Embers of the Brave // Peaky Blinders

Chapter 13

Upstairs, Ella had been carefully watching the office doors. Patiently waiting for the big-belly American to go in one. Ella was strictly counting the minutes that past, she needed to also meet the Shelby's. Then the man in the deep black suite walked down the hallway with two slightly intimidating men. 10 minutes. When the door slammed shut, Ella got up from her crouched position and quietly made her way through the hallway. Once she was far enough away she broke into a determined run. The heels struck the floor with a lightning sound, the glossy marble reflecting and amplifying the sharp noise. She bounded through the toilet door to see the Shelby group casually lounged around the basins. Ella took a moment to breath and calm her body as the others straightened with curiosity.

John's calm eyes watched her, "Now dear Ella, can you please tell me why we are congregating in the male toilet?"

Just as she was about to answer Tommy cut in, "No, tell me why you changed my plan. You don't run the show."

Again she opened her mouth to snap a snarky remark at his rudeness when Michael butt in. "No. Where have you been? Nowhere alone was the rule."

Ella and Ada rolled their eyes at the last of the young Shelby's comments.

"Change of plans." Ella said casually to John. Then pointedly shifted her response to Tommy, "Because yours was shit. I am not a fucking whore Mr. Shelby."

He blew an angry cloud of smoke to the ceiling, "I never said you were, Ella." He taunted.

"I mean it. I'll walk away from all of this right now if you continue to be a dick."

Ada reached out for the girl trying to pull her away from the now raging man. But her hand was left reaching for emptiness as Thomas pushed Ella against the wall, roughly grabbing at her throat.

That would bruise.

"Fucking call me that again and you won't be leaving nowhere alive. We are the one's doing you a favour."

After a moment of silence, Michael came over and pulled his older cousin from the blonde. "She didn't mean it like that Tommy, it's just that you have been different since Grace."

Tommy just withdrew from the group.

"Tommy." Ella said. She waited till he gave her his full attention. "I'm about to make you a lot of fucking money. I just don't want you to treat me like an asset."

He shook his head lightly, "And how should I treat you?"

"Like a human."

Arthur came from his place, perched against a column. He pulled Ella under his arm and the two briskly walked out. The door swayed for seconds before Ada left, followed by Michael. It was John that looked at his sad brother, giving him a look before following the rest of his family.

They had made it all the way to the door of Gunther's office, when Thomas pulled Ella back with a hand on her shoulder.

"Okay. But I call the shots around here, not little orphans."

Ella smirked a little to herself in victory. His apology laced in his insult, she would know best – it was her own defence mechanism. Perhaps she would be the undoing of this family.

Then Ella laid a hard but delicate knock and they all waited on the edge of their breath. It swung open with harsh force and there stood one of the intimidating men she had seen before. Ella had come to the conclusion that he was a bodyguard of some sort and now that he was stood in front of her it was clear for a shiny pistol hung loosely in his right hand.

Immediately the Shelby's shifted, a stronger front put on. Ella was pulled behind Thomas. He had gone from being the one trying to harm her to the one protecting her. Michael had come up close to her left, stood in line with Tommy. There was the smallest of gaps between their broad shoulders that she had to analyse the man in front of her.

He was tall with dark black hair and a sharp face. His clothes clearly not of British origins.

An Italian. Eagerly thought Ella.

"Fammi Gunther." (Get me Gunther.) She spoke in Italian, her tone full with authority. As she pushed the two men aside so he could have a good look at her.

"No puttana, chi sei?" (No bitch, who are you?) Immediately his southern tone was strong and overpowering.

She only shook her head solemnly, as if he had said something really bad. She was really good at putting on an act. She paced forward to him and went to step under his protective stance. The Italian grabbed her at the forearms and shoved her in front of him.

"How about this. I have a password. You tell him 'forbidden love'." Ella said cockily.

And with that the door opened up for them.

A/N:

Hmmm, I have finished the outline for the rest of this story and I am so excited. It really heats up!

Anyway, hope you had a great weekend! :)

- A