The Queen Of Small Heath

Arthur And Michael Are In Prison!

"Alright, shirts off." I demand and Isaiah smirks as he shrugs off his jacket but Michael looks at me confused. "What for?" He asks. "So I can check your ribs. I'm guessing they got a few good shots in?" I ask and Isaiah nods as Michael sighs, and reluctantly takes his jacket and shirt off.

I don't see any bruises or cuts but I press my fingers against his ribs just incase which makes his breathing hitch. "You okay?" I ask as he avoids eye contact with me. "Yeah, just..." he trails off and I smirk. "Never been touched by a woman before?" I ask knowingly and he shakes his head. "Well, if that's how you feel from a little touch, you can imagine how it's gonna feel when a hand or mouth is wrapped around your cock." I say as his eyes widen.

"You can put your shirt back on." I tell him before I look at Isaiah who's smirking at me. "What you smirking at?" I ask him as I feel around his ribs, seeing a bruise. "I think he's imagining your hand, gorgeous." He says and I glance at Michael who's avoiding eye contact with me making me chuckle. "Your ribs ain't broken but they're definitely bruised." I say, patting his ribs making him hiss. "Was that necessary?" He questions and I smirk, nodding my head.

******

I walk into the betting den, seeing men huddled outside already wanting to bet. I shake my head as I shrug my jacket off, hanging it up. "Esme, you've got your hands full today-" I cut myself short when I see May Carleton standing inside. Esme looks at me nervous as my face drops.

"She said she has an appointment with Tommy." Esme tells me, her tone sharp. I notice the red lipstick the woman is wearing and I think back to the day we first met her, knowing I wore red lipstick because Tommy loves it on me. I look over her jewellery and her shoes which are pretty posh for just a common horse trainer. "Yes, I know." I tell Esme.

"It's nice to see you again. Aurora. Did Tommy give me the wrong address?" She asks. "No, he gave you the right one. He should be here shortly." I say as I lean back against the wall. "Aurora runs this place. Her and Tommy." Esme tells her, a smirk aligning her lips.

"I see. A gambling den. I've always wanted to see one since I'm always reading about them in the papers. Quite a scandal in the Telegraph lately." May says with a slight sigh. "I'm sure you are." I say, sharing a look with Esme. "I'm sorry to have disturbed you. I feel a bit of an idiot because I'm early and he's late and I have no idea how to behave. I can wait in the car if you'd like." She says, looking out the window.

"No, if I open that door again, they'll all come swarming in." Esme tells her before she narrows her eyes at May. "What are you to him?" She asks and I sigh, knowing what Esme's getting at. "I'm training his horses." May tells her as I cross my arms over my chest.

"You know horses?" Esme asks as she carries a bookkeeping log back to her table. "I was born riding." May explains. "So were me and Rory." Esme tells her, nodding at me. That's one thing I love about me and Tommy. Our love of horses. On my sixteenth birthday, Tommy brought me a black stallion, that I named Bane, who I still have thankfully.

Before any of us can say anything else, I hear John burst through the door and he saunters into the den. "There's a fucking great Riley outside and no one's watching it!" He exclaims. When he comes into the room, and sees May, he stops in his tracks. "John, this woman says she's training Thomas' horse." Esme explains.

John stops, looking at her before he looks at me. He puts his hands on his hips, chewing on the toothpick in his mouth. "He's gonna pay for that." John says. "You don't know where he is, do you?" Esme asks him just as Tommy walks through the den. "Sorry I'm late." He says, his eyes meeting mine.