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CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

DARKNESS WRAPPED AROUND me, 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.

“Lucy.”

The voice was low, soothing—a tether pulling me back to the here and now. I turned my head, my breath hitching at the sight of Spinner. He sat up on the cot across the room, his sharp eyes locked on me like he could see right through the cracks.

“You okay?” he asked, his voice soft, but the concern beneath it hit hard.

I nodded, too quickly, trying to tamp down the tears threatening to spill over. “Yeah,” I rasped, my throat raw. “It’s nothing.”

“Didn’t sound like nothin’,” he said, rising to his feet in one smooth motion. His feet barely made a sound as he crossed the room.

I turned my face away, pressing my palms into it like I could block out the shame that clawed at me. “Just a bad dream.”

Spinner didn’t say anything right away, but I felt the bed shift as he sat on the edge, close but not too close.

“You were yellin’ for someone,” he said quietly.

I swallowed hard, my hands sliding down to rest in my lap. “Aria. My sister.”

His brow furrowed, his eyes never leaving my face. “Wanna talk about it?”

“No.” The word came too fast, my voice brittle. But the images from the dream dug their claws in, refusing to let go. The weight of it all pressed down on me, suffocating. “I mean... I don’t know. It’s hard.”

“If it’s got you this shook up,” he said, his tone firm but not unkind, “then you need to let it out.”

I glanced at him, and for a moment, I hated how much he saw. How he didn’t judge, didn’t push, just sat there steady as a rock. Like he wasn’t going anywhere. And maybe that’s what broke me.

“She was four,” I began, the words barely audible. “I was nine. Mom was with us at the park, but she got distracted. I moved to play with some other kid, and Aria...” My voice faltered. “She disappeared.”

Spinner stayed silent, his body still, but the muscle in his jaw twitched. He was listening, every word sinking in.

“They found her a few days later,” I continued, my voice breaking. “But it was too late. The men who took her...” My throat tightened. “They sexually assaulted her. And then they left her to die.”

The words hung heavy between us, suffocating the air. I waited for him to say something, anything, but all he did was reach out, his hand brushing mine with a gentleness that surprised me.

“I’m sorry,” he said, his voice so soft it was almost a whisper. But the sincerity in it crashed over me like a wave, drowning out everything else.

I nodded, blinking back the tears that threatened to spill. “I read the police file when I was sixteen. The investigation concluded that sex traffickers took her, but Aria didn’t survive what they call a ‘test’. If her battered body had survived, she was a keeper—as they put it—if not, then... It’s why I do what I do. I couldn’t save her, but maybe I can save someone else.”

His grip tightened, solid and unshakable, pulling me back when the darkness threatened to drag me under. “You gotta face it, Lucy, this isn’t on you. It’s the only way to keep those demons from clawing through your sleep.”

I let out a shaky laugh, swiping at the tears spilling over. “You make it sound so damn easy.”

“It’s not,” he replied, his finger wiping at my tears. “But it can be done. I’m walkin’ proof.”

I looked at him then, really looked, and saw it in his eyes, he cared. It was simple, raw, and it hit me hard. It scared the hell out of me, just as much as it soothed me.

“Why are you doing this?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. “Why put up with me?”

He hesitated, his gaze falling to where our hands were joined. “Because I know what it’s like,” he said finally. “To feel like the past is always right there, breathin’ down your neck. To feel like you’re runnin’ and never gettin’ away.” His hand lifted, his rough fingers brushing against my cheek. “And maybe I care about you more than you’re thinkin’.”

My breath caught, his words hitting me hard.

“Spinner...”

“I’m not sayin’ I’ve got all the answers,” he cut in, a small, sad smile tugging at his lips. “Hell, I’m a mess myself. But I do know this, you’ve got me. Whether you believe it or not.”

For the first time in what felt like forever, the crushing weight lifted, just a little. I wasn’t drowning. Not tonight.

“Thanks,” I murmured, swiping at my cheeks. “And yeah, it’s hard to believe you care about me. Even I know I’m a pain in the ass.”

Spinner chuckled, his voice had a husky edge, heat curling through the low timbre, “That’s what makes Lucy Luck who she is.” He leaned closer, his voice a whisper against my skin. “And I wouldn’t change one damn thing about her.”

When his lips finally met mine, I didn’t hold back. I’d been waiting for this, craving it, and in that moment, nothing else mattered.

THE MOMENT WHEN Lucy’s lips touched mine, something electrified my body. It flowed through me like a surge of adrenaline and flipped a switch somewhere deep in the recess of my mind. I literally felt a tingle run up my spine, into my neck, and swell over my entire skull as I instinctively opened my mouth and felt Lucy’s tongue for the first time.

I kept reminding myself to go slower with Lucy, even though the crazy attraction between us was impossible to ignore. It had been months since I’d been with anyone, since that first look that sparked everything, and here she was, kissing me with an intensity that left me out of breath.

The raw and honest way she responded brought a wicked grin to my face; there was something thrilling about stirring such unguarded pleasure in Lucy. Our chemistry transformed into a wild, unfiltered dance on the side of a cliff, leaving us both trembling on the edge. Her hands dug into my back, silently begging for more, while each breathy moan from her sent surges of arousal through me, my desire building to an almost unbearable level.

This feeling was addictive, and I knew I’d never get enough.

I pressed my body into her, needing to be closer. “You’re so fucking beautiful,” I whispered, gazing down at her.

Lucy responded by reaching up to grab my head, her lips capturing mine. Her mouth was eager, sucking on my tongue and lower lip. Our breath was ragged and quick, gasping for air between desperate kisses.

I reached behind her and ran my hand down her back, making a mental note that I couldn’t feel a bra strap under her t-shirt—naked just like I suspected.

I made my way down to the small of her back, and gripped her ass, hard. I pulled on each cheek, spreading her ass and feeling the soft flesh beneath my fingers before dipping down between her cheeks. Lucy lifted her leg, setting her knee up onto my back, granting me access as I slipped my hand deeper, to finally feel the warmth of her pussy.

Lucy exhaled deeply at my touch, and I couldn’t help but grasp the hem of her shirt, pulling it away from her body with eager impatience to reveal her naked body underneath.

Sweet God in heaven she was perfect. Just like she was made just for me.

My thumbs traced down her neck, over her breasts and along her ribs, she moaned, a deep sexy sound. Our lips met again, a collision of raw, undeniable desire that made my mind spin. Her hands slipped into my shorts and began teasing me, making it impossible to maintain control and go slow.

So, fuck it.

If hard and fast is what Lucy’s wants, then that’s what she’ll get.

I let my fingers wander over the throbbing heat of her clit, drawing a sharp, trembling gasp as she shivered under my steady touch. I slipped a finger inside her pussy, my finger hooking in a way that had her eyes widening in surprise for a split second before closing, as she surrendered to the overwhelming tidal wave of pleasure.

My heart pounded hard, mimicking Lucy’s own frantic beat. Every curve I explored in her hot pussy, every shared moan and collision of kisses, our tongues tangled in a raw, unfiltered dance, that had us gasping.

“Fuck” she moaned into my mouth as she ground her pussy against my cock.

I gripped her ass harder and pulled her against me. My other hand reached up and grabbed a handful of her hair, pulling on it to force her head back. She gasped in surprise.

“Fuck yes!” she hissed.

I kissed and sucked on her neck as she kept sucking in air and groaning in delight, rubbing those perfect tits against my chest, and when I glanced down, seeing those hard nipples, my tongue couldn’t resist.

The combination of her sweet perfume and personal scent completely overwhelmed my senses, sending me into a pleasant, dizzy haze. As my fingers once again trailed lower, brushing along her inner thighs, she shivered and instinctively pulled closer, clearly craving every bit of my touch. She gripped me tightly, arching her hips to catch that electric spark, and together we rode a wave of pleasure that left us both completely lost in the moment.

Our eyes met, a smoldering, half-closed glance filled with desire that sparked a raw hunger inside me, urging me to explore every inch of her. Each heartbeat pounded so hard I felt like it might break me; the intensity was almost too much, and I knew it, I wouldn’t have this with anyone else.

This feeling of being so fucking connected.

Lucy kissed my chest, sliding her hands down to rub my incredibly hard cock. She fumbled with my shorts and pulled them down in one movement. She gripped my dick with her hand and squeezed. The pressure caused my cock to pulse hotter, and she rewarded me by squeezing it harder.

“Lucy, you don’t know how long I’ve wanted this... oh fuck!” I groaned as her hand stroked me even harder. “You’re pushin’ me to jump before I’m ready, feel me?” I teased as my hands moved between her legs once more, playing with her pussy, using my fingers to drive her crazy.

Lucy’s hands moved her nails digging into my back as she arched her hips, giving herself completely over to the madness of our bodies. “Oh god,” she whimpered, her voice shaking with endless craving. “I’ve wanted this ever since I first laid eyes on you.”

She was so aroused that just the smallest touch on her pussy sent a jolt of pleasure through her body. “I want you to fuck me now, Spinner!” She moaned, rubbing her pussy against my cock.

“You’re so damn impatient,” I teased back, my voice thick with anticipation as I savored the promise of exploring every inch of her body tonight.

I watched her spread her legs wider, inviting me in, and I took a moment to appreciate the beauty of her, the way her body lay out before me, offering herself so completely.

All the built-up tension exploded, and I grabbed a condom, rolled it on with impatient fingers, and then plunged into her in one explosive, forceful thrust.

The intensity of our connection stole a gasp from her lips, a soft cry that was quickly drowned by the hunger of my mouth. She was tight, so tight, and it took every ounce of my willpower not to come right then and there. I felt her body stretch around me, the heat of her enveloping me in a warm, wet embrace.

Lucy’s eyes rolled back in her head as I filled her completely, her hips rising off the bed to meet each of my thrusts. She was so wet, so responsive, and I couldn’t hold back any longer.

I began to move, my strokes hard and deliberate, savoring every inch of her tight pussy. Her walls clenched around me as I pulled almost all the way out, only to plunge back in again, sending waves of pleasure through both our bodies.

I watched her tits bounce with every thrust, her nipples standing erect and begging for attention. Leaning down, I took one in my mouth, sucking and biting gently, the moan that escaped her spurring me on.

Her legs wrapped around my waist, her heels digging into my back as she matched my rhythm. I could feel her getting closer, her breath coming in ragged gasps, her muscles tensing around my cock. I reached down and began to rub her clit in tight little circles, and she bucked against me, her eyes flying open to meet mine.

“Yes,” she hissed, “just like that.”

I picked up the pace, my hips thrusting into her with a fervor that was almost primal. The sound of our skin slapping together filled the room and made it even more erotic.

I could feel her drawing closer, her body tightening around me like a vice. I kissed her neck, her jaw, her cheek, and finally claimed her mouth again as I felt her begin to come. She screamed into my mouth, her body convulsing as the orgasm ripped through her, her pussy clamping down on me and milking me for all I was worth.

I couldn’t hold on any longer. With one final, powerful thrust, I released deep inside her, my entire body shaking with the intensity of my climax. I collapsed onto her, my weight pressing her into the mattress as I fought to catch my breath. For a moment, we lay there, our bodies entwined, our hearts racing in unison.

I pulled out slowly. Leaning down, I kissed her softly on her lips and she wrapped her arms around me, holding me close as if she never wanted to let go.

All we heard were our rapid heartbeats and ragged breaths as we came down from the wild high. Then Lucy’s soft, happy laugh melted into a contented sigh against my chest. “Well, that was so worth the wait,” she murmured, her sleepy voice echoing our shared bliss as she drifted off in my arms, our bodies still tangled together.

I smiled softly, whispering into the dark, “It sure as fuck was.”