“Well, well, well . . .” he drawled. “Would you look at that?”
Naomi’s skin prickled. Nothing about his words sounded apologetic.
That shouldn’t surprise her. Still, she’d hoped she was wrong. She’d hoped she’d misread the situation.
All she wanted was to get back in her SUV, lock the doors, and put distance between her and Travis.
She didn’t. Not yet.
She couldn’t show any weakness, or he’d pounce on it.
She forced her voice to remain level as her gaze met Travis’s. “You hit me.”
Travis shrugged. “Anyone ever call you Captain Obvious before?”
She ignored his snide remark. “Did you even slow down at all as you approached the road?”
He smirked—and that was all the confirmation she needed.
This had been on purpose. Somehow, Travis had known Naomi would be coming this way at this exact time of day. He’d been waiting to strike.
She felt certain she’d been targeted—especially given the history between the two of them.
She glanced up and down the road.
It was empty. There were no houses nearby or passing cars.
Only the lonely ribbon of road and trees.
Her pulse thudded harder.
“You should’ve slowed down.” He leered at her. “Road’s tricky here. Thought you’d know that by now being as smart as you are and all.”
“I had the right of way.Youwere supposed to stop.”
His smile widened a fraction, as if he liked the fact that she’d noticed. “Guess we’ll have to call it an accident.”
Something cold slid into place in her chest.
He wanted to catch her alone out here. But why? What exactly was he planning?
She forced her mind not to play worst-case scenarios like reels from a thriller movie.
But a memory tried to slide its prickly fingers around her.
Her attack in New York, she realized. Her body was responding to what her mind couldn’t fully remember.
Her pulse began to race as panic tried to kick in.
She couldn’t let that happen. Not now.
She needed every ounce of strength she could muster.
She steeled herself before saying, “You need to step back.”
Instead, Travis moved closer.
Not close enough to touch her. Just close enough that she had to tip her head back to keep eye contact.
