Chapter 77: Leo

We bring Sofia back home carefully, Cole with us every step of the way, his calm demeanor doing a lot to ease the tension we’re all feeling. None of us want to take our eyes off her, even though we know she’s safe now. I’ve never seen the guys this rattled before—not even Nate—and it’s messing with my head. I can feel the anxiety bubbling under my skin, but I try to push it down, focusing on what needs to be done.

“We’ll set up a room for you to stay,” I say to Cole as we walk through the front door. “Just so you can keep an eye on her, at least until she’s strong enough to tell us if something’s off.”

Cole nods, adjusting his bag on his shoulder as he looks around the house. “First time seeing the bosses’ place,” he comments, a hint of amusement in his voice. “You guys live… pretty well.”

Normally, I’d laugh, but right now, the only thing I care about is making sure Sofia’s okay. Cole, Riley, and I carefully bring her up the stairs and into her room, which has somehow become a second home to her, despite everything. She’s still passed out, her breathing steady but shallow, and it takes everything in me not to freak out.

Nate’s already inside, setting up pillows on her bed, trying to make it as comfortable as possible for her. The worry in his eyes mirrors mine.

“Let’s lay her down here,” Cole says gently, helping us lower Sofia onto the bed. She looks so small, so fragile, it’s like she’s shrinking into the blankets. My heart clenches painfully at the sight of her like this. I’ve never seen her look so vulnerable, even when we first took her in.

“Why isn’t she waking up?” Riley asks, his voice sharp with panic as he stands at the foot of the bed. “She’s been out for too long.”

Cole sighs, brushing a hand over his short hair. “I’ve checked her over. It’s normal for her to be passed out like this. Her body’s in recovery mode, shutting down so it can heal. She’s been through more than enough trauma, both physically and mentally. It’s not surprising.”

“But what if… what if it’s something more serious?” I can’t help but ask, the words slipping out before I can stop them. I glance down at Sofia’s pale face, searching for any signs that might prove me wrong. Anything.

Cole looks at me, his expression calm but firm. “I checked for head injuries. Yeah, she got slapped hard—really hard—but there’s no concussion. Her body just needs time to recover from all of this. She’ll wake up when she’s ready.”

We all stand there in silence for a moment, staring down at Sofia, hoping she’ll wake up soon. Cole reassures us one last time before heading out of the room to grab some of his stuff. Nate stays behind, his hand resting on Sofia’s shoulder like he’s anchoring her to the present, willing her to wake up.

I don’t know how long we stand there, but eventually, Cole comes back, and we all reluctantly leave the room, gathering downstairs in the living room. It feels strange, leaving her alone, even though Cole says she’s okay. I still feel like I should be sitting by her bedside, waiting for her to wake up. But I know we all need a break after everything that happened today.

Cole flops down onto the couch, rubbing his face. “Your crew is something else,” he says, glancing at each of us. “When we were keeping watch, waiting for the right time to go in, a lot of them were furious. There were moments when I thought they’d just charge in and beat the crap out of Sofia’s parents, plan be damned.”

“Can’t say I blame them,” Danny mutters, his knuckles still raw from hitting the dashboard earlier.

“It was hard to keep everyone in check,” Cole continues, leaning back against the cushions. “There’s this younger guy on the crew—Sebastian? He recognized her from his high school.”

I sit up straighter, my interest piqued. “High school?”

Cole nods. “Yeah. He didn’t really know her, but he remembered her being this quiet, shy girl. Said she was always alone, reading books or something. He thought she was pretty back then, even though they never really talked.”

“That’s… weird,” Riley comments, frowning slightly. “Small world.”

Cole chuckles. “It is. But anyway, he wasn’t the only one pissed. A lot of the guys couldn’t stand hearing what was happening to her, especially after everything she’s been through with you four. They’ve gotten attached, I think.”

I exchange a glance with Nate, who’s leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his chest. None of us expected this—Sofia becoming the heart of everything, pulling people in, making them care about her. It’s almost overwhelming, how protective everyone’s become of her.

“Can you blame them?” Danny asks, his voice soft. “She’s… easy to like. Easy to care about.”

Leo gives a slight nod. “Yeah. She’s been through hell, but she’s still standing. That takes guts.”

I lean back against the couch, running a hand through my hair. “We’ll need everyone on board, though. This isn’t over.”

Cole raises an eyebrow. “You think her parents will make a move?”

“They’re in custody,” Nate says quietly, “but there are others. Moretti still has reach, even if he broke off the deal with her dad. It’s not over until he’s dealt with.”

Cole sighs, his expression turning serious. “Well, the good thing is… Sofia’s safe now.”

I nod, but the tension in my chest doesn’t ease. Safe, for now. But the truth is, nothing feels safe anymore.

Not until Moretti is out of the picture for good.