Chapter 10
They arrived at the hotel more than an hour late and the guys along with Melinda were immediately rushed off for a radio interview. They didn’t have a concert the next day but they had a bunch of TV and radio appearances. Brianna wandered around the hotel aimlessly; Johnny and Tim gave her the night off even though she insisted she was ok.
She was still sharing a room with Justin but she asked Rob to look around for an opening. The guys had been gone for hours and although Brianna was glad they were gone, she wished there was someone on the empty floor with her. All the other crew members left to start putting the stage together and the ones who weren’t there were coming tomorrow. Only Tim and Johnny were still here. She had showered and changed into shorts and a tank top but got cold and put on a pair of jeans and Justin’s hoody over them to keep warm. She found herself at the door of the outdoor pool on the roof. She yawned and opened the door. She was jolted awake by the gust of cool air.
Glad she was still wearing Justin’s hoody, she took a deep breath. She could still smell a hint of Justin’s cologne on it. The pool was clear and pretty clean but leaves were scattered on the floor and floating on the top. She looked up but the very few stars that could be seen from the city’s lights were covered by dark rain clouds. She walked to the edge of the building and sighed softly at the sight of the city below her, her breath coming out in small clouds. She jumped at the sound of the door slamming open. She turned around to see Justin walking over to her. He threw a magazine at her. ‘Timberlake charged with sexual harassment,’ was in big letters on the cover. ‘Crewmember Brianna Dawson to charge Nsync’s Justin Timberlake with sexual and physical harassment,” followed it. She scanned the article which included her conversation with Justin in his dressing room and the one on the bus along with pictures of her leaving it and Justin leaving after her. A large picture of Jc, Chris, and Joey messing with her on her way to talk to Tim and Johnny was in the center. She closed her eyes and dropped the paper.
“Why the hell did you do this to me? To the guys? To Jive?! For God’s sake Brianna! Do you know what this is gonna do?”
“I didn’t do it!”
“Oh sure you didn’t!” He moved closer to her, pushing her to the edge of the building. She looked over her shoulder and down the five story hotel.
“Justin, calm down, it’s no big deal.”
“It’s no big deal?! My reputation is no big deal? Even if no one believes this, I’ll always have those few who have those doubts! I’m ruined!”
“And who’s fault is that?!”
He screamed in frustration. “I hate you!”
“The feeling’s mutual!”
He glared at her. “You’re such a bitch.” She rolled her eyes and tried to get away from him. He grabbed her and spun her around so her back was to him and her arms were crossed in front of her making it impossible for her to move. He knew that always pissed her off and scared the hell out of her. She tensed up and tried to rip her arms from him but he held her wrists tightly.
“Justin! Stop! Let me go!” She tried to duck out of it but he just tightened his arms on her. “Justin… I can’t breathe…”
He laughed. “So who’d you tell Princess?”
“I didn’t tell anyone! Let me go!”
“Don’t lie, just tell me.”
“Please Justin…”
“Tell me how they got the conversations!”
“Please let me go…” she begged. He began to pull her backwards to the edge of the building.
“Are you afraid of heights Brianna?”
“Justin don’t!”
A small wall going only up to her waist separated them from the ground. He pushed her against it, so she was facing down.
“Justin stop! What the hell is wrong with you! Let me go! HELP!” He wrapped one arm around her waist to keep her from falling and used the other to cover her mouth. She squirmed and tried to get away but he was too strong.
“You took my life into your hands now I’m taking yours into mine,” he whispered. “Stop moving.” She stopped but couldn’t help her shaking. “I’m gonna lift you up now and you’re gonna tell me who you told.” She nodded and pulled her over. Her legs felt like jello and when he let go of her she slid down to the ground. She was shaking and her breathing was fast and shaky. He put one knee on either side of her so he was crouching in front of her, making it impossible for her to get away.
“Who’d you tell princess?”
“I told-“ she started, she was breathing as if she just ran a mile. “I already told you, no one.” He stood up angrily and pulled her with him. He really scared her and she started sweating so she pulled his hoody off. “Here,” she said as she handed it too him, now completely disgusted that she had been wearing it. He took clothing and threw it at the door.
“Why’d you do this to me?”
“I already told ya! I didn’t!”
“Yes you did! Stop lying!” He grabbed her shoulders but she pushed him away. He stumbled and lost his balance then fell backwards into the pool. He landed straight on his back with a big splash. He came up, water soaked through his clothes and dripping from his head. She opened her mouth in shock and watched in horror as he got out.
“You’re dead!” he screamed. She tried to run but he caught her quickly. He grabbed her arms and dragged her closer to the pool.
“Justin! Don’t! I hate water! Please… It’s too cold!” He ignored her screams and threw her in.
The icy water hit her full force. She couldn’t feel anything but the cold stabbing her from all sides. She couldn’t find the top and was starting to get scared. Her feet finally brushed the bottom. She kicked hard and shot up. Her arms flailed up and she grabbed the edge. She gasped for breath and pulled herself out.
Justin laughed. “Princess can’t swim either?” She shivered uncontrollable from the cold and her anger.
“Hurt your rep Justin? That damn piece of paper has nothing on me! By the time I’m done with you, your own mama will be embarrassed of ya!” She tried to leave but he grabbed her again. “Let me go!”
“No! I’m not letting you go until you calm down.” He let her go but blocked the door.
“Calm down? Calm down! Like that’s gonna happen!” He crossed his arms. “Fine! Someone’ll realize we’re gone sooner or later.” She groaned and looked around the roof. She looked down at her freezing arms and dripping wet jeans. She began to unzip them but Justin ran to her back.
“What the hell are you doing?” he screamed.
“I have shorts on!”
“I don’t care!” He reached around from behind her and zipped them up then left his hands folded together across her waist. It would have been sexy, if it was any other situation.
“Justin… Please just let me go and leave me alone…” She shivered against the cold wind on her face. “Please… I won’t tell anyone… I’m just so cold…”
“I can’t do that princess.”
“Please…”
He sighed. “Sit down with me.”
“No! Let me go!” She began to hit him and try to pry his hands open.
“Quit it!”
“Let me go!” She elbowed him in the stomach. He coughed and let her go to grab his stomach. He realized what he did and went after her. She grabbed the hoody so she could open the door.
“Bri stop!”
She ripped the door open and screamed. Justin saw the man grab her but she was gone before he got there. The door slammed shut and locked.
Brianna screamed when she saw his face on the other side of the door. He grabbed her and locked the door so Justin couldn’t get out. He screamed at them to open the door from the other side; he still hadn’t figured it out yet. Brianna glared at him and looked down the stairway he was blocking.
“Time to go Bri,” he said.
“I’m not going anywhere with you.”
He brushed the back of his hand down her face. “Don’t be mad at me hunny, I would’ve come sooner but I had some things to do.” She shivered and mulled over the thought of running to the stairs in her head. He moved closer, cornering her. Justin banged on the door a few more times.
“You’re gonna come with me Bri.”
“No, I’m not. Not this time Alex.”
“Quit with the game Bri, let’s GO!”
“No!” She tried to think of ways to get out but it seemed like her brain had slowed and shut down completely. She turned to the door and began to slam on it as hard as she could. “Justin! Help! Please help me! God don’t let him take me Justin! Justin!”
There was a few seconds of silence before everything clicked in his head. All of her stories, the way she was acting, her teachers, everything hit him all at once. He slammed back on the door. “Don’t you dare touch her! You hear me?! Leave her alone!”
“Justin!” she yelled again. Alex grabbed her shoulders and pulled her back, holding a knife to her neck.
Justin kicked the door. “Do you hear me asshole? You touch her and you’re dead!” The silence scared him. “Brianna?!”
“Say one more word Justin and I’ll slit her throat! You hear me?!” Justin stayed silent. “Good.” Alex looked around and grabbed the hoody. “Why the hell are ya wet anyway?” Brianna shivered and wrapped her arms around her. Alex laughed, stuck the knife inside the sweatshirt and grabbed her arm. “Let’s get rolling shall we?” He dragged her down the stairs. “You’re getting’ me all wet,” he grumbled. Brianna searched the empty staircases, hoping someone would come along to help. She purposely tripped to give more time for help.
“Quit screwin’ around and get up.” She didn’t move. He grabbed her arm and yanked her up forcefully. He pulled her down the hall and to the back door. Jc walked in with a CD case. He examined the cover as he walked, whistling softly. Alex stopped dead.
“Don’t… say… a… word…”
Jc stopped only a few feet in front of them. “Hey Bri. Why are you so…” He tensed up and glared at Alex.
“Who’s this?” He said through gritted teeth. Alex pulled her closer and elbowed her. “Uhhh… Jc, this is A-A- Alex.”
His jaw clenched and relaxed, it immediately reminded her of Justin. “Right.” He looked the two over and laughed a little. “I thought I had you figured out.”
“We gotta go.” Alex began to drag her towards the door, Jc stared after them. Brianna turned around, a look of distress on her face.
“Help!” she mouthed to Jc. He gave her a weird look. “Get Justin! Upstairs! The roof!” She pointed up with her free hand.
“The roof?” He mouthed back. Alex yanked her arm.
“Please…” she asked. He rolled his eyes and walked away. Alex looked behind him to make sure Jc was gone. He pushed her through the door. “That was close.” Brianna looked around the empty parking lot. She shivered in the cold air. She looked up and saw Justin pacing on the roof.
“Justin!” She screamed. He looked over the edge and opened his mouth to speak but Alex stopped him.
“One word Justin!” Alex yelled, pulling the knife out again. He waved it around, making his point clear. Justin shut his mouth and watched him drag her away, her eyes never leaving the roof. He felt completely helpless. He pulled her into an alley as she struggled against his tight grip. Justin could feel his anger rising. He punched the wall in frustration and immediately regretted his stupidity. He wrapped his hand in his dripping wet shirt, the blood seeping through the fabric and surveyed the roof. There wasn’t one ladder leading down off it.
“I should sue, this is a definite safety hazard…” he grumbled to himself. Shivering uncontrollably, he took a deep breath, the cold air stinging his lungs. He needed to get to her before he did… His cell phone! He reached into his back pocket with his good hand and pulled it out. Water dripped from it. He pulled it open and a splash of water landed at his feet. He swore loudly and threw the phone against the wall. It shattered and fell to the ground.
Half and hour later…
“Jc! Hey Jc! Have you seen Justin or Brianna?”
Jc stopped dead and swerved around on his toes to stare at Rob. “Uhhh…”
“If he’s up to something and you know where he is you NEED to tell us. There is a little security problem right now and we need to get him and Brianna to safety.”
“I haven’t seen them.”
Rob moved closer to Jc and his eyes narrowed on his. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah why?”
“No one has seen Justin since he got back and Brianna since we all left almost 5 hours ago.”
“Oh… Really?” He paused. “I’ll be right back.” He turned to leave but Rob grabbed his shoulder.
“I don’t think so. Go back in your room, I don’t need all of you missing.”
Jc contemplated is options in his head but then started back towards his room. He stopped suddenly and ran in the opposite direction towards the staircase. Rob started after him but he was already gone. He picked up his walkie.
“Randy? Go after Jc, he just went to the staircase.”
Jc knew they would be after him any second so he sped up and went two stairs at a time. He was out of breath by the time he got to the roof. The door clinked loudly when he pulled on it but it didn’t open. Justin heard the bang and ran to the door just as Jc unlocked and opened it. Justin rushed past him.
“What the-“
“Thanks C!” He shouted, running down the staircase.
Brianna was shivering uncontrollably and felt like she just couldn’t get enough air. Her whole body was numb. Alex pushed her into the alley, his hand still gripping her wrist.
She knew she had to get away while she had the chance. She recognized his truck as they moved further away from the hotel and any chance she had of getting saved. His hand loosened a little. Her mind raced with thousands of thoughts but none of them helped her any. She finally elbowed him in the stomach the same way she had to Justin only minutes before. He let go and she ran. Her legs were freezing and felt like rubber. No matter how hard she pushed, it seemed like she couldn’t go any faster. She didn’t dare look back. Two strong arms grabbed her and threw her on the ground. Her elbow slammed the hard cement but she kept herself from hitting her head. Going unconscious would be the worst thing to happen right now. He kicked her in the stomach and she rolled over in pain.
“See now Brianna,” he kicked her in the legs. “Ya coulda just went with me,” he kicked her again, “And we coulda gotten it all over with.” He paused and looked her over. “With… out… a… struggle!” He yelled, kicking her between each word. She coughed and held her stomach as she laid facing down. If she was having trouble breathing before, it was almost impossible now. She breathed in deeply but the air just didn’t seem to be filling her lungs.
He crouched down and turned her over so she was facing up. He examined her face, now scratched and a little bloody, then ripped off the bandage on her head. She winced in pain. “So sorry,” he said sarcastically. “Did he do that to you?” She didn’t answer. “If ya woulda just stayed with me, none of this woulda happened.” He brushed a strand of hair out of her face. “I’ve always loved you and I’ll never stop…”
She clenched her teeth. “I will never love you,” she sneered. He rolled his eyes then sat on her waist, one leg folded on each side of her. “You were never a fighter Bri. What happened to ya?” She glared at him. “Well, if you’re not goin’ to help me out here, then we might as well get this over with.” He tried to pull her tank top over her head but she wasn’t cooperation. Sighing deeply, he pulled his knife back out again and cut the bottom of it so he could rip it off and throw it aside. He stopped for a second and ran his hand over her stomach in amazement.
“I’ve always loved your smooth skin,” he mumbled, his hand testing out the texture as he spoke. He examined the knife and looked back and forth between I and her stomach. “I wonder…”
He dropped the blade to her stomach. Her eyes widened in fear as she squirmed underneath him, trying to push his hands away. The back of his hand slammed across her face and he used the moment of stun she had to grab her hands and hold them down with one of his. He returned to his work. The blade slowly cut into her smooth skin. A small pool of blood formed and rolled to the side. He smiled strangely and pushed it in further. Her breath hissed in. She squirmed underneath him, her breathing ragged and harsh.
“Quit it Brianna…” She didn’t let up.
“God damnit!” He threw the knife down then stood up, dragging her with him. She struggled against him but he was too strong. He took something out of the back of his truck then pushed her against the door. Holding her in place with his body, he grabbed her hands. She watched helplessly as he tied them together tightly with metal wire. She tried to get them off but they were cutting deep into her skin. “Now let’s see ya keep me away.” He pushed her to the ground. Without her arms to catch her, the right side of her head slammed against the cement. Pain shot through her head and she again felt herself slipping away. She took deep breaths, trying to keep herself awake. Everything darkened around her but then cleared up. She kept her eyes closed but felt him sit on top of her again. “Maybe if you beg me I’ll let ya go.”
She swallowed hard and tried to tell him to go screw himself but her voice had disappeared. Her head was screaming in pain and she was suffocating from him sitting on her stomach. Water and blood was still dripping from her clothes and being only half dressed made her even colder. “I- I…” She took a deep breath.
“You what?”
“I won’t EVER beg you.” He sighed deeply.
“That’s what I figured.” His eyes sparkled and a small smile crept across his lips. “Time to have some fun…”
Home
CMAR index
Back
Next Chapter
Email: mandie9113@yahoo.com