Dakota's Claim (3 page)

Chapter
Two

Dakota
sat in his truck, the night cloaking his presence pretty well, and because of
that making him feel like a damn stalker. And even though he told himself that
this was okay, that he was just making sure Tawny was okay, it was true that he
was watching her without her knowing about it. But he couldn’t help it,
couldn’t help this need and desire inside of him that were growing stronger
every day. He had never wanted a woman like this, not even a fraction of it in
fact. This wasn’t just a passing desire, but a deep-rooted love he had. Had he
ever loved a woman? Fuck no. He’d never felt this way about anyone in his
entire life.

He
leaned back in his seat, watching as Tawny and her three friends came out of
the movie theater. He noticed two of the girls, Ava, Lucien’s daughter, and
Livvy
, Kink’s twenty-two year old daughter. And then he saw
the punk Tawny was standing beside. Well, shit, it was a date, obviously given
the way the guy was eye-fucking Tawny, and that pissed Dakota the hell off. He
gripped the steering wheel tightly, felt his hands dig into the leather, and a
burn take root in his palms, and gritted his teeth. The asshole, who was
pierced the hell up and had tattoos peeking out from the collar of his shirt,
wrapped his arm around Tawny and pulled her close. It was November, and because
of that it was cold as fuck. Dakota leaned forward, staring out the window as
his blood started pumping hard. His body got hot as jealousy overcame him, and
he wanted to go out there rip that fucker’s arm from his body, and get in his
face to tell him that Tawny was
his
.

His
feelings toward her were ludicrous, intense, and screamed of primal,
animalistic need. He shouldn’t be having them, but then again he didn’t want
them to end. Squeezing the steering wheel so hard he heard the damn thing creak
from the force, he started the engine. He told himself that he’d back up, head
home, and beat one off thinking of Tawny and her curvy fucking body. Yeah, that
was a dick move, and a little on the weird side, but it was better than going
out there and proclaiming that she was his, and that no one else would touch
her or they’d die. It was also better than making an ass out of himself, and
getting arrested for beating that asshole that touched her.

At
least that was what he kept telling himself.

****

Tawny
heard the sound of a vehicle starting close by, and glanced at the truck across
the street. It was a dark, newer one, and she recognized it instantly. Ava and
Livvy
were talking to each other, and her date was right
beside her. Dylan was her usual type: a bad boy with piercings and tattoos. But
the truth was she had invited Ava and
Livvy
so she
didn’t have to deal with the pleasantries of a date. He was persistent when it
came to asking her out, and after a month of him texting and calling, she’d
finally caved and said okay to a movie. And as soon as the lights had gone off
in the theater Dylan had become Mr. Touchy Feely. Tawny might be a virgin, but
she had
skated
the sexual edge with the guys she had
gone out with. The only difference was she had done it on
her
terms, and when she was ready. The fact Dylan had been insistent
on touching her legs, and then whispering how hot she made him, right when Ava
and
Livvy
were next to her, had been a deal breaker.
But even so, it wasn’t just because Dylan was a pig. She was still lusting
after a certain Brothers of Menace member, one that was in that truck across
the street.

She
pushed Dylan’s arm off of her, and stared at the dark vehicle as it pulled away
from the curb. The windows were tinted, so she couldn’t tell for sure if that
was Dakota, but she didn’t need to see him to know it was him. Since he had
come back to River Run after his run with the Brothers of Menace MC, she had
seen him around town more and more often. Tawny lived in Steel Corner, the town
right beside River Run, so seeing Dakota so much did seem a little off, but in
a good way. She wanted to think he was watching her, as creepy as that sounded,
because on more than one occasion she had seen his truck, or even his Harley,
parked close to where she was. Whether at work, if she was hanging out with her
friends, or even at her house, she had sworn she had seen his vehicles. But as
much as that should bother her, it didn’t. In fact, she felt this thrill of
desire move through her at the thought that he couldn’t stay away. But the most
logical explanation was that he was in town to help out with some Grizzly
business. Yeah, that was the most logical explanation, and it sucked if she was
being honest with herself.

She
glanced at Ava and
Livvy
,
saw them talking to each other, and not paying attention
to anything else.

“It’s
still early. Maybe you want to get a drink … back at my place?” Dylan
asked,
this sexual and hopeful expression on his face.

God,
she could have rolled her eyes at the desperateness on his face.

“I’m
pretty tired, but thanks for the movie. It was … interesting.”

Dylan
looked disappointed, but quickly hid that expression and acted like he didn’t
care.
“Yeah, whatever.”

They
parted ways, and when she saw him get into his car and head off she turned and
faced the girls. “Thanks for being my buffer tonight.”

“Seems like that didn’t matter to
him.
He was
pretty hands on,”
Livvy
said and smiled.

Ava
gagged. “Yeah, and what the hell was up with him thinking it was cool to start
groping you in the theater, with us right there?”

Tawny
shook her head, feeling like she needed a shower. “He’s been bugging me for the
last
month,
and me being a pushover—”

“Hell,
you’re not a pushover, you’re just too nice to say fuck off,”
Livvy
said, and they all started laughing. Maybe they
shouldn’t have been talking about this stuff in front of Ava, seeing as she was
only sixteen, but Ava was the daughter of the president of The Brothers of
Menace. She was tough as hell, had heard and seen things someone her age may
not have, and had grown up around all of this hardcore biker life. A little
swearing and talk about grabby
pervs
wouldn’t faze
her.

And
then before Tawny could respond the sound of a vehicle pulling up to the curb
signaled Gabriel had come to pick up
Livvy
and Ava.

The
passenger side window of the SUV rolled down, and Gabriel stared at them. “You
girls have a good time?”

Livvy
and Ava responded, and then
Gabriel was staring at Tawny with this cocky little smile on his face. He wore
a baseball cap, one that had a Colorado football team on it. He was an
attractive male, with his dark hair and silver eyes, big muscular body, and
confidence, not arrogance, coming from him. He also looked just like a younger
Lucien. “You sure you don’t want a ride?” Gabriel winked, gave her this half
smile, and she knew that the look probably had a lot of girls jumping into bed
with him.

“I’m
good.” She smiled back.

The
girls got in the SUV, said they would talk later with her, and then Gabriel was
bracing his forearm on the open window frame, leaning out slightly, and
flashing a wide, straight white grin at her. “Maybe one of these days you’ll
let me take you out instead of these pussy assed punks you see.” He gave her
one more wink and rolled up the window before she could even respond.

God,
what
was
it with men and their need to one up the
other? Although that grated on her nerves, she wished one specific Brothers of
Menace member would do that. She wanted Dakota
bad
,
and her desire for him wouldn’t fade, as much as she might wish it so, because
moving on sounded better than lusting after a male that saw her as some kind of
kid sister, surely.

Chapter
Three

Gabe:
U ready 2 let me take U out and show U how
a real man treats a woman?

Tawny
looked at her cell, at the text she just got from Gabriel, and could have
snorted.

“What’s
going on?” her mother, Hope, said, and brought the fork to her mouth. Staring
at Tawny, she cocked an eyebrow, clearly waiting for her to respond.

Tawny
cleared her throat and looked at her dad, who was still staring at her. This
was one of the reasons Tawny wanted to move out on her own. She needed her
privacy without her overbearing and overprotective father glaring at any guys
that even looked her way, or her mother smothering her because she was having
Empty Nest Syndrome, in fear that Tawny would just pack up and leave out of the
blue. Of course she’d never do that, because she loved her parents, even if
they were on her case all of the time about the guys she associated with. Hell,
they probably thought she was putting out constantly for as many times as her
dad had caught her making out in the back of cars.

But
their fear was not something they needed to focus on, because despite her crazy
side at times, or the guys she wanted to hang out with, she was smart and knew
how far to take things. But her father was also a mystery to her, especially
since he was so adamant on his daughters leading a different life than he had.
He was a hardcore biker, a bear shifter, and a bad boy at heart. He had to know
that not all things would turn out bad just because the guy didn’t appear
ideal. Tawny had to wonder what her mother’s father would have done if Dallas
Stoker had come roaring up to his front door on his Harley.

“It’s
Gabriel.” She set her phone down and grabbed her fork.

“Lucien’s
son?” her mom asked, and Tawny nodded.

“He
wants to take me out—” Her words were cut off by the sound of her dad making a
very animal-like growl. She looked at her mom, saw that she was staring at
Dallas, and then Tawny was looking at her father. “What?” she addressed her
father.

“You’re
not going out with Gabriel Silver. He’s bad news, like the rest of the Brothers
MC crew.”

Here we go again.

For
some reason her father wanted to be this hardened father, demanding that they
not date MC guys, yet he was in an MC. Tawny didn’t hold in her laugh this time.
She threw her head back, felt tears fill her eyes for how funny her dad’s
statement was, and then heard him growl again.

“What
in the hell is so funny, Tawny?” he said.

She
wiped the tears again, waited until she had her amusement under control, and
then stared at her father. “It’s freaking hilarious given the fact you’re in an
MC, one that is filled with some pretty hardcore bikers, and your son-in-law is
in said club. You’re also a hardcore biker, Dad. You’re still this club member
that doesn’t give a shit about anything or what anyone says.”

Her
mom started laughing then, and Dallas snapped his gaze to her. “Hope, you’re
not helping,” he grunted out, leaned back in his seat, and started tapping his
fingers on the table. It was a nervous habit he always did when he was on edge,
and Tawny sobered a little more.

“Dad,
Gabriel might be in the club, but he’s a good guy, and you know that. But I
have no plans to get serious with him, so you don’t have to worry.”

Her
dad started tapping his fingers faster, and Tawny’s annoyance grew. “So, let me
get this straight.” She put her fork down. “It’s okay to be in the MC, to grow
up around the club and the members, but when it comes to me going to dinner or
a movie with one you are totally against the idea?” she asked a little
incredulously.

“No,
I’m against you going out with any guy, but you do whatever the fuck you want,
even when I know what’s best. You have this wild streak, Tawny, always have,
and I know you got it from me. I also know that me trying to talk you out of
anything is pointless.”

She
felt her eyes widen at her dad’s words. “I’m twenty-one years old, Dad.
Twenty.
One.
Yet you treat me like
I am a baby still.”

“You’re
my little girl, Tawny. You’ll always be my little girl. But if you don’t want
me to get in your life, then don’t date douchebags that don’t give two shits
about getting in your pants when your parents are fifteen feet away.”

“Dallas...”
Hope said without fear or weakness in her voice. Tawny’s father could be a
frightening man to anyone that meant to hurt his club or family, but even
though he was pissed right now, it wasn’t a fraction of what he showed his
enemies.

 
“No, Hope,” Dallas said and leaned forward,
bracing his hands on the table. He stared at Tawny. “We have never actually sat
down and discussed the fact that Tawny seems to either be going out with the
guys she does to piss me off, or she likes putting
herself
in danger.”

Tawny
felt her eyes grow wider. “Putting myself in danger?” she asked with a raised
voice. “Yeah, because that’s just what I like to do, and my main goal in life
is making sure I piss you off as many times as I can.” She curled her hands
around the edge of the table.