to make it all believable. I worry they'll see right through it!"

He glanced across at me briefly, his expression unreadable. "We'll hopefully figure all of that out today. My father will have some ideas and we can go from there."

The mention of his father sent a fresh wave of unease rolling through me. He was an intimidating man, although he had been pretty pleasant with me when I had first met him - unlike his bitch of a mother...

"You're overthinking again, try not to stress yourself out more than necessary..." Vincent said, his eyes fixed ahead on the road as he attempted to offer me some comfort.

"Am I that obvious?" I muttered out with a dry laugh, wrapping my arms around myself for desperate comfort.

"To me, yeah." His lips twitched in what could almost be called a smile. "Look, I get it Sofia. Dealing with my Dad isn't exactly a walk in the park, but he'll help us. We have a leverage here... your father trusts mine remember so let's use that to our advantage!" Vincent suggests, and for now, what he was saying made the most sense.

I decided to close my eyes, drowning in the next hit that began to play through the car speakers - 'Careless Whisper' by George Michael, a song in which reminded me of my Mom before she died...

It was a beautiful song, one that my father would often complain about, telling her to switch it off when I was younger, as my mother would gush over how handsome George was in his younger years: ignoring his nagging as she should.

I wished I could just ignore him like she used to, but he made it almost impossible! He was different now... far more sadistic... it was sad to think back on how our family home used to be. Back when my Mom was still alive and acting as the glue that held us all together...

It wasn't much longer as the song came to an end that we pulled up into Vincent's driveway, the house looming before us, its stark exterior as imposing as the very man who owned it. My chest tightened as we parked up, and Vincent cut the engine.

"You want me to go in first? Make sure nobody's in there?" He asks, and I was instantly thankful for the suggestion, as I nodded and watched him unbuckle his belt before climbing out of the car.

Vincent strode toward the house with purpose, his movements sharp and efficient, like he was on a mission. My hands clasped together in my lap as I watched him disappear through the front door, leaving me alone in the car with my racing thoughts.

The silence in the vehicle was oppressive, and despite the warmth of the morning sun filtering in through the windows, a cold chill settled over me.

I tapped my fingers against the edge of my seat, counting the seconds to help pass the agonising minutes.

My gaze flickered between the front door and the rearview mirrors, half expecting something—or someone to jump out from the shadows...

What felt like an eternity passed before Vincent reappeared, stepping back outside and I was instantly relieved to see that he looked somewhat relaxed.

He leaned against the frame of the open door and gestured for me to come in. I quickly unbuckled my seatbelt and climbed out of the car, sucking in a deep breath as I swiftly moved towards him - almost terrified to be seen out in public... "All clear," he said, his voice low as I reached him. "They're definitely not in here."

I exhaled a steady breath that I hadn't realised I was holding. "O-Okay then, that's good."

Vincent stepped aside to let me in, his hand brushing lightly against the small of my back as I passed by. The gesture was subtle, comforting, and it gave me the strength to push forward.

The house was just as I remembered it - clean, modern, and meticulously decorated. It didn't feel like a home; it felt like a show room, a perfectly curated space meant to impress, not to live in.

Vincent led me through to the living room, where his father was already waiting for us, standing to his full height.

He exuded an air of authority, the kind that demanded attention without needing to raise his voice. His dark suit was tailored to perfection and as his sharp eyes settled down on me, I felt an involuntary shiver run down my spine. At least his mother wasn't here...

"Sofia," he said smoothly, inclining his head in a polite but measured greeting. "It's good to see you again... maybe we should take this to the office?"

I forced out a small smile, my voice steady despite the nerves bubbling up inside me. "Thank you for agreeing to help us..." I whisper, almost embarrassed at how weak my voice sounded around him.

His lips twitched into a faint smile - though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Of course. Vincent's... urgency was hard to ignore." He turned his gaze to his son, one eyebrow arching. "So, what's the grand plan this time?"

Vincent didn't flinch under his father's scrutiny, crossing his arms over his chest as we both followed him out and down the hallway towards the office.

We all piled in, settling down on the sofa seating by the window, as his father leaned forward with his hands clasping together - waiting for Vincent to be the first to speak.

Vincent glanced at me briefly before beginning. "We aren't agreeing to the marriage." He states, as his father instantly scowls.

"What the fuck are you talking about?! It's the easiest option you've got! So you want me to just go back to him and tell him that the deals off the table? He won't be happy..." his father begins to ramble, as I instinctively shuffle a little closer to Vincent for comfort.

"Will you shut up for a minute and let me talk?! I didn't say that we wouldn't still be making him a deal, I'm just saying we won't be agreeing to the marriage... not just to please him anyway! We have a better idea..." Vincent starts, as his father leans back in the chair and drags his hands down his face for added effect.

"Well then spit it out? What is it?!" He demands to know, as I take note of the way Vincent's fists tighten in response to his father's bitter tone.

"All they want, is for Sofia to suffer, that's the whole point in all of this - to punish her for running away and for disobeying them. Asking for the marriage is just another way for Frazier to control her and it's damn bullshit!" Vincent states bluntly, as I find myself nodding in agreement of what he was saying.

I was beyond thankful for the ways he would defend me on this, it certainly won him some extra points of forgiveness after what he had done before...

"We will invite them round to talk over this whole 'marriage deal' and at the meeting, we plan on painting a facade that Sofia is already miserable living here - with me. I figured he would back off with the cash if he felt satisfied that Sofia was already being 'tortured'. I'll play the whole psychotic, abusive boyfriend..." Vincent swallows momentarily, as his father watches us carefully, giving nothing away.

"And so you expect me to... what? Play along in this charade? What exactly do you need my help with?" his father asked, his tone laced with skepticism.

"Not just play along," Vincent replied firmly. "You need to help us make it completely believable. Maybe you could even act like a prick to her in front of him too, he trusts you doesn't he? You know best how to manipulate people — hell, you've built a fucking empire on it. This should be child's play for you. Think of it like some game if you want?!" Vincent argues our case, as I begin to drag my lip back and forth between my teeth due to nerves.

We just need him to help us... at least then we will have a more respectable figure on our side - at least in my father's eyes!

"Thats flattering, but very dangerous logic, son. What exactly are you proposing we do? Paint her up with bruises and shove her around a little in front of them? How far are you both willing to take this? He won't be easily convinced..." he states the obvious, and at that point, Vincent turns to stare down at me from beside him.

Crap! 

Is it my turn to talk?

What do I even say to him?!

"I'll do whatever it takes!" I tell them both firmly.

"We just need to stage something good," Vincent adds in. "Something that will make her family believe she's already stuck in a situation they'd consider worse than whatever plans they had for her in the past. Hopefully we can throw them off the whole forced marriage bullshit by suggesting that I don't want to be tied down? Make them believe that we only want Sofia around for fun... to keep her as a maid or some shit? I don't know..." Vincent rants, earning a thick sigh from his father in response.

The room fell silent, the weight of Vincent's words hanging heavily in the air. His father's piercing gaze shifted to me, his expression unreadable.

"You're willing to go the full mile for this?" He tests, as I quickly nod, not knowing exactly what I was agreeing to...

His father's lips slowly curved up into a sickening smile at my response, "Well, then. This might actually be interesting after all..."