Page 74 of If You Go
Her question isn’t filled with worry or pity. More genuine curiosity about what I plan to do.
“Yes,” I answer her simply. “He will be dying for what he did. To you. To me. To all the other women I am sure are out there.” It can’t just be us that he has done this to. He takes pleasure in hurting women. So what did he do the last eleven years?”
She leans forward, and takes my hands in hers, squeezing gently. Her eyes lock onto mine, and she whispers to me a promise. “The Bratva will always be friends with the Irish as long as I rule.”
I smile sadly, knowing we will be the women on top of two of the largest crime syndicates in the United States before long. I whisper back to her, squeezing her hands in return. “The Irish will always be friends with the Bratva, as long as my father and I are at the helm.”
She pulls me forward, letting go only to wrap her arms around my shoulders, mine pulling her in at the waist, hugging each other for what seems like the last time. “Give us the justice we deserve,” is what she whispers before pulling away and heading toward the elevator, no looking back.
Alec immediately follows after her, but Corver walks to me, giving me a brief hug and a nod, before trailing after them into the elevator, waving at Brenden, then at Josh as he enters, and then down into their future.
“Surry, I’m goin’ tae leave ye tae it up here. Ye’re in good hands.”
My dad cups my cheeks and presses a gentle kiss to my forehead. The warmth lingers even as he pulls back, and my throat tightens. I know I don’t need him–but God, I’ll always want my dad.
“Thank you, Papa. I’m sorry I messed up the plan so badly.”
“Ah now, don’t be sayin’ that, a stór. Ye had yer reasons. I’m just glad tae have ye back where ye belong.” His thumb brushes a tear from my cheek. “Go on now–do what ye need tae do. An’ if ye need me for anythin’, ye call, aye?”
“Okay, Papa.”
He pulls me into another hug, strong and protective, the kind that still makes me feel small no matter how much I’ve survived. When he lets go, the air between us feels heavier. One last look, one last nod–then he follows the others into the elevator, the doors closing with a soft metallic sigh.
I take a moment to collect my thoughts. Reminiscing on everything that has happened over the last twenty-four hours. Then I turn to look at Brenden, and realize he is going to be here. For the next twenty-four hours. And the twenty-four after that. And for as long as I can see. My tears become happy ones as I laugh, mainly to myself. I really have fallen in love with this man. And it happened so fast, but it feels right. It feels good. It feels…like home.
I clap my hands, and spin around, facing the others. “I think that each of us deserves our chance at revenge. He blew up the shop, and June and Hazel deserve revenge for that. He blew up your apartment, Brenden and Josh were affected by that.”
Corver too, but he seems uninterested in anything but Natasha. So he will be avenged, rather than getting revenge himself. I don’t blame him for following the woman he has clearly loved for years instead of beating up an evil man.
I begin to circle Gavin, like a vulture circling its dying prey. Shoes hitting the floor and dust rising. Making the entire production look even more sinister than it already was.
“So I say, let’s each have our turn.” I run my index finger down the side of his face, temple to chin. He will get what is coming to him. From me, from Brenden, and from the rest of us who he decided to hurt.
“So,” I pull my hand away and clap my hands together once more. “Who wants to go first?”
“Oh, me!” Yells Josh, coming over and punching Gavin as hard as he can in the stomach. Gavin lets out a wet breath, likely having broken a few ribs. He begins to pant, but I don’t look his way again.
“Excellent.” I smile.
An hour later, June and Hazel are here with their tattoo machines, tray table set with various inks and needle sizes. It looks like a regular tattoo appointment. Until you see the restraints, the damage inflicted on Gavin from the chemicals, and from Josh’s fists. Really it’s the whole background in general.
Richie decided not to come. He went home, he said he wanted to see Tommy. He hadn’t seen him in so long, that he was ready for a“reunion.” I knew what that meant, and I knew how much I was looking forward to one of those with Brenden, so I totally understood. He sent me a text with like forty-seven heart emojis, telling me to kick ass though.
“I think,” June starts talking while putting the wrap around her machine, “that I will be putting the shop’s logo on his chest. It feels fitting, him dying with what he destroyed on his body. What do you think?” She looks to Hazel. Hazel just nods, a wide smile like the cheshire cat plastered on her pretty face, making it look far more evil.
“Well, I’ve always wanted to know what it was like to tattoo someone’s finger nails.” That’s all Hazel says before she brings up an entire roll of grip tape and begins to wrap Gavin’s hand open to the arm of the chair. Once secure, she takes rope and secures it around his hand and wrist for added security. “There,” she says. “All set. Ready, you fucker?” Without waiting for Gavin’s consent, she brings the needle to Gavin’s middle fingerand begins to tattoo through his finger nail, wrenching a blood-curdling scream from him as he tries to get away.
“Now, now, Gavin. That isn’t the only tattoo. Hold still so I can take a look at your chest. Fortunately, I know the logo really well. I did design it, after all.” June keeps talking, looking at Gavin's chest. She had cut his shirt off him before setting up any of her supplies. “Now I’m going to draw on your chest for an outline. So hold still.”
A few hours later, and every one of Gavin’s fingernails has been tattooed blood red. Or possibly, that’s the blood and I have no idea what color she used. Either way, I don’t really care. But June, she created a masterpiece somehow. Covering the entirety of Gavin’s chest in the logo of Tattoos On The Bay.
Hot pink, black, you can even see the Kraken layered in. It’s somehow…beautiful.
“Do you think I can take a picture of this for my portfolio?” June asks out loud, and Hazel and I start cracking up. That has to be the most Juniper thing I have ever heard in my entire life.
“What the fuck, June?” Josh asks, but he can’t stifle the laughter that bursts from his chest. Brenden is in the back, hacking a cough from snorting. He was mid-drink when she said that and breathed in the liquid instead of swallowing it.
“Do it, how morbid. I love it,” is my answer between fits of giggles. The thought of his tattoo living on without his consent, allowing June’s business to continue thriving? It is absolutely karma’s way of fucking with Gavin even in the afterlife. And I’m here for it.
