Page 62 of Property of Spike

But I can feel the change in the air. Like the tension before a storm. His presence is suddenly heavier, a force that vibrates in the very air around us.

I feel his hand, warm and steady on my waist, his fingertips pressing against the small of my back, the gentle reassurance that he’s still in control. He doesn’t need to raise his voice or throw a punch. He’s the kind of man who makes you feel his anger without a single word. But then, in the silence that stretches, his voice comes, low, controlled, like the growl of a predator preparing to strike.

“You’re pathetic, Chuck,” Spike says, his voice like gravel scraping against metal. “You don’t get to talk to her like that. Not anymore. And you sure as hell don’t get to talk about her like that in front of me.”

Spike gently moves one step forward, causing me to take a step backward, his boots heavy against the ground. The sound cuts through the quiet between us like a warning. Every muscle in his body is tight, and his energy radiates like a wildfire ready to spread.

I hear Chuck take a step, but he still tries to hold onto that bravado when he says, “Do you think it’s a good idea to threaten me, Spike?”

Spike doesn’t even blink. “I don’t need to threaten you. The second you stepped onto this property, you already fucked up.One wrong move from you, Commissioner, and my man on that side of the gate will drop you before your next breath.”

“You took my family away from me,” Chuck says, his voice almost whiney. “I’m here to take them home.”

Spike’s voice is deadly quiet but filled with power. “Not happening. You can keep running your mouth, Chuck, but remember, I’m not the one who’ll regret it. You’re already digging your own grave.”

The weight of his words hangs in the air, and even though Chuck is still standing there, I can practically feel the change in him. The uncertainty.

Spike’s hand moves from my waist, sliding down to grip the hem of my shirt, pulling me closer against him. “This is your last warning,” he says, his voice so steady and calm that it’s downright terrifying. “Don’t come near my fucking compound again. Cop or not, I’ll tear your black heart out with my bare hands.”

“Listen here, you can’t threaten me,” Chuck says nasally. “I can have you arrested right on the spot.”

“It wasn’t a threat, Charles. It was a fucking promise.”

Whatever Chuck was about to say, Spike silences it with a look. Sharp, piercing, and full of promise. Chuck hesitates, and in that moment, I know he knows Spike means every word.

Finally, without another word, Chuck slams the door of his car, the engine roaring to life as he speeds away, leaving us standing there, undisturbed but for the silence that follows.

Spike watches the SUV disappear into the distance. He stands tall, unmovable, like the storm that’s passed, leaving only calm in its wake. But I can feel the intensity, the fury still humming beneath his skin.

He looks down at me, his eyes softening, the fire in them dimming as he takes in the sight of me. His gaze lingers on Asher, tucked safely in my arms, before landing back on me.

“You okay?” he asks, his voice a little softer now but still filled with that same protective edge.

I nod, but there’s a tightness in my chest I can’t shake. “I think so. But... what if he comes back?”

“He won’t,” Spike growls. “And even if he does, he can’t enter those gates without probable cause or a warrant. Which he has no reason for either. I own every bit of land my clubs live on. He has no legal rights to enter otherwise.”

I swallow hard, still feeling the weight of what just happened, but in Spike’s arms, I know that we’re safe.

“You’re mine, Riley,” Spike says quietly. “Both of you. And nobody touches what’s mine. Not ever.”

There’s something in the way he says it, a finality in his tone that makes my heart skip a beat. I lean back to face him, feeling the weight of his words settle into my bones.

“I know,” I whisper, my voice catching as I look up at him.

“From now on, no walking the grounds alone,” he says, guiding me to the main building. “Anytime you want to take a walk, just let me know. If I’m not available, I’ll make sure someone is. That goes for Abby, as well.”

“What goes for Abby?” the woman in question asks as we enter the building.

“No more walking around without an escort,” Spike answers.

“Oh, no worries there, Bubby,” she says softly. “I don’t even walk from my house to the main building unless there are several people outside.”

“Let me rephrase,” he says, stopping and staring down at both of us. “No more walking around without one of my officers by your sides. Now, Skip has decided he wants to cook for the club tonight, so I’m ordering something. How does fried chicken sound?”

Skip chooses that moment to walk in the room and his shocked face has both me and Abby laughing.

“Fucker,” he says, trying to hide his grin. “I’ll have you know that my chicken is a hell of a lot better than wherever you’re ordering from. Abby and Riley are gonna love it.”

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