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He had known the killer wouldn’t walk away from Rylla if he had decided she was the woman he had been searching for, but hearing her confirm it made his blood turn to ice. He wasnotgoing to lose the woman he loved. He would kill that man if he tried to get to Rylla again. He would kill anyone who tried to hurt Rylla.
July31st
1:22 A.M.
The scream jolted him out of the light sleep he had been hovering in since taking Rylla up to bed after her partner had left.
Screams.
Rylla.
With his heart in his throat, Nate jumped out of the bed in Rylla’s spare room and ran to the room across the hall.
Gun in hand, he threw open the door, expecting to see Rylla fighting with the killer.
Instead, the room was empty except for Rylla.
She lay in her bed, under a sheet, ramrod straight, her body wasn't moving at all as though whatever she was dreaming had her paralyzed in fear. Her face was pasty and beaded in sweat, a look of abject terror marred her features.
Another scream was ripped from her throat.
He ran to the bed and grabbed hold of her shoulders. Her bare skin was icy cold to the touch, and small tremors were rippling through her. He shook her. “Rylla.”
She moaned. The most pitiful sound he had ever heard. His heart was hammering in his chest, he couldn’t stand to see her suffering like this.
“Rylla.” He shook her again. “Wake up. Come on.” He gave her another shake, but she remained trapped within her nightmare. He wanted to shake her harder, but he was concerned about hurting her, the square white bandage taped to her throat was a stark reminder that she had almost been killed just a few hours ago. “Rylla,” he begged, “wake up, please.”
Nate gave her one more shake and her eyes finally popped open. They were wild and disoriented. She was awake but she wasn't.
He took her face in his hands and turned it, so she was looking at him. “Rylla,” he said softly, “it’s Nate. You were dreaming. Nightmares.”
It took a moment but slowly her eyes cleared, and she drew in a shuddering breath. He wasn't ready to let go of her yet, so he sat on the edge of the bed and ran his hands down her shoulders, along her arms, and settled them on her hips.
“Are you okay?”
She nodded.
“Were you dreaming about being attacked?”
“No,” her voice shook, he wasn't used to seeing Rylla like this, scared and vulnerable. “Well, yes, but not just that. Everything. My parents, Mila’s death, someone going after her kids, what happened last night, Josh and Elianna.”
Nate withdrew his hands. Doubts immediately creeping back in. It wasn't that he wanted to be thinking this way, but he knew that Rylla still loved her husband, there was a photo of the two of them with their baby daughter on the nightstand. Did she have room in her heart for him too?
Rylla sighed and struggled to sit up. “You have to stop doing that, Nate.”
“Doing what?” he feigned innocence. Rylla should be resting, and he wasn't ready for this conversation yet. Right now, he wanted to focus on keeping her safe. They could talk once the Fairytale Killer was in custody or dead.
“Stop sending me mixed signals. I like you, I think I've made that clear. I think you like me too but you keep pulling back. Yesterday you were great. You were the reason I got through the day. But now as soon as I mention my husband you pull away. Josh is dead, it’s not like I'm going to leave you to go back to him. So why? Why do you keep sending me mixed messages?”
He might not be ready to have this conversation, but it seemed like they were having it regardless. “I'm afraid.”
“Of what?”
“My last marriage didn't end well.”
Rylla settled herself against the headboard and reached for his hand. “I know that your ex took your son out of the country. I'm so sorry, I know what it feels like to lose a child,” she said sympathetically.
Only Rylla had lost her daughter forever, he still had hope that one day he would have a relationship with Andrew.
