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Chapter 19: Nikki
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Dear Diamond Chapter 20: Ryker
There was no telling just how long I'd lain in bed, staring at the ceiling, before I finally drifted off last night. Now, as the sunlight filtered through the blinds I hadn't bothered to close, I woke with far less urgency than I probably should have. My fingers trailed warm, bare skin and a rare smile tugged at the corners of my lips. I barely knew the girl in my arms with her face buried in my neck, but Jesus, nothing I could remember had ever felt this good. Nikki's shirt-or rather my shirt that Nikki wore-had ridden up, exposing perfect, smooth skin. Sometime during the night, she'd taken up residence over half my body and now clung to me like a monkey on a tree. Thankfully, her thigh was just south of my erection, and I wouldn't have to explain why I'd woken up with a hard-on or her sprawled across my chest. Even with makeup smudged around her eyes and a puffy, bruised cheek, she was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. It didn't take a genius to see-hell, even a blind man c
Dear Diamond Chapter 21: Ryker
Once the water started running, I pulled bacon from the fridge and a couple of frying pans from the cabinet. I started a fresh pot of coffee and prayed the caffeine would jolt me out of this sex-crazed fantasy I had building. This girl was more than just pussy, and anything more than pussy was off limits. I didn't do relationships, and I could almost guarantee this chick didn't do one-night stands. Even if I hadn't heard the shower turn off, I would have known the moment she opened the door. The scent of Irish Spring and lemon shampoo overrode the bacon frying on the stove and the coffee in the pot. If I smelled that good every time I washed up, it was no wonder women flocked to me. It was intoxicating. "Something smells amazing," she cooed. I didn't need to turn around to know exactly where she stood. My place was small. If she weren't right next to me, she was right behind me. I didn't own a blow dryer which meant her hair remained wet, and she didn't have any makeup with
Dear Diamond Chapter 22: Ryker
She shook her head. "That's not possible. I've seen you with them. Chase is your best friend. You're connected to them, and you stood up to Sam like Jesse had your number on speed dial." Her teeth snagged her bottom lip again.This time, I reached up and pulled it free. "You're going to have to stop that shit." I didn't give her a chance to ask questions since there was no way in hell I'd give her an honest answer-not about that. "You already know where I grew up. Chase and I have been friends since we were babies. By default, yes, I'm close to his family. I am not, however, a sanctioned Union member.""Then how does Jesse know how to reach you?"I couldn't have stopped the chuckle even if I'd wanted to. "That man's been ratting me out to my parents since I was three. I can't tell you how many times he bent me over his knee and smacked the hell out of me for shit I did as a kid."The skeptical glance Nikki shot my direction told me she didn't buy a word of it. I hadn't planned
Dear Diamond Chapter 23: Nikki
The weight in those two words held more significance than they should. People around here didn't make promises, primarily because they couldn't keep them. Street life left little hope, and everyone I'd known since birth was proof of that. Hard work, dedication...it didn't matter. Those born here tended to die here-victims of the street, the neighborhood, and the life."I hope you know what you're doing." I refused to make eye contact with Ryker when I made that statement. I didn't want to doubt him, but I knew better than to depend on anyone other than myself.He reached out and tilted my chin with his fingers. "As long as you're with me, they won't hurt you.""And when I'm not?" Thinking about that notion made my stomach turn. "I can't be with you twenty-four-seven, Ryker. I have to dance tonight." I also had to figure out how to cover the bruising on my cheek so it didn't affect my tips.He laughed. It was sinister versus funny. "You're not dancing.""I am.""You're not."
Dear Diamond Chapter 24: Nikki
"Nikki, move your ass if you want to have any hope of stopping by your place before you have to be at Swank," he barked from the other side of the bathroom door. I wasn't sure what he expected. I was limited in what I could do here, yet he didn't want me to spend any time at my apartment or at the club. I didn't have any makeup, which presented a real problem since my cheek was a rainbow of blues and greens. Hell, I didn't even have a hairdryer. Putting on the clothes I'd left Swank in repulsed me, but Ryker had pointed out that riding a Harley in boxers and a T-shirt without panties would probably attract attention I didn't want. I didn't bother considering the safety aspect of it all or the fact that it was cold outside.By the time I emerged, Ryker paced the bare floor in the living room. His nerves were starting to get the best of me. He had enough anxiety for both of us. "I really need you to calm down. You asked me to trust you, told me you'd protect me, and your fidgetin
Dear Diamond Chapter 25: Nikki
Ryker jumped in front of me, pushing me to his back. "I take it you keep a bit neater house?"Peering around his shoulder, it was safe to say, everything we owned now sat on the floor. Furniture was overturned, drawers emptied, dishes broken. There wasn't a single thing I could see that hadn't been touched. "That, and we keep the door locked." I glanced around to the other apartments, not that I expected to find anything suspicious because everything was suspicious around here.He took a step over the threshold. "I'd ask if you have any enemies, but I'm fairly certain your mother does even if you don't."I followed behind him as he continued inside. We didn't have much, so there wasn't much lost, but I'd bet if I opened the cabinet there wouldn't be a single plate that remained whole, and we'd only have cups because they're all plastic anyhow. I couldn't even bring myself to be sad. I didn't feel violated. This type of thing was expected around here when someone crossed the gang,
Dear Diamond Chapter 26: Nikki
Ten minutes later, Ryker and I were outside Swank. I dreaded entering. Not knowing what I'd face or when the other shoe would drop was worse than any punishment Jesse could have doled out. There was certainty in punishment; the degree kept me guessing.With my backpack strapped on, I walked a step behind the foreboding figure I'd shown up with. There was no doubt in my mind that Ryker garnered fear and respect wherever he went. If I had to be sidled with a broody alpha, at least he was nice to look at...or swoon over, whichever. I didn't normally come through the front door, not that there was a normal with this place. I hadn't been here long enough to have a routine. Nevertheless, it seemed odd to enter like a customer without being one. The bouncer waved us through without so much as a word. Regardless of how badly I wanted to ask how Ryker got by without paying a cover or even offering a greeting, I kept my mouth shut. Swank wasn't open for business, anyhow. Questioning him wou
Dear Diamond Chapter 27: Nikki
The spotlight hit me as the electronic beat hummed through the speakers. The crowd erupted the second I came into view center stage. As much as I hated anyone having to do this as a career, I had respect for a woman who could work a pole with precision. My muscles ached after one song. It took incredible control, and I only did very elementary tricks. Flexibility was the only thing working in my favor; although, I would never understand what men found sexy about a woman doing the splits. The other girls were helpful in all ways except choreography. I depended on music videos I'd memorized in high school. Luckily, I'd spent more time dancing to slutty music in the privacy of our tiny apartment than I had socializing, and those moves translated into happy customers. Not that drunk men cared once my top came off, and if they had, as soon as I bent over, exposing myself, they wouldn't have anymore. I didn't focus on the men, just one man...and I felt the music. It was easier to lose mys
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Dear Diamond Chapter 59: Ryker
Nikki missed graduation the following day, but I didn't think there was a single piece of her that minded. Although, when my parents left the hospital, I couldn't help but notice she seemed a bit somber. It was possible that she was tired or that the glow of giving birth had started to wane, but I still needed to check. "Babe, you okay?" I had just thought pregnancy was sexy. Seeing Nikki holding my son was hands down the hottest thing I'd ever witnessed. I could stare at her with Graham for hours and never tire of it.She smiled as she gazed at Graham, but it didn't reach her eyes. "I guess I had thought my mom would stop by." Nikki had tried several times over the last few years to get help for her mom, but Nikki couldn't force Tabitha into treatment, regardless of the number of carrots she had dangled in front of her. Nikki had believed the birth of our son-her mother's only grandchild-would get Tabitha to surface, even if it was just briefly. I'd done my best to keep her fr
Dear Diamond Chapter 58: Ryker: Four Years Later
"I'd like to tell you not to be a stranger, but you're one of the few I doubt I'll ever see again." My parole officer had been with me since I'd gotten out of prison years ago, and today was my last meeting. "Not gonna happen, man." I had never been in trouble before that raid with Chase, and I would never be in trouble again. I couldn't even smell Union 21 anymore they were so far away from my daily life.Nikki would have me by the balls if I ever got arrested again, and there was no way in hell I'd ever cross that woman. I'd only thought I was in control when we were younger, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Looking back, claiming a girl who wasn't mine was the best decision I'd ever made. She'd turned me into a man I was proud to be: her provider, her lover, and her best friend. And sooner rather than later, she was going to add father to that list. As I left my PO's office, I couldn't help but think of all that would happen in the next couple of days. Nikki would gradu
Dear Diamond Chapter 57: Nikki
His silverware clanked on the plate, and he wiped his mouth with a paper towel. "What did you misunderstand about what I said in there?" He used his thumb to point over his shoulder toward the bedroom. "None of that meant you wanted me to move in." It kind of had, but I needed to hear the words because I was a girl, and girls needed copious amounts of confirmation."I told you I wanted to wake up next to you, go to sleep next to you. How is that going to happen if you live somewhere else?" He had a valid point, but I still needed more. It couldn't, although I wasn't ready to concede since I hadn't gotten what I wanted. "I don't know."Ryker turned toward me, and with his hands on my hips, he angled me to face him. "I know it's unconventional, and I'm probably out of my mind for suggesting it, but it's not like my life has followed the straight and narrow. I want you here. Every day. In my bed. In my home." That was hot as hell and almost had me convinced."And what am I sup
Dear Diamond Chapter 56: Nikki
Basking in the afterglow of two mind-blowing orgasms, my stomach growled. It had gotten late, and the two of us had skipped eating in favor of savoring each other. Somehow, even the lingering smell of burned garlic bread tempted me out of bed. I rolled over onto my side to face the man who'd just rocked my world...twice. "Are you hungry?""Famished." He pulled me onto his stomach, and if I weren't careful, he'd have me chasing peak number three.I giggled, like a school girl, and my cheeks flushed with heat. "I meant for food."He leaned up to kiss me, grabbing the back of my neck with one hand and my ass with the other. "Trust me, I could dine on you all night long." The pinch of his nails digging into my skin jerked me into an upright position, right on top of his growing erection."If you're up for round three after we eat real food, then I'm game, but right now, I'm starving." I patted his chest and rolled off of him. "I still have to cook the noodles, but I managed to make
Dear Diamond Chapter 55: Nikki
My mouth watered, and my heart raced. I shouldn't want him, not after what I'd been through last night, but damn, I was desperate to be caught in his web. No matter how hard I tried to drag my eyes from his skin, I couldn't let go. Ryker snapped his fingers to get my attention. "Nikki...""Huh? Yeah." That was hardly a recovery to be proud of. "What's up?" At this point, I would look like a moron regardless of the turn this conversation took.He didn't bother to reach into the drawer to grab clean clothes. Instead, he sauntered toward me. As much as I wanted to meet his eyes, to get lost in their hypnotic gaze, I couldn't stop staring at the package between his legs. And the longer I looked, the bigger and harder and more erect it got...until it lay flush with his stomach, and he was close enough for me to feel the warmth of his breath. His fingers met my chin and lifted it. Reluctantly, I tore my stare from his sex."You were apologizing?"I'd forgotten that was what I'd in
Dear Diamond Chapter 54: Nikki
I jumped up and down, fanning the dish towel as close to the smoke detector as I could. What had started off as a sweet gesture had quickly morphed into a kitchen nightmare. At this point, I prayed the shrill beep stopped before the fire department arrived. I'd opened the door and continued to try to get the acrid-smoke smell to dissipate, but thus far, I hadn't been successful. A thick fog hovered in the air, and I coughed with every other breath I took. With no furniture to speak of, coupled with my height deficiency, it was difficult to get near the contraption on the ceiling to get it to shut up."Nikki!" Ryker's voice erupted into the frenzy just as the front door slammed shut behind him. "What the hell?" The anger on his face shattered the final shred of composure I'd held onto. His pinched brows and cerise cheeks spoke volumes that I didn't want to hear.My shoulders slumped as tears dripped from my chin. "I can't-" "Babe, why does it smell like burnt ass in here? Where d
Dear Diamond Chapter 53: Ryker
The buzz of my alarm continued in my dream until I realized I wasn't asleep. I just didn't want to get up. I'd slept like the dead for what little time I'd actually logged. I silenced my alarm and peered down my nose at the dead weight settled on my chest. Neither Nikki nor I had moved all night. Her hair flowed over my arm and spilled onto the mattress, and her tank top had ridden up, exposing the skin on her waist. I wished I had the time to stop and explore all the milky flesh that taunted me, but as it was, I would be late if I didn't get going. I managed to slide my body out from under the goddess in my bed without waking her. Even with dark hair, she looked like an angel as peacefully as she slept. The urge to touch her, to make sure she wasn't a figment of my imagination, was strong, so I settled for a kiss to her forehead. She rolled to her back, and I felt like a pervert watching her tits move with her. The swell spilled out the sides, and at the hint of a nipple, I adjuste
Dear Diamond Chapter 52: Ryker
Every sentiment she uttered rang true in my own life, only I hadn't been smart enough to keep everyone at bay. My tie to Chase ended up completely derailing me, and I'd never been able to get back on track. However, I still wanted the same things Nikki did. "I didn't mean to sound ungrateful for what you did, Ryker. It just meant more to me than it did to you." She'd managed to get my attention with that statement."How so?" This time, I pulled back, making certain she could see the dismay in my expression.Nikki swallowed and took her time before saying anything else. "You're safe here. The Silvanos will always have your back. But now that I'm on their radar, if I do anything to you, or you discard me...it won't be so easy for me to recover." I couldn't tell what exactly she meant by that. The only thing I knew with any certainty was that I was hungry and tired, and I had to be at work in the morning. This wasn't the time to have this conversation, especially when I couldn't
Dear Diamond Chapter 51: Ryker
I needed more than a ten-minute ride to clear my head. Leaving the Warehouse, I hadn't been able to shake Jesse's words or what I'd implied in claiming Nikki. It was more than just getting her out of the current situation. I never wanted her in danger again. I didn't even want the stench of the Union to rub off on her, and the only way I could ensure that was by having her at my side. But I'd stayed clear of relationships with women my entire life. Not because I batted for the other team-hell no. If the day ever came where one won me over, the game of life in Dacon ended. I had too many connections to the Silvanos, and any female in my life would be tethered by those ties as well. It was a greater burden than a help. Yet from the moment I'd laid eyes on her, I couldn't shake the need to protect her. She'd fought it. Hell, she was still fighting that shit until I had shown up at her apartment tonight. If I'd had to give an account of what took place once I had knocked on the door
