Syren's Plaything

by Jennah Thornhill

  Karina

  I’ve come to the conclusion I’m crazy.

  I mean, who leaves the man who’s knocked you up with their bonkers dad, the man who has more guns than London’s police force in his possession?

  The only reason I agreed to leave them alone together was because I saw something on Johnny's face, telling me that everything was going to be ok.

  After closing the door to my father's office, I take a deep breath, trying my best to steady my nerves. Once I’ve pulled myself together, I look to Carlos who’s just standing there with a smirk on his face.

  I’d love nothing more than to punch him in the face right now.

  “What are you smirking at?” I snap.

  Getting right up in my face, he grabs my chin roughly, keeping me in place before tutting and snarling.

  “You really think you’re daddy’s girl, don’t you? There’s nothing that will save you or him. Dom’s just worried about the effect that all of your screwing around is going to have on business.”

  “Fuck you, Carlos.” I say, as I knee him in the bollocks. The great big ape goes down like a sack of shit, groaning and moaning on the floor.

  “You’re going to pay for that, bitch.”

  “Whatever.” I say, as I throw him a one finger salute and walk off leaving him there on the floor.

  It kills me that me and Carlos are so hostile to each other, we never used to be. Apart from John Boy, he was always there for me.

  I head to the kitchen to get a drink, anything to keep me busy really. I know I won’t settle till Johnny is out of my dad's office and back with me.

  Grabbing a glass from the cupboard, I pour myself a drink of water from the tap, then guzzle it down giving my dry mouth some relief.

  “Well, well, well. The princess has returned, what's up now? Need some of daddy's money, do you? Realised you can’t make it in the big bad world on your own?”

  The second I hear the voice I freeze, clutching the glass that hard in my hand I’m surprised it’s not shattered.

  Of all the people to walk in to the kitchen, it had to be the most evil, petrifying man I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. I’ve only ever meet him face to face once but lucky for me my dad and John boy were there, but I saw the way he always looked at me. I never knew what it was back then, but now I have a pretty good idea why, especially now I know what his business is.

  If you think my dad and his men are dangerous, this man has all that, if not more, the only thing he lacks is manpower as no one could trust him, he was never able to gain the respect of people to become a leader, not like my dad did.

  Now all he does it serve my dad as and when he’s needed. Doing what you ask… Well…

  He is one of the best runners my dad has, but that's only because people were shit scared of him, making it all too easy for him. He started to become more and more out of control. It got back to my dad once that he had killed a guy and raped his wife and daughter before killing them too. Apparently, that wasn’t the job he was sent there to do, my father flipped his lid and called him in. As you can imagine my dad wasn’t best pleased with him that afternoon, said it was bad for business, and asked why he lashed out like that when all he was there to do was get some information about something, he never went into detail. And the only thing he said to my father was and I quote ‘They were asking for it,’ that’s how sick he is.

  I hear and see a lot of things around here and when you think you’ve heard and seen it all, something still manages to shock you, and nine out of ten times it’s always him. He’s just pure evil. He’s a monster. And my dad cut him off, said he couldn’t do business with someone as reckless as he was.

  You could put me in a room full of my dad’s men and I wouldn’t care less, no one would dare hurt me, none of them ever did. But with this man, well let’s just say I wouldn’t be best pleased. Like I said he’s a monster, a savage even.

  Which brings me back to the here and now, after all these years, he comes back now. Does my dad even know he’s here? That’s stupid of me, of course he knows he’s here, my dad knows everyone’s whereabouts, he watches their every move. God, I hope he sees me now.

  The fact he’s now standing in the same room as me, and we’re alone has my blood rushing to my heart, and my whole body shaking. I need to stand my ground for as long as possible and try to get past him and make a run for it, the longer I stay here with him the more danger I’m in, my baby will be in.

  “Freddy, what are you doing here? I ask, not turning around to look at him.

  “Seeing as I have business with your father, I have every right to be here.”

  “So, go see my dad. You don’t need to come bother me.” This time I do turn and look at him. I’m not that brave to correct him, telling him he no longer has business here anymore will only fuel the fire I now see in his eyes, which increases as he takes in my baby bump.

  “You have got to be kidding me? I always knew you were a fucking whore and would spread your legs for anyone, just like your mother.” How dare he, my mother was a Saint compared to everyone else here. And me, I'm as far away from a whore as you can get. I've seen many things as a child, I would never want to become anything like them.

  I see red, so I react instinctively. I throw the glass I have in my hand straight at his head. It completely throws him off balance as it clashes with his forehead, cutting him nicely. I'd be pleased with myself if I wasn't so pissed off.

  “Don’t you ever and I mean ever, talk about my mum like that. You're just a jealous prick because my mum chose my dad over you. And quite frankly I’m glad she did, your nothing but a sleaze ball who would’ve cheated on her every chance you got. You're incapable of love you sick bastard.”

  The bastard in question wipes the blood from his cheek that’s trickled down, then just starts laughing at me.

  “You have no idea what I'm like Karina, but you're about to find out.”

  Before I know what’s happening he flies across the room at me, grabbing me around the shoulders and he now has me pinned in place before forcing his mouth onto mine. I don’t open my mouth to let him in, but he starts biting at my lips causing me to yelp.

  “Bitch.” He growls.

  I try the same move I pulled on Carlos only minutes ago, but it fails when he forces his knee between my legs.

  “You think your little miss high and fucking mighty because your Dominic Vale's daughter, well let me tell you something. You're no different than your mother, let’s see if you both fuck the same, shall we?” I’m in shock, my mother would never have slept with him, not willingly anyway, I just know it… which only means...

  Oh My God. No.

  This cannot be happening to me. I go to scream, but he places his hand over my mouth stopping me. He rams his hand up the dress I’m wearing, trying his hardest to tug my knickers from my body, only he can’t get a grip on them because I start thrashing around, fighting my hardest to get away.

  “I’d keep still if I were you, you’re only going to make it worse for yourself.” He then rips them from my body in one clean sweep.

  I keep fighting, I will not give up. With the size of him he’s over powering me at every turn.

  “The more you fight me, the more it turns me on Karina.” I feel physically sick and if I could throw up I would, and the way he says my name has me breaking out in a cold sweat. I relent slightly, making him think I’m giving up. I’m not, I’m waiting for the right time to act, when that will be I haven’t got a clue yet. My brains not functioning, giving me nothing to work with, but he’ll make a mistake I just know he will.

  He’s getting frantic now, ripping at the top of my dress so one of my boobs are exposed. He brings his hand up, the same hand that ripped my knickers clean off, grabbing my right breast with so much force I know it will leave a bruise.

  I still can’t scream though, but he soon screws up. His grip on my mouth loosens, so I open my mouth and bite down, hard. Causing the metallic taste of blood t
o pass my lips. He pulls his hand away from my mouth, giving me the opportunity I needed. As he pulls away from me nursing his bleeding hand, I scream blue bloody murder.

  I soon stop when I feel the sharp sting to my cheek, my hand flies up to it, trying to rub some life back into it, he’s back handed me across my face, causing me to stumble sideways, only I trip and land face first on the kitchen floor, banging my chin. Lucky for me it doesn’t knock me out. As I try to get back up I feel his weight on my legs as he turns me over so I’m now on my back.

  “You little bitch, I’m going to enjoy this.” And then he’s on top of me, my arms held above my head in one of his hands, as the other is undoing his zip. Oh my god, this is going to happen and there’s nothing I can do about it. I don’t have the strength to fight him off anymore. His height and weight out does mine by a mile.

  I close my eyes and let the silent tears fall from my eyes, when all of a sudden there’s a loud bang, followed by a gunshot.

  I’m dead… I’m dead, he’s shot me.

  Johnny

  I’m running as fast as my legs will carry me, not even bothering to wait for Dom.

  When I hear the scream coming from somewhere, I know straight away who it belongs to, and it has my hair standing on all over my body standing to attention.

  What the fuck is going on? And what has her screaming as if her life was depending on it being heard.

  I go to pass the kitchen when I hear grunts and rustling, then my world ends when I hear the fucker speak.

  “I’m going to enjoy this…” I’d know that voice anywhere, and if it’s Karina in there with him, I swear to god I will not be responsible for my actions.

  I burst through the door, to the point I take it clean off its hinges, what I see will haunt me for the rest of my life. He’s on top of Karina, he has her restrained and is about to…. I don’t even give myself time to think about the rest, I reach around my back and take out the gun I knew I’d be using, but not for this. Never for this.

  I pull the trigger…. Bang… I don’t even have to think about what I’m doing, I just do it.

  I see the tears running down her face just as his body goes limp on top of her. Placing the gun back in my trousers as before, I rush towards her and kick his dead body to one side.

  “I’m dead… I’m dead.” I hear her say out loud, she looks so fragile lying here, her clothes all ripped and exposing her naked flesh and then I see the bruise that’s forming on her right breast. I’m so angry, I feel nothing for the bastard that I’ve just killed. Nothing.

  “Princess, it’s Johnny. You’re ok now, I promise he can’t hurt you anymore.” I hear movement behind me, no doubt Dom and Carlos finally making an appearance. Fuck me if I’d have left it to them it would have been too fucking late.

  I sit her up quickly and whip my t-shirt off, pulling it over her head and body the best I can, trying to conceal some of her dignity.

  “Johnny? Is that you?” She whispers, now opening her eyes for me.

  “Yes. It’s me princess, everything is going to be ok, I’ve got you now. Can you stand for me?” She nods her head at me before trying to stand, she’s struggling to find her feet, so I help her up the rest of the way, taking all her body weight. I notice Dom and Carlos just standing in the doorway, saying nothing.

  I finally get to take her all in, she’s a mess, shaking uncontrollably, her adrenalin no doubt finally disappearing and the aftershock of what nearly happened to her taking its place. Her face is pretty messed up too, but before I can ask what the fuck happened, Dom being the father of the year pipes up.

  “Don’t just stand there you muppet, get that piece of shit out of my sight and off my kitchen floor.” I don’t know if he’s talking to me or Carlos, but what I do know is I’m not leaving her alone in this house again. Over my dead fucking body. She’s coming home with me, seeing her like this has broken me in two, had I not been here, god knows what would have happened. Freddy might just have succeeded in his attempt to rape her.

  “Now do you see what this place does to her Dominic? This is what you being in her life is doing to her. Is this what you want?” I'm raging on the inside, I'm holding back for Karina's sake more than anything, I could and want to say a lot more to Dom but now is not the time.

  “The only place she will ever be safe, is with me. We both know it Dom.” He drops his head as if he's finally admitting defeat.

  “Carlos take Karina to her room, she needs some new clothes, and do not let her out of your sight, it'll be more than your life's worth.” He tells him, without taking his eyes off me or his daughter, who is currently clinging onto me as if her life depends on it.

  “Yes boss.” He makes a move towards us, and Karina grabs onto me even tighter.

  “It's ok, Carlos won't let anything happen to you princess.” I reassure her, she still isn't a hundred percent sure what to do. So, I look Carlos in the eye, he knows what I'm thinking, he's known me long enough to know exactly what I'm saying to him without even uttering a word.

  “You have my word Johnny.” It's me nodding to him now, knowing I can trust him with her. Pulling her out from underneath my arm, I ease her towards him, to which she let's go of me but she's still reluctant.

  I watch as she makes her way out of the kitchen, now under Carlos’ arm, but Dom stops them. Wrapping her up in his arms, he kisses her forehead before whispering in her ear.

  “I'm so sorry beautiful, I never wanted you to get hurt, it will never happen again, that I can promise you.” When he's finished he tells Carlos once again to never leave her side.

  Once they are out of the door, Dom’s eyes finally look into mine.

  “I owe you an apology Johnny, it seems you were right, you’ve always been right. I should have listened to you a long time ago, if I did maybe her mother would still be alive. I went too far. I’ve gotten into this far too deep and I don’t see a way out for me, but Karina can with your help.” I can see he’s at war with himself over what he’s become, but I did try to warn him this would happen when he gave me the last job I would ever do for him. He wouldn’t listen then. I might have been younger but living in a place like this, you had to have your head screwed on, and that’s the one thing I did do. That’s why I’m still alive today, he doesn’t need to know the ins and outs of that job, and at the time, me telling him the job was done, was what he needed to hear. As far as I’m concerned, he never needs to know that I never did actually finish that job.

  “You have my blessing, I now know how much she means to you, and I know she feels the same about you, she always has. Even when she was a kid she thought you walked on water. I trust you with her life, and there is no one better that I would have picked to make her happy. You know you’re like the son I never had. I never told you this, because I didn’t want anyone to know that you were also my weakness along with my daughter. I couldn’t handle the fact that someone could use that against me.”

  “You used to always tell me that we could never love as it always showed weakness, I thought you meant it because I was getting too close to Karina, not because you felt like that towards me.” I never thought Dom had a heart, I guess he’s proved me wrong. But that still doesn’t change anything. He doesn’t know it yet, but his times almost up. One way or another Dominic Vale will get what's coming to him. That is a fact, one that I think he’s starting to realise now, only what he doesn’t know is that I play a major part in it happening.

  “Now our little heart to heart is done with, I’m going to go and get my girl and take her home, where she belongs. With me.” And if I have things my way she will never have to step foot in this place again. That I can promise. A promise I know I will never break.

  Karina

  I’m currently looking at myself in the mirror, and the person looking back at me is not the same person that walked in here less than six hours ago. All I see now is the little girl that was scared to even leave her room as bad things happened around her. Things she should never
have seen or heard, but had no other choice, as this was her life and always would be. I remove Johnny's T-shirt he must have put on me, I never noticed it till just now. I couldn’t have been more grateful for him doing that. I take in my appearance; the ripped dress hanging together by a thread, the bruise on my breast just popping out from under it, and the angry red mark across my cheek, that has now started to swell. And then I see it…

  Blood. I’m covered in it. At first, I think it’s mine, maybe I’d hurt the baby when I fell, but after a quick inspection I see it’s not. I rip the rest of my clothes off in quick time, not being able to take it anymore and then I run to the bathroom, stick my head down the toilet and empty my stomach. When I finally finish my stomach is aching and my whole body is shaking from head to toe. Making my way back towards to the mirror I take a closer look at myself, what I see almost has me losing my balance. I have his blood all over my face and in my hair. Knowing it won’t go away that easy I sprint to the other side of the bathroom and jump in the shower, not caring that water will be freezing cold till it heats up and I start to scrub my body.

  No matter how hard I rub my face or body I can’t get it off me. My skin is now red raw and in some parts, I’ve scrubbed that much its splitting and has starting to bleed. Now the water has turned too hot it’s burning my skin, but I don’t care, I just need to get the dirty feeling of him off me. The tears are streaming down my face and everything has started to blur, but I don’t care I just have to make him go away, even though I know he’s currently lying on my dad’s kitchen floor with a bullet hole in his head.

  I’m that lost in my own little world, I don’t hear him enter the bathroom till he speaks.

  “Princess? What are you doing?”

  I can’t answer him, I’m still too busy trying to get my skin clean still.

  “K, you can’t do this to yourself baby. It wasn’t your fault, ok? Please listen to me princess when I say you’re safe now. You’re coming home with me, I’m going to take good care of you and I’ll call Allie and get her to come and see you if you want me too?”