Shadows In Durango

Chapter 135

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

I picked up the phone, eyeing the name "Dad" flashing up across the screen as I bite back the urge to scoff.

He often didn't deserve the title at the best of times...

Glancing back at Sofia, I saw her tense up slightly, her fingers tightening around her mug as she dreaded to know more about why her own brothers were currently seated in my house...

With a sigh, I swiped to answer him and swiftly pressed the phone up to my ear before it was too late-

"Why haven't you called me sooner?" I kept my tone controlled, not wanting to let my frustration leak through just yet.

"Well Vincent, I assume that Reid would have told you already that I've been handling some... unexpected business," my father's voice came back to me, as calm as ever.

"Well, has it been handled yet?! Are they gone?" I snap, before hearing him press out a heavy sigh which causes for me to rant on further; "We were seconds away from walking right in on them, do you understand how fucking bad that is for Sofia? How do they even know that she is staying there, did you fucking tell them?!"

"Did I tell them?! Vincent do you think that I'm a damn fool all of a sudden? I warned you about this, didn't I? I told you they were persistent... it didn't take much for them to ask around to find out where you were living with the girl!" He sneers back, as I ignore the way Sofia's eyes fill up as she watches the exchange with dread.

"Well are you at least going to tell me what they said and where they are right now?!" I snap out, impatient and irritated that I still hadn't learned any new information from this phone call so far...

hum, the kind he gave when he was already working angles in his own head. "Your little outburst is noted, Vincent," my father said, his voice cool and condescending, as though I were a child throwing a pathetic tantrum. "They left town an hour ago. For now,

In that moment, I wanted to hurl it across the room, but

I expect you to be there - ALONE!" I insist, trusting

I hope to talk her round on

was the best shot we had right now, one that would at least delete

cut Sofia's family out of her life as swiftly

I have a busy schedule tomorrow so don't be

Old man...

of him making our discussion so early, knowing that I would have to wake Sofia and drive back there in the early hours, but I choose to give in to him knowing that it would be easier for us all... Satisfied, the call ended, before I tossed the phone down onto the coffee table with more force than necessary, the dull clatter breaking apart the

onto me as I felt guilty

trying to keep herself calm

to the irritation still burning in my chest from

gaze. "What's the final plan

a hand back through my hair and let out a frustrated sigh before I moved to be directly in front of her, crouching down to make myself on her level before taking her trembling hands in my

eyes never leaving hers. "They want to use you as a pawn in all of this, like you're something to be controlled and traded for the rest of your life! But we can easily convince them that your life with me is already miserable... once they're satisfied, I'll pay them off and

to make something

me like a gut punch, as I could practically see her heart crack from within

make this better - I promise!" I ensure,

and hush her gently. "Tomorrow, we will go see my Dad and he'll help us