BRUTAL LOVE || JOHN SHELBY

Chapter 11

Libitina got shaken out of her deep slumber by a frantic John.

"What's up John? What's happened?" Libitina asked in a tired voice.

"Can you please come help mee with the fuckin' kids, they are running circles around me, I accidently left my gun on the table so Finn nearly blew Ada's tits off, I can't keep doing this on my own, until the nanny gets there can you please look after them and then come to the shop? Tommy wants a family meeting." He asked franticly.

"Yes I'll get dressed and head to yours, give me five minuets." She said getting out of bed.

"Thank you so much Lib." And with that he was out the door.

Libitina and John haven't spoken much unless it's been about the kids ever since he got back. She kept her distance from him cause she couldn't get hurt again, but she didn't expect to get hurt so soon.

When she was ready she headed down to John's house and sorted the kids out and got them breakfast. Around ten minutes later the nanny arrived so it was Libitina's que to leave and go to the betting den for the family meeting. When she got through thedoor she took a seat next to Ada not having a clue what this was about.

"Right I've called this family meeting because I've got some very important news." Arthur said with a loud voice.

"Scud boat and Love lock got back from Belfast last night. They were buying a stallion to cover their mares." He explained to the family.

"They were in a pub down Shank Hill Road yesterday and in that pub there was a copper, handing out these." He passed a piece of paper to Ada to share around the whole room.

"If your over five foot and can fight come to Birmingham." John read out to everyone in the room.

"They're recruiting Protestant Irishmen to come over here as Specials" Arthur spoke up.

"To do what?" Ada asked.

"To clean up the city Ada. He's the Chief Inspector." Thomas spoke up for the first time.

"The last four years he's been clearing the IRA out of Belfast." Tom said.

"How do you know so bloody much?" Arthur asked his brother.

"Cause I asked the coppers on our payroll." Thomas answered his older brother.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Arthur asked his second question.

"I'm telling you." Tom said with his head held high.

"So why are they sending him to Birmingham?" Polly asked looking up from the piece of paper.

There's been all these bloody strikes at the BSA, and the Austin works lately. Now the papers are talking about sedition and revolution." Tom said.

"So it's communists he's after?" Libitina asked.

"This coppers gonna leave us alone, right?" Polly asked.

There are Irishmen in Green Lane who left Belfast to get away from him, Catholic men who crossed him used to disappear in the night." Tom said dogging Polly's question.

"yeah but we ain't the IRA. We bloody fought for the king. Anyway we're Peaky Blinders. We're not scared of coppers." John stated to everyone in the room.

"He's right." Arthur pipped up.

"If they come for us, we'll cut them a smile each." John said determined.

"So Arthur, is that it?" Tommy asked clearly wanting to leave

"What do you think, Aunt Poll?" Arthur asked.

"This family does everything open. You have nothing more to say to this meeting Thomas?" Polly asked her nephew.

"No." Tommy said shaking his head.

"Nothing that's woman's business." He stated.

"This whole bloody enterprise was woman's business while you boys were away at war." Libitina stated in a angry voice staring at Thomas.

"She's right, what's changed eh?" Polly asked.

"We came back." Tommy stated.

And with that the family meeting was finished and everyone went back to work. The women staying in the shop sitting at their desk taking the bets and doing the numbers.

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Libitina woke up the next morning for a full day of work in the betting shop. She got up, washed herself, got dressed and then had some breakfast. When she finished eating she opened the double doors that were connected to the betting shop and walked through the crowd of men to her desk.

Later in the day Arthur came through the front door of 6 Watery Lane battered and bruised. Libitina had experience of being a nurse while the boys were away at war so she wrapped her arm around Arthur and sat him down on a chair in the kitchen.

"John wet a cloth and wipe the blood out of his eye." Libitina ordered.

"Since when did you give orders?" John asked with a smirk on his face.

"I'm a trained fucking nurse." Libitina stated.

"Don't make me laugh, it hurts my face." Arthur joked.

"I am you fool, while you boys were away I trained to be a nurse, but then Martha died so I had to look after your kids." She said pointing at John.

"John just wipe the blood off of his face for god sake, I'm a trained nurse too so just bloody listen." Ada said getting very annoyed at her brother.

"Ada you went to one first aid class in the church hall and got thrown out for giggling." John joked which made Libitina giggle.

"Not before I learnt how to stop someone from choking." Ada stated.

"I'm not bloody choking, am I?" Arthur asked.

"You will be when I wrap this cloth around your neck cause you won't shut the fuck up Arthur." Libitina said getting very annoyed.

"Let me see him. Have this." Tommy said as he walked in passing him a bottle of alcohol and wetting a cloth.

"Give me that." Tommy said snatching the bottle out of Arthurs hand and pouring some on the damp cloth.

Arthur winced when the cloth hit the cuts on his face.

"Your alright." Tommy stated.

"Well he clearly isn't you idiot." Libitina said to Tommy.

"He said Mr Churchill sent him to Birmingham. National interest he said. Something about a robbery." Arthur said.

"He said he wants us to help him." He told the whole family what he got asked.

"We don't help coppers." John stated.

"He knew all about our war records. Said we are patriots like him. He wants us to be his eyes and ears. I said we'd have a family meeting and take a vote." Arthur said.

"Well why not? Mhh." Arthur asked.

"We have no trucks with Fenians or Communists." Arthur said.

"I heard he didn't even fight for the king like every other man did, he never made it to fuckin' France so I'm saying fuckin' no." Libitina spoke up getting railed up with this meeting.

"What's wrong with you? What the fuck is wrong with him lately" Arthur asked.

"If I knew I'd buy the cure from Compton's chemists." Polly said looking up to Tommy.