Ride Hard by Evelyn Glass Read Free Book Online Page A

he muttered a loud oath as he collapsed on top.
     
    As always, their lovemaking was wild and fast. Nick rolled off her and drew her against him. He could feel her heart thump in her chest as she lay quietly.
     
    “I love you, babe!” he said the words quietly.
     
    She heard them but her lips didn’t move. Something shriveled in his chest. Why couldn’t she return his feelings with ease?
     
    As they straightened on the bed and lay down to sleep, Nick kept a hand on her back as she spooned into his body. He loved her with a passion that was hard to describe, and yet he felt that she wasn’t ready to accept such an offering. She was scared, still. He could accept it, live with it – but what if she didn’t love back? At times, he knew that she felt as strongly as he did, but there were instances when insecurity crept through him. What if he was wrong? What if she didn’t feel the same way about him?
     
    If that happened, he didn’t know what he would do.
     
    For now, he was willing to be a patient man, but for how long could he continue like this? It wasn’t fair. And yet, he wasn’t prepared to force her to make a decision. Love needed to be felt, it couldn’t be wormed out of a person on demand. And surely, she would understand the depths of his feelings sooner or later. He sure hoped the time came before his patience ran out.
     
    He didn’t want to lose Gabby, but he also didn’t wish to be with someone who wasn’t prepared to commit the way he wanted. This was important to him, and he wanted the whole nine yards. He desired a lifetime, not a few snatched moments here and there.
     
    Was Gabby prepared for such a change?
     
    Did she want the same things as him?
     
    What if she wasn’t?
     
    Fear skidded through his heart as he drifted into a restless sleep. Gabby was the love of his life, but if she didn’t feel the same way, he would rather end things now than to linger on and increase his pain.
     
    Only time would tell as to how this would work out.
     
     

CHAPTER SIX
     
    She’d heard him say the words. Her heart nearly stopped when he uttered them, but Gabby couldn’t bring herself to repeat the sentiments. Of course, she felt it. She was plain crazy about the man. He was the love of her life. No other man meant as much. No other person invoked the same feelings that he did. But saying them out aloud might jinx everything. Was it easy for Nick to say the words? She didn’t know. But she was scared that he might realize that he made a mistake and declared his feelings too early.
     
    Perhaps it was pessimistic of her, but she still couldn’t fully believe that this happiness she enjoyed wouldn’t be snatched away in one way or the other. Maybe Nick would fall out of love, or he would realize that she wasn’t worthy of his attention, or perhaps she would be forced to run away if Joseph didn’t leave her alone.
     
    Anything could happen in the future, and if she made a commitment and he decided to go in another direction, she would be left naked emotionally. She couldn’t handle a betrayal like that.
     
    As she sat in the police station with her lawyer and Nick, Gabby nervously wrung her hands together. Ever since she was forced to join Joseph’s gaggle of girls, the fear of police was drummed into her. She never approached one, even when he beat her black and blue. Some policemen were on the take and since she didn’t exactly know who they were, she steered clear. If she’d ever approached the police and he got to know, he would have killed her.
     
    And even now, if he ever got his hands on her, he would make rue the day she hatched up this scheme along with Nick. When they were summoned inside the office, she sucked in a deep breath of air. It was about to start, and she’d no idea how this would end.
     
    Nick gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. “I can’t come with you, love. You’ve to go with James.” He was the lawyer, and although Gabby liked him, she would have much