by Christina OW
“What kill her?” Elaine cut him off. “Protecting your wife is what got us all in this mess in the first place. If Ellsa had done what she was told and cut off all ties with her, none of what happened would have happened. So damn stubborn!”
Damien had to smile at that last part. Some part of Ellsa he remembered had been emerging this last month. She was stubborn when she wanted something. That stubbornness led to one hot weekend and DJ.
Tasha stirred in his arms and he looked down at her, catching her as she opened her eyes. She stared at him, almost like through him before she blinked, once, twice then she fully came awake. Damien held his breath and waited.
“Damien, what’s going on?”
He let out the breath, “You passed out from the pain.”
“I did?” Tasha looked around, “Where’s the doctor?”
“He needed to leave,” Elaine answered quickly, “want to explain what you’re doing here?”
Tasha sighed, “It’s not as if I had much of a choice. This cop dragged me out of the cabin as if I’d killed his grandmother. Oh and would you please tell him we don’t have another sister, much less a twin to me.”
“What else has he been telling you?” Elaine asked calmly. Too calmly.
“Not much else. He was about to list out my crimes but now that he has a gun pointed in my direction, I’m not sure I should ask.”
Richard moved forward, his gun already holstered like everyone else, except Dale. He placed his hand on Dale’s shoulder and his gun followed suit. “Tasha, why don’t you and Damien go to the visitors’ room and Elaine stays and explains a few things to us about the past you don’t remember.”
Tasha turned to Elaine, who gave her a nod and a smile. “Okay, but don’t hurt her or I’ll really sue you guys.”
Richard nodded, “Deal.”
Damien took that as his cue and walked out of the room, Tasha still cradled in his arms. He entered a smaller room with three black leather couches lining the walls of the room except for the one with the windows. There was a short coffee table in the middle of the room filled with magazines. A coffee station sat under the shattered windows. He placed her down on one of the couches and headed straight for it. He would have preferred something stronger, but black coffee would have to do. He felt so wound up being in that building. He wouldn’t be able to breathe until they were out. And then what? Would he always be on alert of all the strangers they ran into? Was this the life Elaine has been leading—well had been, considering his carelessness got Tasha found. But the FBI had been on her tail long before he came into the picture.
He couldn’t believe Vladimir sent one of his goons to the FBI just to eliminate Tasha. What was it that he didn’t know, that Elaine and Mike were keeping secret? And what did Elaine mean by Ellsa’s refusal to go completely dark led to all this? Does this mean Ellsa was like her? A person who could kill without batting an eyelash, with a total lack of remorse?
He sighed heavily. It was funny how he’d reverted to calling her Ellsa. That must mean something.
“Damien, what is it? What’s wrong?”
He turned to face her, “Nothing is wrong.”
She shook her head, “Don’t lie to me. You have that pensive look on your face. What’s got you so worried?”
Damien’s brow went up, “And how would you know that? My back was to you.”
She smiled indulgently, “Your reflection in the window. Now spill.”
He sighed, scratching his head and missing his hair. He’d grown accustomed to pulling it when he was frustrated. “I just wish we were still in the cabin, far away from the real world.”
Tasha stood and went to him. Gingerly she wrapped her arms around his waist, “Well, you did say we’ll have to face things sooner or later. It just came sooner than we hoped.”
Damien placed his coffee cup down and hugged her back, “And I’m sorry for that—for this.”
“Hey, it wasn’t your fault and once Elaine clears everything up we’ll be on our way back to our little cabin. Though I think maybe I should start the divorce proceedings while we’re here. Just get it out of the way with everything else and properly begin the rest of our lives.”
He pressed his lips against hers then whispered, “That would be great, though not as easy as you make it sound.”
She groaned, her head dropping to his chest, “Don’t burst my bubble okay. I would like to keep thinking of this mountain as an ant hill.”
Damien chuckled and then turned to the knock on the door. The laugh died in his throat, choking him. Tasha was not prepared for this. He tried to hold her head against his chest, but she’d already turned and his hand landed on her cheek. She went stiff in his arms and he watched her, watching Ellie, who stood frozen at the door, confused at what to do. But the tears in her eyes were unmistakable.
“D-Damien,” Tasha stuttered, her voice breathy and inaudible. “Please tell me I’m seeing my own things? That your crazy cousin wasn’t right?”
Damien tried to turn her head to face him but she wouldn’t budge so he settled for speaking calmly into her ear. “Tasha, I want you to take deep breaths for me.” He rubbed her back when she didn’t respond. “Come on honey, we don’t want you passing out.”
“Won’t—won’t work.”
Her cheek felt warm and wet. This was not good. “What will work then, tell me,” he demanded desperately.
“Nothi—” she didn’t finish before her body sagged against his and her arms dropped from around him. He caught her, lifting her up in his arms the same moment Ellie reached their side.
“What happened?” she cried.
“Why did you just come in here like that? Why didn’t you call me or send someone to fetch me? She can’t have triggers from her past just popping up; she needs to be prepared for them.”
“Stop screaming at me! I feel bad enough! Dale told me she was here so I came. I assumed she knew everything already.”
Damien walked to the nearest couch and gently placed Tasha down. “Now she won’t know anything.” Oh hell, DJ was going to be crushed. “Stay here with her while I get Elaine.”
“Why? I’m her real sister!” Ellie argued angrily; and a little jealous he was sure.
Gently as he could Damien said, “Not for the past year. And if—when she wakes up, call her Tasha, not Ellsa. Ellie, this isn’t your sister, not anymore. She’s not the same person you knew. Sure, you’ll recognize a few things about her but she’s not Ellsa. Do you understand?”
Ellie forcefully wiped her cheeks dry and sank to her knees at Tasha’s head, “Just get help.”
Chapter Nine
“I’m the one you are mad at. I’m the one you hate, so kill me and end it all, because there is no way in hell you are getting anywhere near my son!”
“If I kill you, you do understand I can still take him?”
“You kill me and Carson kills you. You lose and I still win.”
“He won’t kill me.”
“Why? Because he is secretly in love with you?” Ellie taunted, “He loathes you. The sight of you makes his stomach turn in disgust.”
“Stop it!”
“Why? I’m just telling you the truth. Just like George and Taylor, they never wanted you, it’s me they loved. Not forgetting, what’s his name....? Ned... your recent ex-boyfriend?”
“I had sex with them and they loved it!” She struck, hoping to cause as much damage as Ellie’s words caused her. “Your husband begged me for more and more! I pleasured him more than you ever could.”
Ellie’s lips rose in a mocking smile, “And I’m sure the entire time they were thinking about me. Did Dale whisper ‘Ellie, I love you’ in your ear when he brought you to orgasm, because he loves to do that?”
Ellsa lifted the gun and pointed it at her, “You bitch! I hate you!”
“So shoot me! Shoot me and leave my son alone!”
“As you wish...” pulling back the trigger.
Her eyes shot open and she gasped aw
ake, heaving for breath. Dear God, why couldn’t she breathe?
“Ellsa…”
She scrambled to a sitting position, looking around. Where was she? Where was that mad woman?
“I told you not to call her that!”
She jumped, spooked and turned to the man sitting before her. The angry look on his face vanished with the angry words as he faced her. He smiled at her, a look of calmness on his face that desperately drew her to him. She needed that calmness; her heart was beating two miles a minute.
“Honey, just take slow deep breathes. Breath with me, come on, you can do it.”
Honey? She watched as he spoke and his chest moved up and down, his hands with it as he coached her, urging her to mimic him. She tried, but she just choked and now she felt like she was slowly suffocating to death. His hands extended to her and she jumped back, crying out, startled and in pain. She lifted her hands to find them bandaged, one heavier than the other.
What the hell had happened to her? Was she in an accident? Where the hell was she anyway?
She looked around and all she could see were strange faces, grey walls and black couches. Why were there so many people in the room? And why couldn’t she catch her breath?
“Ah hell, it’s happened again. Mike, keep DJ away from here,” the woman then approached her, a warm smile on her face. The man moved back giving her room to sit, “Hey little sis, you passed out on us again.”
She watched her carefully as she spoke. Little sis? Does this mean she’s my sister?
She pointed at the woman and then at herself, “Sisters?”
The woman nodded, “That’s right. You know who this guy behind me is?”
She looked at him. There was something in his eyes that struck a chord in her chest. He looked hurt, almost helpless and he was staring at her like it was killing him to sit so far away. He called me honey, why? Is he my husband, or boyfriend?
The pounding in her head grew, making her ears vibrate. She rubbed her temple, “Ahh, he’s a boyfriend… or—or husband? I—I don’t know, my head hurts so bad! Why can’t I remember?”
The woman shushed her, “It’s okay. Why don’t you lie down?”
She nodded, sliding down the leather couch, breathing easier. The man didn’t move, just made sure her legs had space to stretch where he sat. She watched him. Out of all the people in the room she just watched him. Why?
“You have a nightmare this time?”
She turned to her sister. She could feel her heart beat faster again, “The baby I need—he’s not safe! That woman—I need—”
The woman stroked her hair soothingly, “Calm down, you’re okay. Everything is okay. It was just a nightmare, none of it was real.”
“Not real,” she echoed. That helped her relax and her head went back onto the cushion, her eyes on the man. But why couldn’t she remember anything? And why were all these people watching her?
“I need—I need to ask something.”
“What is it, honey?”
She took a look around the room and whispered, “Who are all these people?”
She chuckled, “How amiss of me, I should introduce you. They are the FBI team that found you…”
“Found me where?” she cut in.
With an indulgent smile she said, “Don’t worry about that. The one in a suit is Richard, the older looking gentleman is Doran and the one scowling is Dale. He’s Damien’s cousin.”
Yeah, she’d noticed the big black guy had been scowling at her and the look in his eye was intimidating.
“Honey,” the woman spoke, drawing back her attention, “You know who Damien is?”
She was going to say no until she caught the hopeful look in the man’s eyes again. She didn’t want to hurt him but how could she lie. She shook her head, rolling her lips into her mouth.
“That’s okay, you’ll remember. It’s this guy right behind me looking at you with lovesick eyes. And I’m Elaine, your big sister.”
“And I’m Ellie, your twin.”
She jumped at that voice, at that name. In her nightmare, she dreamed of a woman named Ellie, who was—she rubbed her head. Her mind was so foggy. Why couldn’t she remember something that happened just a few minutes ago?
“El—Tasha, how are you feeling?” Ellie—her twin took slow tentative steps towards her and she tensed.
She didn’t say a word, just stared at her as she approached. She sat on the coffee table right in front of her. Twin sister… that face is my face?
“Could I see? In a mirror, could I see?” she asked Elaine.
“You will after you get some rest.”
She wanted to argue, but she had a feeling it would be useless so she nodded and turned to look at her twin. She was playing nervously with her fingers and a light caught her eye. She looked down at the womans hands. Her left ring finger had two rings, both sparkling.
“That’s pretty,” she commented with a failing smile.
Ellie smiled, “Thank you. My husband, Dale,” she pointed behind her to the intimidating man, “he spoils me.”
She forced another smile, “That’s nice.” Then a thought struck, “Tasha… that’s my name?”
Ellie’s eyes filled with tears and yet she managed to glare at Elaine who answered, “Yes.”
“Why—why does my name start with a T?”
“Don’t you think you have enough similar already?”
She nodded, accepting the explanation, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that Tasha didn’t fit.
“Babe, what’s wrong?”
She stared at the man—Damien. He looked so worried. She wanted to take it all away. Why?
“Husband or boyfriend?”
His lips lifted in a lopsided smile, but the worry remained in his eyes, “Current boyfriend and soon to be husband.”
She smiled, her cheeks heating, “You love me.” It wasn’t a question, more of a statement. For some reason, out of everything else she’d just found out, that felt irrevocably true.
“More than my life,” he confessed seriously.
That warmed her all over. “And I—I love you?”
He snorted, “Love? You adore me; worship the ground I walk on.”
She chuckled, “Aren’t you so sure of yourself.”
“Oh, I am, I have a lot going for me. My fabulous physique,” he flexed his arm muscles for effect, making her laugh, “My rugged good looks, my talent in the sack,” he waggled his brows suggestively and she was ready to sink into the couch, “And of course, our son.”
Her heart stopped, son?
Damien squeezed her calf and went on, “His name is DJ, five years old and a genius. He makes you proud every time you see him.”
Son? She didn’t remember a son. Even as she tried now she couldn’t remember a thing about him. Not his face or his smile or his laugh; all she got was a migraine for her troubles. Her eyes blurred with tears. What kind of mother forgot her son?
She shook her head vehemently, “I can’t see him, I just can’t!”
“From what I hear this isn’t the first time this happened. I’m sure he’s used to it by now,” Dale offered with a callous shrug to go with his equally callous remarks.
“Again? I forgot my son again?” her tears ran down unchecked.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Ellie turned on him and he took a cautious step back.
“How many times?” Tasha demanded, “How many times has my son gone through the effects of his mother’s weak mind? How often do I hurt him like this?”
Damien quickly stood Elaine up then took her place. Without a word of warning he scooped Tasha up and placed her on his lap. She curled into his chest, seeking comfort, but mostly forgiveness.
“Hush this time it’s different. We are not going to leave here until your memories come back. This only happens when you’ve had a real shock and once you’ve calmed down, everything falls back to place. He doesn’t need to know.”
She nodded against his neck, her body wracking
with sobs. She needed to believe him.
****
Damien cradled Tasha in his arms and rocked her gently as he glared at the agents in the room. They all wanted to be here to see her wake up, see if his story was true. He hadn’t experienced one of her amnesia episodes before and now that he had he wished that he never did. The pain that seared through his chest when she stared at him blankly, like one would a stranger, wasn’t one he cared to have ever experienced. And to think DJ had gone through the same pain more than once.
His heart beat a staccato when he felt how warm she’d gotten against his exposed skin at his collar bone. She was sweaty too. Oh, please don’t let this happen again.
“Elaine, these episodes, do they follow each other?” he asked with as much control as he could.
She looked at him questioningly, “No. Why?”
Damien swallowed hard, the back of his eyes already burning with tears, “Are you sure?”
“Yes I’m sure,” she responded harshly.
“She just went out again.” His voice broke as he felt Tasha’s body go limp against his again. The fists she’d had pressed against his chest just a few seconds ago fell lifelessly on her lap. Damien held her tighter, afraid she would completely slip away from him if he didn’t.
Elaine pressed her fingers against Tasha’s pulse and cursed. She pressed those same fingers over her eyes, “I had hoped… she’s usually out for hours, but this time it was less than one. I thought this time she’d wake up with her memories and DJ wouldn’t… We need to call Tom.”
“No! He’ll make sure this stays permanent. I’m not letting that asshole anywhere near her.”
“Then what do you suggest we do?”
Damien settled himself better against the couch and drew Tasha more against his chest, “We wait, but Ellie, you can’t be here when she wakes up again.”
Before Ellie could protest, Elaine spoke, “No, I’d rather she stays. Get her, as a trigger, out of the way. And anyway, time for hiding is over. It’s time to fight,” Elaine stared at him and Damien could see the question in her eyes, “Damien, are you ready for the fight of your life?”
He looked down at the beautiful woman asleep—he chose to believe—in his arms and thought of their son, who sat in Dale’s office unsuspecting of his mother’s episode. He wasn’t about to lose them to some deranged man.