Embedded Files
(Iron Tzars MC)
Motorcycle Club Romance, Suspense, Age Gap
Date Published: October 25, 2024
Venus: I come from world filled with violence, death, and impossible choices. I’ve only backed down from fight once, and that left me with pain and regret. But now, I have chance to balance scales. I’m known as most dangerous member of Salvation’s Bane MC. But truth is, beneath tough exterior, I’m still a scared young woman running from monsters, trying to protect those I love. That fear ends today. Only problem? Biker named Piston. Doesn’t know meaning of personal space. He’s always there, watching me, protecting me, and even though I’d never admit it, his presence brings strange sense of peace. He makes me want things I can never have.
Piston: For more than a decade, I’ve been Venus’s silent protector. In the shadows, I’ve watched her, stalking her every move. When she settled in Palm Beach with Salvation’s Bane, I made sure to be close by. I keep an eye on her, guarding her, even if she doesn’t realize it. But when an enemy from her past threatens her, I step out of the shadows. Venus is on the hunt, and the monster she’s chasing has awakened the beast in me. I protect what’s mine. And Venus? She’s mine.
Author’s Note: Venus’ first person narrative is written in heavily accented English. Articles (the, a, an) do not exist in Russian language.
EXCERPT
Piston
Venus first turned up on my radar over a decade ago when she was in the FSB in Russia. The agency I worked for was very interested in her for some reason. I was never given the details, but I got the feeling they were interested in luring her away from Russia. Likely because they were afraid of her. I played my cards carefully regarding Venus. I told them the strict truth, but I left out a lot.
Like how I’d never seen her equal in a hunter. Or that that real shade of her hair was a very pale blonde. Or how young she looked when she let her guard down, which wasn’t often. Or how beautiful she was. I kept that to myself because I didn’t trust the CIA any further than I could piss. If they were interested in this woman, she was someone I needed to protect.
For years I kept to the shadows. When she joined Salvation’s Bane MC, I found a home with Grim Road MC. They were completely off the radar and close enough for me to keep an eye on Venus.
I had to smile. If she knew the extent to which I’ve been on her six and for how long, she’d gut me like a fish.
But that’s the thing about being in deep cover. You learn how to keep secrets, even from yourself. And Venus? She was one secret I’d vowed never to spill. Much to the dismay of my handlers. They knew there was more to her than I reported.
Tonight, as I held her pinned against me, feeling the rise and fall of her chest, the stakes felt higher than ever. Her anger and her fire were intoxicating, making every moment with her a volatile mix of danger and desire.
“Listen,” I whispered into her ear, my voice low and steady against the chill night air. “I’m not your enemy, Venus. I think you know that.”
“I know you are pompous ass.” She hissed at me over her shoulder, but I wasn’t fooled. If this woman wanted to be free, she’d be free. And I’d be lying in pool of my own blood.
Interesting.
“Glad to see my charm didn’t go unnoticed.”
She struggled in my hold a bit longer, then relaxed with a huff, her body still tense but no longer fighting. “You’re infuriating, you know that, Piston?”
“That’s part of my charm too,” I replied, the corner of my mouth lifting slightly. I loosened my grip just enough to let her know she could break free if she wanted. It was a test as much as it was a truce.
Venus turned within my arms to face me, her gaze fierce and calculating. She wasn’t afraid of me, she knew she could take me, but she wasn’t ready to kill me yet. Made me wonder why. One thing I’d learned about Venus over the years was she never did anything without at least a frame up of a plan.
With slow deliberate movements, she backed up one step. Then another.
“Is this a truce then?” I kept my hands to my sides, but was ready to defend myself if necessary.
“I’m not sure.” She gave me a curious look, her gaze moving boldly over me. Then her brow furrowed. “I’m really not sure.”
“Then let’s call it a truce. We can always decide later to resume fighting.”
Venus’s lips twisted into a skeptical smile, but she nodded slowly. “Fine, truce for now. But don’t think this means I trust you, Piston. We’re not buddies.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” I replied, my voice low and even. Her distrust was like a sharp blade held at my neck, yet there was something exhilarating about not knowing when she might decide to slash. It was all I could do to keep from smiling. My cock didn’t care if she saw him or not and shot hard so fast I nearly winced. Thankfully, if she noticed, she didn’t mention it.
We stood in silence for a moment, the tension between us palpable. The night air was warm against my skin, and somewhere nearby an owl hooted, a solitary sound that seemed to emphasize the isolation of our current circumstances.
Venus finally broke the silence. “So, what now, Piston? We just stand here in dark staring at each other until one of us breaks?” There was a hint of amusement in her voice, a playful challenge I hadn’t heard before.
I shrugged nonchalantly. “We could do that, or we could put this temporary truce to better use.”
“What do you propose?” Her voice was cautious yet intrigued, her eyes scanning my face for any hint of deceit.
“We work together,” I said simply. “You have your skills and resources, I have mine. Together, we can find and kill the fuck outta Zaitsev.”
“Why do you want to kill him?” She was genuinely curious, but I knew she was filing away all this information for inspection later. She’d remember everything about our conversation, my expressions, the inflection of my voice, and dissect it for every ounce of information. Just like she’d been trained to do. Same as me.
“Isn’t it enough that his goons kidnapped my vice president?”
She nodded slowly. “Sure. But I don’t think that’s whole story with you.”
Smart woman. “I’ll tell you my secrets if you tell me yours.”
“Right.” She picked up the gun Zaitsev had shot me with, checking the weapon before tucking it against her back in the waistband of her pants. “I’m going back to Tzars. Lemon wanted me to check on Dani.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Lemon. Wanted you to check on her sister.” I spoke slowly, wanting to make sure I’d heard her right, because it sounded suspiciously like Venus, the badass assassin for the FSB, was… running. From me.
Two things were foremost in my mind. First, it didn’t sit well that she wanted away from me. Granted, she didn’t know me as well as I knew her, but I was becoming more and more protective of Venus. I wanted her close where she couldn’t get into more trouble than she could get herself out of. Though I’d watched her from afar for years (stalker much?), I liked having her close. I blamed my vice president. Had it not been for Lemon getting kidnapped, I might never have gotten this close to Venus for this long. I damned sure wouldn’t have gone with her to kill the man she’d been trying to take down for a decade.
The second thing, though…
Yeah. Having my arms around Venus -- even to keep her from eviscerating me with her dagger-like nails -- awoke something inside me I thought was way the fuck dead. I was forty-seven years old, for crying out loud. While I had an active sex drive, I hadn’t been this hard for this long in years. Hadn’t had a need for it. If I had an itch, I scratched it with a club whore. No fuss. No muss. And no one expecting to be all up in my space.
Part of what I did at Grim Road was take care of… issues. Permanently. I’d love to say it was why I came with Venus on this errand, but I’d be lying. I’d claimed her in my mind the moment I’d seen her.
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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.
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