Beautiful Rose (Beautiful Rose 1)

“I needed to stop the bleeding,” he said sheepishly. I followed his gaze down to my wrist. Light gray fabric, stained with blood, was bound tightly around it, and for the first time I felt the throbbing pain. I glanced away, embarrassed that he was seeing me like this.

“How did you know?” I mumbled.

Shit, my throat hurt. It felt like sandpaper, raw and swollen. Had I taken anything? I couldn't remember. I couldn't even remember doing that to my wrist.

“You called me. Five missed calls tends to worry me. Then I couldn't get a hold of you, so I came over.”

“I'm sorry. I shouldn't have called you.” I fell silent, not sure what else to say.

“I’m glad you did,” Alex said softly. He looked so concerned.

I was much more conscious now, so I struggled to sit up again. This time, Alex helped me. I gripped my wrist and winced.

“Does it hurt?” he asked softly. I nodded. I shivered. I was so cold. Alex jumped up suddenly, and disappeared out of the bedroom. He returned almost immediately with two paramedics in tow. I hadn't even heard them knock.

I answered their questions as they bandaged my wrist, and took my blood pressure.

Had I taken anything? I didn't think so. What happened to my wrist? I’d cut myself. I'd thought that was pretty obvious. Did I need something for the pain? Hell yes. Hopefully they had something stronger than Tylenol.

“We're going to take you to hospital so we can get some stitches into that wrist, okay Rose? Is there anyone we can call for you?”

I glanced at Alex. “I'll come with her,” he answered quickly.

They helped me onto the stretcher, even though I'd insisted I could walk, and wheeled me out of the house. I glanced at the front door, which was hanging by a hinge, with a huge hole about the size of Alex's foot smack dab in the middle of it.

“I'll replace it,” he mumbled, embarrassed.

Whatever they had given me for the pain worked wonders. I drifted in and out of consciousness for the next few hours. Every time I opened my eyes, Alex was there. He never left my side. The doctors insisted on keeping me in overnight, and also that I have a psych evaluation in the morning.

“What time is it?” I asked, the fog in my head finally beginning to lift. My wrist ached like crazy.

“Three in the morning,” he replied quietly.

I turned to him in surprise. “Why aren't you at home? Don't you have work tomorrow?”

He looked at me strangely, a smile forming on his lips. “Rose, I'd rather stay here for you. I know things aren't great with your family. I don't want you to feel as though you’re alone. Because you're not.” The mention of my family brought everything back. Harmony. Mom. Eve. I felt sick, thinking about it again.

“Rose, was this . . . did this have anything to do with Jack?” he asked softly.

I snorted, angry and hurt that he thought I was that fragile.

“Honestly, Alex, your brother was the farthest thing from my mind.” I paused, weighing up just how much to tell him. “Harmony was in my house yesterday.”

His eyes widened in shock. “What?”

I nodded. “Apparently changing the locks on windows after a tenant vacates wasn't high on the landlord’s to-do list,” I joked.

“Jack used to live there,” he said, shaking his head. “Seriously, can that girl not take a hint? What did she want? Did she hurt you? Or threaten you?” he asked darkly, his eyebrows furrowing.

“I guess she did threaten me, but that wasn't it. She'd done her research on me.”

“Rose, nothing she could have to say to Jack would change how he feels about you. I'm guessing that was the reason behind th

e threat? To keep you away from Jack?” he asked.

I nodded. “Yes, but what she told me . . . she knew something I didn't know. God knows how she found out. Maybe I should have given the stupid bimbo a little more credit,” I said, making a face.

“You don't have to tell me what she told you,” he said carefully, gauging my reaction.