Page 79 of Sworn to Protect

I gulp, desperate for him to stop talking but knowing he needs to finish the story.

“As I stood motionless, the murderer turned those coal-black eyes to me and smirked. The son of a bitch just stabbed my mom, and he smirked.” Nate runs his hand through his hair and huffs. “His words were cold and calculating. He said, ‘Tell your dad to pay his debts, or you’ll be next.’”

I shudder. “Did they catch him?”

“Eventually. It took some time since dear ole Dad had screwed multiple people out of their money in some type of laundering scheme. His fucking greed ended with my mom dead and him in jail.”

“What about you?”

“Me.” He scoffs. “Let me tell you what I did. Mom still had a pulse after the guy left, but I couldn’t get the bleeding under control. It took years, but I finally got a hold of her file. She suffered multiple lacerations, but it was the three to her spleen that were fatal.”

“Oh, God.”

“I didn’t want anything to do with my dad. My official last name is hyphenated. Some hippie-dippy shit my mother insisted on. I hated it growing up, but it worked to my advantage when I dropped his name and distanced myself from him.”

That explains so much.

“I made my dad sign the waiver so I could join the army earlier. I became a surgeon to save lives. I found my purpose. It helped until recently.”

He opens his mouth to speak, but I cut him off. “That’s enough confession time today.”

“But there’s more. I need to tell you the rest.”

“You don’t have to. Believe me, I may not fully understand your pain, but you’re mad at yourself for not doing anything. But you were a kid. Look what I did with Liam.” When his eyebrows furrow,I explain, “When we came upon that scene, I froze. I couldn’t even look at his mangled leg. If it wasn’t for you stopping the bleeding, I”—a cold shudder races down my spine at the thought of him losing his leg—“would’ve let him bleed out.”

“You wouldn’t have. I just stepped in right away.”

“Yeah, but what kind of nurse am I going to be if I can’t assess the patient?”

“That was your son lying there. You were a mother first.”

“And you were a son first.”

Something shifts in his eyes. Appreciation and understanding, maybe? I don’t know, but his phone pings with a text, interrupting whatever he is going to say.

“You may as well check that. Like I said, I don’t think my heart can take much more today.”

He smiles softly at me. “You are incredible.”

“Just remember that when I turn my crazed bitch side on you.”

“You’re too hard on yourself.” He glances down at his phone and stands. “Can I borrow your computer?”

“Oh, sure. It’s over on the desk.”

“I need to look something up. I’ll only be a minute.”

“The password is Kitten2Purrfect. The K and P are capitalized.” I laugh at Nate’s incredulous expression. “Don’t judge. It’s been my password since I was a teen. It’s easy to remember.”

“No judgment here.”

“You want any more coffee?”

“Sure.”

I gather our mugs and head to the kitchen. When I return with the steaming cups of joe, Nate has his shoes on and stands by the door.

“Sorry, but I have to go.”

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