Motorcycle Club Romance, Suspense, Age Gap

Date Published: May 15, 2026

Jade — I ran from a man who broke me, only to land in the arms of a biker who
could destroy what little I have left. Rip is an alpha protector with a
dangerous edge I can’t seem to resist. He sees too much, wants too much,
and makes me crave things I swore I’d never risk again. He gives me the
courage to believe in myself. When my past refuses to let me go, I know I can
surrender or stand and fight. If my ex thinks he can take everything from me
again, he’s about to learn exactly how wrong he is.

Rip — The first time I see Jade, she’s barely holding herself together,
a trauma survivor trying to outrun a nightmare who won’t stay buried.
She’s still fragile enough I know better than to push my way into her
life, even when every instinct tells me to pull her close and never let her
go. I don’t expect her to see me as anything more than a safe place.
Whether I claim her or not, my MC brothers will lay down their lives for her.
And when the smoke clears and the blood is washed away, Jade will know she was
always meant to be mine. Forever.

Jade

The soft, warm lighting in the small dining room did little to reassure me. I
stared at my hands resting on the scarred wooden table, watching them tremble
against my will. Three weeks at Haven, and my body still hadn’t gotten
the message that I was safe now. Safe. What a strange word to apply to
homelessness, to sitting in a communal room, surrounded by women who
couldn’t meet my eyes because we all recognized the shame in each
other’s faces.

I pulled down my sleeve to cover the faint, yellowing bruise on my wrist. My
ribs still throbbed with a dull persistent ache that no amount of ibuprofen
could completely relieve. The pain was almost comforting — a reminder that I
hadn’t imagined it all, that I wasn’t crazy. My fingers brushed
against my cheekbone, the swelling finally gone but the discoloration still
visible beneath the concealer I’d carefully applied that morning.

A little boy, maybe five or six, darted past me chasing after his sister, both
of them laughing. Their mother called after them in a hushed voice. All the
women here spoke quietly most of the time, as if normal volume might shatter
whatever fragile peace we’d found. Or too afraid our respite would end
in violence once again. I watched them without trying to seem like I was
watching. Their mother had dark circles under her eyes, but she smiled when
she caught them, tickled them until they squealed.

I looked away. There was an intimacy to their bond that felt invasive to
witness, like I was trespassing on something precious. I didn’t belong
here, among these women who’d fled with children, with purpose. What did
I have? A business degree I’d never used, a dried-up marketing career,
and a suitcase only half full of clothes I’d grabbed while Eric was at
work. No kids. No friends left. Just bruises and tremors and the growing
realization that I had nowhere else to go.

“Jade? Do you have a moment?”

I looked up to see Ada approaching, a clipboard tucked under her arm and a
sympathetic smile on her face. Since I’d come here, I’d learned
that every woman from that club Mia’s new man belonged to volunteered at
this place. The men guarded Haven but never made the residents feel smothered.
In fact, I only saw them occasionally. Everyone here cared. Probably too much
sometimes. I saw the few people who came through here. Everyone had a sob
story and most of them were horrific. By comparison, I had it pretty easy.

“Of course,” I said, straightening my posture automatically.

Ada slid into the chair opposite me and placed the clipboard on the table
between us. “Your thirty-day evaluation period ends this weekend,”
she said, her voice soft. “I have your extension paperwork here. I hate
that we have to do shit like this, but it gets us money for supplies.”
She smiled.

My heart stuttered. I hadn’t realized how terrified I was of her saying
anything else until the relief flooded through me. “Yes,” I said
too quickly, then bit my lip. “I mean, if that’s OK. I’m
still working on… figuring things out.” I had to force myself not
to wring my hands. I didn’t used to be like this. I didn’t want to
be like this now.

Ada pushed the clipboard toward me. “That’s what we’re here
for. I just need your signature.”

I picked up the pen, my fingers trembling. I gripped it tighter, trying to
control the shake as I signed my name. Ada watched without commenting on my
obvious anxiety. She was good at that — giving people dignity even when they
were falling apart.

“Thank you,” she said, taking back the clipboard. “The
extension is for another sixty days. After that, we’ll reassess.”

I tried to smile but couldn’t quite commit. I knew how pathetic I looked
by not getting back in the game of life, but the thought of trying to explain
the abrupt departure from my previous job, of interviewing with visible
bruises, of having to be around strange men who might remind me of Eric, could
send me into a panic attack.

“Jade, honey? You OK?”

I glanced up at Ada when she spoke. Short answer? No. I wasn’t OK.
Better answer? “Fine,” I said. “Just tired.”

Her eyes softened with understanding that made me want to crawl under the
table. “There’s a resume workshop on Thursday. No pressure, but it
might help to interact with others. And group therapy tomorrow at four is open
to everyone.” She put her hand on my shoulder. “There’s no
rush, you know. I’m checking boxes because it’s required. You take
as much time as you need. We call this place Haven for a reason.”

When she left, I let my shoulders slump, exhausted by the brief interaction.
Across the room, a woman about my age was showing her daughter how to braid
string into a friendship bracelet. Another was helping her son with what
looked like math homework. I’d wanted that once. A family. To be all
domesticated and stuff.

Eric had told me he had the same dream. Turned out, his dream had been more
about building himself up by keeping someone under his foot. It had been me
since before college. Then he wanted Mia but wanted his fucking mind games
with me too.

I picked at a dangling hangnail until it bled, sucking the small wound.
I’d come to Haven because the nice lady who’d brought me said this
place would keep Eric away from me. No questions asked. I stayed in Haven
because I was officially homeless and had nowhere else to go. The sad truth
was, I hated the thought of leaving this place because I’d never stayed
anywhere I felt safer than I did at Haven.

What came next? The question circled in my head like a vulture. I
couldn’t stay here forever, but I couldn’t imagine a life outside
these walls either. Not when Eric was still out there.

I wrapped my arms around myself, pressing against the bruises on my ribs until
the physical pain drowned out everything else.

The crash shattered the afternoon quiet like a gunshot. I didn’t see
what happened. First, the ball bouncing across the linoleum, then a little boy
chasing after it. One or both of them hit the table where a ceramic vase sat
just a little too close to the edge. I only registered the sound as it
exploded against the floor, blue and white shards spraying outward like
shrapnel. My body reacted before my mind could catch up. Flinch. Gasp. Arms
over face. Heart instantly hammering against my ribs as if trying to punch its
way out of my chest.

The rational part of my brain knew it was just a broken vase. Just a
child’s accident. But my body was already in full survival mode, dumping
adrenaline into my bloodstream. My ears rang. My vision tunneled. My muscles
coiled tight, ready to do anything I could to avoid what usually came after a
crash.

I sucked in a sharp breath that hurt my throat. Held it. Forgot how to release
it. The common room had gone still. Through the gaps between my fingers, I saw
women frozen in various postures of interrupted activity. Some exchanged
knowing glances and looks of sympathy, a language survivors recognized as a
trigger response. Others deliberately turned away, giving me privacy in my
panic, or maybe protecting themselves from the mirror I’d become.

“I’m so sorry,” the little boy’s mother murmured,
already on her knees, gathering ceramic pieces into her cupped palm.
“Tyler, go put your ball away, please.” Her voice was tight but
controlled. Tyler looked terrified, his lower lip trembling as he clutched the
rubber ball to his chest and scurried away.

“It’s fine,” someone said. “Just an accident. Our
fault for having something not kid-proof in here.”

“I’ve got a dustpan,” another woman offered, heading toward
the supply closet.

I forced my arms down, away from my face. Attempted a smile that probably
looked more like a grimace. My hands wouldn’t stop shaking, but I
couldn’t just sit there like a broken doll while everyone else handled
the situation. I slid from my chair and knelt beside the boy’s mother.

“Let me help,” I said, reaching for a larger piece of ceramic.

She glanced up at me, her expression a careful blank. “Thanks.”

My fingers trembled so badly I couldn’t pick up the shard. I tried
again. Failed again. The third time I managed to grasp it, but my hand shook
so hard that I dropped it almost immediately. It clattered against the floor,
breaking into smaller pieces.

“Sorry,” I whispered, mortified.

“We’re all a hot mess,” she said with a watery smile.
“How about we do the best we can and understand we’re all
ghosts.”

The woman with the dustpan and a hand vacuum arrived, sweeping carefully to
get the larger pieces before using the vacuum. I tried again to help but my
breath came in shallow gasps that weren’t bringing in enough oxygen.
Black spots danced at the edges of my vision. I was going to pass out and make
an even bigger scene.

I stumbled to my feet and backed away, scanning for somewhere to retreat. The
bathrooms were too far. The dormitory area was up a flight of stairs. My legs
couldn’t even manage to make it to the elevator much less make it up a
flight of stairs. Luckily, I found an empty corner by the bookshelves,
partially screened by a large potted plant. I made my way there on wobbly
legs, pressing my back against the wall and sliding down until I sat on the
floor, knees pulled tight to my chest.

I used to be good at talking myself down from the ledge. Back when the panic
attacks were just garden variety anxiety and not the souvenirs of systematic
abuse. I tried now, struggling to find the rhythm of controlled breathing that
had once been second nature.

I pressed my forehead against my knees, trying to make myself smaller. A tear
leaked from the corner of my eye, sliding hot down my cheek. Then another. I
wiped them away furiously with the heel of my hand. I was not going to cry in
this fucking corner like a child because someone broke a vase. I was not going
to be this broken thing Eric created.

But the tears kept coming, silent but unstoppable. They weren’t really
about the vase or even about the flashback. They were tears of pure
frustration at my body’s betrayal and my mind’s inability to
distinguish past from present. And for how pathetic I’d been for so
long. Now I had nothing.

* * *

I’d come to an agreement with Hannah. I help out with housekeeping,
cooking, and anything else needed in Haven, and I could stay longer. At least,
that was the agreement I proposed. She’d smiled and told me that of
course I could stay. That there were no conditions and I could stay as long as
I wanted. As safe as I felt here, I knew it would be a long while before I
“wanted” to leave. And also, I didn’t really believe
they’d let me stay here much longer. It was past time I left. I just
couldn’t make myself go.

Now, I pushed the supply caddy, which seemed to weigh a ton, its wheels
squeaking as I pushed it down the hallway. Hannah had asked me to deliver
fresh towels and toiletries to the linen closet where everyone got what they
needed. A simple task, but it got me away from the sympathetic glances after
my meltdown in the common room. The building designated for Haven had been a
former warehouse. But someone had converted the place into a very comfortable,
very soothing atmosphere inside.

I passed the small office and approached the security station that controlled
access to the entire building. The security here was insane and every security
guard working here took their job very seriously. No one got inside Haven who
didn’t belong. The door was ajar, and I slowed as I heard Hannah’s
voice from inside, clearer and more authoritative than her usual soft-spoken
manner.

“– have to adjust the rotations since Noose’s funeral. We
can’t leave any gaps in coverage, especially at night. The restraining
orders don’t mean shit if –”

I hesitated outside the door, not wanting to interrupt but also curious about
the changes happening around us. Noose had been killed just before I came
here. He’d died in the same fire that had nearly claimed the lives of
Mia and Oktober, as well as Pain and Inferno. The Kiss of Death MC had been
providing security for Haven since its founding, a fact that had initially
terrified me until I realized they were the only thing standing between the
women here and the men who might come looking for them. More than once,
I’d been ashamed of the way Eric had called these men criminals.
I’d learned that, while most of them had killed, they’d all had
good reasons for what they’d done and had taken their punishment.

I knocked lightly on the doorframe, the caddy parked beside me. “Sorry
to interrupt. I have supplies for –”

The words died in my throat as I stepped into the doorway and saw who Hannah
was talking to. A large man filled the small security office with his presence
across from Hannah. The Kiss of Death leather cut stretched across shoulders
that could have belonged to a linebacker. His dark hair was buzzed short on
the sides but longer on top, and a shadow of stubble darkened his jaw. But it
was his hands that held my attention. They were large and weathered with scars
across the knuckles. I didn’t know this man, but he obviously belonged
to the club.

I froze, instinctively. I didn’t like strange men. Most of the women
here had issues with strange men. I gaped at the guy, feeling like prey caught
in a predator’s trap.

“Jade, perfect timing,” Hannah said, seemingly oblivious to my
reaction. “This is Rip. He’s taking over Noose’s security
detail.” She turned to the man. “Rip, this is Jade. She’s
been with us about three weeks now and has been helping with a few chores.
She’s been a lifesaver in so many ways.” Hannah gave me a smile
before reaching out to take my hand and tug me farther inside the office.
“If you can’t find something, find Jade. She’ll either know
where it is or if we have whatever it is you need.”

I managed a tight nod, my throat too dry for words. This man was here to
protect us, not harm us. I knew he wouldn’t be here if he were a bad
person, but my body didn’t get the memo.

“Rip’s going to be handling the night shift security,”
Hannah explained, filling the quiet.

I nodded again, stealing a glance at the man from beneath my lashes. I found
it difficult to read the guy. His gaze was direct and penetrating, taking in
everything around him. When they met mine, I felt a jolt of emotion. Not fear,
exactly, but I knew he could see straight through to the very core of me and
saw the wreckage hidden underneath the surface. His eyes were intense but
kind.

The longer he looked at me, the more his gaze narrowed. He looked almost
startled. He turned his head slightly toward me and rubbed the center of his
chest absently as though it ached.

I dropped my gaze immediately, studying the scuffed toes of my shoes. My chest
tightened with the familiar anxiety that men triggered in me. This man saw
things I didn’t want him to see. I knew it like I knew my own name.

“Good to meet you,” I managed to say. I backed toward the door,
eager to escape the intensity of his gaze. “I should let you get back to
it.”

Rip nodded once. He still hadn’t spoken, but somehow his silence
wasn’t threatening. It felt considerate. As if he understood that his
voice might be too much for me right now.

I slipped out of the doorway and leaned against the wall in the corridor,
breathing deeply to slow my racing heart. Through the partially open door, I
could hear Hannah resuming their conversation as if they hadn’t been
interrupted.

I pushed away from the wall and headed back toward the common area, my mind
replaying those few moments of eye contact. There had been something oddly
comforting about the weight of his gaze. Rip hadn’t given me the
predatory assessment I’d grown accustomed to from Eric but simply
waited. Watchful in the way a guardian surveys their charge.

Strangely, for the first time since arriving at Haven, I felt truly seen. Not
as a victim or someone who’d betrayed her best friend, but as a person
worth protecting.

About the Author

Marteeka Karland is an international bestselling author who leads a double
life as an erotic romance author by evening and a semi-domesticated housewife
by day. Known for her down and dirty MC romances, Marteeka takes pleasure in
spinning tales of tenacious, protective heroes and spirited, vulnerable
heroines. She staunchly advocates that every character deserves a blissful
ending, even, sometimes, the villains in her narratives. Her writings are
speckled with intense, raw elements resulting in page-turning delight entwined
with seductive escapades leading up to gratifying conclusions that elicit a
sigh from her readers.

Away from the pen, Marteeka finds joy in baking and supporting her husband
with their gardening activities. The late summer season is set aside for
preserving the delightful harvest that springs from their combined efforts
(which is mostly his efforts, but you can count it). To stay updated with
Marteeka’s latest adventures and forthcoming books, make sure to visit her
website. Don’t forget to register for her newsletter which will pepper you
with a potpourri of Teeka’s beloved recipes, book suggestions, autograph
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Author on Instagram & TikTok: @marteekakarland

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Motorcycle Club Romance, Suspense, Age Gap

Date Published: February 20, 2026

Spending more than half my life in prison taught me how to survive, not how to
live.

Jag — I took the fall for my club once and it cost me everything. Freedom
doesn’t feel like freedom when your past is still hunting you. Kiss of
Death MC is different now. Safer. Smarter. And full of things I don’t
trust. Like kindness, loyalty, and Ada. She sees too much. Asks the hard
questions. And somehow makes me want things I buried a long time ago. Wanting
her is dangerous. Touching her could destroy us both. But when an old enemy
resurfaces and targets her to get to the club, walking away isn’t an
option. I’ll protect her. Even if it costs me everything… again.

Ada — I know the difference between monsters and men who’ve survived
hell. Jag Kross is the most dangerous man I’ve ever met. And the most
broken. He doesn’t want saving. He doesn’t believe he deserves
love. And he definitely doesn’t want me anywhere near his darkness. Too
bad. When someone starts watching me, following me, threatening everything the
club protects, Jag becomes my shadow. My shield. My temptation. He says
he’s not a good man. I say he’s exactly the one I want. I’m
not afraid of the scars he carries. I’m afraid of what happens if he
leaves.

Jag

The gates of USP Terre Haute swung open with a mechanical groan that I’d
heard a thousand times from the other side. This time, I was walking out.

The guard shoved a manila envelope into my hands without meeting my eyes.
“Use your prison ID until you get your state issued ID. Inside the
envelope you’ll find your release papers, a debit card with two hundred
dollars. I was informed you didn’t need a ride?” He finally looked
up at me, bored, and raised an eyebrow in question. When I didn’t
answer, he shifted his weight with a huff. “Well?”

“Was there a question?”

“Do you have a fuckin’ ride or not, buddy?” He slapped a
piece of paper down in front of me.

“What’s this?” I asked, nodding to the form.

He slapped a pen down on top of the paper. “Says you understand the
terms of your release supervision and that failure to comply can, and likely
will, result in an extended stay in the Hilton back here.” He hiked his
thumb over his shoulder, indicating the prison.

Instead of answering him, I picked up the pen and signed my name at the bottom
across the highlighted line. “Anything else?”

When the guy shook his head, I stormed out the door. I had no idea if Knuckles
followed through with his promise to have guys waiting on me when I got out. I
hadn’t called him, but he’d told me I wouldn’t have to. When
I was released, there would be a couple of brothers from Kiss of Death to
offer me a ride back to Nashville, if I wanted to go. I hadn’t really
been sure if I’d take him up on the offer even if he did actually show,
but when the prison asked me where I planned on setting up residence,
I’d told them Nashville.

I stepped across the threshold, the highly recognizable line between captivity
and freedom in the form of a smaller gate through a big-ass fucking prison
gate. I squinted against the natural light. Closing my eyes, I inhaled deeply,
then relaxed.

Nothing happened.

“Expecting the air outside the yard to smell different than it did
inside the yard?” The guy had one elbow resting on the open window of a
black F-150 in the slot two spaces over. Another, a truly massive man, rested
against the bed of the truck next to the first guy, like they’d just
been having a chat. He’d crossed his legs at the ankles and his arms
over his chest, his pose casual.

“Jag?” the giant asked. “I’m Tiny. This is
Rancor.” He was soft-spoken, his voice a gruff rumble.

I nodded once, acknowledging but not inviting further conversation.

“Ready to roll?” Tiny asked, gaze friendly.

I shrugged and nodded again, fingers digging into my palms, the sharp pain
grounding me.

Tiny straightened. “Front or backseat, man?”

“Back.”

Tiny nodded respectfully, obviously expecting my choice since Rancor
hadn’t offered to move. He climbed behind the wheel while I opened the
back passenger-side door. I tossed the small bag holding my few possessions
across the seat to the far side of the vehicle. Sitting behind the passenger
left Rancor with a huge blind spot. While the driver could still watch me, he
needed to watch the road, too. I didn’t think these guys meant me harm,
but I also wasn’t going to get shanked my first hour out of prison.

The interior of the truck smelled like leather and tobacco. Clean. No blood.
No piss. No sweat. No puke. Definitely nice for a change.

The rumble vibrated through the seat and into my bones, a foreign sensation
after years of concrete and steel. Of all the things I’d missed in
prison, I’d missed riding my bike the most. I’d been away for
thirty-seven years. My bike had probably long since been sold off.

As we pulled away, I allowed myself one last glance at the prison. The
limestone walls and razor wire had been my entire world. I’d learned to
kill there. I’d learned to survive there. I’d forgotten how to
live anywhere else.

Tiny met my eyes briefly in the rearview mirror. “Long ride to
Nashville.” He handed me something I recognized as some kind of smart
phone. I’d never held one, but I’d seen them on TV, watched as
people used them in commercials or movies, when I’d been allowed to
watch. Also, a few of the guards didn’t bother with the policy on no
phones out of the locker rooms.

“Scroll through.” He used his finger to drag the screen upward,
revealing more. Yeah, I’d seen that before from some of the guards.
“It’s my social media feed. I set it to show articles you might be
interested in about Nashville. I like to call it my ‘Long-Term
Incarcerated’s Guide to the New World.’” I took the phone
from him. “It gives you some information about our club, the shelter we
help fund and protect, as well as terms you might not be familiar with. A
bunch of the guys got together, at our old ladies’ insistence, and made
a list of things hardest for them to adjust to when reentering society.”
He shrugged. “Some of the guys found it helpful. Including me.”

I grunted. Though, I had to admit, this surprised me. I’d been worried
about looking like an idiot when someone handed me something like the famed
“Three Seashells” and I looked just as dumb as Stallone’s
character.

I still didn’t know if I could concentrate while basically helpless in a
moving vehicle with two men I didn’t know who had served time just like
me. And had likely learned the same lessons I’d learned. Yeah.
Concentrate fully on something right now? Not fucking likely. I kept my
expression neutral and pretended to take in the material for a moment until I
was sure neither of them watched me too closely. Then I turned my head to look
out the window instead.

My reflection stared back at me from the glass — hollow eyes, angular face,
hair cropped close to my scalp. Prison-pale skin already burning under the
unfiltered sunlight. I barely recognized myself. The man in the reflection
wasn’t the one who’d gone inside. He was something else now.
Something hardened and remote. Something dangerous.

An hour into the trip, the interstate rolled beneath us, mile markers ticking
by like a countdown to something I wasn’t sure I was ready for. Tiny
kept both hands on the wheel except when he leaned one arm on the window.
Rancor sat with one arm propped on the window ledge, fingers drumming
occasionally to whatever was playing low on the radio.

The silence stretched between us, but it didn’t feel uncomfortable. I
thought, maybe these guys understood I needed time to adjust to friendly
company. Though I couldn’t trust them yet, my respect for them grew with
the care they showed for my sanity.

After another half hour of silence, other than the low music on the radio,
Tiny turned his head slightly to speak to me. “Knuckles runs a tight
ship. We’ve got legitimate business fronts now. Auto shop’s doing
well. Custom work bringing in good money. Also help with a shelter for
especially traumatized and terrorized women and children.” He shrugged.
“Most of the time, we just have a couple guys stand outside the gate.
Their… problems tend to give us a wide berth.” Tiny chuckled
darkly.

“Legal?” I said, the word feeling strange on my tongue.

Tiny shrugged. “Mostly. Still got side hustles, but we’re careful.
Knuckles makes sure of it. Shelter’s all on the up-and-up.” He
spoke like the shelter was his pride and joy. I used to talk about my bike
with that kind of reverence, so I knew this place meant something to the man.

There was another beat of silence before Rancor glanced at me in the rearview
mirror. “We know what you did for Kiss of Death that put you behind
bars.” He waited until I met and held his gaze. “That ain’t
this club anymore. We have each other’s back, and no one takes the fall
for anything.”

“Ain’t goin’ back.” I snarled the words before I could
stop myself. “Gave my fuckin’ soul for this club once. Not sure I
can do it again. If that’s a deal breaker, you can drop me off
here.”

“Never said you had to, brother. Knuckles knows his people. You
don’t have to prove anything. In his eyes, you’ve already proven
everything he needed to see, and he’ll make sure you never go
back.”

Rancor reached forward and turned up the volume slightly as “Sympathy
for the Devil” came on. My fingers twitched involuntarily against my
thigh. I’d had a cellmate who would sing this under his breath for
hours, driving the guy in the next cell into a rage. Ended with a shank to the
kidney during yard time. Though I liked the song, my cellie’s singing,
not so much. And he was a dick. Fun times.

We crossed the state line into Kentucky, the landscape gradually shifting. The
F-150 ate up the miles, comfortable in a way that made me uncomfortable. Too
soft.

Tiny pulled into a truck stop off the interstate. “Need to fill
up,” Tiny announced. “You want to stretch your legs?”

I shook my head. The thought of navigating the open space, the strangers, was
all too much to attempt right now.

“Be right back,” Rancor said, unfolding himself from the passenger
seat. “Taking a piss.”

I watched them through the windows as they moved around the station. Tiny
pumped gas while Rancor disappeared inside, reappearing minutes later with a
plastic bag.

A family pulled up at the neighboring pump, a man and woman, with two kids
arguing in the back seat. The woman laughed at something the man said, her
head tipping back to expose her throat. The children tumbled out, shoving at
each other, voices high and piercing. One of them looked my way, curious eyes
meeting mine before the mother called him back to her side.

I turned away, something hollow opening up in my chest. I’d forgotten
what families looked like. Forgotten I used to want one of my own.

Tiny and Rancor returned to the truck, Tiny sliding behind the wheel while
Rancor passed a plastic bag over the seat to me.

“Got you some water, sandwich, chips,” he said.
“Wasn’t sure what you’d want.”

I took the bag, not meeting his eyes. The scent of barbecue sauce wafted from
the bag as I opened it. “Thanks.” The word came out rusty, unused.

I opened the water first, taking a quick pull before unwrapping the sandwich
and taking a bite, nearly closing my eyes in bliss as rich barbecued pork
exploded across my tongue. “Christ,” I muttered.

Rancor chuckled softly. “Yeah, man. I think I had basically the same
reaction to my first good meal on the outside.”

“Ain’t sure that qualifies as a good meal,” Tiny muttered.

“A ham sandwich would be better than what we got in that place.”
Rancor waved off Tiny’s words. I agreed with him.

“Still fuckin’ good.” I took another bite, fumbling with the
napkin when I realized I probably looked like some kind of primitive who
didn’t know how to eat in civilized company. One more thing to add to
the list of things to get used to again.

Another hour and we entered the outskirts of Nashville. Tiny made a call and
the sound came through the car radio.

“We got a room ready for him.” I’d recognize Knuckles’
voice anywhere. The man had literally saved my sanity the short time
we’d been cellies. “He’s gonna want some time to himself to
transition, but I don’t want him isolated.”

“You just assume he came with us,” Rancor said, shooting Tiny an
amused grin. “Maybe he said fuck off.”

Knuckles barked out a laugh. “Oh, I’m sure he told you to fuck
off. Just maybe not out loud. But yeah. I’m sure he came. I know my
people, Rancor.”

“I came.” Not sure why I thought I had to speak up, but Knuckles
only grunted.

“Of course you did. This is your home. Rat Man did you dirty.”

“Almost there, Prez,” Tiny said. “Ten minutes.”

“Good. I’ll meet you at the main warehouse.” There was a
pause. “Hannah made sure you’d have everything you need,” he
continued. “She talked to every fucking guy in the place, so she and the
other women could give you as comfortable a place as they could. I know
you’re not a man who’d want a fuss made or anything but expect the
old ladies to make sure you have plenty of home-cooked food in your fridge for
when you’re hungry.”

“I — what?”

“You heard me.”

“Yeah, and I guess I’m not sure which surprises me.”

Knuckles grunted again. “The fact that you have your own fridge, or the
fact the girls bothered to stock it?”

“Both, I guess.”

“See you soon.” The call disconnected.

“Expect them to drop by often because our women can be mother
hens.” Rancor continued the conversation as we turned onto a narrow,
paved but crumbling road that cut between abandoned warehouses. “They
won’t let you suffer in silence, no matter how often you tell them to
leave. They don’t get their feelings hurt with big, surly bikers, but
oddly, they usually know when to back off before they get irritating.
It’s the weirdest fucking thing.”

That got a laugh from Tiny. “My two hellions haven’t figured out
when to back off. Don’t expect they will either.”

“Oh, your girls know where the line is. They simply refuse to let a
little thing like an imaginary line in the sand stop them.”
Rancor’s grin said he enjoyed the show on more than one occasion.

I thought I might see irritation in Tiny’s expression, but instead I saw
fondness and pride. Tiny loved whoever he was talking about. Likely loved the
fact they didn’t stop when they should. The revelation settled something
else inside me and my respect for the men grew a little more.

“Why?” I asked softly. “I feel like I’m bein’
set up or some shit. You guys don’t know me and the few who do know I
ain’t a kind man.”

“Club takes care of its own,” Rancor said quietly. “Whether
our own want it or not.”

Something twisted in my chest — not pain exactly, but its close cousin. Why
would anyone prepare for me? I was nobody to these people. The club had
changed since I’d been a member. I doubted anyone knew me from anywhere
but Terre Haute. Maybe not even then. The idea that someone had thought about
what I might need, had taken time to prepare for my arrival didn’t
compute with the world as I understood it.

“Don’t need special treatment,” I managed, voice rough.

Tiny chuckled, a deep, low rumble. “Ain’t special, brother.
It’s baseline. You’ll see.”

The Kiss of Death compound emerged from the industrial wasteland like a
fortress. Which was exactly what it was. Camo netting stretched between
warehouses arranged in a defensive square, breaking up sight lines and
confusing surveillance. I counted four visible cameras covering the entrance
alone, probably a dozen more I couldn’t see. Smart setup. Defensible.
And it was designed to keep people out. Not to hold them inside.

Tiny slowed at a reinforced gate. A guard in a booth nodded recognition, and
the gate slid open. We rolled through to a big warehouse well away from the
entrance to the compound.

Knuckles stood waiting at the inner entrance, arms crossed over his chest. He
was built solid, heavily muscled but leaner and shorter than Tiny.

Tiny parked the truck in front of the warehouse, cutting the engine. I stepped
out of the cage, feet planted firmly on the gravel. The air smelled of motor
oil, leather, and something delicious cooking.

“Good to see you breathing free air,” Knuckles said, extending his
hand.

I took his hand, the handshake brief but firm. His eyes held mine, assessing
but not demanding. He didn’t try to establish dominance through the
handshake, didn’t pump my arm or crush my fingers. Just a simple
acknowledgment between equals which surprised me. Even if I were technically
still part of Kiss of Death, Knuckles, as the president, outranked me
significantly.

“Appreciate the welcome,” I said, the words coming easier than I
expected.

Knuckles nodded, seeming to understand all I wasn’t saying.
“Let’s get you settled.”

He led the way through the compound, Tiny and Rancor falling in behind us. A
few club members moved about their business. They looked up as we passed,
nodding respectfully but didn’t approach.

“Bottom floors of the outer buildings are club business,” Knuckles
explained, voice low enough that only I could hear. “Upper floors are
apartments for patched members. Inner buildings are all living quarters.

“Hannah, my woman, assigned you a unit in the east building, second
floor,” Knuckles continued. “Quieter side of the compound.”

Knuckles stopped at a door at the corner of the back side of the building. He
handed me a keycard. “Room’s yours as long as you want to stay.
Old ladies will make sure you’re stocked. Don’t ask them to do
your laundry. They will shank you.”

That got a bark of laughter out of me when I hadn’t expected to feel
like smiling so soon. “I appreciate the place to crash.”

“No thanks necessary.”

The apartment was simple but far larger than any space I’d occupied in
nearly four decades. A main room with a couch and coffee table. Small kitchen
area with actual appliances. A window overlooking the compound below.

“Basics are all here,” Knuckles said, remaining by the door.
Giving me room. “The girls brought linens and shit, so you’ve got
bedding and towels. There’s probably a box of toiletries in the
bathroom.” He motioned to a set of doors next to each other on one end
of the room. “Bedroom and bathroom.” He pointed in the other
direction. “Spare room for whatever the fuck you want to do with
it.”

I moved farther into the space, checking the place out. Clean surfaces. No
dust. The faint scent of something lemon. Someone had prepared this place
recently, anticipating my arrival. The thought was unsettling in its kindness.

“Bathroom’s got everything you need,” Knuckles continued.
“Hot water takes about thirty seconds to kick in. Pressure’s good
and the shower is large. There’s also a bathtub. Anything else you need,
just say the word.” He paused, watching me carefully. “When the
old ladies come by to bring you more food, let them in, please.”

My head snapped up, surprised by his insight. I’d been calculating how
long I could go without opening that door, how to minimize contact until
I’d found my bearings.

Knuckles gave me a knowing look. “They mean well. And trust me, you
don’t want to be on their bad side.”

A faint smile tugged at my lips again before I could suppress it.
“Noted.”

“I’ll leave you to get settled,” Knuckles said, stepping
back into the hallway. “Club meeting tomorrow at noon if you want to
join. No pressure. Just know you’re welcome. When or if you’re
ready to take an active role in the club, we would all welcome you to find
your place with us.” He gave me another grin. “Welcome home,
brother.”

He closed the door behind him with a soft click, and I was alone. Truly alone
for the first time in years outside of AdSeg — what most people call solitary
confinement, or Administrative Segregation. Whatever you call it, AdSeg was
the only time I didn’t have a cellmate breathing in the bunk below. No
guards passing by at regular intervals. No constant background noise of men
living in forced proximity.

Just silence.

I stood motionless in the center of the room. The space felt impossibly large
after my cell, the silence deafening after years of constant noise.

I moved to the window, drawn by the natural light. Below, club members moved
about their business. Two men working on a Harley. A woman carrying what
looked like groceries toward another building. Normal life continuing in its
rhythm.

My reflection stared back at me from the glass, superimposed over the scene
below. A man caught between worlds, belonging to neither. The prison had
released my body but kept pieces of my soul. The club had offered shelter but
couldn’t give me back what I’d lost to them before. I thought I
should move on, put this chapter of my life behind me, but the thought made my
insides twist. Knuckles was right. Though the compound had moved location, the
spirit of the club I’d first joined was within this fenced-off land. I
could feel the energy all around me and it felt like home.

I placed my palm against the cool glass, watching my breath fog a small
circle. Outside, the sun was setting, casting long shadows across the
compound. The stranger in the glass looked back at me, equally lost in a world
he no longer understood.

Marteeka Karland is an international bestselling author who leads a double
life as an erotic romance author by evening and a semi-domesticated housewife
by day. Known for her down and dirty MC romances, Marteeka takes pleasure in
spinning tales of tenacious, protective heroes and spirited, vulnerable
heroines. She staunchly advocates that every character deserves a blissful
ending, even, sometimes, the villains in her narratives. Her writings are
speckled with intense, raw elements resulting in page-turning delight entwined
with seductive escapades leading up to gratifying conclusions that elicit a
sigh from her readers.

Away from the pen, Marteeka finds joy in baking and supporting her husband
with their gardening activities. The late summer season is set aside for
preserving the delightful harvest that springs from their combined efforts
(which is mostly his efforts, but you can count it). To stay updated with
Marteeka’s latest adventures and forthcoming books, make sure to visit her
website. Don’t forget to register for her newsletter which will pepper you
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