(Grim Road MC)
Motorcycle Club Romance, Suspense, Age Gap
Date Published: August 23, 2024
Calista – When my stepfather decides the best way to get himself out
of trouble is to trade me to the man who owns his gambling debts, I know
it’s time to get the hell outta Dodge. Before she died, my mother told
me my real dad was a hero, but what he’d done in the military was so
secret, he had to disappear. She gave me a name and a bunch of numbers to
memorize. Made me repeat them every night for as long as I could remember.
Just before she died, she told me the words Dominic and Grim Road -- my
father’s name and the group he belonged to. The numbers were
coordinates for the group’s headquarters -- a motorcycle club where I
could find my father. I can’t think of anyone else I can go to for
help. But once I find Grim Road’s compound, I realize there are far
more dangerous things waiting for me there -- like a man who could steal my
heart.
Ringo: When a little spitfire walks up to the gates of Grim Road demanding
to see our sergeant at arms, Dominic, I know I’m in trouble. She looks
vaguely familiar, but I can’t quite place her. Something inside me
warns me I need to figure it out fast, though. Preferably before the
prospect manning the gate does something to get himself killed. When she
refuses to leave, he gives her a good, hard shove. The expression on her
face of shock and fear triggers a memory. A little girl -- this girl --
falling backwards off the front porch steps into the flower bed. Calista.
Dom’s daughter. Only she’s not a little girl anymore.
She’s the most stunning woman I’ve ever laid eyes on, and I'm
gonna make her mine. I just need to figure out how to keep her father from
killing me.
EXCERPT
When I finally approached the edge of the city, I gave up all pretense of
trying to blend in. I took off at nearly a sprint. The longer I was out in
the open, the greater the chances Sam or one of Borris’s other men
would spot me. I had to make it through a few more city blocks, then across
the highway -- another risk since not many people crossed on foot -- and
into the woods. Once I had the cover of the trees, I’d find a place to
settle down for the night and hopefully make it to the compound tomorrow. I
didn’t want to get lost, so I had to take the chance they
wouldn’t come this way looking for me. Or, if they did, that
they’d wait until daylight, so they had a better chance of tracking me
accurately.
All I had was an old compass my mother had given me with a tiny map folded
inside tucked into my bra, and the flashlight I’d stolen. No food. No
water. No protection from the elements. Just the compass and map, and a
flashlight. And stories about a place my mother told me about, but I’d
never seen. This was all kinds of crazy, but it was my choice. No one
else’s.
By the time I was deep in the woods and far enough away from the road as I
could safely get, it was full dark. I didn’t want to use the light yet
as it was still early enough Sam might still make a try on the chance I
hadn’t gone far, and Sam might still make a try if he could figure out
where I’d gone into the woods. Plus, I had no idea how long the
battery would last. Hopefully a while. Though I’d thought I was
prepared mentally for a couple of days out in the wild on my own, I
hadn’t thought about how dark it would actually be. And I wasn’t
even thinking about the possibility of snakes.
Or alligators.
The air was thick with humidity, and every leaf seemed to whisper nefarious
secrets as I pushed farther into the undergrowth. My limbs ached, my heart
pounded in my ears, and fear clung to me like the dense fog that began to
roll in from the nearby swamp. The noises of the night grew louder, a
cacophony of insects and distant howls that did nothing to ease my
nerves.
I tried to keep my breathing steady, reminding myself that panic would only
make things worse. The darkness was absolute – even the faint glow of
moonlight struggled to penetrate the thick canopy above. Every rustle in the
bushes sent a spike of adrenaline through my system. Was the noise from a
predator stalking me? Was it Sam? More of my stepfather’s goons? I
wasn’t sure if I was more afraid of giant snakes or my stepfather.
Borris Illivitch was a cold-hearted bastard. When he found out I’d
blazed… If he caught me, I’d be in a world of pain. Death
would be a release.
I pressed on, trying to use what little moonlight filtered through the tree
canopy to guide my steps. Which… yeah. Occasionally, I’d see a
sliver of moon, but that was it. The air grew cooler as the damp night
deepened, and an occasional breeze should have felt good in the Florida
humidity but only seemed to grate on my nerves instead of soothing me.
Despite the risks, knowing it was a bad idea to stumble around in the dark,
I felt this urgent need to press on. Keep moving. Stay ahead of the thugs I
knew would be after me.
I continued on for as long as I could. When I finally reached the point
where exhaustion overrode the adrenaline, I leaned against a tree. Not the
smartest move, but I was beyond caring at this point. My lungs burned, as
did my leg muscles. I was scraped all over, my clothes even ripped in a
couple places. The only thing I’d risked in standing out with regard
to my appearance was the combat boots I wore. Not uncommon, but also
noticeable. Thankfully my suit pants had been flared at the bottom and had
hidden them. The boots were the only things allowing me to travel as far as
I had.
I knew the general direction I needed to go. My mom had also taught me
landmarks in the area to look for by using child’s nursery rhyme. All
of which she told me about just days before she died. I’d long ago
used virtual maps to find the landmarks she taught me. I was as prepared as
I could be.
I finally stopped and took stock of my body. I had some stinging scrapes
and at some point I’d twisted my ankle, but it wasn’t anything I
couldn’t power through. As the silvery moon moved across the sky, the
light filtered through the trees lessened. I could barely see my hand in
front of my face, let alone anything around me. Or my compass.
I was on solid ground but had no idea what was above or around me. With the
adrenaline falling off, I was trembling. Which was creating more panic. I
was basically defenseless in unfamiliar territory. Yeah. It was time where
the benefits of using the flashlight outweighed the risks.
I switched on the light, shining it around the area. A pair of eyes glowed
back at me and I jumped back, sucking in a breath, but the little varmint
ran off. At least, I hoped it was little.
“OK. OK.” I was talking out loud, but really, I had to do
something other than freak myself out by listening to all the noises around
me. Or look for glowing predator eyes. “I got this. Mom said this
place was miles and miles of swamp, trees, and forest, but if I was careful,
I could make my way through all that to the place my dad lived.
It took a couple of hours, but I finally found a small, rundown shack.
Looked like, at one time, it might have been a hunting cabin, or some kind
of game-watch post. It wasn’t much bigger than a small storage
building but wasn’t completely enclosed. About halfway up the walls,
all around, the enclosure was open, at one time covered with a screen. Kept
out insects but allowed the occupant to see out in all directions. This was
a landmark on my map, and I’d basically stumbled on it.
I went inside the little shack, noting there was nothing inside except a
bench fashioned all around the inside perimeter and dirt and leaves. The
screens had long ago been torn or had fallen apart leaving only ragged
remnants to sway in the slight breeze.
It was ridiculous, but with a roof over my head, even with little
protection from anything, I felt a little safer. Not safe, by any means, but
more… secure.
I set the light beside me when I sank down onto one of the benches.
Carefully, I pulled out my compass and opened it, taking care with the
delicate piece of paper folded inside it. Opening it up, I confirmed what I
already knew. I needed to head straight northeast. Like, this place had been
put in this exact position to use as a landmark. My mother had given me
three at various points around the center structure I was trying to get to.
Each landmark pointed in a precise direction, so I had no doubt these spots
were carefully thought out and deliberately placed as guides. If you knew
the coordinates. And had a map. Which I did. A treasure map, if you
will.
From my current position, I estimated it would take me about six hours to
walk. It wasn’t that far, per se, but walking in the woods and swamp
was tricky going. The accepted estimate was to allow thirty minutes for
every mile walked. I guess I’d find out how far off that estimate was
when I found the place I was looking for.
And my dad. Unfortunately, I had no idea if he knew I existed. If he did,
there was every possibility he wouldn’t accept me or even want me in
his life. Which was fine. I just needed his protection long enough to make
sure Borris Illivitch gave up looking for me.
Turned out, I made better time than I thought I would. Even in the dark. I
literally stumbled into a big guy with a full beard. He scowled down at me
even as his hands went to my shoulders to steady me. I expected his fingers
to bite into my flesh, but he was surprisingly gentle.
“Who the fuck goes there at four-thirty in the fuckin’
mornin’?”
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
events, and a plethora of interesting tidbits.
Author on Instagram & TikTok: @marteekakarland
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