Shadows In Durango

Chapter 98

*:kkxG0fig's POV*Fkkx

With my phone clutched tightly in my hand, displaying only thirty percent battery, | quickly google to see if any

cafes in town were still open - where | could charge up before making my next move. Reaching up, | wipe at my

wet cheek, before the search loads and | find one cafe nearby that closes at ten. Great, that givesan hour

and a half to figure out where to go from here...

| couldn't process what had happened back there, as every ounce of my body toldjust to get up and run out

of there before my father could show up - and so that's exactly what I did.

| kicked off my heels, changed in to a comfier tracksuit, jammed what I could in to my bag - including scash

- and left.

Vincent had been organising sneaky deals behind my back. Arranging a possible marriage between us without

even having the decency to tellabout it!

He should have toldfrom the very beginning that he was even planning to contact my father. Sure, | wouldn't

have liked the idea, but | trusted him enough to hear his reasons out.

It was an arranged marriage, just like the first taround - all done completely behind my back and against my

will!

It was wrong...

The whole thing was wrong!

This explained a whole lot though, why Daryl had been so uptight and shitty with me, since he probably knew

about it and didn't like the idea of us marrying himself - not that | had any say in it though!

But then again if Daryl really likedlike he claimed he did, then he would have toldabout it instead of

throwing it in my face at dinner just to be spiteful!

As for Vincent, | knew something had been keeping him on edge lately, and this must have been it.

His father was working with mine, and for how long, I didn't know? I couldn't trust any of them, not now, since

the whole dinner could have been a complete set up for all | know!

But one solid fact remained, and that was that | couldn't go back to my father.

Not now, not ever.

I quicken my pace as | head down the dimly lit street, each step feeling heavier with the weight of everything |

had just learned.

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The cool night air bites down at my skin, but it does nothing to calm the storm swirling from inside me.

How could Vincent have done this to me? How could he keep something so huge from me? Especially after | just

admitted to liking him only yesterday!

And worse-how could he think he had the right to discuss any kind of deal with my father behind my back,

withoutknowing about it?!

| feel a sharp pang of betrayal hit my chest. Vincent, one of the few people | thought I could finally trust after

everything that had happened to me, had gone behind my back and made decisions about my life without even

asking me.

As | walk, | think back to the look on his face when he was trying to explain himself - the guilt, the desperation in

his eyes. He'd been trying to manage the situation, | get that, but still... he lied.

Another tear slips down my cheek, and I swipe at it angrily. | can't let myself break down now. | need to keep

moving. | need to stay in control of this situation for my own safety.

The glow of the cafe sign comes into view, and relief washes overto see that it was, in fact, still open.

At least | have somewhere to sit and think for now, to charge my phone and to figure out what my next move is.

The last thing | want is to be stranded out here with nowhere to go and no battery left in my phone.

| push open the door, the warm air inside hittinginstantly, as I'm greeted by the smell of fresh coffee and the

soft hum of quiet conversations from the few people still inside.

| was thankful that it was peaceful in here, a world away from the chaos | had just left behind me.

Sliding into a booth in the back, | pull out my charger, plug in my phone, and sit back, my mind racing. What am

1 going to do? | can't go back to Vincent's house. Not after what just happened. | can't trust him, and | definitely

can't trust his family and there is no way in hell that I'm going back to my father...

The thought of my father sends a chill down my spine. The idea that he was still pulling strings, trying to control

my life from the shadows, makes my skin crawl. | thought I'd escaped him. | thought that | was finally free here...

But now, I'm not so sure.

He was closer tothan what he had ever been before, putting ties together through the use of Vincent and his

father... two big tcriminals to add!

What the hell had | managed to get myself stuck in?!

My phone buzzes on the table, the screen lighting up with an incoming call from Emma but | ignore it.

More tpasses, with more incoming calls from Vincent and even Reid, followed by messages from the three of

them. | stare at it for a moment, my stomach twisting. | don't want to read them, not yet. | can't handle hearing

any more explanations, excuses, or apologies.

Not right now.

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"Hello hon! Can | get you a warm drink?" A waitress appears, snappingfrom staring down at my buzzing

phone, as | straighten up slightly.

"Oh, uh, y-yeah... a hot chocolate please?" | request off the top of my head, not wanting to be rude and seem as

though | was only in to use their electricity (which technically, | was).

"Coming right up!" She smiles, taking a second longer to eyeover, knowing that something was wrong but

choosing to keep quiet on it - which | was thankful for.

| take a deep breath as she leavesand | open up my maps app, searching for hotels or anywhere nearby

where | can stay tonight.

| don't have a plan, and | feel like I'm barely holding it together, but | have to keep moving.

| can't stay here in town forever now which was the sad truth of it... but | should have seen it coming.

I scroll through the options, trying to figure out what | can afford. | don't have money to splurge anymore, not

with my future being so unpredictable at this point.

A message pops up at the top of my screen, one from Emma, as my eyes scan over it quickly.

'Cstay at my place tonight? | won't tell any of them where you are, | promise! That whole thing was messed

up and you have my support Sof! Please answer and talk to me, letknow you're ok?!!"

| debate over her words, saddened that | even felt on edge with Emma now who | had trusted so strongly.

But she had been a great friend who had kept so many secrets forso far, right? She hadn't told anybody

about Ashton showing up in town either...

None of this had been her fault...

| place my phone down to stare out of the window, watching the cars pass by on the street outside as | think.

The glow of the streetlights blurs as my eyes fill with tears again.

| feel so alone, so lost on what to do.

The door to the cafe opens, and the bell above it rings softly, pullingfrom my thoughts.

My heart jumps into my throat, and | tense up, glancing toward the entrance, half-expecting to see Vincent or

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someone from his family coming after me.

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But it's just a random customer, a woman with her coat pulled tight around her, heading to the counter for a

late-night coffee.

| let out a shaky breath, but the fear still lingers, settling deep in my chest. It's like I'm constantly looking over

my shoulder, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"Here you are sweetie!" The waitress returns, placing the steaming mug in front ofas I thank her quickly and

push out a smile.

She leavesalone after that, as | wrap my cold hands around the cup and enjoy that it was the only thing

providingwith a feeling of warmth tonight.

| take a sip, before my phone buzzes again with another incoming call from Emma, as my gut screams atto

answer her.

She must be worried sick, which isn't fair on her.

So with that, | hastily pick up, my fingers trembling slightly as | swipe to answer...

"Sofia?! Are you there? Can you hear me? I'm outside, away from everyone so don't worry! It's safe to talk, are

you alright?!" Her panicked voice fills my ears as | feel myself bubbling again.

"I'm safe, | just had to get out of there, it was too much!" | admit, my voice quiet to avoid anyone in the cafe

overhearing me.

"I know, | know! The whole thing was a nightmare! | had no idea! This explains why they've been acting so

weird! I'm even pissed off with Reid that he didn't share any of this with me, or | would have told you!" She

assures me, as | nod to myself, believing her.

| knew she was telling the truth, since she seemed just as mortified as | felt on the inside.

"I'm going to have him drivehome, if you want to meetthere so that none of them know where you are?"

Emma suggests, as | debate the idea.

Maybe it was my best option, at least for tonight.

"0-0Ok..." | confirm, as she sighs in relief down the line.

"Perfect, I'll tell them that I've spoke to you and that you're safe. I'll tell them to stop calling and that you'll get in

touch when you're ready. How does that sound?" Emma suggests, as | take another drink from my mug. "Yeah...

ok... I'll meet you there soon, bye." | agree, before ending the line and placing my phone back down on the table.

This was far from over, | could feel it.