Knox's Stand (The Last Riders 3)

The men ordered their lunches and her lips twisted in amusement at Knox and Rider’s big orders.

“What’s so funny?” Knox asked.

“I think that you guys are as hungry as I was. I bet you could have eaten two more pizzas last night.”

“Make it three and you’ll be more on target,” Knox said, sliding her a sideways grin.

When the women at the table began looking at her curiously, Diamond avoided their eyes as she gathered her things.

“I need to get back to my office.” Diamond stood abruptly to her feet, feeling ridiculous when the conversation at the table stopped and everyone looked at her.

She left everyone sitting at the diner. It seemed the more she tried to distance herself from The Last Riders, the more she became enmeshed into their life.

She mentally chastised herself on her walk, however when she went into her office, she abruptly came to a complete stop. Holly was standing in the middle of an enormous mess, picking up papers from the floor.

“What in the hell happened?” Diamond was stunned at the mess her office was in. Furniture had been torn and the filing had been thrown everywhere. Her cabinets had been overturned and papers scattered all over the place.

“Someone broke into the office. I tried to call, but you were in court and didn’t return my message. The sheriff has already been here; he took pictures and made a report,” Holly said with a handful of papers in her hands.

“This is going to take days to clean up. Who would have done this?” Diamond asked, going into her private office and seeing it was in even worse shape. “How did they manage doing this?” Her desk had been overturned with the drawers and confidential papers scattered and torn apart.

“Do you think it has something to do with a client?” Holly asked.

“I don’t know, although whoever wanted me distracted, succeeded.”

“No they didn’t,” Knox said, entering her office.

Diamond and Holly both turned as the office filled with The Last Riders being followed by Winter, Lily and Beth, staring in shock at the vandalized office.

“I’ll help,” Lily offered as she went down on her hands and knees to pick up the papers.

“We all will,” Winter said, taking out her cell phone. “Evie, could you and a couple of the women come down to Diamond Richard’s office. Someone broke into it and she needs help cleaning up. Thanks.”

“That’s unnecessary; both Holly and I can handle this.”

“Really. I think I’d be interested to see you try to lift those filing cabinets and desk,” Knox said, moving forward with Rider to lift the heavy cabinets back into place while Shade, Train and Viper went into her office to lift the heavy desk.

“It took a couple of people to create this damage. The sheriff came into the diner after you left. He told us that your office had been vandalized. He thinks more than one person was responsible for the damage also,” Knox said, righting the end tables while the others restored order to the rest of the furniture. Winter, Beth and Holly joined Lily on the floor.

“When the others get here we can get them back in order,” Beth said.

“Please stop, Winter. You’re getting married tomorrow; I’m sure you have things you need to take care of. I can handle—”

A sharp gasp from Lily, who was on the floor by the window, had everyone’s attention going to her. She raised her hand with blood dripping from a wound.

“Beth…” Lily whispered, turning toward her sister and giving another gasp of pain, reaching for her knees. Blood seeped onto the papers she was kneeling on.

Winter and Beth immediately moved towards the young woman, but before either could reach her, Shade was lifting Lily from the floor into his arms. The girl tried to struggle free with her eyes on her bloody hand.

“Where’s the bathroom?” Shade snapped at Diamond. She pointed to the door outside her office. Shade strode from the room with a struggling Lily while Beth tried to follow.

“Beth…” Lily’s whimper tore at Diamond’s hardened heart. The sweet woman had jumped to help her and now she was hurt. When Diamond and Beth moved towards the bathroom, Knox caught her arm in a firm grip while Razer’s arm went around Beth’s waist.

“Let Shade handle it, Beth. He was a medic in the service before he became a Seal,” Razer explained to his concerned wife.

“I’m a nurse, Razer. She wants me,” she snapped at her husband.

“Give Shade time to get the glass out, Beth. It’s going to hurt. Do you really think that you can do it?” Beth paled. “I’ll go to your car and get your first aid kit.”

Beth nodded. “Thanks, Razer.” Razer left, going to Beth’s car as everyone else stood tensely outside the bathroom door as they waited. Diamond wrung her hands, feeling terrible.

“Let’s get this glass up before anyone else gets hurt,” Knox suggested.

Diamond went to the hall closet, getting the broom and dust pan before going back into the office. Knox had already separated the glass from the paperwork. Diamond tried not to look at the bloody paperwork, wondering how the tough navy seal was going to be gentle enough to deal with the sweet woman who had generously sought to help.

* * *

“Stop it, Lily,” Shade said, sitting Lily down on the closed toilet seat.

Her eyes remained on her bloody hand as her eyes started to roll back into her head. A sudden shake had her eyes traveling back to Shade.

“Eyes to me, Lily,” he snapped. “Don’t look at your hand again.”

“It hurts.” Shade’s lips tightened. He had almost protested when Lily had gone to her knees to pick up the messed up office, yet he hadn’t wanted to interfere. He was angry at himself for not following his instincts. He was getting fucking tired of the fine line he was walking to keep everybody happy, especially since Lily was invariably the one getting hurt because he was unable to protect the accident prone woman.

“I’ll get the glass out and get it cleaned up then the sting will stop.”

“Beth is a nurse; she can do it, Shade. I want Beth,” Lily replied stubbornly. Shade knew she was reacting to being in the close confinement of the room with him.

“I’m sure you do. Do you think Beth can pull out that glass with you crying and acting like

a baby?” he said, hoping her anger would arouse her fighting instincts.

Lily stiffened. Shade could see her trying to gather her composure as her eyes tried to sneak a peek at her still oozing injury.

“Eyes on me,” Shade snapped again, wetting paper towels and gently picking out the fine shards of glass.

He could feel her gaze on his face. She hadn’t argued against his commands, even though he had been a bit harsh; the same nearness of the restroom that was unnerving her, was straining his control. As he finished her hand, he heard a knock on the door and Razer telling him he had a first aid kit. When he opened the door, a silent message passed between the two men before the door closed once more.

Shade opened the box, finding sterile gauze for cleaning her knees. One particular shard had become imbedded there, so he took great care in removing it. Lily’s dress had ridden up her silky thighs, rattling his concentration. Shade’s hands shook as he finished cleaning her knees, wiping it with an antiseptic and starting to wrap them with bandages. He felt her tremble as his hands touched the soft skin behind her knees, trying to clench her thighs together.

“Open your legs. I need to wrap your other knee.”

He felt her legs open a scant amount and then he wrapped it softly, stroking the sensitive flesh behind her knee. When she would have pulled away, Shade rose to his feet, letting his hand slide across the top of her thighs with a delicate touch that the innocent girl would think was accidental.

Taking her hand, he applied the antiseptic to it and then wrapped it, taking his time once more, enjoying her eyes watching his every move. Unable to prolong the inevitable any longer, he took a step away.

“You’re done.” Her eyes immediately broke from him and she practically ran from the restroom.

Shade picked up the first aid kit, meticulously replacing the items he had taken out. Going to the sink basin, he washed his hands and sprayed cold water on his face, wondering how much longer he could resist from reaching out and taking what he was determined would be his.