Chapter 68: Sofia

We all agreed to put the plan into action in a week. I could feel the tension in the air, but there was a strange sense of calm, too—like we were settling into something we couldn’t avoid. The guys needed time to gather their men, equipment, and put surveillance on my parents. They’d also have to plan every detail of what would happen when I went back to my parents’ house. My stomach flipped at the thought, but I knew it was the only way to make this right.

Leo and Danny stuck with me for the night. We needed something light after all the planning, so we ended up curled in my bed, watching a movie on the laptop. Leo was lying next to me, his arm under my head, while Danny sat at the foot of the bed, fidgeting with the edge of the blanket. I could feel the comfort in their presence, a distraction from the heaviness of everything going on.

I barely remember falling asleep, the movie playing in the background like a lullaby. Everything felt warm, safe, and peaceful for a moment, even though I knew it wouldn’t last long. I could hear Nate and Riley talking on the phone from the other room, making calls to finalize plans, and their voices became background noise as my eyelids got heavier and heavier.

Leo had shifted beside me, probably closing the laptop, and I barely stirred. Danny pulled the blanket over me, whispering something about getting some rest. I was out before I could respond.

I wake up to Danny's hands gripping my shoulders, shaking me awake with an urgency that jolts me out of sleep.

"Sofia, wake up!" His voice is sharp, filled with panic. I blink a few times, trying to shake off the fog of sleep. My heart pounds as I realize something’s wrong.

Leo is next to me, his face a mask of pure concern. "Sofia, talk to us. Are you hurt? What happened?" he says, his hands quickly running over my arms and down to my waist, looking for something. Anything.

I sit up fully, my heart racing now. "What… what’s going on?" My voice is shaky, trying to make sense of the scene around me.

Leo pulls back the blanket, his eyes scanning me like he’s looking for a wound. “Where are you hurt? Who came in here?”

“I—What? Nobody came in here. What are you talking about?” I stammer, confused, glancing between Leo and Danny, both of them wide-eyed with concern. My brain is still foggy, trying to catch up to whatever panic has filled the room.

Then I see it—the blood. The deep red stain on the mattress beneath me.

Oh my God.

My breath hitches, and before I can even process it, Riley bursts into the room with Nate right behind him, both of them looking ready to fight.

“What happened? Is she okay?” Riley’s voice is frantic, scanning the room for danger, while Nate rushes toward me.

I sit there frozen, my eyes locked on the blood, feeling the panic around me rise like a wave. "Uh... guys..." I start to say, my cheeks growing hot. “I think it’s just my period…”

The room falls into stunned silence.

Riley’s hands freeze mid-check, and he slowly looks up at me, his face a mix of confusion and...relief?

"Wait…what?" Leo blinks a few times, processing what I just said.

I clear my throat, embarrassed. "Yeah... it’s just my period. I didn’t realize it had started…"

Danny’s shoulders drop as he lets out a breath he must have been holding. “Seriously?”

Nate rubs a hand over his face, suddenly laughing—a sharp, surprised kind of laugh. “You’ve gotta be kidding me. We thought—"

“You thought someone came in here and... hurt me?” I finish the sentence for him, shaking my head.

Leo groans, burying his face in his hands as he leans back on the bed. “God, we overreacted.”

“You scared the hell out of us,” Riley mutters, running a hand through his hair before sitting down on the edge of the bed, a little smirk creeping up his face.

“I scared *you*?” I laugh, though the heat of embarrassment is still rising in my cheeks. “You all just stormed in here like it was the end of the world.”

Nate scoops me up without hesitation, his arms strong and secure around me as he carries me out of the bedroom. “Come on, let’s get you cleaned up,” he says softly, his voice apologetic. I’m still in shock from everything, my cheeks burning with embarrassment, but I nod, grateful that he’s being so gentle about it.

He brings me to the washroom, setting me down gently. “You okay?” he asks, brushing some hair out of my face. His eyes are filled with so much care, it makes the heat in my cheeks worse.

“Yeah... just super embarrassed,” I admit, staring down at my hands.

He shakes his head quickly. “Don’t be. We’re the ones who overreacted. I’m sorry for scaring you like that.”

Before I can respond, Leo comes into the bathroom, holding a clean pair of clothes. “Here, figured you’d want these.” He hands me a soft oversized sweater and some comfortable pants. “Take your time, we’ll handle everything else.”

I murmur a quiet “thank you” as I take the clothes from him, still feeling shy about the whole situation. Nate gives me one more reassuring smile before stepping out to give me some privacy, closing the door softly behind him.

I quickly strip out of my pajamas and step into the shower, letting the warm water wash over me, trying to shake off the lingering awkwardness. As the steam fills the room, I try to focus on the fact that these boys care so much about me that they panicked for no reason. That thought makes me smile a little. Despite everything, they’re always looking out for me.

After I finish my shower, I towel off and slip into the cozy clothes Leo brought. I feel more relaxed, but the embarrassment still lingers. I can’t believe they all freaked out like that.

Once I’m dressed, I head downstairs to the living room. Danny has already changed the sheets, and Riley is nowhere to be seen, which sends a wave of nervousness through me. Did he leave because he was grossed out?

Just as I’m about to ask where he went, the front door opens, and Riley walks in with a few grocery bags in hand. He looks at me, trying to read my expression.

“I thought you bolted because… because you were disgusted,” I say quietly, my voice trembling a little.

Riley stops in his tracks, his eyes widening in shock. “Disgusted? What? No way, baby girl.” He shakes his head, almost offended by the idea. “I just went to get you some things.”

He steps forward, placing the grocery bags on the counter and pulling out the contents: a pack of pads, a pint of chocolate ice cream, some chips, and even a heating pad. My mouth drops open a little, my heart swelling at how thoughtful he is.

“If it’s not the right stuff, I can go back out,” he says, running a hand through his hair, looking a little unsure. “I just thought... you know, these might help.”

Tears prick at the corners of my eyes, and I can’t hold back the small smile that tugs at my lips. “No, it’s perfect. Thank you.”

I feel overwhelmed by how caring they all are. Leo comes up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist and resting his chin on my shoulder. “You don’t have to thank us,” he murmurs. “We just want you to be comfortable.”

Nate joins us from the kitchen, leaning against the counter with a soft smile. “Yeah, seriously. You’re our girl. We’ll always take care of you.”

Danny comes down after changing the sheets and shoots me a grin. “Next time, we’ll handle it better. No freak-outs, I promise.”

These boys, for all their rough exteriors and pasts, are the kindest, most caring people I’ve ever met. I’m lucky to have them, even if the past few minutes were the most embarrassing of my life.

“Thank you, really,” I say again, meaning it more than ever. They all give me these soft, warm smiles, and in that moment, I know they’d do anything for me.

“Now, who’s up for some ice cream?” Danny asks, trying to lighten the mood.

I giggle, nodding. “Me. Definitely me.”