Shadows In Durango

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

I finish the last sip of my hot chocolate, the warmth lingering for a moment as I gather my things.

By now, the cafe had emptied out, and the quiet hum of conversation and the soft clinks of mugs were long gone.

It was just me, the waitress, and the low buzz of incoming messages as my phone charged on the table in front of me - now at full battery.

Emma had said I could stay at hers tonight, but as comforting as that offer was, a sense of unease still sat heavy in my chest which could explain why I had held off on leaving here for so long... but unfortunately, it was now closing time. It didn't matter where I went in town tonight, because I still felt like a hunted animal who would have to cover my tracks.

My father had always had a way of controlling everything since my Mom died, making me feel like no matter how far I ran, he was just one step behind me.

I glance back outside, seeing it growing darker. The streets were mostly deserted now, with the orange glow of streetlights casting long, lonely shadows down on the pavement.

The whole town felt like it had shifted into an entirely different place after that dinner...

I wasn't sure if I could ever see it the same way again, a place I had once loved, now full of demons and danger...

With a deep breath, I unplug my phone, drop it into my pocket, and head towards the door - leaving a five dollar bill on the table.

The bell chimes softly as I step out into the cold night air again, my arms instinctively wrapping around myself.

I pull my hood up, trying to shrink into myself as I walk, the sound of my sneakers tapping against the pavement becoming my only company.

My brain won't stop replaying everything that had happened tonight. Vincent's face, the shock, the guilt... then Daryl's smug grin, the sharp words thrown across the table, and the crushing weight of betrayal that came from finding out about the arranged marriage deal.

Why hadn't he told me? Is all I could keep asking myself...

If he would have kept me in the loop the whole time then things would have been a lot easier!

The same question had been running laps around my mind, but I couldn't find an answer that made it hurt any less.

No matter how I twisted it, it all felt like a lie, like I was being used and set up all over again. Like Vincent had just helped him find a different way to control my life, in a vile way that I wasn't expecting.

I shake my head, trying to focus on the street ahead. Emma's house wasn't too far now, just a few more blocks and I'd be there, at least for tonight.

It wasn't a long walk, but every step felt like a lifetime trapped out in this cold.

Suddenly, the soft purr of a car engine cuts through the quiet street, and I instinctively tense. The street had been dead up until now...

I glance over my shoulder and see headlights approaching slowly from behind. The car starts to slow before it pulls up next to the curb, stilling its pace to match mine, and my heart starts pounding rapidly. What now?!

I didn't recognise the vehicle to be Vincent, Daryl or even Reid's car so I was prepared to face some weird older stranger - probably thinking that I was a street walker looking for cash being out at this time! I feel my pulse in my throat as the window slowly rolls down, revealing a face that I hadn't expected to see tonight at all...Belonging © NôvelDram/a.Org.

"Ashton?" I breathe out in disbelief, my feet stopping on instinct as I blink up at him.

Of course he had to show up tonight too!

"Sofia? I thought that was you!" he says, his voice tinged with surprise and concern which causes me to squint a little.

He leans slightly out of the window, his eyes scanning me up and down. "What are you doing out here by yourself at this time? Where are you going?" He asks, but I don't plan on telling him anything. I open my mouth to answer, but no words come out at first.

Seeing Ashton here, in the middle of everything, catches me so off guard that I just stand there, staring at him like he's some kind of apparition as my body starts to heat up.

"I... I was just—" I finally manage, but the words feel jumbled, my mind racing to keep up with what was happening as my face begins to fall flush.

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This was all too much....

Ashton's eyes narrow slightly as he takes in my appearance - the hoodie pulled tight over my head, my sneakers scuffed from walking for what felt like hours. "You look like you've been through hell, have you been crying?" he says, his tone softening. "Sofia, what's going on? You can trust me..."

My throat tightens, the weight of everything crashing down on me all over again - his word of 'trust' almost sending me over the edge.

He was the last person in this town that I could trust right now!

"I'm fine... I... it's just complicated," I say weakly, pulling my arms tighter around myself. "I just needed to get out of somewhere. I'm fine, though, I'm just heading to a friend's place, not far from here." I nod, but my breathing only seems to increase.

I was far from calm, far from feeling alright...

Ashton watches me for a moment, his face unreadable as he processes what I'm saying. But then his expression shifts, a mix of concern and protectiveness flashing across his features. This could all just be an act...

"You aren't fine! Get in," he says, his voice leaving no room for argument as my eyes grow wide.

What if this was another trap? His way to drag me right back to my father to get back on his good side?!

I hesitate, my feet glued to the pavement. I hadn't seen Ashton in a while and seeing him twice in such a short space of time was far too much to bear!

"I'm fine, really," I start, as he cuts me off again, his tone a little harsher.

"I'm just trying to help! Just get in and I'll take you to your friends, it's cold!" He demands, before a click is heard and I watch him undo his belt.

Shit!

I breathe out rapidly, seeing the smoke fill the air due to how cold it was tonight...

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I take a step back as Ashton begins to unbuckle his seatbelt, my heart racing. I can feel my pulse pounding in my ears as panic courses through me.

"Ashton, I told you, I'm fine," I repeat, my voice more shaky than I intended.

Every muscle in my body was tensed, ready to run if I needed to. I don't know why, but something about this whole situation feels off.

The night has already been overwhelming, and now Ashton is here, pushing for me to trust him when trust is the last thing I have left to give.

"You're clearly not fine, Sofia." His voice softens again, but the intensity in his eyes remains. "I don't know what's going on, but you shouldn't be out here by yourself. You don't have to tell me anything just let me help."

His words hang in the air, and for a moment, I stupidly even consider it. The idea of getting off this cold empty street, of being somewhere warm, is tempting.

But then I remember everything - Ashtons past betrayal, Vincent's recent betrayal, Daryl's taunts, my father's looming control - and the thought of trusting any of them, feels impossible.

My vision blurs for a second, and I blink, trying to shake off the dizziness that's suddenly washing over me. I feel unsteady, my legs weak beneath me.

"I... I can't..." I stammer, my breath coming out in shallow gasps. The cold night air suddenly feels too thin, like there's not enough oxygen.

My chest tightens painfully, and I can feel the weight of the entire night crushing down on me.

"Sofia, just get in the car," Ashton says again, his voice now filled with urgency as he steps out, coming around the front of the car towards me.

I take another step back, stumbling slightly. "I... I just... need to..." My words trail off as a wave of exhaustion hits me like a freight train.

The street around me seems to spin, the orange streetlights blurring together with the distant shadows of trees and buildings. I can feel my knees buckling beneath me, but I can't seem to stop it. "Sofia?" Ashton's voice is muffled now, like he's far away.

I can see him rushing towards me, his hand reaching out, but it's like my body is no longer under my control.

I try to take another step away from him, but the ground comes up to meet me instead.

The last thing I feel is a flood of pain and the cold pavement beneath my palms, and then nothing.