Ride Hard (8 page)

It was her dream phone. She’d thought that she would get it when she saved enough money together. It was so sweet of him to not only remember but act on something that he overheard. She didn’t deserve a man like him. He was simply too good for her.

“Thank you. Yes, I love it.” She hugged the box closer. “It’s exactly what I wanted.”

“Well, open it.” He raised his brow. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. “ She shook her head as she attempted to keep all thoughts out of her head. If he found even a hint that she was upset, he would wriggle the truth out of her, and she couldn’t afford it. “I’m just overwhelmed. Ah! Nick, I think I should open it after I move in.”

His face showed his astonishment. “Why?”

“It’s…I don’t feel good about opening a present before it’s due, you know.” It made no sense, but she couldn’t tell him that she didn’t intend to shift in here with him. That dream of his was never going to come true. Although she felt terrible about the whole situation, but the phone call from Joseph forced her to change her mind. She didn’t have a choice but to run away.

It would break Nick’s heart.

Gabby hated to do that to him, but she didn’t know what else to do. All other options were exhausted. If she didn’t do this, Joseph would kill her and he would hurt or injure anyone who stood in his way. She didn’t want Nick to get into trouble, and for that, she had to take measures to ensure that he never met Joseph.

This was the only way, the right thing to do, and Gabby was determined to do it.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Nick sauntered into the clubhouse, feeling happy and relieved that all the mess was behind them. From now on, they could really look forward to a brighter future. Even though he was disappointed with Bryan and would have liked a chance to teach him a lesson, he appeared to have taken Ronald’s warning to heart and disappeared for good from the city.

Good riddance!

As his gaze took in the festive ribbons Willow and Tasha tied to the ceiling, his billowing rage at Bryan waned. He wouldn’t allow the man to spoil his mood. “Wow! That looks good,” he commented as he stopped at the bar.

Willow was neatly lining the bottles he’d delivered earlier. For this party, Nick went all out to make sure that all arrangements were perfect. The women were doing the decorations and preparing the food, but he personally selected each item and handed it over. This was the beginning of his new life with Gabby, and he wanted it to be a spectacular start into a golden life. He was extremely happy with Gabby. She was the love of his life, and he wanted her to feel special and important.

This party was only the beginning of great things to come.

“Thank you, dear, but this is nothing compared to the way your girl is looking,” said Willow. “I must admit that I’d something to do with that. If Tasha and I didn’t insist that she pick the right dress, she might have attended this party in jeans.”

“And she would’ve rocked in it,” he said with a cheeky grin. “But I appreciate your effort.”

She wriggled her eyebrows as she stood and leaned against the counter. “You’re besotted, aren’t you?”

Nick laughed. “I guess I am.”

“She is a rare find, that girl. But her heart’s delicate. The bruises on it are fading fast but I can still feel the pain that she felt all these years,” said Willow. “Treat her gently.”

He lifted her hand and pressed it to his lips. “Oh, I intend to, and I am grateful that you’re also looking out for her. It means a lot to me, and to her.”

She tugged free her hand. “Go on now, you’re going to make me cry.”

Nick went upstairs. As he was going up, his gaze was drawn to the kitchen where preparations were on in full swing. He stopped by to say hello and also to check if everything was alright. Although he came to the clubhouse for a meeting with Ronald, he wanted to ask Gabby if she wanted him to take her luggage back to his house. That way, she could leave after the party with him and they wouldn’t have to wait for another night. He was well aware that she was dragging her feet about this. Initially, he’d tried his best to be patient, but now he was becoming a little irritated. It wasn’t just that she appeared reluctant to move in, but also the fact that she wasn’t being herself.

Could it be that she said yes to him in a moment of enthusiasm and was now regretting her decision? If that was the case, he would prefer if she flat out told him. Gabby wasn’t the sort of girl who played games. She was straightforward and upright, and he loved that about her. It was one of the qualities that attracted him to her, but now she was being evasive and secretive. And he hated to see her like that.

Was she so averse to commitment that she didn’t even want to live under one roof?

She loved him, even though she never said the words. Damn it! He knew it in his heart. No woman could make love to him the way she did and not feel anything genuine. But lately, he was having serious misgivings about her behavior. If she didn’t straighten out, he might have to confront her.

But not today!

It was their celebration dinner and he didn’t want anything to spoil it.

As he raised his hand to knock on her door, he heard her talking to someone. Tasha? Or the new girl who just arrived yesterday? Nick knocked on the door and opened it. He strode inside. The room was empty. Gabby was shoving her phone in the purse. Her smile was bright, overly so. “Hi.”

“Hello, babe! All packed up.” He noticed the bags that lay in the corner. It still amazed him that a person could pack their entire belonging in such small suitcases. When she arrived, she had only one, and now at least, there was another. It was progress. Slowly and steadily, she was becoming a normal person. “Who were you talking to?”

“It’s…I…it was Tasha.”

He couldn’t believe her audacity. On another day, he might not have given this another thought. He wouldn’t have even bothered to read anything on her face. But today, he could see the lies that swirled in her eyes. He hated the whole damned thing. Why would she feel the need to tell him untruths? Whom was she talking to?

Was it someone he didn’t approve of? But then he never told her how to live her life. She was free to be friends with anyone she chose. He never dictated his will on her, and he didn’t intend to start now. So why would she hide stuff from him?

Nick folded his arms over his chest as he tried to think. Frankly, he was tired of tiptoeing around her. It was time to make things clear. “It couldn’t be Tasha. I just saw her in the kitchen on my way over, and she gave me her phone because it was broken and needed to be fixed.”

Gabby opened her mouth and closed it. “I don’t have to tell you everything.”

His eyebrow rose at the bold statement. Anger swept through his nerves, but he stomped on it viciously. He wouldn’t give in to his basic impulses. All through his life, whatever tough times he had, Nick always made it a point to behave like a gentleman with women. Perhaps it was a lofty ideal given the environment he lived in but he clung to it because it made him feel good. It didn’t matter how much she annoyed him, he wouldn’t raise a hand.

“You’re right, but your lies raise suspicions in my heart. Do you want that?”

Her tongue darted out to moisten her lips. Tears pooled in her eyes. That was such a surprising sight that his anger fizzled fast. He’d never seen her cry. She tried her best to hide her emotions. Gabby wasn’t the kind of girl who dissolved into tears at the slightest insult or rebuke. She was made of sterner stuff, but right now, she looked vulnerable, scared. He hated to see her like that.

For now, Nick decided to back off. If she wanted to spin lies and feed him garbage, he would accept that. Perhaps it was important to her to keep this thing a secret. He didn’t understand, but he would do his best to do so.

“Please give me a little time,” she pleaded. “Everything will become clear.”

Having already decided to not ask more questions, he simply nodded. “Do you want me to take your bags?”

Fresh fear exploded over her face. “No, I…I’ve got some things in the cupboard. Tomorrow, we can take them.”

She was lying again. With an effort, nick curbed his temper. Not now! Not this way! Sooner or later, she would’ve to come clean. “Do you want me to do something about the party?”

She sucked in a deep breath. “No! It’s all done. The food is ready. Willow has everything under control. I’m going to get dressed and go down in a little while.”

“I’ll go home and change then,” he said. “See you in a while.”

For the first time since he met Gabby, Nick was disappointed as he walked out and strode downstairs. This wasn’t the woman he fell in love with. The woman he cared for and admired wasn’t a liar. What would make her spin these tales that he couldn’t believe? Only one possibility sprang to his mind. She was having an affair.

The thought even as it ran in his mind froze his inside. He couldn't move, couldn’t even take another step. All the breath whooshed out of his lungs and Nick felt lightheaded. No way. That couldn't be true. But if that was true, it explained her behavior. If she was interested in another man, she wouldn’t want to shift with him. That would curb her freedom and wouldn’t give her the chance to meet the man she liked. If that was true, it explained her shady behavior such as talking on the phone.

Shit!

Was he blind? How could this possibility not occur to him before?

“Hey man, what’s up?” said Matt in a loud voice as he climbed up the stairs.

Startled, Nick shifted. “Alright. What are you doing here?”

Matt raised his eyebrow at Nick’s abrupt tone. “I’ve recruited to deliver this to Gabby.” He held up the packet in his hand. “It’s some beads or necklaces or some such thing that Tasha lent to her.”

Nick resisted the urge to snatch the package from his hand. In his current state of mind, he didn’t want to barge into her room again. And also, he didn’t think Matt was the one having an affair with Gabby. And perhaps, he was wrong. It could probably be his imagination that as going wild. “Go right ahead. I will see you at the party.”

“Yeah, sure, man.” Nick must have detected something in Nick’s voice because he didn’t immediately start to climb up. Ignoring him, Nick wound his way down. He didn’t talk to anyone else. Instead, he walked out of the clubhouse.

Surely, he was wrong.

He couldn’t possibly be right.

Gabby wasn’t the sort of woman who juggled two men at the same time. She was honest and decent. If she didn’t love it, she would have told him straight out. Why would she lie to him and sleep with another man?

But nothing else fit her behavior as well as this theory.

Ronald was waiting outside with Willow. They were also headed back home to get dressed. The two of them were together for more than fifteen years now. Sometimes he looked at them and his heart swelled with an ache. He wanted the same love that they shared with each other. For years, they were with each other through thick and thin. When he found Gabby, Nick had naively assumed that he’d found something similar. Given time, he expected to grow old with Gabby.

Now, it looked as his dreams would never come to fruition.  

“Hey, how is the man of the moment?” Ronald’s grin damn near broke his head. “Ready to tie the old yolk around your neck, boy? She is moving in. That’s a huge deal.”

Willow poked him in his tummy. “Don’t scare the boy. You love living with me, and he is going to cherish this too. Gabby is a great girl.”

Ronald winked at Nick. “Sure, that is true. But there is no end to the nagging, I tell you that. Pick up the towel. Don’t leave the dirty dishes in the sink. Fold the laundry and put it in. I may be boss in this clubhouse, but she works me like a slave in the house.”

“Me? Nag?” Willow put her hands on her hips. Another time, her indignant expression might have amused Nick, but now he couldn’t think straight. “You just wait till we get home, Ronald James Mathew!”

“See, this is exactly what I am talking about.” Ronald gripped her arm and marched her towards the bike. “Nag! Nag! Nag!”

They bickered all the way to the bike, but he helped her strap on the helmet, and when she rode behind him, her arms went around his waist in a loving manner. Willow waved to him before they sped off. Nick didn’t bother to wave back. He was feeling too depressed, but maybe he was blowing this whole thing out of proportion. Surely, his sweet, loving Gabby couldn’t be cheating on him with another man. She loved him. Maybe she hadn’t said the right words back, but that didn’t mean anything. They shared a perfect relationship, and soon she would fall into his rhythm. Life was good, and he should read too much into minor incidents.

Nothing could deter him from his goal of taking her home tomorrow, and once she lived with him, their lives would settle down and they would be happy forever.