FIRE & ICE | Thomas Shelby

001

BELLA walked down the street. Her black hair swaying behind her. Her heels clicking against the pavement. She had turned up in Small Heath on a whim. And she knew she wouldn't be found here. Bella wanted to get away from London. From her family.

Bella arrived outside of the house she had bought. She knew it wasn't much. But it would keep her father away from her.

Bella took a deep breath sighed as she walked inside. She looked around and saw the dingy walls. Bella knew that she would need to spruce it all up. Or at least make it liveable.

Bella knew the first thing she needed was to find a job. But she didn't know where to find one around here. She left the house and walked around.

The people of Watery Lane had never seen this new girl before. Her hair was as black as night. Her eyes were as blue as the ocean.

The women looked at her in jealousy. The men looked to her as though they wanted to fuck her. Bella wasn't interested. She had just escaped from a demanding family and she wasn't wanting anything other than a fresh start.

****

Bella walked into a pub named The Garrison. Bella looked at the man she assumed was in charge. "I'm here about the job I saw in the paper," she said.

"You must be mad. You're too pretty to work here."

Bella rolled her eyes. "I'm here about a job. Not to be told I'm too pretty. I'm Bella. Bella Blake."

"Harry. Love I'd be doing you a huge favour not having you here. There are men that come in here that might decide they want you. And I can't stop them," he said.

Bella again rolled her eyes. "Look I can handle myself. Believe me. Just let me prove it to you," she said as she looked at him.

Harry just nodded. He knew that if the Shelby brothers were to see her, and decided one of them wanted her, he couldn't help her. "Fine. But I warn you. You need to hold yourself in here. It gets mad."

****

Bella was standing behind the bar. She looked up as a woman walked in. "Bella. Whatever this lady asks for, it's on the house."

"Right. Okay."

The woman walked over to her and smiled. "Gin."

"Coming right up," Bella said as she set about serving the woman. She smiled. "Harry says it's on the house."

The woman looked at her. "I've not seen you around here before. Where you from?"

"London. But I'm what's known as the black sheep of my family. So I left and ended up here. The name is Bella."

"Polly. Polly Gray."

Bella smiled and nodded. "It's a pleasure to meet you Mrs Gray."

Polly smiled and looked at her. She saw so much of herself in Bella. She nodded. "You need anything, 5 Watery Lane. Ask for Aunt Pol."

"I will ma'am."

"And none of that ma'am. It's Pol or Polly."

Bella stood watching as Polly walked off. Harry looked at her. "Polly Gray just had a conversation with you. She doesn't talk to many," he said.