Page 33 of Found By Him

I disconnect and stumble half a block from the building to a bus stop. My legs are unstable as I collapse down to the bench, shoulders dropping as I rub my forehead.

Just when you think it can’t get any worse, life reminds you that it doesn’t give a shit about you.

18

Jack

My phone vibrating has me stepping away from Nate and our potential clients. We just finished a meeting and are saying the obligatory farewells outside the restaurant where we were meeting.

“Ian.”

“Uh, boss. I think you need to come to Ella’s.”

My feet are already moving toward my SUV before he finishes his sentence. His tone sends a chill down my back. “What the fuck happened? Why isn’t she at work? Is she hurt?”

“Not entirely sure what happened, but she’s pretty upset. She called me to pick her up early from work. I’m worried about her.”

Seven minutes later, I’m parked and walking toward herbuilding.

After I’m buzzed in, I practically sprint up to the fourth floor to get to her condo. Attempting to knock softly but failing, it sounds much more aggressive than intended. Ian opens the door with a grimmer-than-usual expression. Passing by him, I’m consumed by anger when I get to the living room, my mind racing with possibilities of what’s wrong. As soon as I enter her space, I see Gisella curled up on the couch. Face red and blotchy, her eyes are slightly swollen, and her makeup is smeared, but when they meet mine, the agony tearing through her makes me want to rip the world apart so I can put it back together in whatever way makes it perfect for her. The only thing that calms me is the slight relaxing of her tortured features when she sees me.

I stand in front of her TV, facing her, crossing my arms to prevent myself from going to her and pulling her into my lap to comfort her. Ian hovers nearby, watching Gisella with similar concern.

“Tell me why you’re upset.” Realizing how harsh I sound, I add a strained, “Please.”

She reaches down and pulls a throw blanket over her. “Well, I’m probably going to jail, so there’s that.”

My body tenses, and I glance over at Ian. Confusion has replaced his concern. Surely, I misheard her. “I’m sorry, come again?”

She sniffs and snuggles into the blanket. “Yep, you’re looking at Davidson County’s newest felon.” With a heavy exhale, she squeezes her eyes shut. “Also, I got fired.”

My fists and arms clench where I have them crossed over my chest. “Gisella,” I command. She looks up, and the depth of pain, uncertainty, and fear in her eyes breaks parts of my heart I didn’t even know existed. Despite the lividness rushing through my veins, I force my tone to be as gentle as possible. “Can you please tell me what happened?”

She stares straight ahead, swiping tears off her cheek. “I’m being accused of what I think is something very serious. And I think I’m being framed.” She shakes her head in bewilderment. “I don’t know the extent of how serious, but it won’t end well for me.”

I’m reeling from this information. How could this woman, who volunteers at a senior center because it reminds her of her dead foster mother, ever be accused of doing anything illegal or unethical? And she’s being framed? I recognize I don’t know her well and that you never know sometimes, but every instinct I have honed over the many years of being in life-or-death situations tells me that whatever happened, she’s not involved.

She sniffs softly and wipes her cheeks one more time before leveling her tortured gaze on me. “I don’t want to go to jail, Jack.”

With that, she breaks down fully. She covers her face with her hands, her shoulders quaking with her sobs.

Not thinking twice, I sit next to her on the couch, wrap my arm around her shoulders, and pull her into me. She doesn’t resist. She collapses into my chest, her tears soaking my shirt. Holding her tighter, my other hand smooths down her hair. I press my lips to the top of her head, not sure if it’s to comfort her or myself.

“We’ll figure this out, Gisella.”

Instead of putting her at ease, like I intended, that seems to snap her out of her distress. She wiggles out from under my arm while shaking her head adamantly. Pushing herself back, her hands rest on my thigh, holding herself up as her determined eyes meet mine. “Jack, no. This isn’t your problem. You have more important things to do. And you’re already doing too much for me.”

Ignoring the electricity zipping through my body fromwhere her hands are on me, I gently push a strand of hair behind her ear. “You not going to jail is pretty fucking important.”

Her breath stutters on her inhale, then she’s biting the inside of her lip. “I would really like to not go to jail.”

A soft laugh escapes my chest. Even with a blotchy, tear-stained face, Gisella is breathtaking and so damn sweet.

I glance over at Ian. He inclines his head, letting me know he’s going to leave. Gripping her biceps gently, I lean back from her. “I’m staying with you tonight. Let me walk Ian out.”

I almost don’t leave her when her fingers contract on my thigh and the distress that was starting to subside flares.

“I’ll be right back, I promise.”

---