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.#p#分页标题#e#
“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 up 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.
Diamond had a good head on her shoulders, and she was concerned about other’s feelings. She had seen to it that Dustin was given custody of his son while ensuring Mrs. Langley was able to see her grandson. Her secretary was still employed with her, and Diamond had talked Dustin into letting Holly stay near his son, despite his older brothers’ anger from Holly having kept the child from them. Everything had been smoothed out by Diamond.
He and Evie were still standing at the bar later when Knox carried Diamond up the steps.
“When do you think it’s going to dawn on her that she’s the new member being voted in tonight?” Evie laughed as they both watched Train go upstairs.
“In about two minutes,” Shade replied as Cash left the dance floor with Bliss in tow.
“You change your mind about joining in?” Shade asked her.
“No. I said I would help you. Are you almost ready?”#p#分页标题#e#
Shade set his unfinished beer down on the bar counter.
Rider, seeing them heading to the door, left the dance floor. “Let me grab my keys, and I’ll meet you at my truck.”
Shade nodded, going out the door.
Crash turned off the music as the rest of The Last Riders followed them out the door and down to the parking lot. The women climbed in the front of Rider’s truck, which was filled to the brim with everything from Diamond’s bedroom that Knox and the other’s had taken from her apartment while she had been at work, while those who didn’t fit jumped on whichever brother’s bike was near.