Chapter 18: Sofia

It was a stupid idea to try and escape. I know that now. My heart sinks as I replay the scene in my head—smashing that plate on Riley’s head, running for the door, only to be stopped by Nate. They had every opportunity to hurt me after that, but they didn’t. And now, as I sit back on the bed, rubbing my sore wrists, I can’t help but feel a pang of guilt. Riley had bled because of me. I might not trust them, but I’m starting to see that things aren’t as black and white as I thought.

The door creaks open, and they all come in, each one finding a place around the room. Riley’s standing against the wall, his face calm but a little pale. Leo sits on the edge of the bed, while Danny takes a seat on the floor, his back resting against the wall. Nate leans by the door, his arms crossed, looking as tired as the rest of them. Despite everything, they don’t look threatening right now. They look worn out, like they’ve been carrying a burden heavier than they can manage.

Leo clears his throat, breaking the silence. “We need to talk, Sofia,” he says softly, meeting my gaze. “About the man who wants you.”

My heart skips a beat, fear prickling along my skin. “What do you mean?”

Riley speaks up, his tone steady but serious. “His name is Rafael Moretti. He’s… he’s a dangerous man. He’s the elder son of the gang we’ve been up against for years. He’s done things—things that no one should ever do.”

I glance around the room, seeing the grim expressions on their faces, and I can feel the panic rising in my chest. “What kind of things?” I whisper, my voice barely audible.

Leo looks away, his jaw tight. “He preys on young women, Sofia. He hurts people, children even. Takes what he wants without caring who he hurts. He’s ruthless, cruel. We’ve seen him destroy lives. He’s the last person you’d ever want to cross paths with.”

The room starts to spin, and I can barely breathe. It feels like there’s not enough air, like I’m trapped underwater. I try to focus, to steady myself, but it’s too much. I clutch my chest, gasping for breath as the panic takes over.

Leo moves quickly, his arm wrapping around my shoulders as he pulls me close. “Hey, hey, it’s okay,” he murmurs, rubbing my back. “You’re safe here. Just breathe, okay? Breathe with me.”

I focus on his voice, the warmth of his touch grounding me as I take shaky breaths. Riley hands me a glass of water, and I drink it slowly, my hands trembling. Bit by bit, the panic fades, and I start to feel like myself again. I pull away from Leo, wiping my face and trying to collect my thoughts.

“Why are you telling me this?” I manage to ask, my voice still shaking. “If you didn’t want me to go back to him, why bring me here in the first place?”

They all exchange glances, like they’re trying to figure out who should answer. Finally, Riley speaks up, his voice calm but full of regret. “We weren’t planning on letting him have you. Not exactly. We… we wanted to use you as leverage. To get out of this life.”

I stare at him, my mind struggling to process what he’s saying. “Leverage? You were going to trade me?”

He nods slowly, his eyes fixed on the floor. “We’ve been in this business a long time, Sofia. We never wanted it. It’s just… the way things worked out. But we’re tired. We want out. We thought if we had something he wanted, we could make a deal, find a way to disappear.”

“But then we saw him tonight,” Danny says, his voice quiet but resolute. “And we realized we couldn’t do it. We can’t just hand you over to someone like him. It’s not right.”

“So now what?” I ask, looking from one to the other. “Why are you still keeping me here?”

Nate sighs, running a hand through his hair. “We need time. We need to figure out our next move before we can let you go. If he finds out we have you, he won’t stop until he gets what he wants. And we can’t risk that.”

I don’t respond, letting their words sink in. They’ve changed their minds, but I still don’t feel safe. I feel like I’m caught in a web I’ll never be able to escape. But there’s a small part of me that believes them, that wants to believe they won’t hurt me.

Leo stands up, pulling a small bag from behind him. He takes out a thick blanket and hands it to me, along with a small package of crackers. “It’s cold in here. This should help.”

I take the blanket, wrapping it around my shoulders. The warmth is a comfort, and I find myself feeling a little less vulnerable. I take a few crackers, nibbling on them as I try to calm down.

“We’ll be back tomorrow,” Riley says, standing up. “We need to figure some things out, but we won’t be gone long. I’m sorry it has to be like this.”

They start to leave, one by one, until only Leo remains. He lingers by the door, looking back at me with an expression I can’t quite read. “We’re going to keep you safe, Sofia. I know you don’t trust us, but… we’re not going to let him hurt you. I promise.”

I nod, feeling a strange mix of relief and fear. He closes the door behind him, leaving me alone again. I pull the blanket tighter around myself, curling up on the bed as exhaustion takes over. Despite everything, I find myself drifting off, my last thought a flicker of hope that maybe, just maybe, they’re telling the truth.