Chapter 42: Riley

Sofia sits cross-legged on a log, laughing softly as she pops another blueberry into her mouth. Nate’s crouched beside her, holding a handful of berries he just picked, and he grins as he hands her a few more.

“We’re gonna clear this bush out completely if we keep going,” he jokes, his voice light for once.

She giggles, shaking her head. “I think we already did.” She tosses another berry into her mouth, savoring the sweetness.

Nate leans back on his heels, brushing snow off his hands, and grins at her. “Guess that means we need to find more. Let's just be careful not to attract bears, haha.”

Sofia laughs stands, brushing off her pants. “You guys rest here, I’ll go look for another bush. I’m on a mission now.”

She teases us with a playful look before heading off deeper into the woods, her steps light as she disappears through a cluster of trees. Nate watches her go, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. I can tell he’s feeling something, but he keeps it bottled up like always.

“She’s really loving this, huh?” Danny says, leaning against a tree, his breath misting in the cold air.

“Yeah,” I nod. “It’s good to see her... relaxed.”

Leo’s been quiet, just watching Sofia as she walks away. I can tell we’re all on high alert, even if we’re pretending everything’s normal. Being out here, away from everything, it feels safe... but we’re not dumb. There’s always a chance something could go wrong, so we need to stay alert.

We’re just standing there, talking about nothing important when it happens. A voice breaks through the quiet, low but unmistakable.

“Hey, sexy, you look lost.”

I freeze, my jaw tightening. We exchange quick glances, and without a word, we move toward where Sofia disappeared. Leo’s already a step ahead of me, his eyes locked in the direction of the voice.

Then, another voice follows. “We have a cabin a few miles back. Come on, you’ll be safe with us.”

The blood in my veins turns to fire. No hesitation—Danny, Leo, Nate, and I are moving as one, pushing through the snow and branches until I see her. Sofia is standing still, her body tense but not scared—just disgusted.

Two guys stand there, blocking her path. They look smug, like they think they’ve won some kind of prize. That’s when I step forward, my whole body on edge.

“Back off,” I growl, my voice cold and sharp.

Their grins falter, but one of them, a tall, bearded guy, tries to stand his ground. He gives me a once-over, clearly sizing me up. “Whoa, man, no need to get all worked up. We were just offering to help.”

Leo steps in beside me, his fists clenched at his sides. “She doesn’t need your help.”

The second guy, stockier and shorter, glances between us, clearly weighing his options. They’re cocky at first, but when they realize they’re outnumbered, their bravado crumbles fast. The shorter guy mumbles something under his breath, and with a quick look toward his friend, he pulls him back by the arm.

“Let’s go,” he mutters, his confidence gone.

They turn and leave, their shoulders hunched like they’re embarrassed. Good.

Sofia exhales sharply, crossing her arms and giving a small shudder. “Creeps.”

I step closer, making sure she’s alright. “You good?”

She nods, her expression a mixture of disgust and annoyance. “Yeah, I’m fine. They barely touched me, but...”

She trails off, and I can tell she doesn’t want to think about it any longer. Leo’s already by her side, brushing some snow off her sleeve, his face unreadable.

"Hey, at least it wasn't a bear, right?" Leo laughs.

She shivers once more. "I think a bear would've been better." Making the other guys laugh.

“We’re heading back to the cabin,” I say firmly. “No more wandering off.”

Sofia nods again, this time with a faint smile, and takes Leo’s hand as they start walking ahead. Nate, Danny, and I hang back, still keeping a watchful eye on the woods around us.

“Think they were Moretti’s men?” Nate mutters under his breath.

Danny shakes his head. “Nah, just assholes.”

I grunt in agreement. “Just idiots.”

As we follow behind, I can’t help but feel that familiar protectiveness growing stronger. We’re going to have to be more careful, but at least right now, it’s just the five of us.

The walk back to the cabin is peaceful, the air crisp and cold, the kind that stings a little but wakes you up. Leo walks ahead of Sofia, talking about how they usually come here during the fall or early winter, when the snow hasn’t gotten too thick, and how they’d spend time clearing paths or chopping wood. His voice is light, and for once, it feels like we’re not carrying the weight of the world on our shoulders.

“I mean, it’s quiet out here, you know?” Leo continues, gesturing toward the forest around us. “It’s like the perfect place to just... be.”

I glance over at Sofia, who’s listening to him, but there’s a glint of mischief in her eyes. She gives the rest of us a quick look, putting a finger to her lips, signaling for us to stay quiet. Then, she crouches down, scooping a handful of snow into her palms.

I catch Nate’s eye, and he smirks, clearly enjoying where this is going. Danny tries to keep a straight face, but he’s failing miserably.

Before Leo can realize what’s happening, Sofia straightens up and hurls the snowball at him. It lands squarely on his back.

Leo freezes, his shoulders tensing as he turns around, blinking in surprise. “Did you just—”

We all burst out laughing, and Sofia grins innocently. “What? I never heard you talk this much it's unsettling.”

He narrows his eyes at her, but there’s a playful smirk tugging at his lips. “You think that’s funny, huh?”

Before she can reply, Leo lunges at her. But he’s careful, wrapping his arms around her gently as they both fall into the snow. He’s making sure not to hurt her, moving slow as they land in a soft heap.

Sofia laughs, her cheeks red from the cold and excitement, and she lies back in the snow, spreading her arms and legs to make a snow angel. “Look!” she exclaims, her eyes sparkling. “It’s an angel!”

Nate steps closer, grinning down at her. “Fitting,” he says softly. “You really are an angel.”

Leo helps her up, brushing the snow off her coat as she giggles, and I feel something tighten in my chest. It’s moments like this—light, carefree, and just... right—that make everything we’ve been through feel worth it. It’s like Sofia is bringing something back into our lives that we didn’t even know we were missing.

As we walk behind Sofia, who’s happily chatting with Leo and Nate, Danny leans closer to me, his voice dropping low. I can tell he’s got something on his mind. It’s been that way ever since we talked to Sofia about how we all felt.

“So,” he starts, glancing up at the others, “should we just ask her? Like... make it official? Should we say she’s our girlfriend?”

I pause, letting the question settle in. It’s something that’s been lingering in my mind too. The way things have been going, the way she’s opening up to us... it’s all leading to this. “You mean, like... all of us?”

“Yeah,” Danny says without hesitation. “I don’t ever want to let her go. I’m serious, Riley. This feels different. I’ve never felt this with anyone.”

His words hit me hard, because I feel the exact same way. It’s like we’re all tiptoeing around this idea, but Danny just lays it out there. And honestly, it makes sense.

I look over at him, seeing the same intensity in his eyes that I feel. “I think... she already knows how we feel. But, yeah, maybe we need to make it clear to her. Like, we’re not just messing around. We’re serious.”

Danny lets out a breath, nodding. “Exactly. We need to tell her that we’re not backing down. She’s our girl now.”

I smirk a little at the possessiveness in his voice, but I get it. We’ve all been so protective of her, more than we’ve been with anyone else. She’s not just another girl in our lives—she’s the girl.

“You think she’ll go for it?” Danny asks, his tone softer now, almost vulnerable.

“I think she’s already halfway there,” I say honestly. “She’s letting us in. She’s trusting us, even after everything. I mean, it’s not like she’s pulling away.”

Danny gives a small grin, the kind that shows how much this is affecting him. “You’re right. She’s sticking around, and I don’t see her wanting to leave.”

I laugh under my breath. “Let’s just not screw it up.”

Danny chuckles too, but there’s a seriousness behind it. “Yeah. Let’s not screw it up.”

We walk in silence for a few moments, the sound of snow crunching under our boots the only noise around us. Ahead, Sofia turns to look at us, a smile tugging at her lips. It’s like she knows we’re talking about her.

Danny looks over at me again, and I can tell he’s thinking the same thing I am.

“She’s ours, man,” he says, more to himself than to me. “And I’ll fight like hell to keep it that way.”

I nod, the weight of his words settling in. “Yeah. We all will.”