Shadows In Durango

Chapter 104

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

The weight of his words press down on me like a lead blanket, suffocating the breath from my chest. I stare back at him, my heart pounding in my ears as the cold reality of what he's just said settles in. He's serious. He's actually dead ass serious.

A prison. He's turning this place into my own personal prison.

I blink rapidly, trying to suppress the panic that rises up in my throat, threatening to overwhelm me fully. My vision blurs for a second, and I squeeze my eyes shut, forcing myself to take slow, deep breaths to stay awake. Think. Think. What can I do here?!

I glance around the room again, hoping for some sort of escape, but it's just as grim as it was before. The bare bulb overhead flickers slightly, casting a sickly light on the sparse furniture - nothing promising that it could help me to get out of here.

Nothing I can use to even fight back.

My mind races, desperate for a plan, anything. But the cold knot in my stomach tightens with each passing second.

The silence between us feels heavier now, his eyes on me, waiting for my next move, his body leaning against the wall, casual and calm like he's made peace with what he's doing. "How long have you planned to do this?!" I breathe, as he all but shrugs.

"Not long. I knew that I had to do something extreme when I saw you at school and you didn't text or call my number when I gave it to you. I was certain you would have text me almost immediately after the initial shock. But then I seen you running off in Daryl's damn car at the end of the day, and I just lost it!" He grumbles out his reasoning, furrowing his eyebrows at the memory.

This is fucking insane! Does he forget that he supported my father's plan to marry me off back when we were actually a couple?!

Now he claims to be fully obsessed with me?!

He doesn't care for me, he never did! He's just a cancer that I tried so hard to cut out of my life: he's sheer narcissistic evil.

I take a step back, instinctively putting some distance between us, but his gaze never wavers.

"So, what now?" I ask, my voice shaking, but I force it to stay steady. "You want me to just stay here? In this... this... place? For how long?!"

I can hear the tremor in my words, but I don't care. I need to sound strong.

Ashton watches me closely, his lips curling slightly. "As long as it takes I suppose. You'll stay here, get used to it, and we'll work things out. You'll see. It'll be better this way, Sofia. Once you get back out, we will be the perfect couple!" He claims. I can't believe this.

He really thinks this is for the best.

just keep me locked up like this. I'm not your prisoner! This is what crazy people do! You'll go to prison for this sort of stuff!" I shake my head, not believing the situation

was too

my outburst. His expression remains eerily calm, almost pitying, like he's dealing with a child who doesn't understand

up back home with your father, I know that now. Let me make it right. You're just not

you. You'll realise that soon enough. I almost forgot about you until I seen you in school - I can't help that all of my

Don't cry...

Don't cry...

in front of

in my throat growing as my thoughts spiral. He really believes that this stunt is ok. He thinks this is

we had before... that I'll somehow leave

he was normal before my mother died... so what the hell

father must have well and

down here with him, in this dark, tiny, suffocating space - fills me with instant horror. But I can't

I say, my voice quieter now, but it's

and cold, as if my words are

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to it," he says, his voice almost too calm. "In time, you'll see things my way. You'll understand to listen and to trust in me - and only

he hadn't met Vincent yet, explained why he seemed to obsess over my fake relationship

a week or two ago, but not anymore. In fact, I was pretty sure that Daryl didn't give a shit about me anymore, not after how he had treated me lately... If

he seems to blow air out in response -

Sofia, I seen it." He argues, and at that point I know there is no use in trying to win this fight: he's

that, I just want to scream

rational part of my brain tells me that would be pointless. It would only make things worse for me. So, I take another deep breath and turn away from him, looking towards the one door that seems

out. Maybe I can find a way to slip past him and to run when the

echo behind me as he moves closer, creeping in

sit down. I'll make you something to eat upstairs and then we can talk more."

my gaze

calm, maybe I can buy some time to think of an

room feels smaller now, the air thicker. The reality of what's happening crashing over me again, and

I have to.

become, but for now, I have to play

find