Sam heard the mischief in her voice and it turned him on. Hell, everything about the woman turned him on. Even when she was several states away.
He took a long drink from his beer, then asked, “What are you up to this evening?”
“I just left dinner with Jewel, Rogen, and Vin. Nice night. I’m on my way home now, with some asshole tailgater trying to push me down the road.”
“Pull over and let him go around you.”
“I think he’s too close to me for that.” Panic suddenly edged her tone.
Sam tensed, his gut clenching. “Scarlet—”
“Shit! He just put his high beams on and they’re glaring in my rearview mirror!”
Sam set his beer aside and got to his feet. “Scarlet, for God’s sake, pull over.”
“I’m just looking for a sp—” She screamed. “He slammed into me!”
“Scarlet!” Sam’s heart leapt into his throat.
She screamed again.
Sam could hear metal mangling and glass shattering as Scarlet cried out in terror.
And he was helpless to do anything about it.
“Son of a bitch!” he yelled. “Scarlet! Talk to me!”
“I—uh … Oh, God.” Her voice was strained, her breathing jagged.
No!
Fury and fear ripped through Sam. “Scarlet! Say something!”
In the background Sam heard another voice. “This is OnStar. What’s your emergency?”
“I’m upside-down,” Scarlet croaked out. “And I’m stuck.”
Sam listened, his pulse hammering in his head, as Scarlet apparently attempted to free herself from the seat belt. He gripped his cell so tight it was a wonder he didn’t crush the device. His other hand balled at his side. Horror clawed at him.
He didn’t say anything, not wanting to impede the emergency call, but Jesus Christ! He didn’t know how badly hurt she was. Where she was. How difficult it was going to be for someone to get to her.
Sam paced the kitchen as the dispatcher contacted 911 and relayed the accident details to them and Scarlet’s location pinpointed from their GPS capability.
“I’m going to pass out from all the blood rushing to my head if I can’t get out of this belt,” she said.
“Just hold on, darlin’.” Sam’s eyes squeezed shut briefly. This was the absolute worst torture. Reliving the nightmare. Not being able to do anything to save Scarlet just like with Cassidy. “Can you still hear me?”
“You’re on speaker on my cell,” she said on a broken breath.
A heartbeat later Sam heard sirens wail. “Thank God! Someone’s on their way.”
“Yes. I can see the lights.”
“How hurt are you?” Sam asked, trying to keep his anxiety from echoing over the phone.
“I’m bleeding,” she said, her voice weak and raspy. “My forehead. And the shoulder harness pulled too tight when the belt locked up. It dug into the side of my neck. Other than that, I think I’m okay.”
“All right. Just try to stay calm.” He said that as much for himself as for her.