Shadows In Durango

Chapter 126

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

He tried to pay off my father?

I didn't know what to feel. Shock? Anger? Upset? Flattered?!

A strange kind of sadness punched in to my gut, like I was somehow at the center of a deal I had never asked for.

My father - the one who was always controlling, always playing with his power over me- and Vincent thought throwing money at the problem would make it go away?

"Y-You just tried to pay him off?" I heard myself repeat, but the words felt foreign, like they weren't even mine.

Vincent nodded, his eyes filled with something that looked like guilt. "I thought if I could just get him out of the picture, it would keep you safe, Sofia. That's all I wanted. I was brought up to think that money could buy anyone out for the right price and I was willing to pay him whatever it took to have him disappear from your life..."

I wanted to break down again, to make him understand how wrong trying to 'buy me' from him was, but deep down, I could sort of understand his thought process behind it... but I didn't want to admit that.

Was I supposed to be elated that he would offer up such money to fix the biggest problem lingering over my freedom, perhaps, but the main problem was that he kept all of this from me - operating and making dealings with my father behind my back.

That was what upset me most, the sneakiness...

Part of me also knew that my father didn't only care about the money, not this far in, he didn't like being humiliated and felt that I had done exactly that to him by running off and not following through with his marriage offerings... For that, I knew he would want far more than some dollar bills to settle him down... he wanted as much as he could take from me.

"You still don't get it, do you?" My voice trembled, but I forced myself to stay calm, even though every part of me felt like I was splintering inside. "You think money solves everything, that it can just make problems disappear. But you don't understand my father. He wants to see me suffer. He won't just walk away from this..."

Vincent's jaw clenched. I could see that he was struggling to stay composed, but I didn't care. I couldn't care about his feelings - not right now.

trying to help you, Sofia," he said, his voice

that! I would never make such an offer knowing what he tried to do to you back home by marrying you off. My father offered him cash and he quickly called me back to say he

on about at dinner that night... the 'marriage' between Vincent and I

would step out of your life completely on three conditions. One, was to take the money of course. Two, was by having

behind my back... but they planned for him to actually attend the

caused him?! Or what if he only wants to know my location to drag my ass back home where

felt this angry and overwhelmed in my whole life, and yet only

realising that this was a heavy mistake on his part, one that I hadn't had

my father closing in,

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finished explaining it all yet!" Vincent pleads, his eyes vulnerable for

really regret all of this as much

ridding myself of suddenly feeling sorry for him, I slump back down on to my seat, folding my arms firmly

to scratch the back of his neck, seeming to think briefly on

could see that he was trying desperately to fix this, but I just felt so messed up after each and every revelation coming

to think of the best way to talk to you about it all, knowing that you

she could get the chance! What about Daryl too? How did he know? Was everyone aware of what was going on?! Was that why he was in such a bad mood that day?" I ask, pulling

of Daryl, and I could see the frustration building in his eyes. "Daryl... yeah, I only told him and Reid because I needed help to think straight. When he heard about the 'deal,' he lost it. He didn't think I should go through with any of it, especially

view on it from the start. Although he had been extremely pissy with me that day, at least the reasons for his frustration

the one to handle it, to make sure you never had to

regret etched across his face, but I was too angry, too hurt to let it soften the knot of betrayal I felt inside me. "You should have told me, Vincent. You should have trusted me enough to have us

at first he would accept the money and move on but I shouldn't have assumed that... especially when you tried to warn me about how

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don't know if I can trust you anymore," I