ROYAL FLUSH

  PIPER STONE

  CONTENTS

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Afterword

  Books of the Brutal Empire Series

  Books of the Royal Players Club Series

  Books of the Lords of Corruption Series

  Books of the Cruel Kings Series

  Books of the Savage Empire Series

  Books of the Ruthless Empire Series

  Books of the Tainted Regime Series

  Books of the Carnal Sins Series

  Books of the Kings of Corruption Series

  Books of the Sinners and Saints Series

  Books of the Benedetti Empire Series

  Books of the Merciless Kings Series

  Books of the Mafia Masters Series

  Books of the Edge of Darkness Series

  Books of the Dark Overture Series

  Books of the Club Darkness Series

  More Mafia and Billionaire Romances by Piper Stone

  Books of the Missoula Bad Boys Series

  Books of the Montana Bad Boys Series

  Books of the Eagle Force Series

  Books of the Dangerous Business Series

  Books of the Dark Wolves Series

  Books of the Alpha Dynasty Series

  Books of the Alpha Beasts Series

  More Stormy Night Books by Piper Stone

  About Piper Stone

  Copyright © 2024 by Stormy Night Publications and Piper Stone

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  Published by Stormy Night Publications and Design, LLC.

  www.StormyNightPublications.com

  Stone, Piper

  Royal Flush

  Cover Design by Korey Mae Johnson

  This book is intended for adults only. Spanking and other sexual activities represented in this book are fantasies only, intended for adults.

  PROLOGUE

  Braxton

  “I never want to see you again. Ever.”

  Her words burned into me, cutting like an icy dagger every time I thought of them.

  “Have you had any recent conversations with her?” Valerio asked as soon as the meeting was concluded.

  Her.

  As if my brother feared whispering her name.

  I glanced at the oldest of the three of us and shook my head, a moment of sadness creeping in. “Not one. She’s disappeared. Trust me. I’ve scoured the goddamn earth.” She. Neither one of my brothers wanted to mention the name of the woman who’d turned my life upside down beginning four months before. I couldn’t blame them. I’d gone into a level of depression they weren’t used to seeing, fighting my need for her just so I could resume my life.

  “I’m sorry, bro. It wasn’t meant to be.” Gage was being more practical than I was used to, although both had grown weary of dealing with my mood swings.

  I couldn’t say I blamed them.

  “Maybe so. At least business is back on track,” I told them, although very little of that was because of my actions. I’d lost sight of everything but my desire for her.

  Valerio patted me on the back as we headed to the closed door. He threw it open and stopped me before I left the conference room. “Just remember both Gage and I are here if you want to talk.”

  Talk. It was highly overrated. What more could I say about the woman I’d fallen hard for and the one who obviously wanted nothing to do with me? “I appreciate that. As you’ve both continued to tell me, it’s time to move on.”

  “Good for you. Find another hot chick, brother,” Gage recommended.

  At least I could laugh, although the sound was bitter.

  As soon as we walked out, I could tell my assistant was antsy. Camille had been with me for years, although until recently mostly in the background.

  “Mr. Royal. I mean Braxton. I didn’t want to interrupt you, but you had a visitor and she was very agitated that I wouldn’t allow her to talk to you.”

  I took long strides toward her, with enough force in my step that she had a momentary look of fear in her eyes. “What woman?”

  “A young girl who tried to get past me.”

  “Did she identify herself?”

  Camille shook her head, still extremely nervous. “No.”

  “What did she look like?” I was growling, irritated for several reasons.

  “Dark hair and lovely eyes. She had an accent. English or something.”

  No. No. No.

  It couldn’t be her. She’d made it very clear she’d wanted nothing to do with me or my nefarious world as she’d called it.

  Oh, fuck me. “Jasmine. When? How long ago?” My voice had risen by a full four decibels.

  “I don’t know, sir. Five minutes. Maybe. I’m sorry. I thought…”

  “It’s okay, Camille,” Valerio said from behind me.

  “I’m sorry, sir. She didn’t have an appointment. You said not to be disturbed.”

  Meanwhile, I didn’t hesitate, rushing out of the room toward the elevators, slamming my hand on the button. When the doors didn’t open right away, I headed toward the stairs. Nothing was going to stop me from getting to her.

  I had to race down twenty flights, but I couldn’t care less, jumping down several then taking a giant leap around every flight to the other. By the time I was outside near the entrance, a huge crowd had developed forming a circle.

  What the hell?

  My gut told me something was terribly wrong.

  “Out of my way,” I yelled, pushing my way through, not caring how brutal my actions. My lungs burned, my heart thudding erratically. The moment I made my way through the crowd, I couldn’t breathe.

  I wasn’t the kind of man easily shocked yet the sight in front of me was horrific enough, I was tossed into a horrible fog. I knew I was moving, my legs jerking as I headed closer, yet I had no understanding of what I was seeing. My mind was one huge blur.

  My breathing difficult, I pressed forward, the horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach making it lurch. The sight of long, curly dark hair splayed across the parking lot pavement was telling. There was blood, so much blood, a man crouched down near a broken woman, her body limbs at awkward angles. The spell broken, I rushed forward. “Get away from her. Now!”

  “Hey, I’m sorry, dude. I was just trying to help.”

  As I dropped to my knees, I remained lightheaded. I eased wet hair away from her face and instantly threw back my head and roared.

  It was her. Her broken body was right here in front of me, the woman I’d sworn to protect with my life if necessary. I’d failed. Failed! “Oh, baby. Oh, God. What happened?”

  “She was hit,” someone said. “A huge black SUV came swinging into the parking lot. She didn’t have a chance.”

  “No, it was a Dodge Ram,” another said.

  “You’re both wrong. A racing car of some kind.”

  Anger swept through me and I fought to keep from lashing out at them.

  Stunned, I pressed my shaking hand against her pulse, praying as I’d never done before a miracle would happen. When I found one, the anger resumed, my heart beating rapidly for an entirely different reason.

  “Call an ambulance. Now. Now!”

  “Braxton!” one of my brothers called.

  I didn’t care. I couldn’t respond. The woman I loved was lying in a pool of blood, her face white. “Get an ambulance. Find the fucker who did this.”

  “Brax-ton…”

  Her voice was faint, her eyes only half open. Oh, my God. “Don’t talk, baby. Just hush. Don’t die on me. Just hold on.”

  “Li-sten,” she continued.

  When I leaned down, at first all I could hear was the rapid beating of my heart echoing in my ears.

  But the moment she whispered, the news hit me hard, the shock immediate.

  “The baby. Our… baby. Save… the… baby.”

  CHAPTER 1

  “The power of an evil woman is her seduction. She has a golden cup in her hand filled with abomination and a wine of fornication.”

  —Matt Starking

  Four months earlier

  Braxton

  “There is nothing more heavenly than the sight, taste, and scent of a beautiful woman,” I said absently as I surveyed the lavish yet tropical lobby of the main resort building. As I drank in the various scents of perfume and floral arrangements, the flowers all fresh every other day, I had to admit the Royal family was lucky as fuck.

  “You would know, Mr. Royal,�
� Travis said as he walked with me.

  As my resort and island manager, he had a tall order to fill. While the private setting was lush, full of luxurious designs and some of the best beaches in the world, he remained on duty twenty-four/seven as a live-in employee. Of course, the highly respected man was paid extremely well, provided with extensive vacation days and other benefits as well as a stunning island chalet of his own. I’d learned through the years guests were much more entitled than I’d originally believed.

  That meant our selective clients hunted him down for the most ridiculous needs.

  Chuckling, I threw him a look as we headed for the main casino. Yes, my reputation as a playboy was widely known, whether on the mainland in my hometown of San Diego or on one of two small islands owned by my two brothers and myself. Hell, according to the recent article on the Royal brothers in People magazine, we were truly arrogant bastards.

  We had every right to be.

  I’d enjoyed the perks of developing a billion-plus-dollar corporation that included two opulent locations catering to the rich and influential.

  And their darkest kinky needs.

  Doing so soothed the sadistic beast dwelling inside of me. Plus, I was a control freak, something I’d never denied.

  I was also considered a very dangerous man, unpredictable, which suited me just fine. Given my position in life, I could get away with being a bit unhinged.

  But I still had rules of my own that I did my best never to break.

  “You know I never partake in the feminine wiles of any of our guests. That’s against the rules,” I chided him. He knew the rules better than almost any one of us. That didn’t mean I couldn’t enjoy the visions that came with owning tropical, very warm surroundings. Oh, I could be a very bad boy if let loose.

  “And you never bring anyone here. That surprises me.”

  As we walked into the oversized, opulent casino, I took a deep breath. There was nothing quite like the scent of people gambling away their money. The guests came here to fulfill many proclivities from world class chefs and one of the finest wine and cigar collections to satisfying their more carnal needs. There was no pressure, and those without partners were provided with a dominant master or submissive, every aspect of our guests’ privacy kept in mind.

  Because of the exclusivity and safe location, they paid extremely well for the service. But the membership had perks, including the most opulent villas and rooms, access to every dungeon, and a private kink room.

  “I’ll let you in on a little secret,” I told him. “I’ve yet to find a single woman who can handle my needs.”

  He laughed heartedly. “I was hoping you’d be the one to make the quarterly visit.”

  His words surprised me. “And why is that?”

  “Because you’re amusing, not an asshole.”

  The Royal brothers had prided themselves in being astute businessmen, but often Gage and Valerio were a little crusty under the surface. At least Valerio had been until finding the woman of his dreams. Perhaps I was just a better actor.

  “Amusing. I’m uncertain if I should take that as a compliment.” There were two casinos in this particular facility along with a half dozen restaurants and bars, entertainment including a jazzy piano bar and a dance club that would rival the old Studio 54. The main resort included over two hundred spacious rooms and suites, but we were widely known for our private cottages, some positioned directly in the Caribbean turquoise water.

  Case in point. When one of my wealthy guests lumbered in our direction upon seeing us striding through the corridor, I had a feeling my evening was about ready to turn to shit.

  “What’s his deal?” Steve Plunkett was well known on both islands, his proclivities mild in comparison to several of my more clandestine guests. However, he was a pain in my ass and had been since being allowed membership into the Elite Club, our highest level purchased. It required a net worth of at least ten million, a solid financial background, and no criminal record.

  Not that most politicians I’d come into contact with weren’t shady, but he was a low-level player trying to make his way with the big boys.

  “His regular submissive wasn’t available,” Travis admitted with more than just a hint of amusement in his tone.

  “Why?” We continued walking, forcing Steve to try to keep up with us just to be able to make headway in speaking with me.

  “She’s on vacation. We do allow them off their chains from time to time.” At least Travis could be candid with me, unlike so many who were terrified of what I could do.

  “The different girl?”

  “I quote,” he started. “‘She’s mundane in every way, including in her oral skills. And she hates pain.’”

  “Interesting. True?”

  “Sabrina is a good girl, but usually a domme. He insisted, and finally offered enough of a bonus she accepted.”

  “Ah.”

  Somehow, Steve’s short legs managed to allow him to catch up to us. “Mr. Royal. Mr. Royal. I have a bone to pick with you. I need a full refund. Your submissives suck. Especially Sabrina.” His voice had risen to a point that angered me.

  I tried ignoring him, even though I knew that wouldn’t work but for so long and that was only because I wasn’t in the mood to fly off the handle. However, no one dared say anything negative about my employees. Especially with a loud voice and ridiculous insinuations. The moment he jumped into my face, continuing to allow his accusations to fly, I could instantly feel a chemical imbalance jetting through my bloodstream.

  I kept a smile on my face as I’d been coached to do, even keeping my hands to myself as I crowded his space.

  “Oh, shit,” Travis said under his breath. He’d witnessed the swell of anger inside of me before, forced to make amends to more than a few guests over the years. I’d learned to curtail my level of violence, something I’d had since I was a kid. Hell, I’d gotten myself arrested twice, much to the chagrin of my father. I’d been lucky one of the times hadn’t resulted in spending some time behind bars.

  My suave attitude had been born then, which had allowed me to avoid most aspects of trouble. However, inside a club my brothers and I owned on a private island? To hell with rules, common sense, and decency.

  Several of my guests knew when crossing me wasn’t in their best interest. The moment I turned both my full attention and my disgust toward the short-legged, fat bastard, many of my guests walked to other parts of the area. Small enclosures and a huge man like me didn’t go together well.

  He started sputtering immediately, his puffy face turning beet red. I was aware he was stumbling backwards, even smashing into a poor waiter who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. It was even possible poor Steve had twisted his ankle. I had zero sympathy. When his back hit the wall with a rather brutal thud, that allowed me to smile.

  Something my brother Valerio had taught me was that often violence wasn’t necessary. It was all about the art of intimidation. And I’d gotten damn good at it. Plus, it wouldn’t bode well for the Royal Players Club’s bottom line to be witnessed beating on the guests.

  No matter how much I often wanted to engage in such nefarious behavior.

  I was certain the man was going to scream as he looked at me with utter terror in his face. Meanwhile, I had my hands positioned in my pockets so that no one could mistake my actions for… predatory. My. Wasn’t I being sensitive?

  “Wha… What are you doing?” Steve asked in a small voice.

  I took my time taking a deep breath, nodding to one of the long-term guests while inching just a bit closer to the man. When I placed one hand on either side of him, one would have thought I’d already drawn blood.

  “Don’t…” He didn’t need to finish his plea. He was going to beg me not to hurt him. He repulsed me.

  “Mr. Plunkett. I pride myself in caring about every one of my employees. While I also hold most guests in the highest regards and desire their every fantasy be fulfilled, I’m not the kind of man to accept useless, frustrated comments from little-dicked men who try and lord their superiority over a woman. Or a man for that matter. Now, while I know you’re trying to make a name for yourself within the bowels of Congress, to act on your aggressions in my club isn’t in your best interest.”

  He was still befuddled but added another stupid comment that was jerking at my last straw. He also slithered into the idiot of the year category by acting as if he was superior in this set of circumstances or any for that matter. “She’s a worthless employee. She couldn’t suck cock if God gave her hand-printed instructions. And if you think I’m going to allow your horrendous leadership and tolerance for stupidity to go without notice and warnings to others, you’re dead wrong, buddy. I know people. I’m an important man.”