Knox's Stand(48)

“You’re right,” Diamond admitted to the woman.

“Good, glad we got that shit straight. Can I eat my lunch now?” Jewell asked, picking up her fork.

“Yes.” Diamond laughed, finishing her own food.

It was easy to see how Beth and Winter had adjusted to The Last Rider’s lifestyle. The women were nice and didn’t try to stake their claim, instead they were friendly and yet let you have your own space and privacy. Evie was obviously the leader and confident. Bliss was shy with the women, but more outgoing with the men. Jewell was an in-your-face, tell-it-like-it-is type of personality, which Diamond could admire. She felt a friendship developing between them as they sat there, drinking another beer.

Rider stood up, taking his plate. “Since no one cares about me, I’m going to go work on my bike.”

“I didn’t say I wasn’t interested,” Jewell said, looking at him, leaving no doubt what was on her mind.

“Later. My manhood has taken a blow. It’s going to take time to recover.”

“More likely you used it up last night with Dawn and don’t have anything left.”

“Later, Jewell.” Rider didn’t deny Jewell’s theory.

“I’ll be waiting,” she answered.

Everyone gradually wandered off, leaving Knox and her sitting alone. “I like your friends.”

“They can be a pain in the ass sometimes, but they have become a family to me,” Knox said.

“What about your parents?”

“My dad is in prison for drug trafficking and my mom disappeared when I was a kid; don’t know or care where she is.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I haven’t given a damn about it since I joined The Last Riders. They have my back and I have theirs.” He shrugged.

“I’m glad you found that, Knox,” Diamond said and meant it. Knox obviously meant a lot to The Last Riders.

“I met Evie when I was in the service and she introduced me to them. After a few months, they asked me to join the club when Gavin and Viper were first starting it. I got along with them all so I joined in and took a stake in the company. It was the best and smartest decision I’ve ever made.”

“Were you and Evie…?” Diamond questioned carefully.

“At first I thought Evie was in love with me, but she knew I didn’t return her feelings. She was the first woman I was with, Diamond.” Diamond was shocked by his admission. “Picture me as a kid in high school.”

“Oh.” His size alone would have set him apart, and his harsh features wouldn’t have been attractive to a high school girl.

“No one after high school?”

Knox ignored her question. Diamond had already learned that when Knox didn’t want to talk, he didn’t. She thought that he probably had become involved with someone then she must have dumped him. Diamond didn’t blame him for not wanting to discuss a broken relationship.

“It must have been hard when you joined The Last Riders and saw her with the other men,” Diamond probed.

“The first time I saw her with another man I dreaded it because I thought it would bother me, but it didn’t. I just thought about how hot it was. I knew I wasn’t in love with her, but I didn’t know how I would feel about sharing someone I was in a sexual relationship with, then I discovered that I enjoyed it. Then the other women became available to me and I went pussy crazy.

“The feelings Evie had for me died somewhere along the way or they weren’t there to begin with. Now we’re good friends and neither of us want it any other way. For some reason, whenever someone new joins, they picture us as a couple, but we aren’t. We never really were.”

Diamond knew why, but didn’t tell Knox. That was Evie’s secret. The only reason she knew was, God help her, she was beginning to feel the same way for the big man.

“Want to go for a ride?” Knox asked, standing up.

Diamond was aware that she should refuse, go home and put this weekend behind her, but she couldn’t resist a few more hours with him. “Yes.”

They grabbed their jackets and went to his bike. Knox drove them down the mountain roads that were no longer used by the coal trucks. Diamond enjoyed every bit of the ride. It was breathtaking when she looked down and realized exactly how high they were. Diamond enjoyed the scenery and the closeness to Knox. When they returned to the clubhouse she wished they could have stayed out longer.

The clubhouse was quiet when they returned to his room and lay on his bed where they watched television as they explored each other’s bodies until Knox stopped. Diamond whimpered, wanting him to finish what he’d started.