Game Of Bliss

(29)

"John's not here," Esmé says, opening her door, and seeing Florence stood there, "I know that. He's with Malachi."

"And you don't want to be around Malachi?" Esmé questions.

"It's not that I don't want to be around him... he's just annoying me at the moment," Florence sighs.

"Have you told him he's annoying you?" Esmé asks, opening the door wider to allow Florence into the house, "he knows I'm annoyed at him, but he's refusing to address it."

"Why are you annoyed at him?"

"He's hiding something, he came into the betting den covered in bruises and cuts," Florence says, "usually he'd just tell me who he'd gotten into a fight with and why? But he keeps trying to change the subject whenever I ask."

"Stop asking then," Esmé says, and Florence gives her a confused look.

"I learned this with John, when you keep asking them they feel that you're nagging, and when you stop asking they want nothing more than for you to ask again and eventually break," Esmé states.

"Mal's not like other men," Florence says, "if he wants something hidden, trust me it will stay hidden. That won't work and I'm not sure what will."

"It's Mal, Flo, speak to him... honestly, just tell him how it's making you feel, the man will tell you, he would do anything for you," Esmé states, "and if he is made aware that he's upsetting you, he will rectify it."

"He's not upsetting me," Florence replies, and Esmé tuts, "you wouldn't be here if you weren't upset. If you were just annoyed you would've gone to Thomas. Now, are you going to stay here or are you going to go and get the answers you crave?"

Esmé hears voices approaching the house, and moves the curtain covering the window slightly, "it looks like you won't have to go anywhere to get your answers, John and Malachi will be walking through the front door with Arthur and Eldon in less than 10 seconds."

Esmé was right, the group of men enter the house, John smiling and kissing Esmé's cheek as a greeting, "what have you two ladies been up to?"

"Oh you know, just talking," Esmé says.

"They were talking about Uncle Mal," Katie inputs, walking into the lounge area.

"Katie, what did we say about listening in on conversations your not apart of?" John says.

"Do it if it gives you an advantage," Katie states.

"That is not what we said," John responds.

"Oh yeah," Katie hums, "must've been what Uncle Tom told me."

"Do us a favour, don't go around listening to Tommys advice," Esmé says.

Malachi looks at Florence who he was stood beside, "you were talking about me?"

"Yes," Florence says.

"What specifically was it about me?" Malachi asks.

"You're ability to keep information hidden," Florence states, and he sighs, "Flo, it's not like it's my first fight, and it probably won't be my last. Can the reason behind this one just be laid to rest?"

"Why is it that you're so... so determined to keep the reason from me?" Florence questions, "why did you go to Polly instead?"

"Can we please not do this here?" Malachi asks.

"Where then?" Florence shrugs, "because I don't believe you've ever had the intention of telling me. It's either not the right place, not the right time, you don't want to tell me and I can't for the life of me figure out why."

"This seems like a private conversation," Katie comments, "want us to leave?"

"Are you going to listen to us even if you're not in the room?" Florence asks, and Katie nods, "probably."

"Okay, we're going to have this conversation elsewhere," Mal responds, clearing his throat, "Flo?"

"We'll see you guys later," Florence says, before following Malachi out of the room.

"They're going to shag," Esmé states.

"Seriously, Esmé?" John groans, "that's my sister."

"What? It's relationship rules, you're both ready to sort out whatever you're frustrated by, you make up and you... well you know," Esmé says.

"Disgusting," Arthur comments.

-

"So?" Florence asks, "who was it with? Why did it happen? Why did you go to Polly instead of me? Why have you been refusing to tell me?"

"I didn't go to Polly, she just happened to be with me when it happened, we didn't want to wake you up so we left a note, went to her house to clean my cuts up, and I ended up crashing on her couch," Malachi explains, "I just didn't want you to worry about me."

"You've done a great job," Florence remarks.

"Flo, I didn't want to tell you what happened because I don't want you to be worried, or scared," Malachi says, "Polly pulled me off the guy before-"

"I would never be scared of you," Florence states.

"That's not what I'm implying," Malachi responds.

"Can you please walk me through it from the beginning?" Florence inquires.

"I went out drinking with John, Polly joined us, and then after a while John went home to help Esmé put the kids to bed," Malachi explains, "we ended up at the pub where Polly met her husband, she was telling me about her children. It's now a cop bar, they finish their shifts and go to the pub."

"Okay," Florence says.

"Do you know PC Jordan Ackley?" Malachi asks, and Florence shakes her head, "no, but I'm guessing he's the 'who' I was after."

"He was one of the guards assigned to your cell," Malachi says, "he was telling some of the other cops what he'd been planning to do to you had you been in there longer."

"Planning to do to me?" Florence whispers, a horrified look on her face.

"This is why I was hesitant to tell you," Malachi replies, "I didn't know how to. There's no nice way to put it."

"How did you get bruises?" Florence asks.

"Some of his friends didn't take too kindly to me slamming his head through a window," Malachi states, "whatever he was planning to do... he'll never have the equipment to do it again, nor the opportunity, we just left him in an alleyway, I don't know if someone found him, if he was still breathing."

Florence glances up at him, tears in her eyes, "why? What is it about me? First Roy, now this guy. I would've been passed out on drugs or handcuffed. Why couldn't they have just left me alone?"

"I don't know," Malachi says, "I'm sorry, Flo."

She wraps her arms around his waist, burying her head against his chest, one of his arms resting around her shoulders, the other slowly stroking her hair, as he pressed a kiss to her forehead, "but they are never going to get to you. I won't let them come near you. I know I shouldn't have to, but I'll do it. I'll slaughter every man on this planet if that's what it takes for you to feel safe."

"I love you, Mal," Florence mumbles, hugging him tighter.

"I love you," Malachi states.