Evie grinned, standing up to take her dishes to the sink before going to Shade who was waiting. She went down the stairs, giving Knox a final stare.
“I’ll take care of it,” Knox said, showing he had received the unspoken message that Diamond wasn’t allowed to talk club business.
Closing the door behind him, Shade walked down the steps and towards his bedroom door where Evie was waiting impatiently, practically bouncing on her heels.
Shade opened the door for her to enter, and she went inside bursting into laughter.
“You made them watch you fucking Jewell and Raci all night?”
“Yep,” Shade said, climbing onto the bed. Stacy was chained to his wall naked, and Tara was chained to the bottom of his bed. Both women’s hands were bound so they couldn’t get off, as they watched him pleasure Raci and Jewell.
“I played with them first while Raci and Jewell partied upstairs, and then I let them come downstairs. I think they enjoyed themselves. What do you think? Tara? Stacy?”
“You fucking bastard. Shade, please, I can’t take it anymore. We didn’t think they would actually arrest Knox,” Tara whined, still attempting to reach her pussy.
Her groan of frustration irritated him.
“Get them down and out of here,” Shade told Evie. “Either of you touch your cunts before you get home, I’ll chain you back up.”
Evie released the women then handed them their clothes, and as soon as they were dressed, Evie held the bedroom door open for the twins who were anxious to leave.
They were halfway out the door when Shade’s voice stopped them. “Don’t come back to the clubhouse again. You’re no longer welcome.”
Both women burst into tears.
“Knox know to get Diamond back upstairs?”
Evie smiled. “I warned him when she was watching you get your whiskey. I’ll be right back.”
Shade was on his second glass of whiskey when Evie returned. She wrinkled her nose at the smell in the room.
“Need me to clean up?”
Shade nodded, rolling off the bed.
Evie changed his sheets while he cleaned his equipment, tossing most of it into the trashcan beside his bed. Evie watched him yet didn’t say anything. She walked out to place his dirty sheets and the dirty wash clothes he used to wipe down the mat and equipment in the washing machine in the other room.
He was sliding the mat under his bed when she came back in. He didn’t try to hide his weary expression as he climbed back onto the bed, picking up the whiskey bottle to pour Evie a large amount into the glass. He took a long drink from the bottle as he used the remote control to turn on the television.
Evie sat down on the bed next to him, placing a couple of pillows at the top for her to lean back on before picking up her glass.
“So, Knox and Diamond are a couple. Never figured he’d find someone after Sunshine.”
Shade shot her a look. “You know none of that was your fault… it was out of our control. You can sit there and wish you hadn’t been attacked, and I can sit here and wish I had been there when Levi got in that fight, but it wouldn’t matter. It’s not going to come true.”
“I know, but sometimes I just wish it could have been me. You think that Knox…”
“No, I don’t fucking think Knox ever wished it had been you.” Shade said harshly.
“Okay…okay. I’ll stop. Guess now he’s with Diamond I won’t be getting a taste of him anymore,” Evie said, lightening the grim mood. Shade lifted the whiskey bottle, taking another long drink.
“How much longer you going to be able to go on this way, Shade?”
“Another year,” he sighed. “Probably more.”
“Talk to Razer. Maybe he can work it out so you can begin seeing more of her. Maybe he can invite you over to dinner one night when she’s in from college.”
“It wouldn’t work. If I started seeing her, I wouldn’t be able to stop.”
“Yes, you would. I know you—”
“Not where Lily’s concerned you don’t. Leave it alone. Let’s just watch television.”
They watched a comedy on a group of teenagers running from the police.
“Remember when Levi and I stole Dad’s Jeep? We were already drunk off our asses by the time we picked you up.”
“I remember,” Evie said softly, scooting lower in the bed to lay her head on his shoulder. “Levi was laughing his head off, and you were driving around base, trying to pick up girls.”
“I never did get one that night.”
“They were too scared of you. You scare everyone.”
“Lily most of all.” Shade’s arm covered his eyes as he lay back on the bed.
Evie caught the whiskey bottle before it could spill.
“Go to sleep, Shade. You haven’t slept in two days.”
“Evie, you think it’s possible Lily will ever like me?” Shade’s voice slurred between the whiskey and lack of sleep.
His breath deepened as he dozed off before he could hear her soft answer.
“I think she’s going to love you.”
Chapter 35
Shade, Knox, and Viper were on their way to the diner when they saw Diamond enter the police station carrying a kid. The sheriff was holding the door open for her while the deputies followed with her secretary and a man Shade had never seen before.
“What the fuck?” Knox said, swinging his bike toward the police station, and a car horn blared.
Shade and Viper turned in when the pissed-off motorist had passed. Knox was already inside as Shade and Viper entered the station.
“I’m all right, Knox!” Diamond was yelling, trying to get Knox’s attention while he attempted to strangle the man in handcuffs.
Shade and Viper pulled him off, backing him away, as the deputies rushed the man out back.
“Knox, if you don’t stop, I’m going to arrest you,” the sheriff threatened.
Knox took a deep breath, going toward Diamond.
The little boy burst into tears.
“Holly!” he cried out with big tears sliding down his cheeks.
Shade was no expert on kids, but the one Diamond was holding didn’t look well.
“Sheriff, please let me hold him,” Holly cried, trying to take a step forward, but the deputy held her back.
“Sheriff, I already told you I’m not going to press charges. You have no reason to arrest her. She had his legal mother’s permission to care for him,” Diamond added her own plea.
The sheriff gave a sigh, going to Holly to release her handcuffs. “You should have brought the child forward. I wasted a lot of man hours searching.”
“I know. I regret that I didn’t. I should have contacted you when I found out Sam was dead, but with Vincent Bedford in prison, I was afraid he would be put in foster care. I’ve taken care of him since he was born.”
Diamond handed the little boy to Holly.
“I didn’t know Mitch had a gun. I just wanted Sam’s autopsy report so I could find out why Logan is sick all the time,” the frightened woman explained. “I’m so sorry, Diamond. I should have asked for your help instead of listening to Mitch’s idea of breaking into your office.”
Shade caught the warning look Diamond shot Holly.
“I told you it wasn’t a break-in if you had a key.”
“Well, we need to get this little guy to a doctor, and then I’ll take him to Mrs. Langley. She’s his only relative left,” the sheriff said, taking out his cell phone.
Diamond stopped him.
“No, she isn’t.”
* * *
Diamond and Knox came downstairs. Shade watched her eyes widen when she saw Jewell between Rider’s legs, sucking on his cock.
He was standing at the bar, talking to Bliss and Evie, when they stopped next to them.
Evie handed Diamond a beer.
“Thanks, Evie.”
“Did you eat dinner?” Knox asked, taking a drink of his own beer.
“Yes, I picked something u
p at the diner.”
Shade tilted his head to the side when Diamond met everyone else’s eyes except his.
“Let’s dance.” Knox broke into the strained silence, leading Diamond to the dance floor.
“You scare the crap out of her.” Bliss laughed.
Shade silently agreed. In the month Diamond and Knox had been together again, she still appeared nervous around Shade. She was friendly with Beth and Winter, but she didn’t gossip. Shade liked that about her. He liked it a lot.