Crown of a Prince (Finn Shelby)

83.

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She found him where Charlie had told her, in the far stable tending to Kennedy’s King, a racehorse that Liam had won in a bet from Alfie Solomons a few years ago now. He towered above Ailbhe and had legs that stretched almost up past Ailbhe’s chest, but he was a gentle giant and a particular favourite of Finn’s.
 
Curly was piking straw when Ailbhe came into the stables and he was the one who noticed her first, taking off his hat and waving. He liked having visitors, especially when they were any of the Kennedy’s. Curly had missed having Liam around recently since he was sent to London more and more on business.
 
“Hi Curly” Ailbhe greeted, smiling and glad to see he smiled back.
 
Finn knew she would come looking for him eventually and he hadn’t been sure if he wanted her to come or not. Even angry at her he craved her company, even if it was to argue with him. On fact, arguing with her was almost one of his favourite things to do with her. She could get under his skin and spark a fire in him, only for her to throw fuel on the flames when they inevitable made up and found themselves wrapped in each other.
 
Curly started chatting and rambling, offering to get Ailbhe a warmer coat and some boots to go riding if she liked. But Finn interrupted him, throwing down his pike and stepping out of the stable
 
“Curly, can you go get some water from the pump?” He asked, and of course Curly took off running to get water.
 
Ailbhe knew he was just trying to get rid of Curly so they could talk. He stepped out, shutting the door behind him and leaning back against it. Even angry with her, he was almost irresistibly handsome with his sleeves rolled up and his forehead shining but she wasn’t thinking about that now.
 
“New orders, boss?” He asked, his tone as sour as a lemon and his eyes dark as he looked up at her.
 
She hated when he looked at her like that. As though he had no softness, no kindness in him.

“What?” She asked, her eyebrows dropping low over her eyes like they always did when she was irritated.
 
He kept his eyes on her, wiping his hands on a rag before throwing it down to the ground. But his expression stayed so cold and unfeeling she could barely see how he was the same man as the one who would tell her he loved her and talk about forever.
 
“I’m just guessing you’re coming with new orders for me. I mean, after all, you and Tom are the bosses!”
 
He exclaimed, throwing his hands up before folding them across his chest.
 
She narrowed her eyes at him, first tell-tale sign that her temper was starting to wake up.
 
“What the fuck are you talking about, Finn?” She snapped now.
 
“I’m just the toy fucking soldier who does as he’s told. Same as Niall and Arthur. Because we’re not clever enough for Tommy. But you are” He snapped bitterly, an accustory finger stabbed in her direction.
 
Finn knew that Ailbhe was smarter than the rest of them, that she had a mind sharper than the rest of them that even rivalled Tommy’s sometimes but he hadn’t expected Tommy to start relying on her, to start borrowing her and confiding in her every chance he got. But that didn’t sting, that didn’t hurt. It was sexy and infatuating to Finn, to have a girl that smart and that capable, who knew her own mind as well as everyone else’s.
 
What hurt was when Tommy confided in her about business that affected Finn and she chose not to tell him. She had ample opportunity the night before to tell him about McCavern, about Wincanton and Tommy’s plans but she hadn’t.
 
“Finn” She tried to call him, tried to get him to look at her differently but his eyes were dark and cold, his arms folded across his chest so he wouldn’t reach out for her.

He didn't trust himself to touch her and not forget everything that hurt and angered him. Touching her was better than whiskey, better than snow, better than opium.
 
“No Ailbhe” he exclaimed, fed up with being his own brother’s last choice “Tommy told you that McCavern was getting those race courses, Tommy wants you in meetings, Tommy fucking looks at you before he even makes up his own mind now!”
 
Ailbhe felt it like a slap across the face. Finn was angry and lashing out but that wasn’t what was bothering him so much. But she didn’t care. She didn’t deserve to get shouted at, not when she hadn’t done anything to push Finn out.
 
“Finn, Tommy is... not okay” She tried to reason with him.
 
They both knew it. Tommy was struggling and barely keeping his head above water not to mind keeping the family afloat. He was starting to need people, needing Lizzie to help clear out his head, needing Liam to keep London under control, needing Ailbhe to be his sounding board and his advisor.
 
“We’ve never dealt with someone like this Finn, whatever Tom needs we have to do it. There’s so much more at stake than a couple of betting pitches or keeping the fucking crown to Birmingham in our family”
 
She retorted, feeling her temper bubbling up. She hated fighting with Finn. They were terrible at it and somehow glorious at it at the same time, knowing how to rile each other up and get each other practically foaming at the mouth. They always were a firey couple, slamming doors and raised voices being quite normal for them and then half an hour later they would be kissing and fucking against said slammed door.
 
“And if you’re angry with me because I have fucking value around here, because I’m important to Tommy, because my opinion has value even though I’m a fucking woman. If that’s what your problem is, Finn, then you’re not the person I thought you were...”
 
She shouted now, not able to keep her temper down. Finn should have known it would crop up. She thought he was angry that she was Tommy’s right hand man these days. But she was wrong.
 
He snapped his head down, looking at the concrete floor. When he looked back up at her, she felt her heart ache. He looked hurt now, not angry.
 
“You promised you’d never fucking lie to me” He uttered, pointing a finger at her and his expression as hard as stone.
 
There it was what really bothered him. Finn and Ailbhe had been best friends since they were kids. They were a team, an absolute unit that nobody had ever gotten between. They trusted each other more than they trusted themselves half the time and they had never lied to each other. But Finn saw Ailbhe’s withholding of information as a lie. And so, it was the first time.
 
She could feel her eyes betray her, tears springing to them. He didn’t look far off crying himself, but she knew he wouldn’t.
 
“Finn I’m sorry…I’m-”
 
But the words caught in her throat. She had promised that and while she hadn’t explicitly lied to him, she had kept something from him that he deserved to know.
 
And so, she stopped herself, didn’t start shouting or storming out and banging doors. She fought every instinct in herself to do those things because he didn’t deserve it.
 
“Just fucking forget it” He huffed, turning his back to her again and wrenching open the stable door as Curly reappeared with a bucket of fresh water.
 
Not only did Ailbhe not want to have their argument in front of Curly, but she didn’t know what else to say. She wiped her cheek quickly, not wanting Curly to see the tear that dropped and leaving as quickly as she could.