Chapter 18
Tamera had no idea where Anton had gone. His bike wasn’t sitting beside his truck out back. As of late, it seemed more and more the norm. Every time she went looking for him, he had taken off without a word to her. She certainly hoped it wasn’t something she had done. He had been the one to hatch their plan to get Grayson back. Now that she thought about it, she had never once considered his feelings on the matter, only jumped at what she thought was her last chance.
Now that she had become Anton’s mate, the blond vamp was doing everything in his power to give her back to Grayson. Talk about a selfless act. She didn’t deserve either of them. Not with the sins darkening her doorstep. And yet, after the night she’d spent in Grayson’s bed, all she could think about was getting in touch with him, see where they stood. Tamera had tried calling, several times in fact, and every time she had been sent straight to Grayson’s voice mail. Her self-doubt had hit a high note, fearing that after getting what he wanted Grayson was done with her.
She had thought maybe Anton would have an answer as to why Grayson might not be answering her calls, but then she couldn’t find him either. Her nerves tangled and her anxiety hit an all-time high. What if Grayson had found out about Rosalee? Rather than sitting around the old farmhouse, she had decided to take action. If Grayson wouldn’t answer his cell, then she’d take matters into her own hands and hunt him down.
Tamera needing to see him was an understatement.
She had to know one way or another why he was ignoring her calls. To her discontent, Grayson’s Harley was nowhere in sight as she pulled into the clubhouse parking lot. She had taken Anton’s truck in lieu of her car, hoping to draw less attention. Kaleb’s bike sat next to Suzi’s little red car, telling her the clubhouse wasn’t completely unoccupied. Maybe they could shed some light on where Grayson had gone. She could always go in with the guise of looking for Anton.
If Grayson had taken Ryder and gone to the Rave, she wasn’t above following him. She needed to appease Rosalee, throw her a bone so to speak. Once back in Grayson’s good graces, she’d figure a way to rid herself of the bitch once and for all.
Cutting the engine, she stepped down from the truck, slammed the door and headed for the entrance. The door wasn’t locked and she let herself in. Suzi curled up on the couch with Stefan while Kaleb paced the floor, talking on his cell. He took one look at Tamera, then headed for the meeting room and closed the door. Great. That certainly helped her case of the nerves.
Doing her best to look nonchalant, she walked over to the sofa and sat across from Suzi. “How’s Stefan doing?”
“He’s been great.” Suzi’s face beamed with happiness and pride. Tamera could tell this whole mate thing was working out for her friend. “Sleeps a full eight hours before he’s bellowing again like his father when he’s hungry.”
Tamera watched as the small child gripped his mother’s forefinger in his tiny fist and cooed. She couldn’t help but think of a day when she might be doing the same with one of Grayson’s babes … if she could come out of this thing alive. Which, of course, made her nervous about Kaleb’s sequestering himself where he couldn’t be heard. What could he possibly be talking about he didn’t want her overhearing?
“Everything okay?” Tamera asked, her thumb indicating the closed door behind them.
Suzi shrugged. “Something to do with the sting on the Devils and the cartel. Draven’s out trying to get in good with the Devils. Kaleb wants to make sure he’s being watched carefully. No mistakes like with what happened to Ryder.”
“So then Blondy—”
“Not sure what’s going on with that vampire of yours. Kaleb was a little pissed Blondy never showed. I thought maybe he was with you.”
Tamera shook her head. “I don’t know where he is. I was hoping to catch him here.”
“We haven’t heard from him.” Suzi leaned down and kissed Stefan’s brow, then brushed her hand lovingly over his downy head. “Not since Blondy and Gypsy took care of the two Devils responsible for Ryder’s near demise.”
“Speaking of Gypsy”—Tamera jumped at the lead in—“is he looking over Draven then?”
“No. Xander, Wolf and their prospects are watching over the barkeep.”
Damn, Suzi wasn’t making this easy. “So Gypsy wasn’t needed?”
Suzi, no dummy, narrowed her gaze at Tamera. “I told you a long time ago to stay away from Gypsy, Tamera. He’s not for you. Blondy … he’s a good man.”
“I only asked because I can’t help but care. If he’s in danger—”
“He’s not in danger. Kaleb told him to take Ryder and go. Get his head on straight and don’t come back until it is.” Suzi shifted in her seat, laying Stefan in the crease of her thighs. The little tyke’s eyes drifted closed. “Let it go, Tamera. For the sake of the club, don’t pit the two brothers against one another. Blondy’s your mate. Why not go find him and see where his head is at? It seems the more productive choice.”
“Since when did you care less about my feelings and more about this?” Tamera asked. She swept her gaze over the room, angry her friend would care more about the club than her happiness. “We were friends first. Why not ask me what I want?”
“I’m Hawk’s old lady, Tamera. I have to care about the club. You fucking both brothers will tear them apart.”
“I’m not.” Tamera grit her teeth to tamp down her rising anger. “You know I’ve only wanted Gypsy from the beginning. It’s not my fault I wound up with Blondy as a mate instead. I would never sleep with both of them, nor would I want to come between the two of them.”
“And yet you have.”
Did Suzi really think so little of her? She couldn’t help but wonder what Grayson had told them before he and Ryder left. “Where did they go, Suzi? I need to talk to Gypsy.”
“Call him. If he wants you to know where he is, he’ll tell you.”
“He won’t answer my calls.”
“Hawk talked to him. He’s not in any trouble. Maybe there’s a reason he’s not answering your calls.”
“You overheard their conversation, Suzi. Where is he?”
“It’s best to let him go, Tamera.”
“And what if Hawk would’ve let you go and not followed you when you ran so many months ago? Where would you be now?”
Suzi looked as if she still meant to deny her as she worried her lower lip between her teeth. She glanced down at her son and ran a knuckle down his cheek. “You know if Hawk finds out I said anything…”
“I promise not to tell a soul. Please, Suzi. Where’s Gypsy?”
“All I know is he went to the coast. Somewhere a couple hours north of Florence. He has a friend with a place just off the shore. He goes surfing there sometimes.”
Tamera’s brow creased. “Gypsy surfs?”
Suzi laughed. “I know. I was just as surprised. Swears it clears his head.”
Before Suzi could say any more, Kaleb exited the meeting room. “Where’s Blondy?”
Tamera could tell the club P was not thrilled with Anton’s disappearing act. “I don’t know, Hawk. I thought I might find him here.”
Kaleb grumbled beneath his breath, clearly pissed. If he wasn’t coming here when he left the house, then where was he going? Tamera needed to find Anton and see what was going on with him. It wasn’t like him to let club business slide. First, though, she needed to find Grayson.
Tamera stood, kissed Stefan on top of his soft little head, then gave Suzi a quick squeeze before mouthing the words, “Thank you.”
As she headed for the door, Kaleb called out to her. She turned around.
“You find that mate of yours, you tell him I’m looking for him. He needs to fucking check in with me like yesterday.”
“Sure thing, Hawk.”
Tamera turned and damn near danced out the door. She wasn’t sure she’d find Grayson, but at least now she knew where to start looking.
* * *
Grayson sat on the beach, sunglasses per
ched on the end of his nose. He dug his toes into the sand as he watched Ryder catch another wave. The sun was low on the horizon, making it perfect vampire time for surfing. His hair hung wet about his shoulders and sand stuck to his skin and boardshorts. The beach house sat empty, save for him and Ryder. His buddy, Scott, had headed south to Costa Rica with friends to catch bigger waves. Grayson promised to watch over the house for a few days.
Kaleb had been correct in his assessment. He’d needed time away to clear his head. Not that he hadn’t enjoyed the night spent with Tamera. Hell no. The sex had been fucking hot. Unfortunately, though, his heart had gotten in the way. Grayson let out a slow sigh. He was too damn close to caving. The woman had a way with making him want forevers.
When the hell had he become such a pussy?
The day the redhead walked into his life. Merda! She had snagged his attention and never gave it back. His desire had hit him like a locomotive. And now that he had her, he only wanted her more. Problem was, the ache within didn’t end with sex. No, it centered right in the middle of his chest. Deny it all he want, he was ready to make a plea to the twins’ grandfather to return her as his mate. After all—her words—she hadn’t slept with his MC brother and he believed her. He had no idea what the hell Anton was waiting on, because if he had her under his roof, he’d have had her underneath him nightly.
Kaleb had ordered him to get his head screwed on. If he didn’t want her, then he was to let her go, to give her and Anton a fighting chance. Truth of the matter, he couldn’t begin to consider doing so. The thought of Anton’s hands on her pushed his ire to new levels. No way could he watch PDAs with Anton and Tamera without wanting to kill something or someone.
Running a hand through his over long hair and pulling the wet strands from his face, he breathed out through pursed lips. He hadn’t even been gone a day and he was ready to head back, stake his claim. The thought of his MC brother doing so brought out the animal and had him biting back his canines from elongating. The fact was, Tamera was now a vampire and Vlad demanded she have a mate. So if it wasn’t to be him, then it would be Anton.
Kane and Cara came to mind. The past P doted upon his mate, love clearly evident in the way he looked at her. At one time Grayson thought of him as weak, deserving of being stripped of his P patch. His mate had cost him his seat at the table. And Kaleb? He had a chance to rid himself of the little strong-willed, mouthy brunette when she split, scared to hell and back of the change and becoming one of them. Instead, Kaleb had gone after her, promising her he’d be there for her through the thick of it. He never thought he’d see the day Kaleb would cave to a woman.
Grayson pushed his sunglasses to the top of his head. Damn if he wasn’t contemplating the same path as the twins. Chasing down the one woman he thought to hate for eternity. He hadn’t even thought about bedding another woman since meeting the little witch. He swore she put a hex on his dick. How else had he gone nine long months celibate? One thing was for certain, she had cast one hell of a spell over him.
Ryder walked up the beach, surfboard under his arm, kicking up sand as we went. He laid the board on the beach beside Grayson’s before taking a seat. “What’s eating you?”
He shrugged. “Not a care in the world, dude. Perfect sunset. Perfect day.”
“Keep telling yourself that, man.” Ryder pulled his knees up and wrapped his forearms around them as he stared into the horizon. “You aren’t yourself. Something has you bugged. I’m betting it’s that little mate of yours.”
Grayson looked at Ryder, his brow furrowed. “Blondy’s mate?”
“She doesn’t belong to Blondy any more than she belongs to me. That woman is all yours.”
“And what if I say I don’t want her?”
“Liar.” Ryder chuckled. “You can talk out of that ass of yours with anyone else, but that shit ain’t working with me. You got it bad for the redhead. Don’t be stupid, Gypsy. Go get what you want before it’s too late. Blondy won’t wait forever to tap her. He may not be doing it now, making sure you don’t come back to claim her and all. But mark my words, he’s thinking about it.”
Grayson scrubbed a hand down his bearded chin. He was hardly ever without stubble, but the beard he started to grow about the about time he became stuck with Tamera. Maybe he had hoped in some odd way it would make him less attractive to her. She hadn’t seemed to mind at all. He scratched his cheek. It was getting time to shave it.
“You think I should go after her?” Grayson looked at Ryder. “You know me, dude. I’ve never been a one woman kind of guy.”
“I also know you haven’t been with two women since she came barreling into your life.”
“So why the concern?”
Ryder smiled, then glanced back to the surf. “More women for the rest of us if you go off the radar.”
Grayson couldn’t help but grin. “You going to take over for me at the Rave?”
“Glad to.”
They both fell back into silence as they listened to the surf crash against the beach. The sound of the waves hitting the shore had a way with soothing his soul. He may have become a vampire, but it never quite took the surfer boy out of him. He loved this place. A dog barked farther down the beach as his owner threw a Frisbee into the water and the dog happily bound after it.
“Does that mean you’re going after her?”
Grayson thought about it, thought about the sex they’d shared, thought about the way she wormed her way into his heart. Damn, if he wasn’t on the verge of falling. Could he claim her as his mate, give her his forever? Merda! He wasn’t even sure what the hell love was. He didn’t have an answer for Ryder, because he still had no idea what he wanted to do with her.
“You know there’s a saying.”
“What’s that?”
“Think long, think wrong.”
Grayson chuckled, stood and grabbed his board. “You just want me off the market and all the ladies for yourself.”
“Can’t blame a vampire for trying.”
Ryder’s laugh followed him into the surf as he ran against the current, placed his board in the water, then crawled on top the deck. He used his hands to paddle away from shore. He still had a few days to think things through. In the meantime, he’d surf and continue to send Tamera to voice mail. He didn’t need to hear her voice to cloud his judgment. If he were to make this decision to keep her forever, then it would be made on his own, with no persuasion from the pretty little redhead haunting his every thought.
A large wave headed his way. Grayson quickly turned, jumped to his feet and rode it out. Tomorrow would be soon enough to think more on the subject. Tonight he planned to ride the waves until exhaustion claimed his every last thought.
Chapter 19
Grayson stood his board against the back of the house, firmly implanting the tail into the sand so it wouldn’t fall over. Ryder and he had made a pit stop at the Rave the night before to ensure neither would require communion. While he couldn’t speak for Ryder, this little trip away was intended to be chick free. He didn’t need the likes of any other woman clouding the decisions he had to make. Because if he made the wrong call where Tamera was concerned, it would cost him for the rest of his life.
Headlights shone in the darkness as an old pickup made its way down the beach road, heading for his little slice of peace and solitude. More than likely a friend of Scott’s. No matter, he’d catch them at the end of the short drive and let them know the owner of the house wouldn’t be back for a few days. He wasn’t in the mind for company, male or female.
The closer the truck lumbered, he thought he recognized the old Ford. It looked suspiciously like Anton’s. He couldn’t help but wonder why his MC brother would come this far looking for him, unless there was club trouble. Why not call first? Dusting off his hands on his boardshorts, he walked toward the road. The old truck rattled to a stop before he realized it wasn’t Anton behind the wheel. A certain redhead, who had captivated his thoughts and squeezed at his balls, sat behi
nd the wheel, her face illuminated by the dashboard lights. Her bright smile told him she might be happier to see him than he was her.
It damn near rankled his ire that she would chase him all the way up the coast. If he had wanted to speak with her, he would have answered one of her dozen calls instead of sending them to voice mail. The other part of his reason had his dick standing at attention. Go figure. His anatomy always wanted appeasement. The little devil on his shoulder told him they could spend days in bed and the only one who would be the wiser would be his prospect. Ryder wouldn’t rat out Grayson to Vlad, Kaleb, or Anton. No matter the cause. Not after having saved his life. The biker owed him.
Tamera cranked down the window after putting the truck into park. “What’s a handsome vampire like you doing all the way up here?”
“Clearing my head.” Grayson wasn’t about to play games. She had a right to know his thoughts included her. “Who told you I was here?”
She shrugged. “I don’t give up my sources. Besides, I wasn’t told exactly. That took a little investigation skills of my own. Not happy to see me?”
“Where’s Blondy?”
Tamera cut the engine, opened the door, and jumped from the cab. It didn’t matter if she left the truck parked in the cul de sac. The house was the only one this far back on the road. Vehicles rarely traveled to the dead end unless invited.
She shrugged. “Seems to be the question of the day. No one knows where he took off to, including Hawk.”
“He’s your mate—”
“By your doing,” she quickly corrected him. “Not by my choice.”
Grayson couldn’t pose an argument. Not when he had been the one to send her away. “He took off without telling anyone where he was going?”
“His bike was gone from the farmhouse all day. Hawk hasn’t seen or heard from him either.”
He rubbed his bearded chin. “Not like him to up and disappear.”
“No. I thought maybe you might know where he was.”
Gypsy: Sons of Sangue Page 20