Syren's Plaything

by Jennah Thornhill

  “Is this true dad?” She asks him, he drops his gun so it’s now pointing at the floor.

  “Yes… but she knew too much, and she was going to leave me, I couldn’t have that, I’d be locked in a cell for the rest of my life.” He has the nerve to look shocked, like Laura doing that would be wrong of her.

  “And you deserve everything you get.” Laura shouts, considering she hasn’t said much, that’s what she decides to come out with. Fuck sake this is all I need, she’s only going to piss Dom off more.

  “Shut your fucking mouth Laura!” Dom booms, making all three women jump, and the gun gets pointed back at them again. Shit, shit, shit.

  “Ok… ok, I’ll tell her everything you want me too, just aim the gun at me Dom, not them”.

  “Dad… don’t do this, please? Mum would never have thrown you under the bus, she loved you too much. If she didn’t she would’ve chosen Freddie remember?”

  Laura snaps her head to her daughter. “You know about Freddie?” She gasps.

  Karina looks to the floor, at the same time she scuffs the floor with her shoe. This is killing her on the inside, she hasn’t spoken out loud about what happened to her in that kitchen once.

  Making the quick decision to take the pain away for her I just blurt it out. “He tried to rape her, Laura. And if I hadn't of killed him he would have succeeded.” I look from Laura to Karina, as her eyes go wide.

  “Holy shit! That was you? I thought it was Carlos or my dad that did it. Not you.”

  “Yes, it was me, I never said anything about it because you didn’t, I didn’t want scare you anymore than you already were either. And as for you Dom, have you asked yourself why she was going to leave you?” I look back at him. “Let me answer that for you…. It was because you never paid her any attention, you were never there for her when she needed you most. You were too busy trying to run your fucked-up business to notice she was hurting. Trying to buy her love with expensive gifts, when all she wanted was you. She loved you but felt so unloved by you all at the same time, she just wanted out. Like Karina just said she wasn’t going to rat you out to anyone, she just wanted a fresh start. And if you loved her like you say you do, then you would have fucking known that she wouldn’t haven’t have done that. So, I gave her an out.”

  “None of this is Johnny’s fault Dominic, we both know it, it’s between me and you. It was the hardest choice I’ve never had to make, leaving my daughter behind was the only way for you to think that I was really gone.” Laura makes her way past me, brushing my shoulder with her hand as a way of moving me out the way of danger, and put herself in harm's way.

  “It doesn’t matter what you think now, you left me, he betrayed me and made my daughter hate me for it. I had to do something about it, as everyone was making out I was going soft, he made me look a fool.” He’s getting angrier by the second. “He has to pay for what he’s done.”

  “Even if it destroys your daughter, you own flesh and blood, you’d make her unhappy just because of someone getting one up on you? Really Dominic?” Laura asks him.

  “Not that you would care Laura, but my reputation is important to me, it’s what got me this far in life. If I let this go, I’ll be ruined.”

  “So, all you care more about your reputation than me, dad?” Karina asks, as more tears well up in her eyes. “Your grandchild means nothing to you, is that what you’re saying?”

  “I told you my goodbye the other day, that was my way of telling you, you don’t need to be in this life anymore, I’m doing this for my grandchild… and you.” How can he justify that as helping them?

  “You know what, I’ve had enough of this shit Dom. You’ve succeeded in getting your daughter to hate me, well it’s time you get a taste of your own medicine. Don’t worry I’m not calling anyone… yet.”

  “What are you talking about?” I’ve clearly gotten his attention now, why it’s only just come to me I don’t know.

  “I’ll be back in a moment, I’m only going to the bedroom, I’ll leave my phone right here.” I place my room down on the table as I pass it. “Just so you know I won’t be ringing anyone…” I tell him, and he lets me go without a fuss, which surprises me.

  With that, I leave all four of them in my living room and go to my bedroom, getting the box, I’ve had hidden for well over ten years. This box doesn’t just hold my gun, it’s stored every piece of evidence I could get my hands on incriminating Dominic Vale. It was always supposed to be my backup plan if I ever needed it.

  Hunching down, I pull the box out and open it with trembling fingers. This is either going to get me out of this shit storm or it’s going to backfire terribly. I’m hoping for the latter.

  I quickly shove the gun into the back of my jeans and carry the box and the rest of its contents back out with me. I make it as far as where the girls are standing before he stops me.

  “Wait, what the fuck is that?” He’s looking slightly confused, good. I’m hoping I can play him at his own games. I make my way towards him, again putting myself between him and Karina and Allie.

  “First things first, Dom. I never wanted to hurt anyone, what I did, I did for everyone. I saved the love of your life, because let’s face it, we both know you would have regretted the decision. Secondly, I gave a daughter her mother back, and vice versa. If I had done what you asked me, then none of that would have been possible, and when Karina found out it was you that wanted her mum dead, she would have hated you more than she already does. It’s going to take a lot, but I know deep down no matter how fucked you and your family are, I know you can fix this. So, I’m not even a tiny bit sorry that I went behind your back and chose Laura over you Dom. It wasn’t only Laura that lost someone that day, I did to. But I did it all for the right reasons. I knew Karina would hate me as soon as she found out who I was, and that I lied to her about who I was, and then finding out her mum is still alive because of me. Me Dom, not you. I did it because I knew she was special to me back then, and she’s special to me now. No matter what path life has taken me on, I never not once forgot about her.” I can hear whimpering and crying coming from behind me, but I don’t turn around. “The day she walked back into my life, my heart started beating for the first time ever. Karina and this baby are my world, and nothing you say or do will ever change the way I feel about her. I love her. And If what you’ve done today changes the way she feels about me, then I will do everything in my power to make her believe in me again, or I’ll die fucking trying.” God, I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. “And to answer your question Dom, this here.” I say holding the box up slightly, so he can see that’s what I’m on about. “This is my little box of secrets, to be more specific… your secrets. Your dirty lies and deceitful ways.”

  “What the fuck are you trying to say John Boy?” He bellows, the name no longer having any effect on me.

  “What do you mean John?” Karina and Laura say in unison, clearly not having a clue what I’m on about, rightly so. I never told a single soul about this box, I didn’t feel it was safe to, Dom had eyes everywhere, so I hid it outside of the place I once use to call home, in hopes he never found it. And he didn’t.

  Karina

  Never in my wildest dreams, did I ever think I’d see my mum again, never. Yet here she is standing in the same room as me, and within touching distance. I can’t quite wrap my head around it all. Not only that, I not so long ago found out that the Johnny I’m dating, the father of my child, is in fact the same Johnny I once knew over ten years ago. How I didn’t see that I don’t fucking know. Then to top it all off, my Dad then decides to turn up only minutes after I finished packing a bag to take back to Allie’s with me, with the woman who I thought was dead. I’m standing in the biggest cluster fuck known to man, I don’t know whether I’m coming or going, and everything I once believed was nothing but a lie, which was sugar coated by my father. All for his reputation.

  I’ve had a rollercoaster of emotions from the minute I saw Johnny wit
h no hair, to the knock on the door, to everything that happening now. I’ve been pissed off, upset, angry, to confused as hell, to joyful, to crying my eyes out. And then Johnny goes and declares his undying love for me in front of everyone for me to hear.

  So now I’m back to crying my eyes out, I can’t take any more of this, it’s not good for me or the baby. So, I wipe my tears from my face with the back of my hand and gather up every ounce of courage I can muster.

  “Enough..., just stop. Can’t you all see what you’re doing to each other. Everyone in this room right now has their own demons to fight, but we shouldn’t be fighting each other. Aren’t we meant to be family? Not tearing each other apart, because that’s what we’re doing. For once can’t we just be normal? Because if we can’t then we’re better off being apart. I don’t want any part in it, and I won’t bring my child up in this environment. It all stops, now.”

  “She’s right Dominic.” Laura tells him, placing her hand over the gun, trying to take it off him, he’s in his head at the minute trying to think of what to do, I can see it written all over his face.

  “It’s not only our daughter you’re hurting with all this, you have to think about your grandchild as well. Do you really want that baby growing up not knowing you?” She tries to guilt trip him, but it doesn’t work he just ignores her.

  Come on Dad, what’s your next move.

  Before I know what’s happening he pushes Laura, or my mum, god that sounded weird in my own head, to the side and he has his gun raised. But Johnny then drops the box he was holding, the contents now all over the floor and he’s whipped a gun from the back of his jeans just as quick.

  This is like something you’d see on a mad movie.

  “Don’t do it Dom, I’m warning you, we both know I’m not afraid to use it… so please don’t make me.” Johnny warns him.

  “You’re not giving me much choice, I can’t have you telling everyone my secrets. It would end me.”

  “Well I’ll make you a deal... You stop all this shit right here, right now. And I’ll burn everything I have here.” He points to the papers on the floor with the tip of his gun.

  But before my dad has the chance to say anything back, all hell breaks loose.

  Everything happens so fast, I don’t know where to look first.

  There’s a knock on the door that has my heart pounding harder than it was before, when suddenly I hear a gun fire at the same time. Johnny’s apartment door comes crashing open, and there stands Carlos along with two other guys behind him. Choosing to ignore those goons, I give myself a quick once over to make sure it wasn’t me that was shot, then to Allie who’s taken cover down by the table next to the sofa, and when I look up and across to my dad, who’s just dropped his gun to floor, my whole world stops.

  “Noooooo….” My feet are moving forward before my brain has the chance to catch up. “No, god please no, Johnny?” I’m on my knees and I have him in my arms, lying over my bent knees. There’s blood all over me and it doesn’t look like it’s stopping. I can see a hole in his t-shirt on his left flank, immediately I release an arm from his body and apply pressure with my hand the best I can.

  “You shot him, why?” I’m looking up at my dad, I don’t even wait for his answer, I just scream at anyone who’s listening to get an ambulance.

  “You’re going to be ok John boy, I won’t let anything happen to you. It’s my turn to look after you now.” I whisper against his lips, so only he can hear me. He’s my priority, not my dad, not my mum and certainly not the goons who were more than likely waiting outside to finish him off.

  In the background I can hear Allie sniffling down the phone to who I’m presuming is the emergency operator.

  “.... he’s been shot. We n… need an ambulance.”

  I block out whatever else is going on around me, I don’t give a shit anyway. My tears are blurring my vision, but I don’t wipe them away because if I did it would mean I have to let go of the most important man in my life and I can’t do that. He was my life when I was a kid, he was the one who never let me down. It’s time I returned the love he’s showed me no matter what was thrown at him.

  “Don’t you dare leave me Johnny, do you hear? I need you, your baby needs you. If you go and die on me I won’t survive this on my own, so you hang in there the ambulance is on its way.” I tell him between my gut wrenching sobs.

  “I’m sorry... for everything princess. You’re a fighter, so you look after our baby, ok?” I try to shush him, so he doesn’t waste valuable breath, but he just carries on. “I will always love you, you will forever be in my heart whether it’s beating or not. Never forget that.”

  In a flash, my world ends as his eyes roll to the back of his head and they close, at the same time his body goes limp in my arms.

  Karina

  The man I love has been on an operating table for almost six hours, I don’t know if he’s dead or alive.

  The only comfort I have right now is that I have his baby growing inside of me, the little kicks I keep getting are the only thing getting me through this nightmare I’m currently in.

  “Your daddy is going to come back to us.” I whisper to my bump.

  In the time I’ve been here, I’ve been questioned by police, hospital staff and even Johnny’s parents. Which by the way wasn’t what I wanted for the first time I met them.

  Luckily for me, Connor knows them well and when it all got too much for me he took them to one side and explained everything to them. I’m pretty sure they hate me, after all it was my dad that shot their son.

  Speaking of my so-called father, he’s currently being held at the police station waiting to see if he’s going to be charged with attempted manslaughter or murder.

  And I couldn’t care less.

  As far as I’m concerned, he no longer exists, he can rot in that place for all I care, I know that might sound harsh, but none of this would have happened if my dad wasn't hell bent on his revenge.

  When the rest of the guys turned up at the hospital, I expected them all to shout, scream and blame me for everything. They should’ve done, but they didn’t. Instead they all hugged me, told me I was part of their family and they would stay with me as long as I needed them for, which started the tears all over again. I don’t deserve their love, I don’t deserve their comfort. Their best friend, brother even is fighting for his life and it is my fault. He left my dad’s business because he knew this would happen eventually, but without knowing I brought him back into it all and now it could if it hasn’t already cost him his life.

  “Mofo, please drink this. It will help.” I lift my head and look my best friend in eyes, the fear I see in them as me breaking out in a cold sweat. She doesn’t think he’s going to make it. I can’t blame her for thinking it, the amount of blood he lost it would be a pure miracle if he pulls through.

  I shouldn’t be thinking like this, I need to stay positive.

  “Thank you.” I murmur. Taking the standard hospital coffee machine cup from her, I blow on the hot tea she’s brought me before taking a sip.

  “He’s going to be ok.” She tries to reassure me, as she rubs my knee in a calming gesture.

  “Allie, I love you like you were my own sister, but you don’t know that. He was shot for crying out loud.” My last words coming out a little sharp.

  And her being the amazing friend she is, she takes my crap without complaining. She really is my rock. I can tell she wants to say more to make me feel better, but there's nothing she can say that will help right now.

  Laura aka my mum who isn’t dead, comes tiptoeing in the waiting room we’re all gathered in and straight away the atmosphere changes, it’s so thick you could cut it with a knife. Everyone just stares at her, she looks to the floor as shame floods her face. I want to go to her and hug her like a daughter should, but I can’t just find it within me to do it. Yes! She left because she feared for her life, I get that. What I can’t wrap my head around is that she left me with him, to be brought
up around things no kid should ever have to see. And right now, I can’t forgive her for that. Slowly she moves from the door and sits in one of the plastic chairs, placing her head in her hands.

  I will not feel sorry for her.

  She’s the least of my problems at this current moment.

  “Fuck this shit, I’m going see if I can find anything out.” Max blurts out from nowhere. I would love to say that the nurses won’t tell him anything because in their eyes he’s not family, but I know deep down if anyone can woo the nurses its Max. That man could seduce the knickers of an eighty-year-old granny if it came down to it.

  I suppose he has his uses.

  Marching his arse out of the waiting room, he slams the door behind him and even though now is not a time for laughing we all burst out with the giggles at his dramatic exit.

  Our laughing stops short when Max walks back in only moments later, followed by a doctor in blue scrubs. They both look sullen, despair written all over both their faces.

  No! I can’t hear what he’s about to say. I still won’t accept he’s gone, not even if the words telling me he’s no longer here leave the doctors mouth next.

  I refuse to believe it.

  Max

  To these lot I’m Max the male slut, half the time they’re right. I like women, so sue me. You tell me what straight man doesn’t? I’m not bad looking, I have charisma and charm and I’m also the bassist for one of the best bands to come out of England, so why not use it to get what I want?