Shadows In Durango

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

The room felt like it was closing in. My mind was spinning, my pulse pounding so hard I could barely hear anything except the thundering rush in my temples.

Frazier's command echoed through the space, his furious glare drilling into me like a predator ready to pounce. "Explain all of this. NOW!"

I could feel Sofia's gaze burning into me, desperate and terrified, her trembling body curling inwards as if she were trying to disappear into the chair. I looked at my father, waiting for him to speak, to salvage this, but his silence made it clear this mess was mine to attempt to clean up now as he too seemed at a loss for words!

I forced a breath out through gritted teeth. "You want the truth?" My voice came out sharper than I had intended, the words slicing through the tension like a blade. "Fine. I'll give you the goddamn fucking truth! I think that you're a bastard and that your sons are scumbags!"

Frazier's mouth fell slack as his eyes narrowed at the bluntness of my words.

I stepped around the table, every muscle in my body coiled tight as my temper began to break loose. "This deal this whole fucking arrangement — was a sham from the beginning, and you know it!" I gestured toward Sofia without looking at her, my fists clenching so hard that my nails dug into my palms. "You're furious because we tried to find a way around your pathetic marriage idea? So what if we did! But don't pretend that your hands are clean, Frazier. None of this has ever been about her — your own daughter - it's only about filling your fat fucking pockets with more power and cash, you don't give a shit about what happens to her!" I seethe, as her brothers square themselves up by their father's side for protection.

Humorous!

"Watch your fucking mouth with me, boy," Frazier snarled, leaning over the table like he was ready to leap across it.

"Watch my mouth with you? Why?! What the fuck are you going to do about it old man? You're a fucking waste of space at this point! The three of you are fools!" I snapped back, my anger boiling over. "You don't get to sit there and play father of the year. She's your daughter, and you've used her like a pawn for years an object to trade for power and for money. You didn't care who you sold her to, as long as you came out richer at the end of it! No wonder she ran away!" ITêxt belongs to NôvelDrama.Org.

spit, as my father remains somewhat smug by my side.

"You can consider me your fucking revenge at this point because mark my words, I WILL RUIN YOU FOR HOW YOU'VE TREATED HER!" I fume, before grabbing the nearest chair, launching it across the table at the three of them, sending them scampering out of the way to avoid being hit.

I heard Sofia gasp softly, and for a moment, I almost turned to look at her. But I couldn't stop now. The room had erupted into a storm, one that I couldn't begin to contain... "You little fucking shit! Jay, get a goddamn grip of your son!" Frazier roars furiously, as I laugh at the flustered state he was entering.

"Vincent, calm down!" My mother is the first to shout at me instead, joining forces with Frazier, but with that, my father quickly grabs the side of her head and sends her tumbling back down on to the floor for the second time with a thud - enraged with how involved she had become in all of this.

"Do I need to cut out your fucking tongue woman?! You stupid bitch!" My father roars, placing himself on my defence which for the first time - I felt thankful for having him here.

"Enough of this!" Frazier demanded, slamming his fist against the table so hard that the wood creaked under him.

His face was red with fury, veins bulging in his neck. I saw the brothers exchange a quick, dark glance before they pushed their chests out defiantly.

I could see where this was going, but I didn't care. Not anymore. "You want to act like I'm the villain, fine. I'll wear it," I growled, my voice lowering as I met Frazier's deadly gaze. "But at least I didn't put Sofia through years of hell just to line my fucking pockets. You'll die for what you've done..." I whisper, my tone dangerously low and threatening.

Freddie's face twisted in rage, and before I could react, he lunged around the table for me in defence of his own father.

His hands grabbed at my collar, yanking me towards him as I stumbled into a couple of the chairs on the way.

I barely had time to swing a fist, catching him in the jaw before Sofia's other brother had joined in, both of them now driving me back as I fought like a maniac to land hit after hit on each of them.

"Stop it! Leave him alone!" I heard Sofia cry out, her voice breaking through the chaos which was enough to push me on during the fight - catching one of them on the side of the head with my fist and the other on the jaw.

"Enough!" My father's voice roared from across the room, and the next sound that followed was unmistakable — the metallic snap of a gun being fired at the window, causing the woman in the room to scream in horror at the sound. Everything froze.

Freddie's grip on my shirt slackened just enough for me to shove him away, stumbling back against the table as all eyes turned toward my father. He stood tall, his face carved from stone, his gun aimed directly at Frazier's sons who had previously been on me like wild dogs.

But I could handle the pair of them...

My mother screamed, stumbling back like she hadn't been the one to set this fire in the first place. "No! Stop - what are you doing, put the damn gun away?!"

"Stay out of this!" my father barked at her, his voice as cold and as sharp as steel. "This has gone on far enough."

The two men who had been holding Sofia moved in quickly, dragging her up from the chair as she struggled weakly against their hold. "No! Vincent!" Her cry pierced through the chaos, and for a split second, my eyes locked onto hers and shimmering with tears.

I took a step to move for her instinctively, but then—

The second shot rang out which caused for everyone to dive for cover - unsure of who had fired it this time.

The deafening crack split the air, and my mother screamed again, covering her ears as she ducked down and I watched Sofia be dragged out of the room swiftly before it was too late.

Time seemed to blur, my instincts kicking in as I shoved my hand beneath my jacket, retrieving my own gun.

Freddie's wild gaze saw what I was doing, before he lunged at me again, his hand reaching for something in his own waistband before— BANG!

I fired mine without hesitation.

The recoil shot up my arm, the sound reverberating through my skull as Freddie staggered back, blood blossoming out across his chest. His eyes widened in shock before his knees buckled, his body crumpling on to the floor. "FUCK! No! Freddie!" Frazier's anguished roar filled the room, his face twisted in grief and fury as he lunged toward his fallen son, dropping his own pistol.

I didn't wait after that.

I grabbed the opening.

My father's voice barked out at me over the chaos, sharp and demanding. "Vincent! Go! Get the hell out of here! Do you hear me? Leave - right now!"

"What about you?" I shouted back, my chest heaving as I moved toward the door.

"I'll handle them!" His voice was steady, even as another shot rang out from behind me. "Get out of the country — head for the safe house! Do not look back, Vincent. GO!"

My mother was sobbing now, her cries hysterical as she clutched at her face but nobody cared for her.

Sofia was gone, dragged through the office door by the men, and I felt my stomach twist painfully at the thought of where she had gone.

I won't leave without her!

"YOU FUCKING RAT, ILL KILL YOU!" Frazier screeched out as he stood back up to his feet with his own weapon pointed, and in that moment I knew that there was no more time to waste.

wide

I spun on my heel, darting for the door just as bullets shredded the air around me. My father had started firing again too, the sharp cracks of the gunshots nearly deafening me as I tore out of the room, blood roaring in my ears as more of my fathers men rushed by me up the staircase to help defend their boss...

I sprinted towards the front door, my chest heaving, my mind spinning with everything that had just happened. Frazier's screams still echoed behind me, full of grief and rage, and I knew — I knew that I had just started something that could never be undone.

Freddie was dead.

I had killed him.

And now there was no turning back.

It was deserved...

As I burst through the front door and into the nippy afternoon air, the reality crashed into me like a tidal wave.

A war had been born tonight - one that would burn everything in its path.

Sofia, where is she?!

I thought, as I took a moment to frantically look around at the number of cars parked around the street, before police sirens began to wail in the distance...

Fuck! 

A tooting horn caught my attention next, as I snapped my head to the left to find Reid's car amongst the others as I almost yelled out my praises - having forgot that he was even here. Rushing towards him, I opened the passenger door, thankful to find Sofia already inside - upset and torn - but she was there!

-

"DRIVE! DRIVE QUICK! TO THE AIRPORT!" I demand, before Reid floors it instantly and we take off down the street and out of the gates at record speed.

"It's going to be ok Sofia, trust me!" I turn back over my shoulder, my words sounding harsher than intended due to the commanding stress I was under. Had I done the right thing?

Could there have been another way?

There was no turning back now, whats done was done...

"V-Vincent... w-what will we d-do?!" Sofia sobs loudly, as I shake my head and hold on the door for stability as Reid speeds up on to the freeway.

"I'm going to protect you Sofia, it's going to be ok!" I state firmly, holding myself together as much as possible but I wasn't even sure if I believed my own words... I knew that this wasn't over.

Not by a long shot.

But I wouldn't give up, not on her...

To be continued...

End Of Book 1