Chayton's Tempest (17 page)

parents’ spitefulness put you through what it did, Tempest. I

may never find a way, but I will do my damnedest.”

Just prior to being totally out the door, Maverick turned

back and grasped her chin, holding her immobile. “And there

is no way in hell I’m giving up on what’s between us.” His lips

were on and off hers before she could protest. He used his

thumb to caress her lower lip as he whispered, “Goodnight,

mitawin
. Sleep well and dream of me.
Toksha
ake
wacinyuanktin

ktelo
,
I shall see you again.” Then he was gone.

Tempest slumped against the door as she closed it

behind the man who took too much of her air supply. Her lips

still tingled and there was a pool of moisture between her legs

from just being in his presence.

Damn him!

And then to top it off, he went and spoke Lakota again.

It had been so hard not to jump on him and beg him to stay.

Although from the ridge she’d felt in his pants, she didn’t think

it would’ve been too much of a struggle to get him to accept.

Straightening up, Tempest went to go to bed when a

flash of white caught her eye. On the chair that had held his

helmet sat an envelope. It was face down and she groaned,

“This plan of coming back to get this envelope isn’t going to

work, James. I’ll give it to you at the bar.”

She picked it up to put with her keys, so she wouldn’t

forget it, but dropped it. It flipped over and she saw
TO MY

DAUGHTER, SARAH
written on the other side.

Bile rushed up and she began to shake. What kind of

trick was this? Why would he be so mean to her?

Carrying the envelope as if it were a sidewinder about to

strike, she walked cautiously to the couch where she curled up

in the seat her guest had just vacated. Swallowing, Tempest

finished the rest of the drink she’d given to Maverick as she

continued to stare at the object in her lap.

Sucking her bottom lip in her mouth, she made a

decision. Flipping it over, Tempest slid her finger under the

seal, ripping it open. Taking a deep breath, she pulled out the

folded pages and began to read.

Sarah,

I don
’
t really know how to say what I long to

tell you. I don
’
t know how much time I have. So

I
’
ll start at the beginning and hope to finish in

time.

First and foremost, I love you. I know you

don
’
t believe that and you have every right not

to, but it
’
s true. Not a day has gone by that I

haven
’
t wondered how you were doing and

what you looked like now.

I imagine you are just as gorgeous as the sun

upon a field of flowers. I wish I could go back in

time and change the stupid way I acted. I never

should have let you go.

Now before you think I
’
m doing this because

I want something, let me tell you, you are

absolutely right. I know I have no right to ask

anything of you but I am.

I long to see you, hold you in my arms and

kiss your cheeks. I also want to meet my

grandson. Yes, I know about him, James

Lonetree
came to the door and when Carol said

she didn
’
t have time for him, he asked her.

Asked her in front of me and the guests, why we

never told him you were pregnant and why we

abandoned you. How we could have kept him

from his son for twenty-one years. I have never

been so proud of a man before. He was almost

desperate to find out the truth of what

happened.

After he left the house, I left and parked

outside of town and here I
’
m now writing this

letter in hopes that I will see him leaving. I feel it

in my bones that he is coming back to find you.

I was a dumb idiot for letting Carol talk me

into sending you away. Even more stupid for

going along with it all these years. Bertha was

my sister and I still never tried to get in contact

with you. Can you ever forgive an old fool?

Like I stated earlier, I wouldn
’
t be surprised if

you didn
’
t even get this far in the letter. I

deserve all your scorn and then some. I was your

father, I should have protected you. A failure

which has haunted me for the over 7,000 days I

haven
’
t seen you, heard your voice or held you

in my arms.

I don
’
t know how you did in school, what you

enjoy doing for fun. Your favorite foods.

Anything about you, and I can
’
t blame anyone

but myself.

My wish before I die is to see you and meet

your child, whom I would love to call my

grandson. If you can find it in your heart to

agree to this, please send a letter to the address

below and I will find a way to come to you.

I love you and no matter what the court

papers say, I have never not thought of you as

my child. I have to go, I have so much I long to

tell you, but I want to be looking in your

beautiful eyes when I do so.

I can
’
t tell you how much I hope to hear

from you.

Love you,

Mitchell Whitehall

Tempest read the letter again and was more than

shocked when the splash of a tear landed on the back of her

hand. The handwriting in front of her was shaky and not the

easiest to read, but she definitely recognized it as her father’s.

Reaching for a tissue, she allowed her eyes to pour over

the simple yet touching words on the paper. “What am I going

to do now?” she sniffed. A quiet knock on her door didn’t

surprise her in the slightest. As she rose and walked to the

door, Tempest was positive she knew who was waiting on the

other side.

There was no hesitation as she swung it open. She

needed comfort and the tall man standing there was just who

she wished to get it from. Tempest didn’t ask what he was

doing there or how he knew she needed him to come back.

She looked up at him and the tears began to flow even

more. In a second, she was lifted off the ground and cradled

against Maverick’s solid chest as he closed the door behind

him. Maverick carried her to the couch where he sat down and

gathered her closer yet.

Her dark face buried into his neck and she cried herself

out. He rubbed her back and whispered in her ear, “It’ll be

okay, Tempest.
Chéye
shni
yo
,
don’t cry. Please.” He held her

tighter. “I wish I could take the pain away.
Chéye
shni
yo
,
chéye

shni
yo
.
”

His lips teased her ear and as the comforting scent of

James
Chayton
Lonetree
surrounded her, Tempest gave into

the emotional exhaustion this evening had piled upon her and

fell asleep in his embrace, feeling safe and protected for once.

Maverick knew the second she was asleep. It had torn

his insides out to hear her gut-wrenching sobs He sat there

holding her until her clock chimed six. Then, he stood and

carried her to her bedroom. His dark eyes took in the simplicity

of her things and again, shame swept through him.

Placing her gently on her bed, he placed a kiss on her

lips. “I won’t let you go. You, Tempest Independence, are mine.

Ohinyan
mita
.
Mine forever.” He left her there.

Twelve

Tempest rolled over and slowly opened her eyes. Her

throat hurt, her eyes were puffy, and she was wearing her

clothes from the previous day.

Sitting up and swinging her legs over the side of her

bed, she glanced at the clock. It was after noon. Standing with a

decided lurch, she went into the bathroom.

Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she shook her

head. She looked terrible. Flashes of the letter and Maverick

holding her made her almost head to the living room, instead

she climbed into her shower and let the water pour over her.

It was a quick shower and afterward, Tempest put on

her lotion and dressed in a white tank top and a blue sarong.

Pulling her hair back into a knot so it was off her neck, she

stepped out of her bedroom.

Her ears and nose were assaulted at the same time with

the smell of beef and cheese and semi-hushed masculine

conversation. Padding up through her house barefoot, Tempest

stopped at the entrance to her kitchen.

Maverick and Dakota were in there making tacos at her

kitchen counter. They had their backs to her and were talking

amongst themselves. For a brief moment, Tempest felt a flash

of betrayal at her son’s actions. Tamping it down, she forced a

smile on her face and opened her mouth to speak.

“Good morning, Tempest,” Maverick said in a loud and

damnably sexy voice before she could say a word. “Or rather,

good afternoon.” His dark head turned and he met her gaze

directly.

In that moment, Tempest forgot about feeling left out.

Maverick was dressed in solid black once more; it was like the

man didn’t understand he was in the middle of the damn

desert during summertime. Whatever his reason for wearing

what he did, she couldn’t argue with him. He wore it so well.

His shirt was sculpted to his body; and his thighs, firm

ass, and calves were shrink-wrapped in the denim material. His

broad shoulders rolled with effortless motion as he moved. She

got a mouth full of cotton just looking at him, he was so

handsome.

It was his eyes that froze her, though. As they roamed

over her body, they were like the darkest of dark nights and

softer than the most expensive velvets. They caressed her as if

she and Maverick were alone in a room and he could touch her

anyway he wished.