Shadows In Durango

Chapter 70

Frxek\incent's POVH#kxk

Taking a seat in the living area, | click through the TV channels - not actually taking in anything on the screen,

floating in a trance like state.

It had been two hours since the incident, and the room smelled like strong bleach after the cleaner had came

quickly to deal with Sofia's throw up.

It didn't take long for Daryl to enter the room, holding a bag of frozen peas to his cheek which causes forto

smirk - must've got him good with one of my hits if he's resorted to the peas... "Quit smiling dickhead, this shit

isn't funny!" Daryl complains, sinking down into the furthest away chair in the room to avoid being near me

completely.

Immature...

"Enough of this behaviour, we need to get it together once and for all!" | decide to be the bigger person, hitting

the red button to turn off the TV all together, gaining his full attention now. "But | still stand by what | said, you

shouldn't be getting the girl involved in business." Daryl shrugs, as | sigh heavily.

Putting it like that, | could understand what he was getting at, but | had already thought it through more than he

knew.

"Do you seriously think for a minute that | would just take her along withfor the exchange? In amongst all of

those guys?!" | question him in disbelief that he thinks | would be so careless. Another shrug from him almost

sendsover the edge but instead | suck in a heavy intake of air to help calm my temper as best | can.

"I wanted her to be close tobut certainly not that fucking close. | would've kept her back at the hotel whilst |

wrapped up the exchange. Figured it would be good to take her out somewhere different after everything that's

happened, see another city." | grumble, annoyed that | even have to explain myself to him as he glowers back at

me.

"So you're seriously tellingthat you didn't just want salone twith her to fuck?" Daryl mocks,

evidently in a childish huff that | was wanting to take his crush away for a few days.

This needs to end - little does he know | was already one step closer to fucking her than what he was, but |

wouldn't out Sofia's business like that!

"Maybe | was being selfish and maybe | did just want to spend stwith her. Is it so hard to believe that |

genuinely like the girl?!" | argue back, knowing that he was silently judgingdue to my past choices whenever

it cto females.

"Well actually Vin, it is hard forto believe - yes! You aren't the committed relationship type and that's exactly

what Sofia needs, not sfuck boy!" Daryl continues, buggingas | rub a hand over my rough chin in an

attempt to suppress my anger.

"Who are you to decide what Sofia needs? Why don't we just let Sofia decide for herself? It's very clear at this

point that we both like the sfucking girl! There's not much we can do about that other than to let the girl

choose for herself." My words are direct, addressing the elephant in the room.

The real problem is, and always will be, that we both like and want to be with Sofia. Daryl was the sweetheart

and | was an ass at the best of times, but I've been trying with her.

Deep down | don't think | would handle Daryl winning her over me, not this time, not with her.

She's different... my feelings for her are different.

"How can we let her choose when you're dragging her off for a few days? How is that a fair game?!" He retorts,

his jealousy getting the better of him now.

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He was threatened, clearly, but that only mademore pissed.

"Look Daryl, drop the fucking bullshit now! How many girls have gone off with you in the past because | was an

asshole to them? Hmm? How fucking many?!" | suddenly stand, as does he before | proceed:

"Exactly! You don't even have any words because you know that I'm right! Diana, Victoria, Kelsie... the list goes

on! You swoop in like the knight and shining armour because | treated them all like shit and suddenly they fall for

you. You're always the good guy so why this tare you so damn threatened about me?!" My voice grows

louder with each passing sentence, as Daryl for the first tlooks lost for words.

We stand at either side of the space, both breathing heavily and wound up by one another - the bag of frozen

peas now lying on the floor between us.

He was my best friend, that wouldn't change, but in this scenahe was quickly becoming my enemy.

"Are you two both done?!" We crank our heads towards the door as Selene enters, nurse bag and coat in hand.

We remain quiet, waiting for her to give us an update on how Sofia is, as she all but sighs heavily and begins to

pull on her jacket.

"The girl is going to be fine. | want you both to take turns at sitting in the room with her as she rests tonight. She

should be fine to move around tomorrow after she gets a good rest. Now the only way she will get a good rest is

if you two stop bickering and pull your big boy pants up! Do you understand?" Selene lectures, as we both nod

once in agreement as she eyes us both warningly.

She was right... we have to put this behind us.

"I've left a cream for the bruises and pain killers to be taken every 4 hours on the bedside table, if anything

changes and she starts to feel any worse, you can just call." Selene concludes, as | make a move to walk her out.

"Thank you, I'll transfer you the money over for your time." | nod quickly, as she offersa lazy smile.

"Take good care of that poor girl, she's precious!" She warns, studyingover before looking down the hallway

to catch eyes with Daryl who nods too.

Waving her off, before closing the door, | turn back to meet my match - both stood at either end of the hallway

now as though we were preparing to battle. "Who's going first?" | grumble, my tone now bored and lost for

energy.

"You go, we can do two hours each." He surprisesby offeringthe first slot, as | nod and immediately head

for the stairs.

At least he was being mature about this!

Leaving Daryl behind felt like a weight being lifted from my shoulders. He was an unnecessary stress that | didn't

need to handle on top of tomorrow's trip - which | wasn't even sure if Sofia would manage now or not. She may

be too sore to travel and fly and if so, | would need to make a call to my father to delay the plans for later in the

week which would send him into a fury... but it would be worth it.

Would | hell be leaving her behind for Daryl to swoop in and play the good guy whilst I'm gone - I've done that

one too many times before to know better!

The only difference this taround was that | actually cared for Sofia more than he even knew.

| needed her to be mine and | would make that happen one way or another...