Royally Broken (Royal Bastards MC: Royal Sons CA) Read online

“There ain’t nothing little about Hoss. Come on in, everything’s as I left it.” Keys held his hands out for Jaxson.

  She looked for the bags of groceries, but he’d clearly put them down somewhere in his suite. “Alright, are you going to explain what in tarnation is going on?”

  Keys tossed his head back, laughter booming out of him. “Did you just say tarnation? Woman, you’re the sexiest thing I’ve ever laid eyes on, and then you say shit like that. It shouldn’t be sexy, but I’ll be damned if it didn’t make my dick jump. I think I might have a fetish. Want to experiment with me?”

  She slapped his arm, the sting hurt her hand. “Ouch. What the heck you been doing, working out like the man of steel?”

  “Let me kiss it and make it all better.” He waggled his eyebrows.

  Palmer was having a hard time processing the sexy biker persona in front of her to the young man he’d been, with the man who joked with her about her speech in a sweet way. He was nothing like Thomas Kincaid, the jackass of man she’d been married to.

  “Hey, what’s wrong?” Keys tipped her face up toward his.

  Her heart clenched at his gentle tone. “I was thinking how different you were.”

  He dropped his hand, turning away from her. “Yeah, I suppose I am. Not like your rich country boy you clearly married.”

  The abrupt change in him froze her. “I meant that as a compliment, Keys.”

  KEYS TURNED, HIS MOUTH opening to refute what she’d said, but the little boy chose that moment to cry. Good timing, kid.

  “I need to check on a few things. Make yourselves at home. I’ll find out what’s going on with your credit cards and see if I can find out anything else.” He didn’t tell her he was going to see if all of her assets were frozen, but he had a sinking feeling they were.

  “Keys, don’t be like that. I know I upset you and I’m sorry. Please don’t—just don’t.”

  He turned back around, watching as a tear fell from her right eye. Son-of-a-bitch. Never should this woman ever cry, especially because of him. He was back in front of her in two strides, wiping the lone tear away, pulling her and the boy into his arms. They felt perfect within his embrace like they belonged there. If he had his way, that’s exactly where he’d have them. With him forever.

  “You don’t owe me an apology, sassy girl.” He let out a frustrated sigh. “I hate the thought of you belonging to someone else. Knowing you chose another man, had a child with him. It’s like swallowing razor blades to me.”

  “I didn’t though. I mean, yes, I married him. Thomas wasn’t my choice.” She took a deep breath, bouncing Jaxson on her hip when he fussed, but didn’t move from within his arms.

  “Let’s get him something to eat then we can discuss what in tarnation you’re talking about.” He winked to let her know he was joking.

  He helped her get Jaxson settled, watching the boy while she ran to the suite next to his to get a few items she needed. When she returned wearing a shirt and jeans, carrying a toy that looked as big as her, he wanted to spank her ass for not asking him to get it for her. “Dammit, woman, why didn’t you have me get that?”

  He rushed to take the large circular thing with the toys dangling off of it.

  “It’s really light, just awkward. Besides, I’m used to hauling all his things by myself.” She huffed out a breath, blowing the hair off her brow.

  The words that were on the tip of his tongue stayed for the time being. They’d get to all that in due time. Instead he helped her put the thing she called an excersaucer down near the eating area of his suite. “Why the hell do babies need all this?”

  He eyed the cute toys that were occupying Jaxson as the kid sat in the round apparatus, giggling each time he hit one of the dangling animals.

  “Because they’re cute, educational, and so us mamas can have a moment of peace.” She leaned back in the comfortable chair nearest Jaxson.

  Keys was sure she had no clue how sexy she looked, or that the front of her dress had baby food down one side, drawing his eyes to one very erect nipple.

  “I can feel you staring at me. Ask your questions, Keys. I’ll answer them all to the best of my ability as honestly as possible. If there’s anything that makes me uncomfortable, I’ll let you know. I won’t lie, that’s a promise.” She turned, giving him a glimpse of her blue eyes.

  He might not be a human lie detector like Traeger, but he was a pretty good judge of character. Plus, he’d always been able to read Palmer. He gave a nod. “Why don’t you start with your marriage. You said you didn’t choose your—husband. Explain that to me. I thought every girl dreamed of marrying the man of her dreams?”

  Palmer licked her lips, looked down at her hands, then at her son. Keys wondered if she was going to speak or not.

  “You know I was raised by my grandparents, right?”

  He nodded, letting her set the pace and didn’t speak.

  “My grandfather is...was my favorite person in the world. I looked up to him as the greatest man in the world. I saw how he treated my MeMaw and thought that was how all men should treat their wives. That’s what I wanted. He was a wonderful protector growing up. Anything I wanted I only had to ask. I never wanted to disappoint him or my MeMaw. When I started seeing a young man from Arkansas I hadn’t really thought about marriage. He was really nice and came from a good family, but grandfather didn’t like him.” Palmer took a drink of water, setting it back on the table before continuing in a quiet tone— “he was killed in a drunk driving accident. Carson didn’t drink, Keys.”

  “Were you thinking of marrying him?” He hated the thought of her loving another man.

  She shook her head. “I don’t know. I liked him a lot. We got along well, but it wasn’t like that for me. He’d come to meet grandfather the week before. I don’t know what they talked about, but then he was killed. The following month my grandfather introduced me to Thomas. He was older than me by a lot. I don’t know why I didn’t see it then like I do now. It was so obvious the way he moved right in, saying and doing things that he could’ve only known about if he had inside information about me.”

  “Your grandfather set you up with him?” Keys understood without her telling him.

  “Oh yes. Thomas liked everything I did. The same food, the same wine, even enjoyed going to the theatre. It was all a lie. For years he wooed me. Lured me into a false sense of security. Chaste kisses, and hugs, until our wedding night.” She shivered.

  “You don’t have to tell me about that.” Fuck, the revulsion on her gorgeous face told a story all on its own.

  “No, you need to know. I need to say it. Thomas was twelve years my senior. He was far from the nice man I thought him to be. After the wedding we flew to Nassau for our honeymoon. I thought...I thought it was going to be romantic and perfect. I’d never been with anyone. He knew that and said he was happy. It was a lie. Everything he’d done and said to me was a lie. That night, in the place that was meant to be romantic and memorable, turned every dream I’d had into a nightmare. The real man Thomas truly was, appeared. He was brutal and ugly, and didn’t care anymore to wear the mask he’d worn for the past several years. I threatened to divorce him and he laughed. Then hit me.” She put her hand to her cheek.

  Keys couldn’t stand to sit across from her any longer, not when his very being was screaming to take her into his arms. Motherfuckingsonofabitch. If Kincaid wasn’t already dead, he would be. “What did your grandfather say? Surely you told him?”

  He got up, lifting her out of the chair and into his arms, carrying her over to the sofa on the other side of the room where they could still see Jaxson.

  “Thomas told me to go ahead and tell him. He said my grandfather knew what kind of man he was and wouldn’t care. I didn’t believe him. The next day, black and blue and bleeding, I waited for him to leave me alone. When he did, I made my way to the concierge desk in the lobby. I called for a cab, made it to the airport and home. I had my ID and credit cards from before our marriage with me,
so I was able to buy a ticket on the first available flight. When I landed my grandfather was waiting. He was furious.” She wiped her face with the backs of her hands.

  Keys leaned back, snagging the Kleenex box. “Here. Honestly, Palmer, I don’t need the details.” He could fill in the blanks. Shit they’d seen it all come through the club from young girls and boys, to older ones too. All who’d been through shit nobody...well other than other sick fucks, should ever go through.

  “No, let me finish this before I lose my nerve. At first, I thought he was angry at Thomas. He led me to the car waiting outside and then—” she sucked in a breath— “he told me in no uncertain terms I was going home to Thomas’s home, the one he’d bought for us on the edge of town. He said if I was going to act like a child, he’d cut me off. Keys, I pulled a makeup wipe out of my purse so he could see what I’d covered up with cosmetics. My grandfather, the man who’d promised to take care of me, always, stared at me as if he didn’t care and told me I should be a better wife,” she sobbed.

  Keys wrapped his arms around Palmer, wondering how much Palmer would hate him if he killed her grandfather. “Nobody will ever touch you again.”

  “You don’t understand, Keys. He knew. He knew what Thomas did. Everything he did to me and didn’t care. When we pulled up outside my new home instead of his, that only a few months before I’d thought was the beginning of a fairytale, my grandfather didn’t even get out of the car. He leaned across me and shoved the door open, telling me to do my duty and be a good Coker female. I sat there stunned, unable to believe he was saying I was supposed to take the physical abuse. I’d never seen my grandfather raise a hand to my MeMaw. However, sitting outside the estate that was to be my prison, the rose-colored glasses I’d worn for years was suddenly ripped off. I saw the way my grandfather would rest his hand on the back of her neck. The way her smile wouldn’t be the same as when it was just her and I. That was the day he became grandfather instead of my PopPop.”

  Keys remembered she used to have a nickname for the older man. “When did Thomas return?”

  She sucked in a shuddering breath. “A week later. He spent the rest of our honeymoon enjoying himself...with others. I had hoped that meant he would leave me alone.”

  The way her little body shivered was his answer. “I’m sorry, baby. If I could, I’d kill the fucker slow and painfully.” As it was, he’d love to teach her grandfather a lesson. He was supposed to protect her, not send her straight to the devil himself.

  “I don’t know what you’re thinking, but I’m fine. I survived and as much as I hate, hated Thomas, I wouldn’t change being with him.”

  To say he was shocked would be a major fucking understatement. He’d heard of Stockholm Syndrome. Hell, they’d seen victims come through after they’d rescued them who were clearly suffering from it. But not his Palmer.

  “Oh gawd, you don’t think? Jeezus, Keys, I didn’t want him, ever. But that little boy right over there is everything to me. I’d suffer a million times if it meant I ended up with him.” She tried to shift off his lap.

  Keys held her tighter. “I’m sorry, Palmer. There’s this primitive part of me that wants to wrap you up in the softest cotton and protect you from the world. Hoss baby too. I get it, though. He’s a part of you. I can see you in him so much that just looking at him makes my chest ache with longing.”

  He figured if she was brave enough to tell him about her fucked up marriage, then he could tell her how he felt about her and her kid.

  “I know. How could anyone look at that sweet boy and not love him?” she choked out.

  Her head tucked under his chin, fitting there like it had done it a thousand times, instead of for the first time. Keys felt another chink in the armor he’d put around his own heart loosening. His brothers in the MC were allowed in, and his animals, but that had been it.

  The feelings he’d felt for Palmer when he’d been a kid had been buried, but they’d been huge, like get the fuck out of town or risk going to jail for claiming a girl too young kinda huge. The moment he’d spied her pushing a stroller across the street, those feelings had exploded out of the cage he’d kept them in like it had been a paper box. The child that was part of her was now an extension of his, a boy he would protect with his life. Let any motherfucker think to hurt those he claimed, and they’ll learn real quick death would be better than what he’d serve. The slaughterhouse down at the Royal Bastards in Tulsa would be getting some tenants, only Keys would be the one who saw to their torture and ultimate burning in that big-ass fireplace that’s seen a lot of bodies.

  “Only a worthless fucker, that’s who,” he agreed.

  Little Jaxson chose that moment to let out a cry that rivaled a hoard of babies.

  “I think little man is hungry and then it’s bedtime for him.” Her breath fanned across his face as she spoke.

  Palmer wiggled to get up, freezing as her ass came into contact with his dick which had been hard since he’d pulled her onto his lap. “Don’t worry, sassy girl, I would never force a woman.”

  She blinked those blue eyes that had been swimming with tears moments ago. “I know that, Keys. I’m not scared of you.”

  “You should be, baby girl.” If she knew the things he wanted to do to her, his sweet little sassy girl would most definitely run for the hills.

  He helped her get to her feet, steadying her before he got up as well. His dick was surely thinking it was being strangled with the tight fit of his jeans. “Take care of Hoss. I need to make a phone call.” Before she could move away, he palmed the back of her head, sifting his fingers through all that golden silk he’d always loved, tilting her head back.

  “What...” His mouth covered hers, taking in her next breath.

  Keys didn’t ask, he took. Before she could freeze up, or he could throw her down on the couch they’d just got up from, he lifted his head. “I knew you’d be delicious.”

  Her eyes were glazed, and her lips were moist, begging him to do it again. Little Hoss baby had other thoughts; his cry of impatience made Keys grin.

  “Go on, take care of him. I’ll demand your attention later,” he promised, swiping his thumb across her lower lip, rubbing the moisture in from their kiss.

  He thought of how she’d look on his bed, legs spread with his come leaking out of her. Fuck, he was so damn hard he actually contemplated rubbing one out in the shower. Only the need to see what the fuck was up with Palmer’s credit card kept him steady.

  While she’d been getting Jaxson settled, he’d entered her info into his program that should have all her information waiting for him by now. He grabbed his laptop, looked in the room expecting to see Palmer feeding the boy some of the food they’d bought. His eyes locked on her breast, and the child nursing from her. “Son-of-a-bitch,” he groaned.

  Palmer’s gaze locked with his. “I’m weaning him. He only nurses twice a day now.”

  Keys didn’t know how any man could see his woman nursing their child and not want to do everything in their power to protect them. He wondered what the fuckstick Thomas had been like, what had been wrong with his brain that made him the monster he’d been. It was the same thing he asked each and every time they’d rescued a victim.

  “That’s the most beautiful thing I’ve seen in a very long time.” He didn’t say it was the most beautiful when in truth it was. He also didn’t tell her he wanted to see her stomach round with his child and wanted to taste her nipples to see what her milk was like for himself.

  “You really do mean that don’t you?”

  He nodded, moving back into the room with his computer tucked under one arm. “I don’t say anything I don’t mean, Palmer. That’s one thing you can count on. Another is, I’ll always put you and Hoss above my own needs. You and his safety come first and foremost. If I ask you to do something, I need to know you’ll do it without question. I’m not like that fucker you were tied to, nor am I like your grandfather. I will never hurt you by word or fist. You understand what I�
�m saying?”

  Palmer shifted Jaxson to her other arm, exposing her nipple the boy had been sucking. Keys placed the computer on the side table, dropping to his knees. “Fuck, these are perfect.” He ran his thumb across the pert wet tip, watching her face.

  “They’re very sensitive,” she gasped.

  A bit of milky fluid appeared when he pinched the hardened nub, loving the little whimper of need that she made. “Is he done with this side?” Keys asked.

  She nodded.

  Keys looked at her then at the baby who’d fallen asleep while nursing. “Good to know.” He bent, putting his mouth over the ripe little berry. Fuck, he understood why, loving the rough texture of her nipple as he sucked as much of her into his mouth before releasing it with a pop.

  “Oh, god, Keys. That feels so different. Not like...oh my word, I don’t think,” she moaned.

  He lifted his head, watching her face as he pinched the little peak between his fingers. “Different in a good way?”

  She nodded.

  He pinched harder. “Words, sassy girl. I want you to tell me what you mean. What you like. Everything.”

  Her eyes darted to the baby. “I need to put him to bed.”

  His phone dinged, then buzzed as a call came through. “Hold that thought.”

  He shoved to his feet, hurrying to the table where he’d left his cellphone. The number wasn’t one he recognized, but the Oklahoma area code had him answering. “What?” he barked.

  “Is that any way to talk to your new best friend?”

  “I thought we were best friends?”

  Keys rolled his eyes at the bickering of the two men he’d met earlier. Dragon and Katana, both crazy fuckers he’d hate to meet in a dark alley if they weren’t on his side. Scratch that, he wasn’t sure he’d want to meet them in a dark alley even if they were on his side.

  “What’s going on, Dragon. Tell Katana your bromance with each other is safe.”

  “I’m wounded, brother. And here I am, being all friendly and shit. So, you saying you don’t need any help in that town? There’s a little birdie who said they might have some information you might be interested in.” The sound of Dragon exhaling filled the silence. Clearly, he was smoking something.