Chapter One
Harlow
Tapping my long, red tipped nails on the wooden table in front of me, I stare at the invite card. Picking it up, I flip it over and over in one hand while I hold the phone with the other. I read the print over again, making sure I have the details correct. Working at the Ivy club for the past month waiting for this event to happen has finally paid off. I read the card yet again……….
Be Seduced…
7 Deadly Sins
1 Tempting Affair
May 6th 2018, 9pm
Hosted by Deadly Sins MC & Club Ivy Newcastle
All proceeds go to The Cancer foundation
Be Bad, Be Good
Pick your flavour…
“Harlow, are you listening to me?” My best friend, Tilly shouts into my ear.
I drop the card to the table in front of me so I can concentrate on the phone conversation.
“Yep, I’m here.”
I hear her blow out a frustrated breath, she knows full well I didn’t hear a word she just said. “Listen I love ya like my own sister, but you can’t just rock up to this party by yourself. For fuck sake, it’s run by biker’s and not just any biker’s, but fucking 1%er’s”
“Tilly, I need to go. I need answers and you know me better than anyone. I can’t just sit on my fucking hands and do nothing”
“Shit! Shit! Shit! That's the problem, I do know you. You’re too bloody stubborn for your own good. It doesn’t matter what me and the girl’s say, you’re going to do what you want and that scares the shit out of me.”
I get that she’s worried but this is something I need to do. “What if it was your sister?” I know full well, she wouldn’t sit idly by.
“Fine,” she huffs after a moment of silence. “But me and the girls are coming with you.”
“Um, no…” That’s all I manage before she cuts me off.
“So…” I can picture her hands on her hips like they usually are when she uses that tone of voice and try not to giggle. “You’re telling me, if I was in your shoes, you wouldn’t demand to come with me?”
Yeah, she’s got me. I wouldn’t even have to think about it. There’s no way I’d allow her to go alone. “Fine. You win but don’t drag the girls into this.”
“Too late. If you hadn’t been ignoring our group chat for the past day or so you would have seen our messages about which sinful outfit we’re each wearing.”
“What do you mean?” I sound confused because I am.
“The party’s theme is 7 Deadly Sins, right? So, as there are seven of us, we’ve decided each of us will dress as a different sin.”
“Of course, you have.” I’m not sure how I feel about this.
“Don’t get all fucking grumpy about it, we have this shit sorted. Deal with it.”
“What’s my sin?” I change the subject, knowing she’s getting pissed with me.
“What else – Wrath.” She giggles.
I must admit, it sounds perfect right at this moment. I feel the anger about what happened to my sister slice through me like a hot knife.
“We’ll meet at your place tomorrow arvo around three and don’t stress about your outfit, Peyton and I are going to pick them all up today.”
“I don’t know about this,” I mumble before rubbing my forehead with my free hand. I feel a headache coming on. I’m worried about dragging my friends into something which could get them hurt.
“Julie was like our sister too, Harlow. We agreed to always be there for each other so, shut up and let’s get this shit done.” Her voice starts out hard before becoming soft.
I can tell she’s trying hard not to cry. Swallowing past the lump in my throat, I attempt to speak. “Okay,” I concede.
“Love ya, girl.”
“Love ya, too,” I say before clicking ‘end call.’
Dropping my phone to the table, I eye the invite again and shake off the emotions from the call. I push away from the table, head into the small kitchenette and grab a glass of water. I grab my phone again, pull up the group text and scroll through what the girls wrote last night.
Shaking my head at their stubbornness, I drop my phone back to the table and head upstairs to have a shower.
Turning the taps on, I strip out of my work clothes and jump under the hot spray. Lifting my face to the hot water, images of my sister replay over and over. Images from the night I called by her home to be confronted with her lifeless body, lying crumpled on the bedroom floor. From the day our parents died, I promised I would protect her. I failed her when she was alive and now the reality that her life has been taken away is like a slap in the face. I will not fail her again.
I feel tears well behind my closed lids and will them not to fall, it doesn’t work. As the tears spill free down my cheeks, I don’t do anything to stop them. This is the one time I will allow myself to feel this way. My heart feels like it’s caged in a vice, squeezing it tighter and tighter with each exhale. Strong grief slams through me, holding my soul captive and I know this feeling will probably remain with me for the rest of my life.
I slam my hands against the tiles hard enough to send pain ricocheting up my arms. I allow the pain to ground me as my mind swirls with uncertainties as to why this happened to my sweet little sister. How the hell did she end up dead when she was the one who always did things right? I’ve always been the one to push the boundaries. We were like chalk and cheese. Julie was the bookworm type and I was the party girl. This shit just isn’t adding up in my head, but by this time tomorrow night, I will have the answers I need. I’ll kill the person who took my sister away from me. I swear to all that is holy in this world – I will make them pay. For now, I’ll let this gut wrenching grief rip me apart and consume me. Tomorrow, I’ll pull my shit together and get the vengeance my sister deserves.
***
It’s almost six in the evening and I have managed to center myself for what's to come. Stepping out of the shower, I wrap a towel around myself. Beads of water linger on my warm skin. I hurry to my bedside table, fighting off the chill in the air of my bedroom. Reaching down, I click the ‘on’ button on my iPod dock. After a moment of silence, Julie's playlist begins and I let Like a Prayer by Madonna soak through me. I head back into the small attached ensuite and rest my hands against the bathroom sink. Bowing my head, I suck in a few deep calming breaths and will all the strength I possess to push me through the hurt that's constantly squeezing the life out of me. Pushing the grief aside, I let the anger I’ve been bottling up for the past two months, simmer in my veins. Slowly lifting my face, I stare at my reflection in the mirror - light brown hair with honey coloured streaks, dark brown eyes which follow a slender pierced nose to my tattoo covered chest. Above a set of wings is tattooed, ‘true love.’ The wings lead to the middle of my chest and a heart. There’s a cross covered with vines and roses, ‘forever’ is written in the centre. Turning my right arm and holding it out, I take in the intricate detail of the gun and rose with vines traveling down to my hand. Returning my gaze to the mirror, I admire the two new doves on each side of my neck. In memory of Julie.
For most of my life, I’ve been considered different. Pushing back against society and what they deem appropriate but I’ve always been a happy-go-lucky girl. Sure, I was a bit on the wild side and filled with sass, but I have always been polite. Tonight, that changes. Polite goes out the fucking window. Tonight, I will be the baddest bitch anybody has ever encountered. I don't give a fuck what I have to do to get justice to my sister. Whoever did this is going to wish they’d never been born - in my eyes they’re already fucking dead.
Nodding to my mirror image, I turn the tap on at the sink and splash cold water on my face. I reach blindly beside me for a hand-towel and grabbing it, I wipe the water from my face. I hear voices, it’s my friends entering my apartment. I sigh and shake my head. Their loud as fuck voices carry over the music blaring in my room. After dropping the hand towel onto the sink, I adjust the fluffy bath towel around my chest. I hear footsteps on the stairs but they fade when the girls reach the carpeted hallway which leads to my room.
The girls have arrived in force! I smile to myself, secretly relieved and equal parts annoyed, that they’re here. I didn’t want to drag them into this shit, I was fearful they’d be hurt. I’m relieved I won’t be alone though. The girls have my back.
“Yo, Chicka.” Callie’s voice sing songs over the music as she enters my room. “Are you ready for a sinful night?" She wiggles her eyebrows at me when I open the bathroom door with the towel wrapped around me.
I take in her black and white Playboy bodysuit with bunny ears and bowtie. It’s complimented by black fishnet stockings and her favorite pair of black Maryjane spiked heels.
“Shit girl, let me guess. You’re Lust."
I laugh when she winks before giving me a little curtsey, turning around so I can see the bunny tail and giving her Jennifer Lopez ass a shake.
“Right you are baby-cakes. Now, throw on a robe and come check the other girls out downstairs. You need to grab your outfit for the night.”
She thumbs over her shoulder and I hear the girls’ laughter coming from the living room downstairs. There’s the loud pop of what I assume is a wine bottle being opened.
“Hurry your ass up, I think the girls are starting without us.” The words are thrown over her shoulder as she makes her way from my room. I hurriedly drop my towel and throw on the robe which was lying on the foot of my bed. I follow her down the hallway, her long black hair swings from side to side as she hurries downstairs
I need to talk to the girls again, to make sure they are serious about tonight and remind them of the risks involved. Making my way to the living room, I can’t hide the smile which graces my lips at the sight of my friends all dressed up. Ava hands me a freshly poured glass of white wine. I don’t usually like wine but I’ll have a glass every now and then with the girls.
“Thanks.”
Tilly draws my attention. “Can you guess each of our sins?”
Taking a mouthful of wine, I try not to scrunch up my face at the horrid taste before looking at each of the girls.
“These aren’t costumes,” I laugh. “They’re more like glorified underwear,” I say in mock horror, making them all laugh.
“Okay. I already guessed that Callie is Lust.”
Callie shakes her hips again and we giggle.
“Tilly, you resemble Poison Ivy. You must be Envy. Peyton you look like a sexy poker player so, you must be Greed.” I glance at Ava and note the cute little apron. “Ava,” I laugh. “You look like a slutty chef, you’re Gluttony. Alexis, since you’re the queen of living in your pajamas it doesn’t surprise me that you’re Sloth in your cute little blue nightie.” I wink at her. “That leaves us with Pride for Holly.”
“Smartass, go and get your outfit on.” Holly hands me a white bag with Sinful Nights stamped across the front.
“Really?” I eye the bag in her hands. “You went to the sex shop to get our outfits?” I bite back a laugh.
“I thought it suited the theme of the night.” Payton shrugs with a mischievous smirk.
“I bet,” I muse. “We’re going to look like fucking strippers.” I groan, really worrying about their thought process.
“Yeah, but at least we’ll look like high priced strippers.” Tilly traps her bottom lip between her teeth, trying not to laugh.
“Come on, go and get ready. I bet you’ll love what we got for you.” Payton nudges me with her shoulder. Taking the bag, I pause for a moment. I need to make sure they know what they’re getting themselves into. As much as it’s all fun and games, getting dressed up and partying, this isn’t just another party to me. This is serious business.
“As much as I appreciate each of you girls wanting to come tonight, I want you to really think about this first. It isn’t just some regular party we’re going to tonight, this is where I find the justice Julie deserves” I breathe out a hard breath, needing them to understand how serious I am. “I don’t think I could live with myself if one of you girls got hurt.” I look each of them in the eye.
“Nothing will stop us going tonight,” Alexis says adamantly.
“We’ve had each other’s backs since the day we met in primary school, this doesn’t change anything,” Ava answers.
Nodding, I understand what they are saying but, need them to understand how serious this is. “When I walk in there tonight, I may not come back out.”
A sudden tension settles over the room as the girls think about what I have just said. After a few moments Tilly breaks the silence.
“Would you walk in there with one of us, even knowing the risks?” Tilly slams her hands on her hips. After all these years of knowing each other, I can’t lie to them. I want to, but before I can say a word, Holly speaks.
“Have the police been in contact, have they found anything new?” Holly murmurs.
I shake my head. “They’re not telling me anything new. Same shit, different day.” My voice takes on a hard edge. I don’t mean to sound pissy. I know the police have done everything in their power. They can only go on the evidence they have and it’s not a lot. As it stands at the moment, it looks like she was given a hotshot. There was no proof anybody else was with her, but I know my sister – she had a hatred for drugs, she would never put that shit in her body.
“So, I ask again. Would you walk in there with one of us even when you know the risks?” Tilly asks softer this time, pulling me from my thoughts.
“Yes.”
“Then there’s nothing else to discuss.” Callie places her hands on my shoulders and turns me towards the stairs. “Go and get your ass ready while I grab you a beer out of the fridge, don’t think I didn’t see you scrunch up your nose at the taste of the wine.”
“Damn, I thought I did really good covering it up.”
Laughing at my retreating back, she calls out, “Nope.”
Shaking my head, I gnaw on my bottom lip, knowing there is no way to convince them not to come with me. Maybe we can hang out for a few hours then, I’ll make my break and try to find out as much information as I can without getting them involved.
Closing my bedroom door, I lean my back against the cool wood of the door and try to steady myself. I’m worried as hell about what might happen to my friends tonight, but no matter what I say to them, I know they’re as hard headed as me. It won’t matter what I say, they won’t listen.
Pushing off the door, I cross to the volume control on the dock and turn it up. Meant to Be by Bebe Rexha (feat. Florida. Georgia Line) starts to play. I get lost in the lyrics as I remove the robe start to get ready. The outfit is literally lingerie. Damn these girls, this is the last bloody time I let them organise the costumes.
Staring at myself in the full-length mirror, I take in the strapless latex dress with a sweetheart neckline. It flares out at the hips, hitting mid-thigh. The hemline is cut to look like flames are flowing down my thighs. Red strips of silk are sewn underneath so it hangs about an inch longer than the black latex, it’s off center a little so you can see the silk. It’s actually quite sexy. I slip on black seamless knickers and fishnet stockings. I release my hair from a butterfly clip and let it cascade down my back naturally, giving it a bed-hair look. Heading into the bathroom, I grab my eyeliner from the top drawer of my vanity along with mascara, black eyeshadow and my red lipstick. Applying the eyeliner, mascara and eyeshadow, I make sure I get a smoky-eye look. Running the tip of my nail under the liquid eyeliner on my top lid, I make sure the lines flick out equally on each side. Grabbing the cherry red lipstick, I apply a decent amount and smack my lips together. I’m satisfied I have the look I was going for. Sexy, but a girl not to be messed with. Heading back to the bedroom, I grab my black Doc boots and sit on the edge of my bed to pull them on and lace them up. I throw one last look at myself in the mirror and hum, satisfied I’m ready to go.