Royally Treasured (Royal Sons MC Book 4)

by Elle Boon

  “Yo, Duke, time to get your lazy ass up. You best not be fucking around with my houseguest. I did not sign consent.” King’s loud voice came through the door at the same time as he pounded three hard knocks.

  “Fuck off,” Duke hollered. “I’m busy.” He winked up at Lennox.

  She stared down at Duke. “Oh my god, you gotta get up.”

  “It’s fine. He’ll go away,” Duke reassured her.

  “Don’t be crazy. That’s King out there,” she whispered.

  Duke rolled to the side, levering himself up on one elbow. “I know who’s out there. I grew up with the rude prick.”

  Lennox slapped her palm over his mouth. “Ssh, he’ll hear you. Jeezus fuck.”

  The door opened. “You should listen to her. Clearly, she’s the smart one. Morning, Lenny. Duke, get out of my guest’s bedroom, asshole. I don’t think I gave you permission to sneak your ass in here, did I?” King leaned one shoulder against the doorframe, crossing his arms and legs.

  Duke rolled to his back, crossing his own arms behind his head. “Mornin, King. First, her name is not Lenny. Second, I don’t need permission to come where my ole lady is. Third, what the hell do you have on?”

  King looked down, then at Duke. “Fuck off, asshole, my house, my rules. You’re lucky I put pajama pants on for your ole lady. Breakfast is in fifteen.” He lifted his chin in a jerky nod. “Glad your back in one piece. Get up, get dressed, then we’ll eat, and head to Church.”

  Lennox looked between the two brothers, her head going back and forth. “What just happened?” she asked after King exited.

  Duke swung his legs over the side of the bed, looking over his shoulder. “That was my brother being nice. Come on, you best get dressed before I use the next fifteen minutes with my favorite way to wake up. I think we’d end up being late to breakfast, then King would most assuredly not be a happy camper.” He stood up, stretched his arms over his head. “Fuck, I hate sleeping in my clothes,” he muttered.

  She couldn’t speak as he lifted the T-shirt over the back of his head, displaying a back that was muscular and covered in tattoos, just like his front. How men could remove a shirt like they did and look sexy, she had no clue, but dammit, it was H.O.T hot.

  “Like what you see, Dancer?” he asked, holding the balled up material in one big fist.

  The huge bulge in his jeans was testament to the fact he wasn’t unaffected by her either. “I think we’re down to twelve minutes, and I gotta go to the bathroom,” she blurted, scooting out from beneath the tangle of bedding, almost falling face first as her foot caught on the bedding. “Shit,” she yelled.

  Duke caught Lennox against his chest. “Easy now. We don’t need you getting busted up.”

  She shook her head, resting her hands against his smooth chest. “Good catch.”

  “I’ll always catch you, Dancer.” He put her a little away from him. There were a thousand ways to take what he said. His eyes bore into hers as she took a step away. “No more running from me, from us. You want wings, I’ll help you find your way to fly, but I’ll be dammed if I let you soar over flames when I can take the heat and let you ride the clouds.”

  Her heart flipped and tiny butterflies fluttered in her stomach at the words he’d said and didn’t say. He wasn’t saying he wanted to clip her wings, but wanted to keep her safe. “That was, no is the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard.”

  He nodded. “I can do sweet. I can do dirty. What I can’t do is watch you leave again. Nine minutes. Get going. I’ll use the bathroom down the hall. We got a lot to talk about after I talk to King.”

  Lennox pressed a hand to her stomach. “Alright,” she agreed.

  Duke left the bedroom, taking the air with him, or at least that’s what it felt like to her. She made quick work of using the bathroom, brushing her teeth and hair. “Holy shit, I look like something the cat dragged in,” she said to her reflection. After she swept her hair into a ponytail, swapped the pajamas for another borrowed outfit, she headed out in search of Duke.

  Voices drew her to the kitchen where she found King and Duke seated at the counter while Ayesha stood at the stove, pulling out a pan from the oven. “Can I help?” she asked.

  “Sure, butter some toast?” Ayesha nodded toward the counter where a toaster sat with a loaf of bread next to it.

  “I offered. Why’d I get shot down?” Duke asked.

  “Because you burn toast, brother,” King said.

  Tiana came in, rubbing her eyes. “Mornin’, everyone. What smells so good?”

  “I made eggbake,” Ayesha announced.

  Lennox looked at the two baking dishes with a nice layer of melted cheese on top. “Um, what is eggbake?” she asked.

  “It’s an old family recipe where you take hash browns and layer the bottom of the pan, then you mix eggs, shredded, or chopped ham, cheddar cheese, a little bit of salt and pepper, pour that over the hash browns, layer more cheese on top and bake covered for an hour or so. Once the eggbake is done, you uncover and let the cheese brown.”

  “That sounds delicious.” She got to work popping bread into the toaster, buttering them all while feeling Duke’s eyes on her. The man made her nervous on a level she wasn’t all too sure she was ready for. Turning around with her hands full of toast, she met his intent stare, whatever her reservations might be, there was no doubt he would bulldoze right over them. And knowing her heart, mind, and body the way she did, she also knew there would be no way she would utter one protest. She’d wanted that sexy as sin biker since she’d decided Ken and Barbie should sleep in the same bed in her playhouse, only she’d named them after her and Duke. Her nipples hardened beneath his gaze, a reaction he zeroed in on if his little grin was any indication.

  “You need any help, Dancer?” he asked in a smooth velvet voice.

  Oh she needed help. Only the help she needed would most likely get King to do more than bang on their door and yell. “No, I’m good. You need a refill before I sit down?” She nodded toward his mostly empty coffee cup.

  “I got it, sit down, Lennox.” Ayesha poured coffee into King’s cup then Duke’s.

  They all sat down, eating like a family. Lennox couldn’t remember the last time she’d done anything so...normal. “This is wonderful, Ayesha.” She held her fork up with the last bite of her breakfast on it.

  The other woman beamed. “Thanks. I don’t mind cooking.”

  “I hate it,” Tiana said. “Can I go?”

  “You’re on clean up duty, ma’am.” Ayesha leaned against King as he put his arm around her, letting him speak.

  Lennox scooted her chair back. “I’ll help.”

  Duke put his hand on her arm. “Sit down. T’s got it.”

  She opened her mouth to argue, closing it when she recognized the warning glint in Duke’s. Without a word, she slid back into the chair, taking a sip of her coffee. Ayesha had her lower lip inside her mouth. Clearly she too wanted to do or say something, but there was undercurrents going on that Lennox knew nothing about.

  Tiana stomped to the sink, taking her plate and the others that were empty with her. She didn’t say a word other than to sigh loudly while wiping the scraps down the garbage disposal before loading the dishwasher.

  “Duke and I need to head to the clubhouse. You three can head up about forty-five minutes after us.” King made it an order more so than a recommendation.

  “Sounds like a plan. What do you want to do for lunch?” Ayesha asked.

  King pulled her out of the chair she was in, turning her to face him. Her legs easily moved to straddle his lap. “Mmm, I have a few requests,” he murmured.

  “Ugg, really?” Tiana groaned.

  Lennox stared at the young girl, worried she would get into trouble for her outburst. Her first instinct was to jump in front of Tiana, protecting her from King. “Um, I—” her words were cut off.

  “King, you are a very bad man. I think I can work with that.” Ayesha gave him a loud smacking kiss before turning to look
back at her sister. “Tiana, stop being a brat and moping because we won’t let you go to a rave. You and I both know King has been more than lenient with you especially since we just rescued you, or rather King and the guys just rescued you from what would’ve been a life of hell. If you think for one second we’re just going to say, oh sure go to a rave where the common thing is dropping Molly and X, fucking whoever happens to pass by while high on those drugs, then you are out of your ever loving mind.” Ayesha swung off of King’s lap, facing Tiana. “The nightmares I still have of what could’ve happened to you wake me up at night. I was willing to sell my soul for you,” she cried.

  King stood up, the chair scraping loudly as he shoved it backward. “I didn’t know you were waking up at night?”

  Ayesha’s chin wobbled. She ducked her chin trying to fight tears. “You’ve been so busy with club business and then when we do finally go to bed I...I don’t want to wake you with my shit. I usually just get a drink and come back to bed. Sleep comes easily after that, usually.”

  He gripped her neck, turning her to face him. “That’s not how this works, babe. I’m to be told everything that has to do with you. You don’t keep secrets from me, ever. You have nightmares, you wake me, and we deal with them together. You feel me?” He turned her toward him, his fingers gripping her chin.

  “Yes. I’m sorry. It’s hard for me. I don’t want to be a little bitch who can’t handle her shit.”

  Lennox could hear the hitch in her breath. “Maybe I should go?”

  “No, stay. This is family.” King pinned her with his words and gaze. “You’re not a little bitch, Ayesha. You’re one of the toughest women I’ve ever met. You came into my clubhouse full of men you didn’t know whether they’d fuck you, or cut you, ready to take them on either way if it would save your sister. Don’t ever let me hear you say you’re a little bitch ever again or I’ll beat your ass so hard you won’t sit for a week. As for T wanting to go to a rave, shit, I know you feel like the world is passing you by, little one, but you need to see shit from our perspective. A rave is like jumping from the kiddie pool into the ocean where they’d been feeding sharks. We’ll find a happy medium for all of us, but right now, shit’s too hot for us around here. I can’t let you go anywhere with enemies out there willing to do anything to get back at us, and taking a member of my family would be the perfect way to fuck me.”

  Tiana had tears rolling down her cheeks. “I didn’t know you were still upset, Ayesha, or that you’d, you know, done that.” She flapped her hands in the air.

  “What, come into our clubhouse ready to take on the world like a mama bear?” Duke asked.

  The young girl nodded.

  Lennox felt like an outsider watching and listening to them. She tried to inch her way out of the middle of the room, coming to a hard stop at the feel of Duke’s fingers shackling her wrists. “Where you going, Dancer?” he asked in a silky voice. “King, why are our women set on disobeying us?”

  King let out a sigh. “Fuck, brother, I haven’t got the slightest clue.”

  Ayesha elbowed King, making him grunt. “I don’t disobey you?”

  The President of the Royal Sons right brow winged up.

  “You never said I had to wake you if I had a nightmare.” Ayesha folded her arms over her chest.

  “I see we’re gonna have to have a long talk.” King wrapped his arms around Ayesha, his going over hers, pulling her back against his front, his head bending until his lips were next to her ear. “Trust me, babe, I can assure you, it’s gonna hurt you a lot more than it will me.” He nipped her lobe.

  “Aren’t you supposed to say it’ll hurt you more than me?” she asked, shivering.

  Lennox watched the play of emotions on Ayesha’s face. The other woman wasn’t scared of what King was threatening. No, if Lennox wasn’t mistaken, Ayesha was extremely turned on.

  “Nope, I said exactly what I meant. Now, you three be good and don’t be late.” King laved her ear he’d bitten with his tongue, stepping back a moment later. “You ready, Duke?”

  Duke pulled Lennox into his arms. “After we finish with club business, you and I have a lot to discuss.” He bent his head, sealing her question inside with a heated kiss that had her lifting up on her toes.

  “Forty-five minutes,” King reminded them as Duke pulled away from Lennox.

  She licked her lips, tasting Duke on them. The two brothers walked out of the kitchen, taking the overabundance of testosterone with them. “Lord, they should be illegal,” she whispered.

  “I think they probably are.” Tiana bumped her hip.

  Lennox looked at the other girl. “You okay?”

  Tiana nodded. “It was stupid of me to ask to go. I didn’t really want to...I’m just going crazy here.” She flicked the towel she held in her hand, making it snap. “It gets boring when you’re the youngest one around and you can’t go to the clubhouse because, hello, booze, sex, and dudes too old for you. Not to mention King will gut any of them who look at me sideways.”

  “Um, so will I, sister,” Ayesha said.

  “Oh hush, you and that beast of a man are all kinds of kinky that I had to google to figure it out. Now I think I need to join a convent.” Tiana snapped the towel at her sister.

  Ayesha hopped backward. “Pretty sure a drug filled rave is the polar opposite of a convent,” she laughed.

  Lennox enjoyed watching them play and laugh. Even though the situation was serious and seemed to have been swept under the rug, they would deal with it on their own time. She had her own shit to deal with. If they needed her, of course she’d be there, if she could be. God, she still had to tell her father about the incident. Fuck, her life was not what she’d planned.

  Chapter Twelve

  Duke and King entered the clubhouse, tension crackling in the air the moment they stepped through the door. He nodded at Traeger and Wheels. T-Rex gave him the finger, which was his way of saying hello. Duke returned the gesture as the brother went back to his game of pool with Hollywood.

  “Church, now,” King announced, walking with his heavy footed stride through the club. Even though it was just past ten in the morning, several members were already there. They’d probably spent the night in the back, something King had made sure they all knew they were more than welcome to do. If you were a fully patched member, you had a place to crash. The clubhouse had twenty bedrooms down the back hall with five bathrooms between them. They paid a couple of the members’ ole ladies to clean them weekly unless the brothers wanted or needed them done before the scheduled day, then it was on them. However, Duke, King, Traeger, Keys, and a couple others had built homes on the acreage surrounding the place. They were the ones who’d put the money down to buy the land after their fathers had almost lost it. Fucking bastards.

  “Clown, call Keys and tell him to get his ass up here stat,” King barked.

  He looked at King with a raised brow, waiting until the door shut behind them. Traeger knocked once before entering, closing the door with a thud. “Damn, calling in the geek, huh?”

  They all referred to Keys as such, but in reality, the other man was every bit as crazy as they were. No, Duke would put Keys in his own category, since the man was an ex-SEAL, tattooed with ink that had meaning to him. He truly knew how to kill a man in more ways than most with not just his hands, but with chemicals he could actually procure and use. Nope, Duke wouldn’t want to be on Keys bad side, ever.

  “You gonna rattle his cage, King?” Duke asked, sitting down in his chair to the left of King.

  King shrugged. “I got some things I need to ask him and not feeling like doing so over the damn phone or computer. Besides, he needs to quit hiding behind a screen.”

  Traeger grinned. “I do so love a good fight in the morning.” He lifted his arms over his head, leaning back in his chair.

  The door opened, Keys coming in with a backpack slung over his shoulder. “I knew you were going to request my presence.”

  Duke coughed into his ha
nd to hide the word he said, which was bullshit. Request wasn’t the word he’d use for King’s order. “What’s up, Keys?” He looked at the bag Keys held. “Good to see you, brother. Damn, you been working out?” Keys always got up before the sun working out like he was still in the SEALs training for his next mission or some shit.

  Keys lifted his left hand, flipping him the bird. “You just saw me, asshole.”

  “Sit the fuck down and shut up, all of you.” King sat forward using his no nonsense voice Duke was used to but hadn’t expected since his brother had been with Ayesha.

  Keys put his bag beside him, pulling a laptop out. “Nice to see you, too. By the way, good job in New York, Duke.”

  At his words, all eyes turned toward him. Duke sighed, knowing he would have to explain. The only person who wasn’t there was Cosmo and since he wasn’t a part of what had gone down in New York, Duke decided he’d go ahead and get the story over with. He looked at King first. “You know Lennox went to NYC for school, right?” King nodded, waving his hand in a sign of impatience.

  “Yeah, well what you all don’t know is, Doc told me in no uncertain terms, I wasn’t to pursue her. I—shit, I think everyone knew she had a thing for me. Feelings were mutual, man. Don’t fucking look at me like that. I never touched her. I may have ached to, but until her eighteenth birthday she was off-limits. She came to me, all sexy innocence wrapped in a perfect package. I was twenty-eight, too fucking old for her, but that didn’t matter. I’d wanted her when she was forbidden, and there she was begging me to take what she was offering. Fuck,” he muttered, pushing back from the table, and getting to his feet.

  “What did you do?” King growled the question.

  Duke spun at his brother’s voice. “What did I do? Are you asking me if I fucked her?” He balled his hands into fists, meeting the eyes of each man in the room. “I wanted to. Fuck, I wanted her more than I wanted my next breath, but no, I didn’t. You might think I’m a prick who would take a girl’s innocence, brother, but Lennox was, is special. Of course, you weren’t alone in your thinking. Her father,” he spat the word like it tasted worse than shit before he could continue. “Doc informed me if I didn’t leave his baby girl alone, he’d quit the club as our regular physician. I’d already planned to watch Lennox dance her way out of my life. His little come to daddy speech only served to piss me off.”