Chapter Six
Luca’s shoulder felt remarkably better this morning. Shifter DNA had already started knitting muscle back together overnight. There would still be a scar, but he’d collected enough of those over the years that one more wouldn’t matter.
Stretching carefully, he tested the range of motion and found only a dull ache where agony had been the night before.
“Ready?” He grabbed his leather jacket from the chair.
Outside Sin & Steel, he watched Darcy circle his Harley like it might sprout teeth and attack. Chrome gleamed in the morning sun, the blood-red paint job catching light like liquid fire. Beautiful machine, but clearly not what his lucerito had expected.
Darcy’s mouth fell open slightly before snapping shut again. “Don’t you have a truck or car we can use?” The question came out strained, like he was trying very hard to sound casual. “Or maybe a bicycle?”
“My truck’s still on Hawk’s Ridge with a flat tire.
” Luca swung his leg over the seat, settling into the familiar leather.
He needed to make the call to have it towed to the tire shop the next town over.
There were too many valuable tools stored in his rig that would cost a mint to replace.
“Besides, we’re already running late, and you still need to grab your leashes.
This is the only way we’ll make it in time. ”
“Right, the leashes.” He rubbed his neck, eyes darting between Luca and the motorcycle. “So this is happening. Me, on that death trap, going fast enough to qualify as vehicular suicide.”
“It’s not that bad.”
“Not that bad?” Darcy’s hands flew up. “I could get decapitated by a low-hanging branch. Maybe spontaneously combust from friction burns. Do bikes explode? They probably explode.” His voice pitched higher with each scenario.
“Collision with a semi-truck, obviously. Getting my shoelaces caught in the spokes and losing a foot. Attacked by angry geese—”
“Angry geese?” Luca bit back a grin.
“Have you seen how vicious those things are? They could totally cause an accident.” He gestured wildly. “Or what if we hit a swarm of bees and I’m allergic and my face swells up so much I can’t breathe and we crash into a farmer's market and destroy someone’s prize-winning tomatoes?”
“Are you allergic to bees?”
“Well...no. But I could develop an allergy spontaneously. It happens.” His eyes widened. “Or worse, what if I accidentally grab something important while we’re moving, and suddenly, we’re doing wheelies?”
“You planning to grab my junk while we’re riding?” The thought made Luca’s cock hard.
Heat flooded Darcy’s cheeks. “That’s not—I didn’t mean—oh god, now that’s all I can think about.”
Same with Luca.
Darcy whispered, “Road rage incidents involving angry squirrels.”
“Angry squirrels?” Luca frowned. Darcy had clearly spent too much time with Atlas.
“They’re vicious when cornered.”
“Darcy…”
“What if I fall off and get run over by a parade of elderly drivers who can’t see over their steering wheels?”
Patience came naturally when dealing with spooked animals, and right now, Darcy reminded him of a skittish colt. “Come on, lucerito . I’ve been riding for fifteen years without a single bee or squirrel incident.”
After another five minutes of creative disaster scenarios involving everything from rogue butterflies to runaway shopping carts, Darcy finally climbed on behind him.
“Your motorcycle better not develop sentience and decide it doesn’t like passengers,” he grumbled.
Luca just shook his head. He’d never seen anyone list so many creative catastrophes before. Great, now I’m thinking of those goddamn scenarios.
When those arms wrapped around Luca’s waist, his wolf stirred with a low, appreciative growl. Heat from Darcy’s chest seeped through his shirt, and those hands pressed flat against his stomach, fingers spread wide for better grip.
Having Darcy pressed against him felt right in ways that made no logical sense. They’d known each other three days, but something deeper recognized the human’s scent, his warmth, the way he fit perfectly against Luca’s frame.
He watched over you while you slept.
The engine rumbled to life. His wolf wanted to lean back into Darcy’s embrace, wanted to purr with contentment. Luca had never put someone on the back of his bike before. Most wolves reserved that spot for their elegido . Darcy at his back felt like the most natural thing in the world.
“Hold tight,” he called over the engine’s roar.
His wolf snarled low in his chest, barely audible over the engine’s growl.
Darcy’s grip tightened. “Was that you or the bike?”
“My wolf.” Luca pulled from the parking lot before the male could ask any more questions.
Pulling into traffic, he felt Darcy’s grip tighten with every turn. By the time they reached his apartment building, those arms had practically melded to his ribs.
“Still breathing back there?”
“Barely.” Darcy slid off the bike on unsteady legs. “That was either terrifying or amazing.”
“Which one?”
“Maybe both. Ask me again when my heart rate drops below cardiac-arrest levels.” His human was practically vibrating with adrenaline. “And I never want to do it again but also maybe tomorrow?”
Luca chuckled. “Addictive, right?”
“Like really good coffee or bad decisions.”
Darcy’s apartment turned out to be above a bakery, a small complex painted cheerful yellow with flower boxes under each window.
Following him up the narrow stairs to his second-floor apartment, Luca noted how Darcy fumbled with his keys, hands a little shaky. “Sorry, my place is nothing fancy.”
But when the door opened, Luca found himself impressed by how clean everything looked.
Mismatched furniture, sure—a blue couch that had seen better decades paired with a wooden coffee table that belonged in someone’s grandmother’s house.
There were different styles of chairs around a small dining table, artwork that looked like thrift store finds, while bookshelves built from milk crates lined one wall.
Somehow Darcy had managed to make it look intentional rather than desperate. This small space was lived-in but cared for.
Everything was spotless, not a dish out of place or a speck of dust on the surfaces.
“Just give me two seconds.” Darcy rushed toward a closet, pulling out an armload of colorful leashes. “I organize them by dog size and temperament. Princess Consuela gets the pink one because she’s dramatic, and Atlas needs the heavy-duty climbing rope because he’s basically a small horse.”
Watching him fuss over the leashes with genuine care made something warm unfurl in Luca’s chest. Most people saw dog walking as easy money, but Darcy treated each animal like they mattered.
“Ready to face the chaos?” He held up the bundle of leashes like a victory flag. That playful tug at the corners of his lips lit a spark inside Luca. His chest tightened, as though the air itself became richer, more alive.
“We can leave the bike here,” Luca said. “Walk from your place.”
Back outside, he parked the bike in Darcy’s designated spot. Morning air carried the scent of coffee and fresh bread from the bakery below, mixing with exhaust and the green smell of trees lining the sidewalk.
Walking was a good way to stretch his legs, and Luca wanted to spend as much time as he could with the male.
Even this early, heat was already building, promising another scorching day. But Luca found himself enjoying the easy rhythm of walking beside Darcy, watching him mentally prepare for battle with six pounds of stubborn dachshund.
Princess Consuela proved to be every bit as difficult, prancing like royalty around Darcy’s ankles while he clipped on her rhinestone leash.
Luca stepped in with a quiet command in Spanish, and she immediately sat at attention.
“One down, three to go,” Darcy said, checking his phone. “We might actually pull this off.”
Meatball bounded over like they were his long-lost family, while Atlas maintained his dignified Great Dane composure until a butterfly caught his attention. Finally Jimbo, the Doberman who’d apparently decided Darcy was acceptable pack material.
By the time they’d collected all four dogs, Luca felt the familiar satisfaction of a pack moving in harmony. Even Princess Consuela trotted along without her usual dramatics, sensing the calm energy he projected.
He watched Darcy’s posture, noting how much more relaxed he seemed compared to their first meeting. Still tense, but not braced for disaster every second.
“You’re getting better at this,” he said as they turned onto Main Street.
“How do you do that?” Darcy asked as they walked, watching Luca guide Jimbo away from a tempting garbage can with nothing more than a soft clicking sound. “Is it easier for you to control them because you’re a wolf?”
The question caught Luca off guard, though it probably shouldn’t have. After his pain-medication confessions yesterday, Darcy knew the truth. Might as well be honest about it.
“Yeah. They recognize the predator in me, accept me as pack leader,” he said as they walked down the tree-lined street. “Pack hierarchy makes sense to them.”
“God, I wish I had that kind of control.” Darcy tugged gently on Meatball’s leash as the pit bull tried to investigate a discarded hamburger wrapper. “Instead I get the full democracy experience. Every dog votes, nobody agrees, chaos reigns supreme.”
“You’re getting better. More confident.”
“Only when you’re here.”
Something in his tone made Luca glance over. Vulnerability flickered across Darcy’s features before he looked away, focusing intently on untangling Princess Consuela from Meatball’s leash.
“Takes practice, carino ,” Luca assured him.
“Practice,” Darcy said dryly.
“Mind if we swing by the shop?” Luca asked as they approached his garage. “Want to check on something.”
“Sure, but I’m not letting Meatball near any more tires.”
“Deal.”
Walking toward the open bay doors, Luca could hear Lenny’s radio playing classic rock and the familiar sounds of tools on metal. Normal workday noise that felt good after yesterday’s violence.
But as they got closer, something felt off. The hair on his arms prickled, wolf senses picking up tension in the air.
Parked across the street was a police cruiser, Deputy Gilmore sitting behind the wheel with his usual scowl.
“Problem?” Darcy asked, following his gaze.
“Maybe.” Luca kept his voice casual, but his wolf paced restlessly. Cops hanging around after yesterday’s shooting meant questions he didn’t want to answer. “Just checking on my guy.”
He called out to Lenny and got a wave in return. Everything looked normal, but Gilmore’s presence set his teeth on edge.
Luca slipped his phone from his pocket and texted Matias.
Pork bellies rising this morning. Got Boo Peep and four furballs under my wing. Need really good bloodsucker before I go belly up. He dropped a pin on his location.
“We should keep moving,” he told his lucerito . “Dogs are getting restless.”
As they walked away, Luca caught Gilmore’s reflection in a storefront window, the deputy's cold stare following their every step.
“If I’m arrested, I want you to go directly to Sin’s, got it?”
Darcy looked wide-eyed at him. “Why would you be arrested?” he whispered.
“My gut tells me it’s about yesterday.” Luca glanced in Carver’s Hardware storefront window, and just as he suspected, Gilmore was still on his heels. “I think the cops are going to pin it on me.”
“Pin what?” Darcy kept his voice low. “You were the one who was shot.”
Luca adjusted his grip on Atlas’s leash as the Great Dane tried to investigate a fire hydrant.
“Don’t know.” He was positive the five dead hyenas had been cleared away.
All the cops had, at most, was a report of gunfire.
But Luca wanted his pack there for Darcy and the dogs if Gilmore made his move.
The deputy wouldn’t be following him if the prick didn’t have something on him or planned to pin something on him.
“I’m scared,” Darcy admitted when Luca handed over Atlas’s and Jimbo’s leashes.
“I know, baby, and I’m sorry this is going down with you here. Just remember, keep your body relaxed and they’ll obey.” His legs moved in a measured rhythm, one after the other, giving the impression he was simply out for a leisurely stroll with his boyfriend and pets.
“How am I supposed to stay relaxed when we got a cop following us?”
Luca was surprised his lucerito had figured that out. “Just get the dogs away. I don’t want one of them biting the deputy trying to protect either of us.”
Gilmore’s steps were nearly silent, but each one landed with unbearable weight. He was about to arrest Luca before the pack arrived. A few seconds later, the deputy’s voice interrupted the quiet morning. “Luca Alfaro, turn around and keep your hands out where I can see them.”
Darcy moved the dogs a few feet away.
Arms out, hands splayed, Luca slowly turned, snarling when he saw the Glock aimed at his chest. “What’s this about, Gilmore?”
“That’s Deputy Gilmore. Up against the building.” The dogs started barking and lunging when Gilmore shoved Luca against the rough brick, using his injured shoulder to make sure he cooperated.
“Take the dogs to the shop,” Luca told Darcy. “Now.”
Atlas and Jimbo were straining against their leashes, forcing Darcy to wrap the leashes around his arm. If they didn’t calm down, they would break free and bite the asshole.
“ Siéntate !” Luca said forcefully, knowing they needed a sharp command. The dogs were anxious, worried about him and ready to attack Gilmore for touching him.
All four sat but whimpered. Darcy unraveled the leashes but kept a firm grip on them.
“Pretty neat trick,” Gilmore commented then read Luca his rights as he cuffed him. The pendejo yanked his arms back, causing Luca’s shoulder to flare with pain.
“ No me importa la regla que me dio mi alfa sobre la policía. Toca a mi elegido y te arrancaré el corazó, puto .” The epiphany left Luca reeling. How could he have been so blind to the truth staring him in the face?
His wolf had chosen Darcy.
* * * *
A smirk curled the side of his mouth when Matias spotted Elijah in the kitchen making a sandwich.
He slid behind his elegido , pressing their bodies together.
“I’m starting to think roasted turkey flips some kind of horny trigger in you.”
Matias chuckled, grazing his lips over Elijah’s neck. “It’s seeing you doing such domestic stuff. Tells me how content you are, conejito. ”
Elijah jutted his ass, colliding with Matias’s groin. “Be even more content if I can get some food on my stomach before you fuck my brains out.”
“I love when you play coy.” He nibbled his way around his mate’s throat, sliding a hand down to massage his hard-on.”
It was hard to believe they’d been together for over six months. Matias could still vividly remember the night the little human stumbled into his bar. The moment he laid eyes on Elijah, Matias knew he had to have him.
“I’m not playing coy.” His mate playfully elbowed him. “I’m literally starving.”
“Where’s Cesar? Why didn’t you ask him to make you a proper meal?” His mate knew Matias insisted on homecooked meals over quick ones.
“Cesar is spending time with Jamie. It’s not even ten in the morning,” Elijah replied. “And stop making him cook all these delicious meals. I gained five pounds since I’ve been here.”
Frowning, Matias leaned back and looked him over. “Where?”
Oh, he knew where, and he loved how those five pounds looked on his mate’s ass. But if he said that, Elijah would have a meltdown.
There were times when humans baffled him. If his elegido became plump, Matias would still think he was the sexiest man alive. That’s what Elijah still failed to grasp. Just how deep their bond was. Just how deeply Matias loved him.
“Aw.” Elijah cupped his jaw. “That’s so sweet of you to lie to me.” His smile slipped. “But come tomorrow, I’m going on a diet.”
“ No entiendo tu obsesión con tu peso. Eres tan hermosa para mi ,” Matias growled.
Elijah narrowed his eyes. “I’ve told you a hundred times. If you’re gonna talk shit about me, let me understand the insult.”
Matias huffed as he pulled his vibrating phone from his pocket.
“I’ll wait.” Elijah bit into his sandwich, the fury in his eyes a huge fucking turn-on.
Glancing down at his phone, Matias frowned.
Pork bellies rising this morning. Got Bo Peep and four furballs under my wing. Need really good bloodsucker before I go belly up.
What the fuck did that mean? Matias was damn good at deciphering code, but this one had him stumped.
“What?” Elijah turned Matias’s hand to look. “That’s easy. Luca bought a pig farm, and he’s paying people to watch his investments, but he doesn’t know what he’s doing and his stock isn’t doing so good.”
“ Conejito , Luca did not buy a pig farm.” He would’ve told Matias if he’d invested in livestock.
“Percy, help a brother out.” Elijah waved his best friend over. Matias didn’t like anyone involved in reading codes, but he also didn’t want his mate pissed at him.
Elijah knew how to hold a grudge.
“What does this mean?” His mate pointed at his phone.
Percy peeked over Matias’s hand.
“That’s the stock market,” Percy replied.
“Clearly Luca sucks at investing. What is Bo Peep and furballs? Is it acronyms for some cattle stock?” He snorted.
“He should’ve never sunk his money into cow food.
” Percy turned his head. “Santiago. Come look what Luca did. Poor guy is about to lose his investment!”
Matias would’ve called, but sending coded texts meant the sender couldn’t talk.
Santiago sauntered over and glanced at the message. “Shit. Luca has the cops on him, and I’m willing to bet Bo Peep is Darcy.” He frowned. “Got no clue what furballs means. Could be dogs, wolf pups, or stuffed animals.”
“Bloodsuckers?” Matias’s brow rose slightly.
Santiago gave him a shit-eating grin. “Come on, boss. Bloodsucker?”
Matias glared at him.
His enforcer’s grin vanished. “A lawyer. Luca needs a really good lawyer before whatever charges are against him stick.”
“We ride.”