A Gambling Heart: A BWWM Billionaire Romance Read Online Free PDF Page A

beach bum and never want for anything. I didn’t want people to think that of me.
    I loved cars next only to my first love – racing. That was the simple reason I did it. The excitement of having a powerful car respond to your slightest touch was exhilarating. It has brought me to all parts of the world. The money that came with the endorsement was just icing on the cake.
    I couldn’t complain. I had acquired things that most people would spend all their lives working for. An apartment in New York, a villa in Spain, a yacht at the marina, a Piper Saratoga, and my car collection, were fruits of putting my life on the line each time I entered the Formula One Grand Prix.
    “Gareth, take the Volvo for a test drive tomorrow. I’ll call the crew and make sure the track is safe. It’s dusk and you know how the light can fool the eye. Even with an expert like you.”
    I laughed at his concern and replied, “One turn around the track, Steve. Just let me scratch this itch.”
    Steve knew what that meant. It was a fever that most race car drivers suffered – the desire to hold the wheel and push the pedal to the metal. It was a fever that could only be appeased with speed. I opened the door of the Volvo as Steve scrambled and came rushing after me. He had a helmet in his hand. “At least put this on,” he begged. I decided to humor him and did as he asked.
    I switched on the ignition and was rewarded by the powerful thrum of the motor. I tapped on the accelerator with my foot. The motor sounded smooth.
    “Don’t wait up for me,” I said, dismissing him, but knowing he’d still be there when I got back.
    If Steve had his way he would tuck me into bed every night just to guarantee I was safe and sound. The track was only a couple of miles long and I intended to make a few circuits with the Volvo.
    I glanced at the speedometer as it climbed from 50 to 100 mph. I settled for 120 mph, taking the turns with ease. The windows were down and the rush of cool evening air felt good on my face.
    I passed a few collapsible bollards and net meshing as I added pressure on the gas pedal. This was what I loved about driving fast. The sensation that man and machine were one and flying through the air. There was no greater feeling. The sense of freedom and exhilaration was difficult to describe. This was also the time when my instincts were at their keenest. I knew the sausage kerb was in the next turn.
    I looked ahead and saw it. But there was something different about the way it was positioned. It should have been lying against the side of the turn. That was its main purpose, to protect the drivers from hitting the wall.
    Instead, the sausage kerb was spread across the track. The crew must have dismantled it, intending to put it away, and left it there. I didn’t give prior notice that I intended to use the track tonight. My mistake.
    Two things hit my mind simultaneously. If I stepped on the brakes the car would spin out of control and hit the wall. Or it could flip over and pin me beneath it. Either way could kill me.
    At the rate I was speeding, there was no other possible conclusion. Another option was for me to jump the sausage kerb and hopefully land upright.
    I could damage the tires, but tires were replaceable. My life wasn’t. When I told Steve earlier the airbags were state of the art, I meant I could launch it manually. Most airbags would wait for the moment of impact before inflating. Now was a good time to find out if those airbags were worth every penny I paid for.
    I took a deep breath as I braced myself for what was ahead. I was approaching the sausage kerb by the second. As soon as my tires hit, I was launched into the air like a space shuttle.
    I hit the manual button and felt the whoosh of the airbag as it pushed me back into the seat. I came down to earth and heard a tire blow as the car hit the ground. The impact was more severe than I expected as I felt myself thrown down hard with the Volvo. I lost consciousness