Tangled Hearts

Chapter 6: The Descent

The tension in the room had thickened like the air before a storm. Asher stood by the window, the cool glass pressing against his palms, his mind a jumbled mess of fragmented memories and relentless fear. Sophia stood across the room, arms crossed, her gaze sharp and unyielding. Her usual composure had cracked, but only enough to let a fire burn beneath the surface.

She wasn't just scared. She was pissed. This wasn't some damsel-in-distress moment. This was her life now, and she would be damned if anyone-especially some man with a cryptic warning-was going to throw her off course.

Asher turned toward her, his expression grim. "We can't keep running. They'll find us eventually."

Sophia raised an eyebrow, an unapologetic smile tugging at her lips. "And? They think I'm going to let them walk all over me? Please."

Asher's lips twitched, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. The fire in her words was the spark he'd needed-if only to remind him that they were in this together.

But the truth still lingered like a shadow in the corner of his mind. "I can't just run forever. They'll catch up."

Sophia shrugged, unfazed. "Then we make them regret it."

Her voice was firm, unyielding. Asher didn't know whether to be impressed or terrified. But Sophia had that effect on him-she had this way of making him feel like he could fight the whole world, even when he wasn't sure where to start.

"And how do you suggest we do that?" Asher asked, his voice low.

Her smile widened. "We stop being the hunted and start being the predators."

Asher chuckled darkly, the weight in his chest easing slightly as her fiery attitude lit a small spark of hope. But before he could respond, his phone buzzed violently, cutting through the heavy silence. Sophia picked it up before he could move.

Her eyes narrowed as she stared at the screen-an unknown number flashing in bold letters. "You going to answer that or what?"

Asher was hesitant, but Sophia already had the phone pressed to her ear. The man's voice, smooth and cold, crackled through the line. "You're running out of time, Asher. We know where you are. And we know who you're with."

Sophia snatched the phone from his hand. "Listen, you coward," she snapped into the receiver, her voice sharp like a blade. "You don't scare me. If you want something, come get it. But know this-I'll be waiting. And I don't play fair."

There was a pause on the other end, followed by the faint sound of a laugh. "Feisty. I like that. But it won't save you."

Sophia grinned, her eyes wild with defiance. "We'll see about that. Come on over. I'll be in the mood for a good fight."

The line went dead.

Asher's jaw dropped slightly. "You just-"

"Yeah, I just did," she interrupted, tossing the phone back on the table with a dramatic flair. "I don't do fear, Asher. And if anyone's going to tell me how this story ends, it's gonna be me."

He stared at her, a mix of disbelief and admiration flashing in his eyes. He was beginning to realize there was far more to Sophia than he'd ever imagined. She wasn't the kind of woman who cowered in fear. She would fight-and if she couldn't win, she'd make damn sure her enemies knew they'd been in the fight of their lives.

There was a knock at the door, pulling him from his thoughts. The urgency in his gut spiked again, but Sophia was already moving toward the door, a wicked grin on her face.

"I've got this," she said, before twisting the doorknob and throwing it open. The two strangers were standing there, just like before-the man with the smirk and the silent, imposing woman by his side.

Sophia didn't flinch. If anything, her eyes sharpened, her posture straightening as she leaned against the doorframe with a casualness that made them both pause.

"Back again?" she asked, a touch of amusement in her voice. "What is this, a social call?"

The man's smirk deepened. "You have a lot of spunk, I'll give you that."

"Spunk?" Sophia snorted. "You sound like my grandma. What, you're here to bring me cookies, or are we doing this the hard way?"

The man blinked, clearly thrown off. He recovered quickly, but the surprise was there, buried under layers of arrogance. "We didn't come for pleasantries. We came for him."

He nodded toward Asher, who had stepped forward, his expression hardening again.

"Don't worry," Sophia cut in, voice dripping with sarcasm. "I'm sure we'll all have a lovely conversation about your threats. Maybe we'll do it over drinks?"

The woman by the man's side didn't seem amused. Instead, she stepped forward, reaching into her coat with a swift motion. Sophia tensed but didn't back away. The woman pulled out a thick, black envelope and handed it to Asher, her eyes cold.

Asher took it without hesitation, tearing it open. A single photograph slid out-an old one, faded at the edges, showing a younger version of Asher standing among a group of men. The atmosphere in the room shifted. The faces in the photo were familiar-but not in a way that felt comforting.

"Who are they?" Sophia asked, her voice sharp as a knife, refusing to back down.

Asher didn't answer immediately, or maybe he couldn't. His memory didn't come back yet which only worsen the situation. His gaze locked on the photo. His hand tightened around it as if it could somehow explain everything.

The woman smirked. "They own everything. And they'll take what's theirs, whether you're ready or not."

Sophia's smile widened, her eyes gleaming with defiance. "Yeah, well, I don't do 'ready.' So, they better get used to being disappointed."

The man laughed, but there was no humor in it. "This isn't over. It's only just begun."

Sophia didn't flinch. "Then bring it. I'm ready."

As the strangers turned to leave, Sophia slammed the door shut behind them with a finality that echoed through the apartment. She turned to Asher, her expression fierce and unrelenting.

"I didn't get involved in this to back down," she said, her voice strong. "And if anyone's going to finish what we started, it's gonna be us. Together."

Asher stared at her, a mixture of awe and relief flashing in his eyes. For the first time in days, he felt like he wasn't alone. She might be his weakness, but she was also his strength.

And he would never let anything take her from him.

Never.