Royally Mine: 22 All-New Bad Boy Romance Novellas

by Susan Stoker

  Austin opened the limo door and stood there looking around. Erik’s eyes faced west, Austin looked east. With his hand down by his side, Austin motioned to Dryce, it was time to move onto the plane.

  Dryce walked to the plane with Austin by his side. “Don’t you think this is overkill?”

  “I think if, something was to happen to you, or if you were to get kidnapped. The world’s economy would be affected. I also think it should be something you are concerned with as well,” Austin said, rushing him inside the plane.

  Erik closed the door of the plane, locked it down and swiftly gave the thumbs up to the pilot as he re-holstered his sidearm.

  “Erik, you’re American… what’s there to do in Louisiana?” Dryce asked, taking his seat.

  “Ummm. I think you would like Mardi Gras, sir. It’s definitely right up your alley. Everyone’s drinking on the streets. Girls flash their tits everywhere you look…” Erik twitched his eyebrows up and down and smiled.

  “Enough. There is no way your ass is going to Mardi Gras. That would be a protection nightmare,” Austin took over and shouted out.

  “You are such a buzz kill, flipping dream crusher. You know that?” Dryce said, flopping his feet up on the coffee table in front of him.

  “Hmmm, you know what’s a real dream crusher? Try dreaming when you’re dead in some hillbilly’s basement,” Austin said, taking the seat next to him.

  “You’re also a mood killer. We were having fun,” Dryce said, sliding a smile and a head nod over to Erik.

  “Back to what we were talking about earlier. Are you going to be keeping this shit up much longer? I’m serious. If so, I need to hire some more guards for you,” Austin said.

  “Yeah yeah… YES, go, Ngo. Hire away, I don’t care.” Dryce rolled his eyes.

  Erik looked over. “Hey, we’re going to have to wait until next year anyway. Mardi Gras takes place in like February, I think.”

  Dryce nodded his head and smiled, giving him a devilish ‘anything to make Austin’s job harder’ look.

  After a couple of hours of silence between them, Austin closed his computer and put his phone down on top of it. He leaned his chair back and closed his eyes. Dryce gazed out the window then called out to the pilot.

  “Where we now?” Dryce yelled.

  “We’re currently flying over the southeast coast line of the Persian Gulf, sir,” the pilot answered, turning his head.

  “Where…” Dryce started to ask.

  Without opening his eyes, his head still leaning back, Austin tilted his head to the side in Dryce’s direction. “We’re over Dubai.”

  “I love Dubai… pilot, when we land at home, get ready to come back to Dubai.” Dryce perked up.

  “Yes, sir. I’ll make it happen.” The pilot nodded.

  Austin cracked one eye open and glanced at the time on his phone. “What’s our ETA?” he shouted up to the pilot.

  “We’re looking at roughly two more hours, sir,” he said, sliding his headphone off to the side.

  “Let’s kick it up a notch. We’re actually a bit behind schedule.” Austin closed his eyes.

  “Yes, sir. I’ll have to raise our altitude and then I can speed us up,” the pilot said.

  “Mr. Keegan,” Austin called out.

  “Yes?” Erik replied.

  “Are we ready for when we land?”

  “Yes, sir, the motorpool is already in place as we speak.” Erik took his earbuds out and leaned in to Austin. “That file you asked me for. It’s also ready for you and waiting in the limo.”

  Chapter Three

  The plane landed at the airport and taxied to the far end to a large hangar containing armed guards walking around. As the plane approached, the hangar doors began to open. The armed guards surrounded the plane and walked inside. The men stopped at the doors and stood at the threshold, turned around and faced outward until the doors fully closed behind the plane. Erik jumped up to unlock the door as Austin began packing his computer away in his briefcase.

  “Home sweet home.” Austin looked over at Dryce. “Your father is going to be happy to see you.” He glanced over Dryce. “Fix your tie, we’re heading over to the ceremony.”

  Dryce looked up towards the cockpit and nodded. “Remember let’s get ready for Dubai as soon as this is over.”

  He nodded. “Right away, sir. I’ll have her ready as soon as possible,” the pilot replied.

  “What’s with you and Dubai?” Austin asked as they walked off the plane.

  “What do you mean? Dubai is fantastic. That’s where I tasted my first piece of pussy.” Dryce smiled. The gears in his head could be seen spinning even from behind him.

  “Do you even know what to really do with pussy?” Austin teased. “Or is that something I need to teach you as well?”

  “Even though you’ve been with me my entire life… there are some things I’ve learned without your help.” Dryce tilted his head back.

  “Will you just get your ass in the car?” Austin gently nudged him with his foot as they walked down the steps from the plane.

  Erik stood at the limo door, holding it open with one hand while he held his sidearm down at his side in the ready with the other. “You about ready to get your picture taken, kiddo?”

  Dryce shook his head as he walked up and patted Erik in the stomach. “What the fuck, Tank… hitting your stomach is like hitting a brick wall,” he said, getting in the limo and sliding all the way to the front sprawling out across the bench style seats.

  Erik looked up at Austin. “Your file is in the center console, sir.”

  “Thanks.” Austin slid in, all the way across to the passenger side of the limo.

  Erik looked around one last time, holstered his sidearm and twirled his finger in the air, indicating to the rest of the motorpool it was time to roll out. He plopped himself down in the seat next to the driver’s side door of the limo and slammed the door.

  “You know, you don’t have to slam the doors anymore. This isn’t your old 1970s Ford pickup from down on the farm.” Dryce jokingly smiled.

  “Sorry, old habit. Plus, with all this armor in these vehicles, it adds some weight to ‘em.” Erik winked.

  “Speaking of… just how flippin’ big are you anyway?” Dryce asked.

  “Hmmm, last time I checked, I think I’m around four to four hundred and fifteen pounds. I guess it’s okay, I mean, I’m like seven-foot-five-inches tall.” Erik tugged on his suit jacket showing pride in his size.

  “And right there, that’s why I call you Tank.” Dryce looked over at Austin and watched him pull the center console down and pull out a file folder. “Whatcha got there? What’s that?” Dryce asked.

  Austin quickly glanced up to see who he was talking too. “Hmmm? This… this is your potential new protection.” Adjusting himself in the seat, he pulled the bottom of his suit jacket out from under his ass. “This guy comes highly recommended by your buddy over here… your Tank as you like to call him.”

  A loud chuckle slipped out of Erik before turning his focus out of the window, always staying alert. “Ha… yeah, Yally is going to really surprise you, gentleman. That file doesn’t really show half the shit he’s done. There’s a lot about Yally that you’ll never read in any file.”

  ***

  Pulling up to the ceremony, Dryce let out a long sigh. The motorpool slowly crept through the crowd. Erik pulled his wrist up to his mouth, pushing the mic button with his middle finger.

  “Bravo team, check the large group with backpacks… northwest corner,” Erik whispered into his wrist.

  Closing the file folder, Austin tucked it in the side pocket of his briefcase then fluffed his suit jacket. “Dryce, you stick to Mr. Keegan’s back until we make to the top of the stage. I’ll be right behind you.”

  “Yeah, I got it.” Dryce shrugged his shoulders. “This isn’t my first rodeo.”

  The limo stopped and there was a small crowd of women hovering over the carpet walkway to the stage. “They’re a
ll here to see the young eligible prince here… all of these fucking tramps, I tell ya.” Erik snickered. “I’d rather fight a raging bull driving a Mac truck than deal with two horny girls after this guy’s balls.”

  “Just be careful not to run them over too much, Keegan. There are reporters here today,” Austin said.

  “Ya ready, kiddo?” Erik tapped Dryce’s knee. “Here we go.”

  Erik opened the door and had to immediately extend his arm, blocking the area to allow for Dryce to get out behind him. Using the open door, Erik’s body, and the back side of the limo, he created a triangle area for Dryce to get out and to his feet. Austin stuck behind Dryce with only one foot out.

  Austin tapped Erik on the side twice, using the nonverbal signal to move. Erik, without hesitation, mowed through the girls, making a path directly to the stage.

  At the top of the stage, Dryce embraced his mother. “Hello, Mother.” Leaning down, he kissed her on her cheek.

  “Oh, Dryce, don’t kiss me. Lord only knows where that mouth has been.” Mother smacked him on the chest. “You’re such a handsome boy with your beautiful dark eyes. And that smile of yours. Why don’t you have a wife yet?”

  Looking up, Dryce noticed his father. “Dad, congratulations on today. This is a big day, huh?” Reaching over his mother, he extended his hand.

  “Have you been keeping out of trouble? You’re not giving Mr. Ngo a hard time are you?” Dryce’s father, the King, asked.

  “No, of course not, he’s been doing just fine.” Austin approached and shook his father’s hand. “How are you, Your Majesty?”

  “Ha, I think this country would be doing a lot better if my son here didn’t go around the world gallivanting.” The King laughed.

  “Gallivanting? C’mon, Dad, I’m doing nothing of a sort. Think of it more like a charity fund,” Dryce said.

  “Charity? Just how do you figure?” the King asked.

  “All those girls I’ve been putting through college. I like to think that I’m educating the world.” Dryce waved to a waiter for a glass of champagne. “Just one little hottie at a time,” he said under his breath.

  “You are incorrigible, you know that?”

  Dryce looked out in the crowd. A woman stood in the middle of the crowd and caught Dryce’s attention. She was sexy. Beautiful in a way that he’d never seen before. He wanted to know her immediately. The way she stood there looking at him. Barely. Her focus seemed to be on everyone else in the crowd and not so much on Dryce and the family.

  Dryce leaned back to Erik. “Tank, do you know who that sexy ass reporter is?”

  Erik looked around. “What reporter?”

  Dryce looked back at the crowd and pointed. “The one right there.” But Dryce couldn’t find her anymore. “Oh, um. Well she was right there.”

  Chapter Four

  Once the ceremony ended, Dryce was eager to get back on the plane heading for Dubai. As the plane took off, Dryce picked up his phone and called his friend.

  “Hey, buddy, what’s up?” Dryce chattered into the phone. “Yeah, man… I’m heading your way now.”

  Dryce smiled and laughed into the phone, bobbing his head up and down. “Yeah yeah, I love street races. Is there going to be a party tonight as well?”

  Dryce continued to chat on the phone, laughing here and there. Erik took his own cell phone out of his pocket and started to text.

  Austin looked over at Erik. “You know what this means, right?”

  “I’m on it, boss, I’m texting the mechanic now.” Erik flashed his phone screen to Austin.

  “You remember last year in Dubai? The last time he attended those damn street races? Do not let that boy out of your sight.” Austin leaned forward, his elbows landing on his knees and started to rub his temples.

  “Don’t worry, sir. Nothing like that is going to happen again.” Erik finished up the text and put his phone away. After a short pause, Erik looked back over at Austin. “Wait, are you not going to be with us for this party or whatever?”

  “You know the prince… the second we land he’s going to want to head over to that bad influence friend of his. You shadow him, I’m going to try again to contact Yally,” Austin said, still rubbing his temples.

  Dryce hung his phone up and tossed it on the couch. “Erik…” He nodded.

  “Already got it. I just got done talking to the mechanic, and we’ll have your car at the airport waiting for ya, sir.” Erik winked.

  “Tank… my man! You are the man.” Dryce smiled.

  “Look, you can go. Of course, you can… but I don’t want you actually partaking in any races. Your father already doesn’t like you having that thing as it is.” Austin tilted his head up looking at Dryce. “That car is too fast, and you’re not that experienced behind the wheel.”

  “Maybe I would have more experience if I wasn’t chauffeured all over God’s creation,” Dryce said, plopping his ass down on the couch in the plane.

  “You name me one of your prince friends who drives around by themselves?” Austin leaned his head back down into his hands.

  Erik stood up and walked in front Dryce. “Hey, I got an idea. Your car is going to be at the airport, right? What if we open her up on the runway? I can show you a few things on how to actually handle the ol’ girl.” Erik patted him on the the shoulder and winked. “You never know… you might even learn a few things on handling a real girl out there.”

  Erik turned around and tapped Austin. “Whatcha think, boss? The airport is long and flat, not much for him to run into. And if he does run off the tarmac, it’s all loose dirt. He’ll be safe.”

  Austin waved his hand. “Sure, yeah yeah… that sounds fine.”

  Dryce nodded his head and smiled. Getting excited, he laid down and put on a set of headphones. Lying there, he bobbed his head around listening to his music.

  Still with his head in his hands, Austin peeked through his fingers at Dryce. The faint thumping sound of the bass from the headphones was muffled by his ears. His head bounced around on the arm rest of the couch as he hummed the tune out loud. Austin knew he couldn’t hear a word.

  “Erik, come here for a second.” Austin tapped the seat next to him.

  Erik turned around and took the seat next to him. “What’s up, boss? What’s going on? You seem a bit off today. Is it all the traveling and flying?”

  “It’s not that. Look, I need to tell you something.” Concerned eyes gazed up at Erik.

  “I’m listening.” Erik leaned in closer.

  “I got word from some intel that there’s talk about a possible kidnapping attempt on Dryce,” Austin began to explain as Erik’s eyes widened.

  “What?” Erik said loudly and surprised.

  “Shhh… keep it down.” Austin motioned with his hand for him to bring his volume down. “This isn’t the first time I’ve dealt with this.”

  “When did you find out?” Erik questioned.

  “About mid last week or so,” Austin quickly answered.

  “And you’re just now telling me about this?” Erik sat up straight.

  “Calm down, calm down. This is why I need to hire on someone new. Someone who hasn’t been seen by the press and whatnot. Someone we can trust,” Austin continued to explain.

  Erik leaned back in, nodding his head.

  “Tell me what you know about this Yally?” Austin pulled the file folder out of his briefcase.

  “I… to tell you the truth, boss, I only really know him by reputation. I’ve never actually met him.” Erik’s eyes looked, up and to the left, like he was searching for answers somewhere in his brain housing group. “He’s got like three or four purple hearts.” He shook his head side to side. “Something like four silver stars and two silver crosses. Got out of the military around the same time I did.”

  “Yeah, I got all that. I read it for myself,” Austin said, staring down at the file. “What branch of service was he in? That little tidbit wasn’t in here.”

  “Ya know, I don’t think
I even know. From some of the stories I’ve heard, he was a Marine… maybe he was a SEAL. All I know is that most of the shit that guy did, you’ll never see in any file or any report. He was the master at cover and concealment.” Erik smiled. “We used to joke around about some random person standing in the crowd like it was, in fact, Yally… because you just never knew. Yally could be three inches from you, or three miles. One thing is for sure… we knew the time to be scared wasn’t when he was standing right in front of you; it was when you didn’t know where he was.”

  “That’s good.” Austin became impressed. “That’s really good, I think this is exactly what we need.”

  “Oh, I will tell you this as well. The boy can shoot. He took that phrase ‘one shot, one kill’ to the extreme. He holds the title for the longest shot in history. Now, don’t quote me on this, but I think it was like over four miles away, on a cold bore barrel as well,” Erik explained.

  “What’s that even mean? Cold bore…” Austin looked up at him.

  “Bullets travel differently when the barrel of the rifle is warmed up as opposed to cold. The more rounds you put through ‘em the more and more accurate it becomes.”

  Austin nodded. “What else do you know about him?”

  “That’s about it… he is a ghost. He’s the Casper who will fuck some shit up if you pay him enough.” Erik shrugged.

  Austin went back to reading through the file and Erik leaned back in the seat. After a long pause of silence, Erik looked over. “Hey, do we know when this shit is supposed to go down?” he asked.

  “No, not really… the good thing about it?” Austin looked over at Dryce still rocking out to the music. “Is him.” Austin turned his head back to Erik. “That boy never stays in one place long enough for anyone to plan anything. You never know what city or country he’s going to party in from one day to the next.”

  “Ain’t that the truth,” Erik said, leaning his head back.