The Thunder Wolves MC - Summer (Book #6)

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***Hello everyone, just real quick before we get into the story. If you haven't read any of the other The Thunder Wolves MC books, I recommend you do so. I listed them in order at the bottom of this book's description. Also, if you forget what order they go in at the bottom of each description before each book, I have a note suggesting which books to read first. :) If you have read all the others, thank you, and I hope you enjoy this one just as much. I have decided to do the uploads for this one differently than I have done in the past. Since I am still writing this book and I have several things coming up in my personal life, I will be uploading chapters every Friday. Thank you again, and I hope you enjoy :) ***

Summer

I couldn’t believe I let Lizzy talk me into doing this for the summer. I was missing all the parties going on this summer to hang out with kids whose parents sent them away to camp for the summer. I had agreed only so I could see my best friend all summer and have fun with her. She, of course, was doing this because it would look good on her college application. Like most things Lizzy did, it was to make her college applications look as good as she could. Not that she didn’t also enjoy doing things like this, it was who she was. She loved helping people in any way she could find to do so. So me being the good friend I was, I agreed to do this with her. But then, three days into the summer, she got sick and had to go home. And well, since I had agreed to stay for the summer and help the campout and run art classes for the kids, I was stuck. My dad’s exact words were, “You committed to the camp to run the art classes for the kids. And unless you are sick or dying young lady, you will stay and finish out your commitment.” So I was left at the camp unless I got sick as well, and well, that hasn’t happened. Luckily though, I wasn’t in charge of making sure the kids stayed in their cabins at night. I was free to do what I wanted once lights out, so long as I stayed close by, which wasn’t hard to do. I found a nice quiet spot halfway around the lake that was perfect for drawing and just being alone. Like my mom, I loved art. My favorite thing to do was to sit and draw what I saw or even whatever came to mind. And this place was great. There were so many things to see and practice drawing. And with there being more than one camp around the lake, it made for even more to sketch. The other camp was directly across from the one I was at and seemed to have older kids. They always had a fire going at night and things going on later into the night than the kids at my camp did. With the kids being around ten and eleven at the camp I was at, we did lights out at nine. But the other camp seemed to be up well after midnight most nights.

It wasn’t until about a week and a half into the eight weeks I had to be here that I first met one of the kids from the other camp. He was cute. With naturally tan skin, his brown hair fell into his brown eyes. He had some muscles to his otherwise skinny frame. I had been sitting in the same spot I had been just about every night since Lizzy got sick and left me alone, only three days into the eight weeks. A small sandy part at the edge of the lake was perfect for sitting next to the water. After the first night, I learned to bring a towel or blanket with me to sit on. I also brought snacks and water with me, so I could sit for a bit longer and enjoy the quiet. Tonight I was sitting in my spot, completely engrossed in capturing the full moon bouncing off the lake. The sound of someone walking up behind me startled me, making me jump up and turn around. He held his hands up to show he didn’t mean to scare me. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. I was just walking around the lake. I didn’t even know anyone else would be out this way this late.” I nodded, “It’s ok.” Slowly I picked my sketchbook back up and started gathering my pencils. When I had jumped up, they had scattered everywhere. “What are you doing out here, by the way?” I shrugged as I stood back up and stared at him. “They have lights out at nine for the kids. And I get nights off, so I come out here to enjoy the quiet. Why are you walking around the lake in the middle of the night?” A large smile spread across his face, “I was actually trying to find a way back to the main road. I noticed there was another camp across the lake, and with any luck, they won’t have the road blocked off.” I raised an eyebrow. “Why would they block the road off?” He shrugged. “So we don’t leave. Not like any of us actually want to be here.” I scoffed, wasn’t that the truth. Sure, I had signed up for this gig, but only because Lizzy begged me to. And I couldn’t tell her no when she begged. “I am right there with you on that one. But my parents are out to make a point at this point. I agreed to be here, so I have to finish out my obligation. Or whatever my dad said. Neither of them taking into consideration the only reason I agreed to be here was that my friend begged me to join her, and she got sick, so she isn’t even here.” I shrugged. He just stared at me a moment, then shook his head. “Why would you agree to spend a summer at camp?” I shrugged, “My best friend begged me, and I gave in. Why did you agree to spend a summer at camp?” He shook his head. “I didn’t agree to s**t. My foster parents didn’t want to deal with any of us for the summer and sent us here. Best way to not have to deal with us and still get a paycheck.” I was shocked. “Well, that’s messed up, hardly seems right also. I don’t blame you for trying to get out of here. But the road leading out from this camp leads back around to the other side of the lake and through the same gate that leads to your camp.” He sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. “Really?” I nodded. “Yeah. Short of taking a chance of not getting lost in the woods, I don’t think you will get out.” Sighing again, he seemed to deflate. Nodding, he turned back around. “Thanks.” He didn’t wait for me to say anything more before he disappeared back into the trees.

A few days later, he returned. This time making more noise as he walked through the trees to announce himself before he scared me. This worked because I simply looked up from my sketchbook as he walked through the trees. “Hello again, if you are attempting to leave again, I hate to inform you, but you took a wrong turn in the woods somewhere.” A smile spread across his face. “Damn, I was so sure I found it this time.” I shrugged and shook my head. “Nope, just me again.” The both of us laughed together as he walked closer to me. Scooting over, I made room on the blanket I had brought with me tonight, so he had room to sit down next to me. “What are you working on?” He asked as he sat down. Smiling at him, I turned the book so he could see. “I am drawing the boat that someone left out in the lake.” Holding his hand out a bit, I handed him my sketchbook and watched him. He looked at the picture I had been working on for a moment. “This is really good.” I smiled at him. “Thanks.” Silently he asked if he could look at the others in the book. I normally didn’t like people looking through my sketchbook, but I nodded, permitting him for some reason. We sat in silence for a few minutes as he flipped through the book, looking at all the things I had drawn. The whole time he did, so I took the opportunity to check him out. He was crazy cute, and I instantly had a crush on him. When he was done, he handed me back the book with a smile on his face. “So, do you come out here every night?” I nodded, “Yeah, it’s nice out here.” He nodded, “Do you think I could maybe join you out here at night?” Not able to hold eye contact with me as he asked, he turned and looked out to the lake. Excitement filled me at the thought that he wanted to join me in my quiet spot, but I had to play it cool. I didn’t want to come off as needy or clingy. Following suit, I turned my attention from him to out at the lake. “I don’t see why not.” I shrugged, acting as though I didn’t care if he joined me or not.

And that began one of the best summers of my life. It was also the summer that was filled with my first crush and love. Every night, we would meet up, talking, laughing, swimming, then making out, then other things. At the age of sixteen, I lost my virginity to a boy that was a year older than me. His name was Mark Gates, and he was my first everything. On our last night together, we went skinny dipping in the lake ending in us wrapped around each other, then we layed up on the shoreline, and I drew up a sketch for both of us. He had told me he dreamed of getting a tattoo and would love for me to draw one up for him. So I did along with an idea for me. They weren’t matching tattoos by any means. Since she was a tattoo artist, the one I planned on talking my mom into giving me was a simple picture of the moon with a few stares around it. Hidden in the image were his initials. I know they say never to put a guy’s name on you. But he was my first everything, and even though I knew what we had was ending, the chances of us ever seeing each other again was next to nothing. I wanted to never forget the name of the guy I gave my everything to. And it was something that even as my mom was giving me the tattoo, she wouldn’t think the letters were someone's initials, and even if she did, she wouldn’t think to ask what they meant. Since I didn’t think he would want my name or initials anywhere on him, I chose to go a different route with his design. I decided to sketch myself, full-body dressed in a skimpy skirt and stars coving my n*****s. I also made it, so my face was mostly covered, and only a little bit of it was showing. I did this so it could really be of any woman, but I would always know it was of me. That was if he even ever actually got the tattoo. Which he said he would, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.

The next day my dad came and picked me up, and as I rode behind him on his bike, we passed the bus that Mark’s camp loaded everyone onto. The two of us gave each other a small wave as my dad passed the bus. I was sure I would never see him again, which saddened me. On my eighteenth birthday, my mom granted my wish for the tattoo I had drawn, and it now covered my right shoulder blade. Over the years, I dated a few guys, but none of them were like Mark had been. When we were together, it was like nothing else in the world existed. But with my other boyfriends, it had been like the faster they could finish, the better. So I found flirting and having fun while working at the bar made me happy. Sure, I would like to find someone to be with, but I was young and wasn’t in any hurry. Although if you asked my dad, he would say I was going on dates with guys all the time. He was convinced with the way I flirted with the guys at the bar. I had several boyfriends. And even though it hurt that he would think his daughter was a slut I didn’t mind at the same time. It was fun watching him sweat. He had nearly lost his mind when Clara, my older sister, started dating. Then when she and her best friend Alex, who just so happened to be a member of the MC he was, started dating, my poor father just about had a heart attack. He was so against it for the longest time. Then they announced they would be getting married, and my father’s focus turned to me. And every guy I flirted with became the subject of his obsession to make sure his baby girl kept her innocents for as long as possible, which made me laugh. I had lost it long ago at this point. But also because he was such a walking contradiction in the fact he acted like I was a slut one minute, but then the next, he was all about making sure I didn’t give my virginity to the wrong guy.

Then a day I never thought would happen happened. Gunner, Lizzy’s dad, and Cookie, one of my dad’s best friends and a member of the MC, walked into the bar with two new members. Well, new members to the MC chapter here in town. Both guys looked exactly the same, except one was covered in tattoos. That same guy sported my half-naked drawing of myself on his left forearm. I recognized him instantly but pretended I didn’t. I wasn’t sure if he recognized me or even wanted others to know we knew each other. On top of that, I wasn’t sure how Gunner and Cookie would react since they were not only friends with my father but also like uncles to me. Mark now went by the name of Tats, and my god, if he hadn’t grown into his body. The skinny kid with the beginnings of muscles had sure filled out. And he had a twin brother that was just as good-looking. Well, how could he not be? They were identical. But it was Tats that instantly had my whole body going into instant withdrawal from the memory of our summer together. As I spoke to them, getting their orders, I had to squeeze my legs together. Thank god for the bar that stood between us. I wasn’t sure if he recognized me at first until later in the night when I caught him glaring at some of the guys I was flirting with at the bar as I served them drinks. But he never came over and said anything, so then it became a game for me. I recognized him, but I wanted to see if he would come up and say he recognized me. And every time he was in the bar, I kicked up my flirting with the other patrons up a notch. Which seemed only to drive him crazy, but still, he didn’t say anything to me.