Claiming Emma [Novikov Clan 3] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) (2 page)

“Of course.” He looked over at the gorgeous stranger next to her. “Are you going to order something and keep the lady company?”

Emma looked up at him, and he winked. “I’ll have what the lady’s having.” He moved then, sitting down on the barstool next to her, their thighs and arms touching. It felt far too intimate, but she didn’t care.

“I’m Chayton Notaku Youngblood, and you are?” He cocked his head to the side and stared at her. This was the first time a man introduced himself and included his middle name. She had to admit it was kind of cute.

“Chayton Notaku…” she said slowly, hoping she didn’t butcher his name. “That’s an interesting name. Does it mean something?” she knew instantly that her guess about his origins had been right.

“Yeah, Chayton means ‘falcon’ and Notaku means ‘growling bear.’” He rumbled, proving that he could in fact growl, and Emma laughed quietly, loving the sound of his voice.

“I’m Emma Steele. It’s nice to meet you, growling bear.”

“You, too.” He winked. “So what brings you to my neck of the woods?”

“A horrible camping experience,” she said, shaking her head, glad for the company.

“Not the outdoors type I take it.”

“I’m not into freezing, starving, and not showering.”

“It’s a shame you didn’t have anyone with fur to keep you warm.” She crinkled her forehead at that comment, wondering what he meant. “A mate to keep you warm,” he clarified, and again she felt a bit confused. “That man, is he your mate?”

“My mate?”

“Your boyfriend or husband?”

“Oh, no. He’s my ex-boyfriend,” Emma stammered, feeling a little embarrassed.

The plate was delivered, her stomach growled loudly, and her mouth watered just looking at the wonderful food. It felt like months since she’d had a real meal, and she didn’t waste any time. Wrapping her hands around her burger, she took a huge bite, chewing quickly.

“I like a woman with an appetite,” he commented, and Emma looked at her food and realized that she had almost finished. Her cheeks warmed.

“Thank goodness.” She laughed, before grabbing a napkin and wiping her face.

Emma felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up quickly at Tom. She heard a low growl, which she knew had come from Chayton. It was a predatory sound, and she shivered, throwing Tom’s hand off her.

“We’re leaving. Let’s go,” Tom demanded, and she could smell the alcohol on his breath. She jerked back instinctively.

“She’s not going anywhere.” The hostility in Chayton’s voice couldn’t be missed. “I’ll take you home. You don’t have to go with them.”

“I wasn’t going to, but you don’t need to take me home. I was hoping to rent a car or something.”

“I’ll take you.” It was obvious that he wouldn’t take no for an answer. For some reason, she trusted him. Her gut told her he would keep her safe. The relief she felt was tangible.

“Fine. Whatever. Take her,” Tom slurred, walking away, and she let him go, not caring if she got her bags or not. She had her purse and jacket. That was all she needed.

“Thank you. I’ll pay for your gas, especially since you’re driving me all the way to Anchorage. It’s a pretty good distance.”

“It’s no big deal. I’m just glad that I’ll be with you.” He winked, taking another bite of his burger while Emma studied his hands, his posture, and took the first deep breath of the night.

He was an amazing specimen, perfect, and she was surprised that he was sitting next to her. How could a man this good-looking be with her? Although, technically, he wasn’t with her. He was only offering to help her, so maybe he was the type that liked to rescue women in need, and thank goodness he was there to help her. She definitely fit that bill.

They walked out of the bar together, and Emma felt a moment of fear, wondering if getting into the car with a virtual stranger was really a good idea. She was desperate to get home, but getting in a car with a man she just met wasn’t one of her better decisions.

“There’s no reason to be afraid. I would never hurt you. You can trust me.” The tone of his voice soothed her, and Emma exhaled loudly. “Why don’t you call someone in your family or a friend and give them my information. Will that make you feel safer?” He handed her his driver’s license and quickly scrawled his phone number on a small piece of paper.

“That’s a great idea.” Emma fumbled through her purse for her cell. She called her cousin, Beth.

“Hello,” a quiet voice grumbled, and Emma smiled. It had been quite a while since she’d spoken with her cousin.

“Hey, it’s Emma. Listen, I’m getting a ride home from a stranger named Chayton Youngblood. Can you get a pen and write down his information.”

“Are you drunk?” she asked, and Emma flinched.

“No. Of course not,” she whispered, her shoulders sagging. Emma looked over at Chayton, gave him a smile, and walked out of earshot. “Will you write it down or not?”

“Fine,” she hissed, and Emma listened as she rustled around, no doubt searching for a pen and paper.

“Go ahead,” Beth said, and Emma read off Chayton’s driver’s license information as well as his phone number.

Emma hung up and walked back to the truck. Chayton was standing next to the passenger side, holding the door open for her. Pasting a smile on her face, Emma climbed up into the truck and quickly buckled up, letting him close the door. She exhaled and leaned back into the seat, glad to finally be heading home.

“Are you okay?” he asked as he climbed into the truck, and Emma could only nod. She really wasn’t in the mood to talk about all her problems.

“Thank you again for taking me home. I really appreciate it.”

“No problem. I’m looking forward to the drive.” Chayton started the engine and pulled away from the bar. His mere presence seemed to fill the cab, and Emma could feel his heat from the other side of the truck. She relaxed somewhat.

“I never asked. Do you live around here?”

“Yeah. I–uh…my family lives in the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park.”

“Really? I didn’t know people lived there. Are you some sort of forest ranger or something?”

“No. I’m a sentry.” He looked over at her with on odd look on his face, and she quickly explained.

“You’re wearing a uniform and so were some of the other men inside the bar.”

“Oh…yeah. We are all sentries together. My job is to make sure that the National Park stays safe.”

“Like a forest ranger?”

“Not exactly,” he said, and Emma decided not to push it. It really wasn’t any of her business, and she figured it didn’t matter. This was probably the only time she would spend with him anyway.

“So, tell me…How did you get your name? Do you have a big family?” She changed the subject, hoping to learn more about the man driving her home.

“I have two older brothers Mahkah Tuketu and Takoda Uzumati, I’m the youngest.” Mahkah sounded like Mik-ah. She loved the way he spoke, so smooth and rich. She could listen to him speak for hours about nothing at all.

“I love those names. Do they have meanings as well?”

“Mahkah Tuketu means ‘earth bear making dust,’ he’s the oldest, and Takoda Uzumati basically means ‘friendly bear.’”

“I guess your parents have a thing for bears.”

“My dads are Native American, part of the Sioux tribe. They moved here to Alaska many generations ago from the Dakota Territory. My mother is not from here. She moved from Montana when she was younger.”

“Um…dads, as in multiple fathers?” She turned to look at Chayton and noticed almost immediately that he tensed.
Interesting.
Does he have multiple dads? Or maybe he has a biological dad and a stepdad and refers to them both as dad?

He seemed to be struggling with an answer until finally he spoke. “I have two fathers and one mother. It’s acceptable for women to have more than one ma…uh...husband in my clan.”

“Oh…I’m not sure if I would want more than one husband. Sounds like a lot of work.” She looked at him, studying his face. When he didn’t respond, she laughed a bit uncomfortably, feeling awkward. “Although, I’m sure your mother must be really happy to have two men.” Still he said nothing and she felt like an idiot.
I hope I didn’t offend him.

Emma yawned, feeling physically and mentally exhausted. Chayton clicked on the radio, and soft music flowed from the speakers. She stared out the window into the darkness unsure of what more to talk about. She leaned her head back and enjoyed the peaceful silence between them. She didn’t feel the need to talk to fill the void. Closing her eyes, the slow rocking of the truck put her to sleep.

* * * *

Chayton drove in silence, waiting for Emma to relax and fall asleep. When her breathing slowed, he knew that she slept. He looked over and studied his beautiful little mate. She had short black hair that framed her heart-shaped face, full plump lips, and the body of a goddess, curvy. He felt like the luckiest man in the world.

One minute he was playing pool with some of the other sentries, taking a break, and the next in walked the woman he had been waiting for. He still couldn’t believe his luck. He focused on the road and took his time, knowing that he had four hours ahead of him, but he really didn’t care. The phone in his pocket began to vibrate. He ignored it, knowing that it was probably one of his brothers checking up on him.

As the youngest of three, it was his job to leave home in search of their mate, and bring her back to share. That had been the tradition for centuries. That had been his plan, until he’d listened to her phone call and realized that his little mate had secrets. The last thing he wanted was to take her back home to meet his brothers. They were a little rough around the edges, and he didn’t want to scare her off. He needed to earn her trust before thinking about bringing her back. Perhaps he just didn’t want to share her.

Chayton swallowed hard, knowing that was part of the reason. He wasn’t ready to share her with anyone right now. He’d just found her, and although he didn’t have a plan, he knew he wouldn’t be returning home for a while.

He wondered if his other clan mates had felt the same way. When Conner found Chloe, did he want to keep her all to himself? Did he feel protective of her and not think his brothers were ready for her?
Shit! I need to take her home. What options do I have?
Chayton shook his head and began going over all his options, hoping that he would have the answers when they finally reached Anchorage.

Hours passed, and he still didn’t have any answers to his dilemma. His cell phone vibrated constantly, but he wasn’t ready to talk yet. He needed a plan before he answered the phone. Emma stirred next to him, and he looked down at her face. She’d moved around restlessly and finally settled on the bench seat, her head against his thigh. It felt good to have her touching him even if she didn’t realize it. He let his gaze travel her body, the curve of her cheek, the flare of her hip. She was perfection.

They would be arriving in Anchorage soon. Although they weren’t that far away from his home, he knew that they wouldn’t be going back for a while. He hated the thought of not being able to run free and hunt with the rest of his clan, but he also knew that Emma was more important to him than anything. He needed to earn her love, trust, and respect. Then he would take her home.

* * * *

Emma stretched and opened her eyes. She blinked a few times, trying to figure out where she was. She sat up quickly and realized that she was still inside Chayton’s truck. Looking around, she spotted him outside pacing around the gas station, talking on his cell phone. It was really late, and she breathed a sigh of relief recognizing where they were. They were in Anchorage.

Emma watched him closely, wishing she could read his lips. He was obviously irritated. She felt guilty, wondering if he was talking to his wife or girlfriend. She didn’t ask, and the truth was she really didn’t want to know. He shoved his long fingers through his hair and closed his phone, staring at the ground. Sitting up straight, she tried not to watch him, but it was impossible, her eyes were drawn to him.

He started making his way back to the truck. Their eyes locked, and he gave her a smile. It didn’t feel sincere though. Something felt off.

When he opened the door, cool air rushed in, and she shivered. “Are you married?” she blurted out.

“No.”

“Is everything okay?”

“Yes. I was speaking to my brother, Mahkah,” he said before removing the gas nozzle and stepping up into the truck. He didn’t say anything more, and Emma was tempted to question him further, but remained silent. It wasn’t any of her business. He would be leaving soon anyway.

He pulled out of the gas station and headed down Main Street. Emma gave him directions to her little apartment building. It didn’t take long to reach, and she kicked herself for falling asleep. She should’ve stayed awake and talked more, even got to know Chayton a little better. He parked the truck, and shut the ignition off.

“Will you come inside? Maybe take a nap before you head back home?”

“Sure, I would like that. Thank you.” He climbed out of the truck and rushed over to the passenger side, opening her door. He moved fast, and she gasped when he pulled her into his arms.