“Bring it on, asshole,” she growled under her breath.
Furious, she opened her trunk and dumped her bags inside, then slamming it shut. She made sure no one was inside her car before she got in, and once inside, she engaged the locks and started the engine. She backed out and drove a short distance to a clear area in the parking lot, an area where she couldn’t be blocked in by someone else’s car, for instance, and consulted her phone. There was a Home Depot not far away. That would work.
On a mission, she drove the few miles to the large store and headed inside. Half an hour later, she was stomping back to her car loaded for bear, armed with mace, a taser, and a key fob with an alarm that would shriek loud enough to wake the dead. She wasdonewith being a victim, sick to death of people playing games with her, messing with her mind, driving her over the edge. After a lifetime of being emotionally battered by her aunt and mother, she was finally beginning to be able to look forward to some kind of life, and now this. Her cat added its strength to her fury, echoing the complete rejection of yet more threats, her contempt of the sheer cowardice of whoever or whatever this was, not even having the decency to face her directly.
“You want to mess with me, fucker,” she raged as she pulled out of the parking lot, wheels squealing, “give it your best shot. I fuckingdareyou!”
She made it almost to the highway before remembering there was such a thing as a speed limit. She glanced guiltily into the rear-view mirror, relieved to see no flashing lights behind her. She drove the rest of the way to the bed and breakfast in a more circumspect manner. She was still shaken, however, and grateful to lock her bedroom door behind her. She dropped her purse and shopping bags just inside the door, and crossed the room to collapse onto her bed.
She must have fallen asleep, because the next thing she knew a knock at her door had her stirring groggily. She slid off the bed and went to the door.
“Who’s there?” She called, too unnerved by the day’s events to be willing to open the door without knowing who was on the other side. Not even here in this inn where she was safe, protected by the inn’s unknown but apparently powerful magic.
“It’s Liam.”
“Oh!” She hurried to unlock the door, throwing it open with a smile. “Hi!”
He took in her rumpled hair and clothes, and chuckled. “Napping?”
“Yeah.” She opened the door wider, stepping back. “Come in?”
Liam’s brows rose as he took in the jumble of bags on the floor. “You’ve been shopping with a vengeance.”
She chuckled, going to sit in one of the chairs at the small table by the balcony doors, waving Liam toward the other.
“I figured I’d need some clothes for my new job, plus I needed warmer clothing in general… sweaters, heavy socks, that kind of thing. Later on I’ll start looking at getting stuff for snow… coat, boots, chains for the car.”
“Good thinking,” Liam approved.
“So, um,” she started, then paused, not knowing how to begin. The anger she’d felt earlier had drained away, leaving her with the coldness of fear. “Liam, remember this morning, when I thought there was something outside, watching?”
He nodded, sitting up alertly. “Yes. Angus felt it too, when he went outside. At least, he said someone had been there.”
“I felt it again today. Twice.” She shivered, hugging her arms about her middle. “I’d stopped on the way to the mall to get my car washed and detailed. I was just leaving when I felt it.”
His eyes narrowed, darkening with concern. “Did you see anyone? Did anyone approach you?”
“No,” she shook her head. “Nothing. So I drove around about half an hour, made sure no one was following me. Then I went on to the mall, and did a ton of shopping. I didn’t get any hint of danger, until I left the mall and was almost to my car.”
She shivered again, and reached over to the bed to drag the comforter off, wrapping herself in its thick folds. “Liam, I’m really scared. I’m not imagining it, either. My cat felt it, too. She felt like it was a predator, and that there was danger.”
“I don’t think you’re imagining it.” Liam moved his chair closer to hers, and put his arm about her shoulders, pulling her into a close embrace. “Remember, Angus confirmed what you sensed this morning.”
She burrowed into him. “This totally sucks.”
He chuckled. “Anything that makes you want me to hold you, can’t totally suck.”
She had to laugh at that, raising her head from his shoulder. Feeling bold, she confessed, “I like having you hold me.”
Liam leaned down to nuzzle her hair. “That’s a good thing, because I like it, too. I’m going to have to stop holding you, though, if we’re going to go out to dinner.”
Naomi raised a brow. “Are we going out to dinner?”
He stood up, and reached out a hand, pulling her to her feet. “We are,” he confirmed. “We have to celebrate your new job, remember?”
“Oh!” She’d forgotten her excitement, in all the fear and anger. “That’s right! Yes, we do have to celebrate! Give me a few minutes to change?”
“Yeah, I have to change too. Meet you in the hallway in ten?”
