Savage (Park Avenue Kings #1)

35. Cooper

35

COOPER

I WAS IN heaven.

There was no other word for it, because being wrapped up in Lachlan’s arms, in his bed, in his home , was the best feeling I’d had in my life.

It felt so right that I never wanted to leave. And if his promises were true, he wasn’t going to ever let me.

I snuggled in closer, my back pressed up against his chest, his arm heavy over my waist. No one in the world was safer than I was in that moment. Or more wanted. Because the truth was, Lachlan Stone wanted me. He’d fallen for me the same way I had for him, and this thing between was really happening.

No, not thing . Relationship.

Shit, did I call him my boyfriend now? Were we too old for labels like that? He wasn’t that much older than me at thirty-seven, but he seemed so much wiser, or maybe that was because he was aware of things in the world I couldn’t even comprehend…yet.

Lachlan stirred and pressed a kiss to the back of my neck. His voice was still thick with sleep as he said, “How are you awake? I thought you’d be passed out for days.”

I should’ve been. How did I admit that while my body was exhausted, my mind was too excited about possibilities to sleep? Especially when no dream could outpace my reality.

“Oh, I won’t be moving anytime soon,” I said, angling my head so that he could continue planting sleepy kisses down the side of my neck. “Just feeling really”—I searched for the right word—“ happy .”

His arm tightened around me, and I thought I felt his lips curve against my skin.

“Because you’re mine.” He didn’t say it like a question, but like a fact I couldn’t deny.

I rolled over, every muscle in my body screaming, but I wanted to see his face when I told him, “Because you’re mine right back.”

Lachlan’s response was a slow, sexy smile that melted my insides and confirmed we were on the same page.

Mine. His.

Fucking swoon .

He kissed me then, unhurried, his tongue tracing my lips before diving in to explore my mouth. Strong hands rubbed along my back, holding me close. If I died right then, I would’ve died the most content person who’d ever lived.

Somewhere in the house, a phone began to ring, loud and insistent. Lachlan’s entire body tensed before he tore off the covers and jumped out of bed. The way he didn’t hesitate had me sitting up, watching warily as he answered the call.

I couldn’t even find it in me to enjoy the eyeful of his gloriously naked body, not with the tense expression on his face as he listened.

“Got it.” That was all he said before hanging up and heading back to the bedroom.

“What was?—”

“It’s going down. Get dressed. They’ll be here soon.” He tossed me my heap of clothes from the floor and then disappeared into his closet as my heart began to hammer.

Shit. It was happening. Our little bubble had just burst, and now we had to prepare for an entirely different, probably dangerous, situation.

I forgot all about the ache in my well-used body as I threw my clothes back on and ran a hand through my hair a few times. Lachlan emerged a couple minutes later, dressed entirely in black, and it stopped me in my tracks.

He looked lethal, and so fucking hot I could only stare.

Black leather pants. Tactical Henley. Boots. And a fierce look in his eye that made my heart skip a few beats.

That outfit—it was so familiar, yet I’d only ever seen Lachlan in a suit…

“You ready?” he said.

“What’s happening? Are we meeting everyone somewhere?”

“They’ll be downstairs in”—Lachlan looked at his watch—“less than a minute.”

“Oh shit,” I said, but he was already reaching for my hand and heading to the elevator I’d somehow missed earlier.

Seconds later we were stepping out the door as a Lexus SUV pulled up to the curb, black and sleek with tinted windows. The only visible sign that someone was manning the vehicle was the shadow of a figure behind the driver’s wheel.

The passenger window rolled down enough that I could see King’s eyes staring out at me, then they shifted to Lachlan.

“Get in.”

The back door was shoved open, and Lachlan got in first, then held his hand out to me. Not about to be left standing on the side of the road, I took his hand and climbed up into the vehicle, pulling the door shut behind me. That was when I noticed every other seat was occupied by each of the men I’d met during that super-secret meeting.

And immediately forgotten about, of course.

Where was I going to?—

“Right here,” Lachlan said as though he’d read my mind. He pulled me down onto his lap, and a snicker from in the back somewhere echoed around the SUV.

“Escape for a little midnight delight, did we?” Lucien’s voice was immediately recognizable.

“None of your business.”

“Clearly.” Lucien chuckled. “Since you didn’t bring him to my establishment.”

“Level five wasn’t exactly the vibe we were going for tonight.”

Wait, Lucien ran level five? Oh God, I couldn’t even begin to imagine what it would be like to actually experience that with Lachlan.

Or maybe I could, judging by the way my dick now ached between my legs.

“Could you please hold the gossip until the drive home?” Benoit’s lyrical voice came from the driver’s seat. “It’s too juicy, and I’m too focused right now to give it all my attention.”

“That sounds like a plan.” King’s gruff voice put an end to any and all small talk. “Alessio, want to fill lover boy in?”

I grimaced at Lachlan, wondering if he was going to be read the riot act for us leaving Libertine—and us in general. But when he leaned forward and nipped at my ear, a wolf whistle sounded throughout the van, and it was pretty clear he didn’t care either way.

Alessio sat forward from the middle back seat. “Mick made contact with the burner about thirty minutes ago. Sent over the address. Shipment should be loaded and in the warehouse by the time we arrive.”

“Your drones pick anything up?” Lachlan asked.

“A couple security guys on the front and back doors and a private fishing boat. Seems like an odd hour to go throw a line, if you ask me.”

A snort came from beside us, and I finally allowed myself to look at the Prince of fucking Monaco.

“More like throw a body,” he said. My mouth fell open, and he smirked. “Not that I would know.”

“Cut it out, Theo,” King said as Benoit made a turn into a less affluent part of town. “The plan remains as discussed. We breach, detain, and walk away. When that’s complete, Shep will make the final call.”

“Hang on a fucking second,” Lachlan said. “Detain? When was that decided?—”

“During your absence,” King answered.

“But their drugs have been killing people.”

My spine stiffened at the mention of why I was there to begin with. Alex’s death; Mick’s part in that. Once again Lachlan seemed to be able to read my mind, as he tightened his arms around me in a silent show of support.

“I understand that,” King said. “And they will pay?—”

“By being put in a prison cell where they’ll get three meals a day and healthcare?”

“Lachlan.” The name was harsh on King’s tongue, and Lachlan’s mouth clamped shut. “You have your orders, and you will follow them. Do I make myself clear?”

I could feel the tension in every part of his body, rebelling against King’s orders, but ultimately he gave a curt nod.

But he was still wound tight, and I realized what he was so upset about. He didn’t want to just throw those fuckers in jail. He wanted to dole out bodily harm.

Or more.

I didn’t know what it said about me that I could understand why he’d be upset. One look at Mick and I’d want my revenge, and that didn’t include an orange jumpsuit.

A few minutes of tense silence later and Benoit turned off the headlights—and immediately a screen lowered down to show the area around us in night vision.

“Holy shit,” I said, eliciting a few chuckles from behind us. But I’d never seen anything like that before. I already knew this couldn’t just be some normal SUV, not with the caliber of men in this vehicle, but I hadn’t even known these things existed.

“Here’s what’s going to happen,” King said, glancing over his shoulder to catch my attention before facing front again. “You’re with us now, but under no circumstances do you leave this car.”

My initial instinct was to protest, but then he continued.

“You will, however, be able to watch and hear what’s happening on the screen. I understand this is something important to you, and your story, so I’ll allow it as long as you remember the terms of your agreement.”

Fuck yes, I could do that. That was so much more than I’d expected to be privy to. I nodded.

“Thank you,” I said, my adrenaline pumping.

But then the fear flooded in, because what if something happened to Lachlan? To any of them? I mean, they all seemed confident—overly so—but who knew what to expect from Mick and his crew?

“Don’t worry,” Lachlan said by my ear as Benoit parked beneath the bridge. I couldn’t see the warehouses from here, everything pitch black around us, but then the night vision on the screen went dark, and Lachlan nodded to it. “You’ll be able to watch there.”

The doors opened, everyone filing out and heading to the back, where Alessio handed out earpieces, the tiniest mics I’d ever seen, and what looked like buttons but turned out to be cameras—one by one the screen filled with each man’s view.

“Benoit will be here with you,” Lachlan said, and then took the notebook and pen that Benoit handed over his shoulder and gave it to me. “Get your story.”

My mouth parted. The gift was an unexpected one.

He gripped my chin and pressed a kiss to my lips before lifting me off his lap.

“Stay safe,” I said, and Lachlan turned around to point at me.

“ You stay safe. And don’t leave this car, no matter what happens.”

I nodded, and then he headed to the back to get his own tech set from Alessio.

Benoit turned in the driver’s seat and waved his hand. “You don’t need to worry about Lachlan, mon cher . It’s the men inside who should be worried about Lachlan.”

“What do you mean?”

Benoit chuckled and tapped the screen. “You’ll see.”

And he was right—I would see. I’d see everything, and I’d be able to watch Lachlan in action.

Now that had anticipation running through me.

It was so dark outside that all I could see were vague figures, but then Lachlan was back at the door, sliding into a long black trench coat with a hood.

Recognition sparked as Alessio came from behind and handed him something…something metal…something black that sparked silver in the car’s interior light.

Oh my God.

A smirk curled Lachlan’s lips, his eyes twinkling at me, and he shot me a wink before slipping on the mask.

“See you soon…Scout,” he said, his voice the deep, muffled one I remembered from the alley…my bedroom…all my fucking fantasies.

As he slammed the door shut, I could only stare after him in shock, because Lachlan Stone had just morphed into my masked vigilante lover.