Shadows In Durango

Chapter 139

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

The house felt eerily quiet as the minutes dragged on. The soft drone of a reality show was playing in the background, but I couldn't even focus on it.

The artificial laughter and overdramatic arguments seemed absurd against the real life scenarios brewing in my own reality.

I sat on the edge of the couch, my hands clasped so tightly in my lap that my knuckles were pulsing white.

Vincent lounged beside me, with his arm draped over the back of the couch, pretending to watch the screen, though I knew he wasn't paying much attention to it either. His jaw was tense, his eyes darting toward the window every few seconds...

Vincent's father had been gone for a fair few hours now, off on some of his "errands" that apparently couldn't wait any longer.

Before he left, he had made a conscious effort to make arrangements for tomorrow - to bring them here for the 'meeting' to which they dreadfully agreed to...

I tried not to let myself think in to it too much since I knew that it would only cause an unnecessary panic attack so instead, I decided to attempt to go with the flow.

It was better that we do this tomorrow - get it over with - as opposed to procrastinating, right?

"This is bullshit - the show I mean! How are you feeling?" Vincent's voice broke through my spiraling thoughts as I turned to look up at him, finding his eyes settled on me.

"As okay as I can be," I replied quietly with a small shrug. "Time's running out, isn't it? I just need to roll with it and pray for a miracle..."

"How do you feel about tomorrow though? You seem far too... calm for my liking. Do you think you'll be able to handle seeing them after so long?" He tests, as I lift my left hand up to rub at my drying throat...

Tomorrow...

The day in which my father and brothers would walk through that door, and everything would hinge on whether we could sell this twisted plan to them or not.

down that I didn't have the luxury of failing anymore... this has to work if it's the

look more miserable to them, so I'm just telling myself that it's ok to fall apart when I see them..." I explain my reasoning, sounding as though

first time in a long time, that's major. I'll have your back with this right to the very end - trust me - I'm certainly not scared of them so neither should you be anymore!" Vincent's words are gentle, as

of me and he'll have my back right to

Woah...

think up a further response, a low rumble of an engine pulling up into the driveway shattered

released a breath I hadn't been aware I had caged in since

a little to peak out of the cracks in

guy with him, I'm guessing to help with the makeup and shit..." He recites, as my hands instinctively begin to

heard opening, and

booms loudly, obviously unaware that we were both only down

and Vincent's father appears

with a wheeled case trailing in behind him. He looked completely out of place in the house, dressed in a sleek black turtleneck and slim-fitting black trousers that screamed high-end fashion. "This," Vincent's father announced, stepping aside and gesturing toward the stranger, "is Sergio. He'll be taking care of the...

breath, my stomach flipping as I glanced at the case Sergio was rolling behind him -

professional photoshoots or crime scene re-creations maybe... that would be

his gaze hard as he studied the man.

further into the room. "Sergio's the best. He'll make it look convincing. I've used him many times in the past -

and unmistakably sounding French. "I understand that zis is more... delicate work, yes. But do not worry. I will make her look -

A homeless dog?!

Really?!

would

instructed me with a sharp clap of his hands, looking directly at me now as though there were no more time to waste.

he gave me a small nod of encouragement. Reluctantly, I pushed

as he studied me with the intensity of an artist sizing up his subject as I squirmed under his sharp eye. He circled me

and clinical as he tilted my face toward the light, pressing lightly on my cheekbones and jawline with enough pressure to leave a

zis is actually a good thing! Shall I