smooth
brown cheek of his date before shutting her vehicle door. “See
you later,” he said as he leaned in for one more quick kiss.
“Bye, Sparky, thanks for the day. It was wonderful. I’ll
see you later.”
“Bye, doll.” He waved as she pulled out of her parking
space and drove off down the street.
_
The bar was busy when Maverick entered. The music
was techno tonight and he shook his head as he moved further
into the joint.
His sable eyes found his Tempest working diligently
behind her teak bar. A smile was on her face as she served her
customers. For a moment, he just watched her.
“You know I don’t want you sniffin ’ around my mom.
You just leave her alone.” A man’s voice came from behind
him.
Maverick turned to see Dakota standing behind him,
glaring. “I’m not sniffin ’ around your mom.” His eyes landed
on Shelia who stood beside him. “Good evening, my dear.
Lovely to see you again.”
“And you,” Shelia said with a smile, then walked behind
the bar and made herself at home after giving Tempest a hug.
Maverick turned his attention back to his son. “You
know I wish I knew how to make this up to all of you.”
“There is nothing to make up. It’s done,” Dakota
snapped. “I wish I could make you suffer, but Mom says you
are trying.” A large fist clenched before he continued. “I don’t
know how she can talk to you.”
“She doesn’t really,” Maverick admitted. “She blocks
almost every attempt I make to get to know her better.”
“Good!” Dakota sighed and hesitated for a moment.
“Look, I’m sorry. I just want to protect my mother. But I can see
you are trying. Shelia told me you’ve seen much death and I
should give you a chance. Since I’m trying to learn more about
my Sioux heritage, perhaps I could ask you some questions
about it?”
“I would be honored to answer any you may have. Can I
ask you something?”
“Go ahead.” Dakota’s eyes moved to the bar where
Shelia was refilling the snacks.
“Did your mother explain to you why she named you
what she did?” Maverick asked.
“She said Dakota was in honor the state I was conceived
in and Falcon was something about a totem.”
“My middle name is Chayton , which means ‘falcon’; it is
my totem. Do you know much of this side of your heritage?”
“Not too much. Mom helped me when she could, told
me a few things; but it was hard for me to get information since
there was no paternal name on the birth certificate.”
Maverick shook his head in shame. “I have so much to
make up for. You let me know when and we will get you tons
of information. If you want, we can even take a trip to the
reservation and I will show you all I can.”
“Would you really do that?”
“Of course I would. You are my son and I hope you will
come to me with questions about our heritage.” Maverick
reached out for his hand.
“I can’t promise that my feelings will change overnight,
but I will do my best to be civil.” A warning glint appeared in
the eyes identical to his father’s. “As long as you don’t hurt my
mom.” The hands were clasped in a tenuous way, one still
unsure and the other extremely hopeful.
“I don’t want to hurt her. Or you. I hope you can believe
that.” Maverick held his son’s gaze.
“We’ll see,” Dakota said as he turned around and
walked back out into the night.
Ten
Maverick walked further into the establishment. He saw
Shelia over in a dark corner, delivering some more snacks to
the tables there. His eyes picked up on a man moving in from
behind her and he moved forward to intervene. As he neared,
he heard a man rasp out, “I want a chance to know you better,
sweets.” He reached for her but Shelia stepped back.
“Sorry. I’m not interested.” Nothing in her tone
suggested she was angry, but Maverick could pick up on the
fear that ran through her. There were five men and all of them
were large and
brown cheek of his date before shutting her vehicle door. “See
you later,” he said as he leaned in for one more quick kiss.
“Bye, Sparky, thanks for the day. It was wonderful. I’ll
see you later.”
“Bye, doll.” He waved as she pulled out of her parking
space and drove off down the street.
_
The bar was busy when Maverick entered. The music
was techno tonight and he shook his head as he moved further
into the joint.
His sable eyes found his Tempest working diligently
behind her teak bar. A smile was on her face as she served her
customers. For a moment, he just watched her.
“You know I don’t want you sniffin ’ around my mom.
You just leave her alone.” A man’s voice came from behind
him.
Maverick turned to see Dakota standing behind him,
glaring. “I’m not sniffin ’ around your mom.” His eyes landed
on Shelia who stood beside him. “Good evening, my dear.
Lovely to see you again.”
“And you,” Shelia said with a smile, then walked behind
the bar and made herself at home after giving Tempest a hug.
Maverick turned his attention back to his son. “You
know I wish I knew how to make this up to all of you.”
“There is nothing to make up. It’s done,” Dakota
snapped. “I wish I could make you suffer, but Mom says you
are trying.” A large fist clenched before he continued. “I don’t
know how she can talk to you.”
“She doesn’t really,” Maverick admitted. “She blocks
almost every attempt I make to get to know her better.”
“Good!” Dakota sighed and hesitated for a moment.
“Look, I’m sorry. I just want to protect my mother. But I can see
you are trying. Shelia told me you’ve seen much death and I
should give you a chance. Since I’m trying to learn more about
my Sioux heritage, perhaps I could ask you some questions
about it?”
“I would be honored to answer any you may have. Can I
ask you something?”
“Go ahead.” Dakota’s eyes moved to the bar where
Shelia was refilling the snacks.
“Did your mother explain to you why she named you
what she did?” Maverick asked.
“She said Dakota was in honor the state I was conceived
in and Falcon was something about a totem.”
“My middle name is Chayton , which means ‘falcon’; it is
my totem. Do you know much of this side of your heritage?”
“Not too much. Mom helped me when she could, told
me a few things; but it was hard for me to get information since
there was no paternal name on the birth certificate.”
Maverick shook his head in shame. “I have so much to
make up for. You let me know when and we will get you tons
of information. If you want, we can even take a trip to the
reservation and I will show you all I can.”
“Would you really do that?”
“Of course I would. You are my son and I hope you will
come to me with questions about our heritage.” Maverick
reached out for his hand.
“I can’t promise that my feelings will change overnight,
but I will do my best to be civil.” A warning glint appeared in
the eyes identical to his father’s. “As long as you don’t hurt my
mom.” The hands were clasped in a tenuous way, one still
unsure and the other extremely hopeful.
“I don’t want to hurt her. Or you. I hope you can believe
that.” Maverick held his son’s gaze.
“We’ll see,” Dakota said as he turned around and
walked back out into the night.
Ten
Maverick walked further into the establishment. He saw
Shelia over in a dark corner, delivering some more snacks to
the tables there. His eyes picked up on a man moving in from
behind her and he moved forward to intervene. As he neared,
he heard a man rasp out, “I want a chance to know you better,
sweets.” He reached for her but Shelia stepped back.
“Sorry. I’m not interested.” Nothing in her tone
suggested she was angry, but Maverick could pick up on the
fear that ran through her. There were five men and all of them
were large and
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