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Birmingham, 1919
Tommy let out a tired sigh once he stepped into the home and his eyes settled on the couch and his two youngest siblings. He watched as Isabella read a book and unconsciously stroked the top of a sleeping Finn's head.
He kept watching them as he took off his coat and thoughts of how fucked up the day had been stormed in. His sister was sporting a ginormous bruise on her neck, because of him. His brother had almost been blown to bits, because of him.
All because of him.
He had sold off his sibling like cattle just to save his other siblings from getting bullets in their brains. He had taken the choice away from them and forced them into a life they might detest. Forced them into a marriage they may never forgive him for.
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"On my mother's side, we are kin." Tommy said. "Hai să vorbim chestiuni de familie." (Let us talk family business)
"But on your father's side, we are not." Zilpha Lee, the matriarch of the Lee family shrugged. "What do you have to offer, Shelby?"
"Guns. Machine guns." Tommy offered.
"Family does not deal in guns."
He leaned in closer to the table. "What do family deal in, eh?"
"Blood." She crossed her arms on the table.
"Shelby's have blood to share."
"Mhm." She nodded in agreement. There were five unmarried Shelby siblings, all with blood to spare, well there were technically six, but the youngest was too young to marry. "My oldest. He will be the head one day. He will need heirs, and a good doting wife."
"I have two sisters." He forced himself to keep his voice calm, not allowing her to hear how disgusting and angry he felt at her insinuation.
"Now I hear your youngest sister is exceptionally gifted" She watched with intrigue at how anger flashed through his eyes.
"She is."
"The Lee family would benefit from the future generation sharing her bright brain."
