Chapter 44 Misty
MISTY
“You’re alive?”
“Shut up!” Austen hisses as he climbs in through my window.
“Are you a zombie? No, wait—you’re a vampire! Help!”
“Fuck. Be quiet, Misty.” He advances on me.
I reach for the lamp.
“Turn it off,” he barks.
“You’re alive.” I search his eyes for signs of a weird immortality virus.
“Yes, I’m alive.”
“But I saw—I saw you die.”
He’s smug. “You fell for it. I knew you cared.”
“You didn’t…” My brain spins as I try to find the logical explanation. “Did you fake it? Was this a trick? Who fakes their own death?”
Austen looks like he’s on something. He paces around the room.
“Your mom is heartbroken. I’m calling her now to tell her you’re alive.” I search in the dark for my phone.
“Shut up! You can’t tell them—not yet. I have to get my shit together. Look, I’m in trouble, Misty. I need your help.”
“But the ambulance…”
I can’t believe it. Austen’s alive. Talbot didn’t kill him. He was telling the truth all along.
“You need to go to the police. You need to tell them it was a mistake. Everyone thinks you were murdered. Sienna’s about to go to jail because of this. I’m about to go to jail. Talbot said he saw a man shoot you.”
“I hired actors to pretend to kill me and be the EMTs and drive the ambulance.” Austen smirks. “Anyway, why was Talbot there at our wedding?”
I don’t want to say To kill you. For some reason, I still want to protect him even though he doesn’t give two candy cane licks about me.
“For you?” Austen coughs out a laugh. “I hope you told him to pound sand. You don’t love him.
You never loved him.” He’s smug, triumphant.
“You only love me. You wanted to marry me. I heard you crying over me when you thought I was dead. You’re mine.
It doesn’t matter what I do to you—you’ll always love me. ”
I feel sick at the words.
Is he right?
I mean, he’s right, isn’t he? He’s already proven it.
“I’m calling the authorities.”
“I saw you on TV talking about me—how traumatized and heartbroken you were to lose your one true love on your wedding day.” Austen grabs my upper arms, squeezing me. “You love me. That means you have to help me. I need to get out of the country.”
“I don’t understand. Why?”
“I made some bad financial decisions. I need money. I tried to get the Direwolves to take me on. They didn’t. I was making good money on that gambling ring, then it all went to shit.”
“You didn’t—”
“I had to! You didn’t get me the endorsement deals I needed.” He shoves me back against the bed. “And the Harbor Hawks don’t pay that much.”
“Five million a year isn’t a lot?” I choke out. “What were you spending the money on?”
“Cryptocurrency. Tanner Holt gave me bad investment advice. And then I borrowed money from the wrong people.”
“We could have worked out a financial plan, tightened our belts—”
“I owe money to the mafia, Misty!” He almost looks like he’s going to hit me.
“I’m in the NHL. I don’t want to tighten a belt.
I shouldn’t have to. I want the lifestyle—the car, the beautiful women.
Brielle blew through too much money.” He scowls.
“She constantly had her hand out. Not like you, Misty. You never asked me for anything. I didn’t know a good thing till I lost it. ”
“So you want me back so you can just use me without giving me anything in return,” I shoot at him, suddenly furious.
Austen just laughs. “Stop pretending you’re some sort of a catch.”
It stings. Mostly because part of me still does believe that, believes Austen is the best I’ll ever do.
Talbot…
“You’re lucky I let you suck my dick,” Austin sneers.
“Now I need to get out of the country. You can manage my estate, sell funeral merch or whatever, and send me money. I’m going to Thailand.
Do interviews or whatever as the grieving fiancée.
I need you to set it all up so that it doesn’t raise any red flags. ”
“Maybe an NGO shell organization,” I say faintly, still not believing that Austen is actually here, alive and in my bedroom.
“I can’t use my passport, though, so you have to figure out some way to get me to Thailand.”
“It’s Christmas.”
“So?”
“It’s going to be difficult.” I sit down heavily on my bed.
“Why do you always do this?” Austen rails. “You always make things so fucking—”
“Misty!” The bedroom door explodes off the hinges. “Get the fuck away from her.” Talbot launches himself at Austen, and the two men crash hard on the floor.
“Misty!” Ryan grabs me, hauling me away.
“Talbot, stop! Stop!” I struggle away from Ryan. “Talbot, please don’t hurt him!”
“You know him?” Talbot struggles in the dark and kicks Austen in the thigh.
“It’s Austen.”
“What the—”
Talbot pulls the next punch and dodges a swing from Austen.
Ryan flicks the light switch.
“Austen?” Ryan’s voice drops. “What the fuck?” He blinks at Austen in the lamplight. “What the fuck?” he repeats. “I’m calling the police. This is beyond—” He struggles for words.
“Don’t call them on me!” Austen screams. “He’s a goddamn hitman. Someone sent him here to kill me.”
He lunges at Talbot. “Did Nikolai Manchini hire you? Was it Dana Holbrook?”
“Who is Dana Holbrook?” I feel dizzy.
“A very mean woman who lost a bunch of money in a recently busted illegal gambling operation.” Talbot’s silver-gray eyes are narrowed at Austen.
I can see his mind working, filling in the pieces.
“You fucker. You’re so fucking in over your head.
” He snorts. “If I don’t kill you, someone else will. You better get them their money.”
“You’re gambling on hockey games?” Ryan chokes out. “That’s illegal in the NHL! You signed a contract.”
“And taking loans from organized crime,” Talbot interjects to an ugly look from Austen.
“I needed money! Your daughter is a spoiled fucking bitch!” Austen rounds on Ryan.
“What the fuck did you say about Misty?” Talbot lunges at Austen.
I grab at Talbot, trying to haul the huge man back. “He’s talking about Brielle, not me.”
“Why are you trying to protect him? He lied to you!” Talbot snarls at me.
“She doesn’t love you! She only loves me.” Austen moves toward me.
“No, she doesn’t. Right, Misty? You love me, don’t you?” Talbot’s voice sounds almost pleading.
“You came back for me,” I whisper. He didn’t kill Austen. Maybe he has changed. For me.
“You can’t believe he actually cares about you.” Austen is derisive.
“Shut. Up.” Talbot pulls out a gun and points it at Austen casually, like he has no problem killing my ex in my childhood bedroom.
I gasp. “Talbot.”
Austen gulps.
Talbot, gun steady, tilts his head. “You know, I should shoot you and back-charge Dana. Recoup the cash I lost on Misty.” He smiles like that would be the best Christmas present ever.
“Oh my god.” Talbot swims in my teary vision. “You were lying! You never changed for me.”
Talbot turns to me. “I came back for you, Gumdrop, not to fulfill the contract. I came back for you because you’re mine, and the next time you say ‘I do,’ it’s going to be to me standing there next to you—not Austen, not any other self-absorbed idiot hockey players. No one loves you like I do, Misty.”
“You lied to me! You said you loved me, that you were changing for me. You said I was special.” I sob, completely overwhelmed. “But you’re not. You’re not changing. You’re not working at a cheese shop or living in a small town. You’re still the same.”
“You are special, and you did change me—partially. I have another job I have to do, especially because we’re issuing your refund.
Check your bank account, Gumdrop. But I’ll be back.
I swear. I do want a future with you. I want to work in the café and play hockey with you outside in the snow on the pond. ”
“But you’re not giving this up.” I point to the gun.
He gives me a helpless shrug.
“What, like a part-time hitman? The goalposts just keep moving, don’t they? I just—I can’t trust myself, and I can’t trust you. You’ll never be the man I want. The man of my dreams.”
“That’s right! You can’t trust him!” Austen babbles, trying to stand up. “I’m the man of your dreams!”
“What the fuck did I say, Austen?” Talbot warns, thrusting the gun at him.
Austen gulps and sinks back down.
“Misty, I need you,” Austen begs. “Save me, Misty. Think of how heartbroken you were when you thought I had died. You love me. You know me. We’ve been friends since we were children.”
“You can’t seriously be—”
“Misty, remember how happy you were when I asked you to be my wife?” Austen clasps his hands together.
“The first or second time?” Talbot hisses.
“I am your dream come true. Once I get settled in Thailand, you can come visit me. We’ll travel, have an extended honeymoon. I promised you a nice honeymoon, didn’t I?” Austen shuffles on his knees towards me. “Just help save us—save our love.”
Talbot, gun still preternaturally steady, looks whiplash between us.
“You can’t seriously believe this asshat, can you?
After how he treated you? He doesn’t deserve to have you look at him that way.
And honestly, yeah, neither do I. I know I hurt you, Misty.
I know I lied to you, but it won’t happen again.
And I’ll never ask you to run off to a foreign country with me—abandon your friends, your family, your dog.
I can make you happy. I can give you the life you deserve. ”
He shakes his head as I stare at Austen.
“I don’t know why I’m wasting my breath. You’ll never not love him, will you?” Talbot says it quietly. “Even if he doesn’t love you. Even if he hurt you. Even if I love you—love you more than he ever did, love you more than you love him. More than I’ve ever loved anyone.”
“I just...” I’m reeling. I know I shouldn’t, but I just want to be alone. I want Austen gone and Talbot really gone. I need to think. To grieve.
I’m going to be alone forever.
“The heart wants what it wants.” Austen is smug.
Talbot looks at me sadly.
“I’ve just known Austen forever,” I say lamely, probably more to myself.
“He’s always been here. He’s been what I wanted for so long.
You don’t understand because you just waltz through life with no cares in the world and people throw themselves at you, Talbot.
You don’t get what it’s like... what it’s like to be me. ”
“I know you.” He sounds so sad. “And I know it’s pretty obvious that you’re in love with him, that you’re his, that you belong to him.” He searches my eyes. “But he can’t own all of you. He doesn’t get to have all of you. A piece of you will always belong to me.”
The gun disappears in his jacket, and he turns, brushing past Ryan.
Austen jumps up, grabs me.
I turn my face away, and he smacks a kiss on my mouth. “That’s my special little mouse.”
“Misty...” Ryan begins.
“Even if we call the police, Talbot’s not here. We can’t just hold Austen till the cops come.” I shrug, helpless. “Just go lie low for a bit, Austen,” I tell him, shoulders sagging. “I’ll try to get you on a cargo ship or something.”
He tries to kiss me again, but I duck my head, and he gets a mouthful of my hair.
“I knew it.” Austen crows. “I knew you’d do what I wanted.”
“I’ll make you something to eat.”
“Can I borrow your car?”
“Sure,” I say dully.
As I make Austen a sandwich while Ryan drinks half a glass of scotch, I realize I don’t actually love my ex anymore.
I do love Talbot. Even if he is a lying killer.
But it is too late because Talbot is gone.
This is fine. It’s for the best. I am meant to be alone.