Page 89 of Riding Hard

Flicking my gaze to the fancy cursive lettering shouldn’t turn me on, but it does.

Extremely.

Loot.

Pressing my thighs together, I wonder how long I can hold off. I doubt very long. I’ve never wanted a man more than I want Slade Voss. And I want him all the damn time. When he’s near, when I just think about him… it doesn’t matter.

I want him every minute of every day. I have to wonder if there’s something wrong with me, but I’m also not sure I care.

Turning back around to the mirror, I take in my reflection. Elodie talked me into my first little black dress. The sleeves are flowy and stop just below my elbows, then bell out to skim my forearms.

It’s shorter than I would normally wear, and the lacy deep V goes down past my breasts. Thankfully, I don’t have much there, so even though the center of my chest is exposed, there’s no chance of anything popping out.

“Let’s go show your man his wedding gift.”

Sinking my teeth into my bottom lip, I turn again, squaring my shoulders as I look across to her. “Let’s go show him.”

Wedding gift.

That’s exactly what it is, because our wedding day is just a month away. I’m sure it’s too soon. Nobody in their right mind would marry someone they hardly know, but here I am, ready to leap.

To jump directly into his arms.

I love him more than I imagined I could ever love another person.

We leave Elodie’s place, and Alex is already waiting in the car for us. We head straight for the clubhouse. It doesn’t take us long to get there, and I’m lost in thought for the entire drive.

My gaze focuses on the tattoo at my wrist again. I wonder when or if I’ll ever get tired of seeing his name on my skin. I can’t believe this is real. That I’ve marked my body, and in just a few short weeks, I’m going to have this man’s last name.

Voss.

Juliette Voss.

I’ve never wanted anything more. All of the pain, heartache, and fear were worth it because it led me to him.

To Slade.

I would have never found him had I stayed in Los Angeles. I wouldn’t have even found him if I’d stayed in Las Vegas. My running from Victor was the only way I was going to find him, which meant Victor had to chase me and scare the absolute hell out of me. But it was worth it.

I’ll never regret my time with him. I can be angry with him. I can vow to never forget what he did to me or how he made me feel, but the hate I had for him has vanished. And that’s because Slade has loved all that hate out of me.

My life is fuller and better than I could have ever imagined in a million years. The past doesn’t matter any longer. I don’t have to look over my shoulder or listen to every single noise in the night.

I sleep now. Peacefully. I sleep beside the man who would burn the world down for me. I would let him, too, because I know it would be in complete and total love. Not to control me or hurt me, but to protect me.

And I’ve never been happier.

We pull up to the clubhouse, and I’m the first one out of the car. I see him there. His back leaning against the building, his gaze focused on me. I close the distance between us, probably moving faster than I should in these wedge sandals, but I don’t care… He’d catch me if I fell.

“You good, honey?” he asks as soon as I am in front of him.

My lips slowly curve up into a smile. “I’m not,” I say. I’m great, not just good, but I don’t say that. “There’s something going on with my wrist. Will you look at it for me?”

Without a word, he reaches for my arm, and I expect him to roughly pull it toward him, but he doesn’t. Instead, his fingers gently curl around my wrist, and he guides it closer to his chest.

I watch as his chin dips slightly, then his eyes scan my flesh. He looks, then blinks, then I suck in a breath and hold it as it registers what I’ve just done.

“Honey,” he rasps. “You did it?”