Free Broken Bear by Gabrielle Demonico Page B

in spite of the pain, she tried to relax. Before she realized it, she must have drifted off to sleep for a few minutes because the next thing she knew, Jett stood over her.
    “Oh!” she exclaimed in fright. “Jesus Jett, you scared me.”
    “Sorry Daniella, I didn’t mean to wake you,” Jett said. “The icepack started to slide off of your cheek. I was trying to put it back for you.”
    “Thank you.” She replied. “How long have I been asleep?”
    “Um, maybe fifteen minutes or so,” he replied.
    She sat forward as he moved away and looked down at her.
    “Daniella, I…” he said. “I am so sorry about your face. Does it hurt a lot?”
    She nodded and said, “ It’s better with the ice on it. Don’t worry about it. I know you didn’t do it on purpose.”
    As she looked up at him, his body glistened in the soft light. His skin was tight from the shower and it caused the muscles in his abs to look more defined than normal, if that was possible. Her eyes trailed down the perfect V-taper of his waist to the terrycloth cinched neatly at his midsection. She looked back up to his face and saw a look of concerned sincerity.
    “What?” she said. “Why are you looking at me?”
    “Why are you helping me, Daniella?” he said. “Ever since you found me by the side of the road, I’ve done nothing but make your life a living hell.”
    She began to say something but he interrupted her.
    “And now, this?” he said as he gestured towards her cheek.
    “Jett, I…” Daniella said.
    “No, Daniella,” he replied. “I should leave before something truly awful happens to you.”
    “No!” she exclaimed. “I don’t want you to go, Jett. Please don’t…”
    Wordless, he dropped to his knees and positioned himself between her thighs. Now at eye level with one another, Daniella looked into his and saw the pain in his soul. The uncertainty of his past, who he was and what he was capable of had started to take a toll on him.
    “Sit with me, just for a minute.” She said.
    A few seconds later, Jett nodded and took a seat next to her on the couch. For several minutes, the two of them remained silent. Perhaps there was nothing left to say or perhaps there was too much. But complete exhaustion overwhelmed Daniella and all she could was close her eyes.
    ***
    Daniella felt as though she wasn’t asleep for ten minutes when she thought she heard the doorbell ring. With one eye opened, she sat up. She was in her bed. Jett must have carried her because she hadn’t gotten there on her own. She listened again to make sure she hadn’t imagined it.
    Ding. Dong
    She hadn’t.
    Daniella dragged herself out of bed and scrambled to find something to put on before she headed to the door.
    Ding. Dong. Ding Dong.
    “Okay!” she yelled. “Just a minute!”
    Moments later as she approached the front door, the bell rang again.
    Ding. Dong.
    She moaned, wrapped her hand around the knob and pulled the door open.
    “What?!” she said.
    Mrs. Ballston, her elderly neighbor from down the block, stood before her.
    “Oh!” the old lady said as she covered her mouth. “Goodness, did I wake you dear? I am sorry. It’s hard for me to hear a doorbell these days.”
    The tension in Daniella’s body eased.
    “ It’s okay, Mrs. Ballston.” She said. “When you rang the bell, I was dressing so it took me a while to get down here. Is everything alright?”
    Out of the corner of her eye, Daniella could see Jett approach from her right. The commotion at the door woke him.
    “My heavens, what happened to your eye, Daniella?” Mrs. Ballston said. “Are you okay?”
    “Oh,” Daniella replied as she reached her hand up to the injury. “That… Yes, I tripped and fell. It was a bit of a scare when it happened. I’m fine now though.”
    “Yes, well, thank goodness for that.” She replied. “You know, living alone as a woman can be hazardous. You should be more careful.”
    “Good point.” Daniella said as she nodded her head. “Mrs.