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~ Carson's POV ~

"You've already got trouble in paradise?"

As soon as Dani left with Aviana, Fox was already making his stupid jokes but I was too concerned about my girlfriend to take any notice of him.

I tried not to look at her after Chloe kissed me, I didn't want to see the look on her face. I know I screwed up the moment I didn't push Chloe away and instead put my hands on her waist, but it was only because I would have fallen back into Daniela which would have hurt her.

I went into shock the moment I realised I'd done what I was so afraid of doing. I told her that night one of the biggest reasons I'd never had a girlfriend was because of my lifestyle and my job, but that wasn't the only one.

The moment my thoughts went back to that stupid kiss, I turned my head to see Chloe still standing there. I was just itching to grab one of the many guns hidden in that room and shoot her with it.

"Why the hell are you still here?"

"Can we talk? Carson I love you and-"

"And you know now that he has a girlfriend so get the hell out, we have almost five weeks of drinking to catch up on." When she heard Grey's cold tone she finally got the hint and left the room closing the door behind herself.

Letting out a frustrated sigh I dropped down on the couch while Grey and Fox came and sat down too bringing two bottles of scotch with them. Once they'd finally poured three glasses, we each took one and I savoured every sip of it before I refilled my glass.

I wanted to down that one too but I thought it was better to pace myself, especially with all the thoughts about the kiss going through my head at that moment.

"So you want to tell us what happened?"

At least they waited for me to finish my first drink before they asked.

"I was kidnapped, I escaped and now I'm here, the end." I mumbled the words before I took a sip of my drink, watching when Grey leaned closer to Fox just for show since he said his words loud enough for me to hear.

"He's in a bad mood."

"It's probably a lack of sex, he seems tense." I lowered my glass, narrowing my eyes at Fox when he smirked at me.

"Or maybe it's his masculinity being threatened, did you hear how his girlfriend put him in his place?"

"He became a pussy the moment he got a girlfriend."

"Are you two done?" When I finally reacted, they both burst into laughter while I just sat there patiently waiting for them to shut the hell up before I finally told them the story.

I really wasn't in the mood and they were just making it worse.

"George had his men trap me on some street in Manhattan then they ambushed me and my guards never showed up."

"They were all dead Carson. When we found out what happened we found them a street away, both cars were totalled."

I nodded my head in response to Grey, letting out a sigh. That's exactly what I thought had happened, like I told Dani once, if you're given a job in the mafia you do it. My guards were also the best of the best so the only reason they would have screwed it up is if they were dead.

"Anyway, he drugged us for four days and we woke up-"

"Who's us?" This time it was Fox who looked confused making me realise I'd forgotten my favourite part of the story. "Oh, Daniela. She saw me trying to fight off George's men and she thought she could help. But they just took her too."

She was so cute.

She didn't deserve what I just did to her. She didn't deserve to see it.

Both of them cracked a smile at that before I continued with the story.

"So they locked us in this tiny room, George said he wanted revenge, which you know is because I put Christopher in a coma."

"Oh yeah I heard he's out. When you told Grey on the phone the other day that it was George, we did some digging and apparently the fool woke up six months ago."

I nodded my head at that, remembering that the only time Christopher made an appearance was when he held that poker game and assaulted Dani. She didn't tell me exactly what they did but I knew, it was so obvious.

"I know. So we spent three weeks in that room and then when George figured out that Ayden was Dani's boyfriend, he was going to make a video of him hurting her to send it to him for ransom. She went off and started crying and panicking when she realised he was going to hurt her again. While she was struggling she pushed him and he hit his head and died."

Both of them fell silent for a moment before Fox frowned at me, putting his glass down on the table.

"What do you mean again?" Shifting my gaze down to the liquor in my glass, I tried my best not to think back to the day when I was tired to the chair and I had to sit there and watch them hurt her.

"George asked her if she wanted to leave the room and become his whore, she said no and then..." Letting out a breath, I cleared my throat trying to force the images of her crying after Christopher and Mark assaulted her out of my head. If they hadn't assaulted her, George never would have beaten her up. In the end she only got hurt twice, nothing was her fault.

"I don't think she'd want me to tell you yet."

I could tell they were both confused and concerned about what happened especially after my reaction, but they didn't push it.

It felt like all that happened months ago, even though it was only weeks ago. For me it was so easy to push those memories to the back of my head, if I didn't they would haunt me every freaking day. But I didn't forget, I'd never forget.

After all that we'd been through together I just wanted to protect her and never let anything like that happen to her again. Those few days she was hurt by Christopher, Mark and George made me  sick.

Then I found out Ayden had been doing it to her for two whole freaking years.

"Carson." When I heard my name, I lifted my head to see both Grey and Fox watching me with concerned expressions making me realise I'd zoned out. "Sorry."

Throwing the last of my drink back, I put my glass down and filled it up for a third time, deciding to hurry up and finish the story.

"After George died we escaped, it was around then that she found about the mafia. She didn't know Ayden was in the Irish Mob either."

"She didn't? But she went to those the events with him." I nodded my head at that, letting out a humourless laugh. "That's what I said to her. It turns out, he did a very good job at keeping everything from her."

A day wouldn't go by that I wouldn't feel like crap for assuming she knew everything and taking my anger out on her. She didn't deserve any of that.

She didn't deserve what happened today either.

"How can we trust that she's not going to double cross us?"

"She has her own story and her own past Grey. It's her story to tell you when she's ready but I trust her. I know she won't do it."

He held my stare for a moment before he eventually nodded his head.

"So then what happened?" I was grateful when he changed the conversation, steering it away from Dani and back to the story.

"We walked for two days I think, maybe more I can't really remember properly. We found a cabin in the woods that some guy had as his escape plan - there were passports, money, burner phones. After that we stayed over night in some random places before we finally made it to Portland when I called you. Then we went to LA for three days and then drove back here."

Both of them listened intently to my simplified version of the story before Fox shook his head at me, for some reason not happy with how I told it.

"That's not fair, you're missing out all the juicy details."

"What details?"

"When did you fall in love? When did you kiss her for the first time? Did you have sex? Was it good?" When he wiggled his eyebrows at me I let out a chuckle while Grey just smiled.

"I'm not telling you that. You can ask Dani if you want, but I'm not telling you."

"Oh come on, did you see her? She's too shy, she's not going to tell me the gossip."

This time I rolled my eyes, as I finished my drink deciding to take a break before I had my fourth.

"I want Christopher found, along with everyone that worked with George. We need to find him before he comes after us to avenge his brother's death."

Both of them nodded in agreement although I'm sure they'd already been looking into it once they found out it was George who took me. If they'd found something they would have told me by now so there was no point in asking them straight.

"How has everything been here?"

"Up and down. It took us a while to find our feet after you disappeared. Aviana wouldn't stop crying and screaming at people to keep looking for you, Fox beat the crap out of anyone who irked him and I...I just freaking panicked."

"Panicked? Why?" When I gave him a frown Grey let out a sigh, lowering his gaze to the glass in his hand. "You're the boss, I'm your underboss that's how it's always been. I've never wanted your job and I didn't want it when I thought you were dead, but I didn't want to let you down either."

"If it ever happens again-"

"Carson don't say that." When Fox cut me off I shook my head at him, continuing with my sentence. "If it ever happens again, promise me you won't take a job that you don't want. I don't give a damn about you letting me down, I care about you. I'd never want you to do something you didn't want to do."

"Carson..."

"Promise me Grey. If you want it then take it but otherwise, find someone who you trust to take over."

Grey clenched his jaw as he sat there almost glaring at me since I knew he didn't like the topic of conversation, but eventually he nodded his head.

"I promise."

It fell quiet again between us before Grey and Fox eventually started updating me on some of the business deals that we working on before I disappeared, and what happened while I was gone.

"The biggest news is McKnight. People started to hear you'd gone missing, so the Irish tried to take the opportunity to screw us over as much as possible."

"Tried?" When I rose an eyebrow at Grey, he sent me a smirk in response as he lifted his glass to his lips. "I said I panicked and that I didn't want your job, I never said I wasn't good at it."

"You should watch your back Carson, if he gets bored as your underboss he might come for your job."

Nodding my head in response to Fox's words I let out a laugh, thinking back to our fight a little while ago.

"Try it and I'll knock you out and then him too." When I gestured over to Fox, he gave me an incredulous look.

"What the hell? Why me? It's Grey who would be coming after your job." At this I gave him an amused smile, shrugging my shoulders. "I know but it's fun when I get to beat you in a fight."

"You cheat that's why."

"I don't cheat, you just forget to wear a cup." When I mentioned  that time I kicked him in the balls he instantly glared at me, clearly not appreciating the reminder. "Screw you."

Grey and I laughed at his response before I turned my attention back to Grey, remembering that dinner meeting that went to shit before I was kidnapped.

"How's things with your daughter?"

When I mentioned his two year old daughter, his grip on his glass visibly tightened and he clenched his jaw.

"Maria is still being difficult, she won't let me see her."

"Still? It's been five weeks and she's still playing the same game?" Nodding his head, Grey took a gulp of his drink before he put the glass down. "We broke up three months ago and she's still not over it. I just want to see my baby and she's..."

"It was her fault, the whore cheated on you." The moment Fox said that word, Grey instantly turned to look at him giving him a glare. "Don't call her that. I pushed her away, I was never there for her."

"You were working Grey, you didn't stop loving her. If she had a problem with it she should have ended it with you instead of-"

When I noticed the frown on Grey's face deepen and the way he was clenching his fists I quickly spoke up, sending the idiot a glare of my own.

"Fox, shut up."

"It's true Carson. I have to watch my best friend go through so much pain just because of her." Fox placed his hand on Grey's back, causing him to look at him, his frown instantly softening when he saw the care in Fox's eyes.

"I thought I was your bestfriend." When I spoke up attempting to lighten the mood, they both looked at me. "But fine, I'll just be the third freaking wheel."

As I lifted my glass to my mouth, they both cracked a smile at my words. Before any of us could say another word, the door to the room opened again revealing Dani and Aviana...holding hands?

When I gave her a weird look, Aviana's steps slowed before she glanced down at her hand which was gripping Dani's.

"Oh, sorry." She instantly let go, allowing Dani to come over to where I was sitting on the couch, sitting down next to me although she made sure to put a good amount of distance between us.

She was hurt by what I did.

"Are you okay?" Although I said the words quietly to her, it was Aviana who responded to me in an offended tone.

"Why wouldn't she be okay?" Turning my head in her direction, I sent her a glare before I turned back to Dani who had a small smile on her face, but it was directed towards Aviana, not me.

"I'm fine Carson." I studied her for a moment before I eventually nodded my head, while she continued to stare back at me and then shuffled a tiny bit closer to me on the couch.

"Your face is bruising really badly already." Her words came out quietly as she analysed my face from where she was sitting. "I'm fine."

"No you're not, you're hurt. You need to put some ice on it."

"I don't need ice." When I shook my head, she gave me one of her looks which always had me backing down straight away.

Maybe I was turning into a pussy.

"Where do you keep the ice?"

"I'll get it for you." When Aviana happily stood up before I could protest again, she sent me a smirk before she went over to the bar to get the ice.

It only took her a moment to return, handing Dani the ice which she gently pressed against my cheek. I knew she was upset with me, and yet she still managed to find in her to be so caring.

Rolling my eyes, I took the ice from her hand holding it to my cheek while she shuffled away from me again.

"Do you want a drink?"

At first her eyes landed on my glass and then at the bottle of scotch on the table before she shook her her, scrunching her nose up.

"I'm okay, thank you."

"If you don't like scotch I can get you something else? What do you usually drink?"

Almost instantly I could see the panic in her eyes when Aviana offered to get her something else. I know she told me that she wanted to try alcohol but I also knew she wasn't going to do it in front of three strangers. But she was also too shy to tell them that she didn't drink, that much was clear.

"Just get her a bottle of water." When the attention was finally taken away from her and Aviana went to get some water, Dani sent me a discreet, grateful look.

She mumbled a 'thank you' when Aviana handed her the water before she eventually went to sit next to Grey.

"What did you talk about on your walk?" Even though I once again aimed my question at Dani trying to break this awkward tension between us, Aviana spoke again.

She was really starting to irritate me and I'd only been back for five minutes.

"I don't think that's any of your business." Letting out a sigh, I turned my head to glare at her again. "You came back holding my girlfriend's hand, of course it is."

"Oh Carson, I told you I'm not into girls, I can't kiss them, they ruin my make up. You don't need to feel threatened."

Her words caused both Grey and Fox to laugh while I just narrowed my eyes at her, until I heard Dani let out a quiet laugh next to me.

Of course it was only because of Aviana again.

"Screw you." My response only made her smirk widen but before she could respond, Fox suddenly spoke up.

"Oh, Carson! Your mom is back. Sorry I was supposed to tell you but I forgot." He casually shrugged his shoulders as if it wasn't a big deal before he picked up the PlayStation controller that he was holding when Dani and I first came into the room.

"What do you mean you forgot? That's important."

"I know but then you kissed Chloe and had a fight with Grey, it got too exciting. You should call her though, she's not very happy with your attitude." Even though he was now paying more attention to the TV, I continued to glare at him. "I didn't kiss Chloe, she kissed me and you should have freaking told me. What does she know?"

When Fox didn't bother replying to me, Aviana responded for him, giving me a reassuring look.

"Nothing Carson. When we found out you were okay, we waited until she asked about you and then we told her you were away on business."

All I could do was shake my head in irritation, taking out my phone to call her. I know I should have called her as soon as I got my phone, but I just kept putting it off. I don't know why, I just kind of did it. I didn't see the point in calling her if I couldn't tell her the truth, which I was never going to do over the phone.

Apart from the sounds of the video games Fox was playing, the room was silent while I dialled her number and then waited for her to answer.

"Hello?" When I heard my sister's voice on the phone I double checked to make sure it was my mom I had called before I let out a sigh knowing my little sister would just make this so much harder.

"Poppy give the phone to mom."

"No."

"No?" When I spoke in a confused tone, trying to hide my irritation she continued.

"No. You're a bitch and you can shove your phone up your-"

Before she could finish her sentence and anger me even more, I interrupted her.

"Poppy, just give her the damn phone."

"Where have you been Carson? We've all been trying to call you for weeks! You know, mom got so upset that you were ignoring her that we cut our trip short and came home to see you, only for Fox to tell us that you were in Guadeloupe! I don't even know where that is."

Neither do I.

"Look, Poppy I'll explain everything to you when I see you but can you just-"

"Shut up, one second." I let out a frustrated sigh, when she started having a conversation in the background. During that time I took the opportunity to pour another glass of scotch now that I really needed it.

"Mom says she doesn't want to talk to you right now, but she's coming to see you tomorrow at your penthouse at 3pm. If you're not there she's given me permission to kick your ass."

Shaking my head at her words, I just mumbled an 'okay' before I hung up the phone, throwing it on to the coffee table. Everyone, very smartly, stayed quiet while I finished my fourth glass of alcohol, trying my best to keep my temper under control.

But it was getting harder and harder the more I thought about that conversation and everything that had happened since I got back less than an hour ago.

That kiss just kept repeating in my mind and soon I felt myself spiralling all over again, with the sudden urge to hit something or someone.

~ Daniela's POV ~

I know it was a bad time to bring it up, but the moment he went to pour another drink I couldn't stop myself. He was supposed to be driving us