The Queen Of Birmingham

18.

18. tell me
'be mine for always, I'll be yours forever.'
~

Ivy's hands were frantic as she caught up on the accounts, cursing herself for letting them fall so far behind. Her head was aching as her thoughts went a mile a minute, adding, calculating, sorting. She had been at it hours, not even taking a break for a cigarette.

"You ought to get staff to do that." The voice from the doorway made her jump. A hand flew to her chest as she caught her breath. When she looked up, a rather smug looking Tommy leaned against the doorframe of her office.

"Don't creep up on me like that."

"I've been stood here for three minutes." He smirked, glancing at his pocket watch before walking further into the room and closing the door behind him.

"To what do I owe the pleasure, Mr Shelby?" She asked with mock professionalism, looking back down to her work.

"Just wanted to come see you." Out of the corner of her eye she observed him wandering around her office, taking in all the odd bits she had lying around. His hands were tucked firmly in his pockets and he appeared genuinely relaxed now that no one could see them

"Bullshit." Ivy called. "Tommy Shelby goes nowhere for no reason."

"Alright, you got me." He finally sat in the chair across from her, watching her hand scribble on the paper in front of her. "You really ought to get someone in to do that sort of thing."

"Not all of us have the funds for that, Mr Shelby." His smile faltered slightly at her use of such formality.

"Well actually, that's partially the reason I came to speak to you." Intrigued, Ivy finally dropped her pen and gave the man her full attention.

"You come here to give me money?" She joked, although that would be nice.

"Not exactly." He chuckled, placing a cigarette in his mouth and handing another to the woman across from him. "Today is a big day. Today, I will be taking out Kimber for good."

"What?! Why didn't tell me?" She shouted, genuinely hurt at him keeping her out of the loop.

"Because it doesn't concern you. I have everything planned out, I'm not having you risking your business or your life for me."

"So you've come all the way here to tell me about a plan that doesn't concern me? You came here to worry me and then you'll fuck off and get yourself killed while I just sit here?" Despite Ivy's anger, Tommy couldn't help but smile at the insinuation she was worried about him, that she cared.

"No exactly. I came here to talk about after."

"Go on then, I have things to do." Finally lighting her cigarette, she sat back in her chair, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Well, once I am a legally licensed company as you are, I see no reason why we can't join forces. Like the good old days. I'll even find you someone to do all your paperwork for you. You keep the offices here, I'll keep the offices there. No more territories, no more tension."

Ivy's head involuntarily began to nod as she thought everything over. "Shelby and Thorne Limited." The name rolled off her tongue, testing how it sounded.

"No. Just Shelby." Her head snapped to him, looking for a sign on his face that he was joking but for the first time since entering the room, his face was stone cold.

Ivy scoffed, tapping her cigarette off in the ash tray that sat between them. "I don't think so. I've made a name for myself, I want it above the door." She snapped back at him.

"And it will be." He assured her but Ivy was beyond confused. Noticing her furrowed brow, he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small brown box, placing it down in front of her.

Ivy's eyes followed the box, before springing back up to Tommy who still had a stern look on his face. Putting out her cigarette, her hands picked up the box, lifting the lid off.

Her breath caught in her throat and her heart sped up as she gazed down at the ring Tommy had once proposed to her with. The ring she had left behind on the nightstand when she left.

"Mr and Mrs Shelby. That's what it will say above the door." His voice confirmed her suspicions, a playful smile slipping onto her face.

"Do I not get a proper proposal?" Her eyes shifted up to the man in front of her who's bravado had once again slipped away.

"You had one, remember." He smiled, a genuine smile.

"What I remember is you on one knee next to our bed. Hardly 'proper'."

"Well now you've had two bad ones instead of one good one."

"Yes." She beamed as she placed the ring back on her finger, still fitting perfectly.

"Yes to what? The proposal, the business deal?"

"Yes to everything." Tommy rose in his seat, moving slowly around the desk to his fiancé. Bowing his head, he brushed his lips against hers, a gentle gesture that reminded her of who he was before the war.

"I just have to win a little war first. Then the world is ours." He whispered against her lips, sending a shiver up her spine. His hand cupped her cheek, his thumb running along her soft flesh. They shared a moment of blissful silence before he moved away.

With a loving goodbye and a spring in his step, he marched off to win a little war. The smile on Ivy's face felt as if it would never go away. She stared down at the humble ring that had returned to its home on her finger. It was a small diamond in comparison to the other jewellery she owned but this was far more valuable that all the rest put together.