In the middle of my bed is a brand new suitcase with a couple of bags already inside.
“What’s all this?” I shout but startle when his hands slip around my waist and pull me back into his body.
“Presents.”
“Why?”
“Why not?”
I bite onto my bottom lip. I don’t need to tell him that people don’t just buy me presents because they feel like it. He already knows, and presumably it’s why he’s done it.
“Pack what you need, and don’t look inside the bags. You’ve got fifteen minutes.”
He leaves me to it, and after running my fingers over the bags that are practically calling to me, I rip my hand away and do as I’m told.
Spike isn’t anything like the people of my past. There are only nice things, thoughtful things inside those bags.
Ten minutes later, I pull the wheelie case down the hallway toward where he’s waiting for me in the living room.
“All set?” he asks, looking up from his phone.
“I think so, although I have no idea if I’ve got everything I need.”
“You have,” he says confidently, making my brows draw together.
“What are you planning?”
Pushing from the sofa, he walks over and holds out his hand. “Pass me that. I’ll carry them downstairs.”
I nod and follow him out, watching as he locks up the flat and then trails behind me as we make our way down the stairs.
As we hit the ground floor, a door opens. Louisa steps out, her eyes flying to both of us. If she didn’t look so shocked to see us, I’d think she was waiting. “Jesus, are you two okay?”
It’s not until I see the horror in her eyes that I really remember just how we look.
“Yeah, we’re good,” Spike says, as I say, “You should see our opponents.”
The reality of my words hits me hard. The guy who did this to me is gone. It may not have been me who dealt his final blow, but I’ve no doubt he’d have bled out in that alleyway if D and Cruz hadn’t got there so fast.
“O-okay,” she says, her eyes flitting between the two of us, looking totally unconvinced by our words.
“We’re heading out of town for a few days. We’ll be back at the weekend,” Spike tells her, but I look up at him, soaking up any clue he might give as to where we’re going.
“Okay, well… have fun.”
“Oh, we will,” Spike says, picking up both cases in one hand and pressing his other to the small of my back. Tingles race across my skin at his suggestive tone, and heat blooms in my lower stomach.
“I can’t believe you just said that,” I chastise him as the main door closes behind us.
“Why not?”
“She wants you. It’s just mean, flaunting what she can’t have.”
“That’s very thoughtful of you. You’ll be suggesting sharing next.”
My teeth grind. “Um… I think not.”
Dropping the cases, he grips the nape of my neck and pulls me against his body.
“Jealousy looks good on you, Tiny.”
“I’m not—”
“Don’t bother trying to argue. I like it,” he says, brushing his lips against mine and giving me the sweetest kiss that only makes the ache between my legs worse.
“All in good time, Tiny.”
He pulls away from me all too soon, before stepping toward a car I recognise.
“Is that Zach’s?”
“Sure is. He owes me a favour or two after rearranging my face.”
I stand awkwardly on the pavement as he places our cases in the boot and holds open the passenger door for me.
“Come on then.”
I hop inside, and in only a few seconds he joins me.
“You said we’re going out of town. Are we leaving London?”
“Yeah, is that okay?”
“Yes,” I answer eagerly. “I’ve never left the city.”
“You serious?”
I nod sadly, not really wanting to admit just how sheltered I am when it comes to travelling.
“Well, sit back and enjoy a little of the country, then.”
I do as he suggests and get comfortable as he changes the radio station and pulls out of the space on the side of the road.
With the windows down and the music blasting, I suck in deep breaths of fresh air as we make our way out of the city.
“How far away is it?” I ask after a long stretch of silence.
“About an hour and a half.”
I nod, turning my head to look at him. He’s got one hand on the wheel, his fingers tightly wrapped around it, his strong forearm flexing, making his ink ripple as he keeps control of the car.
“See something you like?” he asks cheekily.
“Hell yeah. You look hot behind the wheel.”
“Yeah?” He flashes me that heart-stopping smile of his, and I squirm in my seat. “Don’t do that,” he warns.
“Do what?” I ask innocently.
“Make me fuck you in the back of your brother’s car. That won’t help,” he chuckles.
“He must be somewhat okay with this, or he wouldn’t have loaned it to you.”
“I think he had a bit of a reality check.”
“What? When I almost died?”
He swallows like hearing the words causes him physical pain. “Yeah, something like that.”
Turning away from him, needing to end the conversation I stupidly started, I look back out to the greenery surrounding us.
“It’s really beautiful out here.”
“It is.”
“Do you always want to live in London?”
“I… um…” He hesitates, making me look back to him. “The plan was always to move out before starting a family.”
“With her?” I can’t help the bitter tone that fills my voice. A huge part of me is grateful that she left him, because I’ve got him now. But equally I hate her for hurting him something fierce. I really hope I never meet her.
“Yeah. After that…” He shrugs. “I’ve never really thought about the future too much. I’d been living day to day until…”
“Until?” I ask when he trails off.
“Until you.”
“And now what?”
“I still have no idea, but I’m up for thinking about it again.”
A smile curls at my lips. “You want to plan our future?”
“Yeah, if
