Chapter 15: Sofia

Once Riley leaves, I sit back on the bed, pulling my knees up to my chest, the empty plate and juice carton beside me. The room feels even smaller now, the walls closer, the air stifling. I know his name now, but that doesn’t mean I trust him. If anything, it makes this even more confusing. He seemed almost human back there, almost… remorseful. But I can’t let myself believe that he cares. He’s a part of this, just like the others.

I look around the room again, trying to ground myself. It’s so bare, so cold, nothing but the bed and a small table with a lamp. There’s a door to a tiny washroom in the corner, but otherwise, there’s nothing. No windows, no escape. It’s just me, trapped with nothing but my thoughts and the faint scent of Riley’s cologne lingering in the air.

I close my eyes, taking a few deep breaths. I need to think. If I’m going to survive this, I need to be smart. They’ve got me here for a reason, but they haven’t hurt me. Not yet. And Riley’s words keep echoing in my mind: “We’re not monsters.” I want to believe that, even though I know I shouldn’t. If they really were monsters, would they be giving me food, offering me anything I need? I don’t know.

The door handle clicks again, and I snap back to attention, my pulse racing as Leo comes in with a book in hand, like he’s trying to extend some kind of olive branch. I sit up, wiping away any trace of the tears that have been pooling in my eyes. I don’t want him to see me like this. I don’t want any of them to see how broken I feel.

“Thought you might want something to pass the time,” he says quietly, holding the book out to me. It’s an old paperback, probably something he picked up from a thrift store. The cover is worn, the pages well-thumbed, and I can’t help but think that it might actually be something he likes. There’s a look in his eyes that almost makes me want to reach out and take it. Almost.

I don’t move. I just stare at him, my anger boiling beneath the surface. He shifts, looking awkward, like he doesn’t know what to do with himself. “I know you’re upset,” he says, trying to keep his voice steady. “I just wanted to—”

“Wanted to what?” I cut him off, my voice trembling. “You think a book is going to make this better? You think bringing me some old paperback is going to make me forget that you lied to me?”

Leo winces, and I see the regret flash across his face. “It’s not like that, Sofia. I didn’t want to hurt you.”

“You didn’t want to hurt me?” I can’t help it now; the tears start falling, hot and angry. “Do you have any idea how it feels? To finally think someone cares, just for a moment, and then find out it’s all a lie? Do you have any idea how hard it is to feel like you’re worth nothing to anyone?” I wipe my cheeks, hating how vulnerable I sound, how vulnerable I feel.

He looks away, clearly pained, but I don’t care. He deserves to hear this. “Why did you do it?” I ask, my voice breaking. “Why did you have to pretend to care, just to drag me into this?”

Leo opens his mouth to say something, but then the door swings open, and the others file in, one by one. Riley, Danny, and Nate take in the scene, their expressions unreadable. I tense up, shrinking back against the wall. I feel like an animal backed into a corner, with no way out.

“We need answers,” Riley says, his tone matter-of-fact. “About your family. We need to know everything.”

I cross my arms, defiantly pressing my back to the wall. “I don’t know anything. And even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you.”

Danny exchanges a look with Riley, and then Nate steps forward, his eyes blazing. “You think this is a game?” he snaps, his voice low and rough. “We know what your parents are planning, and we’re trying to stop it. So stop being so damn stubborn and tell us what we need to know.”

I look away, refusing to meet his gaze. I won’t give them the satisfaction. “I don’t owe you anything,” I mutter, my voice barely audible.

Nate’s expression hardens, and he crosses the room in a few swift steps. He points at the bruises on my arms, his face filled with a mixture of anger and something else—something that almost looks like hurt. “Who did this to you?” he demands. “Who did this? And why?”

I feel my resolve faltering, the weight of his words pressing down on me, crushing the last of my defenses. I can’t keep it all in anymore. The truth spills out before I can stop it. “My parents,” I whisper, looking down at the floor. “I overheard them. They were talking about a deal. They said they were going to sell me off to someone… someone dangerous. They never gave a name. Just that he was powerful, someone they could make a lot of money from.”

The room goes silent, and I can feel their eyes on me, taking in every word. I finally look up, meeting Nate’s gaze. He seems to soften, his shoulders relaxing, and I can tell he wasn’t expecting that answer. None of them were.

Riley steps forward, his expression thoughtful. “Did they mention anything else? Anything about where or when?”

I shake my head. “No. Just that he’d be coming soon. They were getting things ready, cleaning up the house. I didn’t stick around to hear more.” I pause, my mind flashing back to the way they smiled at me that morning, their faces so unnaturally bright and cheerful. “It was like they were planning a party,” I add, my voice hollow.

Danny lets out a low whistle, exchanging a look with the others. “That narrows it down,” he says. “We might know who it is.”

Leo looks at me, something unreadable in his eyes. “Thank you for telling us,” he says softly.

I don’t respond. I just turn away, wrapping my arms around myself. I don’t know what they’re planning, and I don’t want to know. I just want this nightmare to end.

Riley glances at Danny and Leo, nodding toward the door. “Let’s go. We need to prep. If it’s who we think it is, we need to move fast.” They file out, leaving me alone with Nate. He lingers by the door, looking back at me with a strange expression, like he’s caught between anger and regret.

He steps closer, his voice low. “I’m sorry,” he says, and it sounds like he means it. “For getting mad. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

I swallow, caught off guard by the softness in his tone. I didn’t expect any of them to apologize, least of all him. I just nod, not trusting myself to speak.

Nate hesitates, then reaches out, brushing a stray tear from my cheek. His touch is surprisingly gentle, and I find myself freezing, unable to move. “We’re not all bad,” he murmurs, almost to himself. “I know it doesn’t feel like it, but we’re not.”

I don’t know what to say. I just stand there, staring up at him, my heart pounding. He looks at me for a long moment, his hand lingering on my cheek, and then he pulls back, stepping away.

He leaves the room, closing the door softly behind him, and I’m left alone once again, trying to make sense of everything that just happened. The anger, the confusion, the strange warmth in Nate’s touch—it all swirls together, leaving me feeling more lost than ever.

For a moment, I let myself hope that maybe, just maybe, there’s more to these men than I first thought. But then the doubt creeps back in, reminding me that hope is dangerous, that trust is something I can’t afford. Not now. Not ever.