Page 1 of Roam

Chapter One

Roam walked into the hotel bar lobby, glancing around to see if he recognized anyone. The upscale hotel had been invaded this weekend with his brethren tattoo artists.

He was bone tired and ready for a little bit of downtime. His twin brother, War, who was also the President of their MC, had come to him last week. War had offered for him and his wife Remi to do whatever was needed to give Roam a break. War had also told him in no uncertain terms to quit blaming himself over what had happened. It was easier said than done. There were days where he felt like the biggest failure, at least in his personal life.

He loved being a father, but man, single parenthood, even with all his help from his MC family, was brutal sometimes. He’d been coming to these tattoo conventions and competitions for years but had missed the last couple. Having little ones seriously impacted what he could do. He was thankful for his MC family for helping him keep his head above water after his skank of a wife left.

She’d never been the love of his life. She’d been a woman who he’d gotten pregnant and decided to make the best of it with her. Instead, she’d rejected everything he loved about the MC, then about nine months ago, she’d left him, cleaning out their accounts and disappearing while a babysitter watched their three kids. The note she left said she’d never wanted kids and that he was a disappointment. His brothers had said he was better off without her. He believed he was, but when the kids were older, how did he explain what had happened? How did he tell his kids she didn’t want them and have them understand it was a problem with her, not them?

His business, which he shared with one of his MC brothers and the MC, was flourishing. If he wanted, he could have appointments set at Bluff Creek Ink twenty-four hours a day and still not keep up.

He was going to enjoy every second of this time away. When his dad, Baron, had seen him off, he’d been surprised. Baron had grasped the back of Roam’s head, like he’d done a lot in high school, and pulled him in for a hug. Roam had fought not breaking down in his dad’s arms. Baron’s arms had been a safe place from that first time Baron had picked them up on the side of the road where his mom’s car had broken down when he and War were three. Baron’s words reminding Roam he was a great father and to use this time to relax had been something Roam hadn’t realized he needed. It seemed like he hadn’t had a break in months.

After not seeing anyone he knew, even though the room was almost full, he took a seat at the bar. He’d considered offering a card to the guy with the cockatoo tattoo on his shoulder that looked like Roam’s three-year-old had drawn it, but tonight, he wanted to relax. He didn’t want to deal with someone else’s friggin’ screw up. Kids had definitely made a difference in his language. He had three kids who he planned on helping go to college, trade school or whatever they wanted after high school. Of course, he had to start over saving again after the skank took the kids’ accounts too. Then, add in Bear, one of his brothers in the MC, kids having a swear jar, and Roam had been working on curbing his language. Friggin’, fudge and freaking hell had taken the place of Roam’s favorites.

He signaled the bartender. Just that simple gesture of being alone and ordering a drink had the stress leaving his shoulders. Tonight, no one needed baths or being read to. He was all alone with no responsibilities.

“Club soda with lemon.”

After realizing he was going down a path that wasn’t good for him or his children, he’d made the decision to stop drinking. He didn’t crave the alcohol, but he’d used it as a crutch. If he had a drink in his hand and a bottle beside him at the clubhouse, then people didn’t ask how he was doing. He knew they came from a good place, but he was tired of saying he was fine when he wasn’t. But he also didn’t want to discuss how his life was a train wreck.

His kids deserved the best version of himself, and he’d spent entirely too much time drowning his sorrows over a woman he didn’t love. His depression had been more about his failure to make a family and give his kids what he’d had growing up with his parents. He didn’t like failing and even though he hadn’t loved her, he’d wanted to give his kids a family. His dad, Baron, had helped him see it wasn’t his fault. After being President of their MC for years before handing the gavel to Roam’s twin, Baron had a lot of experience thinking and talking through a situation.

Roam was still looking for his ex because he wanted to be done with her. By law, they were still married even though she’d abandoned them all. He didn’t consider himself married, but in the eyes of the law, they were only separated. Sure, if separated meant ghosted with all his money. His lawyer had filed all the paperwork even though she couldn’t be found and now it was a waiting game until a certain amount of time had passed.

“Is this seat taken?”

“Nope,” Roam answered, then turned after he clocked a slim, tattooed feminine arm beside him. Once he had her in his gaze, he was glad the tables were full. She was tiny, with pink hair and tattoos all over—her neck, across her chest and collarbones, both arms, which made him wonder about the ink that might be hidden by her clothes. The work was very well done.

“Roam,” he said, holding out his hand. Her dark brown eyes were framed by thick lashes. Her hair was a light pink, which should look strange, but it suited her. Besides the tattoos, she had a medusa piercing under her nose that set off lush full lips, and her two nose piercings highlighted her dainty nose.

The touch of her hand had him wondering how quick he could get her alone. It had been forever since he’d been interested in someone. He wasn’t sure why she’d caught his attention because she didn’t have the huge bustline he was normally attracted to. She was slender with her rack not really needing a bra. Her tank top was black and set off the tattoos he could see.

“Jane,” she said as she shook his hand with a firm grip. The fingers of her hand were tattooed also. Intrigued was an understatement of how he felt.

“Can I buy you a drink?” He motioned the bartender over.

“Club soda with either two shots of strawberry syrup or caramel syrup, whichever you have.”

The bartender mixed it while Roam thought of what to say next. This trying to pick up a girl in a bar was harder than he thought. If he had needs, he took himself in hand or picked up someone from their Friday night parties but never the same girl. He didn’t want anyone getting ideas. Small towns were bad enough with the limited amount of partners. He didn’t need a Friday night hook-up thinking they were going to be his one and only. Once her drink was in front of her and she’d taken a sip and given the bartender a thumbs up, Roam decided he couldn’t handle the silence.

“Are you here for the convention?”

“Yes. You too?”

“Yep. My partner is holding down our shop this week. It’s been a couple years since I’ve been able to get away and go to one of these.”

“Nice. Where’s your shop?”

“Kansas, a small-town shop, but we’re busy. Where are you from?”

“Woah, stranger, that’s a little personal for a guy I just met in a bar.”

Roam shook his head. Fudge. “Sorry. Just got out of a bad relationship. It’s been forever since I’ve been attracted to someone and even longer since I’ve tried to make small talk.”

Her laugh and a slight bump of her shoulder against his had him wondering if maybe he hadn’t completely screwed this up. “Tell me about it but no sorry needed. I was a little rude saying you shouldn’t ask me where I was from when I brought up the subject. I’m as out of practice making small talk as you are. It seems like all I do is work, take care of children and try to keep up with all the household jobs.”

“Single mom?” God, he freaking hoped so. The more they talked and he watched her eyes, the more intrigued he was.

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