"Ellie!" Colby called out at the bottom of the stairs. Little did he know that his sister was busy at the moment doing something that no brother wants to be seeing their sister doing. "He'll go away, just ignore him." Elise whispered, kissing the man that was her current boyfriend on the lips. Then carrying on what they were doing, moans escaping Elise's lips, until her brother had decided to barge in. "Fucking hell Elise!" She heard Colby exclaim, clearly realising the reason why she hadn't responded to him when he called out to her. "Cole what the fuck! Can't you take a hint?" Elise questioned, quickly covering herself.
"Shit I'm sorry sis, it's just that its important." Cole explained, as he stood with his back to his little sister. Elise knew that her brother would be quite embarrassed right now after seeing what he did. "Alright fine, I'll be out in a minute." She sighed, Colby then leaving them so that Elise could get dressed. She planted a kiss on Tatton's lips before she got up to make herself decent. Elise didn't know what was instore for her, but she was going to find out the moment she walked downstairs.
After Elise had made herself decent, she walked down with Tatton right next to her, as Tatton was to leave knowing he couldn't know much about what they were doing business wise. "Holy shit! Elise fucking Steele!" Elise heard a familiar voice call out as stepped off of the final step, making her freeze to her spot for a slight moment while Tatton continued to make his way out of the house.
Elise turned around to face the direction she heard the voice come from. That's when instant embarrassment hit her the moment she had realised who it was. Her cheeks becoming flushed from the sudden feeling. "Arthur Shelby," Elise responded, with a small smile across her face as she tried to hide the embarrassment that came after she noticed he wasn't the only Shelby brother that was in her house. "Cole when you said we were going to talk to the boss, I didn't expect it was going to be your sister," John stated, turning his attention from Elise to Colby.
"Is that going to be a problem for you John?" Elise smirked, as she revelled in the fact that they were shocked in seeing her, clearly under the belief it was going to be Archer Steele they were going to be talking to instead. "No, of course not. Just we didn't expect to see you," John explained, causing Elise to smile at his response as she knew it had been some time that she had seen any of the Shelby family aside from when Ada and Polly were at her failed wedding. "You're looking good by the way. Sexier then I remembered," Arthur commented, with a smirk on his face, nudging Tommy, who seemed to not be able to keep his eyes from travelling up and down as he looked his ex. Taking in how much she had changed over the years, since he last laid his eyes on her.
"Why thank you Arthur," She giggled, walking over to sit down. A small sense of silence fell over as each Shelby brother took in the change in Elise's appearance. Her dirty blonde hair she used to keep up was now down and curled, sitting just below her collarbone. Tommy taking note of how the deep blue dress she wore accentuated her slim, yet curvy body. "What is it that you boys are here for?" Elise asked, finally breaking the moment of silence.
"Need your help with some upcoming business." Tommy stated, finally making complete eye contact with Elise.
"Oh he speaks!" Elise remarked, with a smirk on her face again. Attempting to get under Tommy's skin, knowing that it would work. Which it had.
"If it's my help that you want, then I'm all in but I'm telling you now Shelby I'm not the same that I was when you dumped me. Now if that's all you have to say to me then you can go as I need to leave due to some unfinished business that is waiting for me to stick my tongue down his throat." Elise scoffed, immediately getting up from her seat and walking out the front door to meet with Tatton, fully hoping that she had left the Shelby brothers gobsmacked, and all while completely trusting her brother was going to lock up the house once they left.
**
By the end of the day Elise had decided to let off some steam by going to the Garrison for a few drinks. She walked in with Tatton by her side and a lit cigarette in her mouth. Elise walked up to the bar to get the pair some drinks as the pub went silent, knowing the exact reason why turning her head only to see the Shelby brothers had walked in. Rolling her eyes before turning to pick the drinks making her way back to where Tatton stood waiting for Elise which happened to be right by the entrance.
Elise notice immediately that Arthur and John were standing there talking to Tatton, "fuck" she muttered to herself as she then made the split decision to walk straight inside the Snug in hopes she could hide from what may wait for her when she returned to Tatton. She was instead hit with immediate embarrassment, forgetting that Thomas Shelby just might have been standing there. "Shouldn't you be out there?" Tommy question making Elise jump at the sudden sound of his voice. "Always trying to get rid of me." She replied, turning to face him, immediately regaining her composure after it faltered for a split second. Tommy taking complete notice in this, knowing this was out of character for her. This definitely wasn't the same girl he had broken up with.
"Haven't you tried that once before Shelby?" Elise snickered, taking note of his change in demeanour as it softened the longer he looked at her. Before Tommy could say another word, Elise turned around and made a quick exit back to Tatton now not caring what might've been waiting for her.
What Tommy didn't know yet was that Elise had no true feelings for Tatton. Tatton being the one that told people that Elise was his girlfriend much to Elise's dislike, but she let it slide anyways. To her it was just a fling and nothing more. A fling that she was hoping could help her get over certain trauma she was suffering. Elise didn't think that would work out nor did she really want them to. The spark Elise was longing for just wasn't there with Tatton but yet she didn't tell anyone how she felt.
Tatton stormed out the front doors, apparent rage filling his body as he took in some information he never knew about until Arthur and John told him. Instant rage flooded through Elise, not cause she already knew that Tatton was more than likely going to break things off with her, but it was the realisation that a Shelby seemed to ruin her relationships even if they were ones she never fully cared about. It was the thought that someone always seemed to stick their nose in her business when they weren't supposed to.
"What the bloody hell did you say to him?" Elise asked, anger riddled in her voice, making it apparent to Arthur and John that they messed up completely as the smirks they once had, been completely wiped away as they finally noticed Elise storming over to them. "Nothing he shouldn't have already known," Arthur snickered.
"Just he didn't like what we had to say," John added, nudging Arthur in the arm playfully.
"You Shelbys I swear!" Elise yelled out of frustration, taking a swift look down at the drinks she still held in her hands and looked back up at them, quick enough that they didn't take any notice. "Well I guess I won't be needing these anymore." She seethed, throwing the drinks in their faces, smashing the now empty glasses on the nearest table, and walked out, now with a smirk placed firmly on her face.
"When were you going to tell me?" Tatton asked, taking Elise completely off guard, clearly not expecting to hear his voice.
"Jeez Tatton you scared me."
"When. Were. You. Going. To. Tell. Me." He repeated, anger suddenly more present in his voice.
"Tell you what exactly?" Elise asked him calmly, not understanding what Tatton was trying to ask her that was making him so mad.
"About all the men you've not only been with but apparently slept with, I mean you're a whore! Especially with that man in there, Thomas Shelby!" He exclaimed.
Elise instantly raising her hand, slapping him across the face as hard as she could, knowing it would leave a handprint after it. Anger now fuelling her body all over again. "How dare you! I am not a fucking whore! I am the last person you would want to be crossing" She spat, wanting nothing more than to punch Tatton for his cruel accusation.
"Get out of my face or so help me Tatton! I suggest that you pack your shit out and take the next train out of Small Heath! I don't give a shit where you go but if you don't leave so help me you will end up in the cut before you could ever breathe the word whore to me again!" Elise demanded, before turning away and walking back inside the pub, immediately walking up to the bar asking for whiskey, lighting a cigarette as she waited for the drink. Riddled with anger.
It had become apparent to Elise that what the Shelby brothers believed to be harmless in turned made her hear the word she never wanted to hear.
**