Shadows In Durango

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

"Why are we going out this way?" I question gently, not wanting to send Vincent over the edge since I could already sense that he was overwhelmed. "It's safer." He all but states, opening the fire exit door to find a waiting car and two large guys.

I shrink back slightly at the sight of them, not deeming them to be the friendly looking type, as they move swiftly to take our bags out to the car.

I feel Vincent's hand reach the small of my back, gaining my attention as I look up at him to find his eyes scanning our surroundings.

What has gotten him so paranoid?! I wonder what was in that damn envelope...

Seconds later when the men finish up, he hurries me out and into the car, as both men slam the doors and climb in the front before starting to drive off in to the night - wasting no time at all.

I was thankful to be going back to Durango, finding comfort there in Vincent's home with the familiar presence of Emma and Daryl...

I suddenly felt guilty, having not bothered to text Daryl at all since the incident between the two boys the other day - finding him to be fully at fault for it all this time around.

I was slightly disappointed that he hadn't bothered to text me once either since then, unsure of why he would have any reason to be pissed off with me since he was the one who had lashed out...

But I knew that he was annoyed about me deciding to travel with Vincent and looking back at things now, maybe he was right all along, although it still wasn't Vincent's fault.

"You good?" I turn to find Vincent's concerned eyes as I nod stiffly and eye the pair in the front.

As if he could feel my tension, he reaches over and takes my hand in his - a gesture in which I was thankful for since it helped to make me feel a whole lot safer.

We remained in a thick silence the rest of the drive, arriving at the airport with the car passing through security and taking us towards the waiting jet that had brought us here only days before in a matter of minutes.

I climb out when the car stops, with Vincent speaking in hushed tones to the men who make a move to collect our bags for us shortly after.

I felt bad for judging them both based on appearance alone but I couldn't help but feel nervous and unsure of everyone after what had happened earlier at the zoo.

I quickly realised that people would pretty much do anything for money, even if it meant dragging me back to my hellish father without even knowing the half of it!

I follow Vincent up the steps of the jet, as the staff onboard make a move to fix things in preparation for us flying.

I immediately find a recliner seat and sink down into it, chewing my lip in thought as my body aches against the leather fabric.

Vincent moves to join me, taking the seat beside me. His presence was comforting, but the tension still lingered heavily in the air.

I could feel his eyes on me, gauging my mood, but I didn't want to add to his stress. I glanced out of the window instead, watching the ground crew bustle around as they prepared for takeoff.

Vincent leaned in, his voice low, "You're quiet. What's on your mind?"

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I hesitated, unsure if now was the right time to bring up everything that was bothering me. The incident at the zoo, Daryl's silence, and Vincent's sudden paranoia- it all swirled around in my head like a storm I couldn't yet calm. "I just feel... unsettled," I admitted, finally meeting his gaze. "Everything happened so fast today, and I don't know what to make of it."

He exhaled deeply, rubbing the back of his neck. "I know. I should've been more careful. I shouldn't have let you out of my sight even to use the damn bathroom." He scolds himself, as I shake my head in defence.

His guilt was palpable, and it made me instantly soften.

"It's not your fault, none of this is. I just... don't understand why my father is still so desperate to find me. And whoever left that envelope... what did they want? What was inside?" I find myself wondering, hoping that he would just tell me instead of keeping it a secret.

Vincent's jaw tightened, and I could tell he was debating how much to tell me...

"You don't have to worry your pretty little head about any of it, I'm trying to figure it all out. I've got my father looking into it, and you'll be safer back in Durango. We just need to lay low for a while, and I'll handle the rest." He insists that I drop it, which causes for me to sigh a little as my shoulders slump too.

I nodded, feeling the weight of uncertainty press down on me. I knew Vincent was trying his best to keep me safe, but something told me that this wasn't going to be over anytime soon...

The jet engines roared to life, and soon we were in the air, the city fading into the distance below. I leaned my head back against the seat, closing my eyes, but sleep didn't come. My mind kept drifting to the look in Vincent's eyes earlier - how alert he seemed, how much pressure he was under.

"I don't want you to feel like you have to handle everything alone," I said quietly, opening my eyes to find him staring at nothing, lost in thought. "You've done so much for me already, Vincent. You don't have to carry all of this by yourself."

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His eyes softened as he turned back to me. "I promised I'd protect you, Sofia. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you again. Not your father, not anyone. I've faced worse than this before, trust me." He forces a smile.

I believed him. But I also knew that he couldn't be everywhere at once, and the weight of his promise was starting to take a toll on me.

Before I could respond, a soft chime echoed through the cabin, and a flight attendant approached, offering us drinks. Vincent waved them off, still too tense to focus on anything but the situation at hand.

I reached for his hand, squeezing it gently. "We'll figure this out, okay? Together." I promise, as he nods and agrees.

For a moment, something in his expression shifted - his guard lowered, if only for a second. "Yeah," he murmured, "together."

He seemed hopeful at that point, finding a hidden meaning behind the word... perhaps hoping to still proceed with whatever relationship we currently had together, but there was still someone to rule out fully first, and that was Daryl. Trying to shift the tone, Vincent quickly reaches down into a bag and retrieved the same iPad from earlier.

"Show me what you bought yourself then..." He hums, as I nod slowly and chew my lip.

I felt weird spending his money so freely, since he had already given me so much, but I would also be lying if I said I didn't enjoy picking some new things to start rebuilding my wardrobe.

I started with underwear, but I definitely didn't have to show him that, so instead, I tapped to show him the first order I had placed that consisted of a grey sweatshirt, black sweatshirt, three t-shirts in khaki, navy and grey followed by the legging colours to match.

"Very nice, I hope that's not all you got though?" Vincent tests, as I shake my head shyly and click over to the next purchase.

I think in this moment, we both just tried to enjoy the brief distraction from the number of concerns we now faced... but like Vincent had promised, we would attempt to face them, together.