“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.