Author Name: Marteeka Karland
Book Title: Lemon (Grim Road MC)
Date Published: March 8, 2024
Genre: Motorcycle Club Romance, Suspense, Age Gap
Pre-Order Link: https://books2read.com/u/bw9NG0
Available at Changeling Press on March 1, 2024
https://www.changelingpress.com/lemon-grim-road-mc-2-b-3607
Synopsis:
Lemon: I’m settling in at Grim Road in my role as vice president. The men test me, but it’s all in good fun. I think I enjoy it as much as they do. Then, out of nowhere, things go horribly sideways. I realize how much weaker I am physically than everyone else in the club. That weakness can be a horrible liability. Yeah. Things are going great. Until they aren’t. I may have bitten off more than I can chew…
Rocket: My little sourpuss is a force to be reckoned with. She takes everything dished out to her and gives it back in spades. She’s my VP, but she’s also my old lady. Sometimes, I need to take care of her. More importantly, she has to let me. That fact is never more apparent than when a small team of roughnecks think she’s a woman from another club. They soon find out the error of their ways, but at what cost to Lemon? It’s time for the president of Grim Road MC to take charge. And there’s gonna be hell to pay.
EXCERPT
Lemon
I made it a whole month at Grim Road MC before Falcon threatened to cut off my dick and feed it to me. I think he forgot I was a girl or something because I’m as docile as they come. Yep. Passive even!
I’m lying. I liked busting Falcon’s balls just ‘cause I could. The guys had made me vice president of Grim Road right after Rocket brought me to the compound. Since then, we’ve all been working on our trust issues. And by “we,” I mean the men of Grim. I got that they all had secrets. I got that everyone had things they didn’t want anyone else to know. Even then, you tell your family. Because it was your family who would always have your back. Grim Road was family. Rocket’s family. My family.
Except for Falcon. But he was a work in progress.
“I swear to God, Rocket. If you don’t do something about that little hellion, I may shoot her.”
“Now, Falcon. You know it’s not nice to threaten to shoot your vice president.” I just loved taunting him.
“Next time Rocket calls church, I’m askin’ for your fuckin’ patch.”
I sighed, trying to fight back a smile before I ruined my indifference. “Are you still sore about your bike? ‘Cause it was totally for a good cause. Saved Rocket’s life.”
“You know what the fuck this is about, woman!” Falcon’s hair was wild and sticking out all over the damned place. Looked like he’d been trying to pull his hair out by the roots. Over and over. And over.
“I even had the thing fixed for you. Only took a couple weeks in the body shop, and they assured me it would be good as new. Not a scratch to be seen.”
“You had them paint it pink!” He had his arms out like he was going to lunge and choke me to death the second he got the chance, but I wasn’t worried. First, Falcon was all bark and no bite. At least he was with me. Remember the family part? Second, he knew Rocket would feed him to the sharks in very small pieces if he even looked at me cross-eyed. “Not only did you crash my fuckin’ bike through a door intentionally, you disrespected it even more by painting it pink!” He practically roared the last word. And I was pretty sure there was spit flying from his lips. Which was just gross. Fucker.
“Tell you what. I’ll apologize to your bike. I’ll even volunteer to ride beside you when you take her for a test drive.”
“No way in fuck I’m ridin’ that abomination in public. I’m surprised Knox let the fuckin’ thing in the compound at all.”
Knox chose that moment to enter the common room. “Knox didn’t know what was gonna roll out of that Goddamned trailer or he wouldn’t have let it in,” he commented.
I grinned, looking over my shoulder at Knox and popped my gum like a bimbo. “Hey, Knox. Havin’ a good afternoon?”
“Was until that fuckin’ bike showed up.”
“Awesome! Now. Forget all that. It’s not important.”
“Not important? How the fuck is you having my bike painted pink not fuckin’ important?” Yeah. Falcon was in a bit of a snit. But fuck him. If he wanted to be the best patched member of Grim Road — after me, of course — he needed to learn that there was a method to my madness. And there was one very huge wrong in this place that needed to be righted. I figured one month was long enough for everyone involved to start their penance.
“Because it was sacrificed for the greater good. This is one of those times, Falcon.”
“What the everlovin’ Christ are you talking about, Lemon?” Falcon sounded equal parts pissed and resigned.
“I’m talking about Gina.”
That got everyone’s attention. And quit the bitching.
“She good?” Falcon was immediately sober, all his anger at me evaporating in the space of a word.
“She’s learning to be. In case you hadn’t noticed, she’s been leaving her house more and more. Had supper in the common room last night.”
“Yeah. I noticed.” Falcon glanced at Leather, who ducked his head, shaking it slightly as if he wanted to deny what had happened. “A few of us made sure she had what she needed.” Falcon gave a sigh. “I apologized, too. Took several tries before she finally opened her door. Not that I blame her. She say why she ain’t left? Surely she knows she can. Right?”
“She knows,” Rocket leaned back on the couch where we sat. He draped an arm over my shoulder, and I snuggled against him shamelessly. Not only did it feel good to have his arm around me, but it reinforced my claim to any club girls in the building. “This is her home now. I promised to keep her safe, even from men inside my own club.”
“So she trusts you,” Falcon nodded. “I guess that’s something.”
I snorted. “Nah. She don’t trust Rocket.” My man gave me the side eye, but flashed a cocky grin too. Like he was proud of me. But, honestly, what man with me wouldn’t be proud, right? “She trusts me.”
When Falcon looked to Rocket to confirm, Rocket just smirked. “She ain’t lyin’, my friend. Gina believes in Lemon. Believes Lemon can keep her safe. Ain’t gonna lie and say I’m not disappointed a woman under the club’s protection doesn’t fully trust me, but I suppose that’s just one of many reasons I have Lemon in my life.”
“Damned straight, baby.” I leaned in and brushed a kiss over Rocket’s lower lip. “See me, love me, motherfuckers.” That got a laugh from everyone, including Falcon.
“Seems like you’ve got that situation under control.”
“I totally do, Falcon. Which is why I had your Harley painted pink.”
“Not… seeing how the two go together.” Poor Falcon. He was really having a hard time. He seemed to have even forgotten he was supposed to be pissed about the paint job on his bike. This was why I liked keeping him off-balance. It was so much fucking fun to watch. I knew I shouldn’t enjoy myself at Falcon’s expense. This was actually serious stuff. But, honestly, I just couldn’t help myself.
“Because, Gina happens to be fond of the color pink. In fact, she told me that, if she knew how to ride a motorcycle, she’d save everything she could to buy her a pink bike. Now, me personally?” I shook my head. “Don’t see the appeal. However, if Gina likes it, I think we all owe her way the fuck more than one stupid pink motorcycle.” I pointed at Falcon. “You ever want to graduate to officer’s training camp?”
“Officer… what?” Falcon jerked his head back like I’d slapped him. Which, I mean, I won’t lie and say I didn’t want to. Not because he deserved it, but because he thought he deserved it. And I just plain thought beating up on Falcon was fucking fun. But, not in this instance. Much.
“Well, yeah. You don’t think every officer in this club will be around forever, do you? Or even want to stay an officer. There will be a time when your services may be needed in that capacity, though why, I’m not sure. You’re just as big a dumb fuck today as you were the day I met you.” I looked him up and down like I was judging him and finding him lacking. “Gonna take longer than I first thought with this one,” I muttered.
Falcon took a threatening step toward me, but Rocket growled at him. The younger man glanced from me to Rocket before slinking back that fucking threatening step. I smirked.
“One of these days, Lemon,” he growled.
“Yep. One of these days I’ll hand you your balls, and you’ll probably just stand there wondering what the fuck just happened. You know. Like you’re doing right now.”
“Christ.”
“Pretty sure Christ had little to do with it,” Leather muttered. “Satan? Yeah. Possibly.”
I waved them both away. “Satan has a restraining order out on me. He had nothing to do with it either.”
Knox barked out a laugh before moving from the doorway. “Give it up, guys. You’re never gonna get one over on that woman.”
“Whose bright idea was it to make her vice president anyway?” Falcon was back to looking all surly again.
“That’d be me.” Bear, the second biggest man I’d ever seen in my life moved into the room, crossing from the back to the front in his even, confident gate. He didn’t pause but passed by Falcon and smacked him on the back of the head before heading out the front door to the parking lot.
“Ow, Bear! What the fuck?” Falcon looked ready to do murder, but I wanted to laugh. God, I loved it here! There was so much glorious mayhem! And, being vice president, I got to cause as much as I wanted and no one said anything. Occasionally, Rocket would pull me back, but most of the time, he let nature take its course.
“Best get on your bike and go find Gina. Give her a few rides, make her comfortable with everyone here and maybe Lemon will let you paint your bike black again,” advised Bear.
“Finally!” I threw up my hands in exasperation. “Someone who understands.” I looked up at Rocket. “You should make him your vice president. Oh, wait…” I grinned.
Falcon mumbled, but Leather actually nodded his head, his face relaxing a little, and I knew he got it. “We should all take a turn, Falcon. I know it’s your bike and all, but if she likes pink Harleys, then I think we should all take her ridin’. Show her we’ll do anything to earn her trust.”
I tilted my head at Leather. “You just went up several notches in my esteem. Maybe we can put you in charge of sensitivity training.”
“Lemon,” Rocket sighed. “They’re doing what you wanted. Let them work it out.”
“They don’t seem to be able to, though Leather got the right idea. Kudos to you!” I grinned at Leather. “See if you can get the other dumbasses who don’t want to admit they did anything wrong to fall in line. You do, I’ll give you a cookie.”
Surprisingly, Leather grinned. “Yes, madam vice president.” He sketched me a two-finger salute and sauntered outside. Falcon gave a dramatic sigh and followed.
“He’s not a bad guy, you know.” Rocket leaned down to murmur next to my ear.
“Yep. I know. I just like fuckin’ with him. Besides, Gina needs this. And I think the guys do too.”
“They do. I’m glad you recognize that. Of course, I’m pretty sure none of them would have voted you in as VP if they hadn’t known you’d have good instincts with us.”
“How’m I doin’?” I gave him a cheeky grin.
Author Info:
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
Author on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/experiencethemagicmk
Publisher on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok: @changelingpress
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