Shadows In Durango

*****Vincent's POV*****

"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?" I ask, knowing that I was far too worked up over my father's texts to deal with them both in this moment, fearing that I wouldn't be able to hide my concern for much longer.RêAd lat𝙚St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only

"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.

I brush past him without a word, heading straight for the kitchen, before I grab a bottle of whisky and three glasses, placing them out on the countertop.

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

"A lot has happened in the past couple of days since I've been gone," I say Reid, my voice low but firm, letting him know that this wasn't some casual catch-up or joke. "Will you two just hurry up and tell me what the hell is going on?" He questions, as I take a moment to swing back some of 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, I tell him:

"It's Sofia's dad," I finally mutter. "He's not just some random guy. He's apparently connected... to my father." I 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 told me that she ran away from home but that's all I know..." Reid squints at me, reminding me that he had only barely been in the loop with Sofias scenario thus 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 home because 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 I clench my fists hearing him speak about Sofias situation.

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

"Yeah, and now my father knows that she's here with me and 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 I 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 to me about it." I 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... I don't want to hold off for too long incase he makes a dumb decision!" I decide, as they both offer me pitiful looks and watch me exit the kitchen.

I make my way down the hall, each step feeling heavier than the last. As much as I 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.

I sit down at the desk, my fingers hovering over my phone for a second before I 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 for me since the text.

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

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

There's a pause next on his end, and I can almost feel his tension radiating through the phone. "Yeah, I 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 I have my own son hiding her out on my own fucking property!" His tone grows louder towards the end, immediately setting me off.

"I didn't know who she was at first," I admit, pacing the room now. "But he's not exactly father of the year is he?! He only wants to marry her to some older guy for cash! I won't allow it and I don't care what it means for your business with him either! If he's really just some small associate then cut your ties with him!" I 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 come looking 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 I have to.

"I'm not letting anything happen to her. She's safer with me than anywhere else and I like her." I 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 I begin to chew the skin on the side of my nail.

"Then I need your help," I say, hating that I even have to ask. "You know how Frazier operates so help me, it's not like I ask you for much!" I grumble, as he chuckles down the line.

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

"Then make him a fucking offer for her..." I 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 I 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 it...

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 I nod to myself knowingly.

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

"Good luck with that," my father mutters before hanging up, leaving me standing in the silence of the office, phone still clutched in my hand before I instinctively smash it against the nearest wall - watching it fall into tiny pieces. Was I doing the right thing? Or would things only get worse for everyone? Including Sofia...