In The Bleak Midwinter | T Shelby

FIVE - A CHAIN AND A RING

Kaia woke up to the sound of birds tweeting outside the window, suddenly masked by the echoing of steel clattering in the factories in the near distance.

She stretched, blinking a few times before her eyes fell upon the man sleeping soundly beside her. She looked around the room for any clues as to who the man was since her memory of the previous night was pretty much none-existent. If that told her anything, it was that this man must've had more than a few pounds in his pocket to pay for the drinks, because Kaia certainly didn't.

Trying her best not to wake the handsome stranger, Kaia picked up her clothes and got dressed. She was within an inch of the door when the sun caught her eye, glinting off something that lay next to a leather wallet on the dresser.

She bit her lip, unable to beat the temptation and stole a glance. A gold ring and matching gold chain were laid on the dresser. Kaia was trying her best to walk out of the room, but as she looked over at the man, she thought fuck it. He could just buy another set, surely?

Slipping them both into the pocket of her coat, she managed to leave the house unnoticed. Kaia didn't think anybody else lived there, at least she hoped not after the racket they'd made when they came back after The Garrison last night.

Surprised by the warmth that hit her when she stepped outside, a smile crept onto Kaia's face. Autumn was in full force but on that particular Saturday morning it was warm enough to not need a jacket. She shrugged off hers and hung it over her arm, leaving her dressed in the shirt, trousers and heels she'd been wearing the previous day.

She found herself on Watery Lane, not remembering the short walk home in the dark at all, but happy to know she was somewhere she recognised at least.

Heading back towards her house, she didn't get very far before she heard her name being called.

"Miss Gold!"

Kaia looked over her shoulder and saw Thomas Shelby walking towards her. He had a flat cap on and a black wool coat, clearly underestimating the temperature that morning.

"Can I help you?" She asked, wanting to get home as quickly as possible before the man she left looked out of his bedroom window and saw her on the street.

"Your brother said you're looking for work? I can help."

Kaia sighed and kissed her teeth, glancing up at the man's window to check the sound of their voices hadn't woken him up.

"I don't need any help, but thank you."

"Wait!" Tommy shouted after her as she began to walk away, making her stop, "It's good pay, you'll be safe, have-"

"Why does everyone assume I need to be kept safe? Bonnie knows I could kill a man if I needed to, and you saw me spare that man's life the other week, didn't you? What is it with you lot and thinking I can't look after myself?"

Thomas stood in silence before her, not sure what to say. He sighed loudly, it wasn't often that the Shelby family approached anybody to come and work for them, offering them the same kind of protection they gave their own flesh and blood. Kaia was a young, independent woman, the type of woman that Tommy had never encountered outside of his own family.

"Look," she narrowed her eyes, the silence making her uncomfortable as well as the way he continued to stare at her without saying a word, "I appreciate the offer and I know my brother is only trying to help, but I really want to find work for myself."

"There's no shame in accepting help, Miss Gold."

It was Thomas' turn to feel uneasy when her steel gaze settled into his own. No reply came from her.

"But," he said, continuing, "I admire your spirit. Good luck."

Kaia gave him a half-hearted thank you before heading home without saying another word. She'd been awake for less than an hour and she'd already had men interfering with her - that hadn't been in her plans for the day.

Waltzing back through the front door at just before nine in the morning, Kaia smiled happily when she saw her father and brother sat having breakfast together at the table.

She sat down between them like she always had done, taking a teacup and pouring herself some tea. She rubbed her eyes and yawned, clearly a little sleep deprived from the night before.

"Got anymore surprises for your old man, Kaia?"

She knew her father was joking, but he spluttered out a shocked laugh when she placed down the ring and chain on the table in front of him.

"Nice." He said, smiling as he looked at the pieces.

"Hang on," Bonnie chimed in, swallowing his tea and placing his cup down, "Where did you get those from?"

"I just..." Kaia shrugged, giving her brother a knowing look to tell him something she didn't want to say in front of their father.

"No," Bonnie said, his face beginning to look increasingly panicked? "Tell me you didn't take them from the man you went home with last night?"

Kaia immediately looked at her father to see his face, though he didn't look too angry at her for going home with a man. Instead, his eyes were fixed on his sons', equally as filled with worry and fear at what Bonnie was hinting at.

Gulping loudly, Kaia nodded her head, still not having the wildest idea at why that was a problem.

"Oh fucking hell."

"What?" Aberama rose to his feet, leaning his palms on the table, "Who did you go home with last night, Kaia?"

"I-I don't know."

"You don't know? How can you-"

"Dad," Bonnie said, cutting off their father mid-rage.

Aberama looked at his soon, Kaia doing the same. Bonnie sighed, taking in a deep breath and leaning back in his chair, his arms folded.

"She went home with Michael Gray," Bonnie said as he looked at his father before turning to address his sister, "You've stolen from Michael fucking Gray."