Tommy, Arthur and John pulled up just outside Alfie's bakery. The three men straightening themselves, as their feet hit the cobbled stones of the street. The sun for once able to creep through the cloud that seemed to constantly cover the capital just like it did in Small Heath.

"Fuck me, get a load of this." Arthur suddenly said, motioning for the others to look out onto the street; Tommy and John following Arthur's pointed finger until they lay eyes on a young man. The Shelby trio watching as he swaggered down the street in his freshly pressed suit, shiny shoes, cap jauntily placed to one side of his head, a walking cane in hand, and a large black overcoat flowing behind him. John crunching on the toothpick in his mouth, as he and the others observed a couple of girls stop the man and gave him some fruit. The man smiling and thanking them politely before they ran away giggling. Arthur turning and looked at John, a smug grin spread across his face.

"Ay John boy, it's the London version of you." Arthur said, laughing out loud. The comment even making Tommy chuckle.

"Oi, there's only one John Shelby round ere and that's me." John protested causing Arthur to laugh again. The three continuing to watch on as the man got closer, until he opened the door to the bakery. Taking off his cap, and running his fingers through his hair, before he stepped inside.

"Ya don't suppose that's one of Alfie's lot do ya?" Arthur asked, looking over at Tommy.

"He doesn't look like Alfie's usual kind of employee. But who knows with Alfie." Tommy shrugged as he looked down at his watch. The time ticking over to nine, the three sure that they could hear the sound of Big Ben strike the hour.

"Ok, lets go in................" Tommy continued, before he and his brothers made their way across the street.

                                                                >>----------------------------------<<

"If ya will just wait in ere, Alfie and Richie will be with ya in a minute." Ollie said, as he opened the door to Alfie's office, indicating for the older Shelby's to sit down before he left the room.

"Tommy, who's this Richie bloke?" John asked his older brother. Tommy just letting out a sigh at the question, before he reached for a cigarette.

"I know as much as you do John, so why don't ya just shut up and wait, we'll find out in a minute." Tommy replied. John once again crunching on the toothpick as he leant onto the wall beside him. A little pissed at being chastised like a child.

Within seconds the door to the office was thrown open and the Shelby's watched as Alfie and the man they had seen swagger down the street entered. Alfie sitting down in his chair, as the young man stood behind him; taking out a silver cigarette case from his jacket pocket opening it and offering Alfie one which he lit, before taking one himself.

"How nice it is ta see ya again Thomas. I'd like ta introduce ya to my representative who I'm sending up ta take care of my business up your end the world. Tommy Shelby, this is Richie (Y/l/n), he's me right hand man." Alfie said, as Richie leaned forward and gave Tommy's hand a firm shake.

"Nice to meet ya Mister Shelby..............."

"And this is Arfur Shelby." Alfie continued, indicating to the obviously older Shelby brother, to whom Richie nodded his head respectfully.

"And last but by no means least we av John." Alfie added, introducing the younger Shelby who had just moved out of the shadow. The baker rubbing his hand over his beard, as he noticed the change in Richie's face as he looked at John. Unable to stop himself from smiling as he saw John stare back at Richie. Both their faces turning the slightest shade pink. Signs of confusion evident in John's eyes. Richie suddenly beginning to cough on the smoke from his cigarette, before recovering and nodding his head at the young Shelby. Instantly averting his gaze so that he was looking at anything other than John.

"Good! Well, that's all that fuckin shit ova with, so let's get down ta business, yeah." Alfie said as he brought out the whiskey; Richie taking a seat next to him.

                                                             >>----------------------------------<<

"So, we have a deal, and don't worry we'll look after ya boy for ya." Tommy said, as he stood and shook Alfie's hand before he turned to Richie.

"We'll see ya tomorrow morning at Saint Pancreas train station at 11am, you'll travel with us up to Birmingham. Alfie's paying for it so we should be able to get ya somewhere descent ta bed down." Tommy continued, reaching out his hand to shake Richie's.

"Thank you, Mister Shelby, I'll see ya then!" Richie replied as he nodded to Arthur and John. Alfie bellowing for Ollie, who escorted the trio outside to their waiting car.

"I think we better find out some more about this Richie kid before we meet him tomorrow, better know what we are dealing with." Tommy said to Arthur and John; the pair nodding in agreement as they made their way across the street and climbed into the car.

                                                               >>---------------------------------<<

As the boys asked around town about Richie, they discovered that his appearance concealed the heart of a true gangster. People not too pleased to be talking about the young man; but the Shelby's did manage to pick up the fact that Richie was a vicious fighter, deadly with fists, a knife as well a gun, and most certainly not someone to be messed with. His temper being notoriously quick and dangerous. The boys from Birmingham managing to find a drunk bloke in a pub who happily told them, after a few extra drinks, that Richie had made Alfie quite a bit of money since he had been working for him, and that Alfie saw him as the respectable face of the business as he always dressed and spoke so well.

As Arthur and Tommy listened to every bit of information, they could get about the young man that would be journeying back with them to Birmingham, John's mind started to wander, thinking back to the meeting in Alfie's office. He had sneaked a couple of looks at Richie as he sat listening to the discussion, noticing that his hands were quite small, his fingers elegant. His eyes and lips delicate, strangely delicate; but that was maybe why the girls seemed to like him so much.................

"Oi Johnny boy!" Arthur said, snapping his fingers in front of John's eyes.

"Oi, we are conducting business ere and ya look like ya all doe eyed over a lass as per usual. Snap outta it!" Arthur told him, obviously irritated by John's lack of concentration.

"I wasn't thinking about a lass!" John replied bluntly, annoyed at his brother's insinuation.

"Alright you two, I think we've found out all we need. This Richie sounds alright. But we still have ta be careful; remember that he is Alfie's eyes and ears on us. So, be careful what ya say." Tommy explained, as they left the bar and drove off back to their hotel.

                                                            >>------------------------------------<<

John leant up against his pillow. A cigarette hanging precariously from his lips. All night John had tossed and turned; he couldn't get this kid Richie out of his head. There was something not quite right about him, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. John suddenly sitting bolt upright in his bed, as all he could see was the young Londoner's lips and his eyes; all he could think about was his voice. The youngest of the trio that had journeyed to the capital, throwing back the sheets and making his way to the bathroom, turning on the tap and splashing cold water on his face and over his head. John looking at himself in the mirror, the water running in droplets down his skin. Why was he so intrigued by this kid? He wouldn't normally give a shit; but whatever it was that had captured his attention, John was determined to find out more. Determined to find out what made this fucking lad so intriguing.

                                                               >>-----------------------------------<<

Richie pushed her way into the bedroom, slowly removing her coat and jacket, followed by the shirt and tie to reveal her heavily bound breasts. Stretching out her aching muscles before she started to unwrap herself. It had been a long day, and despite how much she had perfected her alter ego, how much she loved her life, this was the only place she could be free, the only place that no one could find out her secret; the only place that she could be the woman she really was. Being bound all day was uncomfortable, but she had gotten used to it after all these years; but that didn't mean it wasn't a relief. A happy sigh leaving her lips as she removed the suit pants and put on a comfortable nightshirt, that despite its looseness, still showed off the curves that she so desperately hid. Richie beginning to pack suits, shirts, and ties as well as several pairs of shoes; for if she was going to Birmingham as a representative of Alfie Solomons, she had to make a good impression and she also had her own reputation as Richie to consider. Yet as she packed, her mind drifted to the Shelby brother called John; his sweet face, those beautiful eyes, those lips that turned upwards into that oh so perfect smile. She had never met anyone like John Shelby before, during the meeting she had struggled to keep her eyes off him. She had never been so captivated by a man before, and she was finding it difficult not to think about him. But she knew that she had to be realistic; as Richie she could do nothing but try and admire him from a far, and hope that during her stay in Birmingham, she might be able to get to know him better.