Knox's Stand

Chapter Nine

“Thanks for the clothes,” Knox grudgingly thanked the lawyer as she handed him the paperwork releasing him from jail for the second time that week.

“You’re welcome,” Diamond’s response was just as begrudging.

His long steps had no trouble keeping up with her strides outside the courtroom where Viper and Rider were waiting.

Before Viper could talk, Diamond cut him off, “The bond wasn’t raised, pending the result of the final autopsy. When the autopsy or fingerprints come back, he could be back in, Viper. Whoever called that tip in wants him to take the fall. Any enemies that want him out of the way?” Diamond questioned.

“None. Even the Ohio branch of The Last Riders is calm right now,” Viper answered her question with one of his own. “Any idea who could be behind the call?”

“No, but I think the reason they called the state police is they were worried someone would recognize their voice,” Diamond stated; after the sheriff had mentioned it, she had become certain that this was the case.

The men all stared at each other.

Diamond shifted on her feet. “If there’s nothing else, I’m going home. It’s been a long day, Viper.”

Their attention turned to her. “Thanks, Ms. Richards,” Viper said.

Diamond nodded. “I’ll be in touch.”

Diamond left the men talking, going to her car which she had left in the sheriff’s parking lot. Opening her car door, she noticed The Last Riders had also parked their bikes not far from her car. She put the key in the ignition and it took a second before she realized her car wouldn’t start. Turning the key again, silence was the car’s only response.

Diamond picked up her cell phone, but a knock on her window had her turning toward the sound to find Knox was staring back at her.

Opening her door, he looked pointedly at the dead instrument panel. “Car won’t start?”

“No. I’m calling a tow truck.”

“Open the hood; we’ll take a look,” Knox said, stepping back from her car.

“That’s all right; I can call—”Diamond tried to put him off.

“Open the hood.” Knox didn’t wait for her answer, going to the front of her car with Viper and Rider following. Reluctantly, Diamond pressed the lever, releasing the hood to her car, and then stepped out to stand beside the men who were all staring down at her engine.

Rider examined her engine several minutes before rising from the motor to look at her. “It’s the alternator. Leave it here tonight. In the morning I’ll go to the auto store and pick you up a new one.”

“That’s okay. I can handle it.” Diamond could already tell she was going to lose the battle, though. Men had an abundance of testosterone on two subjects, women and cars. Giving up, Diamond went to her car and got her briefcase as well as her purse out.

“How much does the alternator cost?” Diamond pulled her wallet out of her purse.

“Don’t worry about it,” Rider said, closing the hood of her car. “I’ll pay for it and you can pay me back.”

Diamond nodded her agreement. “All right.” Diamond locked her car. Scrolling her phone for taxis, she was about to call one when Knox spoke.

“I’ll give you a ride home.”

“No thanks, I’m calling a cab,” Diamond refused.

“Don’t be stupid. I can have you home before you can get someone here.” Diamond paused; she was tired and not feeling well. She was beginning to feel nauseous; having a feeling that she was coming down with her secretary’s virus. She just wanted to go home and climb into her bed.

“How?”

“Razer brought my bike. Beth picked him up already,” Knox answered, pointing to his bike.

She was not enthusiastic about getting on the back of a bike, but Diamond was feeling worse by the moment.

“Let’s go,” Diamond caved.

All three men looked at her in surprise at her easy capitulation.

“Are you all right?” Knox asked warily.

“I’m fine. It’s been a long day,” Diamond responded, trying to keep her heaving stomach calm a few more minutes.

“You’re telling me,” Knox said sarcastically, bringing back the vision of him barely covered in the sheet. Diamond almost changed her mind, but her heaving stomach had her climbing on the back of Knox’s bike and taking his helmet as he tied her briefcase onto the back of his bike.

Knox got on then turned on the bike, waving at Rider and Viper as he pulled out. Diamond remembered that she hadn’t told him where she lived, but wasn’t surprised when he drove in the direction of her apartment. Thankfully for Diamond’s stomach, she was able to make it there. As soon as Knox pulled to a stop in her parking lot, she jumped off his bike.

“Thanks.” Diamond took off at a run for her apartment.

When shaking fingers kept her from being able to unlock her door, a hand reached out, taking the keys from her and inserting them in the lock. As soon as the door was opened she took off again, dropping her purse on the floor by the door. She barely managed to slam the bathroom door shut and reach the toilet basin before she lost the contents of her stomach.

It was terrible. Her heaving stomach didn’t have much to expel as she had begun feeling unwell before lunch and hadn’t eaten. Diamond’s shaking hand reached out to brush her fallen hair back from her hot check.

“Diamond?” Knox’s voice could be heard through the closed door.

“Don’t call me that.” She might be down, but she wasn’t out. She hated that name.

“Are you all right?” Diamond didn’t want to hear the concern in his voice.

“I’m fine. You can go. It’s a stomach virus I caught off my secretary. I hope you don’t catch it.”

“I don’t get sick,” Knox answered. “Can I get you anything?”

“No. Just lock the door on your way out.” Diamond sat on her butt by the toilet, still afraid to move.

Just as Diamond heard him move away from the door then her outside door closing, her stomach began heaving again. She clung to the basin, thankful she was OCD about keeping a clean bathroom as she lost what little was left in her stomach. As sweat broke out across her body, Diamond tried to pull off her jacket, however she couldn’t stop heaving long enough to do so.

When the bathroom door opened and she felt a wet cloth brush her forehead, Diamond whimpered in relief. Her jacket was pulled off one side and she quickly grabbed the wet rag as he maneuvered her jacket completely off.

“You’re burning up,” Knox said, hanging her jacket on a hook on the wall.

Diamond began shaking harder.

“You’re sure this is a virus and not food poisoning?” Knox asked, squatting down beside her.

Diamond nodded her head. “My secretary has been out two days with it.” Brushing her hair back again, Diamond didn’t want to imagine what she looked like with her fallen hair hanging over a toilet.

“You have anything for nausea in your cabinets?”

“No.”

“I’ll be back in ten minutes.”

“Knox, I’ll be fine. Just go home.”

He ignored her, leaving the bathroom, then Diamond heard her front door open and close. Relieved that he had finally left, Diamond managed to rewet the washcloth in the sink and wash her face, however she found out that brushing her teeth was a huge mistake when she was once again over the toilet when Knox returned.

Diamond looked up at him in frustration. “I told you, I’ll be all right.”

“Shut the fuck up.” Knox handed her the familiar pink medicine with a spoon. Diamond didn’t resist taking a dose of the medicine as well as the cool liquid to swallow after it.

Her stomach finally empty, she tried to rise to her feet as Knox helped her up. Grasping the sink basin for support, she again washed her face and brushed her teeth, this time with better results.

Diamond turned from the sink to see Knox leaning against the doorframe. “Better?”

Diamond nodded her head, walking forward. Knox moved from the doorway, watching as she moved into her living room and then sunk down onto her couch where she laid her spinning head back.

Knox sat down in a chair, surveying the room. Diamond ignored the man who refused to leave.

“You got something against color?”

Diamond lifted her head weakly. “I like a calm environment.”

“Any more calm and you’d be dead.”

“Very funny. Maybe I should get mismatched furniture and put a bar in the corner, would that suit you better?” She refused to feel like a bitch about putting down the furniture at The Last Rider clubhouse when he was being so rude about her own decor.

“At least it would look like someone actually lived here.”

“You can go anytime.” Diamond lay back again weakly. “I’m over the worst of it.” She watched as Knox stood to his feet.

“You sure?” he asked, hesitating. Diamond could tell he was anxious to leave.

“Yes.” Diamond rebuffed the idea of being weak enough to need any help. “I’m sure.”

At that, he left her sitting on the couch.

She began to feel sorry for herself as soon as he’d left and then promptly became angry at herself for wishing he had stayed. Diamond couldn’t understand herself where he was concerned any more. He attracted her, and refusing to admit it was making the situation worse; that much was certain. It made her say ugly things that she didn’t mean and act like those who had treated her the same when she had been a child. Diamond had learned long ago that ignoring something made it blow up in your face. It was smarter to realize you had a problem and put up defenses to stop it. She just wasn’t sure how to get in front of this particular problem.

Ever since she had realized her father was a two-timing bastard, she had not let anyone close enough to rock the tame world she had built around herself. She didn’t like an environment in turmoil and tension, which is what she’d lived in constantly with Sex Piston as a sister and with her father as the President of the Destructors. She wanted a quiet environment that she could enjoy, yet was reluctant to admit that it was also boring.

She got up from the couch and made herself a cup of hot tea at the same time that her childish instincts were kicking in, making her want to call her mom, but she didn’t. Instead, she drank her tea and then went back to lay on the couch.

She must have dozed off, only waking groggily when she felt herself being lifted from the couch against a hard chest. Oddly, her panic instinct didn’t click in, she just lay there as she was carried into her bedroom.

Sickly, she mumbled that she had to go to the restroom. She was carried into the bathroom to lose the tea she had drunk after another round of nausea. When she was finished, Knox washed her face off, removing the glistening sweat that showed her fever had risen.

“Do you need to use the restroom?” Diamond heard Knox’s voice rousing her to her senses.

“Yes,” her dry voice croaked.

“Go ahead.” He left her, closing the door behind him. Diamond didn’t take long. As soon as she had flushed the toilet, Knox was back, lifting her into his arms once more and then carrying her into her bedroom. Standing her on her feet by her bed, he began unbuttoning her blouse.

“Stop. What are you doing?”

“Getting you out of these clothes. You have vomit on your blouse.”

Diamond flushed, losing her composure for a second. “I can do it.”

Knox removed his hands, however when Diamond’s shaking fingers only managed to fumble with the tiny buttons, Knox brushed her fingers away. His fingers had the shirt unbuttoned within seconds, sliding the blouse off before unsnapping her bra. Diamond reached out to cover her large breasts, but Knox ignored her efforts, stepping closer to her to reach his arms around her to unzip her skirt. When the skirt fell to her feet, leaving her standing in nothing other than her panties, Diamond’s face blushed under her already heated skin.

“I can get myself undressed,” Diamond snapped.

Knox ignored her and went to her chest against the wall. “Where are your nightgowns?” Diamond pointed to her dresser. “Top drawer.”

Knox moved to the dresser, opening the drawer. He looked down for several seconds before pulling out a thin blue gown that had lace on the edges. Coming back to her, he slid the gown over her head. The nightgown came to her mid thighs.

“I see you do like color after all.”

Diamond threw him a dirty look as she climbed into her bed. Her bright purple panties that were now covered by the bright blue gown didn’t give her much room to argue. Knox pulled the covers over her before going back into the bathroom and returning with the nausea medicine. Taking it and the cold water he had gotten from the kitchen, she drank them then lay down on her bed.

Knox sat down on the bed next to her. “I’m going to crash on your sofa.” Diamond opened her mouth to protest. “Call me if you need anything.” With that, he left her lying there, not knowing what to do. Her cramping stomach finally made the choice for her and she relaxed into the soft bed, letting the medicine ease her back into a light doze.

Throughout the night, he helped her back and forth to the bathroom. Towards dawn, the cramping in her stomach eased and she was able to fall asleep. She kept kicking the covers off then would get cold again, pulling the covers back around her.

Finally managing to go into a deep sleep, she relaxed into the hard warmth at her back as her stomach was massaged by a warm hand, easing the tight muscles. Diamond lost all awareness and caring, only feeling the relief.

Sometime later, she tried to get up to go to the restroom only to find a hard arm pinning her to the bed. Stiffening, she realized that Knox was curved up against her back. Trying to slide out from underneath him, she felt his hard cock against her back. With a squeak, she tried harder to get out of the bed.

His hand slid to her hip over the silky material of her gown. “You going to be sick again?”

“No, I need to go to the bathroom.”

When the hand at her hip released her, Diamond slid out of the bed.

Taking her time, she brushed her teeth and hair then put on her robe before returning to her bedroom where Knox was sitting on the side of the bed. His stubble was in direct contrast to his cleanly shaven head. His eyes surveyed her covered in her white robe as she came out of the bathroom.

“Better?”

“Yes, I think I’m over the worst of it.”

Knox nodded his head before reaching down to grab his boots. Diamond watched as he put on his shoes.

“Why did you come back last night?”

“I knew you would be too stubborn to call anyone for help. I wouldn’t want Sex Piston around me when I was sick, either.”

“What have you got against my sister?” Diamond asked, thinking about defending her sister.

Knox looked up from putting on his shoes. “Other than she’s as looney as that crowd she hangs with, not a damn thing.”

Diamond changed the topic from her sister, knowing she didn’t have a leg to stand on. They really were all crazy as hell. “Why did you get in the bed?”

Knox’s face split into a sardonic grin. “You were crying because of your stomach. A couple of women at the club get bad cramps during their periods. Massage helps; I thought it would work on you. It did.” Knox shrugged.

Diamond squashed the jealous feeling of another woman receiving his caring attention. She hadn’t been the first woman he had rubbed away their pain, and she was damn sure she wouldn’t be the last one.

“Well, aren’t you just the master of knowledge where women are concerned?” Diamond said snidely.

Knox shrugged. “There’s not much I don’t know.”

Diamond stared at him angrily. “You don’t know shit about women, you know sluts.”

“Now that wasn’t nice.”

Diamond agreed, furious at herself for being so petty minded. “I’m sorry. Your personal life is no concern of mine. I just don’t like it when men assume all women are alike.”

“I would never compare you to The Last Rider women, Diamond. They are flesh and blood and can admit when their pussy is wet.”

Diamond stiffened, glaring at the arrogant ass who was now leaning back on his arms on her bed with his boot clad legs stretched out before him.

“I think it’s time you left, Knox. Thanks for your help.” Diamond dismissed him with an arrogant air of her own.

“I stayed the night, watching you puke your guts out and the only thanks I get is you shoving my ass out the door because you can’t admit you’re wet for me?” Knox leaned forward, anger filling his hard face.

“I’m not wet for you. I couldn’t get wet for you. You’re a man-whore; I saw that for myself. So, no, I’m not fucking wet.”

“You’re a bigger bitch than your sister, and I can prove you wrong,” Knox said grimly.

“There is no proof, you moron!” Diamond yelled.

“We’ll just see about that.”

One second Diamond was standing there yelling, the next she was flying through the air, landing with a bounce on her bed. Before she had stopped bouncing, her robe and nightgown were jerked up to her waist.

“What the hell?” Diamond sputtered, trying to clench her thighs together, but Knox’s hands pulled them apart as he stood by the bed before his fingers slid under her purple panties, finding the hot warmth of her pussy.

“Oh, yeah, you’re wet,” Knox answered smugly.

Diamond was stunned at the speed his fingers had found the evidence of her lie.

“You fucking bastard.” Her foot tried to strike out at his gloating face, yet Knox caught her ankle in a hard hand, jerking it up into the air. Diamond found herself flat on her back as she heard her panties ripped from her.

“Let’s see how much wetter you can get.”

“Get your hands off me.” Diamonds other foot struck out and was grasped by his other hand.

“My pleasure.” Knox raised her legs up separating them as his face buried itself in her pussy and his tongue grazed across her clit then slid into the wetness she had denied existed. A whimper of denial escaped her lips at the unbelievable pleasure of him going down on her. Diamond’s mind struggled for half a second before the pleasure of his tongue drove all plans of resistance away from her willing body.

Feeling her response against his tongue, he placed her legs over his shoulders as his mouth began to torture her into a need that had her shaking. With his hand holding her hips, he lifted her higher against him as his tongue with the barbell played with her clit, rubbing it insidiously, bringing her close to coming. He stopped, sliding his tongue inside her tight pussy to use the barbell to rub the sensitive flesh. Diamond writhed against his experienced tongue as he had her hips thrusting against him. Knox pulled his face away.

“You’re so tight your squeezing my tongue.” One of his hands went to her pussy, his fingers rubbing in her wetness before sliding one finger deeply into her warmth. Diamond moaned, helpless underneath him. “How long has it been since you’ve been fucked? As fucking tight and wound up as you are, I bet it’s been a while.”

“Go to hell!”

“Be careful, Diamond, or I won’t give you my tongue back.” Diamond opened her mouth to blast him before closing it with a snap.

“Smart woman.” Knox removed his finger, bringing his mouth back to her pussy as he gave her what she needed.

The damn tongue ring was putting pressure against her clit, and with a hard push of the metal ball against the bundle of nerves, Diamond stiffened into an orgasm that had her hands smothering the scream she couldn’t prevent.

Knox lowered her legs until they hung off the side of the bed. Diamond looked up to see Knox standing smugly over her satisfied body.

“You know where to find me if you want more.” She then watched as he left her bedroom.

Rolling to her side when she heard the front door open and close, her hand that she had used to smother the sound of her climax curled into a ball as she bit her hand in a storm of regret.

He had just shoved her insults down her throat. She had never felt fear that he wouldn’t stop, although she had been unable to make herself utter the words. The bastard had proved, without a doubt, that she had wanted him.

Diamond learned a hard lesson about challenging Knox. The next time she had a point to prove, she wouldn’t do it in a bedroom.