Enzo (Jinx Tattoos 1)

“So how will you be lying?”

“If I don’t come forward and say we found her at Ault Park—”

“No one will be the wiser, or hurt. People’s actions come with severe consequences. Whoever left that baby is lucky you two were the ones to find her. She could’ve died, Ave.”

“I know,” she whispered, bowing her head. Sophia’s words were all truth.

“If you need more time, and you’re not ready to get hitched, say so.”

“I want it. It’s past time. I’m coming up on thirty-five.”

“Then what’s the problem?” Sophia asked.

“I’m scared. What if we go all in, and it doesn’t work? That’s it then. There was a security in the back and forth we did. Always another chance coming around the corner. This is all in.” She shook her head.

“Where’s all the doubt coming from? You don’t wait for years on one man and then blow him off when he tries to commit,” Sophia exclaimed.

“I know. It’s ridiculous, isn’t it?” Aibhlinn nodded.

Sophia frowned. “You want to tell me what this is really about?”

“It makes me nervous that he involved the Wild Ones. That can be a slippery slope, becoming involved in organized crime organizations. I wonder what they’ll ask him to do in return. No one does favors for free.”

“He’s been tattooing them for years, though. They probably think of it as a favor for a friend,” Sophia said.

“Maybe. But I know once you get in, there’s no coming back out. My mother fell in love with the wrong man, and it changed the course of her life. The way we had to keep our move under wraps and all but leave in the dead of night was a terrifying experience I’ll never forget.”

“But you’re okay now, aren’t you? I mean, I know you’ve gone back since.”

“I suppose we are. They’ve never said anything more to either of us, but what could we have that they’d want? My mom is a teacher who kept her nose clean. We were lucky. The Army is nae something you walk away from easily.”

Sophia shuddered. “That’s terrifying.”

“You don’t know the half of it, love. The things I saw growing up and thought of as normal sickens me now. The guns, the secrecy, and the killing. I thought it was all justified, and if my da said it was all right and just ... Then by God, it must be. Coming to the realization that my childhood was a lie crushed me. I went dark and had to reexamine everything. I almost lost my faith and sense of self. It’s a place I never want to return to.”

“So tell Enzo that.”

“How can I? He’s already in bed with the devil. There’s no way he’ll undo the deal.”

“And you think it’s a ... what? Gateway to more? Think of how long he’s been dealing with them. I’m sure it’ll be fine,” Sophia said.

“Hmmm.”

“You know it’s odd to me, you’ve never so much as mentioned this part of your past, and now it’s all you can think about.”

“Having Keir around brings it all back. He grew up in the same neighborhood, and though he’s never said, I’m sure his father is, at least, a sympathetic friend of the IRA.”

“Can you explain what the IRA is exactly?”

“It’s the Irish Republican Army. You know my country has been torn to hell and back for a long time over many things, one of the main issues being Protestant versus Catholic, and the fact that some of us want Ireland to be an independent, united country. Well, this paramilitary group aims to change things. They’ve got their fingers in a number of pots, from drugs to organized crime. It costs money to fund guns, cars, and everything else they need. They’ve been getting smaller gangs to join with them under one banner, which means they’re increasing in power. It’s a scary thing.”

“Wow, and your father was involved in that?”

“Born and raised. I don’t think he ever knew any other way really.”

“Shit, Aibhlinn.”

“I know,” she replied, thinking of her father with his dark brown hair, bright blue eyes, and easy smile. He had a big personality. “I think what bothers me the most was how damn jovial my da was. There was so much laughter and joy in our home. He had a huge personality, but it was tempered by his ability to be gentle and really listen. I adored him. I mean, you haven’t seen a daddy’s girl until you saw me with my da. So, I don’t know how that man could hurt so many others and teach me so wrong. I mean, I hated the Protestants and thought the British Royal Army were the bastards who were tearing Ireland apart. Turns out we were the ones doing that with our terrorist actives.”