“Rylla.”
Matthew again, and this time she snapped back into the moment. “Stop saying my name,” she growled.
“I'm so sorry.” Matthew looked devastated.
Grief and shock had anger flashing forward as a coping mechanism. “You should be sorry. You convinced Heidi to take me off this case and now Mila is dead.”
Dead.
She still couldn’t believe it.
How were Emmy and Mac going to cope with the news? They were just children and now they were going to have to grow up without their mother.
It wasn't fair.
Why did she keep losing people she loved?
First her mom, then her dad and siblings, then her husband and daughter, and now her sister. It was enough. She didn't want to lose anyone else.
“I'm sorry,” her partner said again, looking at her helplessly.
“Stop saying that,” she yelled.
“Rylla, I'm so sorry.” Naomi tried to hug her, but she shoved her friend away, earning her a glare from Sam.
“Just go. All of you.” In times of stress she always reverted to her default which was dealing with things on her own.
“I don’t think you should be alone right now,” Naomi said cautiously.
“Stop giving me advice,” Rylla screamed. “What do you know? Pushing people away and dealing with everything yourself is your MO, you’re the last person I should take advice from.”
“That’s enough, Rylla,” Sam warned her.
Naomi’s sad brown eyes just added to her guilt. It was the second time in the last few days that she had lashed out at her friend, and she knew Naomi didn't deserve it. She had been a good friend in the decade they’d known each other, but she just couldn’t stop herself. “Go. Everyone out now. I mean it. Just get out.” She knew she was freaking out but couldn’t seem to do anything about it.
With a last guilty look in her direction, Matthew left with Jonathon and Allina. Sam took Naomi’s arm and tried to guide her from the room.
“No, I don’t want to go,” Naomi protested.
“She wants space,” Sam said quietly. “She’s entitled to that. She’ll call you if she needs you.”
Reluctantly, Naomi let her husband take her away, leaving Rylla alone.
Or almost alone.
As she turned, she saw Nate still standing silently in the corner.
“Why are you still here?” she demanded, quietly now, the fight draining out of her, pain taking its place.
“I'm staying,” Nate said, just as quietly.
“I don’t want company right now.”
He nodded solemnly. “I want to respect your wishes, but I can't. I'm not leaving you alone at a time like this.”
Why was he being so nice to her all of a sudden? Especially after she’d just insulted both her partner and her best friend.
Rylla could feel her composure cracking.