The Player (Broken Wishes Series Book 3)

by Joanne Sexton

She nodded and went off to pack a bag. As Isabelle threw the last of her mother’s things into an overnight bag there was a knock at the door and her heart sunk. She now had to lie to the man she loved to save her son. After it was all over, and with Jesse back safely with her, she prayed he would forgive her for what she was about to do.

  “Do you mind waiting in my room, Anthony? I have to talk to Mitch in private.”

  He gave a quick nod and disappeared.

  When she opened the door, Mitch welcomed her with a big, beaming smile and a bouquet of roses. The ache in her heart consumed her. It took everything Isabelle had to force back her tears and lie.

  “Hi, beautiful. I’ve unloaded all my stuff and…” He stopped when he saw her expression. “What’s wrong, babe?”

  “Us is wrong, Mitch. I’m sorry, I’ve made a mistake.”

  “What are you saying, Izzy?” His voice wavered, breaking her heart further.

  “I’m saying that I should never have gotten involved with you and living together is definitely a bad idea.”

  “I don’t understand.” The confused crinkle appeared at his brow and his expression almost broke her resolve.

  “I don’t think we should see each other anymore. I have to think about Jesse, and I can’t take the chance on you not hurting us. I got caught up in the romance of it all and was not cautious enough.”

  “You think I’m going to hurt you?” he asked in disbelief.

  “A leopard never changes his spots, Mitch. I’m sorry but I’ve made my decision.”

  “Izzy, please, I—”

  She cut him off. “Good bye, Mitch.”

  She closed the door as he completed his plea, “… love you.”

  Disbelief tore through Mitch and he stood with his head resting against the door, trying to get his thoughts around what had just happened. The pain of her words was unbearable, but soon his anger began to rise. Feeling angry was easier than the emptiness. He felt as though she’d reached in and wrenched out his heart. How could she think this about him after everything they’d been through? After what he’d done for her? For them?

  With a disgusted grunt, he threw the flowers to the ground and stormed to his car. What now? Solace is what he sought, so he drove towards Nathan’s house and hoped he would be working at home today.

  “Mitch? What’s wrong?” Nathan asked upon opening the door.

  “She dumped me. I bought the house, she was so happy, we all were and now… she’s changed her mind.” He stopped when the lump in his throat broke his words. Where was the resilient Mitch gone? Instead a crushed, heartbroken man had taken over his body. This is what love did. He remembered now why he didn’t get involved. Hindsight was a bitch.

  “Come in, tell me what happened.”

  Over coffee Mitch relayed the story and as the words passed over his lips his anger began to dissipate and was replaced with something more sinister. Despair.

  “It could be cold feet, or someone said something to her. Don’t give up yet, there could be an explanation. Look at Jared and Charlotte; they almost didn’t make it because of a break-down in communication. Give her some time and talk to her again.”

  “I don’t know, Nath. I never wanted a relationship for this very reason. Maybe I should have stuck with casual sex.”

  “Is that what you want? Besides it won’t help. Give it some time, try again.”

  “I never knew love could suck so much.”

  “Sometimes it’s a bit rocky on the way there, but worth it in the end. Believe me.”

  “If I get there, you mean.”

  Once she heard Mitch leave, Isabelle allowed the tears to flow. Tears for her missing baby, tears for the ache over hurting Mitch and maybe losing him for good, tears for her mom and what she must be going through. With that thought, she knew she had to pull herself together, and talk to her mom before the police did.

  “I’m going to the hospital,” she said to Anthony once she knew Mitch had gone. “Can you stay here and answer the phone?”

  “Sure. If you need me, just ring.”

  “Thank you,” she said, embracing her brother. “I’m glad you’re here. Sorry for accusing you before.”

  “Think nothing of it. Now go.”

  At the hospital, Isabelle was relieved to learn from the doctor that Carol’s leg injury was a minor one and no permanent damage had occurred. Her relief doubled when she discovered the police had not questioned Carol yet but were waiting for her to finish with the doctor. They allowed Isabelle to see her before the police did.

  “Mom, are you okay?” Isabelle said, racing over to the bed.

  “Jesse! He took Jesse. I’m so sorry! I tried to stop him…” Tears slid down Carol’s cheeks and Isabelle attempted to stay calm.

  “I know, Mom, another letter was delivered to the house.”

  Retrieving the letter from her pocket she passed it to her mother. Carol frowned as she read it before turning her worried expression to Isabelle.

  “I told you we should have contacted the police.”

  “I know! I can’t change that now. Do you know who took him?” The worry suffocated her words and it took every effort to speak. All she wanted to do was fall apart, but that wouldn’t help Jesse.

  “No, I’ve never seen him before, but I could identify him if I saw him again. What are we going to do?”

  Fresh tears trickled down Isabelle’s face, and choking back a sob, she said the words. “I have done as the letter asked and broke up with Mitch.”

  “We have to tell the police.”

  “No! You read the letter, we can’t risk it. Oh god, Jesse…” The anguish of the past hour caught up with her. Her tears were flowing in rivers down her face and sobs racked her body.

  Carol waited out the tears and comforted her daughter. Several minutes elapsed before Isabelle spoke again. “After this … when he contacts me tomorrow, I’ll tell him I’ve done as he asked. Then I’ll get Jesse back. If I don’t hear from him tomorrow, I’ll go to the police then, but for now, I think we have to do as he asks. I can’t risk it.”

  They were interrupted by a sharp rap on the door and two uniformed police entered the room.

  “Do you mind if we ask you a few questions, Ms. Winters?”

  “Sure.”

  Isabelle sent a warning look to Carol, begging her to say nothing.

  “Ms. Winters, can you tell us what happened?”

  “I was doing some shopping and I was heading back to my car when a man jumped me and tried to steal my purse. When I resisted, he shot me and ran off.”

  “The staff mentioned when you were brought in you said your grandson had been kidnapped.”

  “No, I was in shock and was confused. I didn’t know what I was saying.”

  “So, your grandson hasn’t been abducted?”

  “No,” she said with a conviction that surprised Isabelle. If she didn’t know any better, she would have believed Carol’s story. “I dropped my grandson off at my sister’s before it happened. Like I said, I was confused.”

  “Can you describe the man?”

  “No, it all happened so fast and I didn’t get a good look at him. I’m sorry, officers.”

  “Thank you, Ms. Winters. If you think of anything, please contact us.”

  “I will, thank you.”

  “What now?” Carol asked once they had left.

  “I guess we just have to wait.”

  This worrying thought sent bile into her throat. Her poor baby would be so scared and alone. What if he wasn’t all right? What if this maniac had done something to Jesse? Nausea rolled her stomach and Isabelle knew she was going to be sick.

  “Oh… Jesse,” she moaned before racing off to the bathroom and emptying her stomach.

  How was she going to get through the whole night? Isabelle curled up on the bed with her mother and neither of them spoke nor slept.

  Mitch wandered around the big, empty house while pain and dread overwhelmed him. Why had she done this to them? He lov
ed her so much and she was throwing it all away and for what? Why?

  Unanswered questions compounded his heartache. Hadn’t he reassured her and alleviated her fears? He thought she felt the same way. Was it possible that someone had gotten to her and told her something about him that was untrue? He didn’t want to believe she didn’t love him, and they were a mistake.

  Her excitement over starting a new life together, upon seeing the house, seemed genuine. The house he now stood in would be a constant reminder of what he’d lost.

  Evening arrived and dinnertime came and went. Food and hunger were the furthest things from his mind- there was nothing in the house anyway. He’d planned to take them out for dinner to celebrate. At a loose end and in a world of pain, Mitch realized he needed company again, something to take his mind off his confusion.

  Jared would understand and Mitch didn’t want to stay in the house alone. Without further thought, he jumped into his car. Although it would be like adding salt to an open wound to see the newlyweds, he also needed his family.

  Charlotte answered his knock looking happy and refreshed. Married life obviously treated them well. The aroma wafting down the hall let him know his brother must be home.

  “Mitch! What are you doing here? Are you okay?” The smile that greeted him dropped and was replaced with a concerned frown.

  “Not really.”

  “Come in and lay it on us,” she said, leading him towards the kitchen.

  With a desponded thud he sat in one of the chairs seated at the breakfast bar. Charlotte placed a beer in front of him before sitting beside him. Jared joined them and waited as though sensing words wouldn’t help.

  “Shouldn’t you be celebrating in your new house?” she asked, her warm brown eyes full of question.

  “That was the plan.”

  “So, what happened?”

  “She broke up with me.”

  “What?” she said, shock now filling her features.

  “I can’t work it out either. Yesterday she was happy and excited, today… well, she’s changed her mind, and I have no idea why.”

  He traced the droplets of water on the bottle in front of him with his finger before taking a large swig. Something had to dull the pain.

  “Maybe it’s a misunderstanding- you saw what happened with us,” Jared said.

  “She didn’t give me a chance to find out. She just said it’s not happening and shut the door.”

  “Gee, that sounds familiar,” Charlotte said, glancing at her husband. “I seem to recall a certain man didn’t want to hear me out either. Maybe this is the same.”

  “She wasn’t angry or upset, but stone faced, cold. It was weird.” He took another swig of his drink and went back to scrutinizing the bottle. “Anyway, I don’t want to talk about it anymore, it hurts too much. This was why I never got involved.”

  “You really do love her, don’t you?” Jared asked.

  “Yes, I do. She is the most beautiful, sweet and passionate woman I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Present company excluded, of course.” He offered a glib smile to Charlotte. “Like I said, there is no use talking about it. She doesn’t want to be with me, and I have to accept it. I guess my only option really is meaningless sex.” He drained the rest of his beer and Jared replaced it with another one. Though they knew the answer wasn’t at the bottom of a bottle, it couldn’t hurt to numb Mitch a little.

  “I don’t think that’s the answer,” Jared said.

  “Are you and Nathan the same person? He said the same thing today. I’m not like both of you, I didn’t get the girl.”

  “Just wait and talk to her again. Give her some time. Sleeping with some random girl isn’t going to help your cause.”

  “I’m not going to jump into bed with someone tonight, Jared. Give me some credit. I’m just saying maybe that’s the life I’m supposed to have. I’m not getting involved again. I don’t know how I’m going to get over her.”

  “Try again tomorrow,” Charlotte encouraged.

  “Do you mind if I crash here for a couple of days? I can’t stay at the house.”

  “As long as you need,” Jared said. “Dinner’s almost ready.”

  “I’m not hungry.” He finished his beer in several pulls before speaking again. “I think I’ll just hang outside for a bit.”

  Mitch trudged out to the patio to watch the sunset.

  A painful thought filled his mind; this is what he would have been doing with Isabelle on their balcony.

  Chapter Twenty One

  Gone

  The morning passed without any word from her crazy admirer and it played havoc with Isabelle’s nerves.

  She couldn’t bear the thought of life without Jesse. Her baby was who knew where and undoubtedly frightened. Not knowing where he was tore her heart apart. Her whole body ached with the yearning to reassure him, to hold him in her arms.

  Dealing with Jesse’s abduction was hard enough, but the thought of life without Mitch as well was driving her insane. When she needed her lover most, this obsessed maniac had forced her to push him away. She hoped with all her heart, when this was over, she could make amends. She had to stay strong and get her son back first.

  The ringing phone brought her back into focus and she dived on it with shaking hands.

  “Yes?”

  “Do you want to see Jesse again?” a vaguely familiar voice asked.

  “You know I do. If you have hurt him, I swear…”

  “You have done as I asked and broken up with Montgomery?”

  “Yes. Now please, I just want my baby back.”

  “Then a simple exchange will make us both happy. Jesse will be safe, and we’ll be together.”

  “What are you saying?” Isabelle asked, holding her breath.

  “I will let Jesse go if you come with me in his place.”

  A cold shiver run up her spine and caused her to gasp. She hadn’t expected the psycho to ask for this.

  “I’ll do anything for Jesse but know this- I wouldn’t be going with you willingly.”

  “I’ll take you any way I can. In time, you will grow to love me as I do you.” This thought made her skin crawl and bile rise in her throat, stealing her words. “Do we have a deal?”

  “Yes,” she rasped.

  “Meet me in the car park on the north side of the South Coast Bridge at three.”

  The line went dead.

  Isabelle checked the time, she had an hour. Regardless of what the kidnapper thought, there was no way she or Jesse would be going anywhere with him. Pocketing her phone, she grabbed her keys. There was enough time to update Carol at the hospital on the way to the meeting place.

  Mitch woke with a groggy head pounding out a beat a marching band would be proud of. Ignoring the hangover, he rose with no idea what to do next.

  He squandered the morning away drinking coffee and wallowing in self-pity. Try as he might, he couldn’t shake the iciness of her demeanor the previous day. How could this be the same Izzy he had fallen in love with? Already missing her more than he thought possible, he didn’t know how he was going to move on. The thought of their empty house simply added to this and the thought of returning there alone was more than he could endure.

  When his phone rang late in the afternoon, he realized he’d been sitting in the same spot for much of the day and if he kept this up, his melancholy would consume him. The number wasn’t one he recognized, and his heart dropped. He hoped it would be his Izzy.

  “Yeah, it’s Mitch.”

  “Mitch, it’s Carol.”

  He sat up a little straighter. “What’s up?”

  “We need your help. Isabelle won’t like me calling you, but I don’t know what else to do.”

  “What is it?” His impatience began to grow. Was Izzy in trouble?

  Carol proceeded to fill him in regarding the letters and the abduction of Jesse. For a brief moment he was relieved there was a reason Isabelle pushed him away, until overriding panic at what Isabelle was about
to do took precedent.

  With quick, reassuring words, he told Carol he would do everything he could to bring them both back. After hanging up, he wondered how to achieve this. Trying not to let his fear of losing her cloud his thoughts, he rang Nathan and then Jared.

  Mitch would need back up and hoped they would be enough.

  Directly after visiting Carol, Isabelle headed towards the rendezvous spot, her frazzled nerves at breaking point. It took all her control to stay within the speed limit and stop at every red-light fate threw her on the way.

  When she arrived, there was no sign of her stalker, so she tapped an impatient tune on the steering wheel as she waited. Please let this not be some kind of cruel hoax. Please let Jesse be okay. Tired of anxious waiting, she climbed out of the car and began to pace.

  A dark sedan pulled into the car park. The windows were blackened, obscuring her vision of its occupants. It stopped beside her, and the driver’s face came into view. It seemed familiar to her, just as the voice had. As she tried to place where she knew him from, she frantically searched the car for a sign of Jesse.

  “I’m glad to see you did as I instructed,” he said as he climbed from the car.

  “Did I have a choice? Where’s my son?”

  “You don’t remember me, do you?” Ignoring him, she took a step towards the car in the hopes of seeing her son. “Of course you don’t. Why would someone as stuck up as you remember a lowly photographer like me?”

  The malice in his tone sent a shiver over Isabelle’s skin. An image flashed through her mind and she grabbed it. Realization flooded her senses.

  “Anton?”

  “Well, surprise, surprise, you do remember. I tried to strike a conversation with you after a shoot a few months ago, but you dismissed me like I was a piece of chewing gum on your shoe.”

  “That’s not how I recall it.” Movement behind the darkened windows caused her heart to jump and hope to surge through her.

  “Isn’t it very convenient for you that you happen to remember me now? Either way, it doesn’t matter. Once you get to know me, you’ll realize you made a mistake and that we’ll be perfect together.”