Free Ride Hard by Evelyn Glass Page A

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