Protecting Rose Read Online Free Page A

the clock. Five a.m. He fumbled with his cell phone on the nightstand and sat up with a jerk when he recognized the name of the hospital flash across the screen. He flipped the phone open. “Nate here.”
    “Officer Stone. This is Michelle, the nurse from the hospital. Someone tried to kill our patient. And the police officer you left to guard her room is missing.”
    His heart beat heavily against his chest as he sprang from bed. “Did you call the police?”
    “Yes. Your number was left as the only contact for the patient, so I called you next. Hospital security has the building locked-down, and the police are on the way.”
    “How’s the woman?” His body tensed and fear-induced adrenaline shot through him like a bullet.
    “Okay. She’s okay,” Michelle said. “The doctor is with her now.”
    “I’m on my way.” He snapped the phone shut and tossed it on the bed, then grabbed his pants off the chair. It occurred to him that he couldn’t just keep calling her the woman. She needed a name.
    Nate laced up his boots, stood, and grabbed a shirt from the closet. He slammed the closet door shut with such force it bounced back and stood open. With a curse, he turned toward the door. Thank god she was alive. He retrieved his Glock from the dresser, ran out the door, and jumped into his car.
    He should never have left her. It was something that wouldn’t happen again because he wasn’t leaving her side again until he knew she was safe. She was going under his protection. Mine! He found her. She was his to protect.
    Nate exited the hospital elevator and stormed over to where J.D. stood outside the woman’s door. “What the hell happened?”
    J.D. grimaced. “The attacker took out our guy first. We found him in the men’s room with his throat slit and his body stuffed into a stall.
    Nate’s stomach dropped. “Dammit.”
    “He left behind a wife and two kids,” J.D. said with barely controlled fury. “We need to get this guy!”
    “That’s the plan,” Nate assured him. “What about the woman?”
    “Her attacker came at her with a knife. She sustained injuries to her hands and some cuts and bruises, but she’s alive.” J.D. snorted. “She’s a lot tougher than she looks.”
    “We need to find out what we’re dealing with here.” Nate’s eyes narrowed. “Who is this guy, and how did he find her in the hospital? That information was withheld from the public for a reason.”
    “I’ve already spoken with Rick about that, and we suspect a leak. We have our best people checking into it. I swear to god, we’re gonna nail this bastard.”
    “Bet your ass we will,” Nate growled, glancing toward her room. “As soon as she’s able, I’m taking her out of here. Until then, double her guards. Don’t let anyone in without my approval.”
     
    The sound of Nate’s voice filtered into her room from the hallway. She glanced at the clock. It was nearly six a.m. Every muscle in her body was sore, her hands ached, and she was angry at her own helplessness. If only she could remember something. A man had died to protect her, and her heart hurt at the thought. She needed to know why. She looked up when the door opened. Her eyes filled with tears and spilled over when Nate stepped into the room. He was her port in the storm.
    His gaze met hers as he covered the distance to reach her. Although his eyes were hard and his brows furrowed, his touch was gentle when he wiped the dampness from her cheeks. Taking her hands in his he turned them up to inspect her palms. A shallow cut on the inside of her left palm required nothing more than ointment and a band-aid. Her right palm, however, had taken five stitches to close the wound left by the serrated edge of the knife and covered by a gauze pad.
    His brows drew together.
    “It doesn’t hurt.” She placed her hands back on her lap, blinking away tears.
    Nate studied her for a long moment. A muscle ticked at his jaw, his eyes flashed. “Listen, sweetheart. As soon