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.

to help you, Sofia," he said, his voice a little too defensive, a little too sure

what to think!" "The marriage wasn't mine or my father's idea, just know 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 was interested... but that he wanted more than just the cash." Vincent explains the

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

alone wouldn't cut it! I could have told you that if you would have just involved me in all of this to begin with!" I state the obvious now, as he nods slowly, evidently nervous to upset me further by disagreeing. "Yeah, well, he told my father that he would step out of your life completely on three conditions. One, was to take the money of course. Two, was by having you marry

my back... but they

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

my whole life, and yet only yesterday, I had dreaded losing our connection when Vincent had been distant with me at

part, one that I

my father closing in,

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just sit back down, I'm not finished explaining it all yet!" Vincent pleads, his eyes vulnerable for

he really regret all of this as much as he

I slump back down on to my seat, folding my arms firmly across my chest

demand, as I watch him reach up to scratch the

fix this, but I just felt

we would think it over for a few days and would get in touch..." He breathes, eyes searching mine for a reaction before he carries on, "I was trying to think of the best way to talk to you about it all, knowing

know? Was everyone aware of what was going on?! Was that why he was in such a bad mood that day?" I ask, pulling together every piece

When he heard about the 'deal,' he

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

trying to 'fix' things on my own. I wanted to be the one to handle it, to make sure you never had to deal with your father again or any kind of extra stress for that matter.

it soften the knot of

anywhere near you either. I just hoped 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 terrible he was." He admits, as I

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if I can trust you anymore," I whispered, my voice