“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 breakin 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?”
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.
Shade rode down the road alone, letting the fresh air hit him in the face, waving to his dad in his brand new truck as they passed on the winding road.
As the bikes pulled into the driveway of the house Knox had bought, Rider and Shade went to the tailgate of his truck where everyone grabbed something to pack in. Shade and Rider carried in the heavy mattress, setting it down inside the front door, since everyone else seemed to be waiting at the bottom of the steps for Shade’s orders.
“Everyone, let’s try not to make a mess of the new carpet. Women, we’ll pack everything up the steps, and you tell us where you want it. Knox wants the bedroom perfect when he brings Diamond over in the morning.
“What do you want me to do with this, Shade?” Evie walked in the doorway carrying Knox’s new sheriff uniform.
“Hang it on the bottom of the stairs so he’ll see it in the morning when he gets here. He wants to surprise Diamond.”
She nodded, hanging it over the banister.
Shade and Rider picked up the mattress again.
“Get busy, brothers. Knox is depending on us.”
Chapter 36
Shade, Razer, and Rider were walking by the front window of the diner. Anxious to see Lily for the first time in several weeks, he looked inside and then came to a dead stop, causing Razer and Rider to nearly collide into him.
“Watch where you’re going, Shade,” Rider snapped.
Shade ignored him, narrowing his eyes on Razer who was trying to keep a straight face. “Mother fucker, why didn’t you tell me who Beth and Lily are having lunch with?”
Shade didn’t give him time to answer. Turning on his boot, he began walking back to his bike.
Rider peeked in the window and took off after him.
“Shade, wait.” Razer caught his arm then Rider’s. “You guys are supposed to be my brothers. You can’t desert me in my time of need,” Razer begged.