Mistaken Identity
Authors: Shyla Colt
Evernight
Publishing
Copyright© 2013
Shyla
Colt
ISBN:
978-1-77130-412-2
Cover
Artist: Sour Cherry Designs
Editor:
Karyn
White
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
WARNING:
The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is
illegal.
No part of this book may be
used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission,
except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.
This is a
work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any
resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or
dead, is entirely coincidental.
MISTAKEN IDENTITY
Shyla
Colt
Copyright
© 2013
Chapter
One
Six Months
Earlier, Eaton, Texas
“I can’t do this anymore, Jett.”
He set his script down on the round,
maple wood, kitchen table, and peered up at his distraught fiancée. Her
soulful, pale-blue eyes were red-rimmed and full of pain, in her slim face. The
petite, slightly up-turned nose he loved to tweak was blotchy. She sniffed and
swiped away the moisture running from the corner of her eyes. It pained him to
see her once glowing peaches-and-cream skin tone so washed out and wan. The
radiant chestnut-colored hair she’d always been
proud
of was thin and dull. Pulled back from her face in a high pony tail it
accentuated her gauntness. This last bout with anorexia had taken a toll on
her. Still, to him she was the most beautiful woman in the world.
Every time she tore herself down it was like
a kick to the chest.
In his mind, her
five-foot seven, one-hundred and twenty-five pound frame had been perfect. But
she could never see that.
“Sure you can,
Lis
.”
He pushed away from the table and stood. Wrapping an arm around her too-slim
waist, he pulled her to his side, willing his body warmth into her cool form.
“You’re one of the strongest women I know. Remember what Dr. Talons said? We
take it one day at time.”
Leaning down
he placed a kiss on her head.
Right now she
needs support and reassurance. I can give her that in spades
.
Hell, if I could take on this disease for
her and fight it I would
. It was difficult watching someone fight against a
mental disorder, because the problem lived in their head. It was impossible to
slay an invisible dragon.
She shoved her fist against lips that
quivered and shook her head. The droplets of sadness began to flow like a
river.
“No, not that.”
Her muted words were strained.
“Then what?
Just tell me, and we’ll fix it.”
He ran his hand up her arm, used to the mood
swings. When you starved your body, everything was affected.
“You can’t, Jett. I tried. Lord knows
I’ve tried. I’ve given everything I have in me to our relationship.”
“And I haven’t?” He took a deep breath to
still the words dangling on the tip of his tongue. She was lashing out, and he
was the nearest target. Soon she’d calm down, apologize, and they’d talk about
what was truly bothering her. “We’re getting married in six months, so cold
feet are normal.”
“It’s not cold feet.” Her irritated huff
confused him.
What do you
want me to say here?
“Okay, so what is it?” He shook his head, unable
to track where she was going.
Inhaling deeply, she then exhaled. “I’ve
come to the conclusion that it’s this life or me.”
“This life?
What does
that even mean? Where is this coming from?” He removed his hands from her waist
and rubbed his lips with his fingers. Agitation bubbled up to the surface.
They’d pushed back and put off this wedding for the past five years due to
scheduling and her battles with her demons. When she’d taken a turn for the worse
he’d told her he wouldn’t marry her until she could share a piece of cake with
him at the wedding. This intimate ceremony in their hometown was the silver
lining that carried them both through hell and back. Giving it up now wasn’t an
option.
“Being in the public eye is destroying me from
the inside out. I can’t take it! The harsh criticism, hate websites! The
inability to step outside and simply be Melissa Munn, it’s too much.” Her chest
rose and fell like she’d been in a marathon.
Worry unfurled in his gut. “W-what are
you saying,
Lis
?”
Fame
was exhausting. It was understood. There were times even he wanted to walk
away.
But this…
“I can’t be the woman you need.” She
bowed her head. “I’m not strong enough.”
Desperation detonated like a land mine.
He cupped her face and tilted her head back to meet his gaze. “Please don’t do
this, Melissa.”
“I have to.” Her voice cracked. Sobs
wracked her tiny frame. “Walking away is going to save my life.”
His heart sank to the bottom of his belly
like giant stones.
“I packed a bag to get me through the
first week or so with my parents. I’ll be back for the rest.”
He released her, stepped away to run his
hands through his hair. “How long have you had this planned?”Anxiety turned to
anger.
How could she keep thoughts like
this to herself?
“Since this morning, I woke up, and I
just knew I couldn’t do it anymore.” She shook her head, placed a hand on her
neck. “I know it’s hard to see now, but
it’s
better
this way. I love you enough to walk away, Jett.”
“That’s a fucking cop-out.”
“Doctor Talons told me to get away from
my trigger. Do you know that is? You, Jett, it’s everything that comes with
you.”
Sucker punched and blindsided he grabbed
his shirt as his heart cracked and shattered. This was different from the
fights before. Finality that he’d never heard before existed in her tone and
her gaze.
He swallowed down air to keep
from losing his lunch. Closing his eyes he fought the urge to drop to his
knees, beg her not to leave. But nothing was worth her life.
“Just go,” he growled.
“I’m sorry.” She spun on her heel and ran
from the room. Time slowed as the happiness he’d anticipated imploded.
****
Present Day
Seated at the bar, on what should’ve been
his wedding day, Jett finished off his fourth Hole in One. The drink dulled the
pain to a level he could tolerate. He felt like a zombie, trudging through
daily life, smiling, shaking hands, and signing autographs while he bled out
from the crippling mental wound he couldn’t seem to heal. It was near
impossible to move forward when everyone wanted to know why he and
Lis
split with the wedding so close. The obvious assumption
for most tended to be infidelity, on his end of course. He snorted.
If only it was that simple.
Envy burned in his belly as he thought of his
co-workers. They all enjoyed connecting with their audience, so conventions
like this were usually a good time. It pissed him off that it was ruined this
time. Especially since Somerville was the town the show was based in. Unable to
keep up the happy Jett Walker façade he slunk off the minute their mandatory
karaoke session ended. Here he could celebrate his unwanted freedom alone.
I used to
think I was lucky, a small town boy from Texas who made it big on a popular
t.v
. show.
He scowled.
How fucking naïve was I?
The
show had brought a lot of trouble. Family members coming out of the wood work
asking for money, rabid fans that made it impossible to have any inkling of
normalcy, and the loss of his high school sweetheart. Even now he only blended
in because they thought he was a
Cosplayer
.
Surely squeaky clean Jett Walker would never
get piss drunk in a dive bar alone.
Unlike his television
persona,
Dex
Kimber
.
Wow, you know shit’s bad when you envy a
fictional character
.
Cornerstone could only be described as
petite. The tiny establishment didn’t fit more than fifty people. Done in dark
wood walls with gray tile flooring, it had a down home feel that fit the town.
The bar in front of him was lit from beneath with an amber lighting. Artist
pieces made from tiny, white lights arranged in interesting shapes, added
ambiance every four feet or so.
Behind
him, round, two-seater tables lined the wall. He looked to the right where the
room opened. Despite the late hour on a Friday night, there couldn’t be more
than twenty people here.
It was a nice
change of pace from the insanity
Paranormal
Investigation
conventions offered up by the pound.
The legs of a chair scraped across the
floor beside him, and he turned his head to the left. A pretty, brown-skinned
woman with almond-shaped, hazel-colored eyes sat down on the stool a few inches
away. Her round face and high cheek bones were a knock-out combination. Dressed
in form-fitting dark denim jeans and a red tank top beneath a red, navy, and
white, plaid shirt, the mystery woman stirred his desire for the first time
since
Lis
left.
The
alcohol is doing the trick.
Full, dusky-pink, lips formed a shy smile. Her
eyes widened with recognition.
Son of a
bitch!