Chapter 157: Sofia

The sun is high in the sky now, warming the clearing around the cabin, and I can feel the gentle breeze on my skin as I step out onto the porch. Ethan is nestled in my arms, his bright eyes looking up at me, his tiny fingers curled around the edge of his blanket. I look out at the trees, at the expanse of green that surrounds us, and I take a deep breath, feeling the air fill my lungs. Today is the day. Today, we face it all.

The guys are gathered in the clearing, their voices low as they talk, their expressions serious. I watch them for a moment, my heart swelling with love and gratitude for each of them. They’ve given me everything—safety, love, hope. They’ve fought for me, protected me, and now, they’re ready to fight one last time to make sure that Ethan and I can have a future free from fear.

I step off the porch, making my way over to them, and they all turn to look at me as I approach. Leo is the first to move, stepping forward and wrapping an arm around my shoulders, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of my head. “Hey,” he says softly, his eyes meeting mine. “You okay?”

I nod, my eyes flicking to each of them—Leo, Danny, Nate, Riley. “Yeah,” I say, my voice steady. “I’m ready.”

Danny steps closer, his hand resting on my back, his eyes filled with determination. “We’ve got everything set,” he says. “We’re going to draw him out, just like we talked about. And when he comes, we’ll be ready.”

There’s a tightness in my chest, a fear that I can’t shake, but I know that we have to do this. We can’t keep running. We can’t keep hiding. If we want to be free, we have to face him. And I know, deep down, that we’re strong enough to do it—together.

“Where do you want me?” I ask, my eyes locking with Nate’s.

Nate steps forward, his eyes softening as he looks at me, then at Ethan. “You’re staying here,” he says gently. “With Ethan. We need to know that you’re safe while we do this.”

I open my mouth to argue, but Leo squeezes my shoulder, his eyes meeting mine, a pleading look in them. “Sof, please. We need you to be safe. We need to know that you and Ethan are okay. That’s how we’re going to get through this.”

I bite my lip, the fear bubbling up inside me, but I nod. I know they’re right. As much as I want to be out there with them, I have to think about Ethan. I have to think about what’s best for him. And what’s best for him is for me to stay here, to keep him safe.

Riley steps forward, his eyes filled with warmth as he looks at me. “We’ll come back for you, Sof. We promise. And when we do, this will all be over. No more running. No more hiding.”

I nod, tears welling in my eyes as I look at each of them. “Just... be careful,” I whisper. “Come back to me.”

Danny pulls me into a hug, his arms wrapping tightly around me, and I close my eyes, holding onto him as if he’s my lifeline. “We will,” he says, his voice filled with conviction. “We’re going to end this, and we’re going to come back. We love you, Sof. More than anything.”

“I love you too,” I whisper, my voice breaking. “All of you.”

They each take turns hugging me, pressing gentle kisses to my forehead, whispering words of love and reassurance. And then, they’re gone, moving into the woods, their figures disappearing among the trees. I watch them until I can’t see them anymore, my heart pounding in my chest, fear and hope tangled together inside me.

I turn back toward the cabin, holding Ethan close, and I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself. I know they’re going to be okay. I have to believe that. I have to believe that they’re going to come back to me, that we’re going to have the life we’ve always dreamed of—a life free from fear, a life filled with love and happiness.

I step inside the cabin, closing the door behind me, and I move to the living room, sitting down on the couch with Ethan in my lap. He looks up at me, his big eyes filled with innocence, and I smile, brushing a finger over his soft cheek. “It’s okay, baby,” I whisper. “Daddy’s going to come back. They all are. And when they do, we’re going to be free.”

The minutes stretch into hours, and I do my best to keep myself calm, to keep myself focused on Ethan, on the love I feel for him, on the hope that’s still flickering inside me. I play with him, feed him, sing to him softly as the sun moves across the sky, casting long shadows across the floor. The cabin feels quiet, almost too quiet, and I can’t help the fear that creeps in, the worry that something might go wrong.

I pace the cabin, trying to keep my mind occupied, but every creak of the floorboards, every rustle of the wind outside, makes my heart skip a beat. I glance at the clock—hours have passed. The sun is starting to dip lower in the sky, painting the room in golden light. I rock Ethan gently, his tiny body curled against mine, his eyes slowly drifting closed. He trusts me completely, and I have to trust them. I have to believe that they’re coming back to us.

And then, finally, I hear it—a sound outside, the crunch of footsteps on the gravel. My heart leaps into my throat, and I stand, holding Ethan close as I move to the window, peering out. Relief washes over me as I see them—Leo, Danny, Nate, Riley—all of them, walking toward the cabin, their faces tired but triumphant.

I throw open the door, my eyes filling with tears as I step out onto the porch. They look up, their eyes meeting mine, and I can see the exhaustion there, the relief, the love. Leo is the first to reach me, his arms wrapping around me and Ethan, holding us both close. “It’s done,” he whispers, his voice filled with emotion. “It’s over, Sof. We’re free.”

Danny steps up beside us, his hand resting on my back, his eyes softening as he looks at Ethan. “We did it,” he says, his voice breaking. “We kept our promise.”

Nate and Riley are there too, their hands resting on my shoulders, their eyes filled with love. “We’re home,” Nate says, his voice barely above a whisper. “And we’re not going anywhere. Not ever again.”

Tears spill down my cheeks, and I nod, my heart swelling with love and gratitude for each of them. “Thank you,” I whisper, my voice trembling. “Thank you for everything. For never giving up on us.”

Riley smiles, his eyes bright with emotion. “We’re family, Sof. We’re in this together. Always.”

We stand there, the sun setting behind us, casting a golden glow over the clearing. And for the first time in what feels like forever, I feel a sense of peace—a sense of hope. We did it. We faced the danger, we fought, and we won. And now, we’re free. Free to live, free to love, free to build the life we’ve always dreamed of.

I look at each of them, at the love in their eyes, and I know that no matter what comes next, we’re going to face it together. Because we’re not just a group of people thrown together by circumstance. We’re a family. And that’s something worth fighting for.

We head back inside the cabin, the warmth of the fireplace filling the space as we settle in. Danny brings over a blanket, wrapping it around my shoulders as I sit on the couch with Ethan in my arms. He’s still asleep, his tiny fingers clutching my shirt, his face peaceful. Leo sits down beside me, his arm resting across the back of the couch, his fingers brushing against my shoulder.

Nate and Riley pull over chairs, forming a small circle around us, and for a moment, we all just sit there, basking in the quiet, in the fact that we made it through. I look at each of them, my heart swelling with love. They look exhausted—dark circles under their eyes, bruises on their knuckles—but they’re here. They’re with me. And that’s all that matters.

Danny leans forward, his eyes meeting mine. “We did it, Sof. We really did it.” His voice is filled with wonder, as if he can hardly believe it himself.

I nod, my eyes misting with tears. “I never doubted you,” I whisper. “Not for a second. I knew you’d come back to me.”

Riley lets out a soft laugh, shaking his head. “Well, it wasn’t easy, but we couldn’t let you down. You and Ethan mean everything to us.”

Leo reaches over, his hand covering mine, his eyes filled with emotion. “We’re not going anywhere,” he says. “Not now, not ever. We’re going to build something beautiful here, Sof. A life that’s ours. A life that no one can take away.”

I smile, my heart swelling with love and gratitude. “That’s all I’ve ever wanted,” I whisper. “A life with all of you. A family.”