Chapter Two
Darcy stumbled into the parking lot of Luca’s shop, sneakers scraping pavement as four over-excited dogs practically dragged him along. Meatball had been in turbo mode since sunrise, acting like a pit-bull-shaped tow truck rather than a pet. Darcy half expected to leave skid marks in his wake.
“Easy, buddy. Let’s pretend I have some dignity left.”
At least the sun wasn’t blinding yet. Early-morning warmth promised a hot day, but the breeze still smelled fresh, carrying a faint metallic tang from the open garage doors. Darcy squinted at the building, recognizing Luca’s shape easily now—lean, relaxed, waiting just outside, two steaming cups in hand.
“Morning,” Luca said, his voice rich, and already awake in a way Darcy envied. His dark T-shirt hugged broad shoulders, his jeans fitting casually snug around muscular thighs. He looked...delicious.
Darcy glanced down at himself, wondering if his wrinkled shirt and tangled hair screamed incompetent hot mess. Probably.
“Morning. Sorry. They decided it was a race to get here.”
Luca’s mouth tugged at the corner. “Maybe they were excited.”
“For the coffee, clearly.” He accepted the offered cup gratefully, inhaling rich, dark roast. He sipped, savoring heat and caffeine, eyes drifting closed on a relieved sigh. When he looked up, Luca watched him with a half-smile that left Darcy’s heart stumbling stupidly inside his chest.
“Good?” Luca asked.
Darcy nodded, suddenly unsure if Luca meant the coffee. “Great.”
Meatball pawed at his jeans, breaking the moment. Darcy shot the dog a playful glare. “Patience, buddy.”
“He’s eager.” Luca leaned down, scratching the pit bull affectionately. “Probably because you’re calmer today.”
“Calm?” Darcy laughed dryly. “Tell that to my pounding heart.”
Letting off steam in the shower yesterday helped. Darcy needed to stop thinking about what he’d done. He felt his face heating up remembering how naughty he’d been.
Luca’s smile deepened. “You hide it well.”
Darcy resisted the urge to roll his eyes. “Years of practice.”
They walked slowly, leashes slack in Luca’s capable hands. Darcy found himself mirroring Luca’s easy stance—loose arms, steady breathing—even as nerves tangled inside him. But something smelled different today. The guy had clearly put in some effort. A faint spicy cologne teased Darcy’s senses, subtle enough to make him question if he imagined it.
He stole another glance, noticing Luca’s hair combed neatly back from his face, not hidden beneath yesterday’s grime. Was that for him? Even if it wasn’t, Darcy would make himself believe it was true.
“So, how’d you get into mechanics?” he asked, breaking a silence that threatened to fill with his restless thoughts. “Always liked cars?”
“Pretty much born with grease under my nails. My uncle owned a shop. Raised me in it.” Luca took a sip of his coffee, his gaze darting to the dogs. He had a sexy profile, and Darcy was dying to run his teeth over Luca’s facial hair.
“Your parents?” he asked, forcing his gaze away.
“Never really knew them.” Luca’s tone stayed casual, shoulders relaxed as if it wasn’t a big deal. Darcy knew better. Casual usually meant well-practiced. “My uncle stepped in, taught me everything I know.”
They walked in quiet again, comfortable rather than awkward. Darcy absorbed Luca’s words, connecting dots carefully. Family without parents. Uncle instead of father. He understood how hollow spaces echoed differently for everyone.
“Sorry,” he finally said. “I didn’t mean to pry.”
“You didn’t.” Luca bumped an arm gently against Darcy’s. “It’s okay to ask.”
They rounded a corner, Atlas suddenly stiffening. Darcy saw the squirrel seconds later, perched smugly on a low branch. His fingers tightened reflexively, bracing for impact.
“Relax.” Luca’s voice came low, calm against Darcy’s ear. “You got this.”
He sucked in a quick breath as Luca moved behind him. Warm, strong hands settled on his shoulders, firm pressure kneading tension loose from his muscles. Darcy’s chest tightened at the intimacy, heart thudding wildly. Massaging circles on his back, Luca left him aching in ways he couldn’t explain.
“He feels your tension. Relax your arms. Breathe.”
Easy for you to say. Darcy inhaled slowly, fingers easing their death-grip on the leash. Atlas’s hackles lowered, stance easing almost immediately.
“See?” There was a smile in Luca’s voice. “He’s watching your cues.”
Darcy nodded dumbly, breath shallow, hyper-aware of Luca’s chest at his back and the steady breaths brushing his neck. “Sorry,” he whispered. “Habit.”
“No need to apologize.” Luca’s hands remained, thumbs moving lightly against shoulder blades. “You lost someone, too?”
The question threw Darcy, and it took him a moment to realize what the guy was talking about. Those hands were playing havoc with his senses.
“My mom. Few years back.” Darcy swallowed hard, fighting back the tears that always showed up whenever he talked about her. No matter how much time passed, the ache never went away. Darcy had loved her so much. She’d been his best friend, and when she’d died, it had shattered something deep inside of him.
“I’m sorry.” Luca’s voice deepened with genuine sympathy.
Darcy shrugged weakly. “Dad and Grandma try, but...things changed. Family got smaller. It just doesn’t feel the same anymore.”
“Sometimes family grows differently,” Luca murmured, hands finally easing away, though warmth lingered.
Darcy turned slightly, pulse quickening as Luca moved alongside him again, leaving empty space behind him that felt oddly colder now. He missed Luca’s warmth instantly.
“What about your mom?” he asked cautiously. “If you don’t mind.”
“I don’t mind.” Luca’s eyes drifted ahead, thoughtful. “Mom had me after a one-night stand. Raised me until I was about three. Then she passed.”
“You remember anything?”
Luca’s lips curved gently. “Little things—her laugh, perfume maybe. Mostly faded memories.”
Darcy nodded. “Sounds lonely.”
Luca glanced sideways, dark eyes softening. “Used to be. My uncle gave me more than enough. Learned family’s something you choose, not just inherit.”
Darcy’s chest tightened unexpectedly, wishing he knew how to reach across that small distance. “You’re lucky.”
“Luckier lately.” Luca’s gaze lingered meaningfully before flicking away.
Now that was flirting. Heat rushed into Darcy’s cheeks, forcing him to examine a spot on the sidewalk instead.
Meatball barked impatiently, pulling them both from their thoughts.
Darcy cleared his throat. “Guess Meatball’s done bonding.”
It was barely more than a breath, that chuckle, but it carried weight, sliding through Darcy like velvet. “He’ll come around.” Luca’s reassurance was a gentle tug that left Darcy wanting to follow.
The rest of the walk passed comfortably, the dogs relaxed enough that Darcy briefly imagined he might actually be good at this one day—though he suspected Luca’s presence had everything to do with their good behavior. And maybe his own.
Back at the shop, Luca’s gaze caught his again. Darcy’s heartbeat stuttered, nerves resurging. He didn’t want to leave.
“Same time tomorrow?” Luca asked, voice casual again, carefully controlled.
Darcy’s chest fluttered with relief, even hope. “Tomorrow. Definitely.”
Though he wished he could stay. Darcy didn’t have to work at the pet shop later, and it wasn’t the weekend, so no pizza gig. It was rare, but he finally had the day to himself, only he didn’t want to spend it alone.
“I guess I should get going.” But he didn’t move. Instead, he tucked stray hair behind his ear while he tried to think of something else to say.
Unfortunately, his brain wasn’t cooperating. Glancing through the open bay door, he spotted someone standing by the front of the car that had been there yesterday, the hood once again raised. “What’s wrong with that car?”
Lame, but it was all he could think to say.
Luca shook his head. “What isn’t wrong with it? A few weeks ago I replaced a radiator that was held up by a wire coat hanger and neon tape.”
Darcy gaped at him. “You’re kidding, right?”
Something slid behind Luca’s eyes, but Darcy couldn’t tell what that look was about. “Come take a look and I’ll prove this car is a disaster.”
“The dogs.” There were only four, but Darcy didn’t want them making a mess of the shop. It was shocking Meatball hadn’t punctured that tire yesterday with his sharp teeth. If he had, Luca hadn’t said anything. Darcy didn’t know how much tires cost but would’ve hated coming off the cash to replace it.
“They can come inside.” Coffee cup still in hand, Luca reached down and unclipped Meatball’s leash. “Come on, boy.”
Darcy stood there, jaw slack, as the pit bull walked obediently beside Luca. The dog didn’t try to take off or eat a tire. He just trotted alongside Luca like he’d done it every day of his life.
“I am so jealous of that man’s skills,” Darcy muttered.
Inside the shop it felt ten degrees cooler, even though it was still early and the sun wasn’t at its full peak. Darcy noticed a rolling cart at the front of the car, tools laid out in neat rows.
Someone has OCD.
“See?” Luca gestured toward the engine like Darcy was supposed to know what he was looking at. He’d never been under a hood before.
“Um.” He gripped the leashes tighter, causing the remaining three dogs to tug. “What exactly am I looking at?”
Luca began pointing, naming things that shouldn’t be there or were missing. Darcy simply nodded, having no clue what a timing belt or gasket was. Though, he was pretty sure all that pink neon tape didn’t belong.
And was that a shoestring?
Atlas jerked toward the bay door, damn near ripping off Darcy’s arm. He cried out, dropping his cup of coffee when he gripped the leash with both hands. “Down, boy!”
A freaking chipmunk sat at the edge of the bay, staring at the Great Dane like it dared the dog to come after it. Just what Darcy didn’t need. A flexing rodent.
Luca was in front of Atlas in seconds, a low growl rumbling from his throat. What the… The Great Dane eased onto his haunches, then lowered all the way to the floor in a relaxed pose. He rested his head on his crossed paws as the chipmunk stared, and Darcy could’ve sworn the damn thing was laughing at Atlas.
“How…” Darcy scratched under his chin, still thinking about that growl. It hadn’t sounded human.
“Permanecer.” Luca pointed at Atlas. “No vas a lastimar al humano.”
“What did you just say?” Darcy glanced between Luca and Atlas. “I’ve never seen him that still before.”
Luca picked up the fallen cup and lid then tossed down a few paper towels to soak up the coffee.
“I just told him to keep his butt still.” He tossed the wet towels into a nearby trash can.
Why did Darcy have a feeling that wasn’t all the guy had said? There was something off about Luca, but hell if Darcy could figure out what it was. Maybe he didn’t want to know.
* * * *
Darcy opened the gate, leading the dog inside the yard. He was doing a lot better walking the dogs. Luca couldn’t believe how four simple dogs had overwhelmed the human, especially when he was a dog walker. What surprised Luca most was how quickly he’d offered his services. The male intrigued him. Maybe because he was stunning, with those green eyes that glinted in the sun or possibly the way it seemed as if the dogs were taking Darcy for a walk instead of the other way around.
But he saw genuine care in the way Darcy treated the animals, like they were misbehaving children instead of burdens he dealt with for the pay.
“You think Jimbo’s gonna tell his owner how awful I am at this?” Soft laughter escaped Darcy, his eyes darting over to Luca for a heartbeat before he rang the doorbell.
“You did a lot better today.” He spoke slowly, not dragging it out but slow enough to make sure the male knew how sincere he was.
“Thanks, but we both know it was because you were there,” Darcy said, both of them watching Jimbo plant his paws and sniff at something near the flowerbed.
“No digging in the soil.” Darcy unclipped the leash, all awkward elbows and knees, but the affection was real.
Maybe that was what drew him to the human. The way he cared deeply for the canines he was responsible for.
A middle-aged woman with a tight bun and sharp blue eyes stuck her head out. Her greeting landed somewhere between suspicious and amused.
“Jimbo’s been walked and should rest for you, Mrs. Pollard.” Darcy patted the Doberman. “He was such a good boy.”
“You’re the only one who can return Jimbo with all four legs still attached. Thank you, Darcy.” She opened the door wider so Jimbo could pad inside. “Have a nice day, you two.”
Luca grinned, raising a hand in a lazy goodbye. Darcy mumbled something about hazard pay then let the gate swing shut. They stood side by side on the hot sidewalk, neither seeming ready to end their time together.
“Would you like to grab lunch with me, lucerito?” A few of Darcy’s hairs moved with the slight breeze, and Luca was dying to tuck them behind his ear.
Darcy licked his bottom lip then let it sit between his teeth.
“It’s cool if you don’t want to,” Luca said, though he had to admit he was disappointed. He really liked Darcy and wouldn’t mind spending more time with him.
“I do want to go.” He tapped his thumb on his thigh in a nervous rhythm. “I’m just…broke.”
Placing a hand over his chest in a playful gesture, Luca said, “Then let me pay you back for brightening my mornings, good sir, by treating you to lunch.”
His lips parted slightly then tugged into a slow, uncertain smile. “I should be the one paying since you’ve been the one giving lessons.”
“Nope. I made the offer first. Do you know the tavern Sin & Steel?”
“The biker bar?” Darcy’s brows rose.
That was the downside of making the place appear uninviting and threatening. It kept the cops from coming inside, as well as unwanted guests, but it also made hot little numbers like Darcy steer clear of the place.
“I promise it’s mild during lunchtime.” Most of the time anyway. Luca would call Cesar, the pack cook, and give him a head’s-up that he was bringing a “special” friend. Not that he needed to. Cesar’s cooking was next level. “Half an hour? That way I can close up the shop for lunch and you can recover from your dog-related trauma.”
“No dogs?” he teased.
“No dogs, lucerito,” Luca confirmed. Just wolf shifters. It wasn’t a lie. No dogs would be there.
“What is that you keep calling me?” Darcy asked as they began to walk. A cop car passed by them, and Luca’s hackles rose when he saw the way Deputy Gilmore glared at him. Fucking prick.
“Lucerito?”
Darcy nodded.
“It means little starlet.” Luca gently bumped shoulders with him, though his gaze was still locked on the cruiser. “Unless you prefer I call you bomboncito loco or corredorcito.”
“What do those mean?” They stopped on the corner, Darcy’s toes pointed in the opposite direction of Luca’s shop.
“Crazy little marshmallow and little runner.” He held his hand out, like he had a leash in it, then jerked forward.
Darcy rolled his eyes but gave a soft chuckle. “Very funny. I think I’ll stick with starlet.” He gestured to his right. “My apartment’s this way. See you in half an hour?”
“Count on it.” Luca held up a hand. “But just in case, maybe we should exchange phone numbers.” There was no telling what might come up in thirty minutes. A tow, pack meeting, the apocalypse. Being a wolf shifter meant there was never a dull moment.
Once he had Darcy’s number stored in his phone, Luca took a step back, the temptation to kiss the male too powerful. “Thirty minutes.”
“Yep.” Darcy hurried away, and Luca stood there, smiling like an idiot. He was also checking out Darcy’s slightly flared ass. Nice. He’d been checking it out since the moment he’d walked up on Meatball using Jared’s spare tire as a chew toy.
But every time he flirted, it seemed to go right over Darcy’s head. If Luca wanted to make his intentions clear, maybe subtlety wasn’t the best option. The thought made him pause. What exactly were his intentions? Getting the male into his bed was definitely one of them. But beyond that was a mystery. He liked the human, so maybe Luca would see where this might lead.
He turned toward the shop, gears already spinning on the work waiting on him. No sooner had he walked through the door than Lenny stepped out of Luca’s office. “Got a tow call, boss. Camry took a shit.” He lit a cigarette, deep inhale, smoky exhale. “Over on Hawk’s Ridge. Said the car up and died on him while driving.” He took another hit of his cigarette. “Want me to go grab it?”
“I got it.” Luca bummed a smoke. It wasn’t a regular habit, but he enjoyed one every now and then. “You keep working on Jared’s car.” He handed the lighter back to Lenny. “Miguel shelled out some cash for the new alternator and wants to surprise his boyfriend with it.”
Lenny chuckled, shaking his head while switching to Spanish. “The boy’s crazy for that kid. Wish I could get my wife to take care of me half as decent as Miguel treats his partner.”
Luca took a hit, exhaling slowly. “Carmilla gave you three sons. Cut her some slack. You know damn well she’s crazy for you.”
“Yeah, she is.” He blushed. “Want me to do anything before you take off?”
“Nah, I got it.” Luca stubbed out his smoke under his shoe, then tossed it into the trashcan. He glanced at the clock on the wall. The tow shouldn’t eat up a lot of time. He should make it to Sin’s for lunch.
A familiar rumble pulled up behind him as he loaded the winch. Chopper swung off his bike, wearing a wild grin that made him look half feral. “You rolling out?” he asked like he meant to hitch a ride whether invited or not.
“Backroad tow.” Luca jerked his chin toward the flatbed. “Get in. Company might make this less boring.” With someone to talk to, he wouldn’t think too deeply about Darcy. The male was endearing in a way that made Luca want to fix every bad day he’d ever had.
Another thought that made him pause, but he shoved it to the backburner.
Chopper slid into the shotgun seat, boots thrown up on the dashboard. They talked the entire ride, cracking jokes and just enjoying the drive. Birds spooked from the brush as they came around the bend. The Camry sat crooked on the shoulder, ass end partially on the road.
“That’s an accident waiting to happen,” Copper commented. “Luckily no one hit it.”
They pulled in behind it. Luca put on the hazard lights just in case some idiot came flying around the bend, then hopped out. No owner, but that wasn’t unusual. Most called a loved one or friend to pick them up.
He scanned the interior, windows smudged with handprints, fast food wrappers littering the floor. Luca opened the car door to search for the key. Under the mat was a common place to hide it., but it wasn’t there.
“Where’s the driver?” Chopper asked when he approached.
“Dunno.” Luca flipped the visor down. Nothing. The car could be towed without one, but having the key made things a lot easier. No sign of the owner. No keys.
Chopper leaned in close. “Feels off, hermano.”
“I was just starting to come to that conclusion,” Luca said under his breath. He eased out of the car and closed the door. “I feel eyes on us.”
Pine trees pressed close on both sides, the woods tight with summer heat.
A flicker of movement, impossible to pin down. It was too big for a bird, too fast for a squirrel, but it was just enough to put his nerves on edge. Time ticked by quietly. A woodpecker stuttered loudly somewhere in the branches, a bad soundtrack for the mounting chill in Luca’s gut.
He scanned left then right, tracking movement along the brush line. More rustling, along with a flash of something dark. It didn’t matter who, or what, was out there. Nothing good skulked in the woods mid-morning on an empty road. “You seeing the movement?”
“Clocking it.” Chopper pulled his shirt aside to free his gun. “We expecting company?”
“Not until lunch.” Luca drew his Sig, rolling his shoulders loose.
Something pricked along his skin. He scanned the tree line, picking out a flicker of movement—a flash of denim, maybe, on a shape ducking low behind a fallen cedar.
Luca pulled his phone free, and with one hand, he fired off a text to Santiago, one of the pack enforcers.
Spider tingles activated. Might be tangled in a web. Bring a few flame throwers. Then he dropped a pin for their exact location.
The pack had had too many incidents on back roads not to take precautions. Mostly dealing with guns and bad luck. Just three weeks ago, Cesar, a packmate, and his elegido had been shot at then pinned down in a derelict barn. Another packmate, Miguel, and his elegido, Jared, had nearly been run off the road. Suero, along with his elegido, Kia, with his cousin Jared in the car, had been pinned down by hyenas shooting tranquilizer darts at them.
Rico, the alpha of the hyenas, was dead, but still, the thought of one of those darts hitting Luca made his blood run cold.
“Don’t like this,” he muttered, low so only Chopper could hear. “I was set up.”
“Piss anyone off lately?”
“Every customer who’s tried to rip me off or accused me of shoddy work, but I doubt a Prius owner is sneaking through the woods right now.” Luca steadied his breathing, every sense tuned to the hush of the threat settling around them.
Chopper crept around the trunk, eyes narrowed as he scanned the woods. “Movement, two o’clock.”
Luca glanced once at him, silent understanding passing between them.
He’d been hoping for an easy morning, a greasy burger, and enjoying whatever time Darcy wanted to spend with him.
Instead, he waited, tension gathering, ready for whatever the brush decided to spit out.