The adrenaline from the fight had barely settled when Sophie stood in the middle of her apartment, her pulse still racing. The door had slammed shut behind Victor, Derek, and Leo, leaving her alone with the echoes of violence in her ears. She could still feel the tension in the air, thick and suffocating, and her heart kept pounding as if it was trying to escape her chest.
How did it all get this far?
Her mind was spinning. The confrontation outside her door had been brutal—Victor, Derek, and Leo… each of them had taken things to a level Sophie never thought they would. She was caught between three men, each claiming their stake on her life, and it felt like she was losing control of everything.
Did they even care about her? Or was she just another prize to be fought over?
Sophie sank onto the couch, burying her face in her hands, her thoughts a whirlwind of confusion, betrayal, and rage. Mia's warning echoed in her mind: "You're in too deep, Sophie. You have no idea what you're dealing with."
The apartment was quiet now, too quiet, and it only made her nerves worse. Her phone buzzed in her pocket, interrupting her spiraling thoughts.
It was a text from Victor.
"We need to talk. Now."
Sophie let out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding. She didn't know whether she wanted to see him or scream at him, but she couldn't ignore him—not after what had happened. Not after the mess he'd caused.
Before she could respond, her phone buzzed again. This time, it was Leo.
"I don't want to fight anymore. I don't care what they say. I'm not backing down."
Sophie's stomach twisted. She didn't know what to make of Leo. One minute he was calm, the next he was a volcano of emotions—intense and unpredictable. He had made it clear that he didn't care who Victor or Derek were, but she knew it wasn't that simple. There was always something simmering beneath the surface with him, something darker.
The buzz of her phone interrupted her thoughts once more, and this time, it was Derek.
"I told you, I'm not going anywhere. You're mine, Sophie. Don't forget that."
A shiver ran down her spine as she read his words. Derek's possessiveness was almost suffocating, and yet there was a part of her that couldn't deny the chemistry between them. But she wasn't a toy to be owned, no matter how intense their connection had been. She wasn't some prize to be won in a battle.
But how could she turn away from them when they were all pulling her in? How could she resist when they seemed so determined to have her, no matter the cost?
The silence in the room felt like a weight pressing down on her chest, and the tension was almost unbearable. Sophie stood up abruptly, pacing the small space as her mind raced in a thousand different directions. What do I want? What do I need?
The doorbell rang, cutting through her thoughts like a blade.
Her heart skipped a beat as she rushed to the door, her mind already racing with the possibilities of who it could be. Victor? Leo? Derek?
To her surprise, it was Mia.
She looked a little different this time—angry and frustrated, her face flushed with emotion. "I knew you wouldn't listen," Mia said, pushing past Sophie before she could say anything.
"What are you doing here?" Sophie demanded, her voice sharper than she intended. She hadn't expected Mia to show up again after their last argument. But Mia had a way of forcing her way into Sophie's life, whether Sophie was ready for it or not.
"Do you realize what's happening? You're playing with fire, Sophie. Those men—Victor, Leo, Derek—they're not good for you," Mia said, her voice trembling with a mixture of worry and frustration. "I'm your friend, and I can't stand by and watch you get destroyed."
Sophie crossed her arms, feeling the walls go up. "I can take care of myself, Mia. I don't need anyone to tell me what I'm doing. You don't get it."
Mia took a step closer, her eyes narrowing. "I do get it. I get that you're caught up in a whirlwind of passion, drama, and whatever else, but this is more than that. They'll tear each other—and you—apart. Don't you see that?"
Before Sophie could respond, the door slammed open behind them, and Victor stepped inside, his tall frame filling the doorway. His expression was stormy, but there was something in his eyes—something desperate.
"You're not going anywhere, Mia," Victor said, his voice low and dangerous. He stepped closer to her, but Sophie intervened, putting a hand on his chest to stop him.
"Victor, not now. Not like this," she said, her voice shaking. She couldn't stand the idea of him and Mia clashing like this. But the tension between them was palpable, and she knew it was only a matter of time before things exploded.
Mia glared at Victor, her jaw tight. "You think you can just barge in here and control everything? Well, you can't. You're not going to win her over by being a dictator."
Victor's jaw clenched, his eyes flashing with rage. "I don't need to control her. I just need to protect her from people like you."
Sophie stepped back, her mind spinning. This wasn't the way things were supposed to go. She had wanted things to be simple—straightforward. But nothing about this was simple. It was like being caught in a whirlwind of emotions, and every time she thought she could break free, something or someone pulled her back in.
Mia shot Sophie a look of pity before turning to Victor, her voice cold. "You don't care about her. You care about owning her. That's what you all want. And I'm not going to let that happen."
Before Sophie could say anything more, the door slammed again, and this time, Derek walked in. His dark eyes flicked between the two of them, but he said nothing. He knew how to make an entrance, always managing to send a chill through the air without uttering a word.
"Am I interrupting something?" Derek's voice was smooth, almost mocking, as he took a few steps further into the room.
Victor and Derek locked eyes, and Sophie could feel the tension building once again. The room seemed to shrink, and the air crackled with hostility.
Mia, sensing the danger, stepped back toward the door. "I don't have time for this," she muttered under her breath, her eyes flashing with disgust before she turned and left without another word.
Sophie watched her go, feeling the weight of the situation pressing on her chest. It was clear that Mia didn't understand, but then again, who could? How could anyone understand what it was like to have three men fighting for your attention, your love, your life?
"Don't you dare let her get inside your head," Victor said, his voice low and dangerous as he moved closer to Sophie.
"I'm not the one you should be worried about," Sophie shot back, her voice trembling with emotion. "You all think you can just control me, but I'm not some toy to be passed around!"
Before either of them could say another word, Leo burst into the apartment, his eyes wild, his fists clenched. "What the hell is going on here?" he barked, his gaze flicking between Victor and Derek, then landing on Sophie.
The chaos was escalating, and Sophie didn't know how much longer she could keep her sanity intact.
She was losing control—and it was terrifying.