Shadows In Durango

Chapter 131

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

The second Vincent slammed his foot down on the gas, the quiet calm of the night completely shattered in to a million pieces.

My heart was already pounding so hard it felt like it might burst out through my ribs, but his sudden speed had me gripping the seatbelt tight, my knuckles white.

He was saying something, a low ramble that I could barely make out over the thrum of panic in my mind.

My brothers were here.

They were here.

They knew where I was again...

That hardening fact kept echoing, growing louder with every second, until I couldn't focus on anything else.

What the heck did I expect? I should have left this town when I first had the chance!

"Sofia, listen to me," Vincent's voice broke through the haze, edged with urgency, but it only pulled me further into a panic. "They don't know where we are right now or where we're headed either. I'll get you somewhere safe, just breathe" Breathe?!

The word felt foreign, impossible.

I couldn't breathe; I was choking on sheer fear.

My father's face flashed across in my mind, cold and calculating, always looming somewhere in the background of my pathetic life.

He had always found a way to make me feel small, powerless and now, even states away, he'd managed to find me again.

I wasn't safe.

I'd never be safe from him unless I was actually dead.

That was the only way to escape him!

The nausea built up quickly, a sour heat in my stomach, with my vision blurring as I struggled to keep it down.

"Pull over," I managed to choke out, my voice barely more than a whisper, but Vincent heard me instantly.

brows furrowed with worry.

out in a rush, desperate, and I could feel the pressure mounting, overwhelming as my hand shot up

he veered off the road, coming to a halt just by the gravel

out, the cool night air hitting me just as

fear, frustration, exhaustion - all came pouring out

door for support, my body shaking as if it were trying to rid

reach my back, feeling steady and warm, helping to ground me ever so

a word, just knelt beside me, his palm rubbing slow, soothing circles across

heaves, he stayed there, silent, his steady presence almost making it bearable to still be alive. When the worst of it passed, I slumped back on to the ground, too drained to care about how broken I looked in that moment seated on the

the tears from spilling over, couldn't keep the fear from bubbling back up, stronger than

father was coming to get

were

I was trapped.

so sorry, Vincent. I thought I could leave that life behind, but it's like... it's like they're always going to find me. No matter where I go. Now you're

keep up, and then his arms were around me, pulling me close to him in one swift movement. "It's not your fault. None of this is your fault. It never will

I felt like I was floating somewhere just beyond my own body,

a quiet reminder of something good, something real

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wasn't facing them on my own this time,

anymore. "If they find me... if my father forces me to go back with them... I can't go back, Vincent. He's going to want me dead!" My fingers twisted into the black fabric of his jacket, needing

head back to look up at him, his eyes were fierce, unyielding as he looked down

your entire fucking family myself - I'm not letting them take you away. I promise you that." He states. A broken laugh escaped me, caught somewhere between a sob and a gasp. "Vincent, they're all horrible people! You don't know half

neither should you be anymore. You're with me, Sofia, and as long as you're with me, I'll keep you safe. I'll put a damn bullet through

hope he

planted in me years ago, cultivated in every harsh word, every controlling hand my father had held over me.

didn't get to decide my own

Not with my family.

to make my own choices, to live without the constant dread that shadowed my every step. But would those dreams ever be a reality? Not with them hanging

that washed over me. "You're safe right here. Right now. With me. We'll figure this out together, I swear. Just trust me, I know it's hard after everything I've done, but I only want to help you."

myself to speak, so I just

and then I'm taking you to one of my lowkey

lifting his hands to wipe at my wet cheeks, before he places each of his palms on either side of my face; "You're too fucking pretty to be crying like this all the time... I'm going to put a stop to them if it's the last thing I do!" He states firmly, before helping me back in to the car as though I were a fragile doll made

I felt like I

worn out to keep up the panic, but the fear clung to me like a second skin, lingering at the edges of

my seatbelt brought me back to reality, and I glanced up to find Vincent watching me, his jaw set, the