Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
HAVEN
Iturn Danica’s Harley off and stand waiting for Apex to join me before taking off my helmet. I glance around as he approaches me, trying to act as if the pain isn’t killing him.
He refused to wear the sling or drive a cage.
Stupid, stubborn man.
Instead, he took some pain meds, hit a joint, and decided driving under the influence would be better. I don’t know how my cousin put up with his ass. I want to castrate him.
“Clear,” he whispers, letting me know the coast is clear to take my helmet off.
I place it on my seat and turn to look around.
“We’re heading around the corner.” He points to our right, and I nod, walking ahead of him like I’m in charge.
Cause you are.
I really need my brain to stop talking shit to me so I can be vigilant of my surroundings. But telling oneself to shut up is too close to having multiple personalities, and I do not need to have that discussion with myself right now.
I might as well have been Diesel chasing a squirrel at this moment. I’m so fucking happy Apex refused to stay behind. Besides the fact that he has his own revenge to seek, he said I’d have to kill him myself to stop him from coming.
Since I’m pretty sure I like him, that was a big no for me.
“On your left,” I slow my steps and place my hand on the butt of the gun I have at my hip.
“Ms. Demato, what a pleasure to see you again. And alive! Miracles do happen.” Orwell grins at me, and the person I know from that university class is nothing like the man standing in front of me.
“Dr. Demato, actually. I believe you were acquainted with my cousin, Mercy.” He tilts his head in surprise that I’m not keeping up the charade.
“My, you are bold. Now, why would you ever admit that?”
I smile sweetly at him.
“Well, since I’m the new President of the Royal Harlots, what would be the point?
I mean, I inherited all my cousins’ businesses and problems. So here I am to finish what she started.
Now I do believe you owe me four containers of merchandise.
” I cross my arms and make sure my hand is inside my cut where I have another gun hidden.
“Oh, I do enjoy your style. Straightforward and to the point. However, there is one flaw in your little speech. The arrangement wasn’t with the Harlots. It was with Mercy herself. If she’s not here to collect, I’m afraid we’re done here.” He turns his back on me, and I pull my gun.
“I think you misunderstood me, Orwell. You are going to give me my cargo, and then Apex here is going to show you to your final resting place.” He swallows hard when I jam the gun into the back of his head.
“You don’t have the stomach for murder.”
I let out a manic laugh.
“Death is my chosen profession, Orwell. You should really rethink your assumptions about my character. Now, be a good boy and tell whoever’s watching us to come out slowly.
I wouldn’t want my girls to have itchy fingers.
No sense in turning this into another blood bath.
” I push the gun, and he tilts forward slightly.
A bullet explodes into the ground in front of him.
“STOP!” He yells and starts to shiver.
For all the bravado he threw my way at first, he seems to be closer to the unsure professor I met in school now. It makes you wonder who the real Harrison Orwell is.
“Bring them out.” He calls, and about ten men start to approach us from the woods and buildings surrounding us.
“Where are the women?” Apex hisses.
One glance at his face shows him pouring with sweat, which means I’m running out of time. He’s only going to be able to stay upright for a few more minutes.
“Two rows over.” Orwell spits the words out, disgusted with us.
He has no idea what I have planned for him.
The club surrounds us and disarms the men before tying them up and gagging them. When Orwell is the last man standing, I hit him over the head with the pistol and knock him out.
“That one I want saved for Apex. Where is he?” I look around and curse.
“LOKI!” I call out and catch her carrying a little girl about four years old.
Her niece.
I put my hand over my heart at the sight. She smiles as she approaches me.
“The others?”
She nods, and I swallow back tears for strangers I haven’t even met yet.
“Apex is down,” Nightshade calls out to me, and then disappears around the corner Loki came from with the little girl.
I chase after her and skid to a stop in front of four open containers full of women and children, all scared to death and glaring at Apex.
“Scared,” he’s shaking, and I want to stab him with the syringe full of Valium, but I can’t with the little ones watching me.
“Okay, take them.” He talks in very clipped sentences, and I frown.
“I’m going to talk to them. Once I’ve got them moving to the buses, jab him with this and drag his ass back to the clubhouse.” I hand Nightshade the meds.
“Fuck, not her.”
I raise an eyebrow at him.
“Would you prefer Corvin?”
The color drains from him.
Didn’t think so.
“Evil woman.” He hisses as I walk away from him to address the women watching.
“Hello, my name is Azrael. I’m here to help you.” One of the little ones comes closer and looks up at me.
“Are you going to take us home?” I smile down at her.
“If that is what you want, yes.” I look around at them, knowing some don’t have one to go back to.
Traffickers target women who have no family, are homeless, or otherwise forgotten.
Today I’m changing these lives.
“You’ve been looking for a safe haven, and I’m here to give you one.”