Roman, page 1
Roman (Iron Tzars MC 2)
A Bones MC Romance
Marteeka Karland
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Copyright ©2023 Marteeka Karland
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Editor: Katriena Knights
Cover Artist: Marteeka Karland
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Table of Contents
Roman (Iron Tzars MC 2)
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Epilogue
Marteeka Karland
Roman (Iron Tzars MC 2)
A Bones MC Romance
Marteeka Karland
Winter -- My life hasn’t been easy. For so long, my sister has been the only one I could rely on. When we were teenagers our father sold us to sexual predators who hurt us. We both have the scars to prove it. But we were rescued, and I got revenge for both of us. That was over a decade ago. I love the home we found with Black Reign, but now it’s time to move on. To live outside the cocoon the club wrapped us in. Another club who’s found a girl in a situation similar to the hell we left behind all those years ago may be our answer. One man in particular calls to me on a primitive level. His name is Roman. And I want him for my own.
Roman -- I’m the enforcer for Iron Tzars. Violence is in the job description. Never thought I’d find myself attracted to a woman as fragile as Winter. She and her sister have been through a lot, but there’s a core of iron in her. She’s stronger than she looks, and the fight in her stirs the primitive Alpha male inside me. It’s time I show her she’s more than the sum of her scars. She’s a friggin’ goddess.
Chapter One
Roman
I’d never been so glad to leave a place behind as I cheerfully rolled out of Lake Worth, Florida. I did my part as enforcer for Iron Tzars, but the entire time we’d been there I felt like we were outgunned. Black Reign MC might not be a rival club, but they were by no means safe. As evidenced by the way they took care of business with the fucking men we’d caught taking orphans from the group home in the city.
Violence didn’t bother me. If a motherfucker deserved it, there was no limit. My balls were twitching because of the casual ease with which that bastard, Chief, had taken the skin off the men he tortured. Yeah, Brick had participated, but our VP was emotionless on the best of days. Chief and El Diablo were different. I wouldn’t say they enjoyed the act, but I wouldn’t say they didn’t, either. It hadn’t bothered them in the least.
But what really had me glad to see this place in my rear view were the twin women who haunted the place like ghosts. Eerily lovely, they always seemed to be where I was. Neither said anything, but they stared at me constantly. More than one of Black Reign’s members gave me the stink-eye over it, too though no one would tell me why. Only that I should stay away from them. I didn’t even know the pair’s names, for fuck’s sake! Didn’t want to know!
I drove the Bronco we’d taken as a chase vehicle down to Lake Worth. Normally I’d ride my bike with the other brothers, but someone had to drive the big thing back to Evansville. As Road Captain, the task would normally fall to Clutch, but he’d had a family emergency and had headed back early. After that, I’d drawn the short straw. My bike was stowed in the trailer, and here I was. Behind the wheel of a fucking cage.
Lost in thought, my eyes on the road as my brothers surrounded the cage in front and behind, I reached over and switched on the radio. I had no desire to dwell on another club. Not even one our former president -- and my long-time friend -- now belonged to. I was an enforcer in Iron Tzars. Not Sergeant at Arms. I didn’t need to find trouble, only punish it. Besides, if Sting -- our current president and son to the former president -- had decided Warlock had to be killed for his infractions against the club, I would be responsible for carrying out the sentence. I didn’t want to do that. It looked like El Diablo had forestalled anything in that regard, though I had no idea why. It was rare for anyone to leave the Iron Tzars. When they did, the situation was permanent. Warlock was only the second man I knew of not to die when he left or was asked to leave. Oh, well. Above my paygrade. I was just thankful I didn’t have to kill my brother.
A tap on my shoulder had my head whipping around. When I saw that same eerily lovely face I’d been trying not to think about right next to mine, I was so startled I jerked the wheel. The girl squealed and disappeared from my immediate vision.
“What the fuck?” The Bronco hit the rumble strips on the shoulder. My tires must have squealed, because several of the riders in front of us either glanced over their shoulder or turned their head slightly to look in their mirrors. They moved to the center lane in case I was out of control. When I slowed and pulled fully onto the shoulder, they followed.
I got as far over as I could but didn’t turn on my flashers. Though we weren’t hauling any contraband, I’d rather not enlist the help of a good Samaritan or, God forbid, the state police.
Once stopped, I put the thing in park and turned around. “What the everlasting, God forsaken fuck are you doing in my fuckin’ vehicle?” I growled at the girl but tried not to yell. I got the feeling she was fragile and, though I was angry, I didn’t want to scare her. As I spoke, the other one poked her head from behind the backseat in the cargo area. “Shoulda guessed. You two ain’t ever far apart.” There was a knock at my window, saving the girls from a lecture.
Instead of rolling down the window, I opened the door and stepped out. The two girls ducked back behind the seat, the first one having returned to what had probably been their hiding place in my fucking Bronco.
“You good?” Brick peered inside the vehicle, looking for a threat. His hand was on the gun at his hip, but he didn’t draw.
“Yeah. Just realized I had a couple of stowaways.”
Brick raised an eyebrow. Instead of explaining, I walked him around to the back and opened the tail door for him to see for himself. They were hiding behind cargo, but both of them poked their heads up when I opened the door so I could see their eyes and the top of their heads over their hiding place.
“Fuck.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “You two in trouble?”
One of them shook her head. The other girl shrank back.
“You know you can’t stay with us. We’ll have to take you back.”
“No.” The braver of the two shook her head. “We want to stay with you.”
“You afraid to go back?” Brick crossed big arms over his brawny chest. “They hurt you?”
Black Reign didn’t seem like the type of club to hurt women. They were protective as all get out of any of the women under their care, especially these two. The idea that any woman might be running from that club didn’t sit well with me, but the thought that either of these women had an issue with them made me want to drive back and beat the fuck out of someone.
“No,” she said in a soft voice. “It was time to leave.”
I looked at Brick. “We’re only an hour from home. We could let Black Reign know once we get back to the clubhouse.”
“Let me check with Sting. He may know something we don’t. If not, he’ll decide what to do.”
“Can we please stop at a gas station or something?” The braver one raised her head farther as she spoke. “It’s why I bothered you. We need a bathroom break.”
“You shoulda said something before now,” I groused. “We’ve been on the fuckin’ road for twelve fuckin’ hours! Stopped twice! Why didn’t you get out then?”
“We were afraid we wouldn’t be quick enough, and we’d get left behind.” Her voice was almost musical but soft. And it affected me like a gentle stroke down my chest headed straight to my cock. I needed to squash that feeling hard. This girl wasn’t up to taking me on, even if she’d wanted to.
I scrubbed a hand over my face. “I can’t fuckin’ believe this. Get your asses in the back seat and buckle up.” I thought they’d get out the back, but both of them climbed over the back seat and did as instructed.
“Jesus, Roman, could you sound any more like a fuckin’ old man?”
“S hut the fuck up, Brick.” Then I muttered under my breath. “Motherfucker.”
A couple miles down the road, Brick pulled the group over at a Buc-ee’s and everyone in the club surrounded the Bronco as the women got out. And they were women, not older girls like I’d first thought. The shy one shrank behind her sister when the men crowded around them both. We didn’t get into their personal space, but it was something that would have probably freaked any woman out.
“Jesus, guys, back off ‘em!” Iris, Sting’s ol’ lady, was going to be a great match for our president. “Are you trying to frighten them to death?”
Sting chuckled, watching as his woman went to my stowaways. “Better do what she says, boys. She’s a force of nature when she wants to be.”
Naturally, we didn’t need Sting’s OK to back off. The girls looked terrified. The braver one had a determined look on her face as she lifted her chin. “We’re not fragile. There’re a lot of you. And you’re all big.”
“Of course, you’re not fragile.” Iris took her hand and reached for the other one. “Everyone, this is Winter. Her sister here is Serelda.”
“You know them well, baby?” Sting stood close to his woman, but not close enough to spook the other two.
“No. But I’m looking forward to getting to know them.” She gave Sting a pointed look. “Why don’t we go take a quick break, then get something to eat for the road.”
“Sounds like a plan. Cyrus. Eagle. Top off the tanks, then get any business done you need to. Once the ladies are good, we’ll head on home.”
I nodded at Sting before following the women. We kept a respectable distance, but stayed close enough to keep everyone away if we needed to. It didn’t take them long in the bathroom, then all three of them headed to the food area. That took a little longer. It looked like Winter tried to coax her sister into getting something, but the other woman shook her head, refusing everything she offered.
“You notice the thin scars on ‘em?” Brick stood beside me, watching the women with his hawklike gaze.
“Yeah. Noticed. Even on their faces.”
“They got a story. We need that if they’re gonna stay.”
I turned my head. “They gonna stay?”
Brick shrugged. “Looks that way. Heard Sting talkin’ to El Diablo. Black Reign prez wasn’t surprised. Said Shotgun found where they snuck into your vehicle on their surveillance. El Diablo knows they’re with us of their own free will, so he’s willing to let things play out.”
“Any idea what they’re up to?”
“Not a clue. But before anyone gets any bright ideas, them girls ain’t no spies.”
That thought hadn’t occurred to me. It should have. “You’re sure about that? Wouldn’t put it past Black Reign to try to put a plant in our club.”
“I’m sure.” Brick glanced at me, then headed to the women. He snagged a pack of Beaver Nuggets and handed them to Serelda. She took the bag and looked up at him but didn’t say anything. He continued to stare at her until she nodded, and they all headed to the checkout.
I followed, wondering at the exchange between the VP and Serelda. The sisters might be twins, but I’d already picked out a few differences between the two. Not only mannerisms, either. The pattern of scarring was different as well. Serelda had far more on her face than Winter. I hoped Black Reign had disposed of whomever did this to those girls, or I was going to have to ask our president for permission to go hunting.
As I followed them, Winter looked back over her shoulder at me. Her lips parted, and her delicate skin flushed a becoming shade of pink before she turned back around and walked faster toward the checkout. I found myself smiling despite my dark thoughts. I’d bet my last dollar that girl was attracted to me but too scared to flirt. It was just as well. Though she wasn’t as young as Iris, she was still far younger than me. And obviously traumatized. The very last thing I wanted or needed was someone to babysit.
Even if that someone was the loveliest, most haunted creature I’d ever seen.
* * *
Winter
From the second the group from Iron Tzars rolled in, I knew this was what we’d been waiting for. They were the same as Black Reign in many respects, but for one very important fact. They had no idea what had happened to me and Serelda. There was no hiding the scars on the outside, but I’d hoped to at least try to conceal the ones on the inside. I didn’t think Serelda could, but she was trying. Of the two of us, she’d suffered the most. Because she tried to protect me.
Then I’d found Roman. He was a complete mystery. One I wanted to find out about. He was protective of his brothers and Iris. She’d taken up with the president of Iron Tzars, and he seemed to be good for her. Before they were even an official couple, he’d done his best to protect her. Not always so she knew about it, but he’d had a goal in mind. Winning her trust. He’d called in his club, and they’d hunted down the trafficking ring that had taken Iris’s sister and had brought her back. The tenacity and cunning they’d displayed in that one rescue mission told me this was where we needed to make our new home. The events leading up to us being in the middle of Six Flags over Truck Stop -- also known as Buc-ees -- loading up on enough junk food to feed an army, convinced me I’d made the right choice for Serelda and me.
Iris went with us to the bathroom and stayed outside the doors of our stalls, standing watch. Outside the bathroom, the guys stood watch. Once we’d finished, they all formed a protective ring around us as Iris encouraged us to get food. Serelda was too nervous to be interested in much, though I’d tried to coax her with foods I knew she’d like. It had all been for naught until the big guy they all called Brick handed her a bag of sweet, puffed nuggets.
At first, I didn’t think she’d take the bag, but she had. Brick had been gentle but insistent. Once she agreed to take them, he left us, heading to the checkout to wait patiently. Serelda had ducked into my side, and I’d put an arm around her. She was trembling, but I thought it was more from surprise than fear. I’d noticed her looking at Brick from the moment he’d entered the Black Reign compound. He was older, but built like, well, a brick wall. Solid. Strong. Tall.
Though I liked the possibility of him being Serelda’s protector, I still had no idea if he was the one for her. And I had my own problems to worry about. Because Roman had his eyes fixed on me since the moment I’d revealed our presence in his vehicle. I had no idea if it was distrust or interest he eyed me with, and I wasn’t certain I wanted to find out. One thing was for sure, though. I was drawn to him. To me, he felt safe. Appearances could be deceiving. If I’d misjudged him or his club, we could be headed into trouble.
Brick took care of the bill, and we walked back to the vehicle, which was parked in the middle of several motorcycles now. Two of the club members leaned lazily against the truck, but I could see they were alert and very aware of their surroundings. One more mark in the club’s favor. They took security seriously. Even in the middle of a place that was family friendly as they come.
“In you go.” Roman startled me as he came up behind me and Serelda. I gasped in a breath and met his gaze. His eyes were black as night, though his hair was lighter and liberally dusted with gray. Short and shaggy, his beard had silver at the sides and chin. Though much of it was still dark, he was mostly a salt-and-pepper mix. One I found comforting to look at. He wasn’t my age, though I was no young woman like Iris. I was thirty-five. Roman was probably pushing fifty. I’d thought it might freak me out since Serelda and I had been traumatized by older men, but it didn’t. And Roman might be close in age to those men, but he was nothing like them in appearance or manner.
We complied, getting into the back seat. I helped Serelda with her seatbelt, then fastened my own. She was arguably the stronger of the two of us, but in some ways she was also the most fragile. She’d gone through so much. I’d vowed to protect her as viciously as she’d protected me. That included letting her retreat behind me from time to time. Now, she sat beside me. I had my arm around her, and she’d buried her face in my chest while she clung to me, trembling from the stress of being around so many unfamiliar people.
