Jamie Begley - Knox’s Stand

He took it from her and tore it into pieces.

“I told you to fucking go. Next time, I won’t be so nice.” His glare went from detached interest to a threat that she had no doubt he would see carried out.

Just after that, the door to the restaurant opened and several of The Last Riders entered. Diamond recognized Knox, Viper, Razor and Rider—the one that had all the tats—brought up the rear.

They came to stand behind Diamond. “You having problems?” Viper asked Diamond.

Before she could answer, the leader spoke. “She doesn’t have a problem, we do. We’ve asked her twice to leave, she’s ignored us both times.”

“That true?” Viper turned to her.

Diamond looked at Viper. “I need to find the men who were with Sam that day outside in the parking lot. They belong to the Blue Horsemen. You want me to clear Knox?” Diamond stared pointedly at Knox.

The blond man leaned toward Diamond, losing his casual appearance. “I don’t know where the fuck they are, and I don’t know a damn thing about their families. They aren’t horsemen anymore and they weren’t when they pulled that stunt with Sam.”

“Stud. I think she got your message,” Knox said, taking a step forward.

“Good. Then maybe she’ll get her ass away from our table,” Stud snapped.

“Ms. Richards. Let’s go,” Viper ordered.

“Ms. Richards? When the hell did you become so polite?” The men around the table laughed at the sarcastic reply from the man who had offered her his lap.

“You laughing at Viper being polite, Bear?” Knox came back with his own smart-ass remark. The tension filled the restaurant this time as the men from the rival bike clubs began to escalate. Diamond rose to her feet.

Ash looked at Knox. “No.”

Diamond didn’t blame him from backing down; Knox looked furious.

“I’m finished. Sorry for the interruption.” Diamond left the men and then left the diner without looking back, however she was brought to a stop outside when she was grabbed by her arm.

“What in the hell were you thinking?” Knox angrily asked her.

“I thought I might try to find out who killed Samantha. It’s what Viper hired me to do,” Diamond answered, jerking her arm out of his grasp.

“I didn’t tell you to take on a motorcycle club. You should have called me or the sheriff who could have found out the information you needed,” Viper said as he came outside, hearing her answer to Knox’s question.

“I didn’t need your help. I was safe. What where they going to do in a restaurant across from the sheriff’s office?”

“Were you planning on staying in there? They would have followed you home.” Knox stared at her like she was stupid.

“It doesn’t matter; it’s over.” Turning on her heels, she strode to her car.

“It isn’t fucking over. You’re on their radar now. They’re going to watch and make sure that you don’t drag their club into being investigated,” Knox said, striding after her.

“How do you know that?” Diamond snapped at the big lug following behind her with the rest of The Last Riders following.

“Because it’s what we would do,” Knox answered, slamming his hand on her car door when she would have jerked it open.

“Back off, Knox,” Viper stated calmly. Knox stepped away, removing his hand from her car door.

Diamond swung around to face Viper and the rest of The Last Riders.

“If you want me to find out who killed Samantha, I’m going to have to step on some toes. Are you going to give me shit every time?” Diamond asked bluntly.

“We’re not giving you shit. The men that Samantha associated with were dangerous, and those are the ones we know about. Obviously someone killed her, so eventually, you’re going to come into contact with the person who did. The best way to handle this situation is to keep someone with you who can keep an eye on the situation so that you won’t get hurt,” Viper cautioned her.

“I don’t need someone to watch my back. I can take care of myself,” Diamond said, becoming angry.

“I’m sure you can. We’ll merely provide you with back-up if you need our help,” Viper reasoned.

“I can’t find out what I need to know with you guys following me around,” Diamond argued back.

“You won’t need all of us, one will do. Knox and Rider can take turns keeping an eye on you.” Viper crossed his arms over his chest, giving Diamond the impression that the decision had been made.

“Hell, no.” Diamond refused to have either of the men following her.

“Why not?” This time it was Knox who answered. “I should be helping. It’s my ass that will be back in jail if we don’t find out who killed her.”

Diamond couldn’t argue with that reasoning. The stubborn male faces staring at her weren’t going to give in unless she agreed to have one of them watching her.

“Fine, the next time I want to talk to someone that is in a motorcycle club, I’ll give you a call.” Diamond opened her car door, slid in and slammed the door closed. The men moved out of the way as she reversed and pulled out of the parking lot.

“Knox,” Viper ordered.

Knox nodded and headed to his bike to follow the stubborn attorney. Whether she liked it or not, he had just become her shadow.

Diamond pulled into her office parking lot and got out of her car. Seeing Knox pull in behind her, she didn’t stop. She merely ignored his presence and opened her office door.

Holly was sitting behind her desk on the computer when she entered the room.

“I put your messages on your desk. You had a couple of calls from potential clients; One a DUI another an assault.”

“I’ll call them back.” Diamond stopped briefly at her desk. Opening her briefcase, she pulled out the notebook she had used to take notes of her conversation with Mrs. Langley. “Could you type this up and place them in Knox’s folder.”

“I’ll take care of it.”

“Thanks, Holly.”

Holly smiled. “No problem.”

Diamond went into her office and made several calls. She returned the phone calls to the two potential clients, turned down the DUI and accepted the assault case, scheduling an appointment for the client to come in the next day. After she disconnected the call, she pulled up a list of pawn shops online and called, seeing if anyone had pawned jewelry fitting the description Mrs. Langley had provided.

It was a long shot, and Diamond wasn’t surprised when nothing turned up. Leaning back in her chair, she stared up at the ceiling, contemplating her next move. Deciding to call it a day, Diamond shut down her computer and placed her papers back into her briefcase.

“I’m leaving early today, Holly. Finish up what you’re working on and you can leave.” Diamond paused in front of her secretary’s desk.

“Thanks, Ms. Richards. I’m not feeling well, so an early day sounds good.”

“Are you all right?”

She noticed then, for the first time, that her secretary was pale. “I’m fine, probably a virus.”

Diamond tried to discreetly take a step away from her desk without causing offense. When Holly gave her a faint smile she knew she had been unsuccessful.

“If you don’t feel better, don’t bother coming in tomorrow. I’ll handle the office,” Diamond offered.

“I’m sure I’ll feel better,” Holly protested.

Diamond left her secretary finishing up her work. When she opened the door, she came to a full stop. Knox was sitting casually on his motorcycle with a couple of secretaries from the building talking to him. His eyes met hers as she walked up to him.

“Do your bosses know you’re out here on their dime?” Diamond said to the two women.

“We’re on break,” the model thin blond stated, giving Diamond a hard glare.

“Well, breaks over,” Diamond snapped.

Diamond’s lips tightened at Knox’s raised brow.

“I don’t need you to sit in my parking lot. I told Viper I’d call when I need assistance, and I will.” Diamond spun on her heel before he could answer then turned back in case he hadn’t listened. “I’m off for the day anyway, so you can head home to the women waiting for you there,” she said disdainfully.

Diamond got into her car and then drove out of the lot without a backward glance.

* * *

Knox watched the stone-faced bitch pull out of the parking lot. “Fuck it.” Starting his bike, he followed her through town. He made sure to stay far enough back that he didn’t draw her attention and was surprised when she headed out of town. He trailed behind her as she drove, surprised when she drove through Jamestown twenty minutes later. Sure this didn’t have anything to do with his case, he almost turned around, but his curiosity had him continuing to follow.

When she drove through a neighborhood that had seen better days, he hung back further, not wanting to alert her to his presence. Ten minutes later, she pulled in front of an older home that was in better condition than most. She then got out of her car, going inside. Knox sat watching the house she entered, curious as to who she was visiting. She had an apartment in Treepoint, Viper had told him, so this must be family or friend.

An hour past before Knox picked up the sound of another bike, which was coming from the opposite direction he was sitting. Knox watched as a biker swung familiarly into the driveway. From the jacket he spotted on the biker’s back, he recognized the man belong to the Destructors. The man’s long, grey ponytail reached down his back, yet Knox could tell from the way he moved that he was still in good shape. As the biker climbed off his motorcycle, Knox saw him eye Diamond’s car before he went inside.