Roxanne hadn't been keen on returning home the morning after. Getting back to the hotel had been a quiet, agonising trip; Tatiana had been eager to hear all the juice on what had happened with Hvitserk. They'd dragged themselves up to the hotel suite that had been meant for her wedding night. No point in wasting it. Sally and Fiona had jumped into the shower and then buried themselves into the bed. Tatiana and Roxanne had climbed in together; nothing new for them. They'd spent most of college being the other's shadow. Late night drunken showers were the norm back then, cramped as they may have been.
Roxanne loved the shower in this place. Dual shower heads, a bench to sit on. "I never want to leave, this is incredible." She was curled up on the floor of the shower as Tatiana did similar beneath the other one. She was leaning into the water when Roxanne noticed it. "What is that?"
"What's what?" Tatiana asked, not looking at her.
Roxanne rolled her eyes and crawled over, looking at the dark ink on Tatiana's upper thigh, pointing at it. "That."
Tatiana glanced down, smiled, and then shrugged. "Oh," she chuckled, "well while you were having fun, so was I."
Roxanne just stared at her mouth agape. "That is what you considered having fun?"
"Yeah, he was hot, I got something out of it, so did he." So, they'd all gotten laid tonight. Roxanne laughed but inspected the small marking. Whoever had done it had a damn steady hand. It was high up on Tati's thigh, close to her hip nearly.
"What is it?"
"His initial."
"You let a guy you just met brand you with his initial?" Tatiana was chuckling, shrugging. She didn't really seem to mind that she was branded. Roxanne was more surprised; out of the two, Tatiana had always been the wilder but still, to let a dude brand her like that, it was just something so far out of left field.
"Only live once, Roxy. He was hot; dark hair, gorgeous blue eyes," Tatiana sighed dreamily.
Roxanne smiled, curling in under the water against Tatiana's back. Tatiana was right, they only had one life. Roxanne had originally thought hers was to marry Mike, and spend her days baking, maybe a few kids and now all that was thrown out the window. Well, some of it was. She still had the bakery; in a few months she'd be able to open a second one. Once she found the right location. Marriage now seemed so ridiculous.
"So," Tatiana pressed, leaning against Roxanne's back to nudge her. Roxanne blushed in response, knowing exactly what Tatiana wanted to know. She felt like she'd reverted to that shy little high school girl gossiping about crushes.
"It was," Roxanne trailed off, trying to find the right word. "It was unreal." Tatiana elbowed her in the ribs. "And that is all you're getting from me."
Roxanne pushed her hair back from her face, slicking it back and then scrubbing her face. She remembered Hvitserk as she did; the way he had brushed her hair back from her face as he'd leaned over her, holding it as he had sunk into her. She shivered at the memory of him against her. Roxanne was never going to forget that night, drunk or not, it was branded on her.
"Did you get his number?"
Roxanne's smile fell. No, she hadn't. She hadn't even considered the thought of getting his number, caught up in the moment of it all. What would she even do with his number? Text him awkwardly? It was a one-night stand. There was nothing more to it, no matter how much she had enjoyed it, it needed to fizzle out. She needed to get her post-Mike life started. Roxanne wasn't silly, she didn't have grand ideas of this somehow turning into one of those cheesy romantic comedies on Netflix where he'd come chasing after her. No, they lived hours apart. They were compatible for the night because they were opposites attracted. It was only sheer dumb luck that they'd even met.
"What would be the point? Tomorrow things go back to how they were, sans Mike."
Tatiana elbowed her sharply again. "You're honestly hopeless when it comes to men, Roxy." Was she really? Sure, she couldn't pick a long-term partner well. She hadn't exactly picked Hvitserk either, he'd picked her out.
Roxanne sighed. "Tell me something I don't already know."
"You weren't curious to see if there could be a repeat down the line?"
Roxanne had been thinking about it the whole damn drive back. It wouldn't do her any good though. She'd end up becoming co-dependent to that hook-up like she had ended up with Mike. When Mike crossed her thoughts this time, she felt guilt creep in. She'd thrown what they had out so easily. She shouldn't have, she did love him, or maybe she thought she had. There was no coming back from leaving her at the altar, but a few drinks and she'd jumped straight into bed with Hvitserk.
"I need to focus on getting everything else sorted," Roxanne started as she stared at her pruning fingers as she leaned her head back against Tatiana's. She was really going to miss Hvitserk though, he'd made her feel alive. "We should probably get out Tati."
***
The weeks flew by. Thoughts of Mike fled as she realized he wasn't coming back. It didn't hurt as much as she'd expected to; looking back she learned they'd fallen out of love long before the wedding. She had been denying it, and it was clear. He never messaged her; never came to collect what things he'd been storing at her apartment. Tatiana seemed to take a great deal of pleasure in packing it up and handing it to charity. His parents tried to call, she ignored them.
Roxanne smiled at the elderly couple Tatiana was serving. They were discussing what cake they wanted out of the cabinet. She sighed as she focused on the coffee machine in front of her. Her head wasn't in it today; she'd been feeling tired the past few days. Tatiana's laugh caught her attention again and Roxanne's mind drifted as she cleaned the heads. They were done for the day, beyond the cleaning. She loved her little shop; even if it still caused some friction with her mother that she opened it and spent most of her time there.
The sound of a motorbike outside made her look up sharply. She saw Tatiana glance at her from out of the corner of her eye, she nearly blushed at her obvious reaction. The bike rolled past the shop front. The rider didn't have a leather vest on and a little part of her deflated. She hadn't told Tatiana but every time she heard or saw a bike, she immediately thought of Hvitserk. She didn't even know what bike he rode, only that she associated the sound or sight with him suddenly.
She felt crazy. The elderly couple had selected their caramel cheesecake and Tatiana waved and showed them out the door before locking it and flipping the closed sign round so they wouldn't be bothered as they finished up for the day.
"Are you alright, Rox?" Tatiana asked as she came around the counter.
Roxanne sighed as she hooked the handle back into place on the last head. "I don't know. I feel exhausted the last few days. I've been sleeping but I'm not hungry cause my stomach has been in knots." She'd boiled the stomach upset down to nerves about making headway to opening a new shop. The crew she had for this shop were great, it meant she could drag Tatiana with her to the new one to train the staff there and build it up. But they needed a location. "The new shop location is further away than I hoped but the lady said it was perfect for what we needed."
Tatiana nodded, not saying a word. "And I know it'll be worth it but I'm just nervous because it'll mean I need to move or find a temporary place in town so I can make sure I'm close."
"That was a mouthful of words, Roxy, but didn't really answer my question."
She rolled her eyes. "I feel like I'm all over the place. I'm sheer joy at the idea of it, then terror because it's going to hurt if this fails. I'm in overdrive."
Tatiana hummed, tapping her fingers on the countertop as she narrowed her gaze at Roxanne who looked at her confused. "You in PMS mode this week?"
The question threw Roxanne. "What? No."
"You sure?" Tatiana pressed. Roxanne huffed, thinking back and no, she wasn't in PMS mode and then a cold wave of worry crept in. She couldn't remember when she was last. Grabbing her phone from her apron pocket, she unlocked it and pulled up her flow tracker app. She opened the calendar. "Rox?"
"Uh, Tati, we have a problem."
She dropped her phone onto the countertop between them. She should've had her period a week ago, she had never been this late. Tatiana's eyes were wide like saucers as she glanced at Roxanne. She breathed out a fuck.
***
The drugstore trip that afternoon had been an interesting one. Tatiana had dragged her in, got a handful of home pregnancy tests, three bottles of water and ordered her to down them before they got back to the apartment. Roxanne sat in the bathtub, knees drawn up to her chest as Tati sat on the outside of it, leaning back against it. "Can we check it?"
"Not yet." Roxanne sighed, leaning back. "It feels like forever."
Tatiana gave her a rueful look. "It's been a few minutes, Roxy." She knew Tati was right, but it didn't change the anxious reaction she was having to this whole thing. What if she was just late? She'd been late before, stress did that to her, she knew it did so this felt like an overreaction. "What are you going to do if it's positive?"
"I have no fucking clue, Tati," Roxanne whispered, leaning her head against her forearms. "Is it Mike's?"
Unfortunately. Roxanne nodded. "Yeah."
"Could it be Hvitserk's?" The question made Roxanne's head snap up. Tati was turning her phone over in her hands. She blushed a little as she said it, and she didn't know why.
"He wore a condom," she said.
She'd spent the past month trying her hardest to forget him. It wasn't just the sound of motorbikes that reminded her of him; she thought of him every second she was alone. She didn't even remember the bar or the town they'd been in. Roxanne didn't voice it, but she did miss that tattooed, muscular body, that smile, those eyes. She'd only been with him for one night and he was imprinted on her. Now, she might be pregnant with Mike's baby.
She had never felt so ashamed and embarrassed in her life. Sighing, she scrubbed her hands over her face. Tati reached over, squeezing her knee reassuringly. "If it says positive, we'll book you in to get checked up. They'll be able to tell us more."
She smiled at her best friend weakly. What would she do without her? "Can we check it?"
Tatiana leaned over to the counter and pulled the test off it, moving to sit back against the bath. She was quiet for a moment as she read the paper telling her what the markings would mean and then checked the test. "Well, a baby Monroe is on its way if this is accurate."
Fuck.
***
It was a week later when Roxanne finally got in to see her doctor. Tatiana had made sure she had the shifts covered so she had someone to go with her. They hadn't told anyone the news. They'd explained away her sudden need to pee more frequently with her doubling her water intake, and her queasiness some days as just an upset stomach.
Sitting in the doctor's office she was exhausted. Tatiana was a trooper, her kindle on her phone was crammed full of pregnancy works. She was her solid little rock in all of this. She was grateful her doctor wasn't a family one, she'd changed doctors out of high school to avoid her mother learning anything. She'd been smart enough to guess how things would go if she stayed in her mother's orbit too much.
God, how was she going to tell her parents?
"Are you sure that's right?" Tatiana's question broke through Roxanne's thoughts. What? There was a mixture of delight and worry in Tati's eyes as she looked at Roxanne.
"Sorry, I wasn't listening," she apologised.
The doctor smiled gently. She was a middle-aged woman; glassed and a pixie cut, her desk was covered with photos of her and her partner, her wife, Roxanne had learned when she'd first come to see her. "I was just explaining to Tatiana, your due date and the conception date."
Oh?
"Oh?" she said, out loud.
Tatiana's hand landed on hers and she felt the reassuring squeeze. "Yes, you conceived six weeks ago." She thought back to five weeks... her brain didn't process it as she realised what five weeks ago had been.
"But Mike and I didn't," she started and then it clicked. She and Mike had been so busy the week and a bit leading up to the wedding, they'd never been able to do the deed, even a quick one. That would mean. "We used protection though."
Hvitserk. He was five weeks ago. Tatiana hadn't been wrong to probe about whether it was his, but how was it possible?
Constance, her doctor, smiled reassuringly. "Unfortunately, it does happen. It is rare but micro tears can happen in condoms. Did you check it once you two had finished?"
Roxanne had the decency to blush at the question and slowly shook her head. "No, I was a little drunk, we didn't think about it at the time."
Tatiana squeezed her hand and she squeezed back. What the fuck was she going to do? "What do I do?"
"There are a few options, Roxanne," Constance said, pulling up a small pamphlet and other booklets from a shelf just behind her desk. "It depends on what you decide."
The question hung in the air; whether she kept it or got rid of it. Looking down at her stomach, Roxanne smiled a little. She was going to be a mother. The smile faded. She was going to have to tell Hvitserk, she didn't want to make this choice alone. Tatiana would support her either way. "You have some time, but the early weeks will fly by, you do need to make a choice so we can start the course of whichever you decide upon."
Roxanne nodded.
***
Tatiana surprised her when she told her she would come with her and drive her to check out the place they were looking at for the new bakery. It was a four hour round trip, so they'd decided to spend the night in a hotel in the town they'd be in. Yesterday had been a strange turn of events, she found out she was pregnant, and that the timeline matched to her night with Hvitserk. She'd asked Tatiana if she remembered the place they'd been at that night. Her friend had told her she'd work it out, and for her to not stress. Roxanne couldn't help it though; she didn't want to put it off.
They came to the storefront around two in the afternoon. It was a gorgeous little store, the foot traffic in the town was decent. It wasn't a small town either. The location was perfect. The realtor had pulled her aside to discuss things with her as Tatiana wandered through the shop. It was then that she heard and felt it. The rumble of motorbikes. Tatiana was by the front window, smiling as she watched the road.
The realtor spoke, "You'll have to forgive the noise. They're a fixture in the town."
"They?" Roxanne asked. Whatever the woman went to say, it was deafened beneath the roar of the Harley's that rode by. These weren't sport's bikes and casual riders. Her eyes took in the leather vests and the uniform way they rode. They were bikers. Wait? Her eyes went to Tati. She winked at her. It couldn't be.
"The Vikings Motorcycle Club. They've been part of the town for nearly fifty years."
She thought back then, to the flag hanging on the wall behind Hvitserk's bed. It was a Viking on the flag. Was this the town? Had sheer dumb luck with the store landed her smack bam into Hvitserk's orbit again? "It's no trouble, we're good friend with them."
Roxanne's wide eyes went to Tatiana who kept a straight face, giving nothing away. The realtor chuckled nervously. "Ah, well, that is good to know."
Roxanne had no idea what the fuck was going on today but the idea that Hvitserk might be close made her heart leap into her chest; her stomach knotted. She couldn't warn the woman in time. Roxanne vomited across the old bench they were using as an impromptu desk. Tatiana apologised as she rushed in to help Roxanne.
***
Hvitserk put his smoke out as he sat at the table. Ragnar was at the end, looking at each of them. Bjorn was coming back. Their elder half-brother had been Nomad for the past five years. They'd rarely seen him unless they needed the extra muscle for a run. The question hung between them as the others filed out of church. Why? Why now?
"He comes back and then what happens?" Sigurd asked as the church door shut behind the last brother to leave. The only ones left were Ragnar, Floki, Hvitserk, Ubbe, Ivar and Sigurd. This wasn't a conversation for the others. "Ubbe loses VP for Bjorn?"
Ragnar glanced at his eldest in the room. Ubbe was silent, arms folded as he stared at the table. It was the main question they all had. If Bjorn returned, was he going to replace them and all their hard work. The club, especially the mother charter was doing well with them all settled into their roles. Floki still had his Sgt At Arms position, though Ivar would no doubt take his place when Ubbe took over, one day. The youngest son had a dark streak, like Floki, and sometimes it worried Hvitserk how much his brother fell into the role so easily.
"No," Ragnar said after a moment. "Ubbe is VP, nothing changes. Bjorn comes back, as a brother, nothing more. He made his choice." The collective easing of the four brothers in the room was visible to the older men.
"We don't know if he wants to stay long term or if he'll transfer out again, but he wants to stay in one place for a while," Floki said.
Hvitserk nodded, glancing at Ubbe. The two eldest watched one another for a moment. It was unspoken between them but no matter what went down Hvitserk had Ubbe's back. Bjorn had left, just like Ragnar had when they were little. Going Nomad, Ragnar had abandoned them when Hvitserk was barely thirteen. It was only because of the club that they had survived as a family. When Ragnar had come back, it'd been tense. He'd taken back over like nothing had changed. That was nearly seven years ago.
Ubbe gave him the smallest of nods before he turned away to look at Ragnar. Hvitserk leaned back as Ubbe spoke, zoning out of the talks of tonight. Friday Fight Night was different tonight. It wasn't just their chapter. They had Tuscan and Reno chapters arriving. Forty members would be added to the mix tonight on top of any sweet butts, old ladies and more that might arrive with them. The auto lot would be packed. They'd closed an hour ago so they could set up the boxing ring and the sweet butts could start on getting everything sorted. The prospects were doing the grunt work, lugging beer cases back and forth as Aslaug directed everyone.
It was the Reno chapter they needed to focus on. They'd been hearing less and less from them lately since Harald had taken over from Leif as Pres. The fight night was a cover to sus out anything amiss.
Hvitserk was fighting. It was his element in all this. Ubbe took point, he was their VP, Sigurd had the treasury side of things covered, Ivar was Road Captain despite his stuff with Floki, and then there was Hvitserk. He hadn't suited most of the roles of the full patches when he'd finally gotten his.
It was his knack for fighting that kept him useful around here. He knew how to take someone twice his size down, in due part to Torstein. The bear of a man had taught him enough to make him dangerous in a ring.
His mind wandered as he sat. It went to Roxanne. He'd spent the past month focusing on this upcoming fight, but he hadn't forgotten her. He couldn't. Hell, he hadn't turned down sweet butts since he was sixteen, and he hadn't been interested in one since her. The excuse of the fight helped, but not a lot. Most of them shrugged him off and found another of his brothers or a member.
The banging of the gavel signalling the end to this more private church jerked him out of his daze and he watched the others start to stand. Floki grabbed Ivar's crutches, in a week or two, he wouldn't need them. Soon, he'd be able to get back on his trike. The crutches were the last step after his surgery. He would be able to walk without them in another month or so.
It'd be strange to see Ivar walking without them, or a cane.
Hvitserk stood, leaving church with his brothers, Floki and Ragnar. The bar was packed full of people milling about, Aslaug telling them to leave something there, take something outside, and so on. She smiled and moved to join them for lunch. Stepping out onto the lot, Hvitserk made a beeline for the lunch benches near the club doors. He was hungry and needed the feed before tonight.
Hvitserk slid in opposite Ivar as Aslaug leaned on the bench next to them.
"You ready for tonight?" Ubbe asked as he settled into the spot beside him.
He nodded; he was. He was aching for it, in fact. He needed to beat something up. A lack of sex, alcohol and partying had him a little on edge. "Remember what I told you about not dropping-"
"Dropping my hands," he finished for Ubbe. "Yes, mother, I won't forget." He growled as Ubbe clipped him upside the head. He swatted at his older brother as Aslaug chided them both. Ubbe's boot dug into his and he elbowed Ubbe in the ribs, earning a grunt. Ubbe laughed, wrapping his arm around Hvitserk's neck, dragging him in to rest their heads against one another's.
***
Roxanne was nervous. Tatiana and the realtor had helped her clean up the mess, she couldn't stop apologising. Her nerves hadn't lessened when Tati said they were going out tonight. She had an idea of where and it was driving her nuts to know she was going to be able to see Hvitserk. What if he didn't want to see her? What if he'd moved on? Someone like him, he could have anyone, the idea he would've waited or not found someone else in the weeks since they'd met felt like a joke.
"Could we do this tomorrow?" Roxanne asked as Tatiana drove.
"Nope," Tatiana replied. "Like a band-aid, Rox. We're pulling this off tonight."
Roxanne huffed. She would prefer to do this somewhere other than a biker bar with a lot of people watching. Ten minutes later, Tatiana pulled up on a crowded street. There were people everywhere and the place looked pack. Shit. "Tati, I love you and I know I need to do this but there are people everywhere."
Tatiana smirked. "We'll blend in."
Yeah, right. Tatiana climbed out of her car. Well, Tatiana would. She'd worn a mini plaid skirt, thigh high boots and a corset. Roxanne was another story, white sneakers, jeans, and a t-shirt. She'd packed for comfort, not going out. Sighing, she climbed out of car. Tatiana linked arms with her, guiding her towards the entrance to Lothbrok Auto. Wait, it'd been a mechanic shop they'd been at. She'd not really paid attention to the place the first time, she'd been quite tipsy when they'd initially arrived and focused solely on Hvitserk as they'd left.
There really were people everywhere. Bikers, and a lot of women. Music was pounding from a set of speakers set up near the entrance. The biker on the gate waved Tatiana in, Roxanne frowned, raising an eyebrow at Tatiana who didn't look her way. She seemed right at home strutting in. Her eyes scanned the lot. There were so many people.
Tatiana was leaning up on her toes, scanning the crowd as well. "Wanna tell me how it was so easy to get in here, when those women are getting turned away?" The smile that spread across Tatiana's face was wicked.
"I meant it when I said I knew them. I've been talking to one since the first time we were here," she said.
Roxanne just stared at her. She knew about the tattoo; the guy had basically branded her. His name started with an I.
"Dark hair, blue eyes?" Roxanne asked, hoping she got the vague details right for what the guy had looked like. Though, Roxanne glanced around, that was quite a few bikers mingling about, long, and short dark-haired bikers milled about. Tatiana nodded but she seemed to see something that caught her attention, and she was dragging Roxanne through the crowd.
"First things first, we find Hvitserk," Tatiana said. Roxanne apologised to people as they bumped into them. Tatiana was on a mission.
She stopped at the edge of a boxing ring. They had a boxing ring. She hadn't been paying as much attention as she'd thought to the place. People were crowding around, and Tatiana pushed them through to the front. Roxanne's eyes widened as she took in the occupants of the ring. A referee, only distinguishable by the shirt under his leather vest; there was a blonde with facial tattoos in the corner closest to them and then Roxanne saw him.
She let out a shaky breath as her eyes trailed across that muscular tattooed back. Her hormones went on the fritz as memories of sinking her nails into that toned flesh as he ground his hips against hers came back. Oh jeez, she felt like she had tunnel vision as she focused in on that sweat slicked back. He was focused on a man standing on the apron on his side of the ring. He was bare knuckled as he and the man rested their foreheads against one another, talking.
Legs blocked her view of Hvitserk's back and Roxanne turned her gaze up to the man with the facial tattoos in the corner closest to them. He was leaning on the ropes, smiling down at them, panting. His blonde hair was hanging in his face.
"You're not sweet butts I've seen around here before."
"No, we're not," Tatiana said calmly, and Roxanne was curious about what a sweet butt was. Tati seemed to know what he meant.
"Interested in fucking a winner in either case?" he asked, though he wasn't looking at Tatiana when he said it.
His attention was on Roxanne who was a little taken back. He was as forward as Hvitserk had been when they'd first met, though he didn't have the same charming allure Hvitserk did.
"You'd have to win first," Roxanne muttered.
The man chuckled as he leaned a little further over the ropes. "If I knock the prince out, I get a round with you?"
***
Hvitserk had a cut bottom lip and his right eye was going to be black tomorrow, Halfdan was a damn brawler in a fight. He'd been expecting it to be hard, but not to the extent of being pummelled so early on. Ubbe was pressing a damp cloth to his mouth as he told him to go low with the next round. Rules didn't matter right now, Hvitserk was going to drag Halfdan to the mat if he got the chance. If he could land a solid left hook, it might just work. Not many knew Hvitserk could switch from orthodox to southpaw fighting.
"We need this, we gotta show 'em why they don't mess with us," Ubbe said, gripping the back of his neck tightly, shaking him a little. He nodded. He was panting, but he wasn't winded. This was his element; he was pouring all his pent-up aggression and frustration into this fight. If Ivar was terrifying in his calm approach to ripping a guy's fingernails off, Hvitserk was terrifying in his ability to win fights at the last second.
Ubbe glanced over Hvitserk's shoulder. Hvitserk followed, glancing over to where Halfdan was as the man stepped back from the ropes he'd been leaning on, and then he saw her.
He thought he was imagining her at first, until her gaze found his now Halfdan was out of the way. Roxanne.
She looked so out of place among all the dark, leather and barely clothed bodies around her. Her friend had her arm wrapped around hers. The small smile she gave him when she looked at him made him grin. Ubbe dragged Hvitserk's face back to his, holding him close.
"Who's the blonde?" Ubbe asked. Hvitserk didn't glance round. "Hvit?" His brother's gaze was intense, seeking answers to questions Hvitserk didn't really know. She was here. But why? They were meant to never see each other again, right? Ubbe squeezed his neck; he wanted answers.
"I'm ready."
"You sure? We don't need a sweet butt costing us this. The old man is watching this." Ragnar wasn't in sight, but he was no doubt nearby watching, he didn't come to offer Hvitserk any advice though. No, it was down to Ubbe, like it had been for years. His older brother was more like a father at times.
Hvitserk pulled away, muttering, "She's not a sweet butt." He turned to face Halfdan. The older man was roughly Hvitserk's height, he didn't have the broadness Hvitserk had. He knew what he needed to do.
***
Roxanne felt her heart skip a beat when Hvitserk's gaze landed on her and he grinned. He had a busted bottom lip, but he looked so good. His attention was pulled back to the man on the apron and then he wasn't looking at her anymore. She sighed a little, her nerves were still there. They were joined by a slight giddiness at seeing him again.
It didn't matter how he reacted; Roxanne was happy to see him again. They'd been together only a few hours, but she had missed the way he'd smiled and chuckled during that time. Missed the way he'd held her, touched her. The blonde he was facing in the ring looked back down at her, grinning. Roxanne turned her attention away from him and to Tatiana who was clinging to her arm.
"He'll win. Ivar said he doesn't lose."
Ivar. That was the one who'd tattooed her. She wondered if he was here tonight, given Tati's eagerness to come and stay, she figured it was a yes. She hadn't given the blonde a response. What had he even meant by prince when referring to Hvitserk? Roxanne wasn't going to sleep with the blonde, she had no interest in him.
Hvitserk turned and stepped towards the blonde. She watched as he rolled his shoulders and a shiver crept along her. It was kind of hot the way he squared himself up to the blonde.
***
Hvitserk stopped arm's length from Halfdan, watching him. The blonde was smiling widely, given he likely had a broken nose from the right hook Hvitserk had nailed him with three rounds ago, it was strange. Then he watched Halfdan glance down towards where Roxanne stood. His gaze came back to Hvitserk who felt something tug at his gut.
"Didn't know you had such pretty women floating around these things, half your sweet butts are too plastic for me, can't wait to get my hands on the little blonde."
Anger, white hot crept into Hvitserk and it surprised him. Aggression and frustration could be worked out in a fight, but the sudden surge was different. Halfdan chuckled, holding his fist out to Hvitserk. He tapped his fist against Halfdan's and then swung a left hook.
The unexpected hit sent the older man to the mat as the crowd watching cheered Hvitserk on. Hvitserk dove onto the other man, wailing on the man who tried to protect his head and curl up to make himself harder to hit.
Arms grabbed Hvitserk as the bell rung. Ubbe was pulling him back. Hvitserk managed to shake Ubbe off. He grabbed Halfdan by the jaw, leaning in close. "Keep your hands to yourself, and we won't have a problem, understood?"
Halfdan grinned, spitting out blood onto the mat as his head rolled back against the mat. "Whatever you say, little prince."
It hadn't been the end he'd wanted, but it was a win. Hvitserk let Ubbe pull him up and hug him, cheering as the crowd did. He smiled, bumping fists with Sigurd who'd climbed onto the apron near them.
He looked to where Roxanne had been. He frowned; she wasn't there. His eyes swept over the crowd around the ring, looking for her.
***
Roxanne sighed as Tatiana pressed the cool water bottle to her neck. Perfect damn timing for her nerves to become vomit. She'd whispered to Tati that she needed a bathroom and they'd wiggled their way through the crowd to the bar. It wasn't crowded inside this time, Tatiana guided her to the bathroom and thankfully, there was no line.
All her lunch came back up. Groaning, she leaned against the wall and glanced at Tati. "I really can't do this."
Tatiana smiled. "You definitely can."
Rolling her eyes, Roxanne was disappointed in herself, she hadn't even been able to see Hvitserk finish the fight. "How? What do I say? Hi, remember me, you knocked me up even though you wore a condom? It sounds insane."
"Maybe just explain it like the doctor did."
Roxanne knew she was right, and it's not like she expected anything from Hvitserk. She couldn't even understand why she felt the need to tell him. Maybe because deep down she wanted to keep it. Roxanne hadn't told Tatiana yet, but she was considering keeping the little bean. She had the means, and the support to be a single mother if needed.
So, why did she have the need to tell Hvitserk?
"I know you're right, but it just–" Tatiana shushed her.
"Let's just get you cleaned up and back out there, they might not have finished the fight yet."
***
Hvitserk climbed out of the ring, trying to find her. Quinn passed him, fist bumping him as he passed, congratulating him on the win. He grinned, pulling his messed-up braids free of their bun, and retying it. Where was she? He couldn't even locate her brunette sidekick in the crowd.
Maybe Ivar knew where they were? He knew about Tatiana and Ivar. Hvitserk was the only one his little brother had spoken to about the brunette. It wasn't like Ivar to show that insecurity he hid so well beneath the cold exterior of indifference.
His brother would, no doubt, be in his tattoo studio. He made a beeline for it.
"Hvit, wanna come do shots with us?" The sweet butt, a red head wearing a leather mini dress, was standing with two others, blocking his path.
Hvitserk smiled apologetically. "Sorry ladies, gotta go find Ivar." They pouted but let him wander off. He usually celebrated a win with sweet butts but he wanted to find Roxanne.
He had nearly made it to Ivar's studio, on the far side of the lot from the auto part, when someone else called his name. Her voice was unmistakable. Turning, Hvitserk found Roxanne standing a few feet away. She was there. He just stared at her for a moment; it'd been a five weeks and three days. He'd been counting.
"Congrats on the win, little bro." The voice broke their silence and Hvitserk glanced towards Bjorn. Fuck. His brother had changed dramatically in the year since they'd seen him last. He was harder looking now; his head was tattooed like Ragnar's. He grinned, stepping in and wrapping his arm around Hvitserk's neck, pulling him into a hug. Hvitserk couldn't take his eyes off Roxanne who was smiling a little as she watched them.
He mouthed a sorry, wrapping an arm around Bjorn to return the hug with a sweaty one of his own. Bjorn pulled back and looked him over. "You put more muscle on. You're not so skinny now."
Hvitserk rolled his eyes, smiling at Bjorn's shrewd comment. "You look like you need a nap." Bjorn grinned at him, nodding.
"I do." Bjorn's eyes cut to Roxanne off to their side and then he glanced back at Hvitserk, smiling. Oh no. "Who are you?"
Roxanne's eyes widened as Bjorn turned to her. She seemed hesitant to speak and come closer. He didn't really blame her. Bjorn was a good head taller than Hvitserk, meaning he towered over Roxanne's small figure. Her voice was quiet among all the noise at Hvitserk's back as she spoke: "I'm Roxanne."
Bjorn's smile grew but Hvitserk put a hand up to stop him from moving in on his girl. Hvtiserk paused, his girl? She technically was. He wouldn't share her among his brothers, or the club. She wasn't a sweet butt.
"I was wondering if I could borrow Hvitserk?"
Hvitserk didn't take his eyes off Roxanne. Bjorn was staring at him; he could feel it. After a moment, Bjorn seemed to read the room. "Sure, just don't tear him to pieces, we need him whole."
Roxanne's cheeks heated up and Hvitserk grinned at her embarrassment. She wasn't as tanned as he last saw her, and she was dressed more plainly than when they'd met. Her jeans hugged her perfectly, the t-shirt she wore had some sort of cartoon emblazoned across the front and was baggy on her. She still looked like an angel with that halo of thick, curly blonde hair hanging about her.
Bjorn clapped him on the back and left. He closed the distance between them, but he didn't touch her. Up close, he could see she looked tired. Was she okay? He'd nearly punched himself all those weeks ago when he had realised they'd never changed numbers so he could make sure they got home okay. He trusted their driver; the guy wouldn't do anything to risk pissing the club off.
"Hi." Real smooth Hvitserk. He could lay the blame on Halfdan's hits in the fight, but it wasn't that; it was her.
Roxanne smiled softly back, whispering, "Hi."
He didn't want this to be awkward. She was here, he got to see her again. Hvitserk reached out, tucking his finger into the belt loop of her jeans, and pulled her in closer. She looked so pretty. He was itching to touch her. "You came back."
"I- I did." She was so much quieter, and shy when she wasn't drunk. He didn't mind.
"You wanted to borrow me?" he asked. She nodded, looking around. It wasn't super crowded here but there were people walking by every so often. "Is there someone quieter we can talk without so many people?"
He grinned. "I had to give my room in the clubhouse up to a visiting Pres, behind the garage okay?"
She smiled, nodding and he guided her in that direction, his hand moving to her lower back as he steered her towards the small junkyard behind the garage. An old car, that he was sure the boys had stripped for parts years ago, was the only place they could really sit. Hvitserk settled on the hood, then took hold of Roxanne's hips, pulling her into the cradle of his legs as his feet rested on the bumper.
"You won?"
He grinned. "I did, didn't you see me beat the ever-living shit out of him?"
Roxanne shook her head a little. "Ah, no. I had to find a bathroom."
Silence fell over them. It wasn't uncomfortable, but it was strange. They'd been so wrapped up in one another that first time, but they'd been drunk. Sober now, they were different people. They knew jack all about one another.
She stood there; hands twisting into her shirt. He frowned, reaching out to still her hands. "Something wrong?"
Roxanne couldn't meet his gaze. This wasn't the same woman he'd been with but Hvitserk was patient, he had nowhere else to be, something was wrong; it was obvious. She could take her time; he wasn't going anywhere.
He absentmindedly curled his fingers over hers, playing with her hands. They were so much cleaner than his. Though admittedly, he'd spent half his day working on a car, and the other half in a fight. "It can't be that bad, Roxy."
"I– I'm pregnant." Whatever Hvitserk expected her to say, it wasn't that. He just stared at her, a little confused. She thought it was his, it was the only reason she was telling him, right? But they'd worn protection. "I'm about five weeks and a few days along, the doctor said."
How? Hvitserk was so confused. Before he could say anything, she continued, "The doctor said it could've been a micro tear, and we wouldn't have known it was there unless we thought to look."
Fuck. He hadn't checked the damn thing. He'd gone back to his room once they'd left, collapsed onto the bed, and fallen asleep. He hadn't considered checking it in the morning, he'd gotten up and gone straight out to work. The sweet butts had cleaned his room and gotten rid of it. Five weeks and a few days; no, five weeks and three days. It was how long since they'd met.
"Hvitserk?"
He glanced from their hands up to Roxanne's face. She looked unsure. No, she looked terrified and it was because he hadn't said a word. He wasn't an easy man to render speechless. Even at twenty-eight, he'd seen a lot being around and then part of the club. Resting his elbows on his knees, he leaned in towards her. She watched him, her eyes darting across his face, trying to read him.
"What do we do?" he asked. He was a little shocked. She didn't seem like the type to trick him, he believed her, he just didn't know what to do from here. This was something he didn't think he'd face; he had never intended to have kids, even with his mother's pushiness about it.
Roxanne seemed surprised by his question. She cleared her throat, speaking; "I didn't tell you to ask you for anything. The doctor said I have choices."
Choices about whether to keep it or not. Hvitserk didn't give much thought to stuff like this; he'd never had to deal with it. He also had never knocked a woman up before now. He tightened his grip on her fingers, pulling her in closer to him so they were inches from one another. "What do you want to do?"
Her gaze focused on their hands. "I– I want to keep it." Her voice was so quiet, he'd just managed to hear her. "I always wanted to have a kid. I just didn't expect it to be so soon, or like this. Tatiana and I were in town, I was looking at a place to open my next bakery up, and then I saw the bikes and their vests matched yours and she sprung it on me that she was bringing me here. I only found out the other day. I don't know why I wanted to tell you, I just felt scared when I thought about making a choice without telling you. Sorry, that was a lot to take in."
He grinned a little at the sudden word vomit from her. He slipped an arm around her waist, his free hand finding her hair as he leaned forward, resting his forehead against hers. After a moment, Roxanne sunk in against him, her hands curling around his neck and nuzzling her nose against his. "I didn't feel like this with Mike. I feel right when you touch me."
Mike had been the fiancé; the idiot who'd left her at the altar. Hvitserk didn't focus on that. He focused in on the rest of what she'd said.
"You feel right where you are right now." He meant it; she'd felt right when he'd wrapped her up in his arms after they'd fucked that night. It was weird, and a little terrifying, how a woman he'd randomly met one night had managed to upend him without even meaning to. She sighed, leaning further into him.
He grinned. "I'm going to be a dad."
Roxanne smiled at him, pulling back. "I meant it, Hvitserk. I didn't tell you to make you feel obligated about this."
She might not have, but it didn't change the excitement as the shock wore off. He was going to be a dad. His brothers were going to be uncles. His mother was about to become a grandma for the first time. How was he going to tell them? How was he even going to properly introduce her to them all? He wasn't going to hide her, she said something about opening a bakery in town.
She was a baker. "You're opening a bakery in town." How lucky could he get, his belly grumbled, and he chuckled a little. "Sorry, haven't eaten since lunch."
Roxanne laughed a little, running her fingers along the back of his neck. The absentminded touch made him smile. He enjoyed this. "It'll be my second store. I always wanted to open another. I just had to find the right place."
Here, in town, was the right place. "You'd think we'd rolled on the same dice for fate with how all this has played out," he said. Her smile didn't falter as she nodded her agreement.
It was funny how it was worked out like this. He'd been feeling lost more and more in the club lately. His loyalty was there, but his focus wasn't. Maybe he did need this, need her and the baby. Maybe he could finally do something with the place in town he'd gotten a few years back.
It had the basic needs for two guys since Ivar sometimes crashed there when he wanted away from the clubhouse. Hvitserk had only ever really thought about it as that, a crash pad for when they didn't want to stay in their rooms here.
"Does that mean you're moving here?" he asked.
"If everything goes well, and I get the place, yeah. I'll have to start looking for somewhere in town, I guess."
He grinned. "You could stay in the place I have." She glanced at him from beneath those long lashes. "If you want."
"It wouldn't be awkward?" she asked.
"Why would it be? Ivar and I use it as a crash pad only, I got it because I needed somewhere away from the clubhouse sometimes. If you don't want us there, we aren't going to invade on you. I'll make sure Ivar at least listens to me on that," he said, ending with a chuckle at the idea of how that conversation with Ivar would probably go.
"I don't have to say yes tonight?"
He shook his head. "We take this day by day, Roxy, there's no pressure." No pressure, just the impending birth of a kid they'd accidentally created. He had to remember there were three of them in this; he had the easiest part of this. He had been young when his mother was pregnant with Sigurd and then Ivar, but he still remembered how bad it'd been at times.
He smiled at her, sliding his hands along her hips and back. She still felt as good as he remembered. He shivered as her nails dug into his skin. His smile melted into the one he'd first given her when they'd met. The one that said he could and would fuck her. It'd been weeks, and Hvitserk was riding his win against Halfdan. He wanted to fuck and to eat, and one was within reach right now.
His hands slid down over her ass, giving it a squeeze as he stood up from the hood of the car. He picked Roxanne up by the back of her thighs, her body leaning into his as he pulled her up to eye level with him. She anchored herself to him, those thighs tightening against his hips and her hands tightened around his shoulders. He had her here, now. He turned, laying her back on the hood.
"Here?"
He chuckled. "Here. Cause for the past five weeks, I haven't been able to forget you and I want you."
Her blush was endearing as he leaned over her, forearms resting on either side of her on the hood.
"I tired, I told myself this would never work, but I couldn't. Then the baby news and seeing you-"
Hvitserk cut her off with a soft kiss. She tasted sweet, and she felt good beneath him. He pulled away after a moment, fingers tracing the side of her face. "What did Halfdan say to you?"
"Halfdan?" The perplexed frown that she had as she repeated the name made him grin.
"Blonde guy, facial tattoos."
"Oh, him," she said, "He asked me if I wanted to fuck a winner."
Figures. Hvitserk chuckled. "Did you say yes?"
Roxanne smiled, her thighs tightening on him as she leaned up close to his mouth. "He didn't win."
Her eyes were hooded and Hvitserk smiled, leaning in to kiss her. "No, he didn't. So, can I have my prize?"
Roxanne chuckled against him. "I didn't know I was one."
"Because no one's ever made you feel like one."
Her chuckle died and he watched her quietly. This was so new, so comfortable though. "No one will see us?"
He shook his head, but then considered the odds with the additional two chapters in town. "If anyone does, it'll be my bare ass they get an eyeful of."
Roxanne laughed, burying her head into his neck to hide her. He leaned his head into her neck, nuzzling it. His fingers slipped under her shirt to the soft skin of her belly. His palm swept over her belly, pausing for a moment and he looked down, hiking her shirt up to expose her belly. It was flat and toned. There was a baby growing in there, their baby. How long before she would get a belly like his mother had with Sigurd and Ivar? He was excited to see her grow, he was excited for this.
He slid her shirt up over her breasts, exposing a black bra. The clip in the front was handy. He reached between them and unclipped it. Hvitserk had missed her, admittedly, but he had missed her breasts. He was a boob guy, after all.
He leaned down, his hands capturing the globes of flesh as his mouth found a nipple. Roxanne groaned sharply, arching up into him. His eyebrow quirked; that was different.
"Sorry, my boobs, they've been pretty sensitive the last few days," she said raggedly. He grinned, that wasn't a bad thing in his books. He turned his attention back to her breasts, laving his tongue across a nipple before switching to the other. Roxanne moaned softly, arching into him, her hand latching onto his bicep as he nipped and kissed her breasts. His hips ground into her.
***
Roxanne moaned under him; fuck, it felt so good. She had missed this. They were really doing this behind the garage. She couldn't blame alcohol this time, but she didn't feel as embarrassed as she should have. Her hand slid down his shoulders, over that hard chest and down his abdomen which suddenly twitched under her touch and he jerked away.
Was he ticklish? He reached down and quickly caught her fingers in his as she ran over that same spot.
"Are you ticklish?" she asked, unable to stop smiling.
"A little," he said against her chest as he pressed her hand down against the hood. She let go of his bicep and her other hand continued the first's path, skipping over his ticklish spot, to the waistband of his trunks. He'd been wearing fighting trunks over jeans. Slipping her hand beneath the elastic, Roxanne curled her fingers around him. He moaned against her, thrusting into her hand as his other squeezed hers. "Fuck, I needed this."
She knew what he meant. Her hands, heck her vibrator was no substitute for the way he touched her. He was hard and hot in her hand. She slipped her thumb over the head of his cock and grinned at the way he shuddered above her.
He was pulling her hand out of his pants, then and pulling her to her feet. Roxanne gave him a confused look as he did. He kissed her before her turning around. Oh, right. He pressed into her back, his hand sliding back under her shirt which had fallen back down over her breasts. She groaned as his fingers pinched her nipples. Her hips rocked back against him, his head buried into her throat, nipping at her.
She reached down and undid her jeans, shimmying them down her hips with her underwear. There was a strange urgency to this that made a shiver roll through her. "Hvitserk."
He groaned against her throat, letting go of one of her breasts and then he was pushing against her shoulders, she took the hint and leaned over the hood of the car. Roxanne pressed back against him as his fingers slid over her nipple, down her belly, pausing for a second before moving to find her clit. She whimpered against the hood of the car, biting her lip as he rolled his finger so expertly over her.
She heard him bite out a curse above her and he pressed his leg against hers, spreading her and then he was gone. Roxanne glanced over her shoulder at him. He was sliding his trunks and briefs down over his hips. He was so hot standing over her like this, all that muscular tattooed flesh on display. Yeah, she had missed that sight. He freed himself, and then he was pressing against her, sliding into her. Roxanne moaned, leaning her head against the hood as she leaned back into him. That full feeling was a heady sensation as Hvitserk pushed in deep. He groaned above her, leaning over her a little as one hand found her hip, the other bracing himself on the hood.
***
Hvitserk wasn't going to last. He had waited weeks for this, and he was just, lost in the feel of her around him. He needed a second to steady himself. Roxanne was breathing softly beneath him and he leaned down over her, resting his forehead against her shoulder. "Fuck, Roxanne."
He pulled back, moaning as she tightened around him and then he thrust back into her. She whimpered as he sunk in deep, wanting to feel as much of her as he could. Hvitserk didn't know how it was possible to be both breathless and panting at once, but he was. Her hand found his and curled around his wrist, holding on.
He moved slow, wanting to take his time. He hit that spot each time and Roxanne was whimpering softly under him, her hips pushing back into him. She felt so good, felt so right. "Hvitserk, faster."
He grunted as she whispered it; his hand dropped from her hip to between her legs. Hvitserk grinned against her, his finger rolling her clit. If she wanted him to go faster, he was going to make sure she came with him. Roxanne's legs shook against his and he picked up his pace.
It didn't take long. She turned her head, eyes squeezed shut as she met his thrusts. He pressed his forehead to her temple, lips on her jaw. "Come on Roxy, meet me there."
She bit her lip as she came and the feel of her clenching so tight around him as he thrust fast and sharp into her made him come. He grunted, his hips jerking erratically as he spilled into her. She sighed after a second, slumping completely against the hood as he tried to hold himself over her. Maybe it'd been a bad idea not to find a bed. He felt legless; he didn't move for a moment.
"Hvitserk?"
He hummed a response, nuzzling his head into her hair, turning his hand on the hood, and finding her fingers to entwin them with his. "Gimme a second."
She did, her fingers squeezing his gently as she lay beneath him. He really didn't want to move but he needed to. Pulling out of her, Hvitserk leaned back, sighing as he untangled himself from her. She straightened up, pulling her clothes back into place. He pulled his pants back up as she turned to face him. Her cheeks were flushed, and she was smiling.
Hvitserk grinned down at her. "So, where are you staying tonight, and can I crash with you?"
Roxanne's laughter was like music as she leaned into his chest. Yeah, things were looking pretty good right now for Hvitserk.