Shadows In Durango

Chapter 97

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

I feel the weight of everyone's eyes on me as soon as my mother drops that bomb.

Sofia's doe like eyes bore into my own, seeming lost and desperate to know what was going on...

The air was suffocatingly thick with tension, and I can see Sofia's confusion quickly turning into panic with the longer that I stayed silent.

"Sofia, let me explain..." I start, as she looks back at me like I've just betrayed her, and I hated that look.

I never wanted her to find out like this hell, I didn't want her to find out at all, at least not until I had more control over the situation and had made up my mind on it myself. "Your father told me that you were marrying the girl to settle her father, am I wrong?" My mother interjects, glancing around the table and making things a whole lot worse.

"Mom, that's enough, shut the fuck up and stop getting involved!" I snap, my voice sharper than intended, but I'm already on edge, with my patience for her already wearing thin. She doesn't even flinch. She's too used to getting her way, too used to manipulating everyone around her.

I shoot a glare at Daryl next, who's grinning like the asshole that he is, basking in the chaos he had willingly helped to cause.

I don't know what his problem is tonight, but he's pushing all the wrong buttons with me...

"Vincent, what the hell is going on?" Sofia's voice is soft but laced with desperation. She's trying to keep it together, but I can see her slowly slipping.

I turn to face her fully, my heart pounding in my chest. This is the moment I've been dreading - the moment where everything starts to unravel.

"I was going to tell you, I swear," I start, my voice low as I try to block out the rest of the table for a second. It's just me and her now, and I need to make her believe me. "It's not what it sounds like." I swallow hard, as her brows draw together, still not understanding what I was trying to say.

"What isn't what it seems, Vincent? What are they talking about?" Sofia begs me for more information, as I sigh heavily and shake my head.

at my father, who's sitting at the head of the table, watching me with that cold,

always known how to play his cards close to his chest, and right now, he's waiting for me to either fess up or to dig myself

smug, satisfied look on her face, leaning into

loves this loves stirring shit up, especially when it's about me

wrap my head around before talking to you about it..." I admit carefully. "An arrangement?" Sofia echoes,

Fuck.

Not with my mother and Daryl ready to

her, knowing that she can't hold her damn water when it comes to

table like a hammer. "A discussed business deal between me and your father..." I let my words sink in, watching her face contort in horror before my very eyes. "What?! You spoke to him? My father?!" Sofia panics instantly, her breathing beginning to pick up as I hush

my drying lips as Sofia's eyes shift to my father at the head of the table who nods slowly to confirm the fact. "D-Does he know where I am? Know

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now that you've been going around with my son... that's where the whole deal came from, he believes that it will unite our families and strengthen his business with me if you both get married." He tells her, direct and straight to the point

least gotten to dessert first for crying out loud?! We had barely finished our

"So

you can't just leave out the fact

and she jerks back like we've just slapped

father tried to do to me back home Vincent?

to, this was only brought up yesterday, and when you were upset at school I didn't want to pile

contacted him behind my back!" She suddenly yells, shocking everyone at the table with the volume of her voice, as if it

scraping backwards, before she tosses her napkin down on

me! I need a moment alone!" She states bluntly, before moving quickly towards the door - her heels clacking at a quick pace and fading out

out front... that way I would know that she was at least

not to chase after her

well." Daryl sneers, and before I can even process my actions, the water glass in front of me is launched across

my mother screaming by his