Shadows In Durango

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

Groaning loudly, I flop back down on to the crummy sofa in the centre of the cold hard basement.

There was absolutely nothing in here from what I could see that could help me get out. Nothing decent to even defend myself with.

It was as though Ashton had already thought this whole plan through to the end - proving himself to be a master criminal at the mere age of eighteen. What a fucking asshole!

I was so upset, so angry at myself for landing myself in this mess. The second he had pulled up in his car I should have ran for the hills...

All I could think of was that I should have told Vincent all about seeing Ashton at school when I had the chance. He was smart, he would have looked in to him right away if anything like this happened to me, but he didn't even know about him being here...

I hoped that Emma would think to tell him all about me running in to Ashton at school, maybe from there he would somehow be able to find and save me?

But I doubt it, I'm being extremely hopeful and extremely unrealistic. For all I knew, Vincent had let me run off in my childish meltdown, not bothering to chase after me like he had done before in the past.

I straighten up immediately, hearing the door unlock from the top of the steps, it creaking open and shining a brighter light down in to the darkened space.

My best chance here is to play along for now...

Make him believe that I'm really trying to work on 'us' and maybe he will trust me enough to take me outside?

Once I can get outside, somewhere public, I'll be able to find help...

"Here we go! Toast and beans!" He announces, as though it were a gourmet meal he had just whipped up, as I crank open a tight smile - with it failing to reach my eyes.

He was dangerous...

But I had to play nice...

"Thank you... is there, any water?" I ask, watching him reach the bottom step before approaching me fully.

My whole body tightens up as he closes in on me, placing the tray down beside me on the sofa.

Instead of answering, he walks across to the fridge, opening it and revealing a full stock of bottled water filling the space - nothing else.

Great, he's already thought of that too...

The number of bottles alone haunted me, causing for me to gulp in sudden realisation. How long was he planning to hold me down here? If he had stocked up on so many bottles for me? Shivering, my eyes follow him as he grabs one and closes the door back over before returning to me.

"Eat." He demands, pulling up a stool as he sits much closer than what I had liked for him to be.

Nodding slowly, I lift my trembling hand to reach down for the tray, using my other to lift one of the bread slices - biting down in to it.

The whole time that I eat he just watches me, almost mesmerised by my actions as I fight back the feelings of dread and anxiety.

I don't know how I'm going to get through this...

"I have some questions for you, since I haven't saw you in so long..." He announces, leaning his elbows on his thighs, reaching closer to me as I shift in the chair ever so slightly. "O-Ok..." I respond, unable to hide the stutter.

Ashton's eyes never leave me as I take another bite, the food almost tasteless in my mouth. It's hard to focus on anything but the looming sense of insanity that fills the space between us. The more I try to keep my composure, the more it feels like I'm suffocating under his watch.

His gaze is too intense, too piercing. It makes my skin crawl, but I keep my eyes down, focusing on the toast, trying to force my hands to stop shaking each time that I lift them.

He leans in even closer, his breath warm against the already heavy air of the basement. "So, Sofia... What's it been like for you? In town, I mean." His voice is low, casual, but I can hear the edge of something darker hidden beneath it.

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He's watching me like he's waiting for a slip-up of some kind, like he already knows the answers that he wants.

I swallow hard, my throat dry despite the water bottle he had handed me. "It's been fine," I lie, forcing a smile that feels like a mask, one I'm terrified will crack the moment he looks too closely.

He doesn't react immediately. He just watches me, his eyes narrowing slightly as though he's dissecting every little word, every little movement. The silence stretches out, thick and burning, as he studies me like I'm some kind of puzzle he's determined to solve.

"Fine?" he asks, voice teasing, as if I've just told him something amusing. "That's funny, because I remember you being so upset on that sidewalk, so desperate to get away from me and from everything here." His hand reaches out, almost casually, brushing against the back of my hand, and I fight the urge to flinch back.

I lock my jaw, refusing to pull away, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing me react. If I show him any fear, if I show that I'm scared, he wins.

"I'm sorry if I upset you by acting off," I manage, my voice trembling slightly despite my best efforts. "I just... needed some space that night, that's all." It's a weak excuse, but it's all I can offer.

Ashton leans back, satisfied for now. "Space, huh?" He seems to mull over my words, a dark smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "I'll give you all the space you want down here, Sofia. But you know, sometimes the best way to fix things... is to stop running." He deadpans.

My stomach turns at his words, a sickening realisation sinking in. I was like a mouse that had just been caught by the cat after so many months of running...

He doesn't just want me here to fix our past relationship - he wants to fully control and trap me, feeling victorious in doing so.

I have no idea how far he's willing to go with this...

I take a long drink from the bottle of water, trying to keep my focus, trying to hold it together long enough to figure out what to do next.

"You already know why I was on the run Ashton..." I say carefully, glancing at him briefly and seeing that his sickening smile had never faltered.

He doesn't answer immediately, just watches me with those unnerving eyes of his. Then, slowly, his lips curl up into something resembling a grin.

"You were running, Sofia, because you didn't understand your father's ways. Neither did I after spending some more time with him believe it or not, I realised he was crazy..." he trails off, before carrying on in his self amusement, "But I wonder how he would feel now after knowing that I had managed to catch his daughter when he couldn't?" He reaches out and brushes a strand of hair back from my face, his fingers lingering on my skin in a way that makes my blood run cold. Is he going to tell my father he has me here?! Is that it?! Just to get back in with him? To impress him? Or maybe just out of spite?!

"P-Please don't tell him that I'm here..." my voice suddenly croaks, breaking finally as I sniffle to hold back my emotions.

"Shhh, it's all going to be ok... if you behave for me, then I won't have to send you back to him. Is that a deal?" He presents, as my eyes widen at the ultimatum.

Either I stay down here as his slave or get sent back to my father... is that what he's saying?!

With that, the first tear slips, as he quickly reaches out to swipe it away with his thumb - an action that reminds me of Vincent and forces me to feel ill under the roughness of his thumb instead.

"I'll make you understand why I'm doing all of this eventually," he continues softly, as though reassuring me, but there's nothing reassuring about his tone.

It's possessive, controlling, like he's marking his territory.

I nod, pretending to accept his words, my mind racing as I try to come up with something — anything that will give me a chance to escape from here.

The tray of food is still in front of me, untouched except for the one piece of toast I had ate half of. My fingers tighten around the bottle, a plan forming in my mind.

I'll need to stay calm. I need to keep him thinking that I'm just going along with this, playing along with his little game, until I can find a crack, a weakness to exploit...

For now, I can't let him see how terrified I am. I can't let him know just how badly I want to scream and to beg for him to let me go.

But I won't stop looking for a way out.

Taking a deep breath, I look up at him, forcing my voice to sound steady. "So... what now?"

His smile widens, and I know he's already won this round. But that doesn't mean I'm giving up.

Not yet. Not ever.

"Are you still a virgin Sofia?" He asks, as my heart practically sinks down in to the pit of my stomach. Oh God no... please don't move to that...