Layla's POV

I don't know how long I have been locked up in this room for. The only place I'm allowed to go is to the restroom and there is always someone escorting me to and from. I'm only left alone when inside. These people were smart, because there were no windows in the restroom.

I have been wearing the same clothes from the day I was kidnapped. I'm pretty sure I smell disgusting right now and the guards never fail to remind me. It's not my fault that I'm being held against my will and cannot take a shower. The only thing they do is feed me. Apart from that I am a complete mess.

My brown hair is so tangled; I can't even comb my fingers through it without it getting stuck. It is a matted mess on my head, I'm sure the birds would love to make a nest in it.

I would ask to go to the restroom as often as I could, most of the time that I asked, I don't even need to use it. I use the time it takes to walk to and from the restroom to memorize my surroundings. I have been forming this escape plan since my first day here and tomorrow if all goes well, I will be a free woman.

I haven't seen Emilio or Luca since the day they were going to kill me. I was grateful for that, because they scared the shit out of me. I act all tough around them on the outside, but on the inside I am shaking like a leaf.

Sitting in the same cold empty room that I have been in since the day I was brought here, I decided to get some much needed sleep before my grand escape.

Opening my eyes slowly, I smiled to myself. This is it.

I walked over to the door and knocked loudly to alert the guard that I needed to use the restroom. I could already see the scowl forming on his face. He did not like it when I bothered him and he never made an attempt to hide how much he despised me.

As predicted, he opened the door with a scowl on his face. I smiled at him just to annoy him some more before walking off in the direction of the restroom, with him following close behind. When we got to the restroom, I opened the door, walked in and then slammed it in his face. I could hear his curses from the other side and I chuckled to myself.

I pretended to use the toilet then flushed it. I walked over to the door and opened it just enough for my head to fit through.

"Hey you" I said in a sickly sweet voice, just to rile him up some more.

"What do want?" he snapped.

"Umm... I need tampons" I spoke quietly, afraid that someone would hear. I was mortified to ask, but it was all part of the plan, so I had to just suck it up.

"Uh-uh-uh" he said sounding like a broken record as he scratched the back of his neck nervously. I wanted to laugh so badly, but I had to keep a straight face if I wanted this to work.

"I'll be right back" he muttered, walking away.

Phase one was completed and now it was time to move on to phase two. I stepped out into the hallway and headed back in the direction we had come from. Walking quickly and quietly, I came upon the stairs from before. I made my way down and took a right.

There was a door with the words 'exit' on it, so I rushed over to it. Who knew it would be this easy. There wasn't a soul in sight. Just as I got to the door I heard an alarm go off. This was not good.

I did not bother to stick around to see what was going on as I opened the door and stepped outside, closing the door quietly behind me.

I was immediately surrounded by darkness, apart from the few lights outside. All I saw were trees. It looked like we were in the middle of nowhere. I heard voices drawing nearer, so I ran towards the woods.

I feared being in the woods during the day and being in it at night was not a good idea. But what other choice did I have.

I ran as fast as my legs could go, never stopping or looking behind. When I thought that I was far enough, I stopped to catch my breath. I have never run so much in my entire life. I could hear shouting in the distance and I was completely drained from running so much.

I had to find a hiding spot. Bingo. I hid behind a bush and when I eased into it, it completely covered me. The voices were now clearer and closer, so I stilled my movements and held my breath, for fear that if I breathe they could hear.

A flashlight shone on the bushes I was in and then it was gone.

I heard footsteps and just as fast as they came, they were gone. I sighed in relief as I relaxed more into the bushes. I listened quietly at all the noises coming from the animals. I was very scared to be out here all alone, but anywhere was better than staying in that prison.

I don't know how long I have been sitting in the bushes, but the sun was already coming up. I got out of the bushes and began walking in the opposite direction of where I was running from. I have been walking for a very long time and I was very tired, thirsty and hungry. The sun was now at its peak.

Just a few more steps until freedom, I kept telling myself as motivation. I could hear the sound of a vehicle driving so I hurried my steps. Stepping out of the woods, I saw a road and across from it, there was a gas station.

I smiled to myself in happiness, as I hurried across the road and towards the gas station. I had a strange feeling about this place, but I just shook it off and blamed the queasiness in my belly on hunger.

As I opened the door to the gas station, the bell ran alerting the cashier of my entrance. I walked over to the cashier. Behind the counter was a man, probably in his late 50's. He had a warm smile on his face as I approach.

"Do you have a phone I can use?" I asked politely.

"You look like you have been to hell and back" he said eyeing my appearance.

"Something like that" I muttered.

"Here" he handed me a cellphone.

I dialed my best friends number and it went straight to voicemail so I tried again. This time it rang. Come on Avery, pick up the phone. No one answered. She was probably hangover, sleeping or just ignoring the call because it's an unknown number.

I gave the man back his phone and went outside to think. What am I going to do now? I was so deep in thought; I didn't realize the old man was standing before me trying to gain my attention.

"Here, you look like you need it" he handed me a bottle of water.

"Thank you" I smiled gratefully. He nodded and turned around to head back inside.

I gulped down the much needed water as if I was drinking water for the first time. Standing here all day won't get me home. I didn't know where I was so I needed to ask for direction, so I went back inside to ask.

"Where am I?" I asked. He didn't look me in the eyes as he kept looking around nervously. He was hiding something.

Just as I was about to open my mouth again to ask him where I was again, two SUVs pulled up outside. He kept looking between me and the SUVs as four men got out. Two of which I recognized instantly.

I shot the man a deadly look, which I am sure would kill him if looks could kill. He called them. There wasn't anywhere for me to run as they walked it, each sporting a pissed off look on their face.

"Gotcha sweetheart" Emilio smirked at me. I could see in his eyes how much he was enjoying my trembling figure cower away from him.

He walked over to me and grabbed me by my long hair, dragging me out through the door. His grip never loosens, no matter how much I kick, scream and scratch him with my nails. He dragged me all the way to the SUV, where he picked me up and threw me inside. He got in shortly after me and the SUV sped off down the road.

"I tried to be nice to you" he said turning to me in anger.

"Nice to me? If your definition of nice is kidnapping and locking me up in a room, then I'd rather die than go back there" I snapped angrily at him.

"That can be arranged sweetheart" he said pressing a gun to my head. My eyes widen in fear as I stare into his menacing eyes, daring me to make a wrong move.

He pulled back away from me without another word. I sat beside him in the back seat shaking from fear as he looked out the window as if nothing happened. The rest of the car ride was spent in silence.

* * * * *

It wasn't long until we were pulling up in the driveway of a mansion. He opened the door and grabbed me by the arm to drag me out of the SUV. He never let go of my arm, as he dragged me along with him towards the entrance.

I took a look around and was mesmerized by the sheer size of the mansion. It was the most beautiful mansion I had ever seen. There were also a few guards patrolling the area. Walking inside Emilio went straight for the stairs still dragging me along, his pace never slowing down.

He was 6'1 and my 5'5 body was finding it hard to keep up with his long strides. Maybe I should just stop walking and have him drag me on the floor, I thought laughing to myself. He gave me a questioning look over his shoulder, still not stopping.

When we got to the second floor he led me down a hallway, and then stopped in front of a door. Opening the door, he shoved me inside. He walked in after closing the door. I heard a click and knew that he had locked us both inside.

I gulped nervously as I took a step backwards away from him. Every step back that I took, he took a step forward. I could feel the back of my thigh pressed up against the bed as he closed the distance between us.

"You really need a shower. The bathroom is right over there" he said pointing in the direction of the bathroom and taking a step back. I guess my stench was the only thing saving me from his wrath, for now.

He was just staring at me and it was making me very uncomfortable. He ran his hands through his hair, then turns around and walked out of the room leaving me confused. I think my stanch chased him away.

Looking around the room, I realized that this room belongs to someone. It had grey walls, floor to ceiling windows and a king sized bed in the middle. It was fully furnished with the dominant colors being grey, white and black.

I walked over to the walk-in closet, which only consisted of men clothing. I was in his room. He brought me to his room, but why would he do that. Unless... I was cut short when the room door open.

"Who the hell are you?" a high pitched voice shrieked.

Layla's POV

"Excuse me?" I asked turning around.

Standing before me was your typical blonde. She wore clothes so tight and short, that it could have been mistaken for her underwear. Her fake boobs were spilling out of the crop top she wore, that look like it was two times smaller than her size. Her makeup was caked to her face, making her look way older than she appear to be.

"What are you doing in Emilio's room?" she asked with a suspicious look on face.

I just stood there unmoving, unable to form any words. What was I doing in his room?

"Are you dumb?" she asked with a sneer on her face.

I just met her like 5 seconds ago and I already know that I don't like her. I was about to answer when the door burst open.

"What the fuck are you doing in here? How many times do I have to tell you not to come in my room unless I call for you?" he asked calmly, his attention focused on the blonde.

The way he spoke so calmly caused a shiver to run down my spine. Him being so calm is even scarier than when he is angry. You could see how hard he was trying to keep his anger at bay. This was not good.

He didn't wait for her to answer as he dropped the clothes he had in his hands on the bed and grabbed her by her upper arm, dragging her out the room. I think he has a thing for dragging people.

Thinking that the clothes were for me I walked over to the pile and saw that it was women's clothing. Not just any women's clothing, there was lingerie, a small crop top and a very short shorts.

He has got to be kidding me. So he expects me to dress like a whore. The nerve of that guy.

I decided against wearing the shorts and crop top, and instead went back into his closet and grabbed a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt.

Walking into the bathroom with the clothes in hand, I close the door behind me and took a look around. A gasp escaped my lips as I marveled at the sight before me.

The bathroom was the size of my whole apartment. In one corner there was a bathtub that was calling out to me, a shower stall, and a long counter with two separate sinks and a mirror covering the wall above the countertop. There was another door with what I'm assuming is the toilet. Everything in this bathroom screamed luxury.

I ran myself a bath and spend a good half hour washing myself as indicated by the clock on the wall. It was now 9:00 pm, stepping out of the tub and draining it; I quickly rinse the soap off my body. Stepping out of the shower I dried off and put on the clothes.

I tried to avoid my reflection before I took the bath fearing my appearance, and now I feel confident that I won't look as bad as before. Stepping in front of the mirror, I ran my hands through my damp hair. I searched the cabinets under the counter for a hairbrush and found a few. I took one out and brushed my hair.

After I was pleased with my appearance, I walked out of the bathroom and almost fainted at the sight before me. Emilio stood proudly before me in only his underwear, running a hand through his damp hair.

His body was sculpted to perfection. He was lean with muscles in all the right places. I followed the train of his six packs, to his very prominent v-line. My eyes began trailing lower when he decided to clear his throat.

My eyes shot up to his in an instant as he stood in front of me with a smirk plastered on his face. My face heated up in embarrassment as I dropped my stare to the ground.

"I see that you like having your own way" he commented stepping closer to me.

My heart sped up and my breathing became shallow the closer he got. Stopping in front of me I could feel his breath on my forehead. I was still staring at the ground, so now his feet were all I could see.

He put a finger under my chin and forced me to look him in the eye. I did not know how he would react to me wearing his clothes and disobeying him, and frankly I didn't want to find out.

He grabbed me by my neck and squeezed. It was becoming harder to breathe as he continued to squeeze.

"I make the rules and you follow. You have been tempting me to put a bullet in your fucking head. Don't think that I forgot about the little stunt you pulled earlier. It will not go unpunished. It's time you start accepting your faith, Cara." He whispered in my ear before letting me go.

He walked away from me as if nothing had happened, leaving me on the floor gasping for air. He got in the bed and turned his back to me.

It was still hard to breath as I laid there letting the tears fall. I wasn't one to show any weakness, but being stuck in this impossible situation I couldn't hold back the tears any longer. I don't know how long I was lying on the floor crying, before I decided that crying was not going to get me out of this.

I got up off the floor, not know what to do or where to go. I was contemplating asking Emilio where I was going to sleep when he answered my question without me actually asking.

"You're sleeping on the floor, so you can get comfortable down there Tesoro" he said still facing away from me.

"Can I at least get a pillow and a blanket?" I asked helplessly.

"No" was his simple answer.

How rude? I wasn't even surprised that he denied my request, because if he had actually complied then that would have been a surprise. I sighed in defeat as I got as comfortable as I could on the cold floor.

I laid there unable to sleep as I reminisced on the memories that I shared with my mother. She was always there to encourage me whenever I doubted myself. She was amazing, beautiful and kind.

I know that if she were here, she would be scolding me to stop doubting myself. She would tell me to have faith and that God knew best, that he would not put me in a situation that he knew I couldn't handle.

Six Years Ago

My friends and I had decided to join the cheerleading team. I mean, I was no cheerleader, but they had convinced me that it would be fun and I probably wouldn't have to participate.

The cheer captain never liked me and when she saw me walk through those gym doors for tryouts, I could already see that evil smile she always wore on her face brighten. I was proven right that she was up to no good when she immediately accepted me to the team, even though I sucked.

She announced that I would be one of the new flyers for the team. I know I couldn't do it, but I also wanted to prove her wrong.

So now here I was with three of my friends helping me practice.

"I can't do it" I complained for the thousandth time today as I failed again.

"You can do anything you want if you believe in yourself" my mother encouraged me.

She was always in my corner, my biggest fan.

Taking a deep breath, I tried again and succeeded.

She had believed in me, so I had to believe in myself. She always believed in me.

End of Flashback.

Oh mom. If only you were here now to comfort me and tell me that everything was going to be okay. She knew just what to say and do in every situation.

I know that if she was here, she would tell me not to give up and have hope for better days.

So that's what I'm going to do. Hope. Hope that everything will be fine.

Layla's POV

I woke up feeling as though I was run over by a truck. My whole body was in pain from sleeping on the floor. I felt sick because I had to sleep on the floor. I sat up slowly, holding my head that felt as though it was spinning.

I looked around slowly taking in my surrounding. At first I started panicking because I wasn't familiar with where I was until everything from the previous day came crashing down onto me. I calmed down momentarily before I realized the situation I was in.

I looked over to the bed and saw that it was empty. I let out a sigh of relief as I sat on the ground not knowing what to do. Just then the bathroom door opened and Emilio walked out with a towel hanging loosely around his waist.

His hair was still wet from the shower and I couldn't help but stare as the water droplets ran down his defined abs. I quickly looked away before he snap at me or punish me for staring.

I sat uncomfortably on the ground while he went into is closet, not even sparing me a glance. I have no idea what I was expected to do, so I just sat there.

He walked out of the closet in all black. Black pants, black boots, black shirt and a black leather jacket in his hand. I'm not going to lie, but he looked hot. He was my kidnapper, so why am I thinking like this.

I mean, if we were in a different situation I would totally jump his bones, but we're not and all I could do is sit on the floor thinking of different ways I could murder him and escape.

I was busy cussing him out in my mind when the bedroom door burst open and a man walked in. He was hot. He had blonde hair, grey eyes and a smile that could make any woman fall for him.

He was standing in the doorway smiling from ear to ear before he walked in.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything here" he said with a mischievous smirk plastered on his face, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Enzo, you will be keeping an eye on her, while I go take care of some things" Emilio stated, walking towards the door.

"I don't need a babysitter" I snapped in annoyance. I know I was threading on thin ice here, but I don't care. I refuse to let him boss me around.

He stopped in his track and turn around shooting me a deadly glare. I gulp in fear as I scrambled to my feet backing away from him. Stupid, stupid Layla. Why can't you just listen for once in your life without questioning anything?

He didn't say anything to me as he nodded in Enzo's direction and left.

Enzo looked at me from where he was standing near the doorway with a mischievous look in his eyes. He must be the troublemaker here.

"So you are the infamous Layla I hear everyone talking about" he said smiling.

"People are talking about me?" I asked confused.

His reply was his smile widening. I was very uncomfortable with how much he was smiling. It was starting to get creepy.

I cleared my throat as I prepared to break the awkward tension.

"I need to use the bathroom" I said quietly, walking towards the door. He hummed in acknowledgement, but never said anything else.

I went inside the bathroom and let out a sigh of relief. I have to keep reminding myself that behind those good looks and devilish smiles, these people were bad. They are holding me against my will. My goal is to find a way to escape from them.

They may laugh and smile with me, acting as if I'm not their prisoner. But I know better and I refuse to let their charming smiles get to me. We all know that one slip up and they won't hesitate to kill me if they want to.

I mean if they were to let me go, I wouldn't tell a soul about what happened because I value my life, even though my life is a mess right now.

I was so deep in thought, thinking about all the possible outcomes. They could sell me in human trafficking, even though Luca had assured me that they didn't do that, I still wasn't convinced.

They could kill me and dispose of my body and nobody would know, because there wouldn't be anyone looking for me. Maybe Avery would be concerned, but I doubt she would try to find me.

I have told her on more than one occasion that I wanted to run away from here. So her not hearing from me would not spark concerns because she would think that I finally followed through with my plans. Especially, since I'm sure she must have heard about what happened at the restaurant.

Here? Where am I? Am I still in New York or did they take me to another country? I had no idea where I was right now, but here I am planning an escape from God knows where.

What has my life come to? I have no one and I'm here being punished for being nosy. I guess that's why they say you shouldn't stick your nose in other people's business. But no, I had to see what was happening in that alley.

I shouldn't blame anybody but myself. If I had just went on home like I was supposed to, probably I'd be in my apartment right now wallowing in self-pity or better yet homeless.

I mean this isn't the ideal situation to be in, but at least there was a roof over my head and people with guns threatening to kill me. Yeah, story of my life.

"Are you done yet? You've been in there like forever" I heard a muffled voice through the door.

Oh right. I was supposed to be using the bathroom.

"I'll be out in a minute" I called back, not wanting to anger who was on the other side of the door.

I searched for a spare toothbrush and when I found a few, I used one and did my business. I stepped out timidly, holding my head down in fear.

"I'm not going to hurt you" Enzo said walking towards me.

Just as he reached out to touch me, I flinched back.

I glanced at his face and saw him frowning, with what seem to be worry in his eyes. After the way in which Emilio had treated me last night, I was now afraid of doing the wrong thing and possibly getting punished.

"You must be hungry" he said, the same time my belly rumbled in agreement.

I felt embarrassed, but he only laughed it off and told me to follow him. I felt a little at ease in his presence, but I'm not stupid to let my guard down. He had this easy going vibe about him that made it impossible not to like him.

Following behind him, I took this time to admire the interior of the mansion. I didn't get the chance to do so before, because a certain someone was in a rush.

The walls were painted in a cream color, portraits and paintings hanging on the walls, with a few statues along the walls. The ground was covered with elegant white tiles. The person who did the interior design clearly had a feminine touch.

When we got to the stairs, I was in awe. It was a grand staircase that went down in a little spiral against the wall. The first floor was white, literally- the floors, ceiling, walls and decorations. It was a combination of white and gold.

There was a huge chandelier a few meters in the ceiling away from the stairs. This mansion screamed money. Everything in it looked so fragile, that I was afraid to even breathe too close to anything. I could not afford anything in this house.

Enzo never once looked back to see if I was following him. I was grateful for that because I'm sure he would be looking at me weirdly with my mouth wide open in awe.

We went around a few corners until we got to the kitchen, which was spotless. It looks as though it has never been used before. It was a modern kitchen with all the finest appliances. This was any chef's dream kitchen.

"What would you like to eat?" he asked already making his way to the fridge.

"Anything is fine" I said unsure.

"I can't cook, so here" he said placing a box of cereal and a carton of milk before me. He also got me a bowl and a spoon.

How thoughtful. I chuckled a little in amusement while he scratched the back of his neck nervously. Why was he nervous? If anyone should be nervous it should be me.

"After youre done I can give you a tour if you'd like" he said chuckling.

"Sure" I said with a mouth full of cereal. I probably looked like squirrel that packed its mouth with way too many nuts.

So he wanted to give me a tour. Does he want me to escape, because that must be the only logical reason why he'd show me around?

I was scarfing down the cereal as though I hadn't eaten in days, but was only a day. After I was finish I pat my stomach and relaxed in the chair I was sitting in.

"Are you ready?" he asked after a while. I nodded my head and followed after him as he exited the kitchen.

He showed me the first floor which consisted of a grand foyer, two bathrooms, three bedrooms, a ballroom, living room, sitting room, dining room, kitchen, pantry, game room, theatre, a study, a gym indoor pool and a bar. Outside had a pool, jacuzzi, garden and tennis court.

The top floor had six bedrooms, seven bathrooms, a library, an office and a few other rooms that were off limits. The office too was off limits. He also informed me that there was another level below the first floor that was also off limits.

After the tour he convinced me to watch tv with him. He wasn't so bad after all. I was starting to warm up to him.

We were now sitting on the sofa arguing over whether or not Jake and Amy from Brooklyn Nine-nine would date.

"Don't be stupid, it's clear that he has a major crush on her" I said annoyed.

"Oh really? Does that mean you have a crush on me? Because we're here fighting and bickering likes them" He said smiling victoriously.

He leaned in and I thought he was going to kiss me, when a pillow hit me on the head.

"What the hell?" I asked holding my head.

"This is how crushes are supposed to interact with each other, no?" he teased, grinning from ear to ear.

I got up ready to attack when he ran away squealing like a girl. I couldn't help but laugh as I chased him around the house. I know he was running slowly on purpose so that I could keep up with him, but that didn't bother me as I jumped on his back.

He landed on the ground with a thud and I landed on top of him. In a blink of an eye he had managed to flip around with me now straddling his waist.

"If you wanted me so badly you could have just told me" he said with a wink clearly enjoying the position we were in. I flushed in embarrassment and just as I was about to get up off him the front door opened.

"What the hell is going on here?" Emilio boomed, with Luca beside him trying to hold in his laughter.