Split Love

CHAPTER 58

With her platinum blonde hair tied back and her pale face, Micah's cheerful and stylish sister didn't look like herself. The two stared at each other for a few seconds, until Irina let go of the pull chain of the old pendant light she was still holding and ran to the cage.

Jasmine let out the breath she had been holding. For a moment, all the pain of the injuries was forgotten and she felt a weight lift off her shoulders. The fear and insecurity. She was alive and she would get out of there. With that thought, she also approached the bars.

- Thank God I found you. - Irina whispered. She slipped her hands between the iron bars and held Jasmine's bruised face. - What did they do to you?

Jamie felt Irina's delicate fingers running over her eyebrows and then her cheeks.

- I need water. - Her voice sounded hoarse and almost inaudible. The effort it took for her to speak was too great. Her mouth and throat were dry and she could feel her lips cracked.

Slowly, Irina shook her head. - I'm sorry, I have nothing here with me.

With a small, sympathetic smile, Jamie nodded. She was getting out of that place, and that was all that mattered.

- Shit. -  Irina cursed as she tried to pull the door open. - Do you know where the key is?

Jamie shook her head. - He came here once. It was... dark.

Irina looked around and stood up. She took her phone out of her back pocket and held it up, probably looking for a signal, but she swore and put it back. Jamie noticed that she took short, soft steps as she searched for something. She stopped whenever the wood on the floor began to creak under her weight. Couldn't they make any noise?

- Where are we? - She managed to ask. Micah's sister paused for a moment before swung around.

- In my father's basement.

Maybe it was shame, or anger, or even sadness. But the words came out of Irina's mouth too quickly and she immediately went back to her search.

"My father would kill me if he found out about you." Micah's ghost whispered in her ear again. "if he found out... if he..."

Her eyes darted back and forth allowing that confession to settle in her mind. She wanted to press for answers. She wanted to hear why she was suffering like that. But looking at the woman she barely knew who was trying to help her, she knew that wasn't the right time.

She felt her body sink. The brothers had told her many times that their father wasn't a good person, but kidnapping her? So did Micah really want to protect me?

No, he killed your parents and your sister. You can't trust him.

Don't trust him. Don't trust him.

What about her? Irina appeared in front of the cage with a crowbar. Can she be trusted?

- This will make some noise and we won't have much time to get out of here after that.

But I need her to get out of here.

Don't trust him.

Jasmine nodded.

- This lock is old and rusty, I don't think the door is locked. It's just stuck.

Without any question, Jasmine crawled back. Irina wedged the crowbar into the top of the door. She pulled hard, and the metal door began to give way. But she lost her grip, and the tool slammed into the iron with a loud clang.

Irina looked back, probably where the front door was. But she didn't wait before trying again.

- We need to be quick. - She wedged the tool close to the lock this time. With her right foot braced against the front of the cage, she pushed again. And this time, she didn't stop.