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

rush, desperate, and I could feel the pressure mounting, overwhelming as my hand

turn, he veered off the road, coming

open before I stumbled out, the cool

kept inside all of the fear, frustration, exhaustion

body shaking as if it were trying to

Vincent's hand reach my back, feeling steady and warm, helping to ground me ever so

me, his palm rubbing slow, soothing circles across

but dry 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,

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

was coming

were already

I was trapped.

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

tried to 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 be. I'm going to handle it, ok?" He

in his chest, letting the weight of his hold anchor me, because in that moment, I felt like I was floating somewhere just beyond my own body, as if the fear had fully pulled me outside of

heart beat solidly beneath my cheek, a quiet reminder of something good, something

you're not reading this book on nel5s.org, you might be

facing them on

cry out, my voice breaking with a desperation I couldn't hold back 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

me," Vincent whispered, and the intensity in his voice pulled my head back to look up at him, his eyes were fierce, unyielding as he looked down at

him. You won't go back. I don't care if I have to keep you hidden forever, or if I have to fight off 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 of what they've done. They'll tear apart anything in their path if it means getting me back. They'll

not afraid of them and neither should you be anymore. You're with me, Sofia, and as long as you're with me, I'll

believe him. I wanted to feel that hope he was so sure of, but

harsh word, every controlling hand my father had held over me. It was more than

get to decide my own

Not with my family.

I could almost see a different version of my life - one where I was free to make my own choices, to live without the constant dread that

mine, his voice a low whisper 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

to speak, so I just nodded, allowing myself to cling to him in

taking you to one of my lowkey properties until

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

the car, I felt like I was

but the fear clung to me like a second skin, lingering at

and I glanced up