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Chapter no 43 – Dahlia

Love Redesigned

My limbs are useless, so Julian carefully removes me from his lap and places me on the bench seat before taking care of the used condom. The rapid thump of my heart gets stronger as I

consider the deputy standing outside the truck. I donโ€™t recognize him as the guy Lily and I met up with to discuss the prank, which only makes the acid churning in my stomach worse.

โ€œWhat do we do?โ€ Iโ€™m not sure how I manage to formulate a full sentence, but I do.

Julian shakes his head. โ€œI donโ€™t know.โ€

โ€œAwesome.โ€ Panic bubbles inside me, the pressure becoming unbearable with every shallow breath. โ€œIs he going to arrest us?โ€

Blue and red lights flash over his face. โ€œI wouldnโ€™t put it past him.โ€ โ€œThatโ€™s reassuring.โ€

โ€œEverything will be fine.โ€

โ€œFine?โ€ My pitch rises. โ€œHow is any of thisย fine?โ€ I reach out for the dashboard as a wave of dizziness consumes me. โ€œHeโ€™s going to recognize me, and then this is going to make it onto the news, and everyone I know will find out, and I will lose the Archer deal only thirty minutes after receiving it.โ€

Julian interlocks our fingers and tucks my hand against his chest. โ€œBreathe.โ€ He demonstrates, and I follow along.

โ€œEverything will be fine because you have me, and Iโ€™m not going to let anything bad happen to you,โ€ he responds between deep inhales. โ€œThis isnโ€™t

going to make it onto the news, and Archer isnโ€™t going to find out about a silly misunderstanding.โ€

Julianโ€™s confidence eases some of my panic, along with his forcing me to take big gulps of air. He helps fix my clothes, which Iโ€™m grateful for given how hard my hands are shaking.

โ€œDahlia.โ€ He lifts my chin up, but I avoid meeting his gaze. He sighs. โ€œAbout what you said earlierโ€”โ€

โ€œI donโ€™t want to talk about it.โ€ Not now, and maybe not ever.

I hadnโ€™t meant to confess my feelings when I barely understand them myself, but Julian didnโ€™t give me much of an option.

Now look at the mess you got yourself into.

โ€œDo you plan on acting like you didnโ€™t admit that youโ€™re falling in love with me?โ€

โ€œSeems on brand for me.โ€ โ€œSeems like bullshit.โ€

I flinch. He reaches out for my trembling hand again and gives it a reassuring squeeze I donโ€™t entirely deserve.

Which is exactly why youโ€™re going to pack your bags and go back to San Francisco before either one of you gets hurt.

Except my plan quickly falls apart when my chest aches at pushing Julian away like he did to me all those years ago.

He deserves better than that from you.

I jolt at the deputy knocking on the window with his flashlight. โ€œAs entertaining as this show is, wrap it up. Itโ€™s cold out here, and Iโ€™m losing my patience.โ€

My nails bite into my thighs. โ€œGod. I hate this man, and I donโ€™t even know him.โ€

โ€œConsider that a blessing.โ€

I hop out of the truck on shaky legs. The brisk December breeze hits me, making me shiver.

โ€œDahlia Muรฑoz?โ€ A deputy I donโ€™t recognize calls my name. โ€œSurprised to see you here.โ€

โ€œUm, whereโ€™s Ben?โ€ I scan the police cruiser parked beside Julianโ€™s truck for the man I planned the prank with.

He shoots me a confused look. โ€œLast I heard, he was answering another call.โ€

โ€œOh. Does he plan on coming here to back you up?โ€ Maybe Lily changed the plan at the last minute so I wouldnโ€™t give anything away.

That little shit.ย I wouldnโ€™t put it past her.

โ€œI think I can handle this civil disturbance on my own.โ€ My stomach churns. โ€œCivil disturbance?โ€

โ€œSomeone called to report two people having s*x in a public parking lot.โ€

Despite the chilly temperature outside, I break out into a sweat.

Julian walks around the back of the truck and stands beside me without touching me. โ€œDeputy Roberts.โ€

โ€œJulian,โ€ the deputy sneers. โ€œI thought it was you, but I wasnโ€™t sure with the dark tints.โ€

Uh-oh.

I can tell based on Julianโ€™s rigid posture and the way Deputy Roberts reaches for his taser that these two have history.

The really,ย reallyย bad kind.

โ€œWhat can we do for you?โ€ Julian grazes his pinky against mine.

Iโ€™m here, he silently says.

The gesture only seems to make the tightness in my chest worse.

โ€œI received a complaint about inappropriate conduct and public nudity.โ€ Julian rubs the back of his neck. โ€œRight.โ€

โ€œYou are aware that itโ€™s illegal to have s*x in a public location, correct?โ€ โ€œI am aware, yes.โ€

โ€œJulian!โ€ I shout. Rule number one of dealing with cops: never admit guilt.

He realizes his mistake too late.

Deputy Roberts reaches for his cuffs. โ€œTurn around, Lopez.โ€ โ€œExcuse me?โ€

โ€œIโ€™ve been waiting for this moment.โ€

What?

Julian doesnโ€™t follow the deputyโ€™s instructions. โ€œYouโ€™re seriously going to arrest me for this?โ€

โ€œI was thinking about detaining you, but keep running your mouth, and Iโ€™ll be tempted to charge you.โ€

Julian doesnโ€™t blink. โ€œHow much will it cost to make this all go away?โ€

I drag my hand across my throat in desperation.ย Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!ย I mouth.

โ€œAdd bribing an officer to your list of crimes tonight. Now, turn around and put your hands behind your back.โ€ He motions with the cuffs.

โ€œThis is ridiculous,โ€ Julian says. โ€œDo what he says,โ€ I whisper.

He spins around and locks his hands together.

Deputy Roberts makes quick work of the cuffs before turning to me. โ€œYour turn.โ€

โ€œMe?โ€ My pitch rises.

โ€œMr. Lopez wasnโ€™t having s*x alone, was he?โ€ I blush from my head to my toes.

He gestures with his cuffs. โ€œTurn around and put your hands behind your back like Mr. Lopez so kindly demonstrated.โ€

โ€œLeave her out of this.โ€ Julianโ€™s lethal tone draws a shiver from me. โ€œAnd miss out on an opportunity to piss you off? I donโ€™t think so.โ€ My eyes widen at the deputy. โ€œWhy do you hate him so much?โ€ โ€œAsk him that.โ€ He points the handcuffs in Julianโ€™s direction.

Julian locks eyes on Deputy Roberts. โ€œMy mom set me up on a few dates with Robertsโ€™s ex.โ€

Roberts takes great pleasure in cuffing me, although Julian seems about one second away from having an aneurism.

โ€œIโ€™m sorry,โ€ he says as soon as we are placed in the back of the cruiser.

I remain quiet as I consider where everything went wrong in the last ten minutes. Julian checks in with me multiple times during the car ride, but my anxiety has officially taken over, and I see no end in sight.

 

 

Getting thrown in a holding cell because of a personal vendetta against Julian isnโ€™t doing wonders for my mood. Whatever bliss I felt in the truck has long since disappeared, leaving me antsy and irritable as I pace the perimeter.

Roberts didnโ€™t charge us with anything, although the photo he took of us in the holding cell is damning enough. I pray it doesnโ€™t make it on the internet.

I wrap my hands around the metal bars and shout, โ€œThis is unconstitutional!โ€

Julian takes a seat on the most uncomfortable-looking metal bench. โ€œWelcome to Lake Wisteria.โ€

I grip the bars and attempt to shake them to no avail. โ€œRoberts! What about our right to a phone call or bail?โ€

No one answers my shout.

Asshole.

I press my forehead against the cold metal. โ€œSo, what? Heโ€™s going to leave us here to rot because he hates you?โ€

โ€œEh. I give him a few hours before he calls our mothers to come pick us up.โ€

โ€œOur mothers?โ€ I turn on my heels with a screech.

โ€œI overheard him telling one of the other deputies about it while you were busy having a private conversation with yourself.โ€ His shy smile doesnโ€™t ease my anxiety.

My makeup might melt away from how hot my skin gets. โ€œMy mom is going to kill me when she finds out why weโ€™re here.โ€

โ€œConsider yourself lucky. Mine is going to start planning our wedding and invite the whole town.โ€

God help me get through tonight without ending up disowned or deceased.

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