Romania (next generation #5)

Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

ROMANIA

Walking into the break room in the mechanics garage, I called, “Hey, hi, hello, guys.” I loved saying all three together.

One was never enough, and all three made things cheerier, especially here at work.

I hoped my greeting made people happier.

Plus the biker brothers around me seemed to smile when they heard me say it.

I headed straight for the table and the chocolate muffins. I picked one up as I got side hugged.

Glancing up, I gave Dive a chocolate-mouth smile, which had him laughing. “How goes it, Rommy?”

I loved being called Rommy instead of Romania. My full name always made me think I was getting into trouble.

After swallowing, I said, “Good, good. How’s things with you? Is Mena coming in today? How’s Koda with school? You know, when I was seventeen, I started to look at boys in a new light. Have you given Koda the sex talk yet?”

Dive blinked down at me. I tended to have that type of reaction from people because I said what came to mind. And honestly, there tended to be a lot buzzing around in my head. But also, I sometimes never thought about my words before blurting them out.

Thankfully, the brothers knew how to take me. It helped that I’d grown up around this mob since I was seven.

Dive grinned. “The talk has been had. No problem there. And Mena is making lunch for the club today, so she’ll be here later.”

“Wicked. I love her cooking,” I said around a mouthful of muffin.

He-he, that’s so not the first muffin I’ve had near my mouth.

Dive winked, leaning in to kiss my temple before saying, “Gonna grab a mug of coffee. You want?”

When I shook my head, still munching on my treat, he slipped over to the coffee counter.

Dive was my dad’s closest brother and friend. He’s more like an uncle to me and my brother, Texas. Growing up, we spent a lot more of our time around Dive, Mena, and Koda than the rest of the brothers.

Still, the club was like one big family anyway, which I loved.

My life was damn blessed. I loved the people around me, where I worked, my bike, and the books I read.

I still lived at home, but I wasn’t looking at wasting my money on a billion bills when I didn’t have to.

I wanted to travel and have fun for a couple of years before I decided to do adulting stuff.

I just had to convince Mum and Dad to trust that I’d be safe travelling on my own. I wanted to go from one place to another whenever I wished, to do what I wanted without anyone breathing down my neck.

I’d saved enough money again after I purchased my own ride and put funds into making her the perfect bike for me.

Now I wanted to see the world.

“Rommy,” Dad called, holding up a bottle of strawberry milk. When I nodded, he threw it my way. Lucky I was good at catching.

“Thanks, Dad,” I called, chocolate pieces flying out of my mouth. Oops.

“Keep it in your mouth,” he said with a sigh.

After swallowing, I voiced, “That’s what he said.”

I grinned, getting a few chuckles though mostly groans around me.

Dad shook his head. “Get to work,” he ordered.

I saluted him with my drink and walked out into the garage. As I passed Knife and Beast, who were working on a 1970 Holden Ute, I whistled. “That’s gonna purr like a kitten when you two are done.”

Knife smirked. “She won’t be the only one I make purr.”

Knife chuckled when Beast shoved him and signed, “Who the fuck are you talking about?”

“You, babe,” Knife said, making sure Beast could read his lips. “Always you.” He leaned in for a quick kiss.

They were adorable.

Not that I’d tell them that. But I loved love. Seeing it, hearing about it, feeling it, and reading about it.

Love was such a strong emotion. It could be beautiful but painful at times too.

I wanted what so many couples around me had—a love that could survive every trial and come out stronger on the other side.

“Later, guys,” I called to Knife and Beast with a wave before I made my way over to my workstation and the silver Nissan Pulsar—a customer’s speedway car I was working on. Bikes were my usual go-to, but I liked cars just as much.

Fun cars. Cars that made my motor run in an excited way.

As soon as I slipped on my coveralls and turned on my music through my headphones, I became lost in my world as I worked.

Music helped me from overthinking since my mind fired off so many thoughts per second. A teacher had asked Mum and Dad to have me tested for autism and ADHD, and since they were the best people in my life, they talked to me about it first to see if I wanted to be tested.

I already knew I was different. My family did, too, of course. I mean they were around me all the time. But I didn’t want to put a label to my—as Mum called it—“uniqueness.”

If people couldn’t take me as I was, then they weren’t worth knowing.

There’d been many people I learned that lesson from. A lot who only put up with me to get to my brother or the Hawks motorcycle club.

But I also had many who had my back. Who loved me.

And one day I’d find my true love. If it was with a man or a woman, I wouldn’t know until that time came.

A couple of hours later, I was tightening the final screw when I sensed someone in my area. Looking up, I smiled and removed my headphones.

“Billy, what’s up?”

“Got a client wantin’ to book in with you for a service later in the week.”

I screwed up my nose. “Prospects take care of those jobs.”

“I know. This guy saw you in the article in the newspaper and wants to pay a shitload more than usual for a service.” The local newspaper had wanted to do a piece on the garage because we’d donated a heap of money to the local cancer centre.

They interviewed a few employees to talk about the garage, and I’d been one of them. Even had my photo taken too.

Snorting, I said, “I ain’t servicing his pecker if that’s what he thinks.”

Billy choked on an abrupt laugh. “Yeah, look, I wasn’t sure about even bringin’ this to you. But I also didn’t know if you want the extra cash to do an easy job.”

I shrugged. “Sure, why not.”

He nodded. “Don’t worry, Rommy, we’ll keep an eye on him.”

Grinning, I winked. “I know you guys will.” I picked up a rag and started cleaning my hands. “While you’re in the office, if Mum’s not in there, can you call the Nissan owner and tell him she’s ready?”

He tipped his chin up. “You got it,” he said before walking away.

I went to the driver’s side of the car and made sure the cover on the seat was in place before I put my grubby coveralls on the material. Once seated, I turned the key, and when the engine roared to life, it was like an orgasm without penetration.

A few of the brothers looked over, grinning.

I drove her from my spot in the garage and parked her in front of the shop before climbing out and removing the plastic sheet from the seat. I pocketed the keys and went straight into the office. Billy wasn’t around, but someone else was.

“Girl, you’ve done a good job. She sounds sweet.”

“Thanks, Mum. Did you or Billy call the owner?”

Mum smirked. “I found Billy on the phone when I came in, and he told me that the owner checked if you would be around when he came to pick it up in an hour.”

There was a creak of a chair in the office behind Mum.

Mum winced and muttered, “I shouldn’t’ve opened his door.”

Dad stopped in the doorway. “Who was askin’ this? What’s the guy’s name?” Dad moved over to the counter where the invoices were laid out.

“Dad,” I whined. “You understand I’m a twenty-three-year-old woman with needs.” I kept a straight face, enjoying teasing him.

Mum looked away, but I saw her shoulders shaking when Dad coughed and spluttered and turned red.

“Kid. Fucking hell. I don’t need to know anythin’. You go to your mum about that shit and just tell me if or when I need to hurt someone.”

“Okay.” I grinned.

He sighed, turned, and walked back into his office.

“You’re evil,” Mum whispered.

“But it was funny, right?”

She pinched her forefinger and thumb together. “Go get a snack, and I’ll let you know when the GSX-R arrives.”

I blew her a kiss. “You’re the best,” I said before leaving. This time, instead of the break room connected to the garage, I went into the compound.

On the way to the kitchen, I greeted brothers and their women, some kids too. But all I could think about was getting my hands on one of those monster cookies that I saw yesterday.

The brothers had better have left one for me or there’d be hell to pay.

I had a deep relationship with food. Food loved me, and I loved it. I’d give anything a try at least once, and so far, the only thing I had tried and didn’t like was when Texas had dared me to eat frog’s legs that time we’d gone to a fancy restaurant to celebrate Mum and Dad’s anniversary.

A restaurant we’d never step foot in again since my stomach had revolted at putting frog’s legs in it, and I ended up spraying their bathroom with vomit.

Now it was funny, but back then, I wanted to die of mortification.

Huh, I like that word.

Mortification.

I wanted to use it more often.

Pushing through the doors, I said, “Mena, hey, hi, hello.” I walked up behind her to hug around the waist to avoid the marinade all over her hands.

“Hi, Rommy. How’s your morning been?”

“Amazing. I just finished a car, and I have a bike coming in soon.” I didn’t bother telling Mena about what was wrong with the car or what type.

I noticed a lot of the women in my life really didn’t care to hear about vehicles.

“Have you seen any of those big cookies around? Oh, and what are we having for lunch? Are the club girls helping you? You should have more help in here.” I glanced through some plastic containers as I talked.

The club girls were women who stayed in the compound for free and in return they got to party hard and sex it up with the single brothers. But Mum made sure they pulled their weight with cleaning and cooking too.

“The cookies are on the left up the top. Knife tried to hide them yesterday. Don’t tell him I said that.”