Page 21

Diamond

The clubhouse was bouncing with celebration, loud music, and booze in endless supply.

And Diamond’s mind was elsewhere.

It didn’t stop him from toasting a drink to his recently patched-in brother.

Mouse looked like he was about to burst with pride wearing his new cut.

“It looks good on you, brother,” Diamond told the other guy and watched how he grinned.

“Shit. You’re the first to call me that.”

“I didn’t know I was taking your virginity, Mouse. We’ll always have this.” He laughed and slung a meaty arm around his shoulder. Mouse was a stand-up guy. Loyal, hardworking, and a good dad to his two kids, raising them almost single-handedly.

Diamond recently understood Mouse’s challenges with managing a job, the club, and raising children.

Nothing made a guy focus like having a kid.

Diamond had never been so organized in his life.

Since Joelle informed him weeks ago, he’d been extra worried about their safety. He ensured his peace of mind by driving past her house at night. It also meant that, around his club duties, he spoke and saw Joelle almost daily.

He was turning into someone he didn’t know but wasn’t hating it, far from it.

Because of Joelle’s morning sickness, witnessing how fierce it was, he was stressed that if she were alone, she’d choke to death.

While celebrating with his brotherhood, he sent her a text.

DIAMOND : Everything okay?

JOELLE : No. I’m hanging off the chandelier and need rescuing.

DIAMOND : Are you serious?

JOELLE : Of course not. How would I even get on the chandelier? Everything is fine. The same fine I was this morning.

JOELLE : How is the party? Is Mouse happy?

DIAMOND : He’s like a pig in shit.

DIAMOND : And I won’t forget these lies you tell me, Bluebell.

JOELLE : Ooohhh, is the big bear bodyguard keeping a tally in his little black book?

DIAMOND : Might be.

JOELLE : I’m not scared.

JOELLE : Hey, did you bake today?

DIAMOND : No.

JOELLE : Oh, okay. I was craving a little treat.

She had an addiction to his cookies, not a euphemism , unfortunately. He’d baked a few tasters for her several times, and now she was a gorgeous little begging thing when she needed a treat.

Swinging his legs down from the table, he fist-bumped Mouse, leaving him alone just in time because Sonya snuck her way over and climbed onto his lap. The new brother laughed and grabbed onto her barely covered ass. Diamond didn’t need to see what happened next.

He was pulling out pans in the kitchen when Axel came in, his arm tucked around Scarlett.

“Yo, Prez, Mrs Prez.”

“Hey, Diamond,” she beamed. “Are you baking... at a party?”

“Yeah,” he half smirked, checking the club pantry had the ingredients to make mini lemon chess pies. Joelle had been craving anything citrus lately.

“I think this is what it must have been like to watch Picasso painting.” Remarked Scarlett an hour later, once the miniature curd pies were assembled on a cooking sheet to go into the oven.

“Prez, control your old lady. She’s objectifying my spatula.”

“I’ve never seen a man baking until you, Diamond. Axel, why don’t you bake?” She accused her husband.

“I prefer eating.” He told her. “Speaking of, move your little ass, wildcat. I’ve got an appetite, and I’ve had enough of you drooling over D.”

The club’s First Lady jumped from the stool and squealed like she was about to be chased throughout the clubhouse. She ran out, and Axel smirked, following her slower.

He was glad he could facilitate someone getting laid since he’d slipped into celibacy.

They weren’t in a relationship, and Joelle had actively told him there would be zero sex between them, but he felt like he’d be cheating on her if he fucked someone else.

Not that he had the urge to. The only woman he wanted was her.

So now he was baking to avoid thinking about the real problem: he wanted to sleep with the mother of his unborn child.

The hunger hadn’t come on suddenly. It wasn’t brand new. The need had been percolating and growing for months. The attraction had been rooted in his gut the day he met her and had crawled around his organs ever since.

The shit was way more complicated now than it ever was. But now, he wasn’t holding himself back from having her.

With the packaged chess pies in his saddlebag on the side of his Harley, he left the Diablos party in full swing sometime later. Just before midnight, he parked at the back of the Snow mansion, as he always did.

“Sir.” The butler blinked in confusion at the back door. Despite the late hour, the guy was still pristinely dressed in his butler suit. In case of a social emergency, maybe. He had no understanding of the difficulties experienced by the ridiculously rich. If not for Joelle and the extraordinary pull she had on him, he wouldn’t be caught dead at the mansion.

“Were you expected?”

“Nope, Kenny, and you haven’t seen me, either.” He winked, making the old man grin and usher him in.

He looked at the plastic box in Diamond’s hand. “I believe I’ll make myself a hot chocolate and retire, but I’m sure this door will be unlocked for a while.”

Kenneth was a good man, Diamond decided. He hadn’t even made it to the staircase when he heard the noise of male laughter along the hallway where Snow’s office was situated. He paid little attention when another male voice joined him until he realized who it was.

Stepping out of sight but close enough he could listen in, he didn’t have to think long to wonder why the jackshit Harvey, the leader of the Riot Brothers, was having a late night tete-a-fucking-tete with a crooked Judge.

The two men were shaking hands and looking chummy as fuck.

Before he was discovered, he trekked through the mansion up to Joelle’s suite of rooms. He knocked lightly and leaned against the doorjamb when she yanked it open.

“Reeves, I swear I told you... oh, it’s just you.” She smiled, and Diamond felt a direct impact on his solar plexus.

She wore an oversized shirt that had once been white but was now stained with paint splatters, and a bandana held her hair back. Her legs were deliciously bare.

She looked good enough to eat, and Diamond had brought a full appetite.

He didn’t know what this new feeling was, only that it was intense . It drove him forward every damn day. It felt like an addiction, how it only settled down when he was near her.

He’d always been attracted to Joelle. She had the kind of body that made a man look twice and then a third time. It made him think of sheets and seeing her tangled around them while he pumped into her.

But now that he’d gotten her pregnant, it was like his hormones were the ones changing because the chemistry between them was electric. Her breath alone made his erection strain against his jeans. He had to restrain himself from mauling her when she smiled at him.

It was out of character, a first for Diamond.

He noticed her lowering eyebrows and responded by holding up the plastic box.

“Did you bake?” she asked. Excitement in her voice.

“Might have.” He smirked. “You won’t know until you let me in.”

“You and whatever smells so good can come in. I need to wash my hands. I’ve been painting all night.”

“Yeah? Did you do good shit?”

She’d only let him see a few pieces she’d painted. Diamond didn’t know art from his asshole, but he could see talent when he looked at it, and Joelle was incredible.

“It was a productive painting day. Whether it’s good shit is up to the client. Now, hand over the goodies.” She smiled, turning his stomach to boiling water as she wiggled her fingers at him. She was mid-bite, moaning around the pie when she asked. “I thought you were at Mouse’s party?”

“I was, but you wanted something sweet.”

She blinked, turned pink in the cheeks, and then she smiled. “You didn’t have to do that, but these are exceptional, so I’m very grateful you did.”

Diamond parked himself on the couch. “Do you know the guy your father is meeting with?” he asked.

“I didn’t know he was. It’s a bit late for a meeting. Do you know him?”

“Yes.”

“Ah. And your lack of words tells me it’s not someone you like? Or approve of? Or he’s a bad guy?”

She was his child’s mother, which changed things for Diamond. He’d protect her with his all from people like Harvey or the Riot Brothers. One of theirs was already hounding Denver and his old lady, Casey.

Joelle wasn’t his old lady, but maybe she was something more .

“Remember that day you were eavesdropping on your father’s office when we were here?” she grinned at his question, not an ounce of guilt. He liked that about her.

“Maybe, why?”

“Do you wanna go do the same again?”

“Ohh. Espionage? I’d love to.” She agreed too readily, and Diamond knew he’d made a mistake.

At the door, she turned and nearly smacked into him because he’d followed her. “How did you even get in here, anyway?”

“I have my ways, Bluebell.”

She laughed. “I’m sure you do. Wait here while I get my spy on.” The saucy minx even winked at him before she closed the door behind her. And like a puppy waiting at the door for the one who owned him, Diamond remained there.

The minutes went by. And he wished he hadn’t asked her to eavesdrop. He went for the door, but it opened first, and there she was, bringing him relief.

“I need another little treat. Have you heard of the British dessert Jam Tarts?”

Diamond’s brow puckered. “No.”

“Well, look it up. I think the baby would like it next week. I saw it on that British cooking show. Anyway,” she slipped off the painting smock, revealing she was only dressed in a pair of yoga shorts and a floaty pale blue tank top, leaving Diamond’s tongue bone dry when he could see the swell of side tits.

Christ, he was hard up if the sight of a side tit was getting his engine revving.

Joelle tucked herself up on the couch with the many pillows. He avoided temptation by choosing the armchair.

“I don’t know who the man is, but he’s been here before. I recognized his voice. They were talking about property investments. Father cuts through red tape for people. He doesn’t know I know that. Anyway,” she continued. “I bumped into Mom on the way back and casually asked what Father was doing. She’s had a few tipples,” she said, “that means she’s likelier to talk openly. She said Harvey is an old family friend, and he’ll be coming for dinner next week.”

“You won’t be here for that, Joelle.” His snapped remark came gruffly. “He’s not someone I want you around.”

“I’m rarely invited to his stuffy business dinners, anyway. They’re a snooze fest. I’d rather watch you baking.”

“Are you inviting yourself over to my place, Bluebell?” He was close to begging to get her there.

She was a temptress by licking a crumb from her thumb. “If you want me to stay out of the way, you must provide adequate shelter to hang out. And what appeals to me currently is watching my private baker.”

Diamond chuffed a laugh.

“I put a baby in you, and look how you’re turning out. A con artist.”

“I know. It’s good doing business with you, big bear.”

Big fucking bear .

She’d started calling him it recently, and each time she used it, he wanted to show her how he could bear attack her down to the floor while he pushed his hand into her pants and got his fingers nice and soaked.

He knifed up from the chair. “Lock this door behind me and don’t let anyone in you don’t know.”

“I’m safe, Diamond. Father won’t let anyone in the house he didn’t trust.”

“Listen to me, Joelle. I don’t trust him. That means I don’t fucking trust him around you. Harvey is known to the club, and he’s bad news. Don’t put yourself in his eyesight for any reason. I don’t want him to be aware of you or my baby.”

Her smile dropped, and he saw she had understood his meaning.

Thank god she was not combative, or he would have revisited his kidnapping idea. It was becoming more appealing by the day when being away from her was driving him fucking crazy.

“Okay. I’ll be careful. And besides knowing this cool baker, I also know a bodyguard. Oh, and a rough biker!”

She waited a beat and said as he was about to open the door.

“I’m sure Titan would come over if I rang him.”

“Bluebell, don’t start with the mouth.” He growled low, only for the saucy brat to burst out laughing.

“You’re too easy.”

If she only knew how easy he was for her.

But he figured they were talking about different things.