Shadows In Durango

Chapter 130

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

I ended the call with my father, the echo of his words still bashing around in my ears.

He had made it painfully clear that this was my last chance to make a decision to accept Frazier's offer to secure the marriage deal or face the consequences...

I forced the phone back into my pocket, but the weight of his demand settled heavily on me as I headed back in to the hospital.

The hallway was quiet, the pale lights giving everything a ghostly cast, as if the whole hospital knew how close I was to my breaking point.

I dragged myself in to the waiting room and over to the chair, letting out a quiet sigh as I sat back down with no sign of the girls yet.

Reid looked up the moment I settled, his eyes sharp with curiosity and concern. "So what happened? You look pissed." he asked, his voice low but insistent.

I shook my head, my gaze focused on the floor as I scowled down at it like a child - attempting to burn holes through the tiles.

Talking about it was the last thing I wanted to do. How could I explain that my father had just added another stone to the mountain already on my shoulders, forcing me to consider an ultimatum that I'd been trying so hard to avoid? "Nothing new to discuss," I muttered, trying to keep my tone even, though I knew he'd see right through me.

I wasn't lying though, he already knew the ins and outs of the marriage proposal with the only new thing being the added pressure from my father to give him my decision.

Reid's frown deepened, but he didn't press me. He just nodded, his face thoughtful as he looked away.

After a while, the door down the hall finally opened, and my eyes flicked up to find Sofia and Emma returning back from Daryl's room.

My heart stumbled when I saw her face. For the first time in what felt like forever, she looked directly at me, her expression much softer than before, her eyes holding something I hadn't expected - was it sorrow? Maybe guilt?

It hit me like a shock, making me sit up straighter, instinctively searching her face for clues as to what was going through her mind. Maybe seeing Daryl awake had made her feel worse for what happened to him?

Emma gave Reid and me a quick nod, breaking the tense silence. "Daryl's asleep again. The nurse said he'll probably be out for the rest of the night," she explained, glancing between us. "So... I think it's best if we all head back to Vincent's place to rest up if that suits you two?"

my attention stayed on Sofia. She lingered near the door, her expression unreadable, almost hesitant, as if weighing whether to

I wish she would...

I announce, deciding that she probably won't be talking to me any time

gentle tug on my hand, stopping

was light, almost hesitant, but it was enough to

when we get back home?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper,

disappoint her. I couldn't read her expression completely, but there was something there, a glimmer of the girl I'd fought so hard to right my wrongs with and for the first time today, a faint ounce

even willing to

another word, we moved out into the cool night, the air sharp

everything hanging between us as the girls sat in the back with Reid and I

her seat, lost in her own thoughts as Emma held her hand for comfort knowing she had

up into the driveway, finding an extra car parked there which

the house ahead of us. Sofia stayed seated in the back, hesitating just a moment as if not

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and might get in

in the front?" I add, not liking that she was behind me as though I were some taxi, as she opens the

replaying every mistake I'd made, every wrong thing I'd said, but I had to let her lead this conversation - since it felt

us.

voice low but steady, "I just... I wanted to say that maybe I was unfair earlier. I was so caught up in everything that I didn't

to hear that, at least not

surge of relief through me, as I was quick to respond, "Sofia, you don't have to apologise to me for any of this. I get it - I fucked up bad and I should've been honest with you from the start. I thought I was protecting you by keeping things hidden until I could figure it all out, but

and in to the grasp of Ashton... all

I saw her guard slip just enough to glimpse the vulnerability behind

so angry," she admitted softly, her voice catching ever so slightly. "Angry that you made choices that affected my life without telling me... that you thought you knew what

led us both here, but seeing her willingness to be open, to admit her own anger and pain, gave me a glimmer of hope that maybe this

everything if I just kept you away from the worst of

I honestly don't know how to fix this. But maybe... maybe we can start by being honest with each other from now on. No more secrets, no more trying to protect