Shade
Page 42
Shade was sitting on the chair in the club room, talking to Viper with Winter cuddled next to his president’s side when Knox came in.
“What are you doing back so early?” Viper questioned.
“She’s in for the day,” Knox answered. “I’m going to grab a shower. Then I’m going to Rosie’s.”
“I’m in for that,” Rider said, coming into the room.
By the time Knox was ready, several others had decided to tag along. Shade decided to go, as well; he was bored with sitting on his ass.
“Stay out of trouble,” Viper warned.
When Knox gave him the finger as he walked out the door, Shade nodded toward his president, acknowledging he would keep Knox close.
Knox, Rider, Train, Cash, and Shade all headed to the bar with several of the women riding at their backs. As they pulled into the lot, Shade recognized Diamond’s car.
“Isn’t that Diamond’s car?” Rider asked Knox as they parked their bikes.
“Yes, it is,” he answered grimly.
Knox didn’t look too happy that his lawyer was there. Shade could tell the brother wasn’t going to listen to Viper about staying out of trouble. The way he strode in that bar said he was going searching for it.
Knox slammed open the door to the bar, and then The Last Riders filed in. He strode across the floor toward Diamond who looked like she was about to leave. If they had been five minutes later, they would have missed her.
Shade would ask Mick later what questions the woman had wanted answered.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Knox asked angrily.
Diamond’s back stiffened. “Drinking a beer. What business is it of yours?”
“Since when do you hang out in biker bars?” Knox inquired.
“Is this a biker bar? I wasn’t aware of that. There weren’t any motorcycles out front, nor were there any signs saying ‘Assholes only,’ ” Diamond mocked.
“She was asking about Sam,” Mick interrupted.
“What did Viper tell you about letting us know when you were going to be snooping around?”
“You might have to bow down and kiss Viper’s ass, but I’m not one of your members, so I don’t actually give a damn what he wants.”
Shade leaned against the bar, picking up the drink Mick had automatically set down in front of him.
“He the one who pays you?” Knox asked the question everyone in the room already knew the answer to.
“Yes.” Diamond was trapped by her own answer.
“Then you better be worried about what he wants.”
“It doesn’t matter; I’m done here.”
“Since you’re here, you might as well stay and have another beer.” He turned to the bartender. “Mick, get her another beer on me.”
Mick turned around, reaching for the beer.
“I don’t want one.” Diamond started to slide off the seat, but Knox placed an arm around her waist, planting her back on the barstool.
“But I want you to stay. At least then I’ll know where you are.” His body blocked hers from getting off the stool.
Giving in, the stuffy lawyer took a drink of her beer. Shade was about to tell Knox to back off, that Viper would kick his ass if she quit, but then she relaxed, turning her face toward Knox and giving him a venomous smile.
Shade leaned against the bar, enjoying the show. This was worth an ass-whipping.
“You think your macho attitude is going to send me running? You’re just pissing me off, Knox. I’m trying to find out who killed the woman you’re going to go to jail for murdering, unless I catch a break and find out who did.”
“What did you think you would find out here?” He reached for his own beer, his chest brushing against her shoulder.
“I thought I would find out if there was someone else in town she was sleeping with who might have a motive. Until I can find the men who were with her that day at the diner and find out if they could be responsible, then your ass is still the best suspect the jury will have.”
“They weren’t responsible for Sam’s death, so if that’s your only lead, you need to start searching somewhere else.”
“How can you know that for sure?” Diamond questioned.
“Because they’re not in town. If they were, the sheriff would have them locked up. Find someone else.”
“It’s not that easy,” Diamond snapped.
“If it was going to be easy, Viper wouldn’t have hired you.”
Shade almost smiled at the look Knox was giving Diamond. The lawyer was turning bright red in embarrassment.
“Let’s dance.” Knox didn’t give her a chance to refuse, taking her hand and leading her to the dance floor where he turned Diamond into his body, pulling her hips close.
Diamond instantly struggled to put some space between them.
“That’s like oil and water, isn’t it?” Mick asked as they both watched.
“More like dynamite and nitro. Put them together, and you have Armageddon.”
“Fuck, Shade, I didn’t know you could crack a joke,” Mick laughed.
“I wasn’t joking.” Shade watched Diamond and Knox dancing together. The same look Shade had seen on his face the day before was there again.
Knox had intended to pay Diamond back for not following Viper’s orders, but the brother was on a slippery slope, not realizing his own danger.
Bliss was grinding against Rider while Evie danced with Cash. Stori and Raci were dancing together, giving Knox fuck-me looks over Diamond’s shoulder. When the music ended, Knox let her leave the dance floor, placing her back on the stool.
“I need to be going.” Diamond placed her empty beer bottle on the bar top.
Knox moved closer to her side. “Want another beer? I can give you a ride home.”
Shade rolled his eyes at Mick as they made fun of his attempted seduction. That woman needed more than a fuck-me stare.
“No, thanks. I’ve had enough.”
When she would have jumped down from the stool, Knox leaned forward, placing his hand between her thighs. The lawyer froze in place.
Shade subtly moved closer to Knox’s back, unable to see what the brother was doing. Knox gave him a warning glare over his shoulder, and Shade placed his hands in the air. Backing away an inch, he moved so he could watch them in the mirror behind the bar.
“I think you should stay and party with us. We can show you a good time.”
Shade thought she seemed to already be having a good time by the way her body was trembling.
Knox flashed the metal ball on his tongue, and the sight must have scared the shit out of her because she jerked his hands away from her thighs
“If you don’t move your hand, I’m going to drop your case and keep the half million Viper owes me without giving a damn that your ass will be sitting in jail for a crime you didn’t commit.”
Knox was smart enough to remove his hand, standing back up straight to lean against the bar. He picked up his beer and took another drink.
“How do you know I didn’t kill Sam?”
Rider came to stand by Diamond’s side, motioning to Mick for a drink. When Mick gave him his beer, Rider remained, obviously listening to their conversation. The brother needed to learn to be more subtle.
“What are you doing back so early?” Viper questioned.
“She’s in for the day,” Knox answered. “I’m going to grab a shower. Then I’m going to Rosie’s.”
“I’m in for that,” Rider said, coming into the room.
By the time Knox was ready, several others had decided to tag along. Shade decided to go, as well; he was bored with sitting on his ass.
“Stay out of trouble,” Viper warned.
When Knox gave him the finger as he walked out the door, Shade nodded toward his president, acknowledging he would keep Knox close.
Knox, Rider, Train, Cash, and Shade all headed to the bar with several of the women riding at their backs. As they pulled into the lot, Shade recognized Diamond’s car.
“Isn’t that Diamond’s car?” Rider asked Knox as they parked their bikes.
“Yes, it is,” he answered grimly.
Knox didn’t look too happy that his lawyer was there. Shade could tell the brother wasn’t going to listen to Viper about staying out of trouble. The way he strode in that bar said he was going searching for it.
Knox slammed open the door to the bar, and then The Last Riders filed in. He strode across the floor toward Diamond who looked like she was about to leave. If they had been five minutes later, they would have missed her.
Shade would ask Mick later what questions the woman had wanted answered.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Knox asked angrily.
Diamond’s back stiffened. “Drinking a beer. What business is it of yours?”
“Since when do you hang out in biker bars?” Knox inquired.
“Is this a biker bar? I wasn’t aware of that. There weren’t any motorcycles out front, nor were there any signs saying ‘Assholes only,’ ” Diamond mocked.
“She was asking about Sam,” Mick interrupted.
“What did Viper tell you about letting us know when you were going to be snooping around?”
“You might have to bow down and kiss Viper’s ass, but I’m not one of your members, so I don’t actually give a damn what he wants.”
Shade leaned against the bar, picking up the drink Mick had automatically set down in front of him.
“He the one who pays you?” Knox asked the question everyone in the room already knew the answer to.
“Yes.” Diamond was trapped by her own answer.
“Then you better be worried about what he wants.”
“It doesn’t matter; I’m done here.”
“Since you’re here, you might as well stay and have another beer.” He turned to the bartender. “Mick, get her another beer on me.”
Mick turned around, reaching for the beer.
“I don’t want one.” Diamond started to slide off the seat, but Knox placed an arm around her waist, planting her back on the barstool.
“But I want you to stay. At least then I’ll know where you are.” His body blocked hers from getting off the stool.
Giving in, the stuffy lawyer took a drink of her beer. Shade was about to tell Knox to back off, that Viper would kick his ass if she quit, but then she relaxed, turning her face toward Knox and giving him a venomous smile.
Shade leaned against the bar, enjoying the show. This was worth an ass-whipping.
“You think your macho attitude is going to send me running? You’re just pissing me off, Knox. I’m trying to find out who killed the woman you’re going to go to jail for murdering, unless I catch a break and find out who did.”
“What did you think you would find out here?” He reached for his own beer, his chest brushing against her shoulder.
“I thought I would find out if there was someone else in town she was sleeping with who might have a motive. Until I can find the men who were with her that day at the diner and find out if they could be responsible, then your ass is still the best suspect the jury will have.”
“They weren’t responsible for Sam’s death, so if that’s your only lead, you need to start searching somewhere else.”
“How can you know that for sure?” Diamond questioned.
“Because they’re not in town. If they were, the sheriff would have them locked up. Find someone else.”
“It’s not that easy,” Diamond snapped.
“If it was going to be easy, Viper wouldn’t have hired you.”
Shade almost smiled at the look Knox was giving Diamond. The lawyer was turning bright red in embarrassment.
“Let’s dance.” Knox didn’t give her a chance to refuse, taking her hand and leading her to the dance floor where he turned Diamond into his body, pulling her hips close.
Diamond instantly struggled to put some space between them.
“That’s like oil and water, isn’t it?” Mick asked as they both watched.
“More like dynamite and nitro. Put them together, and you have Armageddon.”
“Fuck, Shade, I didn’t know you could crack a joke,” Mick laughed.
“I wasn’t joking.” Shade watched Diamond and Knox dancing together. The same look Shade had seen on his face the day before was there again.
Knox had intended to pay Diamond back for not following Viper’s orders, but the brother was on a slippery slope, not realizing his own danger.
Bliss was grinding against Rider while Evie danced with Cash. Stori and Raci were dancing together, giving Knox fuck-me looks over Diamond’s shoulder. When the music ended, Knox let her leave the dance floor, placing her back on the stool.
“I need to be going.” Diamond placed her empty beer bottle on the bar top.
Knox moved closer to her side. “Want another beer? I can give you a ride home.”
Shade rolled his eyes at Mick as they made fun of his attempted seduction. That woman needed more than a fuck-me stare.
“No, thanks. I’ve had enough.”
When she would have jumped down from the stool, Knox leaned forward, placing his hand between her thighs. The lawyer froze in place.
Shade subtly moved closer to Knox’s back, unable to see what the brother was doing. Knox gave him a warning glare over his shoulder, and Shade placed his hands in the air. Backing away an inch, he moved so he could watch them in the mirror behind the bar.
“I think you should stay and party with us. We can show you a good time.”
Shade thought she seemed to already be having a good time by the way her body was trembling.
Knox flashed the metal ball on his tongue, and the sight must have scared the shit out of her because she jerked his hands away from her thighs
“If you don’t move your hand, I’m going to drop your case and keep the half million Viper owes me without giving a damn that your ass will be sitting in jail for a crime you didn’t commit.”
Knox was smart enough to remove his hand, standing back up straight to lean against the bar. He picked up his beer and took another drink.
“How do you know I didn’t kill Sam?”
Rider came to stand by Diamond’s side, motioning to Mick for a drink. When Mick gave him his beer, Rider remained, obviously listening to their conversation. The brother needed to learn to be more subtle.
