Page 17 of Lucas

He shrugs. “Pity. Would have been a lot more pleasant to discuss this over drinks, but have it your way.”

A flash of bright plumage catches my eye, and suddenly Cartman is there, perched on the arm of the sofa. His beady gaze fixes on Lucas, neck ruff puffing up in clear agitation.

Lucas recoils, eyeing my parrot. “What the fuck is that?”

Not so cocky now,is he?

I hide a smirk. “Lucas, meet Cartman. Cartman, say hello.”

The African Gray cocks his head. “Hello, fuckface!” he squawks.

Lucas’s brow shoots up to his hairline. “Cartman? As in...Eric Cartman? FromSouth Park?”

“Yes, pigfucker.” Cartman preens, looking quite pleased with himself.

A surprised bark of laughter escapes Lucas. “Oh, that’s priceless. Let me guess, you taught him those colorful phrases?”

“Not exactly,” I hedge. “He came to me with that vocabulary preinstalled.”

“Shit ass!” Cartman interjects. “Shit ass!”

I wince. “His previous owner was...colorful.”

Lucas smirks. “Well, I can see why you two get along.”

I shoot him a glare, unamused by the comparison. “Hilarious. Now if you’ll excuse me a moment...”

I hold out my arm for Cartman, who hop-flutters over and digs his talons into my skin. “Let’s get you back to your room, hmm?” I murmur, stroking his soft head.

“Suck my balls!” he trills, nuzzling into my hair.

I carry him to the back bedroom that doubles as his aviary, ignoring Lucas’s amused expression.

After settling Cartman onto his favorite perch with strict instructions to use his inside voice, I return to the living room. Leaving Lucas Valeur alone and unsupervised in my personal space, even for a moment, seems like a glaring tactical error. Who knows what bugs or hidden cameras he’s planted in my absence?

Paranoid, perhaps, but I wouldn’t put anything past him.

I find him as I left him, splayed across my couch like the King of the World, scrolling through his phone with a bored expression.

He glances up as I enter, a single eyebrow raising. “I assume the foul-mouthed chicken is secured?”

“He’s a parrot,” I correct. “An African Gray. And yes. Not that it’s any business of yours.”

“Just making sure. Wouldn’t want him to interrupt our...negotiation.” His voice dips suggestively on the last word.

I cross my arms over my chest and level him with my frostiest glare, determined not to rise to his bait. “Enough. Either tell me what you want or get out of my house.”

“You’re no fun,” he pouts, tossing his phone onto the coffee table. “Fine. Straight to the point, then.”

He leans forward, elbows braced on his knees. All traces of playfulness vanish from his face, replaced by a shrewd intensity that kicks my pulse into overdrive. This is the real Lucas Valeur, I realize. The shark behind the smile.

“Our little chat made quite a buzz,” he says. “That photo of us at the restaurant has the gossip mill working overtime. We’re the talk of the town, the star-crossed lovers the public never knew they needed.”

I frown, unease prickling along my spine. “So? What does that have to do with me?”

A slow, wicked smile curves his mouth. “Well, they’re not the only ones giddy at the thought of a Gant-Valeur empire merger. The Valeur board is practically pissing themselves over it. They think we’re a match made in corporate heaven. The ultimate power couple.”

I stare at him, the pieces refusing to click into place. He can’t possibly be suggesting...