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~ Daniela's POV ~

"Aren't you tired yet?" My words came out barely above a whisper as Carson continued to walk, holding me in his arms.

"I'm fine." He refused to look at me, instead just staring straight ahead as he walked.

We had no clue where we were or where we were even going. We could have been going in circles for all we knew, it was just trees everywhere, it all looked the same.

"I can walk if you're tired Carson, you've been carrying me for ages."

"Just be quiet." I let out a sigh when he shut me down again, this time choosing to close my eyes.

He may have been nice to me by carrying me but we both knew exactly where we stood with each other. I hated him and I'm sure he felt exactly the same way after what I said to him. I was still waiting for him to kill me and leave my body here for no one to ever find.

Some more time passed while I just rested in his arms although it was near impossible to fall asleep.

I was tired sure, but I was also hungry, cold and in quite a bit of pain from my injuries. Not to mention the fact I was very aware of Carson's awful mood which could have resulted in me being thrown on the floor at any moment.

"Do you hear that?" When Carson spoke, I forced my eyes open, looking up at him when he came to a stop.

"Hear what?"

"Just listen." I let out a tired sigh before lifting my head a little, doing my best to hear whatever it was that he could hear.

"I don't-"

"It sounds like a motor or something. It's coming from over there." He nodded towards the right causing my turn my head in that direction but all I could see were trees.

"Put me down." As instructed, he carefully set me down on my feet again, keeping his hands on my waist for a moment to steady me before he eventually stepped away. Putting my necklace that I'd been holding all that time into my pocket for the moment, I followed Carson in the direction that he was going in.

Now that it was probably the middle of the night, it was so hard to see anything. I was surprised Carson didn't trip even once while he carried me, earlier while I was walking I lost count on how many times I'd tripped and stumbled.

"Here, stop." When Carson came to a stop, he took my hand, pulling me closer to him. "Can you hear it now?"

For a moment we just stood there listening to the sounds of the wind in the trees mixed with the sounds of wildlife around us until I finally heard a faint murmur of a motor.

"How did you hear that from over there?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Carson continued walking in the direction of the sound without another word. It took us a few minutes until we finally saw the outline of a building in the distance.

"The motor must be underground or something. Probably some kind of electricity generator."

As we approached the building, a nervous feeling began to fill me when I remembered that movie I watched a while ago.

"Wait." When I suddenly grabbed his arm, Carson stopped to look at me, giving me a confused frown. "What?"

"What if it's dangerous? This scene is in every horror movie; stranded people find a random house in the middle of nowhere and...I'm talking to you Carson."

I let out a huff when he just started walking towards the building, completely ignoring my extremely valid point.

"Haven't you heard of the movie The Cabin in the Woods?" When I spoke again, he stopped in his tracks, turning around to face me.

"Let's get something straight. You can stay here or you can come with me, but I'm not responsible for what happens to you. I may have carried you now but once we finally reach civilisation again, you're on your own Daniela."

Without waiting for a response from me, he turned back towards the building, walking towards it leaving me standing there watching him.

Pushing aside my emotions for the moment, I looked around at the forest around me trying to evaluate my options sensibly. Of course my pride was telling me to leave Carson and go my own way, but then I had to remember that the last time I left somewhere because of my pride, I ended up getting kidnapped on my way home.

I didn't really want to end up dead in the middle of nowhere, if I had a choice.

So, swallowing my pride, I began following Carson towards the deserted building. The closer I got the clearer it became and I very quickly realised it was in fact a cabin.

Maybe being hunted down by zombies would teach him a lesson in manners. I mean, he was the one who spent the last few weeks lying to me.

By the time I reached the creaky wooden steps, Carson was busy trying to open the door. He didn't say a word to me when he finally managed to open it, instead he went straight inside without paying me any attention.

"What are you doing?" After a moment of watching him walk around in the dark, I finally spoke up.

"Trying to find a light switch."

And seconds later it seemed he found one when the I heard the flick of a switch before one tiny light bulb lit up the room.

"They have a huge generator underground to power one tiny light bulb?"

When I said my thoughts out loud Carson glanced in my direction before he just let out a sigh, turning his attention back to the cabin we were in.

It was pretty simple actually. There was a small fireplace with a little living area, a double bed across the room and on the other side of the room a tiny kitchen.

When Carson went to look around, my first thought was to go straight to the kitchen area to find some food. I didn't expect there to be much since it seemed like no one had been here for quite a while, but I was surprised to find that the cupboards were full. It was like someone was prepared in case they had to stay here for quite a while.

When I started taking some of the tins and boxes of food out, I heard Carson's steps come up behind me. I didn't look in his direction as I read the labels on the food.

Among other things there were many many tins of baked beans, tinned tuna and some tinned fruit and tomatoes and lots of packets of pasta and rice.

Of course there were many bottles of liquor too.

"Is it edible?" When he finally spoke, I put one of the tins of tuna down onto the counter while nodding my head just as Carson picked up a bottle of whiskey. "Most tinned foods don't go bad for years and they look like they're in pretty good condition."

We stood there for a moment just staring at the different items before I eventually grabbed two tins of tuna, some pasta and some tinned tomatoes.

"Are there any pans here?"

Upon hearing my question Carson started shuffling through the few kitchen cupboards, pulling out random sized pans. I stood there watching him until I heard him let out a laugh before he pulled out some kind of large black box that seemed to be at the back of one of the cupboards.

"What's that?"

His eyes met mine for a second before he opened the box, revealing the random mix of items inside.

From what I could see there were passports, cash, weapons, two burner phones and a bag to put it all in.

"What's so special about these phones?"

"They can't be tracked as easily, you don't need to register them."

I nodded my head as I watched Carson picked up the passports, looking at each one before he handed them to me to look at too. Each one had the same person in the photo but with a different name and date of birth.

"They're all for the same person."

"Whoever it is, they're freaking prepared. They have everything they need to disappear."

"Carson that means this person is probably some kind of criminal. They're dangerous. We shouldn't be here."

Sensing my worry, he turned his attention away from the wads of cash he was now holding and to me instead.

"He's not here. Dani no one has been here for years by the looks of it and look." He picked up one of the passports, holding it up to show me. "His fake passports expired over ten years ago. He's long gone."

He shrugged his shoulders as he tossed the passport down before he began counting the money again.

What is the likelihood that we would come across some criminals escape route in the middle of the woods?

Probably the same likelihood that you got locked in a room with the boss of the American mob.

"Why would he put the box with the pans in the kitchen cupboard?"

"There's not many places to hide things here, it's better than the wardrobe over there." When he said this, he nodded towards the wardrobe which seemed like it was for clothes.

The longer I stared at all the things in the box, the more overwhelmed I suddenly began to feel. I could tell Carson knew what he was doing, I had no clue. He was probably trained for situations like this, or at least a situation where he was hiding or on the run. He's a mob boss after all, he must have a plan to be prepared in case he ever needs to leave quickly.

While he was busy counting the money, I took the chance to analyse him again, trying to figure out how the hell I missed it.

He was tall and strong, he was covered in tattoos and he had that aura of power and authority surrounding him. Now that I knew who he really was, I couldn't unsee it. It all made sense to me, it was now just so obvious like I should have seen it before.

I once told him I felt safe around him, in his arms, but now, I didn't know how I felt around him anymore. That thought hurt me more than I ever thought it would.

"Is there a reason you're staring at me?" When he suddenly spoke, he didn't look away from the money he was counting but I could tell by his tone that he was irritated.

Now all of a sudden he seemed so different to me. His irritation didn't give me this urge to push him even further like I did when we were friends just to get a reaction out of him. Now I was terrified of what reaction I would get.

"No." I shook my head, clearing my throat as I turned my attention back to the food I was planning to make.

Moving around Carson, I filled one of the pans with water before putting it on the stove to heat up. Then I focused on heating up the tinned tomatoes hoping they would be enough to act as a pasta sauce.

By the time I was finished making the food, Carson was lying on the couch after he spent the time going through the items that were in the box. As I took a plate over to him, I noticed the number of cigarette boxes on the coffee table next to a couple of lighters.

So our guy was a smoker and by the looks of it, a heavy one too.

"That's disgusting."

"What?" When he frowned at me in confusion, I nodded towards the cigarette boxes on the table and once he realised what I meant, he just rolled his eyes.

I'm guessing from that reaction he smokes too.

Taking the plate from me, he mumbled a 'thank you' which anyone could tell was forced. Ignoring his pathetic attempt at showing gratitude for the food, I took my own plate over to the table where I sat to eat, staring at my necklace that Carson had some how got back for me. I still hadn't said thank you to him, I guess when I finally calmed down I'd have to say it.

The clasp on my necklace was broken from when George pulled it from my neck, but I knew it could be fixed eventually. I was just grateful to have it back.

After dinner I went to take a much needed shower and although the water was cold, it was no where near as cold as the water in that stupid bathroom. Using one of the towels I found in the wardrobe, I dried off before I slipped on a robe over my body.

There wasn't much else I could wear while I waited for my clothes that I'd washed to dry, so I guess it had to do. Stepping out of the bathroom, the first thing I noticed was the difference in the temperature of the entire cabin from when I left to go and take a shower.

"You started a fire?"

At the sound of my voice, Carson turned to look at me from where he was sitting by the fireplace holding a glass of what seemed to be alcohol. He looked so deep in thought as he sat there just staring at the dancing flames before I broke him out of his thoughts.

"Yeah." He glanced back at the flames for a second, finishing off his drink before he spoke again. "I'm going to take a shower, you should put your clothes by the fire to dry them quicker, we're leaving tomorrow."

"Wait, what? Why?" I watched him as he got up, turning to face me. "We're not staying here forever Daniela."

"But what if we don't find anywhere to sleep? This might be the only place for miles."

"You're welcome to stay here if you're worried, like I told you, I don't give a damn."

I watched as he walked over to the wardrobe to grab a towel for his shower before I eventually spoke again.

"Stop talking to me like that Carson. You don't get to be angry and you don't get to treat me like shit. You're the one who betrayed me. You deserved what I said to you."

"Did I? Why don't you try and figure out why I didn't tell you who I was or that I knew who you were. Maybe then you'll change your tune."

With that he pretty much pushed past me, heading into the bathroom before he slammed the door shut causing me to flinch at the impact.

For the rest of the evening I just sat next to the fire, savouring the warmth that I'd been deprived of for the past few weeks. Carson also did the same although he kept his distance from me and we didn't speak.

Unlike the last few weeks, the silence was anything but comfortable.

"You can sleep in the bed."

It felt like deja vu from our first night in that room when Carson told me I could sleep in the bed later on that night. Of course the first time I let him come and sleep next to me but this time, I didn't bother.

He could sleep in a ditch for all I care.

Okay so we both know that's not true.

From the moment that I lay down in the bed and I was alone with my thoughts, my mind drifted back to George's lifeless eyes which was an image that played over and over again in my head all night.

<<<<<<< >>>>>> <<<<<<<<

"You know if some guy set this up as his hiding spot, that must mean there's access from here to a road somewhere."

Carson only nodded his head either to agree or confirm what I said, instead choosing to continue staring at the fireplace in front of him.

I was currently curled up in the bed while he sat on the couch where he had slept the night before. He still hadn't said a word to me since I woke up a while ago, but he didn't seem so angry anymore, he just seemed so deep in thought.

I guess a full stomach, warmth and a full nights sleep helped to calm him down. I was still pathetically heart broken and feeling betrayed, but it felt like that initial anger had definitely began to wear off.

"You want some coffee before we go? We don't have any milk but we've got powdered milk." I watched as he stood up, mumbling his words to me as he walked over to the kitchen.

As much as I didn't want to admit it to him, I was desperate for a cup of coffee after being in and out of sleep all night. The dreams I had about George and the guilt I was feeling was consuming me.

"I thought you weren't listening when I told you how I like my coffee."

"I listened to every word you said to me Dani." As he said this, his eyes met mine from across the room. What he said was sweet, but all it did was make it hurt more when I thought about everything that had happened over the last few days.

"I don't want any, thanks."

The moment I shut down the conversation, I looked away from Carson without waiting to see his reaction but from the slamming that very quickly ensued, I could tell he wasn't happy.

Pulling the blankets up to my chest again, I lay down on the bed as my thoughts drifted back to the angry mob boss across the room from me.

Part of me wished I had never found out who he was or that he knew who I was, but the other part wished he'd told me sooner. If he had just said it and explained it to me maybe it wouldn't have hurt so much.

But he would still be one of them. He'd still be like all the other men who hurt you Dani. How do you know he wouldn't do it too?

"Daniela." The sound of his voice interrupted my thoughts and I looked up just as he unexpectedly held out a cup of coffee, catching me off guard completely. I scrambled to sit up, tightening the robe I was still wearing from last night around myself.

"I used the powdered milk and a little bit of sugar. If you don't like that taste of it just throw it away."

"T-thank you." As I reached out to take it, his hand brushed against mine leaving tingles behind on my skin. Refusing to look him in the eye, I leaned against the headboard of the bed, before taking a sip of the coffee.

"How is it?"

"It's not too bad, I guess. It still doesn't beat a fresh latte from Starbucks though."

My words caused him to let out a breathy laugh as he walked back over to the fireplace where our clothes were still drying from last night.

A comfortable silence fell around us as we drank our coffee before he eventually got up off the couch again. I watched from my place on the bed as he looked through the wardrobe near to the bed, throwing a few random things out out onto the floor before heading back over to the box of items we found hidden in the kitchen last night.

"When you're done help me pack everything up." As he said that he tossed a bag across the room and I watched it land perfectly onto the bed next to me.

Show off.

Pushing the blankets off my body, I made sure the robe was tied closed properly before I got out of the bed, picking up the bag.

"What are we taking?"

"Pretty much everything. We need food, money and some of the other things we found."

I nodded my head as I took the bag over to the kitchen, looking through the items of food trying to decide what to take. Lost in my own thoughts, I took out all the items in an attempt to make it easier to decide what to take and what to leave behind.

Tinned fruit? Nope.
Alcohol? No freaking way.
Tinned tuna? Gross but necessary.
Dried beans? Ew.
Coffee? Necessity.
Pasta? Uncooked but carb-heaven.
Rice? Just more uncooked carbs which I love.
Sugar? Of cours-

"Food that doesn't have to be cooked is better but still grab a few boxes of pasta and rice too."

When I heard his voice come out right behind me, I suddenly jumped letting out an embarrassing squeak and of course dropping the bag onto the floor too.

"Oh my gosh! Don't scare me like that!" Of course he only laughed at my response before he picked the bag up for me. "I've been here for the last two minutes at least. It's not my fault you're oblivious."

Snatching the bag from his hand I just shook my head before turning back to the wide array of food on the kitchen counter.

"The tins are going to be heavy to carry."

"I'll carry them, you can carry the other bag." When he gestured to the other bag sitting on the coffee table, I turned to look at him with a raised brow. "You really trust me to carry all the money?"

"Of course not. That's only your half for when we part ways."

And here I was thinking we'd calmed down after yesterday.

"So you meant that? You're really going to just leave me on my own in the middle of nowhere." My words caused something to flash in his eyes before they hardened again and he nodded his head. "Yep."

"But Carson I-"

I'm scared to be alone.

"The moment we're in range of a freaking cell phone tower, I'm walking away from you without looking back. You can call your precious boyfriend with one of the burners if you want, I couldn't care less."

Just tell him the truth about Ayden, now is the best time.

Narrowing my eyes at him, I swallowed the emotions I was feeling, keeping my expression cold.

"Fine."

Or don't.

He held my stare for a long while, neither of us refusing to be the first to back down until I eventually stepped away from him, shaking my head.

"I never asked to be involved in any of this crap."

"Too bad, you were involved the moment you agreed to be the girlfriend of a motherf-"

As soon as Carson mentioned Ayden again, I couldn't stop the words from flying out of my mouth, cutting him and his profanity off.

"I didn't know who he was! I had no clue Carson! Just like I didn't know anything about you."

"Don't try to lie to me, I saw you at those events with him, you had to know something, you're not that freaking stupid."

I guess I was just that stupid then.

"What events?" In response to my clueless tone Carson just let out a humourless laugh, turning his attention back to the food we were supposed to be packing.

"Every four months the biggest cartels, mafias and mobs come together to hold an event in New York. It can be a charity event, a gala or whatever else they choose to do. The whole idea is everyone comes together for one night to discuss business in the open, without fighting. I've seen you hanging off his arm for the last few years."

Flashback.

"Don't speak to anyone unless they speak to you, not that anyone would pay any attention to an ugly thing like you anyway but still."

Ayden glanced over at me as we walked, his eyes taking in the black floor length dress I had picked out when I went shopping earlier that day on his orders.

"You spent 2000 dollars on that thing? You always make me look bad."

"It's a beautiful dress Ayden, but maybe someone like you would never be able to appreciate it."

"Maybe it would be beautiful if it wasn't on you."

I didn't get a chance to reply to him when the door swung open revealing a rather large banquet hall full of well dressed men and women. Ayden wrapped his arm around my waist, his fingers digging painfully into my side as we walked.

"Stay by my side unless I tell you to go."

"I wasn't going to leave you-"

"Don't talk to me." He cut me off just as we reached a table where his brother Atticus was standing with his date. Of course she was beautiful just like every other woman here.

It was different to the clubs we often went to. The women here were high class and sophisticated, some of them were even much older than I was.

The moment Atticus laid eyes on me he let out a laugh, turning to face me properly.

"There she is, the birthday girl."

"Her birthday isn't until tomorrow." Ayden answered for me as he grabbed a glass of champagne of a server's tray when he passed us.

"Oh but we can always celebrate early, you only turn 21 once, am I right?" Flashing me a smirk, Atticus lifted his glass of champagne to his lips keeping his eyes firmly fixed on me.

If only I knew what was going to happen the day after that.

"Is Agnello here?"

"Yeah he just turned up with some slut on his arm." Almost instantly Atticus's smirk dropped as they started discussing whoever they were talking about.

"That's where I'd heard your name before." Although I whispered the words, Carson clenched his jaw telling me he had heard me. "I didn't know what those were. Carson whatever dinners or events I've been to with him, I didn't know what they were. It's not like he would ever tell me."

He nodded his head at this before turning to look me in the eye again.

"Well let me tell you something, when I get my hands on Atticus I'll kill him. Then, I'll kill his brother, and then I'll kill you."

This time I didn't bother to try and mask my shock and of course the hurt that came with it. Even after all we'd been through together, he still hated them that much that he could bring himself to kill me too.

"I was right, you're exactly like them." My words came out barely above a whisper but he caught them anyway, of course he would.

"Exactly like who Daniela?" He rose an eyebrow at me, clearly just trying to push me to say whatever it was.

"All the men that have hurt me."

I held his stare as traitorous tears welled up in my eyes but without waiting for him to say another word, I quickly walked away from him. Grabbing my clothes from the fireplace area, I went into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind me.

<<<<<<< >>>>>>> <<<<<<<

We left early that morning after we'd eaten enough food to get us through the day and packed the rest for when we got hungry while we walked.

I guess it was a comfort to know we now had the burner phones and the cash if we needed it, but still for the rest of that day we were walking in the forest, so there was no need for them.

But, the coats we found in the wardrobe definitely did come in useful. Even if they were men's coats and a million sizes too big for me. Of course they fit Carson perfectly, like they were made for him.

For the entire day while we walked, apart from when we decided to rest, eat or discuss which direction to walk in, we didn't speak. I spent the entire day processing what had happened over the few last days.

Carson got me back my necklace, but it didn't mean I wasn't traumatised by what George did to me. Being tied and hit like that...it was something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.

It somehow brought Carson and I closer than before when he started telling me about his family. But then I found out he was a mob boss and he'd been lying to me. I guess thinking about it a day later, it wasn't that big of a deal. Sure it hurt and I was angry, but the lying was something that I could get over in time.

The part I was struggling to cope with was who he was.

There was one prominent common denominator between all the men who had hurt me in the last few months at home and while we were kidnapped. That was that they were all involved in crime.

So far Carson's anger was seeming to get the better of him and it really was making me think he was capable of hurting me. He was talking about killing me or leaving me alone to fend for myself like he really meant it.

"Carson?" I spoke in a tentative tone breaking the silence around us as we walked.

"What?"

"Did you mean it?"

When he heard my question, his steps slowed as he glanced over at me.

"Mean what?"

"All the things you've said to me. That you'll kill me or that you'll leave me or when you-"

"No. I didn't, I was just angry."

Carson continued walking while I came to a stop, asking him another question which eventually caused him to stop too.

"Do you still hate me?"

He didn't turn around when he stopped and for a moment I thought he would just ignore me and that he would just carry on walking, but thankfully he didn't.

"I never hated you."

When he still refused to turn around and face me, I took a few steps forward closing the gap between us.

"That's a lie. The first day we were in there you were truly ready to kill me and you know it."

"I don't hate you Dani."

"Then why-" Before I could get my question out, Carson suddenly spun around to face me.

"I hate your damn boyfriend and I hate his brother. But you...well you love him."

When he looked at me with so much disgust that I could love Ayden I wanted to say it. I wanted to tell him so badly but I couldn't. Something was stopping me from saying it. Because deep down I knew it wouldn't do any good.

Carson would go back to New York and I would still have nowhere to go. Telling him the truth wasn't going to do me any good, not when I wasn't even sure if I could trust him anymore. I wasn't even sure if I was safe around him anymore. But even if we never became friends again, at least I could try to get some answers before we parted ways.

"So no, I don't hate you and I never did. I hated your association with them."

Without waiting for me to say anything else he started walking again, leaving me to follow behind him, again.

What did you guys think?

Sorry there was no update over the weekend, I'm hitting a little writers block on the later chapters that I'm writing so I just needed a bit of a break from Wattpad.

Next chapter coming tomorrow ❤️