small heath was home to many people, the most infamous was the shelby family. opal, although not a shelby by blood was apart of that dysfunctional family. when tommy looks to expand his ever growing business, he meets camden town's alfie solomons. a...
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"WELL I'VE HEARD VERY BAD BAD, BAD things about you birmingham people," alfie spoke to the pair who were sat on the other side of his desk. "you're gypsies right? so what, do you live in a fucking tent or a caravan?" he continued on, opal sat still refusing to show any sign of the anger she was feeling at his words. "i came here to discuss business with you, mr solomons," tommy finally spoke out lighting a cigarette at the same time.
"well, rum is for fun and fucking isn't. so whiskey, now that is for business," alfie pointed grabbing the bottle from his desk, "let's talk first eh?" tommy asked stopping alfie in his tracks. he scratched his bread for a few seconds before putting the bottle back. opal felt the need to stop him as she would've gladly took a glass of whiskey, the tension between the two filling the room uncomfortably. "suit yourself. they say you two had your lives saved by a policeman." opal stayed quiet looking down at her hands quickly before catching alfie's eyes.
opal took the cigarettes out of tommy's pocket needing some sort of relief while the two men stared each other down. she took a long inhale of the cigarette before turning her head exhaling it away. "i have policemen on my payroll," tommy answered back. "i don't like policemen because policemen, they can't be trusted," opal shifted in her seat wanting this to end quickly but she knew that tommy still had to get to the business proposal he had for alfie.
tommy quickly pointed out the fact that sabini has policemen that work for him and the way the war for london was looking due that fact. this seemed offend alfie who's fist clenched at his words. he opened his desk drawer and the noise of a gun clattering was instantly picked up by opal. she stared at him watching him very carefully on his next move. "i once carried out my own personal form of stigmata on an italian. i pushed his face up against the trench and shoved a six-inch nail up his fucking nose, and hammered it home with a duckboard" alfie recalled.
opal grimaced at the story. she hadn't heard much of what the war was like, the shelby brothers refused to talk about it most times she asked especially tommy. when she did ask in the first few months of them being home they would quickly change the conversation to something else, so the brunette knew better than to ask. "sounds biblical," opal finally spoke up taking a draw of the cigarette that was hanging lazily between her fingers. their eyes met and refused to look away from each other, alfie laughed under his breath "it was," his tone was lighter but suddenly changed when he went back to direct his words at the shelby.
"so don't come in here and sit in my chair and tell me i am losing my war to a fucking wop," his eyes darkened. tommy nodded as he spoke "that war was a long time ago. you need to be more realistic," alfie loudly shut the top drawer leaning forward so he was over his desk. "realistic? yeah? realisitic," he hummed clasping his hands. opal knew this could end badly depending on what tommy said next to alfie. "if you weren't losing the war then you wouldn't have sent me the telegram," tommy tapped his cigarette while opal finished the last bit of hers.
"really? you forgot your fucking telegram. the telegram just hello," he waved before telling tommy to spit out what he really wanted with him which opal was now interested in hearing. she knew tommy wanted to form some sort on an alliance with the jews while the war with the italians raged in london. "we join forces," tommy stated getting a quick 'fuck off' in return. opal watched them intently while alfie leaned back into his chair.
tommy went on to explain alfie's income, opal fiddled with her the ring on her index finger noticing alfie stealing glances a few times while tommy spoke. once again alfie's hand reached into the drawer. "you shot billy kimber right? you did, you fucking shot him. that's you," alfie pointed at him accusingly "you fucking betrayed him mate, so it'll be entirely appropriate to do what i'm thinking in my head to you right now," opal knew exactly what alfie was thinking and the fact he was probably clutching a gun ready to shot. she slowly slid her hand into tommy's and grasped it tightly.
tommy gave her hand a small squeeze before giving alfie his offer of a hundred men, weapons and a new relationship with the police. "intelligence. intelligence is a very valuable thing ain't it my friend? and it usually comes far too fucking late," suddenly alfie pulled out a gun aiming it right at tommy's head. opal sat forward immediately her shoulders tensing up as she waited for the next person to move. "let's say i shot you already, right, in the fucking face, and the bullet goes bone, mush, bone, cabinet over there, which is a shame innit?" he clicked the gun as tommy sat back giving opal discreet look.
"that cabinent is fucked, i gotta get shot of it, so what i do is this. it's fucking simple mate," the gun clicked and the three sat in silence. opal's eyes moved away from alfie to steal a glance at tommy whose nose was beginning to trickle blood. "tom," she whispered under her breath and the gun clattered on the desk loudly. "i cut that cabinent in half don't i? i do, i'll just cut the cabient, i cut.." alfie threw a piece of fabric on the desk towards tommy while he wiped the blood away with his thumb. he went on to threaten tommy which she was surprised at after the way the conversation was going.
"i always thought you'd have a great big fucking gold ring in your nose," alfie suddenly exclaimed leaning back into his chair. opal couldn't help laugh quietly to herself at the absurdness of his words but tommy was clearly not amused by either of them. "i'm sorry go on, tell us your plan," he finally said.
-
when opal and tommy left alfie's office she felt a sigh of relief after sitting in the tense atmosphere with the two. "opal i need a favour," tommy stopped opal in her tracks grasping the top of her arm gently. "is this a favour or are you telling me what i've to do," opal rolled her eyes waiting for whatever he was about to ask. "i want you down here while i conduct business with mr solomons. i'll get you an apartment in london near ada but i need you working with mr solomons in case something goes wrong," he explained to the brunette whose face had contorted into confusion.
"so you just want me to pack up and live in london? for how long?" she rambled quickly shaking her head, her mind running a hundred miles an hour at all the thoughts. "opal just do it for me okay? i'll deal with it all," tommy grabbed her shoulders she stared into his eyes and with one final sigh she just nodded her head. "fine," she muttered.
