Page 55 of Property of Spike

“Then there’s you,” I say, my voice trembling ever so slightly. “You’re different. I feel it when you’re near me. Something about you... it just clicks, even though I’m not sure I understand how or why. It’s like a part of me wants to be close to you, wants to never let you out of my sight. But another part of me... I don’t know if I’m the woman you need. I don’t know how to be that for you.”

I bite my lip, feeling vulnerable, but it’s the truth. Spike might want me, but I’m scared that I won’t be able to give him what he deserves.

He leans in closer, his expression unreadable for a moment, before his hands gently cup my face. “Riley,” he says, his voice soft but firm, “You’re not some perfect fucking woman with all the answers. And I don’t expect you to be. All I care about is that you’re here. You and Asher are mine now. And I’ll take care of everything. All you have to do is trust me. Let me be the one to protect you, to make sure you’re never in a situation like the one you were in with Chuck. You don’t have to be anyone you’re not. Just be with me.”

His thumb traces my cheekbone, and I feel my heart race in response to the tenderness of his touch.

“I get it,” he continues, his gaze softening. “You’ve been through hell, and it’s hard to let go of that fear. I know you’renot used to being treated like you matter. But you do. You matter to me. And I’ll prove it to you every fucking day if that’s what it takes.”

I look into his eyes, searching for any sign of insincerity, but all I find is raw determination. And something else. Something deeper that tugs at my chest. Something I haven’t allowed myself to feel in a long time.

“You don’t have to be perfect, Riley,” he adds, his voice low and steady. “You just need to be real with me. And right now, all I want… all I need… is you.”

“I need you, too,” I admit, my voice a little shaky. “But I also need us to go slow. I need to make sure that what I’m feeling for you isn’t just because you saved me. I need room to find my place in this world. I know you want to take care of us, but I need to know that I can do that myself, too.”

“I can do that, baby,” he replies gently. “Whatever you want to do in life, I’ll support you completely. But right now, all I really need is to kiss you. Is that okay? Just a small taste?”

Feeling shy and uncertain, I nod, my heart racing in anticipation.

“Thank fuck,” he mutters before leaning in, his lips brushing against mine. He doesn’t push for more but licks my lips softly, placing several long, tender kisses on them before pulling back.

I let out a small whine as his heat leaves me, and he chuckles at the sound.

“Time to feed our boy, baby,” he says with a grin. “He smells his mama’s milk, and he’s on the hunt.”

Looking down, I can’t help but laugh. Asher’s little mouth is wide open, and he’s bobbing his head around like he’s searching for a nipple to latch onto.

I look up at Spike, expecting him to leave, but instead, he smirks, crosses his arms, and leans against the wall, clearly settling in.

“Not going anywhere, baby,” he says, his voice thick with desire. “Watching you nurse our boy is the sexiest fucking thing I’ve ever seen. Might even make it a club law that every time you nurse, you ring a bell, and all business stops. That way, I can sit down and watch you, no distractions.”

“Caveman,” I laugh, trying to summon the courage to pull my boob out, my cheeks flushing under his heated gaze.

I can feel Spike’s eyes on me as I shyly pull my shirt up since the neckline won’t stretch down far enough. I’m fully aware of my already plump body being even more so because of my belly, but I try not to think about it. I take a deep breath, trying to push past the shyness and shift Asher’s little body closer before pulling my bra off one breast. His tiny hands instinctively reach for me, and I help guide him to latch.

His little mouth presses against me, and my heart swells with a mix of emotions. Love for my son, gratitude for Spike and his men, and something deeper. There’s just something about Spike that calls to me. It can’t be the fact that he saved me. He isn’t the only one who has. Shoot, he isn’t even the one who found a way to get Asher back. And yet…

Spike doesn’t look away as I nurse. His gaze is steady, intense, as he watches the most natural, intimate moment I’ve ever had. There’s no judgment, no rush. Just a quiet reverence in the way he observes. It feels... right.

I take a shaky breath, trying to steady myself. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt this exposed, this vulnerable,” I admit.

Spike tilts his head, his voice soft but full of conviction. “You’re not exposed, baby. You’re strong. You’re doing the hardest thing in the world right now…taking care of him. And I admire the hell out of you for it.”

His words settle over me like a warm blanket, soothing away the remnants of my unease. I meet his eyes and find somethingin them. Something I can’t name yet, but it feels like safety. A kind of shelter that’s been missing in my life for so long.

Asher lets out a soft, contented sound, and I look down, smiling at my son. “At least one of us is happy,” I whisper.

Spike chuckles, low and rich, and the sound vibrates through the room. “You have no idea how happy you make me, Riley. And I’ll do everything in my power to make you happy.”

I shift slightly, cradling Asher a little more securely. “I don’t know how I’m going to do all this,” I say quietly. “Being a mom, a woman, and... everything else. It feels like there’s too much.”

“You don’t have to do it all on your own,” Spike says, his voice low and reassuring. “You’ve got me. And I’m not going anywhere.”

His words wrap around me like a promise.

We sit in silence for a moment, the only sound in the room the quiet rhythm of Asher feeding. I can feel the weight of what we’ve just shared, the unspoken bond growing between us. There’s a future here. One that feels uncertain but also full of possibility.

All I have to do is reach out and grab it.

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