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.

over, his brows furrowed with

feel the pressure mounting, overwhelming as my hand shot up to cover my

one sharp turn, he veered off the road, coming to a halt just by the

out, the cool night air hitting me just as my stomach

I'd kept inside all of the fear, frustration, exhaustion - all came

if it were trying to rid itself of the past weeks'

back, feeling steady and

didn't say a word, just knelt beside me, his

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

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

coming to get

were already

I was trapped.

whispered, my voice barely audible, hiccuping between shallow breaths. "I... I'm so sorry, Vincent. I thought I could leave that life behind, but

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

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

reminder of something good, something real that we at least shared beside

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least I wasn't facing them

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,

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

with 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 hurt you!" I plead, suddenly scared for his own

voice harder now, edged with a resolve I hadn't heard before. "I'm not afraid of them and neither should you be anymore. You're with me,

I wanted to feel that hope he was so sure of, but the fear was too deep,

hand my father had held over me. It was more than just fear by now; it

didn't get to decide my own

Not with my family.

his warmth surround me, 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 shadowed my every step. But would

"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,

just nodded, allowing myself to cling to him

you some water and then I'm taking you to one of my lowkey properties until we can figure this out..." Vincent instructs, suddenly helping me to stand back up on 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

like I was trapped

the panic, but the fear clung to me like a second

brought me back to reality, and I glanced up