“No thanks. I might not be here when you get back. I’ll lock the door if I leave,” Diamond told her.
“Okay. See you tomorrow then.” Diamond nodded happily, going back into her office. A few minutes later, Knox came in. Diamond ran across her office, throwing herself into his arms.
“The Commonwealth’s Attorney’s office dropped the charges against you. Samantha had a genetic kidney disease that was the cause of death.”
Knox’s arms squeezed her. “What?”
Diamond nodded her head. “It’s true. Even if they find evidence of an argument between you, which they won’t,” Diamond added hastily, “they would have to do involuntary manslaughter and that would be hard to prove unless someone actually saw you inflict the injury on Samantha.”
“It’s over?” Knox asked, relief filling his face.
“Yes, I’m still going to try to find who attacked her because I don’t want that hanging over your head, but you’re free now.” Diamond didn’t try to hide how happy she was for him.
Knox twirled her around in a circle before putting her back on her feet.
“Want to go back to my apartment and celebrate? I don’t have any cases this afternoon.” Her arms circled his neck, leaning her body against his while her hand went to the belt at his waist. Knox’s hand grabbed her ass, pulling her against his hard body.
“Have you lost your fucking mind, Diamond?” Sex Piston’s voice from the office door had Diamond stepping away from Knox and turning to face her sister.
“What are you doing here?” Sex Piston never came to her office.
“I came to see why in the hell you haven’t returned any of Ma’s and Pop’s calls. Now I see why. You’re giving them shit while you’re screwing that fuckwad.”
“Don’t talk about him like that, Sex Piston,” Diamond snapped angrily at her sister.
Sex Piston’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “You’re taking up for him? You’ve been fucking him after throwing up your high and mighty morals to me for years. I don’t think so, bitch. You’re letting someone fuck you that I wouldn’t let touch me.”
“Shut up.”
“Why? You don’t want to hear what I got to say? Too fucking bad, I’ve put up with your shit for years.” She nodded to Knox. “If you’ve been fucking him, then you’ve done Rider, too.”
Diamond turned white, taking a step away from Knox. “What are you talking about?”
“They’re the welcoming committee to The Last Riders. They double team the women that are joining the club. He tell you how the women become members?”
“Like pop’s club; you become a member’s old lady or fuck buddy.”
“Don’t tell me you’re that fucking stupid. None of those women belong to any of the members, they are members.”
“How do they become members?” Diamond looked towards Knox. His face was impassive as he listened to Sex Piston talk about The Last Riders.
“There are eight original members. The women that want to join fuck six out of the eight. When they’ve accomplished that milestone, they go get themselves tatted with the date they got their final vote. Now isn’t that too sweet?” Sex Piston said harshly.
Diamond was deathly afraid she was going to pass out.
“You been to one of their Friday night parties?” Sex Piston asked.
“What?”
“It’s their weekly fuck-fest where they swap sex partners and decide if any new women are going to become members.” She nodded her head. “I heard that he has a regular smorgasbord every week.”
For the last three weeks they had spent Friday nights at her apartment while they had spent the weeknights at his room at the clubhouse. Diamond felt sick.
“If you didn’t make it to one of their Fridays, then he has no interest in you joining. You’re less than those women; you’re just a temporary fuck.”
“Get out.” Diamond had heard enough from her sister. Sex Piston’s mouth closed with a snap. Throwing both of them dirty looks, she stormed from the office, slamming both doors as she left.
“Is it true?” Diamond asked.
“Yes.” He made no attempt to deny any of Sex Piston’s accusations.
“All of it?”
“Yes.” As he stared her straight in the eyes, the true depths of her humiliation hit home.
“Even the part about me being a temporary fuck?” Diamond braced herself for his answer.
This time his answer was slower, but Knox was always bluntly honest. “Yes.”
“I see.” Diamond walked to the door, opening it. “Please leave.”
“Diamond.” She held up her hand, halting any words he may have spoken.
“Leave.” Knox hesitated a minute longer before leaving without looking back at the devastation he had caused. Diamond went to the front door, locking it then went back into her private office. She picked up her cell phone and called Holly.
“Hello?” Holly answered.
“Take the rest of the day off,” Diamond said, trying to keep her voice steady.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“All right. Thanks.” Diamond disconnected the call then threw her phone against the wall before going to sit behind her desk on shaking legs.
Tears blinded her eyes as she stared at the empty doorway, hoping he would come back and make it all right between them. She began praying that it wasn’t really the way Sex Piston had described. That he had cared for her, at least in a small amount. That his big body would come back and explain everything away, or say that none of it mattered, that he had come to care for her. Anything… she would take any explanation from him…
Her tears flowed faster as the doorway remained empty.
Chapter Sixteen
Knox walked to his motorcycle and got on, putting the key in the ignition. Instead of starting it, his hands went to his head. His mind told him to start the motor and get as far away from Diamond as he could. Another part of himself that he had thought long dead was telling him to get the fuck off his bike and go back inside. He had never meant the good time they were having to get out of control. He should have known the first time he had kissed her to walk away, but again, he had proven how stupid he could be.
Starting the motor, he drove out of the parking lot and out of her life. He had always intended to walk away from the beginning, each time together the last, but each night he had found himself on his bike heading to her apartment.
He had started it angry that every time she saw him she looked at him as though he was beneath her contempt. The first time he had seen her she had curled her lip at him in disgust which had brought back his high school and college days, and the looks the girls had given him; how they had treated him.
When they had begun fucking, he had discovered she was nothing like those women, and despite his best efforts, had felt himself falling for her. Just like... Knox’s mind closed down, refusing to go there. He drove away from Diamond and the resurgence of emotions; that was the only thing that he would back down from, knowing he wasn’t strong enough to win that particular battle.
For the first time, he pulled into the clubhouse parking lot without wanting to go inside. Getting off the bike, he went inside, going to his room. He lay down on the bed and stared at the ceiling. He hadn’t been there long when he heard a soft knock at his door.
Bliss had seen him come in; he had no doubt it was her knocking on his door. Rolling to his side, he ignored the sound until eventually she gave up, leaving him alone.
* * *
Thanksgiving and Christmas passed in a blur for Diamond. She kept herself busy with court cases. For the first few weeks, she had been an emotional mess, eating anything she
could get her hands on, unable to sleep because of the memories of Knox’s skills. Her body had shown the effects.
Diamond went to her closet to get the dress she was wearing to her parents’ wedding. Her mother had picked out the dresses for her and Sex Piston, and they’d shown that her mother had no concept of her daughter’s tastes.
Both dresses were a pale yellow that looked amazing with their red-gold hair, but she had picked out two different dresses of the same color for her daughter. Hers was low cut with spaghetti straps and it clung to her body, showing each curve. Thankfully, she had begun to regain control of the weight she had packed on; the dress was still tight, though it was wearable.
In direct contrast, Sex Piston’s dress was more demur yet seductive. The neckline was high in the front while leaving a plunging back that showcased Sex Piston’s best asset. The dress flowed loosely against her body, hinting at the curves that Sex Piston loved to flaunt. Diamond had even asked her mother twice to make sure she had intended those particular dresses for them and hadn’t mixed them up. Her mother had merely given her a sad look, refusing to change her choice of dress.
She had spent the least amount of time as possible with her parents, not even going for Christmas or Thanksgiving, using her caseload as an excuse. Everyone knew she was lying, however they didn’t say anything. She had thankfully also avoided Sex Piston since that day at the office.
Diamond dressed, going to the table to get her car keys and purse. Going out the door to her car, she thought again of going to purchase a new one, yet was unable to bring herself to do so.
Viper had brought the money for Knox’s case, but she had refused all of it except the actual hours she had worked on the case, explaining that she hadn’t been the one to prove his innocence. The State of Kentucky had done the job they were supposed to do.
Viper had argued, but had eventually given up, leaving her with enough to buy a new car. However she couldn’t bring herself to do so, remembering Knox had promised to help her pick one out.
She pulled out of the parking lot, not noticing the lone biker sitting where she couldn’t see him.