Shadows In Durango

*****Vincent's POV*****

The silence that followed my father's twisted smile was heavy and suffocating...

His sudden approval - if you could call it that made my stomach churn, but I kept my expression neutral.

Sofia sat beside me, tense and coated with fear, and I couldn't help but admire her courage for holding herself together thus far...

I knew she hated this just as much as I did, but she wasn't backing down.

My father leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers. "So, you expect me to orchestrate this little theater production for you? Make it convincing enough for Frazier to buy that you're exactly the kind of monster he'd want her to be with?" He repeats the proposal in his own words as I sigh.

"Exactly," I replied without hesitation, locking eyes with him. "You've done worse things for lesser stakes, so don't act like this is beneath you - I think you owe me after all of the shit I've done for you." I state firmly in retaliation. A smirk tugged at his lips. "Fair point, son. But let me be clear: this won't work if either of you hesitates when the time comes. You'll need to sell this entirely, even if it means crossing some lines. Can you both handle that?" I glanced at Sofia. Her hands were clenched tightly in her lap, but she gave a small, determined nod.

"She's tougher than you think," I said, my voice firm. "And I'm more than capable of doing what needs to be done."

My father studied me for a moment, his sharp gaze piercing. "We'll see about that. For now, I need to speak with you alone, Vincent. Sofia, would you mind waiting outside - feel free to go grab a coffee from the kitchen." Sofia stiffened up a little beside me, her eyes flicking to mine. I gave her a small nod, "It's fine. Just give us a minute, nobody else is here today." I reassure, sensing her unease about leaving my side.

She hesitated at first, but then eventually, she slowly stood and walked out of the room without another word. The click of the door closing behind her seemed louder than it should have...

My father wasted no time after that...

"This plan of yours is risky. If it backfires, Frazier won't just walk away from this. He'll retaliate, and he'll use Sofia to do it." He warns, as I can't help but scoff.

"I know the risks, Frazier is nothing more than a power hungry fool, I can handle whatever he brings to the table!" I said sharply. "But the alternative is worse. She's not marrying me only to please him, that loops us right back to the whole reason she ran away in the first place - he wants to take her freedom and I won't allow it! End of story."

"Brave words," he said with a low chuckle. "But do you understand what this will take to make it convincing? Im not talking about fake little marks, you'll need to showcase something real... the man isn't entirely stupid. If you want Frazier to believe that you're the cruel, controlling bastard he wants her to be stuck with, then you're going to have to prove it. Publicly too. In ways that might even break her... what happens if she actually cries? Gets upset? You can't fumble..." he concludes, as I rub at my chin roughly to think it through.

He has a point... I can't let Sofia of all people be the one to break me from character.

My jaw tightened. "I know..." I accept his words, as he seems to straighten up.

My father's expression darkened. "You'll need to push her to the edge Vincent. You're asking me to play along, but that means you have to lead. If Frazier gets even a hint that this is all an act, he'll destroy the both of you. So I'll ask again: can you handle this?"

I hesitated for only a second, but it was enough for him to notice. His smile widened, cruel and knowing.

"Thought so," he said. "You've got the stomach for it, but your heart is too soft. That's why you're going to screw this up if you're not careful. You care about her, and that's going to get in the way."

"I care enough to keep her alive," I shot back. "And I'll do whatever it takes to make sure she stays that way."

He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a deadly whisper. "Then listen to me, and listen well. You'll need to humiliate her. Make her feel small, insignificant, like she's nothing more than an object to you. If they join in on the torment, then you have to stand back and accept it. It's not just about convincing Frazier - it's about convincing everyone, even Sofia, that you have a nasty side. They need to believe that she's trapped here with us, that leaving with them would be a mercy to her." His words are direct, cutting me deep as my mind began to race.

My stomach turned at his words, but I didn't let it show. "Yeah, ok, I get it," I said through gritted teeth. "Just tell me what needs to be done."

He stared back at me again, seeming satisfied. "We'll start with the meeting. When they come here, you'll need to play the role perfectly. Treat her like she's beneath you. Interrupt her, talk down to her, maybe even throw in a few veiled threats, shove her around a little... Nothing too over-the-top, but enough to make them uncomfortable. I'll back you up, of course, and if Sofia's as strong as she seems, she'll hopefully play along without flinching." He shrugs, as my hand trembles ever so slightly but I clench my fist to mask it.

"She will," I said confidently, though the thought of treating her that way made me feel sick, especially after everything she had just been through... it felt wrong.

"What about bruises? Is there a way to put some on her subtly? Without me actually having to hurt her that is..." I question, my mind stuck in slight disbelief at the words I was saying.

It all sounded ridiculous out loud...

He stood up suddenly, adjusting his suit jacket and dusting himself down, before proceeding towards the desk.

"I know a guy, I'll call him to come over tonight to see what he can do for her appearance..." he suggests, thumbing through his address book to look for his contacts.

"Maybe if we even pretend that she's getting used for sex then it will add an extra layer of sadism to the whole thing? I can act on that too which might win us some points with Frazier... what do you think?" He hums out loud, seeming to land on the phone number he was searching for as he begins to dial it in.

Suddenly feeling nauseous at the mere thought of it, I stiffly agree. "Yeah, ok." I shrug, biting back the bile.

The good thing was, I hadn't ever met Frazier in person, and therefore I could act like an entirely different person to him without question...

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"Let's just get this over with, you make some calls and invite them here tomorrow." I suddenly state, standing abruptly and wanting to talk things over with Sofia in more depth...

"Not so fast." My father's tone turned cold, the smirk dropping from his face. "There's one more thing you need to think about before we go any further. If Sofia breaks under the pressure - if she decides she can't do this half way through- then you'll have to be prepared to do something drastic to save the situation. Something that will convince Frazier beyond a shadow of a doubt."

I froze, my palms sweating. "What are you talking about?"

He stood with the phone in his hand, his towering presence casting a shadow over me from across the dull room. "If she falters, you'll need to remind her what's at stake. Maybe a threat, maybe something more... physical. Just enough to keep her in line until we manage to wrap things up."

"No." The word came out sharper than I intended. "I won't actually hit her if that's what you mean."

My father sneered, shaking his head. "Still soft. You think this world is kind to people like her? Like you? If you don't harden up, Vincent, you'll lose everything—including her. You should have a long chat with her about all of this... prepare her for the worst... because it may very well happen in the heat of the moment - you don't know what you'll do!" He warns, as I swallow the lump in my throat.

I wanted to argue, to tell him that I had everything under control, but the truth was, I wasn't entirely sure anymore. The line between protecting Sofia and becoming the monster my father wanted me to be was blurring real fast... He loved this.

"I'll handle them when they get here," I said firmly. "Sofia's tougher than you think. She won't break easily. She will play her part well and so will I."

He smirked again, clearly amused. "We'll see about that then..." He gestured toward the door. "Go on. You should check on her. I'll call Frazier to finalize the meeting for tomorrow."

I nodded stiffly, before turning on my heels and heading for the door.

My mind was a storm of conflicting thoughts, each one louder than the last. As much as I hated my father's methods, I couldn't ignore the truth in his words.

His advice for dealing with our plan was solid, but intimidating all the same.

I just hope that we can pull this off...