05; new friend

It wasn't the busiest day of the week. However, Sully found herself serving whiskeys and tequilas so many times she couldn't even count them in her head.

It was her and Harry behind the counter this time. Grace was singing with a crowd of men around her somewhere in the back of the pub, standing up on a chair, her blond head proud at the effect of her voice. Even Sullivan was enjoying the woman's voice. Harry grabbed her shoulder as the blonde gave a drink to another customer.

"The Shelbys just ordered," he announced, and in front of the lack of reaction of the woman, he continued. "They want you to serve them."

"Of course they do," she groaned as she prepared their orders, some beers - nothing usual. She sighed as she put the drinks on a large serving plate and slid behind the counter, opening the private room door on the boys, whom of which were playing cards. They lifted their gazes on her as she closed the door behind herself, handed them their drinks.

"You seem tired," John noticed with a slight frown.

"Do I?" She sighed loudly, turning to Tommy, giving him his own beer. He thanked her quietly, and she then turned to Arthur.

"Why did you allow them to sing?" Arthur groaned, his hands on his ears dramatically. 

"Come on, she's doing great," Sully replied, the loud screams of the men in the pub making her smile.

"She is," Arthur confirmed, putting three cards in front of him, "but what about the others? Please give then some sing lessons." Sully laughed, the said laugh followed by a little yawn.

"Do you need something else?" She asked, already turning on her heels.

"You," Arthur replied with a smirk. Sully rolled her eyes.

"I have to work, you know," she explained with a slight smile.

"You should take a day off then," John said with a shrug.

"Yeah, the hell I will," she answered, earning herself a glance from Tommy.

"Why not?" He asked, an eyebrow raised in incomprehension.

"Are you paying my bills?"She asked, Tommy shaking his head slightly. "Then I need to work. Moreover," she continued to cut Arthur off, "the last time I took a day off I've been attacked by a motherfucking copper."

"You can take a day off here ya know," Arthur groaned.

"This is not a day off if I keep my ass here," she giggled. "Alright, play good," she wished by leaving the room, closing the door once more. As she made it behind the bar again, letting go of her plate, she saw bright lights in front of the pub, then they shut down and Harry was gasping next to Grace, making the woman turned her head quickly.

"This is Billy Kimber," Harry whispered in panic. Grace looked at Sullivan, whom of which was hiding her face behind her hands.

"God, please not now," she moaned, as Grace tried to catch her attention. 

People who don't know Billy Kimber must've lived in a deep hole. He was the King of the races, making every littles gang members shake. When you crossed his path in the street, you should better walk away quickly or maybe you'll be found the next day, laying in your own blood. He was a menace, and his presence in the Garrison wasn't exactly a good new. 

The front door slammed open as three men walked in, Billy Kimber holding his head high. Every person in the pub gasp at their sight, as the man opened his mouth to speak - nothing good about it. 

"Is there any man here named Shelby?" As she heard the question, Sully held her breath, trying to understand what kind of trouble Tommy had put himself in. With the lack of answer, Billy sighed softly and grabbed a gun, shooting the ceiling, making the crowd jump; even Sullivan jumped slightly. Paint fell on the ground, as Sully thought about her poor ceiling, thanking God secretly that she wasn't right under the bullet. "I said, is there any man her named Shelby?" She couldn't help but notice the insistence the man had put on the word Shelby, as she heard their private room door being opened. 

She turned her head and watched her friends exited the room with flat expressions, not impressed by the man in front of them even if they clearly should be. 

Thomas was leading their strange coven, a cigarette perched behind his lips, on the corner of his mouth, his brothers following him closely. 

"Harry, get these men a drink," he ordered by turning to the crowd, his eyes settled on Billy Kimber. "Everyone else, go home." As the pub grew empty in seconds, Grace turned to Sully, an interrogation cleared in her eyes. 

"Grace, go home," Sully whispered, pushing the woman's back to the door. 

"I could help," the woman stated in a weak voice, as Sully's eyes turned cold. 

"You can't, just go home, it'll be fine," the blonde answered, watching the barmaid leaving the pub without looking behind. As Sully turned to Harry to help him with the drinks, she caught Tommy's eyes on her, clearly disapproving her. Both Harry and her walked to their table, placing their glasses in front of them, while Thomas growled under his breath.

"Sullivan, just leave," he ordered, his blue eyes sparkling angrily.

"And who's going to clean the counter, then, Mr.Shelby?" she asked with an innocent tone, her eyes settled on Billy Kimber, whom of which was staring at the side of her face.

"Just fucking leave," he whispered as she stood up next to Harry behind him. Billy cleared his throat, catching the couple's attention. 

"It's alright, just leave her be," he stated, spending a glance to the woman on Thomas' side. She walked next to Harry behind the three boys, feeling safer with them around. 

"You got gorgeous barmaids around here," Billy commented, unaware of the death glare Thomas was giving him. "If we had that kind of woman in my pubs, I can't even put words on what I'd do to her." She wanted to defend herself, humiliation growing up in her stomach as he made those sexual comments on her. She looked down briefly, only lifted it again when she heard Tommy's reply. 

"Her heart's already taken," he stated calmly, his eyes on his filled up glass before he drank it straight, slamming it back on the table. Billy frowned, his arms now crossed on his chest. 

"And which one of you took it away from her?" Nobody dared to move, not even Sully. She let her gaze turn to the counter, where she desperately wanting to hide herself. How could it be possible to be so humiliated in such a little time? She turned back to the table where Thomas was clearing his throat. 

"Sully?" he called out, as the blonde frowned with surprise.

"Yes?" she answered as she moved slightly to him. 

"I think I forgot my pack of cigarettes behind your counter. Can you give it back to me, please?" 

"Of course, Tom," she nodded, walking slowly to the counter, leaning forward to grab the said pack, and gave it back to him. He only shook his head as a thank you, but it was enough now. Billy snorted loudly as Sullivan replaced herself next to Harry, her fingers interlocked together, a slight sigh exiting her mouth. Tommy lit up one of his cigarettes and watched Billy's face for a moment before he grew bored of this game. 

"You said you wanted men called Shelby," he began, his voice calm and not tensed at all (not like Sullivan's if she spoke, for sure). "You've got three of them." Billy raised an eyebrow, seeming finally ready to talk business.

"Right, I'd never heard of you, then I did hear of you, some little Didicoy razor gang. I thought to myself, 'so what'? But then you fuck me over so now you have my undivided attention." Sully needed to bit her bottom lip not to laugh. How typical. Thomas Shelby messing with the King of the races wasn't anything that surprised her. "By the way, which one am I talking to? Who's the boss?" 

"Well, I'm the oldest," Arthur answered, puffing his chest slightly. Men were such strange phenomenon, she could tell. 

"Clearly," Billy laughed, his eyes traveling on the Shelby brothers, probably waiting for them to laugh with him. 

Except that they weren't laughing with family.

"Are you laughing at my brother?" John asked with a threatening voice, making Billy Kimber stop from laughing. Sully bit her bottom lip to stop the upcoming laughter to come out. She loved the way the Shelby could be feared with just a word. The man cleared his throat, watching the brothers one by one.

"Right, he's the oldest, you're the thickest. I'm told the boss is called Tommy and I'm guessing that's you 'cause you're looking me up and down like I'm a fucking tart." At this point, Harry had to put his hand behind Sully's back to keep her serious. She had a hard time keeping her poker face.

"I want to know what you want," Thomas stated, his hands grabbing his glass again. The others Shelby were looking at him carefully, disbelief showed on their faces. Billy leaned forward a little, his voice low and deep.

"There were suspicious betting patterns at Kempton Park. A horse called Monaghan Boy," the man next to Kimber announced. The blonde assumed it was one of Billy's associate. "He won by a length twice and then finished last with £3,000 bet on him." Sullivan could easily imagine Tommy's frowned face, since seeing his strategy being exposed this way had always got on his nerves.

"Which one am I talking to? Which one of you is the boss?" Thomas asked, mimicking Kimber's manner at him. She wanted to laugh since the beginning of their discussion, but now she was afraid of where this would be leading.

"I am Mr.Kimber's adviser and accountant," the man answered, his eyes sparkling with pride. However, it disappeared when Kimber spoke again.

"And I'm the fucking boss!" he screamed, his strange voice raising in an annoying way as he stood up. Sully flinched a little when his eyes laid on her for a second before he hid his hands in his pockets, his gaze downed to Tommy.

"Right, end of parley, you fixed a race without my permission. You fucking Gypsy scum what live off the war pensions of these poor old Garrison Lane widows! That's your level! I am Billy Kimber, I run the races and you fixed one of them so I'm going to have you shot against a post." Sullivan's gaze darkened as the insults, thanking God silently that Thomas wasn't like her, an impulsive person. She would've killed him for this. However, the Shelby man stood up, facing Billy Kimber and pulled out one of his cigarettes, his movements slow.

"Mr Kimber." Three guns were now pointing at Tommy, as Sully gasped slightly. Thomas gave something to Billy Kimber, as the man catching it easily. "Look at it. That is my name on it. It's from the Lee family. You are also at war with the Lees, Mr Kimber, am I right?" Sullivan frowned, her mind asking herself how Tommy could also be at war with the Lees while they were associated. Kimber walked towards Tommy, whom of which didn't seemed troubled.

"The Lees are attacking your bookies and taking your money. Your men can't control them. You need help." Harry inhaled deeply as he shared a look with Sully. Kimber's accountant rose an eyebrow, gazing at his boss. He cleared his throat slightly.

"Perhaps we should listen to what Mr.Shelby has to say, before we make our decisions." Tommy glanced at the still sat man and carried on.

"Right, the Lees are doing a lot of talking at the fairs. They have a lot of kin. They're saying the racetracks are easy meat because the police are busy with strikes," Thomas stated. "Now, we have connections. We know how they operate. You have muscle. Together we can beat them. Divided, maybe not."

"Mr Kimber," the accountant called. "Perhaps we should take some time for reflection. Possibly make arrangements for a second meeting."

"I admire you, Mr Kimber." Thomas flattered, and Sully couldn't say if he was telling the truth or not. "You started with nothing and built a legitimate business. It would be an honour to work with you, Mr.Kimber." The man snorted.

"Nobody works with me, people work for me," the man stated. As he grabbed a coin out of his pocket and flipped it in the Shelby's direction, Sullivan prayed for this meeting not to end in a bloodbath. Tommy stood still, remaining undazed. "Pick it up, pikey." Nobody moved, all watching one another, Harry putting his palms on the counter. Then, Thomas leaned forward to grab the said coin.

This time, there was a rush of movements around the pub. Sullivan stepped out from behind the scene, getting herself closer to the men, while Arthur was leaning forward in his chair, ready for everything, his hand behind his body in Sully's direction, and John was not standing, his chair pushed behind him as a sign of protest. Kimber's men were standing, smirks on their faces, keeping their control on the Shelby.

"Sit," Tommy ordered to his younger brother. "Sit down." John did as told, a furious expression on his face as Thomas grabbed the coin, holding it in Kimber's direction. Sullivan wanted to punch that man in the face, however, Arthur's glance gave her the order to not move an inch.

"It's for the ceiling," Kimber explained, then turned around, his eyes settled on Sully again. He smirked at her in a disturbing way, making her look away in disgust. He closed the door behind himself, letting his accountant closing the meeting.

"We will be at Cheltenham," he informed Thomas as he put his coat on, standing up.

"As I will," he answered, the smoke of his cigarette floating to the man's face. Sully walked to the front door, opening it to the accountant and their men politely, and when they had left, she slammed the door behind them, letting her body lean against the wood. Each one of the Shelby family seemed relaxed, as she put her hands behind herself, her gaze floating to one another. She walked to them after checking that the door was securely locked, and crossed her arms on her chest, a slight blush on her cheeks as she thought back of all the comments that Kimber had made on her.

"Why didn't you leave?" Tommy asked quietly as he approached her, their foreheads close to one another. Sully shrugged, rolling her eyes fondly.

"I'm not afraid, you should know for now," she giggled, Arthur snorted to her sentence.

"You should've been," he growled, his fingers softly brushing on her cheek.

"Oh, come on, I'm a hard one," she joked, laying on Tommy's touch before he turned away. She walked to Arthur, whom of which put his forearm on her shoulder like she was a pillar. They shared a playful look, both of them remembering a time where they fought some elder males because he was insulting her.

"How many people did she killed with that look, eh?" John asked, a smile working his way on his face as he invoked an old memory of them, all the times she had wore a death glare and the consequences of those deadly glares.

"I think we can't even count them," Arthur sighed, and she giggled as she turned her face to his.

"Do you remember Stacy Blanchard?" she asked with sparkling eyes.

"Oh God," John sighed as he remembered that girl too.

"What happened to her again?" Arthur asked sarcastically. Sully pretended to think about it for a second before she was answering them.

"I think she tasted the Cut," she answered with a frown, then the three of them were laughing at it. How young they used to be. "Young and menace," she commented thoughtfully, her eyes looking up at the injured ceiling. 

"My poor ceiling," she moaned as she watched the boys laughing at her. 

"So you picked a fight with the Lees on purpose," Arthur sighed, his eyes settled on his brother's frame. "Tommy, we can't mess with Billy fucking Kimber." Sully snorted, earning herself one of Arthur's glance. 

"Get yourself a decent haircut, man," Tommy answered, ignoring his brother's sensed words, and how it seemed to panic Sullivan. "We're going to the races." The blonde rolled her eyes, and watched the Arthur and John leave the pub a few minutes later, leaving their brother behind them.

"So that's where we're going," Sully said softly, sweeping the paint and the brick that had fallen from the ceiling. At Tommy's frown, she continued, "Cheltenham." 

"Yeah, that's where." The girl snorted and pulled her hair away from her face. 

"I pulled out a red dress, mister," she informed. "My most beautiful one, I hope your pervert little new friend will like it." Tommy frowned, ready to reply, but she was already walking back behind the counter, deaf to every argument. 



Bạn đang đọc truyện trên: AzTruyen.Top