Shadows In Durango

Chapter 127

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

By the time we finally left Vincent's place, I was surprised to find the sky blanketed in darkness. How had it gotten so late, so fast?!

It felt like we had been talking for hours and it was clear now that we actually had been...

My head was still spinning from everything that had come out during our conversation too as I struggled to make sense of it all.

I had used the bathroom briefly before we left, finding my face to be extremely puffy and raw - nothing new at this point since I seemed to always cry over my sad fuck up of a life - regardless of how hard I would try to fight back the tears! But as I now sat amongst the rumbling engine of the car, reflecting, I had to say that the main statement that stole the show tonight was when Vincent said he loved me.

Vincent Walker actually said that he loved me? Let that sink in...

I was still trying to wrap my head around it, the way those words had just slipped out of his mouth so carelessly.

My breathing increased at the memory alone, as I refused to look at him during the entire drive.

Did he even realise what he'd said?

Or was it just something he thought might help to fix things between us?

How many girls had he said the exact same thing to before in the past?!

I had been so angry at him, so explosive, with this being the first time that we had finally rehashed the whole secret dealings he had made with my father behind my back, and honestly, I felt that I had every right to react how I did... Keeping something like that from me... it was a betrayal, no questions asked.

But now, with a long silence settled between us, giving me time to look back on our heated dispute, a knot of guilt soon began to creep its way in.

I had lashed out on him incredibly hard, harder than I had ever done in my whole life with anyone else, and maybe, just maybe, I hadn't given him a fair shot to apologise.

He had said sorry over and over again but I didn't want to fall vulnerable to believing him so easily. I just wish I hadn't yelled like I had, cutting him off whenever he tried to explain things to me...

Surprisingly, Vincent hadn't lost his temper once with me today - even when he was being screamed at. That alone was worth brownie points, and hinted that he did actually feel guilty for it all or he would have made more of an effort to defend himself.

I suddenly felt bad, like I had been the one who had crossed a line with how the conversation went, but would I admit that right now?

No way.

I wouldn't.

Not yet.

to hurry up and get back to the hospital. Back to Emma, and more importantly,

of him unconscious, lying in that hospital bed, had haunted me ever since we'd left him there the first

an excruciatingly quiet experience for the

between Vincent and I felt cold and awkward, like we were both balancing on the edge of something fragile, too afraid to

could feel his frustration in the way his

even though it made my anxiety

I couldn't stop my mind from wandering back to everything

The stalkers.

The pictures.

business dealings

money offered

The proposed marriage.

Ashton.

Daryl being shot.

a loop in

it even gotten to

still looming over my life like an attached shadow that I couldn't yet escape, no matter

heels for a guy whose damn father was in connection with

it was hard to

the last guy I thought he would ever be able to get to... helping him to get to

shifted in my seat, glancing back out of the window with a shaky

I had no idea what the future held for me staying here

me? For Vincent?

in the dark and for the first time, I was actually ecstatic

hoped that being back there, seeing Emma, Daryl and Reid might give me some clarity on what to do, or at least they would be a distraction from the chaos running loose inside of my head. Anything to stop thinking about

loved me, and I wasn't even sure how

pulled into the hospital parking lot, the car coming to a slow, quiet stop. The tension between us was suffocating, each second stretching painfully as neither of

up at the glowing hospital entrance, so close

us,

Vincent's steady words find my ears, as I force myself to

I love you Sofia..." He concludes, as I swallow

unbuckled my seatbelt and pushed at the door handle to get out, stepping out into the cool night air

to hear me say something, anything, as I cleared my throat. "Hopefully I'll find a way to move past all of this, just give me time to figure it out." I nod, wishing I could give him more... feeling bad

clear that he was

the bright lights of the hospital hit me like a shock, momentarily pulling me out of my head space. The familiar scent of antiseptic