 by Marteeka Karland.jpg)
Total pages in book: 43
Estimated words: 40524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 203(@200wpm)___ 162(@250wpm)___ 135(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 40524 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 203(@200wpm)___ 162(@250wpm)___ 135(@300wpm)
Mars -- l have demons from my past I can’t overcome. Mostly I’m reasonably sane, but if I have a flashback, the likelihood of someone getting hurt is more than I can stomach. But when I see Hammer terrorizing the young woman he claims is his, I know I can’t stand by and watch. I’m not what she needs, but when her daddy’s club comes in hell bent on taking her home, I realize just how much she means to me, and I will never let her go. She’s mine to protect. Mine to hold. And maybe, just maybe, she’s the one to save me from myself.
Mars includes scenes of graphic violence and adult situations including suicide and graphic description of torture that may be triggers for some readers. There’s also a protective hero, a determined heroine, and eventual happy ending. No cheating, as always.
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*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
Chapter One
Scarlet
“We can show you around school if you like.” The girl from my home room, Apple, was quite possibly the sweetest person I’d ever met. Her sister, Lemon, on the other hand… Yeah. Tart didn’t even begin to cover it. But I really liked both of them.
“Thanks.” I smiled at both girls. “I appreciate it.”
“Seems like a strange move,” Lemon commented, looking at me funny. Both twins were wicked smart, but Lemon really knew how to keep someone off balance. Like now.
“Strange move?” I smiled, probably looking like an idiot because I had no idea what she was talking about. What was strange?
“You know. The move. From Riviera Beach, Florida to Evansville, Indiana. Since you have no family here or anything. Seems like a strange move.”
I shrugged. “My… uh… boyfriend. He wanted to move away until we got married.” I gave them my brightest smile. “We have to wait until after I graduate, but he thought it would be best if we got away from my dad’s, err… well, my family.”
Lemon frowned. “I see.”
Apple just shrugged it off. “I’ve got a boyfriend, too. We’re waiting until I turn eighteen to actually date, but I’m betting my mom and dad will want me to wait until I graduate.” Her smile was nearly as bright as mine but genuine. “His name’s Deacon. He’s --”
“Apple.” Lemon nudged her sister. They gave each other a look. Apple ducked her head and her cheeks flushed.
“Sorry. It’s kind of a long story.”
“It’s OK. My story is probably just as long.” Or longer. I felt my smile slip but tried to keep from looking at the door. School had let out ten minutes before. Everyone was leaving either on the buses, with their parents, or in their cars. I could drive, but Hammer made a point to always pick me up from school. In the beginning, it had been sweet, if unnecessary. Now… things had changed. He’d sold my car so I had nothing to drive. And I was more than a little frightened of Hammer. It wasn’t anything overt, but I could sense something had changed. The feeling had been building since we’d moved to Evansville.
“We better go.” Lemon took her sister by the upper arm. “See you tomorrow, Scarlet.”
“Bye.” Apple waved, still giving me that cheery smile of hers.
“Take care, guys.” I waved as I hurried out to the parking lot where Hammer was waiting on his big Harley.
Hammer revved the engine as he saw me approaching. My heart rate increased, but not for the reasons it should. The sound the Harley made when he used it to get my attention never failed to make me nervous because that meant Hammer was getting impatient. I plastered a smile on my face and climbed onto the back of the bike, wrapping my arms tightly around his waist. He smelled of cigarette smoke and whiskey, a combination that made me faintly nauseated.
“Everything OK?” I asked hesitantly.
His eyes flicked toward me before quickly averting away. “Yeah, ‘course. Should somethin’ be wrong? You done somethin’ you know’s gonna piss me off?”
I swallowed hard, trying to push down the fear that was suddenly threatening to consume me. “No, of course not.”
“Good.” He let out a heavy breath like he was supremely disappointed in me, then peeled out of the parking lot. The wind whipping against my face prevented any further conversation, thank God.
As we made our way home, I knew I trembled against him. I also knew he loved to keep me on edge. The more frightened of him I was, the better he seemed to like it.
Hammer pulled the bike into our driveway and turned the engine off. I dismounted, stumbling to regain my balance. He watched me, a sneer flickering across his face before disappearing just as quickly.
“Go inside,” he ordered, jerking his head toward the front door. “I’ll be in in a bit. Got shit to do.” He pointed a finger at me. “You better fuckin’ be here when I get back.”
I nodded numbly, feeling like a puppet whose strings were being pulled by a cruel master. Since my dad had decided I was going to be Hammer’s woman, Hammer had been very possessive, but once we moved to Evansville he had become even more controlling. I didn’t think my dad would approve of the way he treated me, but when Hammer requested to move us to Evansville until I’d graduated, my dad hadn’t told him no.
Now, every day was a nightmare for me. The only solace I got was when I went to school and even that was a trial. Hammer had uprooted me in the middle of the school year, telling my dad I needed time away from the club so we could get to know each other better. Dad hadn’t really seemed to like it, but when I hadn’t protested he’d let us go. Probably because I was already old enough to be Hammer’s old lady, but I’d wanted to finish high school before settling into that role.