regret,confusion,dread and fuck Thomas Shelby. Four emotion's Charlotte was on the receiving end of the entire journey, the destination being yet another thing she was unaware of. The car she had been thrown into came to a harsh stop, almost sending the poor girl through the windscreen. Sighing heavily charlotte scanned her eyes over her surroundings, of course not leading her to any conclusion, she didn't have a fucking clue where she was.
"what is it that you want?" charlotte spat, her fury and aggravation overpowering any fear she may have originally had.
Tutting with the shake of his head, Sabini turned apprehensively towards the girl so they were now fully perpendicular to each-other.
"to teach a lesson" he responded in his strangely high pitched tone. "a lesson?"
charlotte perplexed, her confusion displaying clearly on her face.
"to that lover of yours"
Ding. Ignorantly Charlotte had mindlessly forgotten that Tommy was most likely to blame for her current state of affairs, but instead she let her mind wander to multiple contrasting scenarios, the main one being that this was a result of her fame and who she was. It was something Alfie had always warned her about, it invites unwanted pricks, to put it bluntly, into her life.
However of course, that was not the case but her ex was instead.
The longer Charlotte sat in the unwanted company of Sabini, the more she seemed to recognise him, she couldn't put her finger on who what and when however nethertheless she did. It wasn't surprising though, she was good friends with one London gangster already, it wasn't uncommon to know of another one.
Fighting the urge to roll her eyes, Charlotte let out yet another sigh "he's not my "lover", i haven't been with him for years" she spoke through an irritated tone, how long would it take before she wasn't affiliated with him anymore. "doesn't take away from how you're important to him now, does it charlotte?" he responded, patronisingly. "i'm sure it does" she scoffed, growing more irritated by the second. "you cannot see can you?" he bitterly chuckled "how he still loves you I'm guessing" he added, watching as charlotte ran her hand through her hair in a stressed manner. She could only internally scoff, why did every situation like this feel like a counselling session for her love life?
"i'm no use mr sabini, i know nothing and like i said,haven't for years" she calmly responded, exaggerating the last part. "i don't want information darlin', i want you" he chuckled, watching as the other men with him also did so.
Shuddering at the nickname that fell from his lips, she furrowed her eyebrows deeply, the situation now purely baffling her. "me?"
"you see Charlotte, i do research on my enemies, as does tommy so i'm sure he'll understand" he started "now i didn't need to do my research on you,who doesn't know of Charlotte Windsor hm? i suppose i just fell lucky when my leverage over tommy, was you." he nodded, keeping his stare fixed of the girl.
"what leverage?"she spat, now growing more agitated at her naivety of the situation. "your man has crossed the line, coming into my clubs, you see he's bit of more then he can chew"
Oh so that's why he was in London that night.
Internally wincing at Tommy's stupidity, Charlotte was slightly at loss for words, What even was the right thing to say in a peculiar situation like this. Although this situation is out of the ordinary yes, it wasn't the first time Tommy had put her into it.
"your going to come with me, and we are going to give that man of yours a phone call" he nodded, rising to his feet and gesturing his men to bring charlotte with them.
Throwing Charlotte into a chair, the brunette fought to cover the wince at the surge of pain that travelled through her body. Watching Sabinis every movement, Charlotte watched as he picked up the telephone, bringing it over to where she was sat and placing it to her ear. "I was going to let him know that i have his missus, but it wouldn't hurt for you to do it yourself instead" he chuckled at his "creative" idea. "I'm not his missus" charlotte scowled under her breath at the statement. Listening to the line ring, Charlotte prayed with everything within her that he would answer.
" 'Ello?" tommy's hoarse voice spoke through the phone, sending shivers down Charlotte's spine before she let out a sigh of relief at the comforting sound of his voice. On the other end, Tommy furrowed his eyebrow's at the sound, albeit it was just a sigh, it was a familiar one at that. "Tommy" Charlotte rasped, glancing up at sabini who ordered her to continue.
"Lottie?" Tommy frowned, perplexed at why she had phoned him. "you alright lottie?" he added, growing concerned at the tone of her voice as he replayed it.
"yes I'm fine, i'm with sabini he wants you to know that he's got me here"
Tommy practically froze at the name, his mind instantly imagining all the scenarios she could be in right now.
"With Sabini? he's got you where Charlotte?" Charlotte was instantly aware of the man's panic, due to the use of her full name and additionally how he basically morphed the two questions into one at how quick he said them. "I'm not sure, something about leverage tommy" she made sure he got the word "leverage", aware that he would know exactly what she meant by it, whatever sabini meant by it.
Rising from his seat in a panic, he internally scowled himself for making it that easy for sabini. "Put him on the phone Charlotte" Tommy demanded, his voice laced with anger.
Fighting a scoff at how Sabini let a revolting smirk take over his face as he placed the phone to his ear, Charlotte could only sit apprehensively as she listened. "Where 'ave you taken her?" tommy questioned, his voice significantly darker. Releasing his signature irritating laugh down the phone,sabini continued. "you've bitten off more then you can chew boy, this'll teach you a lesson about you and your peaky scum inviting ya self into my side of London" he attempted to intimidate, however he might aswell of been talking to a brick wall. "i didn't ask you that, where is she?" he spoke, the fury in his voice becoming more evident by the seconds.
"she'll walk away, i can't say unharmed though" Charlotte swallowed at what she hoped to be an empty threat, before glancing over to one of sabinis men who handed a small knife to him.
"if you fucking touch her" tommy started just before the line went dead, and sabini took a step towards the girl, the knife in hand.
"This'll teach your peaky scum of a man" he spat before harshly grabbing Charlottes arm, carving a small S into it. Squirming and wincing at the pain, Charlotte bit her lip in hopes that it would stop and quickly. Clenching her eyes shut, she tried her luck once more to pull away, although her efforts were no good, she had no chance.
Charlotte sighed heavily in relief and pain when he threw her arm towards her, her outer arm just below her hand now accompanied with a glowing red S, that was no doubt going to scar.
"Take the gypsy scum back to where you got her."
Just returning Home, Charlotte was in disbelief at the night she had,had. If seeing the women that ruined her relationship and evidently didn't feel any remorse for it wasn't worse enough, of course having your ex's enemy's initial carved into your arm would make up for it. She was pulled out of her thoughts when the thumping pain in her arm returned once again, the throbbing pain becoming quite literally unbearable. "fuck" she spoke just above a whisper as she glanced down at the wound, her mind and now heart racing at the firm knock on the door.
"Lottie?" tommy's voice echoed through her home, as she sighed in relief on her way to the door.
Opening the door, she didn't miss the pure relief on Tommy's face that she was stood in-front of him before he scanned his eyes over her, searching for any harm done. Widening the door to let him in, he closed the door behind him as she walked towards the rag she had drenched in rum. "only this" she sarcastically spoke, lifting her arm up to display the wound. A deep frown took place on his face in response, his fury churning that he had marked her with his intial. "let me do that" tommy rasped, walking towards the girl and picking up the rag.
"how did you find me?" charlotte frowned, as far as she was concerned tommy had never visited her London home. "i spoke to ada,she told me where to find you" he responded, not meeting her eyes as he covered the dish cloth in more rum. Charlotte's silence caused Tommy to meet her gaze, one that held a i know your lying face. "I had men watching the house, only since the trouble in London" he admitted, watching as her face now was one of disapproval. "i don't want to be involved in this anymore tommy, especially now" she sighed, referencing to how she was in the public eye and would prefer not to be associated with gangsters, specifically because the papers already go to town with her relationship with Alfie. "i've already had it with Alf, imagine if they found out about my ex" she sarcastically scoffed, as he let a slight look of disapproval come about his face.
"Alfie?" "he's a dear friend of mine tommy, nothing else" she clarified, not that it mattered, but to save the hassle she did so anyway. Nodding gently, he delicately pulled her arm towards him.
"this is gonna hurt" he prepared her as she merely nodded in return, placing the rag firmly on her arm he fought the urge to fuck everything else and go find sabini there and then, he couldn't stand to see her in pain.
Bandaging it up to prevent infection, Charlotte intently watched him as he did so, shooting her eyes in a different direction as he looked back up towards her, unfortunately for her, he knew exactly what had just happened.
"there you go Lottie" "thank you" she voiced, a small but thankful smile on her face. "i'm sorry" he sighed as she bit her lip. "seems to be something you say a lot to me nowadays" she chuckled, albeit it was a saddened one.
"I know and im" "sorry" she finished for him with another chuckle. "i know" she nodded, glancing down at her hands. "are you planning on going back home now?" she questioned, filling tommy with warmth at how she referenced Birmingham as home.
"yes" he responded with the nod of his head "well your more then welcome to stay the night, i have enough bedrooms" she chuckled at the beautiful penthouse she had. "you sure?" "yes well i'd like to think we're friends now" she chuckled.
"i think friends is off the cards for us Lottie" he spoke, his gaze fixed on her.
"what?" she frowned "you heard me" he swiftly responded. "Tommy stop" she sighed "I'm going to get ready for bed" she added as he nodded simply, watching her descend towards the stairs.
"Toilets there tommy" she chuckled as she could see him through the crack of the door, glancing at each room to find it. Heading towards her room he pushed the door open slightly. "where?"he questioned, only taking a small step back as his breath hitched at the sight of her in only her undergarments. Watching as he was about to apologise she interrupted him with an amused chuckle. "i don't care tommy, it's not anything you haven't seen before, it's through there" she pointed him towards the bathroom, an amused expression on her face.
Nodding with a small smile he headed towards it, chuckling at the scene that just enfolded.
Charlotte had shown Tommy one of her many spare rooms that he could sleep in for the night, and now she was knocking on the door in plan of bidding goodnight and heading to her own bedroom. "night tommy" she spoke, a small smile on her face. "night Lottie" he replied, the pair now sharing an insane amount of deja vu. The whole situation was strange and foreign to the both of them, when you spend so long with a person that you thought you were going to spend the rest of your life with it's an unfamiliar feeling when now you simply feel like strangers with a whole load of memories.
In the seconds she was stood infront of him, she didn't quite know what had come over her, but when he gestured for her to come and lay next to him, she did so in a heartbeat.
Placing her head on his chest, she took a deep breath instant comfort and peace accompanying her, and for the first time in two years she had closed her eyes, with not one thought on her mind.
From strangers to friends, friends into lovers, and strangers again.
A week had passed since that night, and honestly Charlotte didn't know how to feel. She almost regretted opening herself up again, even if it was ever so slightly because now all she could think about was Tommy, but at the same time it's hard to regret something when your in love with a person. Now as she sat with a glass of wine, next to her telephone she was fighting with everything inside her not to pick it up and phone him, although of course that was exactly what she done.
"Shelby Company Limited" that all so familiar voice answered "Tommy" charlotte sighed "Lottie?" "i miss you" charlotte cut him off, her breath hitching at the silence before the line went dead. Furrowing her eyebrows deeply, her mind instantly was consumed with theories, had she gotten the wrong impression, did he still love her?
The best answer? Another glass of wine.
Pouring her wine down the sink later on that night, Charlotte frowned at knock on her door, hesitantly walking towards it she wearily opened it, she could've sworn her heart skipped a beat when she saw Tommy stood behind it.
"You came?" she spoke just above a whisper, highlighting her vulnerability.
"You called." he responded instantly, walking into the girls home.
"did you mean what you said?" "hm?"
"do you miss me?" he reiterated, his voice hoarse. Glancing down to the floor for a second, she soon fixed her gaze on him. "i do"
"if there was no business to be done,films to be shot,people to impress, would you try this again?" he questioned, his hoarse voice now just above a whisper. Stepping closer towards him with a sigh, she kept her gaze set on him. "if there was a way we could do this all again, i'd still choose you and pray you'd be better" she rasped, placing her hand on his chest.
"but i think we're gonna have to secretly love each other and leave it at that."
Because Charlotte Windsor is the rain, and Thomas Shelby was written in Chalk.
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trust the process girlies🥹enjoyyy