Page 26

26

Jack

I adjust the ice pack I’m holding against my bruised face. Deep breaths fill my lungs as I try to relax my tense muscles.

Between not getting to see Gisella for more than just a few hours since I woke up with her in my bed on Monday morning and a few of the guys coming down with food poisoning from some random lunch spot they picked, forcing me to cover a short-staffed event leading to me getting elbowed and then punched in the face by some drunk guy, this week has kicked my ass. And now I have a cut through my eyebrow and a bruised cheekbone to prove it.

It’s Friday, and I’m supposed to go pick up Gisella and head to Becky’s house tonight for Tim’s birthday party, but I can’t quite bring myself to get up off the couch. I groan when there’s a soft knock at my office door. The last thing I want to do is talk to one of the guys right now, but I can’t avoid them since they all know I’m back from the event. I call out for whoever it is to come in without raising my head from where it’s resting on the back of the couch, ice pack balanced carefully on my face.

The door slowly opens, and I hear a quiet, “Jack?”

I lift my head and let the ice pack slide into my open hands on my lap. “What are you doing here?” I know I sound like an asshole when I ask, “More importantly, how the fuck did you get here?” I was going to warn her about my face before I picked her up.

Gisella is unfazed by my tone and walks confidently toward the couch. “Well, you sounded stressed, so I texted Tyler to see if he could pick me up so you wouldn’t have to drive all the way to my place since the office is closer to Becky and Tim’s.” As she nears, her gasp fills the room. Rushing to my side, she sits beside me, eyes wide and concerned. “What the hell happened? Have you gotten it looked at? Maybe you need stitches.”

I catch her hand as she reaches for my face. Wrapping my fingers around her hand, I rub my thumb along her soft skin. It’s as soothing as it is exciting. “I’m okay,” I reassure her, pressing a kiss to the back of her hand. “The crowd at an event today got a little out of hand, and my face took the brunt of it.”

Her gorgeous, expressive eyes caress each of my injuries. My assurances did nothing to eliminate the concern pulling her features tight. As she chews her bottom lip, I’m transfixed by her mouth, thinking of everything I would like to do to it.

“Did you clean your cut?” she whispers. I might not have heard her if I hadn’t been so focused on her mouth.

I did. But instead of telling her that, I shake my head. “ There’s a first aid kit in the cabinet over there.” I incline my head to indicate the cabinets across from us and reluctantly release her hand as she stands.

Gisella hurries across my office, and I track her every move with my gaze. A few moments later, she returns, first aid kit in hand. She reclaims her spot on the couch beside me, scooching as close as possible, and opens the box. After a few more minutes of rummaging through, she gathers what she wants and starts cleaning the cut on my eyebrow. As she carefully wipes and rubs my abused skin, I inhale her scent and relish every touch. Her little furrowed brow as she works makes me smile. She’s so fucking enchanting. I’m mesmerized by her careful motions. By everything she does, really.

Her cheeks turn a soft pink, and her breathing shallows. She can feel my attention on her.

I can’t take it anymore. I shift toward her, causing her hand to slip from where she’s cleaning my face. I reach for the alcohol wipe in her hand and throw it on the coffee table. Her green eyes scorch my movement. Capturing her face with both hands, I brush my thumbs over her cheekbones. “I’ve missed you so fucking much this week, Gisella.”

Her eyes drift close, and my heartbeat threatens to burst through my chest. When they flutter open, she whispers, “I missed you, too.”

My thumb finds her bottom lip, dick twitching when her tongue darts out to meet it.

“Fuck it, we can be late.”

We surge toward each other.

Both of my hands bury into her hair as our lips meet. There’s no hesitation from either of us. Moaning into my mouth, her tongue swipes along mine, and when she starts to pull back, I catch her bottom lip between my teeth and gently bite. The whimper that fills the room is exhilarating. I need more. Reaching down, I grab her waist and twist so she’s straddling me. Our new position is both a relief and torture, and I curse her decision to wear pants today. As my fingers tighten on her hips, she rocks against my length. My groans match her soft moans in harmony. I’m not sure I’ve ever been more turned on than I am right at this moment.

Everything about Gisella is like a dream. Her curves are made for me.

“Jack.” My name sounds like heaven falling from her lips.

I slide my hands up her waist and under her shirt. The weight of her breasts in my hands makes me thrust my hips up to meet hers. I need some friction to relieve the pressure. Her answering breathy groan is precisely what I want to hear.

Having sex in my office might be a bad idea, but I don’t want to wait until tonight.

I begrudgingly release my hold on her breasts so I can grab her around the waist again. Squeezing her to me, I flip us so her back is on the couch, and her gasp turns into a giggle. I settle myself above her, with one knee on the couch between her legs and one foot planted on her ground. My heart soars at the blatant desire and happiness lining her bewitching features as I meet her sultry eyes.

“What the fuck did I do to deserve you?”

Her eyes widen in surprise. Before she can respond, I lean down and give her a bruising kiss. She wraps her arms around my neck, holding me in place. Not breaking the kiss, I reach down and unbutton her jeans, her hips lifting to help my eager movements.

I’m moments away from having her pants completely open so I can rip them from her body, when multiple male voices, followed by footsteps and loud knocking on my office door, catch my attention. There’s a sharp intake of breath as Gisella freezes underneath me. I’m half tempted to go tell whoever’s knocking to leave us alone, but they’re quite insistent when someone bellows out my name. I can’t make out who it is, though, so I’m not convinced to stop what I’m doing, the waistband of her jeans in my grip. That is, until the knocking begins again.

“Goddamn it,” I huff as I push myself off her.

She follows me, sitting up. I hate that her face goes from the look she had a few seconds before to one of uncertainty. “Jack, who is that?”

“I don’t know, baby. Stay right here.”

Stalking to the door, I whip it open.

Nate and Carlos stand outside. Both of their faces are grim. It has my nerves immediately on edge.

“What the fuck is happening?”

Carlos frowns. “Jack, I need to take Ella with me.”

Fury demolishes my desire. I spit out, “Why?”

“After you told me about her getting fired and the possible accusations, I periodically checked in with the department that would cover that. I got word tonight that they wanted to question her. I told them I would go pick her up. They allowed me as a professional courtesy.” He raises his hands to stop the protest he could tell was coming. “It’s just preliminary questioning. I can’t guarantee, but I’ll try to be there with her. But she needs an attorney.”

A hand grazes my back. I spin around to find Gisella standing behind me, looking heartbreakingly resolute. “It’s okay, Jack. I figured this might happen.”

I blow out a rough breath and pull her against me, hugging her tight. “I’m calling a friend of mine to meet you there. Do not answer any questions until he gets there, okay?”

She hugs me with equal ferocity. “Okay, don’t worry. I’ll be alright.”

A huffed laugh escapes my chest at her reassuring and comforting me. I kiss her for a moment longer than I usually would, with two of my best friends standing behind me. Gripping her hand tight in mine, I turn back to face Nate and Carlos. We all walk to the elevator in silence together.

Gisella squeezes my hand when the doors open before she trails Carlos into the elevator. She turns and gives me one last shaky smile, revealing the small cracks in her strength.

As soon as the door closes, Nate and I return to my office, where I swipe my cell phone off the coffee table.

After a few rings, his voice comes through the speaker. “Jack, it’s been a while. I’m assuming this isn’t to see if I want to get some beers?”

I drop heavily onto the couch and rub my temples. “I need your help tonight. A, uh, friend is being questioned about something she didn’t do. I don’t want her being questioned alone.”

A humorless laugh hits my ears. “Clearly, it’s been too long since we’ve gotten together. You seem to have forgotten I don’t practice criminal law anymore.”

“I don’t care that you don’t practice anymore, Chris. I need you to help me out. I don’t trust anyone else to be with her.”

Chris Rivers is one of the best attorneys in Nashville and a friend. He’s wrong, I didn’t forget he doesn’t practice criminal law anymore. I was just hoping he would have forgotten and help .

“Jack, it’s been five years since I was in criminal. Who is this woman?”

“Isn’t practicing law like riding a bike?”

He barks out a laugh at my question.

Not wanting to admit the entirety of my relationship with Gisella, I decide to appeal to his sense of justice. “To answer your other question, she’s someone I don’t think should go to jail for many years for something she didn’t do because she didn’t have the best lawyer with her.”

The silence is deafening.

“How sure are you that she’s innocent?” he asks.

That’s the easiest question I’ve been asked all week. “Absolutely sure. There’s no doubt in my mind.”

“Goddamn it,” he mumbles.

I scratch my fingers through my beard, waiting for him to agree.

“Fine, you’re lucky I don’t have a date tonight, you asshole.”

“You won’t regret this. I owe you big time.”

“Fucking right, you do.”

“Call Carlos. He took her in and can tell you where she’s being questioned.”

Chris disconnects, and I toss my phone on the couch beside me.

Frustration screams at me that I have failed at the one thing I was supposed to do—keep Gisella safe.