Page 28 of Perfectly Leashed
Gilmore halted, his jaw set like stone, eyes flashing with irritation. “Boy, if you don’t get the fuck out of my way, you’re gonna share a cell with him.”
That… didn’t sound so bad. A few hours in jail for calling out an injustice.
Darcy darted in front of the deputy again, arms outstretched like a barricade, determined to stall for as long as possible.
But Luca’s face, contorted with pain, told a different story. Darcy’s gaze fell on Luca’s shoulder, where dark spots of blood had begun to seep through his shirt.
“He’s injured! You have to get him medical help!” Darcy shouted, refusing to back down.
Luca gave Darcy a look that said to be quiet, but Darcy returned a look that said not a chance in hell.
When it seemed like his pleas were falling on deaf ears, he took matters into his own hands and called for help, determined to fight for Luca.
He whipped out his phone and called emergency services. The moment he heard the operator’s breath, he launched into a rapid-fire plea. “I’m on Main Street, and my boyfriend is being unlawfully detained. He’s also bleeding! I need an ambulance, another cop who doesn’t have a vendetta, and maybe, yeah, send a fire truck!”
“Sir, the deputy has to call for medical assistance for—”
“He’s not doing jack shit, lady!” Darcy shouted. “Deputy Gilmore is just marching Luca along.”
“Did you say Gilmore?” the operator whispered, her voice barely audible.
“Yeah,” Darcy whispered back, his pulse racing faster. “Tell me you’re not a groupie.”
“Sir,” she replied in her regular tone, startling him, “under these extenuating circumstances, I’ve dispatched medical services and additional law enforcement officers.”
“You’re a real gem,” he murmured, his shoulders growing slack.
“Have no idea what you’re talking about, sir,” she said, her tone softening like a breeze easing through tense branches.
“Then I have no idea why I’m thanking you, ma’am.” He started to hang up but paused, brows wrinkling. “Lacey? Is that you?”
The call disconnected abruptly. Darcy’s frown deepened. Since when did his manager at Furry Friends moonlight as an emergency service operator?
With no time to unravel the mystery, Darcy took off after Luca but stopped so fast he had to whirl his arms to avoid a face-first collision with the asphalt.
Deputy Gilmore stood by his cruiser, a glare locked on the deflated tire.
Oh boy.
Darcy inhaled deeply to calm his nerves and steady his breathing. If he’d known his morning would involve dashing around a crooked cop, he would’ve slipped on his running shoes. You don’t own any running shoes.
“Get your ass over here now,” Gilmore barked, his beefy hand still clamped around Luca’s upper arm.
Luca didn’t look too good. He was sweating profusely, his brown skin appearing unnaturally ashen. Darcy gasped when he noticed the blood seeping farther through the shirt covering Luca’s bandaged shoulder.
He stormed over to the deputy, furious and scared out of his mind. If the cop had manhandled him that way, the prick would’ve snapped Darcy’s arm.
“You deflated my tire, you little shit.” The deputy sneered, eyes narrowing with contempt. “Gonna arrest you too, boy.”
Luca tried to snarl, but it came out feeble, like a sputtering motorboat.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Officer.” He pointed sharply at Luca, his finger trembling slightly. “There’s no way in hell you can’t see his condition!” Darcy slammed the side of his fist against the trunk. Pain flared up his arm, but he ignored it, locking eyes with Gilmore in a tense stare-down. The morning was already oppressively hot, which wasn’t helping Luca’s condition.
And where was the crowd of gawkers? The Nosy Nellies who wanted to see what was going on? No one was around except the three of them.
The street was suspiciously empty.
“Back. Off,” Gilmore warned, his voice a low growl.
