Chapter Nine
Riley
“I have to call him,” I say, staring at the article on Spike’s computer, my heart pounding.
“Absolutely not,” Spike growls, his voice sharp enough to cut glass.
“If I don’t, he’s going to turn this into a manhunt,” I argue, refusing to back down.
“Maybe she could call the police station instead,” Max suggests cautiously. “She could let them know she and the baby are safe without speaking to Chuck directly.”
“That won’t work,” Maverick interjects. “He’ll just claim she was coerced into saying it. The best thing to do is stay hidden.”
“For the rest of my life?” I snap, my frustration bubbling over.
Spike’s jaw tightens. “What did you expect to happen when you left?” he asks, his tone cutting. “His woman and his son vanish from the hospital without a trace, and you think he’d just let that slide? You knew he wouldn’t stop.”
His words sting, but I refuse to look away.
“We’re risking a hell of a lot to keep you safe,” he continues, his voice lowering but no less intense. “Going up against a Police Commissioner isn’t a small thing. One slip, one phone call, and it could all come crashing down. Do you understand that?”
“I do understand that,” I say firmly, refusing to waver under Spike’s intense glare. “But he doesn’t have to know where I’m at.”
“Your call could be traced,” he snaps, frustration clear in his tone.
“Then maybe I go to the police station instead,” I counter. “If they see me in person, they’ll know I’m okay. I’ll explain that I left because I didn’t feel safe.”
A thought hit me. The spy. What if he already knows I’m here? I open my mouth to tell him about it, but he speaks first.
“And walk right into his hands?” Spike growls, taking a step closer, his towering presence making the room feel smaller. His dark eyes flash with unrestrained anger, his voice dripping with derision. “How fucking stupid can you be, Riley? You might as well have stayed and let him use and abuse you while he raised your child with another woman.”
His words hit like a slap, the weight of his anger and contempt pressing down on me, squeezing the air out of my lungs. My brain freezes every thought as I try and process his anger.
“Fuck, Spike,” someone mutters under their breath, the tension in the room crackling like a live wire.
I feel lightheaded, my pulse pounding in my ears. For the first time since arriving here, I want to be anywhere else but here. For the first time since I met him, I don’t feel safe.
“If this is how you make decisions,” Spike continues, his voice harsher now, “maybe you don’t deserve that kid. Did you think about him when you packed up and ran? Or did you just decide to gamble with his life and hope for the best?”
I can’t breathe. My chest aches, and every word he spits feels like a dagger sinking deeper. “That’s not fair,” I whisper, my voice trembling as I try to hold back tears.
“Fair?” Spike’s laughter is cold and hollow. “You want fair? Fair would’ve been that asshole rotting in a cell while you and Asher got to live your lives in peace. But instead, you come here, dragging your mess behind you, and now we’re all in the crosshairs. So yeah, forgive me if I don’t give a damn about fair right now.”
The room is deathly silent except for the sound of my uneven breathing. My legs feel like jelly, but I force myself to stay standing, even as the walls seem to close in around me.
I stand frozen, his words tearing through me like a storm, my chest tight with the ache of trying to hold myself together.
“Do you even get how bad this is, Riley?” His voice rises, every word sharper than the last. “We’re not just talking about your mess anymore. You put every one of us in danger when you walked through those doors. Hell, for all we know, you already led him here, and we’re just sitting ducks.”
He paces the room now, running a hand through his hair as though trying to rein in his fury but failing miserably. “And what’s your big idea? Stroll into a police station and hope for the best? God, you’re not just na?ve. You’re reckless. You think that bastard’s gonna let you walk out of there once he’s got his hands on you?”
The silence that follows is deafening, every pair of eyes in the room glued to the scene unraveling before them.
His words are sharp, each one cutting deeper than the last, but he doesn’t stop there.
“You don’t think, Riley. That’s the problem. You never think. And now, we’re all cleaning up after your mess. We’re gonna have more targets on our backs because you couldn’t handle your shit. Maybe you should’ve stayed where you belonged. At least then the rest of us wouldn’t be stuck risking our lives for someone too selfish to see what’s at stake.”
I stand frozen as the final blow lands, my body trembling from the force of his words.
My vision blurs as I step forward, scooping Asher from Tank’s arms. My hands shake, but I clutch my son tightly, cradling him to my chest like a shield.
I don’t say a word. I can’t.
The silence in the room is suffocating, every pair of eyes watching as I turn and walk out of the room. My legs feel heavy, my steps slow, but I refuse to stop until I’m back in the guest room with the door closed firmly behind me.
Only then do I allow the tears to fall, each one burning as it escapes.
Spike’s right. I didn’t think of anyone else but myself. I was so afraid of Chuck taking my son away that I took him from a stable home. Sure, his father would have most likely kicked me out and moved in the woman he’s seeing, but at least Asher would have a home.
I allow myself half an hour to cry and feel sorry for myself before wiping my face and packing Asher’s bag. I only have one outfit, but it’s been washed and dried. I make sure to fold the borrowed shirt and shorts on the bed. I don’t know who they belong to, but they aren’t mine to take.
Besides the outfit, I leave the rest of my money. It’s the least I can do for them helping me. I’m not going to need it, anyway.
Time to make another stupid decision. But at least this one isn’t about myself.
With Asher in his carrier, I head downstairs, keeping my head held high despite the knot of anxiety twisting in my stomach. The clubhouse feels eerily quiet as I step outside and walk toward the gate.
Mike is standing there, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. He straightens when he sees me approaching.
“I need you to open the gate,” I say firmly, stopping a few feet away.
Mike hesitates, glancing back toward the house. “I, uh… I gotta check with the boss first.”
I tighten my grip on Asher, the weight of Spike’s words from earlier still lingering in my chest. “Unless I’m a prisoner here, Mike, you’ll open the gate and let me leave.” My voice is steady, though my anger simmers beneath the surface.
Mike shifts uncomfortably, clearly torn. Before he can respond, heavy footsteps echo from behind me.
“What the hell is this?” Spike’s voice cuts through the air like a whip.
I turn to face him, my spine straightening. His expression is hard, his jaw clenched, and his dark eyes filled with fury.
“I’m leaving,” I say simply, meeting his gaze head-on.
“Leaving?” He takes a step closer, his towering presence making the air feel heavier. “Where else can you go to hide, Riley?”
“That’s none of your business,” I reply, my tone sharp but even.
“The hell it isn’t,” he snaps. “You don’t get to waltz in here, put us all in danger, and then just decide you’re done. That’s not how this works.”
I take a breath, forcing myself to stay calm despite the anger radiating off him. “Please, just open the gates so I can leave. No one will ever know that I was here. None of you will be in any danger.”
His eyes narrow, his lips curling into a sneer. “You want to leave? Fine. But don’t come crying back when he finds you. And he will find you. You think you’re protecting that kid?” Spike continues, his voice harsh. “You’re just dragging him down with you. And when Chuck gets his hands on him, it’ll be because of you.”
I don’t flinch, though his words feel like jagged shards slicing through me.
“Open the gate, Mike,” Spike barks, his voice cold and final.
Mike hesitates for only a moment before stepping aside to press the button. The gate creaks open, the sound echoing in the tense silence.
I walk past Mike but stop and look at him for a few seconds. He really does look familiar. Hmm.
Turning, I look at Spike and try to smile.
“Thank you for your help, Spike,” I say, trying my best to keep the tremble out of my voice. “You and your friends have been very kind to me. I’ll always remember that. I’ll always remember you.”
I take a few more steps before pausing and looking back one last time.
“Not everyone close to you is trustworthy.”
There are too many people around, and I don’t want to risk the spy hearing. I have no idea who it is. But maybe I can trick Chuck into telling me, and I can find a way to warn Spike. Just because he hates me doesn’t mean I hate him. No matter what he said tonight, I know he’s not a monster. Even if my heart is saying otherwise.
I know he was just speaking out of anger. His words were harsh, but they were also what I needed to hear. I’m going to make everything right.
Without another word, I turn and walk away, holding Asher tightly as I step out of the safety of the compound. My chest aches, my legs feel weak, but I keep moving.
Spike’s voice rings in my ears long after the gate closes behind me, each harsh word replaying in an endless loop.
I don’t look back. I can’t.
Because despite everything that just happened, I’ll beg him to let us stay.