Page 17 of The Mourning Throne
Dude wasmassive.
Broad shoulders, neck the size of Lex’s thigh, and arms that looked like they could fold him in half.
Less fun.
The bouncer didn’t smile. Didn’t nod. Didn’t even glance down at them, just stood there like part of the wall.
“ID.”
For a second, Lex didn’t knowwho’sID the bouncer needed, and he didn’t want to end up accidentally pissing off someone that size. He scrambled for his wallet, but Morgan’s hand on his arm made him stop.
Onebeepof a handheld scanner aimed at Morgan’s ID and they were inside.
Lex hadn’t asked how Morgan found the place.
Shouldhe have? Yes.Hellyes.
No more secrets.No more lies.
But a teeny, tiny part of him didn’t want to know. Something about Morgan knowing where to find places like this was kinda hot.
Not that Lex would ever tell him that. Accidentally turning Morgan into an over-bloated megalomaniac sounded like his personal version of hell. He had enough ego to deal with on a day-to-day basis.
Maybe—maybe the secrets were… fine. For now.
Not the lies.
Inside, the lighting was low and the ceilings were higher than they should’ve been. Giant gold arches rimmed the walls—something straight out of King Midas’ playbook—and the velvet booths looked expensive enough to bankrupt a Wall Street broker in one night.
The scent hit Lex first—perfume, cologne, top-shelf alcohol, expensive sweat. And something else. Something sharp and musky, tickling the back of his throat. Electrified, but subtle.
Old money, maybe.
No, not necessarily, but—
Power. That was the smell. Every square inch reeked of it.
This place was fuckinginsane.
They moved to the bar, which took up the entire back wall, lit from below in warm amber. Lex slid into the stool, tucking his sneakers into the bottom rungs, while Morgan stood close enough that Lex could feel the heat radiating off him.
Lex ordered whatever fizzy thing they had on tap. Something sweet and cold and as far removed from alcohol as he could find.
Morgan ordered bourbon. With a twist. Of course.
“This doesn’t seem like your kinda scene at all,” Lex muttered as he picked up the soda, fingers already damp with sweat from the glass.
“How so?”
“It’s very shi shi foo foo.”
Morgan snorted so hard Lex almost saw the bourbon dripping from his nose.
Grabbing the napkin his drink was sitting on, Morgan dabbed his face, chuckling into it.
“You good?” Lex asked, grinning.
“Of all the things to come out of your mouth,” Morgan murmured, muffled in the napkin. “I didn’t expect that. I should’ve learned by now, but you still surprise me.”
