Weeks passed since I rode on Thomas Shelby's beautiful dark-haired stallion. I longed for the freedom I felt on the back of the horse, with my arms wrapped snugly around Tommy's waist. However, that was the last time I saw the Shelby brothers, and it was the last time I was free. My brother James was in the south installing tiles, and my mother tagged along for a change of scenery. They were gone for weeks, and without them, I was living in hell.
Jack, an unstable mess, was snorting 'snow' to escape the mud in his head. He consistently had white residue on his face and a bottle of cheap rum in his hand. The deadly combination caused him to be hostile. It was like walking on eggshells with him.
"Adeline! Take this cheque! Deposit it for me!" Jack squawked as he stumbled out of his office with a vicious squint in his eyes. I would be lying if I said I was not frightened by my brother.
As I took the cheque from my brother, my eyes immediately trailed down to the signature. It was signed by Charles Darcy.
"Why is Charles giving us money? We're not charity!" I exclaimed, wanting to tear the cheque into shreds. It was for a heft sum of money, a life-changing amount.
"What do you think closing the masonry during the war did, eh?" I was confused by Jack's words. The war ended a few years ago, and business seemed to be strong ever since.
"We're in debt, Adeline! This place is in debt!" Jack clamoured, throwing his arms into the air with frustration forming in his fists. I didn't know what to say. I was in disbelief, but a part of me believed it as lightbulbs went off in my head.
"How much?" I whispered, afraid to hear the truth.
"Thousands of pounds! So go cash the bloody cheque!"
"Why is Charles Darcy giving us the money?" Charles was nothing to us.
"Go cash the fucking cheque, Adeline!" Jack's voice ripped through the room, causing the hairs on my arms to stand up. I knew his answer. I was afraid to hear it, but I needed Jack to tell me the truth about Charles.
"You fucking prick!" I hollered at him, wanting to beat some sense into the man I used to call my brother.
"You arranged a deal with Charles. He marries me if he pays our debt." I stated, my voice cracking as I spoke. The puzzle pieces were fitting together.
"Adeline!" Jack hollered, snatching the cheque from my raging fingers before I was able to rip it to shreds.
"It's true then! You bastard!" I cried, slamming my fists onto my desk. A loud bang rang out through my ears as a gush of rage surged throughout my body. I had never felt such wrath before, but I couldn't hold it back.
"You marry Charles, and we are free of debt, Adeline! You will never have to work another day in your life!" I didn't care. Jack's excuses were bullshit.
"I am not marrying him!" I hissed with my foot kicking my desk. My head was hot, and at that moment, I grabbed the cup of tea from my desk and chugged it at Jack. He was lucky it wasn't a fresh brew.
"Marry him, or he'll kill you!" Jack stammered, ignoring the warm liquid that splattered against his skin.
"Kill me?" I sneered. Charles may have hit me, but he didn't have the guts to kill me. He didn't even serve in France.
"Yes, kill ya'! Charles already gave me hundreds of pounds. If you don't marry him, you'll have a bullet lodged between your eyes or a gash opening ya' throat, so choose wisely!" There was no way that this business deal escalated to entailing my demise.
"Jack, I swear to God!" I cursed with panic setting in my blood. If it was true, I didn't have a choice. I would spend the rest of my life with Charles Darcy, the evil, ancient toff who had a chip on his shoulder.
"He has connections with the Billy Boys! They'll have no problem killing ya'." I tried to wrap my head around the situation, but it was difficult, especially since I had assassins waiting to slaughter me.
"Dad would have never done this!"
"Dad wasn't in debt, Adeline!" Jack hollered, shooting daggers at me with his eyes. His once gentle eyes were now a nest of endless fury.
"Our father wasn't a traitor to his family." I firmly spoke, trying to attain my composure. With those words, I fled the office. I could no longer breathe the same air as Jack.
Walking through the scuzzy streets, I hollered for a taxi to bring me to Small Heath. It was only a few minutes away, but the driver was hesitant. It took a little persuading for him to drive me to the Garrison Pub. The streets of Small Heath were as I remembered. They were far from special, but the Garrison Pub was a unique spot. It was where Thomas Shelby said I could find him.
"You're in the wrong place!" A man shouted as I walked into the pub. It was charming and modern, a rare yet pleasant sight to see in Small Heath.
"I'm looking for Thomas Shelby!" I called, taking a seat while ignoring the lewd remarks from the drunken men. The second Thomas's name oozed out of my mouth the men suddenly glared at me with respect.
"The Thomas Shelby?" The beekeeper asked in confusion.
"Yes! Thomas Shelby of Small Heath!" I hissed.
"He comes and goes, love. Ya' may wait hours for him." The barkeeper remarked while he dried a few beer glasses. If I had to wait all night for Thomas Shelby, I would.
Some time passed before there was any word about Thomas arriving in the pub. Whenever the door opened, I crossed my fingers, hoping it was him. I was annoyed with the vulgar slurs and creepy stares from the males in the pub, but that didn't stop me from waiting.
"I hear you're looking for Tommy Shelby!" A dark-haired man with working clothes announced as he sat beside me.
"Yes!"
"Tell me ya' name, and I'll tell him ya' here." The man whispered with a fond smirk. I was thrilled to have someone direct me to Tommy. However, before the man could say anything more, the pub's doors burst open.
"Johnny!" A strong voice echoed in the pub, grabbing the man's attention. He immediately vacated my side, leaving me in view of Thomas and his fierce brothers.
"Miss Yardley." Thomas breathed, opening the door to the pub's snug. I quickly followed, relieved to see him after weeks of only seeing him in my imagination.
"What are you doing 'ere?" Thomas questioned as he quickly shut the snug's door behind him.
"I'm sorry to bother you, Thomas. I needed to leave home, and I could only think of The Garrison." It was true, but the worry in my voice prompted Thomas to direct me to sit down. My visit wasn't for fun. I needed someone to listen to me and hopefully guide me in the right direction.
As Thomas poured us each a glass of whiskey, his cologne filled the air around me, and it brought me back to the time we rode on his horse together. A simpler time.
"You're not a bother, Adeline. Eh? What's going on?" Thomas placed the whiskey in front of me as he fished around his pocket for his cigarettes.
"Is it Charles?" Thomas asked when I didn't speak. "He hit you again?"
"No. It's Jack." I whispered, finally gaining to courage to let the truth spill from my lips.
"I learned that he made a business deal with Charles Darcy, and it involves me." It made me sick to even think about marrying Charles. My future looked like the end of a sewer, dark and shitty.
"Some bastards are cruel to their kin, aren't they?" Thomas sighed in disappointment as he leaned over the table to offer me a cigarette. Even though I was in a spell of misery, staring into Tommy's blue orbs gave me some hope.
"Charles has been paying Jack. He's paying the business's debts to marry me. If I don't marry him, some savages from Glasgow will put my head on a stake." Thomas nodded as he watched me crumble inside.
"The Billy Boys?" Thomas questioned with concern as he furrowed his eyebrows at me. Was I the only one who never heard of the Billy Boys?
"Don't worry about those fuckin' bastards. Eh, listen to me?" Tommy began as I stared at the floor in despair. It was easy for him to tell me not to worry about them. They wouldn't be coming after him.
"Adeline, please." Tommy was more gentle this time. He softly tilted my chin up towards him. Of course, I believed him when I saw the glimmer of hope shine from his crystal eyes.
"The fuckin' Billy Boys don't show their face 'round here." Thomas flashed me a devilish smirk as he put on his peaked cap. It seemed like a simple gesture, but the razor blades twinkling in his hat reassured me that his words held truth.
"This is a wicked game I'm playing, Thomas." I began, feeling the sting of tears in my eyes. Thomas placed another cigarette in between my lips as I watched the stick of tobacco burn.
"I'm marrying him a few weeks, and I'm disgusted when he touches me." The mere thought of being with Charles sent a bitter taste in my mouth.
"Have you ever loved a man, Adeline?" Thomas asked, changing the subject. He caught me off guard, but I answered with a simple shake of my head. I could love a man. I could love Thomas Shelby if fate allowed.
"I dream of loving a man." I breathed, letting a large cloud of grey smoke surround me. I didn't tell Tommy that he was the man I dreamed of loving.
Hiya!
This was a bit of filler, but it sets the tone for what's coming!
xx