Page 48 of Spinner's Luck

Devil stepped up beside me, still calm as fuck. “We don’t move out of fear, Spinner.”

Fear? Hell no. This wasn’t fear, this was war brewing under my skin, seeping into my bones.

“You want to protect her?” Devil’s tone dropped, the weight of his authority pressing down like iron. “Fine. Do it. But do it smart. Dragon Fire wants us rattled, don’t hand ‘em what they’re after.”

I nodded, though the knot in my stomach didn’t loosen. Not even close.

We turned back toward the clubhouse, but that damn doll—mutilated, the scrawled words—burned into my brain like a brand. Lucy needed to know.

I just didn’t want to tell her.

“Spinner.”

I froze.

Fuck.

Of course, she’d followed me out.

Lucy stood a few feet away, arms crossed, gaze unwavering. “What happened?”

I exhaled slowly, trying to rein in the storm inside me. “Let’s talk in private.”

I led her back to my room, the party noise dulling behind us until the door shut, sealing us off.

She didn’t waste time. Squaring her shoulders, she pinned me with those sharp eyes. “All right, Spinner. What the hell is going on?”

Jaw tight, I searched for the words that wouldn’t make her bolt, or worse, make her brush it off.

“Dragon Fire left a message.”

Her expression darkened. “What kind of message?”

“Out by the gate,” I said, stepping closer. “They left two dolls. One... had your name on it.”

No flinch. No blink.

Then—she laughed.

Laughed.

My patience snapped like a live wire. “This isn’t a fuckin’ joke, Lucy,” I growled, heat boiling up. “Dragon Fire’s not playin’. You need to take this seriously.”

“And what exactly do you want me to do about it?” she shot back, fire flashing in her eyes.

“I want you to listen, to let us handle this.”

“Let you handle it?” Her arms dropped as she stepped closer. “I’ve dealt with people like Dragon Fire long before I ever set foot in this clubhouse.”

“This is different,” I bit out, struggling not to lash out at her. “Drago’s got a crew. And nothin’ to lose.”

Her gaze softened, but that stubborn spark didn’t fade. “You can’t protect me from everything.”

Goddammit. I scrubbed a hand over my face, exhaling through clenched teeth. “Lucy—for fuck’s sake—I’m tryin’ to keep you alive.”

She closed the gap between us, her eyes gazing into mine.

“I know,” she whispered. “But you can’t protect me from everything.”

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