Chapter Eight.
Priest
Belladonna wasn’t gentle; she struck like a viper as soon as my shield dripped. It took little guessing she’d been poking around, trying to find a way in. She was in and out, fast as lightning.
“Nun guessed right. Priest is the assassin named that,” she murmured. “He’s also telling the truth. Priest is looking for his cousin, and he’s desperate to locate her. He’s got no ill intentions towards us, even though he wants Nun.”
I snorted as Belladonna outed me without a blink. I still couldn’t see her, and I was beginning to worry that Dagger intended me to remain blind for good.
“Any danger signs?” Sapphire asked.
“No. However, he is keen to know how Dagger and Blade pulled some of their shit off. He has a huge amount of respect for them,” Belladonna replied.
“Lift the blindness,” Sapphire ordered. My eyes cleared, and I caught her gaze. “Don’t bullshit us again.”
“Understood.”
“We don’t judge anyone here,” she added.
“Wasn’t afraid of judgment.”
“No? Knowing what we are, why lie?” Sapphire challenged.
“Because only four individuals were aware of my identity.”
“Well, that got a lot bigger. We understand how to keep secrets, Priest,” Sapphire informed me and then left. God, that bitch was as cold as ice sometimes.
“Raise your shield again,” Belladonna ordered. Around us, conversations picked up. Clearly the Harlots weren’t interested in me.
Nun held my eyes. She looked disappointed as she walked away. Why the hell had she been upset with me?
Nun
When I messed up, I did it big time. I’d slept with a top-ranked assassin. Typical. And I’d exposed him to Blue. Damn idiot. There was only myself to blame. Belladonna had outed Priest as being interested in me. What if Priest harmed Blue so he could have me? Was Priest that type of man?
I breathed in the fresh air as I walked outside.
I needed to get my thoughts straight. Blue was bothering me because I knew he loved me.
Several problems with that. I was seven years older than him.
Blue deserved the HEA and the white picket fence, and I was unwilling to give him that.
He also wanted kids, and that was something I’d never considered.
After my terrible upbringing, what did I know about being a parent? I’d probably screw them up.
I walked around our perimeter, nodding at Heli standing guard. He waved back and turned his attention to the gate as two cars drove up. We weren’t expecting anyone, and I could tell it wasn’t any of Wylde’s lot, so I headed over. I instantly lost my temper when I saw who got out.
“Margaret!” Marion shouted, seeing me.
“Who the fuck is Margaret?” Heli demanded.
“Heli, step back. I’ll handle this,” I ordered. Heli retreated to the guard box but hung half in, half out. I kept the gates between my family and my former family, because sure as hell, they were all here. “What do you want?”
Marion looked taken aback by my attitude. “Don’t talk to me like that. I’m your mother.”
“No. No, you ain’t. You weren’t ever a real mom, so don’t insult that word by calling yourself it,” I retorted.
“I’m warning you…” Keith began.
“Are you? Why the fuck should I be bothered? You’re nothing to me,” I remarked idly.
“Wow, look at that mouth,” Catherine commented, appalled.
I eyed my sister and shrugged. “What the hell happened to you? You were pretty once,” I said. Catherine looked washed out; her hair was greying and scraped back into a bun. She wore clothes meant for someone Marion’s age.
“Don’t talk to my wife like that!” a balding, beer-bellied guy uttered.
“Why not? Jesus, look at you, Catherine. You’re thirty-six and appear fifty-six. This asshole’s drained the life from you. You’ve become a clone of her.” I pointed my thumb at Marion.
“Seems you’ve turned into quite the guttersnipe,” Edith sneered.
“Damn, if Catherine looks old, you’re rough,” I retorted.
Edith bristled. “I resemble a proper lady.”
“Shapeless tweed clothing, clunkers on your feet. Hair yanked back into a bun. Babe, you’re thirty-eight, not fifty-eight. Why did you let yourselves go?” I shook my head.
“I suppose we should dress as a slut like you?” Edith hissed.
“Girl, my hair gleams with health; I’ve hardly any grey, and the colour is natural.
My tits are a nice size, perky and not drooping.
My thighs are toned and muscled, and I’ve a little pooch, but my stomach’s pretty damn good.
Um, my skin has a healthy sheen unlike your washed-out appearance, and my eyes sparkle while you’ve bags upon bags!
You wanna compare? I’m fuckin’ stunning compared to you three.
What the fuck is wrong with her?” I snapped, pointing at Hilary, who had her eyes closed but her lips were moving.
“She’s praying for you!” Marion retorted.
“Then she better pray I get big cocks and multiple orgasms!”
“Harlot!” Keith roared.
“Yup, a Royal one,” I replied, and Keith looked confused. I tapped my patch. “Royal Harlots MC. I’m a sister. Calling me a Harlot isn’t the insult you think.” I laughed.
“I’m so glad I left my family at home,” Charles said, and I began chuckling again.
“There he is! The pompous little asshole. Well, Charles, you didn’t age gracefully. Christ, look at the size of your gut. Do you need a bra for those man boobs you’ve got?” I sneered. “The comb-over is shocking for a thirty-nine-year-old. Boy, do I pity your wife having to fuck you.”
Charles began spluttering as I realised what a good time I was having. None of them knew what to say.
“You wouldn’t dare utter that without this gate between us,” Charles yelled.
“Open the gate,” I ordered Heli.
“Nun…”
“Open it!”
Heli pressed the buzzer, and the gate rolled back.
“No barrier now, Charles, come on. Bring it.”
Charles stepped forward and slapped me hard. Immediately, my fist shot out, and I punched him straight in the nose. Blood spurted everywhere as Charles shrieked.
“How dare you?” Marion screamed, rushing towards Charles to check on him. Hilary, shocked out of praying, stared at me wide-eyed.
“You harmed your brother?” Keith said, aghast.
“I don’t bitch slap, I go for the kill. Anyone touches me, I’ll deliver a beating to them,” I warned. “I’m not your fuckin’ punch bag or victim anymore!”
“When I saw you trying to get into that sex club, I thought you were lost. Now I know you are. We came to take you back, help you repent, and guide you on the right path again,” Marion said, wringing her hands. “But you’re truly lost.”
“Enter The Royal Lounge? What, as a customer?”
“Yes!” Marion exclaimed.
A huge grin spread across my face. “Marion. I’m not a client!”
Marion looked at me in surprise, and then her expression showed relief. “I knew it; no daughter of mine would be so deviant. Praise the Lord!”
“Marion. I fuckin’ designed it. I own and manage the club.
As a dominant, I placed every single piece of furniture, chose all the wallpaper, picked every sex toy and swing.
I selected the sex furniture there. That place is entirely built from my dreams and imagination, and I have my own private dungeon there,” I stated gleefully.
“I even had some adapted pieces made to my personal design.”
“What?” Marion grasped her pearls as my sister’s eyes widened. My lone brother-in-law was suddenly looking at me far differently than he had been. Yeah, I wouldn’t touch him with a full hazmat suit on.
“I manage and own the club. And I use it at least once a week. My submissive is perfectly trained to fulfil my every need,” I cooed.
“You’re beyond redemption!” Keith roared.
“I couldn’t care less. Who the hell wants your idea of redemption? Certainly not me. None of you means anything to me; it’s been ten years, and I still can’t stand the sight of you. You disgust me. Hell, I don’t even get why you’re here?”
“We hoped to return you to your calling, but you’re lost to us,” Marion cried.
“It was never my fuckin’ calling!” I screamed at them.
They stepped back, shocked at my vehemence.
“I was a seven-year-old child who was sold into slavery. Nobody cared what I wanted to do. You all left me alone with a psychotic, narcissistic lunatic who’d masturbate to a child’s pain.
Yeah, that’s right, that’s what your precious sister did.
There was nothing religious about that! You think I’d actually want to return to that life?
All the suffering it inflicted on me? Why on earth would I choose that! ”
Agony bled through me, tears sprang to my eyes, and my nose became stuffed as I fought not to cry. My fists clenched as I locked my knees in place to stop me from curling into a ball and sobbing.
“Look at you! Just take a good look at yourselves! Children are meant to be loved, cared for, and protected. Neither of you did that. You’re so concerned with outward appearances you neglected us four girls until we were useful!” I screamed.
“It was God’s plan!” Marion yelled.
“The fuck it was. Edith aimed to be a teacher, a righteous career and so rewarding. You drummed that out of her. Who knows what genius she might have discovered and nurtured, potentially making the world a better place. Catherine wanted to be a midwife; all those babies she could have helped birth. Hillary dreamed of being an ASL interpreter. All those deaf children she could have given words to. And you married them off because, according to you both, their only value was their pussy!” I shouted in her face.
The agony was unfolding, and I was letting it out. I wouldn’t hold this in anymore.
“How dare you!” Keith spluttered.