“Where is your daughter today, Emily? Is it true your custodial rights have been reinstated?”

He does this on purpose. It’s the man’s one skill, and he’s relentless at it. The rapid-fire questions are meant to be frustrating, and they are. I hate his questions. That’s how he gets people to answer.

“Leave me alone.” They’re making it hard to get through, like they always do, but today it’s hard to breathe. Maybe it’s a bigger crowd than I thought. They press closer.

“Did you testify to cover up for Beau Rochester?”

The photographer steps fully into my path. It would be laughable if we were on the open sidewalk. That he has to resort to this to make a living. But we’re not. I’m hemmed in on both sides. My heart thuds with panic, the same way it did when Rhys would hit me. All I could think about was keeping him calm and doing whatever he wanted and making it safe for Paige.

It’s going to be like this forever, I think, helplessness squeezing at my heart and my lungs. It’s just going to last and last until I can’t take it anymore.

A shadow blocks the sun. Someone even closer. At first it startles me, but then I see who it is.

Not a reporter. Mateo.

He stands close, his arm making a barrier around me. “Leave her alone. You’ve had enough. Back up. Back up now.”

They listen to him. He’s obviously used to dealing with photographers and paparazzi, but his voice has an edge of quiet fury. It almost seems like he’s pissed off on my behalf, which can’t be possible. Right now I don’t care. I just want to get out of here, even if Mateo Garza has to be the one to help me.

And he does. He shepherds me through the crowd and to his car, which is waiting at the curb. It’s parked illegally. He opens the door for me, throwing a death glare over his shoulder at the reporters. I get in.

We’re flying through town by the time I catch my breath.

“Why didn’t you have someone escort you out? You had to know they’d be out there.” Mateo’s tone isn’t cruel, but it’s not kind, either.

“I thought it would be fine.” I mean to snap at him, but it comes out shaken instead. I don’t want to make a scene in the courtroom, ever, so I’ve been holding myself in check for hours. Testifying was a nightmare. Joe sat right there and he heard every word. And then that asshole outside. I knew it wouldn’t be fine. Nothing is going to be fine until all of this is finished. I hoped it would be fine. Sometimes it’s all I can do.