Chayton's Tempest (32 page)

before single now?”

He stared back at her and shook his head. “Sorry, no, all

happily married.”

“Any of them with brothers? You?”

He chuckled. “I’ll let you know. Goodbye,
Mili
.”

Maverick waved as he left the office.

Twenty-One

Tempest stood on the outcrop and looked down the

steep ravine. The wind whipped around her. She’d been holed

up here in
Mili’s
family cabin ever since she’d returned from

South Dakota.

Mili
had been the one to suggest she get away. Tempest

had been ready to shove her personal grief and feelings deep

within her soul and carry on.
Mili
had been adamant she go

someplace and work them out.

So she had. A note was all she’d left her son but he was

the one who’d claimed to be grown up, so he should be just

fine.

The first week she’d spent screaming and crying, railing

against how things had played out for her in her life. All the

pain, anger and betrayals, were allowed to escape. Or so she

thought.

She’d chopped and stacked wood, done yoga, and

finally found a place in her heart where she could forgive

everyone but herself. Tempest had put all the blame on to her

own shoulders now.

Inadequacy swamped her; she hadn’t been as good a

mother as she could’ve been. Maybe if she’d been a better child,

her parents would’ve wanted to keep her.

Tears streaked down her face as she dropped to her

knees and a keening cry escaped from her throat, as her hands

held her ears. “I’m
s
ooorrrryyy
!” she wailed over and over as

her body rocked back and forth.

Maybe I should just step off over the edge.

No!
a powerful voice erupted through her head.

She glanced around and saw no one. Wiping the back of

her hand over her nose, she sniffed again.
I’m not needed. Even

my own son doesn’t need me.

You are needed. You are loved and wanted by many.

“Just leave me alone!” she screeched. “Let me be!”

Tempest lurched closer to the edge of the rock she was on.

Blurry eyes looked down. All that air below seemed to beckon

to her.

Useless!

Slut!

Whore!

Ingrate!

Worthless child!

Horrible mother!

The screams of her birthmother filled her head. Sitting

back on her haunches, Tempest tilted her head up to the sky.

Fresh tears heedlessly streaked down her face.

Peace. Her soul cried out for it. Desperate to find relief

from the pain she felt, Tempest continued to wail as her body

curled into the fetal position on the edge of the rock.

All the anguish she’d encountered in her life seemed to

explode exponentially within her. Chills racked her body and

she sensed the darkness swooping in to engulf her.

Hang on, little one. This is not your time.

Tempest recalled hearing a deep voice like that in her

head when she’d given birth to Dakota. It had helped her find

the strength to hold on and fight. Then, Bertha had shown up.

Now, there wasn’t even Bertha left.

Don’t give in to the darkness.

“Leave me alone!” her voice cracked as she hollered. Her

hands gripped her head, trying to find a way to stop the voice,

the memories, and the pain. She couldn’t. “Why won’t you

leave me alone?”

She was going crazy. All the years of nightmares, the

hidden shame of being tossed away, had come to this moment.

She might be thirty-five, but she felt like a child. One faced

with an impossible task.

Don’t give in. There are things worth fighting for. You are one

of them.

Her hands clutched tighter, pulling hard on her hair. She

didn’t care. “Just leave me alone.”

“I can’t do that. I love you.”

Tempest turned her head, opened her tired eyes, and

watched James
Chayton
Lonetree
walk across the large rock

toward her.

Maverick had tracked Tempest from the cabin up

towards an outcropping. He’d gone through the cabin and

made sure she wasn’t hiding from him before he began

following her trail.

The painful laments had reached him long before she’d

come into sight. Immediately, he’d begun running toward the

sound, desperate to reach her and save her from danger. Then,

he’d slowed.

It sounds as if someone is tearing out her heart
, he’d thought

to himself
.
“Sweet Jesus, what have I done?” The unending

soul-wrenching cries had spurred him on faster.

His steps had halted as he’d entered the area where

Tempest was. She’d been lying on the rock near the edge of a

cliff. Her shaking body had been curled into the fetal position,

and her hands had been dug into her hair.

His heart had ripped apart at all the pain and suffering

she was going through. As he’d heard her whimper for

solitude, Maverick to answer her.

Her bloodshot eyes seemed to stare through him before

they focused and recognized him. Maverick froze as she

scrambled backwards. “Tempest, don’t move. Please.”

“What are you doing here?” Her voice was hoarse from

her screams.

“I came to talk to you,” Maverick said. He slid another

inch closer.

“About what?” She wiped a hand across her nose. “I’m

busy.”

“Can you move away from the edge, Tempest? I don’t

like how close you are.”

 
“I’m not going to jump, James,” she slurred. “I’m neither

stupid nor suicidal.”

He held up his hands. “Okay, but I would just feel better

if you were further away from the edge.” His heart beat a little

easier as she scooted nearer to him. It frustrated the hell out of

him that she didn’t come running to him. In fact, she seemed

happier farther from him.

She sat up, wiped her eyes and stared at him. “What?

You think I’m going to jump? I wanted to; but no matter what,

I have responsibilities. So you don’t have to pretend concern,

just leave me alone.”

So many things flew through his mind. How could he

make her understand? He took another step closer to her, doing

his damnedest to appear unthreatening. “I’m not
pretending

concern, Tempest. And I don’t want to leave you alone.”

Maverick easily read disbelief in her eyes. She didn’t

trust him. Hands at his side, he continued to diminish the

distance between them. Her gaze turned wary but she

remained still, for which he was eternally grateful.

The moment he was within grabbing distance of her, he

crouched down so he didn’t tower over her, confident at last he

could grab her just in case. The wind blew over them and

Maverick watched how it moved through her hair, like his

fingers had done on occasion, gently and lovingly.

“Tempest,” he began. “I am so sorry. I never meant to

hurt you. Ever!” Maverick fell silent as her body shuddered.

“What is it, baby?”

She didn’t respond, instead her body curled up tighter

and she hid her face from his view.

Maverick shook his head. Enough was enough. He

pushed up from his hunkered down position and maneuvered

himself beside her. A glance over the edge of the rock told him

just how far up they truly were.

Silent, Maverick gathered her into his arms and stood up

again. Adjusting her weight, he began the walk back to the

cabin.

Tempest was almost comatose in his embrace. Every

now and then, a small sob escaped from her; but otherwise, she

was mute. He held her tightly to his chest, determined now,

more than ever, to keep her safe and with him forever.

He adjusted his stance at the front door of the cabin and

opened it. After passing through, he closed it behind him and

walked to the room he’d identified earlier as the one she was

using.

He gently laid her out on the patchwork quilt. Her eyes

stared blankly at something only she could see. He brushed her

hair away from her face. His fingers trailed lovingly over her

normally dark skin, which now seemed paler than usual.

Her body seemed to relax under his touch, so he

remained silent and just allowed his fingers to express his

sentiment for her. He never took his eyes off her face; and

when her thick lashes began to drift down, Maverick knew she

would be asleep before long.

He was right. Soon, she emitted soft snores as she

slumbered. Maverick covered her with a blanket from the foot

of the bed, kissed her forehead, and left her alone while he

grabbed his bag from his car.

Tempest waded in the river. She’d awoken on her bed

and alone. She would have sworn that Maverick had been there

but she couldn’t find him anywhere. So, she went for a walk.

The cold mountain stream ran over her bare feet. Despite the

heat of the summer afternoon, the water sent
goosebumps
all

over her skin.

Mindless steps took her back toward the cabin, her

stomach telling her she needed to feed it. Her head was full of

conflicting emotions but the sounds of nature comforted her. A

smile flitted across her face as she imagined curling up on the

large chair on the porch with a book and some tea.

A rich silvery tone skated across her skin. “Nature is

good for you. You look absolutely beautiful.”

Eyes that had been almost closed flew open. Tempest

whimpered as her body responded to the bronze-skinned man

striding toward her.

Maverick.

He hadn’t been a dream after all.

She drank in the sight of him as if she were suddenly

parched. He moved with such fluid grace and yet there was a

wildness about him that only increased her desire.

The hardened man before her took her breath away. His

wardrobe of all black only added to the “untamed” look he

bore. Black eyes shone like the smoothest obsidian in the sun.

Blue highlights gleamed at her from his hair.

He approached with slow, deliberate steps.

Raw power.

Raw, panty-soaking, masculine power.

And she wanted him.

Tempest stayed still. Her belly clenched with

anticipation as he never even hesitated at the water’s edge, just

kept coming. For her.

Maverick stopped before her. His eyes glittered with

passion as he stared down at her. The mix of sage, redwood,

and amber encompassed her.

She lunged at him and placed her arms around his neck.

Her mouth desperately sought his.

She felt him stumble back from the force of her jump.

Then, he righted himself and wrapped iron-infused arms