Knox took a seat on the couch next to Shade, pulling Diamond down onto his lap. Knox wasn’t wearing his uniform, just jeans and a t-shirt. His huge frame crowded the large sofa. Lily had to sit up straighter, curling her legs on top of Shade’s.
“I put Georgia on suicide watch. Had to hire an extra policewoman from Jamestown, but at least I don’t have to worry about walking into her cell and finding her dead,” Knox said, looking at Lily. “You were right. I saw the marks on her wrist.”
“I wouldn’t have ever said anything, but I didn’t want her to hurt herself because she’d made a mistake.”
“It’s more than a mistake. She fucked up bad. She’s going to do some hard time for arson unless she can come up with a name. Cash is trying to trace the account, but he said whoever set the account up knows what they’re doing. He said it’s one of the best he’s ever seen,” Knox informed them.
“Fuck,” Shade exclaimed.
“Not only that, but Georgia says she doesn’t know the man who gave her the money. Said she was at the grocery store and he drove a dark car up to her when she was putting groceries in her car. Handed her twenty thousand to do it then promised her the fifty thousand after it was done.”
“Did you check the store surveillance?” Viper asked.
“Sure did. The store erases the tapes after a month. I looked through them just in case we got lucky, but no such luck.”
“Damn,” Shade said. “I was hoping she had more information than that.”
“I’ll see if she can remember anything more in the morning; maybe spending her first night in jail will jog her memory,” Knox responded, adjusting Diamond on his lap.
“We need to catch a break somewhere before whoever they are makes another move against Lily.” Shade’s words frightened her. It was disconcerting to have someone so determined to hurt you and not know why.
“I like your boots,” Lily said to Diamond.
“Thanks, I bought them at the shoe store in town. It sucks that store is on the way to the courthouse. I have to pass it every day. These were in the window. The manager knows what I like and I swear he puts stuff in the window he knows I can’t resist.”
“I like shoes, too. I have some new ones that I haven’t worn yet. I don’t get much of an opportunity to wear them and they’re too large for Beth to wear.”
“Really? What size are they?” Diamond asked casually, yet Lily was well aware of the gleam of avarice in her eyes.
“Eight,” Lily answered with a smile.
“Damn, I wear a nine.”
“Sorry about that,” Lily apologized with a smile. She’d never had a girlfriend to share clothes with before.
“What size is the sweater?”
“Small.”
“I’m a medium, but it looks big on you; it could work.” Diamond reached out to touch the soft pink sweater. “I love pink, but it usually clashes with my hair.
“Let’s dance,” Shade interrupted them, his hand lifting her legs off his.
Lily looked around the room, seeing Train already had his hand between Bliss’s thighs as she sat on a stool at the bar. Several of the women, who were allowed in the house, were dancing suggestively with the members on the floor. Nickel was standing behind one, pulling her breast out of her top. Lily looked away.
“I think the floor is crowded enough.” Lily stood up.
“It isn’t downstairs,” Shade said, taking her hand. “Knox?”
“Coming.”
Shade turned to Viper and Razer. “Later.”
“Happy New Year, brother,” Viper said, lifting his beer up.
“You, too.”
Lily followed Shade downstairs. She was happy he understood she hadn’t wanted to stay up there. This way she could stay and have fun without being uncomfortable watching the others.
Shade turned on a couple of the lamps then turned on the music. He pulled up the workout mats, placing them against the wall before holding out his arms for her. She stepped into his arms without hesitation.
Knox and Diamond came downstairs, closing the door behind them and then they began dancing next to them.
Lily had been around Knox the least of the members, so he was slightly frightening to her because of his size, though his gentle expression when he was with Diamond eased her fears. They spent a while on the dance floor before Shade went upstairs, getting beers for him and Knox, bringing sodas for her and Diamond.
After sitting and talking for a while, Knox and Diamond went to the dance floor to dance again.
“Are you having fun?” Shade asked, sitting down on the couch next to her.
“Yes. I like Diamond.” Lily lowered her voice. “Shade, she really doesn’t believe that zombies are going to take over the world, does she?”
Shade laughed. “I have no idea. I think she just watches too many zombie movies.”
“See. That’s why I don’t watch scary movies.” She gave him an I-told-you-so look.
“Why? Are you susceptible to movies?”
“Scary ones. They give me nightmares.”
“Porno?” Shade leaned over her.