Chayton's
Tempest
Aliyah Burke
Chayton’s Tempest
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted
in any form or by any means without written permission of the author.
This book is a work of fiction. All characters, places and events are from the
author’s imagination and should not be confused with fact. Any
resemblance to persons, living or dead, events or places is coincidental. All
trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks, and registered service
marks are the property of their respective owners and are used herein for
identification purposes only.
Editor and Formatter: Savannah Frierson
Cover Artist: MMJ Designs
ISBN: 978-0-557-08302-2
To Archie
Your endless wisdom and honor is missed.
Thank you for welcoming me not just into your Tribe, but also allowing me
into your heart.
To Vern, after all those years, thank you for not forgetting who I was and
reminding me I still belonged.
Acknowledgments
Any and all mistakes in this story are mine and not to be blamed on
the ones who do this for a living. To my editor and my cover artist.
Thank you both for helping me make this a kickass series.
I also want to acknowledge the wonderful ladies at Chesapeake
Romance Writers; your encouragement was more than I ever could
have asked for.
And to the readers who have enjoyed these men as much as I have
enjoyed writing them. Thanks so much for the awesome support!
Prologue
The child’s short hair flew out in all directions as she
stood before the couple, her hands twisting nervously in the
front of her frayed shirt. Dark-brown eyes were full of fear but
she tried desperately to meet their hateful gazes.
“Liar! You have shamed us all!” The screams never
stopped. “I can’t believe you would think he would do such a
thing, much less to you. Look at you—you are nothing! Ugly
and dumb, what man would want you?” The harpy screeched
at her.
The man wasn’t any better. “Stupid bitch! What bum did
you find to screw you so you could claim he did it? I won’t let
you ruin my son’s life. We have plans for him. Go away and
never show your black face back here again!”
The door slammed furiously in her face.
On legs that were none-too-steady, the shamefaced
thirteen-year-old girl stumbled back down the walk and
disappeared around the corner from the home that had just
killed her hopes of a future. Her aunt’s disapproving glare met
her, yet the older woman was the only one who would take her
in.
Not even her parents were there to see her off as the
child climbed into the rusty green car that drove out of South
Dakota to her new home in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Up until the time of her impending birth, the child and
her aunt began a tenuous friendship that over the years would
blossom into something that would turn them into a real
family.
The child began to attend school and working at her
aunt’s bar. She helped out with the money and prepared to
become a mother. For the remaining time up until her baby was
born, the child held out hope that he would come to ask about
her, or his unborn child. Nothing.
Eight months later, the young girl gave birth to a healthy
baby boy. The delivery was difficult, extremely painful, and the
child almost lost her life. Because of this, she had been
informed she would never be able to have another baby.
And on that day, her heart closed to all except that baby
and the aunt who had taken her in. She changed her given
name and adopted her aunt’s surname since her own parents
had disowned her. Two lives had now been born: Tempest
Independence Burnell and her son Dakota Falcon Burnell.
One
Twenty-one years later…
“Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God!” The feminine voice filled
the hotel room amid its owner writhing under the muscular
body of her lover. Her back arched as she came with an intense
rush and she screamed his name to the room. The man above
her slid into her a few more times and grunted, then rolled off
her and disposed of the condom he wore.
“That was amazing, wasn’t it, baby?” Her shrill tone
rang just like nails on a chalkboard to his ears. “We are great
together.”
He huffed noncommittally. At least one of us is happy.
With a heave, he got his body off the bed and headed for the
bathroom. He shut the door behind him, locking it before
switching on the light.
Squinting in the glare, he looked at his reflection. The
eyes were almost dead, no emotion in them whatsoever. His
bronze skin and hairless chest taunted him. His black eyes
traveled lower and found that his cock was resting against his
thigh.
He had found no pleasure with the woman in the
bedroom. The actions he used and the words he spoke had all
been automatic. And when he had been thrusting between her
legs, his mind was off going over a mission he’d just
completed.
“Get a grip, Mav,” he admonished himself. “You love
women; this is a momentary setback.”
James Chayton Lonetree, AKA Maverick, was a Navy
SEAL who had seen things and done things that would send
most people into therapy for life…if they didn’t have a total
meltdown before they made it to the shrink’s soft couch.
Out of his team of eight, he was the only single man left.
Even his devoted single friend Aidrian had gotten married. But
Maverick liked Xaria and his friend had never seemed happier.
For him personally, however, marriage just wasn’t in his cards.
Regardless, there were times when he didn’t want to be
a playboy anymore. He would like someone to talk to, who was
there waiting for him when he came back from missions.
Everyone else in the team had moved and relocated their
families to the Norfolk area.
“And I am here in a hotel room in South Dakota with a
woman my parents think is a good match for me just because
we’re from the same tribe.” What the hell is that woman’s name?
Oh, yeah, Talli.
Maverick was Lakota and proud of it. But he didn’t
want to marry the woman; hell, he really didn’t even want to
sleep with her. She was, however, very persuasive at her craft
and could still get him hard.
It would have been no hardship to leave her ass at the
restaurant once dinner ended. But she’d insisted and so he’d
brought her back and screwed her, allowing her to find
pleasure, yet, denying himself the same opportunity.
After another moment, he hit the switch for the fan.
Turning on
the shower, he stepped inside and rinsed the sick
musky smell of her perfume and their sweat from his body.
Once inside, he stood under the pulsating showerhead
and closed his eyes, grabbing his thick erection and stroking it
until it swelled in his calloused hand. His mind tried to conjure
up an erotic scene but it fell short. So he just allowed his touch
to bring him the release the woman in the bedroom hadn’t
provided him.
After climaxing, Maverick washed himself then stepped
out of the steaming shower. He wrapped a towel around his
waist and stepped out into the room where the woman was.
She had turned on the lights and was lying on his bed, totally
naked.
Her fingers trailed along her own bronzed skin, trying to
tempt him. “I would have joined you in the shower. We
could’ve had another round.”
Black eyes moved dispassionately over the sprawled
body. “You need to leave.”
Her big eyes opened wide. “What? After what we just
shared?” she asked as she climbed up on her hands and knees
and crawled across the bed toward him.
“Yep.” The response was deadpan. “And you can tell
married.”
She sat back on her haunches. “But we make a great
couple. It would benefit both families and be good for the
tribe.” Running her hands under her breasts, she lifted them up
toward him. “I have things that you want. You sucked on these
earlier; you know what they are like. You enjoyed them. Why
would you want to throw all that away?”
Maverick scowled at her. Her hands trailed between her
thighs as she fingered herself. “You know this is a nice pussy;
come on, Maverick,” she purred. “Don’t throw it away. We
would be a wonderful couple. Your parents like me and I am
not coming at you claiming to be pregnant.”
That stopped him cold. He tugged a black shirt on over
his still damp head. “What are you talking about?”
She shook her head quickly. “Nothing.”
“Talli.” His voice dropped to subzero. “What the hell are
you talking about? I don’t have a kid.”
“But we could have some; think of how beautiful they
would be.” She tried coaxing a positive reaction from him so
he’d forget what she’d said.
“I am not father material,” he snapped, thinking back to
how harsh and foreboding his own father had been, an
emotionless wasteland. “And you need to leave.”
Talli opened her mouth to protest, but his glare made
her mouth snap shut. She climbed off the bed and pulled her
dress on over her head. Gathering her thick black hair into a
ponytail, she gathered the rest of her underclothes and shoved
them into her purse. As she slid her shoes on, she cast him a
glance. “I don’t know what you’re trying to avoid. We are
going to be married.”
Her hourglass-shaped body disappeared out the door
before he could demand an explanation from her. After she left,
he crammed his legs into a pair of skintight jeans and gathered
his things. It was time to go somewhere else.
Something in his soul tugged at him. He didn’t know
what it was or where he needed to go, but he wasn’t about to
ignore the cry. Tying his bag to the chrome-finished backrest of
his motorcycle; Maverick swung one muscled leg over and
started up the powerful engine.
He had a brand new Honda VTX1800T that boasted
1795cc electric-cooled 52 degree V-Twin engine and a weathercheater
windshield. It was silver with a blue stripe down the
middle. Black leather covered the seats and made up his toploading,
buckle and snap–closure saddlebags. There was also a
setup for his iPod.
Pulling into his parents’ drive, he sat on the bike and let
the engine idle. His black boots were planted firmly on the
ground as he stared at his childhood home. It didn’t contain
very pleasant memories for him, but he’d had a roof over his
head and food in his belly.
When he’d told his parents he was joining the military
instead of taking a more active position in the tribe, they’d been
furious, but he hadn’t buckled under his parents’ screams.
Even at eighteen, his folks had been intimidating to him. His
father was a huge barrel of a man—not fat, but just big. His
mother could freeze a 747 with her glare and knock it out of the
sky with her screech.
Still, he’d left. Over the years, they’d softened a bit
toward his decision. Not that they’d ever told him they were
proud of what he was doing, but according to rumors around
the reservation, they bragged about him.
And now at thirty-six, he was still nervous about telling
them no. A damn near fearless SEAL, he had gone into
situations that most wouldn’t make it out alive and had
thrived. He loved his job and all that came with it, but the mere
thought of telling his folks “no” had him hesitating.
The front door swung open and his father stepped out
onto the porch, stopping on the edge of the top step and
crossing his big, muscular arms. He opted to stare instead of
coming down to greet him.
Swallowing one more time, Maverick shut off his bike
and swung gracefully off it. His smooth movement took him to
the bottom of the five steps where he stopped and looked up at
shape despite his age. “Aho, Ate,” he said automatically.
“Aho,” the man responded. “Your mother is inside
waiting for you. Dinner is ready.”
Nodding, Maverick headed into the house. He was taller
than his father now, but at well over six feet he’d been so for a
while. The men settled for a stiff handshake as opposed to a
hug. They silently walked into the home.
A meal sat on the table upon entering the kitchen. His
mother had plumped up, her hair was streaked with silver
now, but she was still beautiful to him. “Aho, Ina.” His words
were gentle as he embraced his mother.
“Aho.” She placed a kiss on his face before looking at her
husband of forty years. “Let’s eat.”
Silence reigned as they began to eat the meal. A while
later, Maverick ate the last bite of his fry bread and cast a
glance at his mother. “That was one of the best meals I’ve had
in a long time. Thank you.”
“Well,” she said slyly. “Thank you. And don’t worry;
when you marry Talli she will cook like this all the time for
you.”
I knew the truce was too good to last. “I’m not marrying
Talli.” His announcement went over like a ton of bricks.
His parents exchanged glances. “It is time for you to
come home and do something more for the tribe. You are
looked up to here; you could teach the children, be an officer,
anything,” his mother insisted.
Maverick shook his head as he drank some water. “I am
not resigning my commission. I love my job.”
Her harping continued as if he hadn’t said a word. “You
need to get married and have a child. We want some
grandchildren!”
“I like being single.” He set his cup down. “And even if I
were ready to marry, Talli is not my type of girl.”
“Well, if you slept with her there must be something
between you.” His mother’s words were cutting.
His own eyes narrowed in warning. “I only took what
she offered. It’s not like she was a virgin or anything.”
His mother slapped her hand down on the table. “Don’t
be vulgar! Talli has wanted to marry you since you were small
children. We all knew it would be a wonderful match, much
better than…” She trailed off as if realizing she shouldn’t have
said that.
“Hiya! No! I am not marrying her. I went out with her
because you asked me to. That’s the only reason.” Better than
what? his mind wondered.
“Don’t yell at your mother!” his father ordered.
“Then quit trying to run my life. I am thirty-six, not six.
I’m grown and I will not be dictated to by either of you. There
is no chance for Talli and me to be married. Accept it.” He
stood in a flawless motion, but his father did the same with an
angry jerk.
“We are trying to think of your future and that of the
tribe. You need to do your part.”
Barely managing to control his eye roll, Maverick shook
his head. “The tribe is doing fine, and I can take care of my
future. Now, I’m leaving. I have somewhere to go.” The fire
raging in his mother’s eyes prompted him to add, “Unless you
would care to explain what Talli meant when she said I had a
child? I’m not accepting responsibility for someone knocking
her up. We used protection.”
A blind man could have seen the panic on their faces as
they fought to control their emotions. “She must have been
mistaken,” his mother quickly assured him.
“Right. I better not get a call saying she’s pregnant and
I’m the father.” He spun around and walked into the living
room, furious over the fact they were trying to set him up.
Well, it would explain why Talli said he didn’t need to use a
condom.
“Wait,” he heard his father say.
At the door, Maverick turned back to face his father.
“What?” he snapped, losing control of his temper.