Page 33 of Spinner's Luck

“I get it,” I said finally, softening my tone. “But you can’t protect me from everything. That’s not how this works.”

Spinner pushed off the railing, closing the space between us until the heat of him pressed against my skin. His voice dropped lower, rough, almost a growl. “You’re here, Lucy. That means you’re under my protection. Whether you like it or not.”

I lifted my chin, meeting his gaze head-on, my pulse hammering in defiance.“I don’t need your protection,”I shot back.“I’m here for Zeynep, because she’s my friend. Not because I need some biker playing bodyguard.”

“Maybe not,” he admitted, his voice quieter but no less intense. “But you’re here now. And I’m not lettin’ anything happen to you. You need to get it through your head that you’re not invincible. You’re not gonna risk yourself over pride.” He gave me a smirk and added, “Maybe you need an ole fashioned ass whippin’ to get you to behave.”

My mouth dropped at his threat. “You think you can tell me what to do? Try giving me a whipping, Spinner, and see how that works out for you.”

He took a step forward, towering over me, his jaw clenched and eyes blazing with frustration. “Dammit, Lucy, you’re gonna listen for once! You keep pushin’ back, and it’s gonna get you killed. For fucks sakes listen to what I’m tellin’ you.”

The raw sincerity in his voice stopped me cold. I wanted to argue, to shove him off his high horse, but the truth was... I didn’t hate the idea of someone giving a damn, of someone trying to keep me safe.

I exhaled sharply, the silence between us stretching tight like a wire ready to snap. “Fine,” I muttered, my jaw tense. “But if Fang thinks I’m important, we can use that.”

Spinner’s eyes narrowed, dark and curious. “The hell are you talkin’ about?”

I stepped closer, my pulse drumming with adrenaline. “I mean, let’s turn it against them,” I said, my mind already racing. “If they’re watching me, we can feed them bullshit—fake intel, false moves. Make them react to ghosts.”

His expression hardened, his jaw ticking. “Absolutely not.”

“Why the hell not?” I fired back, not hiding my anger at his dismissive attitude.

His glare burned into me, his voice dropped, steady and unyielding. “Because it’s too goddamn risky.” He took a step closer, the heat between us sparking like live wires. “I’m not losin’ you over some half-assed scheme.”

The weight of his words hit me harder than I expected, a strange warmth curling deep in my stomach. The space between us was tight, charged with more than just anger. He was close enough that I could feel the heat rolling off him, see the way his chest rose and fell, controlled but tense.

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to lean back against the railing, needing even the smallest distance. “You’re impossible, you know that?”

Spinner didn’t move, didn’t blink. His lips twitched like he had something to say but held it back.

“Yeah,” he finally muttered, his voice rough. “And you’re a pain in my ass. You could make a nun curse and a monk fuck after dealin’ with you.”

Despite the dig at me, I laughed. “That’s one way to put it.”

The stars above twinkled faintly, the distant laughter from the clubhouse floating on the warm breeze. I could feel the pull between us, a taut, electric thread that neither of us dared to sever. Spinner stepped closer, his gaze softening just enough to make my heart stumble. I wanted more than anything for him to kiss me.

“Hey, Spinner... Lucy,” Thunder’s voice called out, his long strides breaking the spell as he approached. “Nice night, yeah?”

The moment shattered, and I straightened, forcing an apologetic smile. “Let’s head inside for a drink.”

Spinner hesitated, then smirked. “If that’s my only option.”

As we turned, he reached for my hand, and I didn’t pull away.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

DARKNESS WRAPPED AROUNDme, heavy and suffocating,like a noose tightening with every breath I tried to take. I was back in the park again. The same dream, the same twisting nightmare that always came for me when I let my guard down.

Aria’s laughter echoed in the distance, a haunting sound that chilled me to the bone. My feet moved, faster and faster, but no matter how hard I pushed, I couldn’t reach her. She was always just out of reach, a flicker of light in an endless dark.

“Aria!” I screamed, my voice cracking under the weight of panic.

She turned, her little face folding with fear, her wide eyes locking on mine for the briefest of moments. Then it came—the shadow, a monstrous thing that loomed behind her, bigger, darker, swallowing her whole. Her scream tore through me, the sound ripping me apart as I reached out in vain.

“Aria!”

I jolted awake, the scream stuck in my throat, clawing to get out. My chest heaved like I’d been running for hours, and the room spun as I struggled to breathe. Moonlight spilled through the curtains, painting faint silver lines across the walls. My hands gripped the blanket like it was a lifeline, damp with sweat, my heart hammering against my ribs.

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