Page 48 of Lucas

The moment I get within two steps of him, he flaps wildly, sending several of my expensive crystal glasses to shatter on the floor with a tremendous crash.

Can this day get any worse?

Cartman flies away from me and lands on my desk, still flapping his wings.

“No! Not the whiskey glass!” I lunge, but it’s too late. He knocks over the tumbler, spilling the liquid all over the papers scattered across my desk.

The scent of whiskey permeates the room as it drips off the edge of the desk, pooling on the floor.

Yes. It can get worse.

I shake my head, surveying the chaos. The room looks like a disaster zone, and all because of one small parrot. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.

“Shit ass,” Cartman says from his new perch on the lamp.

I raise my middle finger. “You really are a shit ass.”

I collapse into the brown leather armchair in the room's corner and lean my head back, closing my eyes for a moment before snapping them open again.

I can’t close my eyes with that little murderer on the loose.He might attack. He’s probably just waiting for me to let my guard down so he can kill me.

I glare at him as he swings on the lamp. I swear he’s smiling.

“Of course, you’re chaos and wildness personified, just like your owner. Two peas in a fucking pod.”

A knock at the door has me straightening in my chair.

“Yes?”

The door opens, and the owner in question steps inside. Her eyes widen as she takes in the destruction. “My parrot is missing, and I heard noises,” she starts, then bites her lip as she spots the cage on my desk. “You took him.”

I exhale. “You’re welcome to take your little monster back.”

“Where is he? What did you do to him?” She takes a few steps into the room, mouth agape as she stares at the shattered glass littering the floor. “What happened in here?”

“He’s there.” I point to the lamp. “Andhehappened.”

She stifles a snicker, covering her mouth with her hand. “Cartman did this?”

“Yes. He’s a menace.” I stand, and he flaps and starts squawking again. “Get him away from me.”

“Gladly,” she says. “I’m not the one who brought him here, if you’ll remember. What were you trying to do, anyway? Steal him?” She moves closer, her eyes narrowing. “And what happened to your neck? You’re bleeding.”

I tilt my head back, exposing the wounds. “Monster. I told you.”

She snorts again. “I guess you had it coming. Cartman is very attached to me.” She looks up at the parrot, who’s cocking his head from side to side. “Comehere, baby.” She extends her arm, and he flutters down to land on it.

“That’s it? That’s all you had to do? Just hold out your arm? I’ve been trying to catch him for an hour.”

She just smiles and walks over to the cage to place him back inside. “I guess you’ll learn not to mess with us.” She picks up the cage and heads for the door. “Get those scratches looked at. They could get infected.” She flashes me a smile, giving the room one last surveying glance and stifling another giggle before exiting.

I stare after her, my blood boiling and my cock throbbing in equal measure. Fucking infuriating woman. Fucking demon bird.

I run a hand over my face, wincing as my fingers brush the tender skin of my neck. I need a cold shower and a stiff drink. And possibly a tetanus shot.

But first, I need to clean up this mess. Erase the evidence of my humiliating defeat at the claws of Ava’s feathered bodyguard.

With a weary sigh, I gather up the larger shards of glass, careful not to slice my fingers on the jagged edges. It’s going to be a long night of cleaning and plotting, of ruthlessly suppressing any thoughts of lush curves and defiant eyes, of a razor-sharp tongue I’d like to put to better use.