Nova was silent for a moment. Then, “This is your personal life. But you mixed the two.”
“I know. And if you think I need to be called out, do it when I get back. Right now, I’ve got a man to get out of the hospital and a long ride home.”
Nova exhaled. “You’ve given everything to this club, Diamond. If this is what you want… I won’t stand in your way.”
“Thank you,” Diamond said, her voice softer than it had been in a long time.
“Just be safe coming back.”
A smirk curled her lips. “I’m sure we won’t be alone making that drive.”
Nova’s chuckle on the other end was the last thing she needed to hear to know she wasn’t doing this alone, not really.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Diamond rolled onto her back;eyes fixed on the ceiling of the truck’s sleeper compartment. The hum of the idling engine beneath her did little to quiet her thoughts. She wished she’d stayed in the motel room with Sayer, but there’d been too much testosterone for her liking—too many men pacing, planning, posturing. She’d needed space. Now she had it, and all she could do was think.
Nova’s questions looped through her head like a broken record.Had she thought the situation with Sayer through?Was she jumping in blindly?
She exhaled sharply through her nose. It wasn’t like her to move without a plan. But Sayer wasn’t a plan—he was a feeling. A gut-pull. A risk wrapped in temptation. And maybe, just maybe, she was tired of being cautious.
Tossing off the covers, Diamond rolled into a sitting position and planted her feet on the floor. The cold tile grounded her, a sharp contrast to the heat still clinging to her skin from sleep. She welcomed it. It cut through the fog in her mind, gave her something real to focus on—something that wasn’t Sayer.
A sharp knock on the cabin door made her jump. Glancing at her phone, Diamond realized it was later than she thought—ten a.m., to be exact. She must have slept, even though it felt like she’d barely closed her eyes.
Shoving off the bed, she crossed the small space and unlocked the door. Standing outside was Teller, holding two cups of coffee.
She stepped back to let him in. “Please tell me one of those is for me.”
“Nope. I’m a two-cup-a-day fiend.” He chuckled as disappointment washed over the pretty blonde’s face. “I’m kidding.”
Diamond smiled and took the cup he handed her. “Thanks.” She sipped, savoring the warmth before asking, “Any word on when Sayer gets released?”
“They’re working on his discharge papers now. Should be an hour, maybe two.”
“I guess I need to get dressed so I can start getting things ready.”
Teller set his cup down on the small counter. His next words were going to be blunt, maybe even offensive, but he figured it had to be said. “I think we should take Sayer home. You can head back to Quebec City and handle club business.”
Diamond didn’t miss a beat. “Is that whatSayerwants?”
When Teller didn’t answer, her expression hardened. “Then we’ll lethimdecide. He’s a grown man, last I checked.”
So much for the Bastards having her back. She’d thought after the hospital room, Teller was good with things. She openedthe door and looked at him with polite finality. “I need to get dressed.”
Teller hesitated, then nodded and stepped out.
Diamond didn’t scream or shout. She stayed quiet as she got dressed. Teller hadn’t argued about letting Sayer decide for himself. That made her nervous. Had he sent Teller to soften the blow?
The thought deflated her. “Fuck it,” she muttered. If Sayer wanted her to leave without him, he could damn well say it to her face and not hide behind his president.
Pulling on clean clothes, she took her time. Not out of vanity—just to feel like herself again. To armor up.
When she finally stepped out of the truck, the walk to his room felt shorter than it had the night before. Maybe because she wasn’t dragging hope behind her this time.
She was ready for it to be over. Ready to hit the road, get back to her chapter, and start piecing together what this one mission had wrecked.
As for her and Sayer… they’d be what they’d be.
