Love Is A Battlefield [2] (T. Shelby/OC) BWWM✅

Chapter 15 - The Foundation

"And? What do you think?" Tommy asks Anna as she looked around the Garrison. She never made it for the Grand Re-opening so this was her first time seeing it since it was rebuilt.

"It's very–" 

"Gold?" he asks amusedly, thinking back to what Ada said when she saw the newly rebuilt Garrison for the first time as Anna nods at this with a light chuckle.

"That ain't bad though, right Anna?!" Arthur asks from behind the counter as Anna shakes her head no at this.

"Not at all Arth" she replies, "you're my competition though so I shouldn't be complimenting you lot" she teases them as the Shelby brothers chortle at this.

"Don't be greedy, love" John says as he takes a bite out of his toothpick, "your business is the all the way in London and we're in fookin' Birmingham" he adds as Anna snorts at this.

"Distance doesn't mean anything if the competition is fierce, John boy" she retorts with a teasing smirk as John chuckles at this, "and in any case, a pub is only as good as their drinks so serve me something really good and I'll tell you what I really think of this place" she says with a chortle as Arthur chuckles at this.

"And what will it be, Ms. Igbodo? Beer? Whiskey? Rum?" he asks her.

Having them call her by her real surname stills feels a little weird for Anna since she's so used to having them call her Anna-Maria Williams but it's a nice change.

Being Anna-Maria Igbodo was quite liberating for her as she hasn't been Anna-Maria Igbodo since she was 15.

"Get me a glass of your best whiskey, Arth" she says with a wink as she and Tommy make their way to the gallery as John goes to pour himself a glass of beer while Arthur pours Anna some whiskey as more patrons fill the pub.

"What happened to Harry?" she asks Tommy as they walked into the pub's cabin.

"Retired" Tommy replies as he pulls a cigarette out of his tin and lights it up.

"Forced retirement, Tommy?" she asks him as she sinks into the seat across from him with a straight face.

"His pension was quite hefty, Ms. Igbodo" he retorts in his defense.

As if that makes it better Anna's eyes communicate to him.

"I quite liked Harry" Anna says as Tommy arches a brow at this, "he was a nice bloke" she says with an eyeroll at the flash of jealousy that she saw in his eyes.

For someone who prided himself on his ability to remain monotone in the face of any situation he sure acted like such a caveman when it came to the idea of her with any other man that wasn't his family or an associate of his that he somewhat trusted.

"He's enjoying retirement" Tommy says, "maybe he'll open another pub, who knows" he says with a shrug as he blows out some smoke.

"Who tends to the bar when you guys have business then?" she asks, referring to him, John and Arthur.

"Finn mostly" he replies as Anna scowls at this. "What?" he says as Arthur opens the small window of the Garrison and places their drinks there for them as Anna rises from her seat to grab them.

"Thanks Arth" she says as he nods at this before closing the window once again as Anna sank back into her seat across from Tommy. "He's 14" she points out to her lover, referring to his previous response.

"And?" Tommy asks coolly. Anna gives no response at this as she hands him his whiskey with a sigh. "Finn knows a lot of things now, Anna" Tommy adds on.

She can't really complain about Finn knowing more than he should considering that's always been the case. It's just a little saddening for her because she'd never really wanted that life for Finn.