Royally F**ked (Royal Bastards MC: Royal Sons CA Book 6) Read online

  “Nah, my daddy was married to my mama. He just killed her,” he said with a laugh. It was the truth; the others just didn’t realize it.

  “You’re a sick son-of-a-bitch.” King laughed. “The reason I was calling, was to see if we were running late getting back if we could crash at your place?”

  His brothers all knew they could stay at any of the places he owned. The only place he didn’t allow anyone to stay in was his place at the clubhouse, and his suite he called his in the monstrosity of a mansion. “You don’t even need to ask.”

  “Yeah, well, I didn’t want to roll up if you were banging some chick on the kitchen counter or some shit.”

  Cosmo bit back his first reply, which was he didn’t always need to bang a chick. He did go a day or two without the urge to fuck, riding him. His shit childhood had fucked him up more than the others knew, but they thought he just liked to screw. What they didn’t know was he needed to pleasure women, lots of women to know he could give and take without hurting them. He had to know he wasn’t a sick and twisted bastard like the ones who’d...nope, he wasn’t falling down that cesspool of shit again.

  “If you end up staying at my condo in town, shoot me a text, no biggie, brother. Gotta go, give Ayesha a kiss from me. Be sure and add tongue.” He hung up on King’s curse.

  They were friends like that. His boots echoed loudly on the stairs as he made his way down. Old Stanley wasn’t in the kitchen, but then Cosmo didn’t expect to see him down there. He’d left a mess out by the pool last night, which meant his man was doing his job without complaint, like always. Fuck, he should probably feel bad, but he didn’t. He paid the man well, so if he had to clean up some booze and shit, well, he just did.

  In the garage, he eyed his selection of vehicles, but there was only one he’d be taking today. His Harley. Going to The Club to meet Duke later, first he needed to ride. He enjoyed the shit out of just riding, letting the wind have his problems. With a press of a button on his bike, the huge bay door opened, and then he was rolling his Harley down the long driveway. Anyone who drove past his home would think a good, upstanding, wealthy family lived there. They wouldn’t know the depraved shit that had happened before. It had been fourteen years, and he still couldn’t forget. Luckily, he had met Duke a year after he’d killed his father and several other pedophiles. The sick fucks who thought what they did was okay, because they were only swapping children. At the time, he had no clue Duke and King’s father had started dabbling in the business.

  Cosmo had no clue who their father was until he’d been moving through the system, taking out the rest of The Circle of bastards. He’d hesitated, but his team had already been formed, and the kill order gone out. Only King had taken the fucker out himself after he’d allowed their mother and sister to be killed.

  He opened the throttle on the Harley, ruthlessly shutting the past away. For years, while he’d gone to college and studied every way to kill, he’d planned, and he’d built his team with the young men he’d rescued. Cosmo couldn’t say he’d saved them because they were a little too damaged. And he’d used the money he’d inherited to make sure he was set up. Having the kind of money and connections he had, it was only a matter of time before they’d come knocking, wanting him to either join their sick little games, or take him out. He wasn’t stupid. He’d learned a lot during the ten years his father had made him be a toy, taking their shit. His father didn’t want a son of his to be a dumb little bastard. Even though he’d allowed him to be raped and used as a fuck toy, he wasn’t allowed to wallow in pity. He didn’t want a stupid kid either. School had been with a tutor who was every bit as sick as the others. Cosmo made sure he couldn’t teach anyone else after him. The fucker hadn’t seen him coming until he’d made his tongue a permanent necktie. Yeah, his father made sure he was smart and didn’t wallow in pity, not him. Not his son. It was a part of life. The tutor had been one of the men he’d hunted after he’d taken out his father.

  He thought of the first asshole who thought he could bully him, thinking he was a weak man who could be intimidated.

  Cosmo heard the knock on the door, but he’d heard the alarm go off long before they’d made it that far. He looked at the men on the screen, recognizing the bastards as ones who’d used him when he’d been a boy. The man was older than he’d remembered, with fat jowls. His two guards with him were ones he remembered who had taken pleasure in his pain. Afterward, they’d gotten to enjoy him when their employer was done for the night. He got up from the desk, walking to the door with confidence, knowing how to play the game.

  “Good evening. What can I do for you?” he asked, no inflection in his voice.

  “I’ve come to offer you a proposition. May we come in?” There was a threat in his question.

  He stood back, opening the door wider for the three of them. “Come in and have a seat in the den.” Once they were seated, he walked over to the bar in the corner and held up the decanter. “Drink?”

  The fat fucker nodded while the other two stood behind him with smirks on their faces. Cosmo grabbed the semiautomatic he kept behind the liquor, just in case. With his left hand pouring the amber liquor, he raised his right hand with the gun, shooting the two men in rapid fire, each in the middle of the foreheads.

  “There, now that is taken care of. You and I can have some fun.”

  “What is it you want?”

  Cosmo laughed, watching the look of anticipation on his face. “Sorry to disappoint you but it’s not what you think, asshole. However, if you play your cards right, you might make it out of here alive. Unlike your boys there. Fuck with me, and I won’t lose a wink of sleep after putting a bullet in your brain.”

  After that, it was a matter of getting the bastard to sign over his money, a sizable amount, into an account Cosmo had set up. Once he’d ensured the funds were in his control, he’d shuffled it out of the dummy account, three times. He settled on the table in front of the other man, the gun resting between his legs like the weapon it was. Cosmo hadn’t taken great pleasure in killing the other two, but as he watched the fear wash over Harold Carver the Third, finding himself enjoying the moment. That was when he lifted the gun and pulled the trigger. Killing out of necessity and revenge was one thing. Pleasure was another.

  He shook the memories off, fucking hating the past, hating the fuckers and the bastard who’d allowed the shit to have happened. Before he had to meet up with Duke, he decided to ride to the cemetery where he’d had his mother moved. The place she’d been buried before had been shit, his father having her put in an unmarked grave with a placard. Once he got rid of his father, his ashes flushed down the toilet like the piece of shit he was, he’d made sure his mother was moved into a place that was suitable for the beautiful soul she’d been.

  Cosmo didn’t ride into the cemetery; he didn’t need to. His mother would forever live, within his heart and his soul. He made the sign of the cross, and looking up at the sky, he sent a silent prayer up to his mama, knowing she was looking down on him. She may not be proud of all the things he’d done, but she’d be happy to know he’d dug himself out of the Hell he’d been in. “Te Amo, mama.”

  He nosed the bike around, heading toward Duke and The Club. Tonight, he and his friend were going to drink and watch some young ladies dance on the stage. His mama would probably shake her head, but she’d still love him as long as he didn’t disrespect a woman.

  By the time he pulled into the parking lot, he was level and thirsty as shit. The sight of Duke’s Harley had him grinning. “Brother must be thirsty.” He kicked the stand down, locked his saddlebags, and went toward the front door to the club.

  Chapter Two

  Dai-tai stared at her family, unable to believe what she was hearing. She fought the men who came to get her, tossing her onto the ground when she bit one of their hands.

  “You will die,” he yelled at her.

  She looked back, screaming for her mama to save her only to see she’d gone back inside, leaving her
alone. Pain exploded in her head, then blessed darkness taking her away from the reality that her family allowed her to be taken to her death. The sight of her uncle and her eldest brother standing on the stoop, counting money that had been given to them. A stark truth that they had sold her. Fear was like an old friend; only this time—this time, she wondered if she was going to survive whatever was coming.

  No, she didn’t think she was going to survive. Her family, the ones who were supposed to love and protect her, just sold her to the government. They’d lied. It wasn’t as if they’d been good upstanding citizens, but they stood there and told the police, or whoever these men in uniform were, that she, Dai-tai Zhou belonged to Falun Gong. She knew who they were. Everyone in China was aware of the dangers of being associated with them, but she’d never even known anyone who were sympathizers with any religion other than the Chinese Communist Party. To be a known participant, or follower, would be nothing short of a death sentence at best. The horrors she’d heard were such things as being jailed, sent to labor camps, extreme torture, brainwashing centers, and some were sent to schools in China’s big cities, small towns, and villages, but there were whispers of even darker things being done. Dai-tai shivered at the thought of being taken to any of the jails where such things happened.

  She didn’t know how long she’d been out. Her body began to shake from cold. Blinking away the fog, she tried to sit up. The clanging of metal and weight around her wrists brought her up short.

  “Your family does not care for you. They sold you for money. How do you feel about that?”

  The deep cultured voice seemed so out of place in the back of the van.

  “Where are you taking me?”

  “Dress yourself.” He tossed a gown on her lap.

  It was then she realized they’d stripped her of her clothing. Five guards sat on the bench across from her plus the man talking, with two others on the one she was on. She struggled to put the clothing on while they smirked down at her, taking enjoyment in her discomfort. “Please, let me go. I am no Falun Gong.”

  “You say your family are liars? This would be a death sentence for all of you. Why would they do that?” He sat with a glare toward her.

  Dai-tai didn’t understand what was going on. She couldn’t comprehend why this was happening to her or why the man was speaking to her like she was a criminal. She’s was different looking than most of the others in their neighborhood, with her green eyes, but she wasn’t beautiful. She didn’t do anything to stand out of the crowd. She thought she was going to get sick at the thought of them taking her for sexual reasons, but she held it back. Luckily for her, she hadn’t eaten yet as she was only allowed one meal a day, and that was at night after the rest of her family had eaten. Usually it was their leftovers, which wasn’t much.

  A sharp slap across her back brought a startled cry from her closed dry lips.

  “You will answer him or be beaten,” the guard snarled.

  Even though she feared looking at the men in the van with her, she looked up at the man who asked her the question. “They never liked me,” she whispered.

  “Why is that? Is it because you worship the Falun Gong?” He tapped his steepled fingers against his lips, his dark eyes holding hers like a magnet.

  There was no use denying the charges. She had tried to tell them she wasn’t a follower back at her home. However, her entire family stood there and vowed she was, which gave credence to the lie. She continued to shake her head.

  “Do you know what happens to those who go against our country? Do you think because you aren’t fully one of us you don’t have to abide by our Country’s laws? Is that it?” He reached across the short space, hard fingers biting into her chin, forcing her to look at him.

  Dai-tai felt tears well in her eyes, his grip painful. “No, sir, I am Chinese. I was born and raised here. It is all I know.” Her biological father may be from American, but she didn’t know anything else about him, other than she had his eyes.

  “You should have remembered that before bowing down to the Falun Gong.” He pinched her chin a little harder before releasing her.

  They drove for over an hour. After they left the major roads, with her hands and feet shackled together, she was tossed onto the floor of the van, where she was left to lay. Her body felt bruised by the time the van came to a halt, yet her ordeal was just beginning as she saw the huge concrete building surrounded by barbed wire.

  “Welcome to your final home, Dai-tai.”

  Twenty-four hours later, she was showered, x-rayed, poked and prodded, and gave enough of her blood she worried she wouldn’t have any left within her body.

  As she went to hop down from the exam table, her legs gave out. She heard one of the nurse’s yell, but through the fog, her mind couldn’t make out the words. The cold floor felt good on her overheated face. Dai-tai thought she’d just lay where she was for a bit.

  “When was the last time she had anything to eat or drink for crying out loud? Here, help me get her back on the bed. Goodness, she barely weighs anything at all. Bring me some orange juice and something to feed her.”

  The gruff voice permeated the haze of her mind as her back hit a soft surface. Dai-tai wished they’d have let her continue to stay on the ground. At least there she didn’t have far to fall.

  “Ssh, nobody is going to let you fall on my watch. I’m Dr. Jefferson. What’s your name?”

  “Dai-tai Zhou,” she croaked. Licking her lips, she peered up at the man, Dr. Jefferson. He sounded American. The realization made her heart hammer against her chest. Why was he at a Chinese jail, or wherever she was?

  “Here you go, Doctor, but I should warn you if you’re caught giving the prisoners special attention, you could be...fired.”

  “Child, I’m here to do a job. They won’t fire me because I’m one of the only specialized surgeons who can do what I do. Go on and get the next patient ready for transfer, while I get this one up and well enough to go into general population.”

  The doctor brought a straw from a box of juice to her lips and ordered her to drink. Dai-tai did as she was told, then she ate. By the time she finished the meager meal, she was beyond full. In fact, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d been fed so well. “Thank you,” she said, meaning it.

  He sighed, stared off to the side, then back at her. “I don’t know if I’ve truly done you a favor. How old are you?”

  Before she could answer he grabbed her chart, reading through it. “Twenty-three, and a virgin, hmm? There’s a lot of life outside these walls for a beautiful girl like you.”

  She shivered at the way he looked her up and down. In the over-sized smock and matching pants, she still felt as though he could see right through them. Once she’d entered the facility before being brought in to be examined, they’d taken her into an open shower area, and made her strip again. They’d taken away the hated gown, and done an exam she wasn’t sure was legal, but she was a prisoner who was deemed a criminal. She had a feeling everything they chose to do was legal.

  “Doctor, the patient is ready for surgery,” the nurse said in a snide tone, her eyes accusing.

  Dai-tai dropped her own gaze, knowing the torment the other woman could cause her.

  “See that she’s escorted, without injury to the common area for families. I’m going to have her tested for the elites.”

  He patted her leg a little roughly, then left her with the smiling nurse.

  “Don’t think he just bumped you up to anything important. In fact, he probably just signed your death warrant a little sooner. Come on, I have duties to attend to, and dealing with the likes of your kind isn’t one of them.” She spun away, jerking the door open.

  This time when she went to stand, her legs held. Out in the corridor, the lights overhead were bright yellow, unlike inside the exam room where everything seemed white and sterile—clean. Although the halls were stark, there were scuff marks marring the walls and floors, some looked like dried blood, making her sh
iver. Several doors down, the nurse stopped, punching in a code that had the door unlock with a buzz before she pushed it open.

  “In you go.”

  Dai-tai hurried past the harsh woman. From the look in her dark eyes, she appeared to enjoy any reason to inflict harm or have one of the guards do so. Living in her home, she’d seen that same look cross her own mother’s face on a daily basis. The males, her uncles, tended to look away from her unless they were carrying out a punishment. Gah, she didn’t understand why they hated her so. From the story she’d been told, her father died before he was able to come back and claim her mother like he’d promised. It didn’t matter that she wasn’t at fault for her mother’s sins. She was the product, so they blamed her. Her brothers had been good to her, teaching her how to fight and playing games with her, all that changed once she turned eighteen. It became even worse after her Lǎo lao died.

  “Don’t just stand there, go find an empty cot. No reason to make yourself comfortable, you won’t be here long.”

  The door banged shut behind her, leaving Dai-tai standing there staring around at the half-full room of women and their children. Most looked angry or weary, half-starved and filthy.

  She made her way over to a cot in the middle of the room where there were several others around it that were empty. A thin blanket was folded over the end. She’d slept on worse with far less. As she sat on the small bed, the springs creaked under her slight weight.

  “That used to be Chen Lei Wang’s,” a young girl whispered.

  Dai-tai looked around, trying to see who’d spoke. “Did he go home?”

  The little girl shook her head from under the cot several feet away. “Mama says he went to be with his Baba in heaven.”

  Dai-tai sucked in a breath. In China, it wasn’t allowed to speak about such things. Her family had lied and said she was part of the Falun Gong. She didn’t dare ask if the others around her were truly involved in the Cult. If they were, she didn’t want to be seen speaking with them for she knew there was no way she’d get out of there.