Knox's Stand

by Jamie Begley

  “Come here.” His arm went around her waist. “I’ll watch until you’re inside.”

  “Okay.”

  “Later.”

  Diamond nodded her head, stepping away from his warm body.

  She went up the short flight of steps to her apartment. Putting the key in the lock, she unlocked the door and turned on her lights then turned and waved to Knox, who waved back before leaving. Diamond went inside her apartment, locking the door behind her and then stared around the white, emotionless room.

  She realized then that there was no going back to the vacuum she had turned her life into. Knox had awoken the emotions of desire she had buried deep within her that day she had caught her father cheating on her mother.

  Going into her bedroom, she took off her clothes and went into the shower. She let the water get warm as she turned around and caught sight of her body in the full length mirror she kept on the back of the bathroom door. Her breasts and neck had faint marks Knox had left behind. He hadn’t been rough and had never caused her any pain, but the marks seemed to reinforce the possession he had taken over her body.

  Turning away from the mirror, she got into the shower, hoping it would wake her up. She hadn’t slept much this weekend and she had a feeling it was going to be a long day.

  * * *

  The motorcycle drove steadily up the mountain road, taking the curves at maximum speed. He passed Rosie’s bar on his way back to the clubhouse and the patrol car beginning to pull out of the parking lot. Seconds later, he saw the flashing blue lights in his rear view mirror. Slowing down, he pulled carefully off the road.

  He turned off his motor as he watched the sheriff get out of his car. The thought struck him that he was walking slower and his face had become more lined since the last time he had seen him just last week.

  “What are you doing out so late?” The sheriff greeted him with the gruff question.

  “Couldn’t sleep.”

  “Knox just passed ahead of you; something going on that I need to know about?” The sheriff always tried to stay alert to possible trouble involving The Last Riders.

  “No.”

  The sheriff stared at him silently, patiently waiting for more information.

  “Nothing’s going on. Knox took his woman home and was going back to the clubhouse,” he explained, knowing he would worry.

  “Anyone I know?” he asked curiously.

  “Diamond Richards.”

  The sheriff whistled. “Never would have guessed that one.”

  “You’re looking tired.”

  “I am. I’m a deputy short.” The sheriff sighed, raising his hand to rub his eyes. “When Cash asked me to come up here and check on Beth and Lily, I never expected to stay this long.”

  “I know.”

  “Rach wants to travel. Lost one wife not listening to what she wanted, don’t plan on getting another divorce in this stage of my life.”

  “She won’t divorce you, maybe stop cooking for you, but she wouldn’t leave you.”

  “I asked Lucky, if I retired, if he would take over,” The sheriff said, looking up the dark road ahead.

  “What was his answer?”

  “He told me to shove it.” The sheriff didn’t try to hide his disappointment at wanting to turn the reigns of the sheriff’s office over to someone he could trust.

  The sheriff turned the conversation back to the reason he had made the stop. “Penni stopped by to see us; she was pretty upset about you calling her to jump on her ass.”

  “She doesn’t need to be going to parties, and she damn sure doesn’t need to take Lily with her.”

  “Go home and go to bed, Shade. You’re looking tired yourself. You’re not going to find what you’re looking for on this mountain road.” The Sheriff turned to walk away, but then turned back “And slow your ass down.”

  “I will. Night, Dad.” Shade started his motor, pulling out onto the road.

  “Night, son.”

  * * *

  Diamond stayed busy the next two weeks, going over the list of names that Beth, Lily and Winter had given her at the wedding. They had told the truth; the list was overwhelming in the number of men Samantha had intimate contact with. They had even made a separate category for those names she had a brief relationship with.

  Several of the men had moved out of town, became married or could care less that Samantha had been murdered. The woman had no friends that she could find and Diamond was becoming increasingly worried that she wouldn’t be able to come up with a viable alternative suspect to switch the focus off Knox.

  She stared out her window that faced the back of the church and provided a view of the parking lot. The sight of the church never failed to bring feelings of guilt about her relationship with Knox.

  She had spent every night of the last two weeks either in his bed or hers. He would wait until dark and pick her up on his bike to take her to the clubhouse or he would knock on her door and they would stay at her apartment for the night. She refused to allow herself to think about the time he was at the clubhouse without her.

  She got up from her chair and went to her window, lowering the shade so the image of the church wouldn’t be staring at her accusingly.

  As she returned to her desk, her cell phone rang so she looked at the caller ID. Sex Piston was calling her. Diamond didn’t answer, dodging her sister yet again. She hadn’t been able to bring herself to talk to them since that disaster of a dinner.

  She sighed, making her mind up to go over tomorrow night and face them. She would apologize and paste one of her fake smiles on and then stand by them with gritted teeth as they married.

  Her cell phone rang again. Picking it up, thinking this time it might be her mother, she saw that it was the Commonwealth’s Attorney calling.

  “Hello?”

  “Di, this is David.

  “What can I do for you this morning?” Diamond was dreading further bad news on Knox’s case.

  “We’re dropping charges on Knox. The official autopsy and toxicology reports finally got back from Frankfort. Apparently, Treepoint needs a new coroner because he missed the mark on this case.”

  “What did the autopsy show?” Hope had Diamond clenching the phone tighter in her hand.

  “Samantha Bedford had a genetic kidney disease. The coroner said it was unbelievable that she had lived as long as she had with the shape they were in. I talked to the grandmother; none of the family or Samantha had any idea that she was sick.

  “Besides that, the doctor said the hit on her head wasn’t hard enough to kill her, that her kidneys shut down. Even if we can prove the assault on her, which led to the trauma to her head, a good lawyer would get him off because of her condition. You’re an excellent lawyer, so I’m not going to waste the state’s money until we can prove without a doubt it was Knox she had the altercation with. Our office is going to drop the charges.”

  “Thanks for calling me. I’ll give Knox the good news.” Diamond couldn’t hide her excitement.

  “Don’t get to complacent, Di. If I can find some way to prove he was the one that caused that head injury, I’ll prosecute him for involuntary manslaughter.”

  “Understood.” Disconnecting the call, Diamond was elated that Knox wouldn’t be facing a trial in the near future, but she continued to be worried he would have the specter of Samantha Bedford hanging over his head until they did find out who she’d had a fight with after Knox left her that day.

  She pushed in Knox’s phone number.

  “Yeah?” Knox answered with his grumpy voice.

  “Where are you at?” Diamond tried to tone down her excitement, wanting to surprise him.

  “Having lunch at the diner with Razer and Viper.”

  “Can you come to my office when you get done, I have some good news.”

  “Be there in five; we’re done here.”

  “Okay. Bye.” Diamond could hardly wait to see his reaction.

  She walked into her front office, smiling at H
olly. “You can go to lunch.”

  Her secretary returned her smile. “I take it you’re having a good day.”

  “The best.” Diamond couldn’t restrain herself, she hugged her startled secretary.

  “Want me to bring you something back?” Holly offered.

  “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.