Rise (Alfie Solomons)

Chapter 3

Today, Alfie was taking Shirley to a country club. He had business to attend to there, and he needed Shirley to translate. Since she said she could speak Italian, why not put her to use?

Alfie shook off the wariness he felt about bringing Shirley along. From past experiences, women, and business often don't work out, but no one else could speak fucking Italian. He picked up on the language some during The Great War but not enough to hold a conversation about rum and payments.

Since there was no other place for Shirley to change, Alfie allowed her to get dressed in the next room. Being a man, and a complete sodomite at that, Alfie took a few peeks at her through the small window. Gorgeous she was. Long, chocolate brown hair he wanted to pull on while he mounted her like a dog in heat. He knew she deserved more than that so he turned away. She was a Jewish woman and they ought to be respected. However, that didn't stop the front of his pants from growing at the thought of her.

He relieved himself in the bathroom by tugging on his cock, thinking about his secretary's breasts. It was completely inappropriate, but that didn't cross his mind once as he shot his load into a napkin. Then met her outside by the car.

He held the door open for Shirley, allowing her to sit comfortably beside him. Ever since that day, he protected her from that man in the streets she thought fondly of him. After that incident, he made all the men line up and screamed at them until they got the message. Even though she disapproved of the screaming and hitting, she greatly appreciated it.

On the way there, she daydreamed, thinking about her life back home.

When she graduated high school, which was rare for women, she decided to pursue a college education. Taking on a degree in the arts, she found it challenging, but it also gave her a thrill she never experienced before. Being college-educated meant you were respectable, and she didn't mind that idea at all.

After finishing her first year of art school, she went on summer break, which meant her friends were endlessly torturing her to go out with them. After a few weeks of being fed up with them, she agreed to go out once and never again. They ended up dragging her to a speakeasy popular among the younger crowd, and there she met the biggest mistake of her life.

Shirley shook off the thought, not wanting to relive the nightmare.

The country club was almost forty-five minutes away, so Shirley and Alfie had plenty of time to talk.

"Do you think I've dressed appropriately?" Shirley asked him, playing with the pearls on her neck.

"I suppose it don't fucking matter. They'll let you in or get my cane right up their arse." Alfie looked over at her and saw the shiny beads lying perfectly up against her porcelain neck. He pulled out a loupe and reached for it. "How'd you manage to get these?"

"My ma gave them to me back in New York."

"Must be a generous woman."

Shirley nodded, smiling at the thought of her mother. She had always encouraged her to paint and further her education. She even convinced her father to send her to college even though he was adamant about not sending her. Said women had no place there.

"Tell me, what's it like growing up so well-off?"

She shifted uncomfortably, but didn't ignore him.

"Life is still challenging whether you have money or not. I suppose money just makes it easier."

"I reckon it does."

Confusion blurred her mind. She wasn't sure if Alfie was attacking her for being rich or genuinely asking because he was curious. Whatever the case may be, she still had a job to do, and she would do it well.