Chapter 9 : Broken Heart

Chapter 9 : Broken Heart

"Come in." came a pleasant voice. Jack sighed with relief. If not anything else she at least sounded fine. One less weight on his newly developed conscience.

Jack pushed open the white door to see Brielle sitting on her bed, reading a book placed on her lap. She looked up as he entered, her eyes boring into his. Jack found himself fumbling for words.

"Hi." said Jack scratching the back of his neck. Thousands of presentations, millions of dialogues to clients and all he could say to her was hi?

"Hi." said Brielle smiling weakly. "Please take a seat."

Jack pulled up a chair beside her bed and resisted the urge to check his phone. It vibrated uncomfortably in his breast pocket, as innumerable messages arrived. He sighed, seclusion and a holiday from work was not an option for him.

"Thanks for bringing me to the hospital." said Brielle fiddling nervously with her fingers. "I thought the woman was going to hurt me some more."

"I'm sorry I let her hurt you even a little. I should have reached you sooner." said Jack huskily. The guilt was weighing him down. What the hell was happening to him? 

Brielle looked up from her hands to search his stony face, but it gave nothing away. Why was he always so guarded?

"I've sued her for assault and vandalism in a public place. I'll take her to the cleaners in court." said Jack smiling wryly. "No one messes with my employees and gets away with it."

"Are Max and Melly okay?" asked Brielle. "Is their father a good man? I passed out and I'm worried sick he might be like his ex-wife."

"He's a good man. More than anything he loves the kids, even if they aren't his own." confirmed Jack. "He's fighting for custody. He should win easily now that the woman is facing serious charges."

"Oh thank God. I was worried sick." said Brielle putting her face into her hands and sobbing. She couldn't help it. She wasn't someone who cried easily, especially in front of other people, but now for some reason she felt like she needed a good cry. The tears weren't only for the day's incidents, but for the sadness she kept hidden deep inside her heart. They rarely found an outlet, and when they did it was like a dam had burst.

Jack had never been so alarmed in his life. She was safe and sound, the kids were happy, so why in the world was she crying? Jack didn't deal with any teary-eyed females. He wasn't programmed to be sensitive. He was built for making things worse. Hell, he'd once told a lady, who was crying because she missed her flight, that if she cried enough maybe she could sail across. It was meant to be a tiny joke, but of course some people had no sense of humour.

"Hey, hey, whats with the crying?" he asked gruffly. "Its making you look like a baked potato."

Brielle looked at him so astonished she forgot to cry.

"Huh?" she said certain she had misheard. Had she just been called a baked potato? She glared at him.

"Well, its the truth." he said pulling out his phone and cursing. 97 unread messages within the five minutes he was here.

"I'm recuperating at the hospital. I can't look like an Armani model." said Brielle coldly.

"I certainly doubt if you can look like that even if you aren't recuperating at a hospital. I mean I saw you in the morning, you look worse." said Jack without looking up from his phone. "Hey!" he yelled dodging suddenly and dropping his phone. Brielle had thrown her book at him.

"Thanks for you sympathy." said Brielle. "Now get out."

Jack picked up the fat book, rubbing his temples. The girl could pack a punch. It wouldn't do to underestimate her.  

"You do realize that this constitutes attempt to assault? I can sue you for this." he said busily. he phone separated from the batteries as Jack scrambled to reassemble them.   He looked at the book in his hand and remarked. "Harry Potter? Seriously? You're twenty-one." 

"Sue me, arrest me do whatever you want. I don't have a cent more than ten thousand dollars. Once I pay for my hospital care, I'll have zero balance in my account. You're probably going to fire me anyway. So if you sue me you won't get anything. I don't even own a house." said Brielle snatching back her book. "And Harry Potter transcends all ages."

"You really are dense." said Jack, tucking the fixed phone into his pocket and focusing on Brielle. Jack never gave any human other than his father his undivided attention. Brielle better feel special. 

"Enlighten me, oh great one, why you call me dense?" cooed Brielle rolling her eyes.

" You're my employee, and you did your best to protect our customers. I am proud of that. Why on earth would I fire you?" said Jack his dark eyes finding her own. "I'd lose a great employee. If anything I'll give you a bonus."

Brielle was stumped for words. She didn't know he cared so much.

"Also do you seriously think I'm letting you pay for any of this?" he said waving his hands at the room. "Your well being is my priority. You saved my Dad's life."

"Thank you." said Brielle taking his hands into her own. She could tell from the surprise in his eyes that few people had attempted to hold his hand. But when he gave a gentle squeeze in return, she knew it was worth taking a chance.

Just then, the hospital door opened, and a handsome young man walked in.

"Brielle!" he exclaimed, and Brielle snatched her hands away from Jack's. 

"Zachary! What are you doing here?"

"I work part-time nearby and Amanda told me you were hurt, so I came to check on you. Are you okay?" he asked flipping his indisciplined blonde hair away from his face.

"You know they have men's hairbands now." commented Jack. Zachary looked at him confused then turned back to Brielle.

"Amanda said you didn't mean what you said to me this morning. Is that true?" he asked.

"Yes! Oh Zachary I was really nervous. I've liked you for ages and when you asked me out I messed up. I'm sorry." said Brielle earnestly.

"Hey, its fine. I've liked you for a long time myself. I'll ask again, would you like to go out with me?" he said leaning on the bed reaching for her lips.

"She's recovering at a hospital, so no she can't go out with you." said Jack tapping away on his phone. The blonde boy glared at him. Jack pretended not to have noticed, as did Brielle.

"I'd love to." said Brielle perking up her lips as Zachary's met her own for a chaste kiss.

"I'll see you later." said Jack getting up and slamming the door behind him. He walked straight to his father's room and announced to Dixon Senior.

"She has a boyfriend." said Jack quietly. His dark eyes brooding as he turned to leave. "And I have my work." he added as he shut the door gently behind him, his black hair clouding his eyes.