Rebound // Alfie Solomons

14. Bread

'Come on then.' Alfie said, 'you two Cora, since you two are so chummy.' He added offering her his arm, Cora leaned into him as he lead tommy down through the bakery. 'Alright' he clapped once, 'You want to try some bread?'

'Sure,' tommy agreed.

'We make all kinds of bread brown bread and white bread you want to try? Did you know we bake over 10000 loaves a week?'

'Impressive mr solomons.' tommy said looking around the bakery. Ollie followed behind them anxiously.

'yeah, you want to try some?' He gestured to the liquor on the counter, Cora pulled a bottle to her, popping the top she took a long swig. Cradling a bottle of white to her chest as she leaned against the counter.

'The bread?' Tommy questioned

'The bread' alfie repeated with a smile. 'Which you want? Brown or white'

'Brown' tommy said.

'Brown' alfie said nodding pouring tommy a glass. 'So what do you think?'

'Not bad'

'not bad?' Alfie said looking to Cora.

'Liar, he's a good liar.' Cora told him and Tommy looked back at her 'he says things in a way that makes you almost believe him... almost.' she offered him a forced smile, bringing the bottle back to her lips.

'It down right tastes like shit. Brown is for the workers while white is for the bosses'. He gestured between him, tommy, and Cora, she tipped her bottle to them taking another long sip.

'You coming love?' Alfie questioned.

"Nope.' Cora sat back on the stool.

'Come on,' Alfie encouraged, 'you might be needed.' Alfie mused. She slid off the stool her eyes drifting to Ollie he nervously looked between her and Alfie. 'Right then onto business.' Alfie declared. He lead them to the office. Sat down opposite him and pulled out a bottle of whiskey.

'alright Rum is for fun and fucking but whiskey is for business' Alfie declared happily.

'I'd rather talk first'. Alfie made a face at tommy and scratched his beard starting to put the bottle away, Cora waved a hand he poured her a glass. 'Well I've heard some very bad, bad things about your Birmingham people... tsk tsk eh?' Alfie said

'Where did you get your information from Mr. Solomons?" Tommy glanced to Cora.

"I know this might come as a shock to you but my world does not revolve around you anymore.' Cora told him and Alfie chuckled leaning back in his chair, running his tongue over his teeth as he looked over at Cora. Somehow pissed off Cora was even sexier.

'You're gypies right?' Alfie asked. 'so what you live in a fucking tent or a caravan?' Alfie chuckled. Tommy didn't say anything but his eyes drifted to Cora 'They say you had your life saved by a police man.' Alfie began.

'I have policeman on my payroll.' Tommy said

'well I don't like policemen, because policemen they can't be trusted.' Alfie informed tommy.

'Mr sabini uses police all the time that's why hes winning the way in London and you are losing it.' Tommy told him.

'a war aint over till its over mate.' Alfie replied clenching and unclenching his fist. 'you were in the war.' Slowly Alfie opened his desk drawer. Tommy saw but didn't flinch, he didn't think Cora would want him dead. After all she had said with Irene that she wanted to be the one to kill him but Tommy mostly hoped she was joking. 'I once carried out my own personal form of stigmata on an Italian. I pushed his face up against the trench. Shoved a six inch nail up his fucking nose and I hammered it home with a duckboard...'alfie informed him 'It was fucking biblical!'