“Baby,” he rasps. “You don’t need to touch me. I didn’t do that for me, I did it for you.”

“I want to,” I whisper.

“I was an ass, you should be snapping it off not...fuck...”

I squeeze his cock, cutting his sentence short. Then I begin gently massaging it again. I can feel the spikes against my fingertips; the tops of them press into my skin, but I don’t care. I keep stroking him, up and down, up and down. Every now and then I stop and give his head a little squeeze. His breathing has become harsher, and his body is wound up tight. I keep stroking, pumping my fist harder. It aches, but I don’t want to stop. I will myself to keep going. I want to feel him come in my hand, I want to know that I can get him there just by doing this.

“Baby,” he pants. “Goin’ to come.”

I jerk him harder, and then I feel his cock swell in my hand before hot spurts of come shoot out and coat my hand and his pelvis. I can feel his cock pulsing as each warm spurt releases. He releases only one groan, the rest of the time he lies with his head back, his jaw tight and his body shaking. Lovely.

When his cock begins to soften in my hand, I let him go. I pull my hand out, and reach over to the table beside me and pick up a towel. I wipe myself, and then I pull the sheets back and wipe him. He shudders again, and stares over at me, his expression content.

“Did they hurt?” I ask, as I lift his cock and wipe all around it. My fingers once again graze the piercings.

“The dick rings?”

“Yeah.”

He nods. “Fuck yeah.”

“Why the spikes?”

He shrugs as I drop the towel and pull the sheets back over us, and nestle myself back into his arms.

“Liked the idea of havin’ somethin’ different. Then I fucked a girl one night who made a point of takin’ them all out, and so it started.”

“You got them done back when I knew you, and you never told me.”

“Didn’t think it was somethin’ you would want to hear, Tom Cat.”

“True,” I laugh softly. “I would have blushed until I exploded.”

He laughs. “Yeah, you would have.”

We lay silent for a moment, and then he looks to me and says, “I’m sorry for speakin’ to you like that earlier. I was a jerk.”

“Yeah, you were.”

He grins. “Am I forgiven?”

“Aren’t you always?”

He pulls me closer, squeezing tightly. “You’re too fuckin’ good for me, Tom Cat.”

“That might be how you see it,” I whisper, feeling my eyes grow heavy. “But it’s certainly not how I see it.”

“Changin’ everything,” he says quietly.

If only he knew, he was changing everything, too.

My entire world is different because of him.

CHAPTER 18

PRESENT – CIARA

“Tom Cat, hurry up and finish, my cock is burning for you,” Spike whispers into my ear.

I grin and spin, gripping his arms and bringing his lips to mine for a deep kiss. The music around us is pounding. It’s a Saturday night at the bar and I’m working, as always. Spike came in earlier, and has been patiently waiting for me to finish. Add in some dirty talk, and he’s officially got me worked up. He pulls back from our kiss, flashing me a grin that has my panties melting. Fuck that grin. He’s gorgeous.

“Ciara?”

That voice. Even over the music, it has my blood running cold. Spike knows it, too, because his entire body stiffens. Letting me go, we both turn to see my mother and father standing in the entryway. Oh. Shit.

I haven’t seen them since the day I ran off, nor have I heard from them, so seeing them here is a complete shock. I don’t know why they’re here, and I’m not even sure I want to. My mother, once beautiful, looks worn. Her blonde hair is dull, her blue eyes lifeless. My father, usually tall and broad, is slumping and his dark hair is filled with gray. Their eyes scan Spike and I, and for a moment, my world stops. I know how badly this is going to go down.

“Mom...Dad...” I whisper.

My father’s eyes are on Spike, and the look he’s giving him is that of pure hate. I step forward, my legs wobbly, until I stop in front of them. “W-w-what are you doing here?”

“How could you?” my mother shrieks.

I flinch. “It’s...”

My father lifts his hand, and before I realize what’s happening, it connects with my face in an almighty slap that has the entire bar grinding to a halt. My ears ring and my eyes water as my head swings to the side and I lose my footing. I stumble to the floor, smashing into a heap of tables and people.

People quickly help, reaching down and lifting me. It takes me a moment to clear my vision and when I do, I see Spike standing, fists clenched, panting with rage.

“How could you?” my mother screams.

I get to my feet, my knees wobbly, my face burning. I cup my cheek, and I open my mouth and rasp out, “I know it looks bad, but...”

“But what?” she screams. “You’re a whore! You’re a filthy whore!”

Spike lunges forward, but I manage to step in front of him.

“You ever fuckin’ speak to her like that again and I’ll put you on your ass!” he roars.

“You lowlife piece of shit,” my dad bellows. “She’s dead and you’re moving on to her sister. Is that all you think of my daughter? Is that all she meant to you?”