Chapter 7
Chapter Seven
HAVEN
All this time, I thought my cousin hated me.
That she resented the fact that I looked just like her. That I was smarter and the baby of the family. She always acted like I was her greatest adversary.
It took her dying to admit the truth.
That she envied me. That the perfect upbringing I got was the opposite of hers. While my parents doted on me, loved me, and cared for me, her parents fought, neglected, and even abused her.
It was when I read how her own father raped her when she started developing and got pregnant that I lost it.
She suffered so much in silence.
It’s no wonder she lashed out. She admitted to letting her piece of shit father die. He had a heart attack right before I left for college. I remember thinking how cruel Danica was for smiling at his funeral. It was the last time I saw her before she landed on my doorstep.
It all makes sense now.
I’m happy you got your revenge, cuz.
“Loki, you didn’t get her killed. She had her own demons she was fighting. I wish I had understood her better while she was alive.” I walk over to her body and fix her hair around her face.
“I’ll finish this. I promise.” I kiss her forehead as the furnace beeps.
“It’s time,” Corvin says in a subdued voice.
“Do you want to say anything. We can give you a moment.” I check in with Loki, but she shakes her head.
“I don’t want to sound cruel, but this is already time wasted to save those women.” I nod and look to Corvin.
“I got you, sis.” We move her body onto the slab of the container, and Corvin pushes her in, closing the loading door.
“Do you want me to do it?”
I shake my head at my best friend.
“No, it needs to be me.” I go to the control panel, set the system, and then hit start.
It takes just a matter of seconds, and the machine whirs to life, incinerating my cousin to ash. I can’t tell anyone she’s gone. This is the only memorial she’ll have. A spike of anger fills me, and I turn to Loki.
“What do I need to do?” She looks me up and down.
“You need to become her. No one can suspect you aren’t Mercy. You have to become the President of the Royal Harlots. Fuck can you even ride a motorcycle?” At that, I grin.
“Oh, that I do very well.”
Corvin laughs under his breath.
“What? There’s an inside joke here.” Loki points from me to Corvin.
“It’s the only action she gets between those thighs. Haven here is still a virgin.” I cringe at that word.
“Am not. I just haven’t found a dick I want to ride more than my Ducati.” He chuckles at my tired argument.
“Ah fuck. That’s gonna be a problem.” Loki pulls at her hair.
“What do you mean? Do I need to fuck someone to sell this?” Her lip curls, and I choke on air.
“REALLY?” She takes her long red hair and wraps it up on the top of her head, and rolls up her sleeves.
“Ok, let’s start with your body. Strip.”
I glance from her to Corvin.
“I beg your pardon?”
Loki rolls her eyes.
“Mercy had tattoos and piercings. You gotta match at least visually.” Fucking hell.
I take off all my clothes and turn in a circle.
“Nipples pierced good. Belly button and clit need to be added. Tattoos, we can apply temporary ones. You’re gonna need to go blonde and get extensions.” Nope, I put my hand up.
“NO.” I’ll do the piercings, cause honestly, I’ve wanted them anyway.
“Wig?” Corvin suggests, and Loki groans.
“It’ll need to be a damn good one.” The look of shock on his face at her statement makes me smile.
“Bitch, please. An amateur I am not. I’ll be right back.” Corvin leaves the room with purpose, leaving me alone and naked with Loki.
“Can you really do this?” she says, and doubt floods my system.
“We used to switch when we were little. But I don’t know her as a woman now. What does she like? Her hobbies? Mannerisms. Fuck I’m not even sure if she likes the same shit she used to!” I grab my lab coat and shove my arms through the sleeves.
“Danica was mean and nasty to the people she didn’t know. But to us, her family, she never raised her voice. She made time for anyone who needed help, and she loved eating…” I say the words with her, the memory filling my mind like it was yesterday.
“Bowtie donuts.” Loki nods with a grin.
“She only drank whiskey, no drugs except weed occasionally, but she was known to spark up a cigar. She only wore jeans, t-shirts, and leather. Hated bras, and she has an old man she despises. He’s gonna be an issue.” I frown.
“Old man?” She sighs.
“We need to work on your biker terms. A husband.” My eyes widen.
“SHE WAS MARRIED?”
The words come out as a screech and echo around the room.
“Legally, no. In the biker world, yes. For life. We don’t get divorces. Luckily, he’s a nomad and is never around.” I shake my head.
“She did cheat. A lot.” Loki shrugs when she says it like it’s no big deal.
“Of course she did. Let me guess. There’s a regular around town now, right?” I pinch the bridge of my nose, trying to stop the migraine I can feel coming on strong.
“More like a fuck buddy. But yeah. If anyone is going to be able to tell you aren’t Mercy, it’s him.” I drop my arm and sigh as Corvin comes back into the room holding a fabulous, lush blonde wig, which he is combing out as he walks.
Well, this can’t get any more complicated than it already is, so I guess asking won’t hurt anything.
“Alright, who is he?” Loki grins and drops a bombshell I did not see coming.
“Police Chief Higgins.”
I was so, so wrong.
“I work with him! He never said a word about my cousin.” She nods.
“I know. It was part of their arrangement. He looks the other way when we fuck shit up in exchange for all the sex he wanted. It was cheaper than bribing him, plus apparently he’s a great lay.
He was never allowed to tell you they knew each other or use it against you if the arrangement ever ended.
” Loki pulls out a phone and taps the screen a few times.
“I can not fuck Higgins!” I hiss and look at Corvin for support.
“You could do worse.” I’m going to strangle him.
“Fine, you fuck him!” His face lights up.
“Oh, do you think I could? He seems so straight-laced. Not a bi bone in his body.”
I’m in the twilight zone.
I have clearly slipped into another dimension.
“Nah, he is a pussy only kinda guy,” Loki answers Corvin without looking up from her phone.
“Shame, I’d rock his world.” He hangs the wig on the coatrack and pulls a wig cap from his pocket.
“Fit check,” He points to the floor in front of him.
“I’m not a dog.” He rolls his eyes as I walk over.
“Clearly, bitch. Since you listen and Diesel doesn’t.” I sigh as he fixes my chin-length cherry cola hair into the cap and then places the lace front wig on my head.
“You’re gonna need a spray tan too,” Loki says as Corvin turns me into the mirror.
I look at my reflection, and Danica blinks back at me.
“Wow, that is so fucking freaky.” Loki comes over to check me closely.
“Contacts too. Your eyes are bluer than hers.” I look away from the mirror and down at Loki.
“Any other surprises you have for me?” I see her eyes widen for just a second before she shakes her head.
“Nah, hooker. We saw that flinch. No more surprises.” Corvin pulls out his taser again and whacks it in his palm.
“You are a violent motherfucker.” Loki backs away slowly.
“Says the vice president of a biker gang.” I sigh over this day.
“Club, we’re a club. We have bylaws, rules that we follow. It’s a lifelong commitment that you’d better start taking seriously.” I roll my eyes.
“For what, a few weeks until we get the girls back and fix this shit? I’m good.” Loki’s mouth drops open and then closes.
“You don’t get it. You’re the President now. Fake or not. You’ll be sworn in, and the club will be yours. This isn’t temporary. Once the mother chapter approves it, you’ll officially be a Royal Harlot.”
WHAT?