I wretched again, then looked up into Liam’s deep blue eyes. In them, I saw frustration, but there was a hint of concern as well. To my complete and utter embarrassment, I burst into tears.

He backed off, hands in the air as if I’d threatened him with a gun or knife. “Oh, shit.”

Then, with a sigh, he pulled me off my knees and into his embrace. I buried my face in his chest and sobbed. God, I wished I’d had someone to hold me like this eleven years ago. I’d needed comforting so badly. That thought only makes the tears come harder.

“I’m sorry,” I sniffed. “I’ll be better in a minute.”

He cradled the back of my head and murmured gentle nothings. I shut my eyes. Despite the circumstances, it felt good to be close to him. But I couldn’t stay in his arms, so I pulled back and swiped at my cheeks. “I’m okay now.”

He gave me a dubious look. “Go sit in the cab. Wait for us there.”

I started toward the fire engine, but then caught sight of a man kneeling beside a car parked behind it. He was holding a camera, aimed at me. A flash went off. I blinked, startled. Then I saw red. This was surely the same asshole who’d photographed me outside the fire station. He must have followed us to the accident, and now he was snapping pictures while my insides felt like they were getting torn out and an injured man was fighting for his life.

Every morsel of training I’d had advised me to leave the paparazzi alone. To ignore them and maintain my dignity. But any self-control I had was long gone. I ran toward him, yelling words that didn’t even make sense. His eyes widened, and he leapt into his car and jerked it into motion, swinging it around just as I reached him. I kicked the back bumper as he screeched away.

Damn. I muttered under my breath as I stalked back to the engine. How had he found me here? What did he want? And what on earth was he going to do with those photographs?

I pulled myself up into the cab, sank onto a seat, and belted myself in. Then I closed my eyes, embarrassed that Liam and his team had witnessed my breakdown. Liam probably thought my reaction had been a result of how disturbing the scene was. He didn’t know about how I’d lost Mom and Malcolm.

I needed to get out of here. To retreat to the safety of my cottage and talk to someone who understood.

I needed Blair.