Page 20 of Perfectly Leashed
“Don’t ever manhandle me again.” The words came low, clipped, but full of quiet fury.
“You have my word.” Luca kissed his forehead, wondering what pain the human carried. Had it happened to him, or had he witnessed it?
“I’m about to try and lift you again.” Darcy’s arms were still around him, but the embrace no longer felt intimate.
They tried again without success. Darcy let out a breath panted and pulled away. “I’ll go get some help. Be right back.”
He grabbed his plate of half-eaten wings and rushed out, like he couldn’t get away fast enough.
With a deep sigh, Luca stared up at the ceiling, pretty sure he’d just seen the last of the human.
* * * *
Deep down, Darcy had always suspected something was off. He’d brushed off the strangeness—glowing amber eyes, dog whisperer, that subtle growl. But after seeing Killer Eyes’ gaze glow, and those growls from Luca’s friends, along with them talking about hyenas, it became clear to him.
And Luca had just confirmed his suspicions. These men weren’t human.
It made sense now. The easy way Luca talked to Meatball when no one else could get through to the pit bull, how he’d responded as if he understood every word.
Darcy should’ve left. Any reasonable person would have slipped out while everyone was distracted, made for the door, and run. Instead, he found himself wandering toward the kitchen. Cesar was busy at the stove. Jamie bounced next to him, narrating everything in a running monologue with wild gestures. The aroma hit first, garlic and tomatoes simmering together. There was an undercurrent of something rich and gamey that Darcy couldn’t name, but it made his mouth water, even though his stomach was in knots.
Everything looked normal, but now that Darcy knew the truth, he saw Cesar in a whole new light.
“Luca needs help sitting up,” Darcy said, placing his unfinished plate in the sink. He had an overwhelming urge to scrub every greasy dish that had piled up. Some part of him craved order now that nothing else made sense.
“He’s awake?” Cesar set his spoon down.
“No, I just thought it’d be funny to prop him up while he slept.” Darcy’s brows shot up, startled by his sarcastic remark. That wasn’t like him. Why did he say that?
Jamie let out a loud snicker as Cesar studied Darcy.
“Sorry.” Darcy raised his hands. “I just found out—” Oh crap! He’d nearly spilled the tea. Even though Cesar was a wolf, Darcy guessed, Jamie might not know about it.
Cesar wiped his hands on a towel and gave Darcy a knowing look. “Jamie, can you finish the sauce for me? I’ll be back in a sec.”
Jamie grabbed the spoon, muttering to himself. It sounded like he was running through the recipe and instructions.
As Cesar passed Darcy, he paused just long enough to whisper, “You good?”
“Define good,” he replied quietly. “I need a drink.” He walked away, trying hard to picture Luca as a wolf, but he just couldn’t.
The main room was lively, loud music thumping while men shouted and laughed. Pool balls clacked together, and darts thudded into corkboards as Darcy wandered to the bar.
Raphael was working the bar alongside a guy with scars on one side of his face. Darcy sat next to a rough-looking guy enjoying his meal.
Sauntering over with a friendly smile, Raphael tossed the bar rag on the counter. “What can I get you, Darcy?”
“How do you know my name?” He grabbed a handful of pretzels from a nearby bowl and munched on a few. They were surprisingly soft, not stale.
“Know a little bit about a little.” Raphael winked. “Te quedaste al lado de mi hermano, por eso la manada te reconoce.”
“He said he’s super nosy,” Percy chimed in, sitting down on the other side of the guy who was eating.
Another guy joined them, standing between Darcy and Percy. “I’m Elijah. Heard you’ve been watching over Luca. Thank you.”
Did everyone here gossip? Darcy felt out of the loop. It was clear this was a tight-knit group. Did they know about the wolves too? And why was he jealous he wasn’t a part of this craziness?
Percy turned to Raphael. “Dale manzanas azules a la cabra al mediodía,” he said while giving the countertop a smack.
