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His silence was so long that I thought the connection had been lost. "Teo?" I softly asked, my heart pounding in my chest.
"So you're really going to do this?" His voice was barely a whisper. It held a mix of anger, fear and disappointment.
"I have to. It's the only way," I replied, my voice equally low.
“Absolutely not,” he said. “Where are you? I’ll come see you.”
I looked up at Stephen, who shook his head slightly. This reminded me of when I had called Sam when I had first ended up at HQ, but there was no pretense here. I really wished I wasn’t doing this. I really wanted to be there with Teo. But this was more important; if I took my father down, then they would all be safe.
Not just my brother, but all the Blades. All of my family. “Sorry,” I said. “I can’t tell you that.”
Teo was silent again, but this time I knew he hadn't disconnected. His breathing was a soft, shuddering whisper of sound in my ear. A heartbeat later, his voice came through the speaker, carrying so much sadness I felt my chest tighten. "I can't lose you, Sofia."
"You won't," I promised, even though I didn't know how true my assurance was. "I promise you, I'll stay safe."
"Stay safe? You're talking about going against the Everglades Viper! This is far from being safe." The undercurrent of worry and fear in his voice sent waves of guilt crashing through me.
"I know," I said softly. "But I have to do this, Teo. I have to end this once and for all."
"But at what cost?" he countered sharply. Then his voice softened, becoming almost a whisper. "Sofia...Don't do this. We’ll figure something else out.”
Gripping the phone hard in my hand, I took in a deep breath, trying to keep my tears from falling. "I love you, Teo," I said quietly, my voice trembling with the sheer gravity of the words. "You need to know that. But I also love Sam...and Victor...and Jace and Grayson…all of you. And if this is what it takes to keep everyone safe... then I have to do it."
"No, Sofia." His refusal was sharp and immediate. "We'll find another way--"
"What if there isn't one?" I cut him off, my voice rising as desperation bled into it. "What if this is it? The only way? We’ve tried everything else, Teo.”
"I can't lose you," he whispered again, his voice filled with an anguish that mirrored my own. “I will never forgive myself if I lose you.”
“You won’t,” I said. “I’m sorry, Teo. I hope you forgive me for this.”
There was a deafening silence on the other end, and my heart pounded against my ribcage, echoing the silence in my ears. I waited for him to say something, anything that would erase the worry etched on my heart, but all I could hear was his labored breathing.
"Sofia…” he whispered finally, his voice breaking, “This… is not your battle alone. You don't have to do this."
I swallowed hard, blinking back tears. "I wish that were true," I said softly.
Before Teo could respond, Stephen reached out, covering the phone's mouthpiece with his hand. His eyes met mine as he held out his other hand–a silent demand for the burner phone.
"I have to go now," I quickly said into the phone before Stephen cut our conversation short.
“Sunshine—”
“I love you. I’m sorry,” I said.
And then Stephen took the phone. I watched as my last tie to Teo and the boys was severed, the burner phone snapping in two under Stephen’s forceful grip.
“Don’t look at me like that,” he muttered, tossing the pieces into a nearby trash bin. The sound of plastic hitting metal was almost deafening in the quiet room.
I balled my hands into fists at my sides, anger simmering within me. “You had no right,” I hissed, rage coursing through me like a wild river.
“Actually, I did,” he shot back, eyes narrowing. “This is about more than you or your star-crossed love for a gang of criminals.”
I barely resisted the urge to slap him. “They’re not criminals,” I hissed, my words seeming to hang heavy in the air between us.
Stephen let out a humorless laugh, crossing his arms over his chest. “Then what are they, Sofia? Heroes?”
“Fuck you,” I said. “You’re no hero yourself.”
