Page 59 of My Damaged Protector

Sighing, I head back to her room. I'm going to have to drive her to the hospital.

“What you said last night about me being your bodyguard, is the offer still on the table?” I ask her as I come back into the room.

She glances at me, now properly dressed and trying to pull her wild curls into a bun, and nods.

“Good. I'm driving you to the hospital.”

She smiles at me gratefully. She doesn’t have to say thank you for me to know this means something to her. I'm hoping I can get to do more as time goes on.

She finishes getting dressed, snatches her bag, and puts her phone in it. With a shaky smile on her face, she turns to address me.

“I'm ready.”

“Okay.”

Giving her my hand, I wait for her to take it before I start to pull us out of the room.

I keep our steps easy and gentle while we're still in the safe haven of the hotel, but the moment we get outside and the vultures recognize us, I quicken my step, and she catches up effortlessly.

Several questions start being thrown at her. None of them are aggressive, but I can tell they all bother her. To their credit, noneof them try to move closer to us, and I know that has more to do with the menacing look I have plastered on my face than the fact that they respect her privacy.

When we are in my truck, I help her get settled in and confirm she's alright before I drive us to the hospital.

Throughout the ride, she's overwhelmingly quiet, and even though it's bothering me that she's still upset over a bastard who left many years ago, I keep quiet, too, and let her have her peace.

Her siblings are waiting for her outside of the hospital when we get there, and I recognize them through the pictures from their profiles.

They don’t even spare me the courtesy of saying hi, just going straight for her, each of them flanking her on the side and thereby pushing me back.

Sarah smiles at me in apology, and I nod.

I don't give a shit about exchanging greetings with the two of them, anyway. I'm here for her.

When we're inside the hospital, she pulls her phone out of her bag and dials.

“Amanda, I'm here. Can you meet me in my father's room? I'll send you the room number when I'm inside.”

There's no hearing what the person says in response, but I'm assuming it goes well with her because she soon speaks again.

“Oh, that's good. See you soon.”

Both her siblings stare at her inquisitively, but neither of them ask the question. They are more focused on getting her to see the doctor.

We soon get to the reception section for cancer patients, and Sarah turns to look at me.

“I'll wait out here,” I speak, already knowing what she wants to say. She nods, but she still hesitates, as if she has something else to stay. “I'll be here for however long it takes,” I assure her.

That has her smiling a little before she's walking out of my sight.

I expect her to be gone for hours, two, three, four, maybe. I don't know. I've never had to be in a hospital for an emergency. But she’s back within an hour, a long frown on her face, and behind her are her siblings trying to speak, but she won't respond to them.

I immediately notice something's gone wrong, so I walk up to her and place a hand on her back, shielding her from the piercing looks and accusatory questions being thrown at her.

“Ready to leave?” I ask.

She nods.

That's all she has to do for me to take charge of the situation even though my heart is beating very loudly in my chest.

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