Cut!

Take 33 - Taken - Part 5

A/N: Please read the previous author's note to enter my Holiday/pre-Play-launch contest. It's very simple, and you could win some neat prizes. Also, comment as you read. Please? It makes my day. 

After relieving myself, I walked outside to Jamie again. He was watching me carefully, his arms crossed across his broad chest. I stared at him as I walked to the sink.

“Why are you doing this?” I asked.

He didn’t reply.

I washed my hands, feeling more and more anxious. At last, I turned to him. “You’re doing this to protect Ludmilla, right?” I met his eyes. “Well, tough luck. I’m not her. You have the wrong person. And while I could have been inclined to introduce you before, that sure as hell ain’t happening now.”

“What do you mean?” he asked. His eyes narrowed on me.

“I’m not Ludmilla. If you’re doing this to protect her from something on the outside, you’re failing miserably.”

Jamie stared at me, silent, before he averted his eyes. “It was Max I wanted to protect you—I mean her from. If she’s out there, then she’s safe.”

“So, what? You’re just going to let me rot up in here?” I widened my eyes. “I’m innocent. Not to mention Harry, he’s even more innocent than me. He doesn’t even know. Jamie, please, you got to help me—to help us.”

“I can’t do anything,” he muttered. “We need to get back. Max isn’t known for his patience.” As he turned, his shirt’s neckline slid down, exposing a scarred collarbone.

I gasped. “Who did that?” I reached out, but he cowered away.

“We need to go. Now.” He jerked away and opened the door, leading me out into the maze of hallways outside.

I was starting to hate how there were no windows. There was nothing to guide me to the outside. Only the flickering lights was visible in the otherwise barren halls.

He led me back to the room, and the moment I saw Harry, I let out a sigh of relief. He didn’t look worse than when I left, and Max was still on the table. Hopefully, Max hadn’t hurt Harry.

I could see that Harry wanted to say something. It stabbed at my heart when he didn’t look happy to see me. Maybe he’d hoped I would have run off, but how could I?

Max walked over to bind me to the chair once again.

“You know…” he said as he tightened one rope around my right wrist. “This place used to be a motel.” He laughed. “I could make you more comfortable if I were to be inclined.”

I almost gagged.

“Suit yourself.” He shrugged and left the room. “Come on, Jamie.”

Jamie sent me a look, noticing how I wiggled my left hand. He narrowed his eyes and walked over. Bending down, he met my eyes without a word. His look didn’t waver, and I contemplated head-butting him. Then I felt something metallic in my right hand. Jamie pretended to tighten the knot on my left wrist, and then he walked out without a second glance back.

“What is it?” Harry asked.

I stared at my hand, surprised to see an open pocketknife. Jamie had pushed it in between my wrist and the rope, the blade in a perfect position to slash at my bonds. I just had to move it back and forth a few times.

“Thank you, Jamie,” I muttered and looked up to meet Harry’s eyes. “He gave me a knife.”

“Yes!” Harry bit his lip. “Finally some good luck.”

Unfortunately, we’d spoken too soon. The blade was terribly dull, and I might have had better luck trying to scratch at the rope with my nails. I sat there, panting, trying to twist my hand back enough to move the knife while Harry cheered me on from the other side of the room.

I tried not to look at him. His busted up face was all too painful to watch right now, and I needed to focus.

In the distance, I could hear some old pipes complain.

“It’s not working,” I said through gritted teeth. “The blade isn’t sharp enough.”

“You have to keep trying,” Harry urged. “Please, baby. You need to keep your head cool right now.”

“I can’t,” I said, a sob escaping from my lips. My chest tightened, and I felt a teardrop slid from my eye.

The door burst open and Max stormed in. He pointed at me. “Who are you?”

His outburst took me by surprise, and I only stared at him, confused.

“Does he know?” Max pointed to Harry. He turned on his heels and strode over to Harry, striking him across the cheek. “Tell me!”

I saw Jamie in the doorframe, looking at the floor. Slowly, I began to add up the numbers, realizing that Jamie must have told Max what I said. Harry groaned as Max hit him one more time.

“Tell me!” Max screamed.

“Okay!” I shouted, trying to stop the tears from falling. “Just stop hurting him.”

I sobbed. This was it—this was the moment I’d tell the truth. My eyes fell on Harry, and as I kept on crying, I opened my mouth to expose my own fraud.

“My name is Camilla Hanson,” I said without averting my look on Harry. My voice was shaking. “I’m the identical twin of Ludmilla Hanson.”

“I don’t believe you,” Max said, but I ignored him. All I could see was Harry’s widened eyes.

“Ludmilla asked me to take her place during the shooting of Love Beat.” I sniffled. “Her health wasn’t great, and she needed immediate care. I agreed in exchange for her paying my tuition next year.”

Harry shook his head slowly, and I mouthed an apology to him.

Max, however, was freaking out. He was pulling his hair out by the roots, kicking and screaming. I was shaking, and much to my surprise, my movements had etched the tip of the pocketknife in between two parts of the rope.

A lot of things happened at once. The knife finally succeeded in cutting the rope, Jamie lunged for Max, and I tore my other hand free. Without thinking, I slid over the dirty floor, avoiding the fighting brothers and fought to cut through Harry’s rope. With Harry’s added strength, we managed to get the bond cut.

I didn’t stop to think after that. Without a second look back, we spurted out of the room, ready to find the nearest exit, and hopefully get to safety.

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