Knox looked at her skeptically. “Maybe if you’re driving around town within walking distance of everything, but if you’re driving to your mom’s, then no, it’s not safe.”

Diamond knew he was right, therefore she bit back the sharp retort she had been going to make. At the same time, Knox went to his bike, getting on and handing her the helmet.

“You going home or to your mother’s?”

Diamond almost went home. Only the importance her mother had placed on her dinner made Diamond climb on the back of Knox’s bike.

Putting on Knox’s helmet, Diamond grabbed him around the waist as he rode out of the parking lot. Diamond had forgotten how much she loved riding on the back of a motorcycle. She hadn’t done it in years, since she had quit going for rides with her father. The first time she had ridden with Knox, she had been too sick to appreciate the short ride.

Sex Piston had bought her own motorcycle and took it out often after her father taught her how to ride, but Diamond had never been tempted to own her own. She knew she didn’t have her sister’s skill for the feel of the machine. As they went around the tight curves, she let her body go loose, holding on to Knox and following the moves of the bike.

It didn’t take long before they were pulling up in front of her mother’s house. Diamond climbed off, handing the helmet to Knox.

“Thanks for the ride. I’ll get Sex Piston to bring me home.” Diamond started to walk up the path to her mother’s house, stopping at his next words.

“I’ll wait.” Knox turned off his motor.

“Don’t be crazy. You can’t sit out here while we eat. The neighbors and my parents will wonder who you are.”

“So tell them.” Knox shrugged, making no effort to start his motor.

Diamond stared at the stubborn man, realizing he wasn’t going to give in. “For Heaven’s sake, just come in. You can have dinner with us, but remember when Sex Piston is driving you crazy that you brought it on yourself.” Diamond stomped to her parents’ house with Knox following behind.

She ignored Knox’s raised brow at her knocking and not going on inside the house.

When her mother answered the door at her knock, her eye’s widened as she took in the man standing beside her daughter. “Diamond, I was beginning to get worried.”

“Mom, this is Knox. My car had a flat and he was nice enough to give me a ride. I invited him to dinner, if that’s okay?” Diamond explained in one breath.

“Of course, dear, you know when I cook I always make enough for leftovers.”

Diamond was afraid of that. . She hadn’t had time to warn Knox about the lack of cooking skills her mother had or that she only felt the need to subject the family to said cooking in order to impart a piece of news that she felt was important to them all. Diamond studied her mother, looking for any signs of illness she might be hiding and was relieved when her mother looked healthier than she had in years.

“What in the fuck is he doing here?” Sex Piston asked as she set the beer on the table when they entered the dining room.

“Sex Piston, watch your mouth,” Diamond’s mother snapped at her daughter.

“You don’t care you have a murderer sitting at your table?” Her mother cast Knox a sharp glance.

“He’s innocent, Mom.” Knox stood there quietly, not trying to defend himself.

“I’m sure he is.” Her mother tried to stop the argument brewing between her two daughters.

“He sure as fuck isn’t,” Sex Piston retorted, her hand going to her hips.

“Shut up. My car had a flat and he gave me a ride here,” Diamond explained, hoping that it would calm her sister.

“Well, you’re here now. I’ll give you a ride home. See ya,” Sex Piston smarted off to Knox.

“Sex Piston, stop it,” her mother scolded. “Everyone, sit down. I’ll get your father.” Diamond and Sex Piston shot dirty looks each other’s way as they sat down at the table. Knox sat down next to her at the table across from Sex Piston.

“I should have warned you sooner. My mom’s not the greatest cook, so make sure you take small portions,” Diamond warned.

“I bet it tastes better than prison food,” Sex Piston snapped.

“Sex Piston, if you don’t quit bugging your sister, the police are going to be charging me with another crime,” Knox threatened.

“Bring it on, asshole,” Sex Piston taunted, picking up the carving knife and laying it beside her on the table.

“Cut it out.” A sharp voice from the doorway had all eyes going to her father. Sex Piston’s mouth snapped closed. Diamond was relieved when her sister called a halt to her antics and picked up her beer. Her father came into the room, holding his hand out to Knox.

“I’m Skulls.”

“Knox.”

Diamond watched the two bikers introduce themselves.

“Have you met Sizzle?” he asked, pulling out her mother’s chair.

Diamond wanted to crawl under the table when her father told Knox her mother’s nickname.

“It’s nice to meet you both.” Knox barely managed to keep from laughing. Diamond threw him a dirty look.

Her father took his seat at the table. “Sex Piston told us Diamond is representing you for killing a woman in Treepoint.”

“Yes.” Knox looked her father in the eyes.

“You do it?”

“No. I couldn’t stand the bitch, but I didn’t kill her.”

“Good, let’s eat. Sizzle, bring on the food.” Her father barely managed to hide his grimace.

Her mother brought out a roast on a platter with potatoes, carrots and rolls. The whole table stared at the food as her mother took a seat. Serving everyone took several minutes as the roast was almost impossible to cut. It had practically been burnt to a crisp. Passing the rolls, she shook her head when her mother offered them. She could tell by looking at them that they were raw.

Not even for her mother would she gag down raw bread dough. Her father and everyone else at the table hadn’t been so smart. She couldn’t hide her vengeful smile when Sex Piston wasn’t able to prevent the retching noise as she took a bite of one.

To Knox’s credit, he managed to clean his plate, which was a big mistake as her mother forced seconds on him. Her father manned up and took seconds for himself, not wanting Knox to outdo him. Washing the dried meat down with several swallows of beer, she managed to eat half her plate. Throwing Sex Piston a who’s-a-pussy look when she couldn’t eat as much.

“Anyone want dessert?” her mother asked happily.

“No,” the whole table chorused together.

The crestfallen expression on her mother’s face had everyone retracting their answer except Diamond. Been there, done that.

“I’m on a diet, Mom,” she responded to Sex Piston’s threatening glare accompanied with the finger behind her mother’s back.

Her mother returned to the table with a cake that looked remarkably good, but Diamond had learnt that looks were deceiving where her mother’s cooking was concerned. She always waited for the consensus before jumping for a slice of chocolate cake. The look of horror on their faces confirmed her fears.

“Sizzle, we need some milk. Beer and chocolate don’t go together.” Her mother went back into the kitchen and everyone sprang into action. Sex Piston dumped her cake onto her father’s napkin and he dumped his there also then left the room just as her mother returned with the milk and paper cups.