Debt to the Mafia

Safe (18)

Alexia's POV

I wasn't sure where Caden was taking me.

What I did know is that my legs were tired. We have been walking for a good two hours, the trees barely protecting us from the rays of the sun. My feet were aching and all I could hope for was that we wasn't trying to kidnap me.

We had been walking without talking for a while but the gravel under our feet made some noise for me to listen to without going half insane.

I wanted to break down again, right here in the middle of nowhere but I couldn't find the courage to start up another tantrum. My face and my eyes were tired of crying and so was I. My brain had been shoving Jackson to the back of my brain and surfacing Caden. He was the one we needed to focus on.

I kicked a strange, larger piece of gravel that rested along the other smaller ones. I barely felt it against my bare foot, wondering if my body had just forgotten what pain felt like.

Or maybe I was just numb all over.

I had fallen behind a little bit to the point where I was behind Caden by a few steps. I focused my eyes on his sandy blonde hair as he walked.

I shook my head and looked back down at the gravel.

My life had been normal.

So normal.

But when Jackson knocked on my door that morning everything took a 1-80 and turned around. It went to hell.

I was trying to figure out why in God's name I began to trust Jackson. He shot my father. Maybe I was still in a state of shock or a state of fear if I didn't listen, he would hurt me.

"Caden." I spoke up, breaking the silence.

He stopped briefly and turns around.

"Yeah?"

"Where are we going? Like, your house or something?" I asked, taking the opportunity to catch up to him.

"Uh, we can go to my mom's house. This gravel path leads down another mile just about until we reach the main road. It's not too far from there, probably about an hour walk, tops." He explained, squinting his eyes through the sunlight.

"Alright." I replied and he turned back around to keep walking.

I didn't feel like telling him my legs were killing me and my feet were so numb I couldn't feel the gravel anymore. He seemed focused on getting me safely to his mom's house before I collapsed or something.

I wasn't sure how to pass the time so I just fiddled with my hands and continued to think about everything.

\•/•\•/•\•/•\•/•\•/

"Ah, here we go." Caden's mom said as she handed me a glass of ice water, guiding me to the couch.

"Now what on God's green Earth we're you doing by yourself in the woods young lady?!" She exclaimed, exasperated.

I looked down, mustering up a small chuckle.

"Mom, it's a long story and she's probably exhausted. Just let her rest." Caden cut in, giving his mom a sort of look I couldn't decipher.

"Oh, fine." She sighed.

"Alright darling you can just lay down her on the couch and we won't bother you. Whatever happened, I'm sorry but I can promise you you're safe now." She told me, laying a blanket next to me.

"Thank you so much. I really appreciate this." I replied and gave her a genuine smile.

"I'm Margarette by the way." She added.

"Lexi." I told her and she smiled down at me.

And for once since I met Jackson, I felt safe.