The Edge Of Innocence

The Cold Truth

Sophie's POV

I knew something was wrong when Ryan showed up at my house that night. He never came by unannounced, and the look on his face was one I hadn't seen before—desperation mixed with fear.

"Sophie, we need to talk." His voice was rough, like he'd been fighting with himself over coming here.

I stepped aside, letting him in. My heart was pounding, and I couldn't shake the feeling that whatever he was about to say would change everything.

He stood in the middle of my living room, his fists clenched at his sides. "You have to stay away from me," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Ryan, what's going on?" I asked, my stomach twisting in knots.

He ran a hand through his hair, pacing the length of the room. "It's Luca. He knows about you, Sophie. He knows we've been talking, and he's made it clear that you're a target now."

I felt the blood drain from my face. "What do you mean, a target?"

"He's using you to get to me," Ryan said, his eyes dark and haunted. "He thinks if he threatens you, I'll come running back to his crew. He won't stop, Sophie. He'll hurt you to get what he wants."

My heart raced, but I forced myself to stay calm. "So, what? You're just going to push me away because of him?"

"Yes!" Ryan shouted, his voice breaking. "That's exactly what I'm going to do. I can't protect you, Sophie. If you stay close to me, you'll get hurt."

I stared at him, my chest tightening. "Ryan, I don't care. I'm not scared of Luca or his threats. I want to help you."

"You can't help me!" he snapped, his voice raw with emotion. "I've made too many mistakes, and I'm not dragging you down with me."

I stepped closer, refusing to let him push me away. "You don't get to make that decision for me, Ryan. I'm not leaving you."

His shoulders slumped, and for a moment, the anger drained from his face, replaced by something softer. "I don't want to lose you," he whispered.

"You won't," I promised, reaching out to take his hand. "We'll figure this out. Together."

Ryan looked at me, his eyes filled with conflict. "You don't know what you're getting yourself into."

I squeezed his hand. "Maybe not. But I'm not backing down."