Savage (Park Avenue Kings #1)

17. Cooper

17

COOPER

“ R ELAX.”

LACHLAN’S SMOOTH voice pulled me from my racing thoughts as our chauffeur for the evening weaved a very expensive-looking car through the bustling Saturday night traffic.

“Relax?” I scoffed. “That might’ve been an option if I hadn’t been herded into a car with a blindfold for the second time in forty-eight hours. You could’ve just asked me to shut my eyes, you know.”

“I could’ve,” Lachlan looked across the backseat and ran unfamiliar eyes down over me. The contacts were...different, but he looked no less attractive somehow. “But I kind of like you in a blindfold.”

His answer was as unexpected as my reaction to his new appearance, my dick jerking up ready to sign checks it probably shouldn’t be cashing.

“Plus, if this is a sex club, you might have to wear one of these to get in.” He reached for the silky piece of fabric I’d tossed on the seat between us and rubbed it between his fingers. “I’m just making sure you trust me to… instruct you on what to do when we get inside tonight.”

Fuck. When he put it like that, I had no trouble wearing his damn blindfold. But it was still a head trip to know that he was Lachlan, and yet I was looking right at him and seeing someone completely different.

It also made me feel like a total horn dog that within the space of a week I’d been physically attracted to three different men. Sure, Lachlan wasn’t actually two different people, but that didn’t account for my late night encounter with the masked stranger.

This city had my mind spinning.

“Cooper?”

I blinked Lachlan back into focus and looked at the intricate tattoo that had been applied to his neck. I knew it was temporary, but something about the way the tiger’s tail disappeared under the collar of his black shirt made me want to pet it—or lick it.

“Sorry, what?”

“I asked you if you’re ready for this. If you remember our roles for the night.”

Not really. That’s what I wanted to say. Was anyone ever truly ready to come face to face with the man who was responsible for their friend’s death? But that was why I was here. That was why I’d been in that alley that night. That was why I’d been chasing this story down, and if this Mick guy was whom I needed to get close to, then I would do whatever it took.

Even if that meant acting the submissive to Lachlan’s dom.

“Yes, sir.”

Lachlan chuckled, and the sound was so decadent that warmth flooded my body. “I like that a little more than I should, Blondie.”

I scrunched my nose up. “Blondie?”

Lachlan gestured to the wig Lucien’s woman had picked out for me. “Keeping it simple. It’s the best way to lie.”

“Good to know.”

The driver made a turn onto an all-too-familiar street, and as the building I’d spent way too many hours watching came into view, I ran my palms down my leather pants.

This was it. I was finally about to go inside.

“You ready?” Lachlan asked as our driver slowed the car and pulled up at the curb. I nodded, and he reached for the door. “Okay, let’s do this.”

I took in a deep breath and watched as Lachlan climbed out of the vehicle—which wasn’t a hardship at all with the way his tailored black pants pulled tight across his spectacular ass. But I didn’t have too long to focus on that, not when he was gesturing for me to follow. Something I would be doing for the rest of the night.

As I stepped out into the frigid January air, Lachlan moved in front of me and hooked a chain to the cuff on my wrist. I sucked in a sharp breath as his eyes found mine, the silent question in them my way out should I want it.

But I was in this now. There was no turning back.

So I did the one thing I knew would signal my willingness to go on: I lowered my eyes like any good submissive would.

A low gruff sound of approval left Lachlan as he turned away from me. He walked toward the bouncer, and I had no choice but to follow. When we reached the door, words were exchanged between Lachlan and the wall of muscle guarding it. True to his word, Lucien had somehow gotten us a pass.

The behemoth stepped aside and I quickly lowered my gaze to avoid his, and when I felt a tug at my wrist, I hurried forward. The last thing I wanted was to trip and fall at Lachlan’s feet. Although I guess that wouldn’t be all that odd in this particular circle.

As we stepped inside out of the cold, the heavy door was pushed shut behind me and we were transported to a place full of sex and sin. A place where the lights were as low as the bass pounding out of the speakers. A place where body heat was preferred, and money could buy you whatever pleasure you were seeking.

I was a complete fish out of water, and as the reality of what I was here to do sank in, so did the nerves.

“Stop fidgeting.”

“Huh?”

Lachlan slapped at the hands I hadn’t realized I was wringing, then moved in beside me and gripped the back of my neck.

“I think you mean, ‘yes, sir,’” he said as he lowered his head and put his lips by my ear. “And I said, stop fidgeting.”

“Yes, sir.”

He tightened his grip, holding me exactly where he wanted me as his warm breath ghosted over my cheek.

“Whatever I tell you to do in here, you do it. Understand? These men are dangerous. If you want to survive, you need to play your part. Stop thinking. Let me do it for you. ”

I turned my head a fraction, and when Lachlan didn’t move, it took all I had not to rear back. His mouth was so close, his lips a mere whisper from mine.

“This is for your story, remember? For your friend.”

Before I could respond, he jerked me forward and took my lower lip between his teeth. He sucked it into his mouth, his eyes locked on mine, and despite the way my pulse jumped and my dick began to throb, I didn’t move.

I knew exactly what he was doing—he was testing me. I wasn’t about to fail. I stood still as a statue and didn’t dare touch my “master” as he growled deep and let my lip go.

“That’s more like it,” he said, as I licked the lip he’d just sucked. Before I lowered my eyes, I saw his narrow. “Let’s go. I need a hard…drink.”

Lachlan guided me out of the entrance and through the crowd of gyrating bodies. It was clear that some were there to dance, but it seemed that for most it was just foreplay to what was going on beyond the floor.

It was difficult to get a really good look with my eyes lowered, but as we passed by several tables I caught sight of heads bent over white lines, pills swapping hands, and mouths open and sucking on things that had nothing to do with drinking, and everything to do with coming.

Wow… I’d had no idea.No idea that places like this actually existed. What had Lachlan called me? Na?ve. I was starting to think he was right, because in all the time I’d stood outside watching people come and go from this place, I’d never expected it to be so… in your face.

I was about as far removed from Colorado as I could be right now, and that was saying something, considering I’d almost died in an alleyway recently.

But who were these people?

I was so caught up in my thoughts and trying to look around that I didn’t notice someone step directly into my path until Lachlan drew me to a complete stop.

My feet immediately froze, but I kept my head lowered and focused on the expensive leather shoes that were much closer than Lachlan would probably like.

“Haven’t seen you two around before.” The man’s thick accent implied he was definitely a local.

Lachlan moved in so close behind me I could feel the warmth of his torso through my black sheath top. “’Cause we haven’t been around,” he said as I did my best to become invisible. “I’m new in town, heard about this place from a friend, and thought I’d bring Blondie here out for a little fun.”

“A friend, huh?” The suspicion in the other man’s voice was almost as thick as the horrible cologne wafting off him. But in true Lachlan fashion, he didn’t let anyone intimidate him.

“That’s right. Lucien Vale.” Lachlan said his friend’s name like it alone should impress the guy—and it seemed Lucien’s reputation was, in fact, impressive.

“I know Lucien.”

“Most do.”

“So why aren’t you at his place?”

“Because I’m looking for someone, and I was told he was here.”

I didn’t dare breathe at the interrogation, knowing we must’ve caught someone’s eye to have this guy stop and question us. But Lachlan didn’t seemed bothered.

“I thought you said you were here to have fun with Blondie. But if you’re looking for a good time with someone else, I’d be happy to take him off your hands.”

A meaty hand with a gold ring on the pinkie reached for the chain at my wrist, and just as he was about to take hold of it, Lachlan grabbed his arm, twisting it at an ungodly angle and making the other man curse.

Several people around us stopped to look our way as Lachlan stepped forward and said, “You ever try to touch what’s mine again, I’ll break this, and then your neck. Got it?”

A shiver raced through me at the deadly promise, and I had a sudden flash of my vigilante as Lachlan dropped the guy’s arm and came back to lay claim to me.

The warmth of his hand at the back of my neck both calmed and excited me, and I wasn’t sure which was more alarming.

“Now,” Lachlan said, “I really need a stiff drink.”

He directed me toward the bar and signaled the bartender, then hooked a finger under my chin, angling my face up toward his.

“You did good back there, Blondie. Made me proud.”

I wasn’t sure if it was the tone of his voice or the intense way he was staring at me, but the praise made my heart skip several beats. It was odd considering I was looking into a face I hadn’t known until hours ago. But even though the color of his eyes and hair were different, I could still see Lachlan. The man I’d met in the coffee shop. The one I’d felt an instant chemistry with and still did.

“I’m glad…sir.”

A pleased rumble left Lachlan’s throat as he did a scan of our surroundings before turning back in time to greet the bartender.

“Evening,” the young woman said. “What can I get for you?”

“Bourbon neat, top shelf for me, and he’ll have a Shirley Temple.”

What the fuck? A Shirley Temple? I hadn’t had one of those since I was ten.

“You got it.” She poured Lachlan’s and had mine mixed and across the counter in moments. “Can I get you anything else?”

Lachlan pulled a black credit card from his wallet and held it between his fingers in front of her, much like he had me with his business card.

“How about some of that Rapture that’s going around?”

“Sorry, never heard of it.”

“You’ve never heard of it, or you don’t sell it from where you stand behind that bar?”

She shrugged. “Can I get you anything else?”

If Lachlan was disappointed, he didn’t show it. Instead he went straight for the kill shot.

“A sit-down with Mick.”

Her hand froze on the card, and from beneath my lashes I saw her entire body stiffen. “I don’t know who that is.”

“See, now I think you know exactly who I’m talking about. Your eyes give you away. They keep drifting over my shoulder, left corner. It’s dark back there. Darker than any other corner of the club.”

“So? Maybe that’s the owner.”

“Or”—Lachlan leaned over the bar—“maybe it’s the man who owns the owner. You asked me what I wanted. I want a sit-down with Mick.”

“How do you know Mick?”

“Vince,” he said, throwing out the name Lucien had given him. “He told one of my buddies that Mick sells the top product in the city. That’s what I want. But if that’s not true, I can take my money elsewhere.”

It felt like minutes, hours, passed until she finally spoke again. “I don’t have that kind of pull. To get you a sit-down.”

“Then find me someone who does,” Lachlan said as he let go of the card, and she hurried off. “Here. Drink this.”

Lachlan slid my drink over to me, then shocked the hell out of me by pressing his lips to my temple.

“You did great,” he said by my ear. “You were calm, believable, and did as you were told.”

I dared turn my head a fraction, and when he winked at me, I almost melted at his feet.

“Gotta say, Blondie, I could get used to this.”

I wanted so badly to roll my eyes, but not about to risk being the one to mess shit up, I took a sip of my drink instead. “Do you think she’ll be back?”

“Definitely.”

“What makes you so sure?”

“Because if I was Mick and someone came into my place asking for me by name, I’d want to know who that was. I’d want to look him in the eye.”

That made sense, but I still had my doubts. What if she’d been telling the truth and really didn’t have any pull with Mick?

“We’ve got incoming,” Lachlan said, straightening beside me. “Remember, all you’ve got to do is keep quiet and?—”

“Do what I’m told.”

“Exactly.” He downed his drink in one gulp. “Things are about to get real interesting.”