“Do I think it’s stupid that we have matching tattoos?” He nods. “Of course not. I think it’s amazing.” Roman’s rose is white like mine, but there’s no pink, it’s black. Romany’s name is in the same place on Roman’s tattoo as it is on mine. My eyes are drawn to the words written above the rose. “Property of Marley.” I gulp back a sob. “Roman,” His name is a whisper on my tongue.
Roman takes my hand in his and holds it flat against his chest. “There is no woman in the world I would have marked myself like this for. You, however, you’re everything, Marley. I belong to you as much as you belong to me.”
I walk into his arms and hold him to me. Without a doubt, this has been the best day ever!
Chapter Twenty-Five
Roman
I love rebuilding old bikes. There’s just something about the mechanics of it all. Take the bike I’m rebuilding right now, a 1977 FXS low rider. It was nothing but a hunk of junk when it was brought into the garage, rusty and falling to bits.
Ace bought it at the auction. Shepard wasn’t too pleased, and he said it would take too much time and money to fix it up. The garage is our legitimate business; every club needs one. Shepard thought that fixing a bike that needed new everything, and ordering in the right parts would eat into profit too much.
I made Shepard see that by the time we’d fixed this bike we’d make a shit ton of money on it, twice, even triple as much as it took to fix it. Prez just rolled his eyes and walked away, his way of telling us to get on with it.
I’ve been working on it now for a couple of weeks. It won’t be finished for a few weeks to come, but it’s coming along nicely. The engine has been refurbished, and the body has been sanded down and rebuffed. New wheels have arrived ready to be fitted once the bodywork is complete. It would have been cheaper just to buy a brand new bike, but where’s the fun in that?
I’m the one who does the paintwork on every bike we rebuild. I’m not the only one who can do it, but I’m a gifted artist when it comes to this shit. I guess that’s why I’m the in-house tattooist as well. I never used to be; we used to have an outside guy who’d come in and do them. However, he wasn’t around about a year back, and Shepard didn’t want to wait to have the two new recruits inked with our brand.
Ace yelled how I could do it. I’d done tattoos before in my youth. Gave Ace his first one when we were about sixteen. I wasn’t too sure about it, but Shepard didn’t even hesitate. He said he’d seen my bodywork on the bikes, and he told me that it wasn’t really any different, just skin instead of metal.
So, I did it, and it turned out that I was damn gifted with a tattoo gun. I was promoted to the clubs tattoo artist, and I was even given my own small studio inside the clubhouse. If truth be told, I couldn’t wait to ink my woman. I wanted my mark on her, and when she asked me on our wedding day to do just that, I couldn’t believe it. I’m cocky, and I’d already got Red to ink my body with something to remind me of everything Marley has given me since she came into my life. When she couldn’t decide what she wanted inking on her body, I knew it was my chance to match hers with mine.
Marley sat well for such a little woman. God, she looked fucking beautiful by the time I was done. Now, each time I see the ink on her body, it has my dick stirring every time.
Things couldn’t be any better between us right now. We’ve been married a couple of months, and I have to admit that I like being married. I guess you just need to find the right woman.
I’m surprised she can walk straight lately, we’re fucking every day, sometimes twice, even three times. If I were home longer, we’d fuck more, but I have to work, and Marley has been working with Maria designing jewelry. I didn’t even know it was of interest to Marley, but if it makes her happy, then I’m all for it.
We talk about everything, Marley keeps nothing from me, and I keep nothing from her. She expressed to me that she’d like to go back to doctoring, and I’ve encouraged her to do just that. However, Marley wants to get the first year of Romany’s life out of the way first. My mom said that she did the same thing with me. Whatever Marley wants to do is fine with me, I’ll support her no matter what.
If anybody asked me two years ago if I’d get married and settle down, I would have laughed in their faces. Even more so if they’d told me I’d be a father again. I never wanted to put myself through that. I lost one child, so in my head, I always told myself that I’d lose another should I have one. I honestly thought for a while there that I’d lose my Romany, too.
Most would have tried to stop themselves from falling in love with their little girl for fear of losing her and going through all that pain. However, I couldn’t even try not to love Romany. God, the second my eyes landed on that baby girl, I was a goner. She stole my heart in an instant, and I would die for her. I’m going to be in her life for as long as God allows it. Never will I let her down because she’s the most important thing in my life. Always will be.
But then, so is her mother. That girl changed everything about me. Marley made me believe in love, and she brought me to life. Sure, I’ve had a good life; I was raised right by good parents, my sister the same. However, I’ve never known love like this, and I don’t even doubt for a second that Marley loves me. I’ve seen it in her eyes, and I feel it in the way she kisses me, holds me, makes love with me.
Life is good right now. Real good.
“Lookin’ good.”
“Yeah, it’s comin’ along nicely.”
Ace hands me a beer. I’ve fucking earned this; I’ve been working for six hours straight. Not the whole time in the garage, I had collections to make. Protection money doesn’t collect itself. However, over four hours of working on the bike seemed to fly by. I’ll be packing up soon. Yeah, it’s early for me, but I want to be home to put my baby girl to bed. It’s a nice habit I’ve gotten into.
Marley spends all day with the baby, and I get a few measly hours if I’m lucky. That’s why I feed her in the morning, telling my daughter how much I love her, what she means to me, and how I’ll always be there for her. I do what I have to do throughout the day, and then I’m home to have dinner with my girl and put my baby girl to bed.
When I wasn’t living at the house with them, I had more time to spend with Romany because I made sure Shepard knew how important it was. However, since moving back in, Shepard has me working like I used to. He seems to think that now Marley and I are married, I don’t need to be home as much. He works me like a damn dog, too fucking hard sometimes.
“Two days, man. You scared yet?”
I pull the bottle away from my mouth and swallow with a smile on my face. I place the bottle on the shelf beside me, pop the buttons on my blue coveralls, slip my arms out, and then tie it around my waist. My biceps flex with the effort.
“Nothin’ for me to be scared of. Worried a bit, maybe, don’t want nothin’ to go wrong.”
“Ain’t nothin’ gonna go wrong, Roman. Trust me; everythin’ is sorted, Marley is gonna have the best honeymoon any woman could wish for.”
We haven’t had the chance to have any kind of honeymoon yet. I’ve been working so much, and Marley hadn’t wanted to leave Romany so soon. However, I’ve managed to organize a honeymoon in New York because I know Marley has always wanted to go. It’s becoming a habit for me to arrange things behind her back, but I swear they come from a good place. My mother is taking care of the baby for the weekend because I know Marley will feel at ease with that.
While we’re away, I have a surprise for my wife. I managed to track down the owner of the cabin Marley hid in for two years, an old man who hasn’t even seen the place in ten years. I set Trace on the job because he could find a needle in a haystack, hence the name Trace. It took Trace a few days, but he found the eighty-five-year-old owner living twenty miles away.
Trace drove over to the old man’s house with me. He invited us in with a friendly smile and then told us his life story and how he came into possession of the cabin. He’d had it built for his wife fiftee
n years ago, but five years later, she passed away, and he couldn’t bring himself to go there again.
I told him why I was interested in the place, and I told him all about Marley stumbling upon the cabin in the woods and how she’d fallen in love with it. He then agreed to sell the cabin to me for a very reasonable price. This will be my gift to my wife. The place is officially hers, somewhere she can go when she needs a break. I’ll do anything to see her smile, no matter what that might be.
I’m about to reply to Ace when a car pulls up outside the garage. A big black Audi. Fuck knows who it is. We don’t get expensive looking cars here unless they belong to Vidal. It isn't Vidal, ain’t never seen this man in my life. Unless they want to get inside the clubhouse gate, which they won’t.
A tall, suit-clad, blond, curly-haired guy gets out of the car. He adjusts his suit jacket, a sneer on his face as he looks around. Asshole.
I fold my arms around my big chest and turn to face him, Ace right by my side. He’s a good man, Ace. Dangerous when pushed, but not as hot-headed or quick-tempered as I am.
“I’m looking for Roman.” Figures. If I had a dollar for the number of times, I’ve heard that from someone, I’d be a fucking millionaire by now. “Now, where I can find him?”
I scratch my jaw with my thumbnail as I eye the fucker. Fancy watch on his wrist, suit probably cost more than what most earn in a month, shiny fucking shoes that I can see cost a fortune. Prick.
“You found him.” He raises his eyebrow while looking me up and down. I’m twice the size of this prick, got a couple of inches in height on him too. “Who are you, and what do you want?”
“My name is Marcus Nickson,” Well, fuck!
What the hell does this cunt want?
I have no idea what the hell Marley saw in him. All right, she was young, but he has that look about him, the look cocky fuckers have when they think more of themselves than they do the woman they’re supposed to love.
I could end this piece of shit right now, and no one would miss him. I know everything he said and did to Marley when they were together. Sure, he never hit her, but he belittled her every damn day. She may not have seen anything wrong in it back then, but she knows now that the way he treated her was wrong. Marley saw it from my point of view; she cried, I held her.
Marley knows that she made the right choice. She’s mine, always will be.
“I’m sure you’ve heard of me.”
“Unfortunately.”
“I’m here to tell you to back off.” I don’t move, nor does Ace. Yet. “Marley wants to come home to me, but she’s afraid of you. Scared you’ll take her daughter away from her.”
I laugh out loud, head thrown back. Fuck me; some people never know when to quit. “You dumb fucker, Marley wants nothin’ to do with you.” I take a step closer. Ace grabs my arm, but I shrug him off. I'm not going to do anything. He has nothing to worry about. “Marley is mine. My wife.” I’m guessing he didn’t know that fact because his eyes are wide in shock. “Don’t think she ain’t told me the things you said to her. Take her and my daughter to Paris? Adopt my kid?!”
“What the fuck?”
I don’t answer Ace. I’ll fill him in later.
“Yes, I said that because they both deserve better than a filthy, criminal biker.”
“Don’t push me, fucker! Get back in your fuckin’ car and forget about Marley. She’s mine. If marrying me don’t tell you she don’t want you, then I guess nothin’ will.”
He reaches into his pocket. I don’t flinch. This fucker doesn't have a gun, wouldn’t know how to use it if he did. Both Ace and I would kill him before he had the chance to pull the fucking trigger.
It isn't a gun he pulls. It’s his phone. It taps away at it, then turns it over to me. “Marley may have married you out of fear, but I think you’ll find this evidence that she doesn’t want you.”
I look down at the messages. They’re between him and Marley. Him asking her for one more chance, her telling him she’s that too scared to leave me for fear of what I’ll do.
I read on, and I can’t even believe what I’m reading. Marley actually told doctor fuck face that she wants him, that she only told me that she’d chosen me to throw me off the scent, and the fact she’s planning to leave with my daughter.
Oh, fuck, no.
She isn't taking my daughter anywhere! I’ll fucking kill the bitch first. No, that is not a joke. I lost one daughter through my own stupidity. I won’t lose Romany as well because I won’t fucking survive that. Yeah, I’m a bastard, but my daughter is everything to me.
“As you can see, what she’s told you isn’t what she’s told me. I don’t know why she went through with the wedding, but she’s terrified of you. Just let her go, Roman. After everything she’s been through over the years, she deserves some happiness.”
I thought I made Marley happy. She married me, told me she’d always love me, even inked her fucking body for me. Fuck me; she’s a good actress.
“This is bullshit, Roman.”
“How the fuck can it be?” I snap at my cousin, eyes locked on him. “It’s right there, Ace.” I point to the phone. “Texts from her phone to him!”
“Anyone could have sent them, Roman. Don’t blow up over this until you find out what the hell is really goin’ on.”
Fuck that.
I hand cunt his phone back. He wants Marley, he can have her, but she isn't takin my little girl with her. I gave Marley the chance to leave with her ex, and she told me that she loved me, and I want the man she chose. Why the fuck would she do all of this if that wasn't true?
My head is suddenly spinning. Nothing makes sense. I don't understand why Marley did all of this; what the fuck was her game?
Was she just feeding me lines, keeping me sweet while doctor dickhead organized their move to Paris?
How did Marley plan to get Romany away from me?
Furthermore, how sick in the head can she be to have married me in order to keep me in the dark about her real plans? She didn't have to do any of this; she could have just gone to the asshole; she had the chance!
I feel sick to my stomach, and I'm scared of what I might do if I stay here. So, I don’t say anything, I walk away from them, ignoring Ace, ignoring the smirk on fuckers face. I have to get home. There’s only one thing for me to do, and I need to do it now. I jump on my bike and gun it home.
I’m there in minutes. I storm inside, upstairs, and into our room. I don’t know where Marley is, but I want her the fuck away from me. I'm nobody's fool, but she fucking made a big one out of me. I pack a bag for Marley, not even looking at what I’m putting inside. Anything that’s left behind, I’ll burn. Simple.
I’m too angry right now to even think straight. I’ll probably regret being so rash when I’ve calmed down, but right now I can't see past the veil of red in front of my eyes.
I don’t understand any of this. If Marley were afraid of me, she wouldn’t be the way she is with me, and there is no way she’d sleep with me. The girl is terrified of touch, but not mine. When I touch her, she's into it. Hell, she loves it! If she really wanted that asshole, she would have chosen him. It would have been easy to tell me that, then she could have snuck away in the night with Romany. I would have been none the wiser. So again, what the hell is all this about?
As badly as I want to believe that cunt is lying, those messages were very clear. Marley led Marcus to believe that she's afraid of me and that she wants to be with him. Why would she have told him that if she didn't mean it? She swore blind that she cut ties with him months ago, and now I don't know what the fuck to believe!
I’ve been good to Marley. Haven’t I?
Since the day I met Marley, I have been good to her. I have never hurt her. I proved how much I love her time and time again. What more did she want from me?
That motherfucker treated her like crap, and still, she wants him! Well, she can have him, and I hope she knows that once she's out the door, I'll never think about her again
.
Sure, Roman, keep telling yourself that.
I drop the bag by the front door. I want the bitch out of the house and now. No one fucks with me and gets away with it. However, I don’t want to hurt her physically; that isn't what I’m about. So I need her to leave and never come back.
The wedding was a stupid idea. Marley married me, knowing she wanted to be with him. After everything, I said to Marley about not forcing her to be with me. I told her that I’d still be here for her even if she chose him, and that I would walk away and let her be with him just as long as she didn’t keep Romany from me.
So why the fuck would she do this?
Am I really such a monster that she’d be too scared to leave me?
“Marley?!” I yell her name. Where the fuck is she?
I search the house, but she’s not here. Fuck it! I need to do this now. I need to get her the fuck out of my life before I think about it too much and beg her to stay with me.
She’s fucking crushed me in ways I thought no woman ever could. I don’t care how it makes me sound, but my damn heart is breaking. God, I can actually feel it shattering behind my rib cage.
I’m about to go out searching for Marley when she walks through the door with my daughter, Elie and her son.
Fuck.
Oh well, Elie here or not, I’m doing this.
“Hey, baby!” There’s a huge fucking smile on her face upon seeing me. How can she smile at me like that when she knows what she’s been doing behind my back? This lying whore fucked that motherfucker then texted him telling him it was the best time of her life!
Just when did she cheat on me?
Has she told him that we’ve been sleeping together while she's been sleeping with him?
I knew in my gut that I could never compete with her first love. As scared of being touched as Marley is, she’s familiar with him. Of course, she’d want to be with him again.
However, I’m fucking mad as hell, and I need to get her the hell out of here before I explode.
Crucify Thy Demons: Snakes Henchmen MC Page 20
