Shadows In Durango

Chapter 86

serer\/incent's POV kkk

"Are you two coming inside or what?!" We both snap our heads around to find Reid leaning out of the front door -

hand outstretched with his palm facing upwards as though we were both idiots for waiting outside for this long...

"Where are the girls?" | ask, knowing that | was far too worked up over my father's texts to deal with them both

in this moment, fearing that | wouldn't be able to hide my concern for much longer.

"Upstairs... why? What's gotten into you two?!" Reid drags on in suspicion, needing to know what was going on

as Daryl locks his car and we decide to eventually go in.

Reid continues to stare between us both, clearly sensing a thickening tension but chooses to remain quiet to wait

for an explanation.

| brush past him without a word, heading straight for the kitchen, before | grab a bottle of whisky and three

glasses, placing them out on the countertop.

| spin the cap as the other two join me, all taking a seat around the central island before | pour and divvy out the

drinks.

"A lot has happened in the past couple of days since I've been gone," | say Reid, my voice low but firm, letting

him know that this wasn't scasual catch-up or joke. "Will you two just hurry up and tellwhat the hell is

going on?" He questions, as | take a moment to swing back sof the burning alcohol to help ease my mind.

Leaning forward with my elbows placed on the counter, taking a second to figure out where to even start, | tell

him:

"It's Sofia's dad," | finally mutter. "He's not just srandom guy. He's apparently connected... to my father." |

swallow the lump in my throat, with the situation feeling all the more real after saying it out loud.

Reid raises an eyebrow, clearly confused. "What's the deal with her Dad anyway? Daryl toldthat she ran

away from hbut that's all | know..." Reid squints at me, remindingthat he had only barely been in the

loop with Sofias scenathus far.

After all, they didn't exactly start off on the best foot...

Daryl steps in to help, his voice tense. "Frazier Hammond, Sofia's dad, is one of Vincent's father's associates.

They've been working together. Sofia left hbecause he wanted to marry her off for cash after her mother

died. She's been on the run ever since but he doesn't seem to be quitting looking for her!" Daryl briefs him, as |

clench my fists hearing him speak about Sofias situation.

This whole scenaquite literally couldn't have gotten any worse than it has...

"Yeah, and now my father knows that she's here withand could very easily tell him if he felt like it..." I grit

out, now regretting even involving him at all.

I'll have to call him, attempt to straighten this mess out in the best possible way...

"Does she know?" Reid asks, as Daryl and | instantly shake our heads.

Reid blinks, processing the information, his face slowly darkening. "Wait... so her dad - Sofia's dad is somehow

involved with... your family's business? What is the fucking chances of that?!" Reid throws his hands up and

states.

I nod in agreement. "Yeah, but my father works with assholes from around the country so her father fits the

mold... and from what my father just found out, Frazier's been looking for her for a while now. She's been put out

as a missing person and now, my father's demanding to talk toabout it." | breathe out heavily before

standing from my current position.

"Daryl will fill you in on the rest, I'm going to go in the office to call him... | don't want to hold off for too long

incase he makes a dumb decision!" | decide, as they both offerpitiful looks and watchexit the kitchen.

I make my way down the hall, each step feeling heavier than the last. As much as | hate dealing with my father,

avoiding this conversation will only make things worse.

The office door creaks slightly as I push it open, stepping into the dimly lit room. I close the door behind me,

shutting out any muffled sounds from around the house.

| sit down at the desk, my fingers hovering over my phone for a second before | finally dial my father's number.

The call rings once, then twice, before his gruff voice answers on the other end as though he had been waiting

by the phone forsince the text.

"Vincent." His tone is sharp, proving that he had been expecting my call.

| take a breath, trying to keep my voice steady. "We need to talk about this shit." | state, showing him that |

meant business.

There's a pause next on his end, and | can almost feel his tension radiating through the phone. "Yeah, | bet we

do. So, you're shacked up with Frazier Hammond's runaway daughter? What the hell are you thinking, son? Do

you know how long he's been scouring this country looking for her? He must be worried sick and yet here | have

my own son hiding her out on my own fucking property!" His tone grows louder towards the end, immediately

settingoff.

"I didn't know who she was at first," | admit, pacing the room now. "But he's not exactly father of the year is he?!

He only wants to marry her to solder guy for cash! | won't allow it and | don't care what it means for your

business with him either! If he's really just ssmall associate then cut your ties with him!" | state bluntly, my

whole body trembling in a boiling rage.

He scoffs. "Well, to put it simply, her daddy's been looking for her and anything beyond that really isn't mine or

your concern! And trust me, Frazier's not the kind of man to let something like this go, if he finds out you're

involved then he and his sons will clooking for you. He may just be an idiot that does my dirty work

sometimes, but he's sure as hell persistent I'll give him that! You've put yourself in the middle of a shitstorm

here, Vincent." My father concludes, as my eyes narrow at the threats.

Let them come.

I'll put a bullet through all three of them if | have to.

"I'm not letting anything happen to her. She's safer withthan anywhere else and | like her." | admit, feeling

weak for the words but knowing there was no use in hiding the truth now.

"You like her?" He laughs, a cold, bitter sound. "You're playing with fire with this girl, you know that don't you?

He's not going to just let this slide just because she's hanging around with my son. In fact, that might even make

things worse for him if he already had somebody else lined up and waiting to marry her..." He informs me, as |

begin to chew the skin on the side of my nail.

"Then | need your help," | say, hating that | even have to ask. "You know how Frazier operates so help me, it's

not like | ask you for much!" | grumble, as he chuckles down the line.

"Frazier is a simple man, who operates solely on money." He states, as | suddenly think up an idea.

"Then make him a fucking offer for her..." | demand, not thinking twice about the words as they leave my lips.

"So you want to buy this girl now?! Own her like a piece of damn furniture in the house? Is she that fucking

special?!" My father fumes next, as | groan heavily at how bad it all sounds.

It might be the only way to settle him... if it's cash he wants, then give him the damn cash! We have plenty of

jE

There's a long pause before he finally speaks again, his voice grudging. "Alright, fine. I'll see what I can do to

smooth things over with him, but don't think this is over. Frazier will want answers as to where she is, and if he

doesn't get them, he'll start digging. You need to be ready for that if he doesn't just accept the cash." He states

firmly, as | nod to myself knowingly.

"I'll handle it," | say, though I'm not yet sure how.

"Good luck with that," my father mutters before hanging up, leavingstanding in the silence of the office,

phone still clutched in my hand before | instinctively smash it against the nearest wall - watching it fall into tiny

pieces. Was | doing the right thing? Or would things only get worse for everyone? Including Sofia...