Rocket/Lemon Duet (Print)

Rocket/Lemon Duet
Marteeka Karland
All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2024 Marteeka Karland
Excerpt from Rocket

Lemon

I’ve heard that, sometimes you just know when your life’s about to change. As we rolled into the Grim Road compound, I got that feeling. It was a strange sense of foreboding and anticipation. And I was pretty sure I knew who it was centered around. But I didn’t even like the bastard so I chose to ignore that inner voice. My inner voice was stupid anyway.

The only fucking reason I’d come to this stupid place was to support Scarlet and to make sure her sisters, Sunshine and Rainbow, knew they had someone watching their backs. Well, other than some of the men. I suppose I trusted most of them in Iron Tzars, but I’d rather a woman had my back. So I wanted them to know I had theirs. Also, I knew this was probably going to be a special kind of hell for Scarlet. While her man, Mars, was with us, I was Scarlet’s best friend. There was no way she was facing this alone.

When the two big Excursions pulled into the compound of Grim Road, a group of big, hard-looking men waved us through and two more men on bikes escorted us to what I thought was the center of the place. Scarlet had told me it was where the old ladies and children lived, though there weren’t many people there. Mostly just her and her sisters and a couple of women who were steady lays of the men. I was sure Dani wouldn’t want me to know about steady lays, but I wasn’t a kid. Not in any meaningful way. I’d let Dani think she took care of me and Apple, but it was really me taking care of them.

“Stay here until I tell you two to come out.” Mars was gentle when he spoke, but it was for Scarlet. The look he gave me said I better keep her in the vehicle at all costs. When I looked out of the window at the big men surrounding the truck, the very last thing I wanted to do was disobey Mars. Not because I was afraid. Because, if things went south, it would be up to me to protect Scarlet.

“We’re not some bunch of bastards who’re gonna pounce on them, Mars.” The big man who spoke was as rough as they came. He was built like a fucking mountain. Tall, muscled, but kind of soft-spoken. I thought it was probably a defense mechanism. So people underestimated him, and so he didn’t seem so big. “You can let ‘em out of the fuckin’ cage.”

“Not until I’m convinced they’re safe.” Brick’s rough voice wasn’t raised or angry. Just matter-of-fact. As vice president, he’d come with Mars in an official capacity. Also, the big man was great backup. “I swore to Scarlet we’d keep her safe, and that’s what I intend to do. If you’re gonna get your panties all in a twist, maybe you should go back to your fuckin’ clubhouse.”

The big man took one menacing step toward Brick. Brick was by no means a small man, but this guy towered over him and had to be at least half again as thickly built as Brick. Which was saying something. Brick was the largest man I’d ever met in my life. “You don’t get to dictate in this club.”

“Stand down, Bear.”

And just like that, everything inside me went on red alert. Rocket. The president of Grim Road. He was also just a little more scary than I liked. Of all the men I’d met in Iron Tzars and the few I’d had encounters with in Grim Road last night when Hammer and Claw had died, Rocket was the one who unsettled me the most. I wouldn’t say I was afraid of him exactly, just… wary. Like I needed to be on guard at all times or he’d catch me unaware and pounce. What happened then was anyone’s guess. Personally, I was going with he loses his balls and I mount them like fucking trophies, but who could say.

“Don’t like this, Prez,” Bear grumbled, but backed off a couple steps. “I get we messed up, but we don’t hurt women.”

“And the only thing they’re concerned with is the fact we messed up.” Rocket didn’t sound mad or give away anything, really. In fact, he looked like he was looking forward to this. The only way I could describe him in this moment was… gleeful. The look on his face made me decidedly uneasy.

“Something’s off,” Scarlet murmured. She didn’t look scared, just puzzled. “Rocket’s too accepting of this whole situation.”

“You think he’s gonna hurt you? ‘Cause I will hand him his balls this time.”

“No. Rocket is many things, but he’d never intentionally harm one of us. Whatever they had going on before must have really consumed the club because the whole deal with my father and Hammer isn’t something Rocket would normally have missed. He was as baffled by the whole thing as I was.”

“Still not sure I trust him.”

Scarlet glanced at me. “You probably shouldn’t. You caught his attention and that’s not necessarily a good thing.”

The door to the SUV opened then, stopping further discussion. I got out before Scarlet. When she exited the vehicle, I kept my body between hers and everyone else. Mars stood in front of me, and Brick and Smoke from the second SUV were in front of Mars.

I looked around, making sure I had a handle on our surroundings. If things went south, our best bet was to get back in the truck and do our best to get the hell outta Dodge. I had no idea if the thing was bulletproof -- knowing the Iron Tzars, there was every possibility it was -- but we’d have to keep our heads down and book it as hard as we could. If I ran over someone in the process? Fuck ‘em.

“Get that look off your face, girl.” Rocket stepped closer to us, his gaze focused squarely on me. “We ain’t gonna pounce on you. You’re here to let Scarlet get anything she wants that she left behind, and to talk to Sunshine and Rainbow.”

“We’re here to take Sunshine and Rainbow with us,” I snapped before anyone could say anything else. “Not leavin’ ‘em here.”

“You will if they don’t want to go.” Rocket didn’t raise his voice or even look angry. His features were mild. Reasonable even.

“Scarlet’s their guardian now. They’ll go where she says.” I stuck my chin up. I thought I heard Mars groan, but I didn’t dare take my gaze from Rocket to make sure.

“They’re old enough to make up their minds what they want to do. If they don’t want to leave Grim Road, I’ll look after them.”

“Not on your fuckin’ life.” I bared my teeth at Rocket who looked amused. Which just pissed me the fuck off. “How ‘bout I wipe that smug grin off your fuckin’ face.”

That got a couple chuckles from the members of Grim Road nearby.

“That one’s askin’ for a whoopin’, Prez. You gonna teach her some manners?”

“Yep.” Rocket crossed his muscled arms over his massive chest. He wore jeans and a leather cut without a shirt under it so he showed off a lot of muscle and tattooed skin. “Just not now. She ain’t old enough.”

“Like fuck you are.” I took a step toward Rocket, fully intending to give him more of what I’d given him last night but Mars held out his arm to prevent me from going around him.

“Just calm down, Lemon. He’s baiting you.”

“Lemon?” Bear barked out a laugh. “Her name’s Lemon.” It wasn’t phrased as a question.

“You got a problem with that, fuckwit?” I ignored Mars. I knew they were baiting me. Of all of Scarlet’s protectors, I was the weak link and they were testing my boundaries and how far they could push me.

“I got a problem with your mouth. Maybe there’s somethin’ else you could do with it.”

“Bear,” Rocket growled, his facial expression changing like someone had flipped a switch. “She’s underage.”

“Yeah?” I plowed on, ignoring Rocket. “Try it. See what body part you lose, you freak.”

Bear leaned forward in my direction but didn’t actually commit to taking the full step. Then he pointed at me. “Your day’s comin, lil’ bit.”

I sneered, looking the big man up and down like a princess eyeing a filthy peasant who’d been mucking out the pig barn. “Not from you.”

“Can we please get a move on?” Brick actually raised his voice. That was new. Usually, he just growled or snarled and everyone jumped to do his bidding. Well, everyone except Serelda. He never used his growly voice with her.

“Sure. Soon as the Neanderthal gets the fuck outta the way.” I gave Bear a cheerful wave.

“Glad that one’s leavin’,” he muttered as he stepped back. “Someone needs to teach her some manners.”

“I only use manners with people who earn that respect from me.”

“Which is to say no one.” I thought that was Smoke, but the man didn’t know me that well. OK, so maybe he did. ‘Cause yeah. Manners were for pussies.

I was about to open a can of whoopass on Bear when the door to the inner compound opened and two younger girls walked out with suitcases in hand. A man who looked to be in his mid to late twenties walked with them pulling another suitcase. The girls grinned widely when they saw Scarlet and ran to her.

“Scarlet! You’re home!” The girls threw themselves into Scarlet’s arms, and she might have fallen on her ass if Mars hadn’t moved to put an arm around her and take the brunt of their exuberance.

“Yeah, honey. I’m back.”

“Crush had us pack our stuff. We going somewhere?”

Scarlet kissed the girl’s forehead before pulling back to look at them both. “Yeah. You’re coming back with me to Indiana.” She turned to look back at Mars. “This is Mars. I’m his old lady now.”

“Old lady?” One of them wrinkled her nose. “You sure about him?” She gave Mars a look like she judged him and found him lacking. “He don’t look like much.”

That got a snort outta Smoke. “I think that one’s already got your number, Mars.”

“Don’t need your help, Smoke.” Mars grinned, but I knew he was irritated. Though I agreed with Smoke. Whichever twin this one was had Mars pegged. He was all right I guess, but he needed someone to keep him on his toes. “I’m Mars. If it helps, your sister chose me to be her protector. We both kinda had a rough time of it, but we’re better when we’re together. Kinda keep each other grounded, I guess.” He held out his hand to the girl.

For a moment, I thought she might refuse to take his hand, but finally, she held out her own and gripped Mars’ hand. “I’m Rainbow. This is Sunshine. And if you say anything about our names I’ll hurt you.”

I got that. Before Mars could open his big mouth and be a guy, I moved forward, putting my body between Rainbow and Mars. I took her hand firmly in my own. “I’m Lemon. I have a twin too. Her name’s Apple.”

Like I knew it would, that gave Rainbow a start before she grinned widely at me. “I think I’m gonna like you.”

“Ditto, kid.”

“Are you good with going with Scarlet, Rainbow?” The guy with them spoke for the first time. He wasn’t overly assertive, but I got the feeling this was a test of some kind.

“Yeah, Crush,” Sunshine answered. “Why wouldn’t we be?” She looked genuinely puzzled.

“We just didn’t want you feeling like you had to leave. If you want to stay, you can.”

“Wait,” Rainbow narrowed her eyes. “Ain’t we comin’ back later?”

“No, honey.” Scarlet said with a sigh. “We’re moving to Indiana to live with another club. Mars belongs to the Iron Tzars. I know you’ve heard Claw mention them.”

“Yeah. But why do we need to stay there?”

Scarlet looked up at Mars, uncertain of how to proceed next. I could tell she didn’t want to do this here, but I wasn’t sure she was gonna get out of telling Sunshine and Rainbow their father was dead.

“I’ll tell you everything when we get back to Indiana. It’s a long story.”

Rainbow nodded slowly and I knew she knew something was amiss. “Yeah. All right.” She turned and raised a hand for Crush to high-five. “See you in the game.”

“You can count on it, squirt.” Crush gave her a grin. “You know how to find me if you guys need anything, but I’m sure Scarlet’s got everything under control.”

“Of course, she does.” Sunshine lifted her chin. “She’s Scarlet!”

Crush laughed. “Yeah. She is.”

Rainbow looked around. “See you guys. Bye, Rocket.”

Rocket nodded at the girls before his gaze landed squarely on me. “I’ll be seein’ you around, Lemon.”