Page 43 of Savage

“Yes? Use your words, Cooper. Isn’t that your specialty?”

“I’m pretty sure it’s a sex club,” I blurted out, feeling the heat creep up my neck.

Lachlan turned back around to face me. “Pretty sure or very sure?”

“Very. It might not be the sole purpose, but things definitely go on in there.”

“You’re sure you were never a guest at this club?”

“What? No. Of course not.”

He lifted a shoulder. “No judgment. We have one downstairs.”

He said it in such an off-hand way that I almost missed it. My jaw hit the floor, but he didn't notice, and I didn’t get a chance to ask more about it because he was pulling out his phone—that worked?—and brought it to his ear.

“Lucien,” he said a moment later, and then returned his gaze to me. “I’m going to need your expertise.”

16

LACHLAN

HOURS LATER AND the penthouse had turned into a madhouse.

Italian tailors with racks of clothing at their disposal commandeered one section of the room, a wig master and his assistant in another, and in the center of it all, Cooper sat getting facial prosthetics and glancing in my direction every other minute. The looks varied from accusatory to curious to resigned at how long and involved the process had become.

Lucien hovered over the woman reshaping Cooper’s nose and shook his head. “No, we want less Pinocchio, more Prince Charming. He still has to look fuckable.”

That earned me another side-eye from Cooper, and I mouthed,Still want to go?as Lucien came up beside me.

“Involving me in your indiscretions. How unlike you,” Lucien said, but his gaze scanned proudly over those he’d assembled to help get us ready for tonight.

“Don’t make me regret this,” I said. “And don’t even think about breathing a word of this to King or any of the others.”

“No one regrets coming to me, Lachlan. You know that.”

That charm, as smooth and sinful as butter, didn’t work on me. I might’ve been one of the few who eluded Lucien Vale, buthis legendary skills and connections were exactly why he was the perfect man for this job.

“As for keeping secrets,” he continued, “if you knew even half of what goes on when people think no one is watching…”

“I’m sure you’ve got every juicy detail recorded and locked away if you ever need to get the upper hand.”

Lucien’s grin grew Cheshire Cat wide. “Would I do that?”

“The mayor just resigned after his sex scandal was blown wide open. Know anything about that?”

“Only that the next time he decides to have an orgy free-for-all after hours in City Hall, he might want to check the ages of those he personally requested from a sex shop overseas.”

“Is that all?” I said drolly.

“And perhaps turn off the building’s security feed. Or pay off the guards. Oh, wait. He can’t anymore.” He lifted a shoulder. “Thoughts and prayers to the mayor.”

I couldn’t help snorting at Lucien’s antics. We’d been working behind the scenes to oust Mayor Peterman, who’d done nothing but cause chaos in the five boroughs since the day he took office, and leave it to Lucien to drive him out in such a dramatic way. He was nothing if not entertaining—and resourceful.

That was why he’d been my first and only call today.

“I think a hat would’ve been just as effective,” Cooper called over to me. He shifted uncomfortably in the chair as the artist making him over started on reshaping his jaw.

“World-renowned designers and creators here giving him an alter ego, and this one wants to wear a dingy baseball cap,” Lucien said, rolling his eyes. “Because of course that’s what men at a sex club are looking for. What do I know?”

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