Page 9 of Property of Spike

The weight of my words makes the air in the room grow heavy, even catching me off guard with how fiercely they come out. Tank raises an eyebrow, but he doesn’t comment. The guys outside quickly find something else to do.

“Really?” Tank mutters under his breath, smirking. “You had to bring up Bones? People are terrified of that bastard.”

I ignore him and crouch next to Riley, frowning at the awkward angle of her neck. “You think we should take the kid out of the carrier?”

Tank crosses his arms, studying them both. “Hell if I know. Doesn’t seem right to mess with them, though. She’s got the baby in there tight, and the kid doesn’t seem uncomfortable.”

“Agreed,” I say. “We’ll leave them be and keep watch. If anything seems off, we’ll figure it out.”

I grab a pillow from the other end of the couch, carefully lifting her head just enough to slide it underneath. Her head rolls slightly, but she doesn’t wake. Her breathing stays steady, the kind of deep exhaustion that comes from running on nothing but adrenaline for too long.

Standing, I pull a blanket off the back of the couch and drape it over her and the baby carrier. The blanket pools around her shoulders, and she shifts slightly, murmuring something I can’t make out before settling again.

“She’s out,” Tank says, his voice softer now as he leans against the doorway.

“Yeah,” I mutter, stepping back to take another look. “Let her sleep. Whatever’s chasing her, it’s not touching her while she’s here.”

Tank nods, but his gaze lingers on Riley for a moment longer. “Guess that means you’re not gonna let her just walk out tomorrow either, huh?”

I glance at her one last time, the weight of her presence settling in my chest like a challenge I didn’t ask for but can’t walk away from. “Not a chance.”

This woman and her child just added more weight to my already buckling shoulders, but I’m strong enough to carry them both.

Shaking my head, I walk out and close the door, making sure to lock it so no one can get in. Riley will be able to unlock it from the inside, and Tank and I are the only ones with keys.

She’s safe.

They’re both safe.

I’m not gonna unpack why that matters to me.

But it does.

Chapter Five

Riley

“Riley, I need you to wake up.”

Nope. Not happening. So sleepy.

“I know, baby, but I need you to open your eyes for just a minute.”

Fear hits me hard, slamming into my chest and jerking me awake. My heart races as I look around, disoriented.

“Where am I?” I ask, my voice trembling.

“You’re at the Iron Shadows’ compound, remember?” Spike’s calm, deep voice pulls me back to reality.

It only takes a couple of seconds for the events of my life to come crashing back. Asher’s soft cries pierce the quiet, and I instantly spring into action. My hands fumble with the straps of the carrier, and I rush to pull him out, tossing the carrier to the side.

“I’m so sorry, sweetie,” I say, my voice breaking as tears blur my vision. I cradle him close, running a soothing hand over his back. “I’m such a horrible mom. How long has he been crying? He’s probably starving.”

“My God, he’s tiny,” someone says, their tone skeptical. “Are you sure he was finished growing?”

“Shut the fuck up, Skip,” Spike snaps, his voice sharp and commanding. “You’ve only been asleep for thirty minutes, Riley.” His gaze softens as he crouches in front of me. “If you canhand me your bag, I can make a bottle and feed him while you sleep some more.”

I shake my head, my face heating with embarrassment. “I breastfeed,” I admit quietly, the words catching in my throat. “I need to change him.”

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