𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 ᵖᵉᵃᵏʸ ᵇˡⁱⁿᵈᵉʳˢ

53

"Is it him?" Tommy entered the large room where Arthur sat. "Yeah" he whispered.

Tommy swallowed hard, "on his own doorstep."

Tommys breath hitched and he walked toward the metal bed that John lay on.

"Right get out and you out" he pointed at the men either side of the table. They looked at the lifeless body of their brother.

Arthur knocked over a tray.

"Poor John..fucking gone" Arthur cried. "In the bleak midwinter" Tommy said. "We promised, Arthur"

"I can't"

"In Hull we promised,"

"I can't look at him, Tom"

"Come here brother" Tommy said. "Come here, come on, come here"

Arthur slowly walked over, looking down at John. "Now say it, Arthur" he said. "Say it brother"

"In the bleak midwinter"

Their heads turned to the door which swung open, Esme running through. "It's your fault" she shouted. "Your fucking fault" she sobbed. "Johns dead because of you" she pointed a finger at him.

Arthur frowned at the state she was in.

She punched Tommy's chest in anger and he grabbed her wrists, stopping her. "Look what you've done" she screamed, her voice cracking. "Come here, come here" he said, holding her tightly.

Loud sobs left her mouth as she collapsed into her older man. She looked over at Johns body and covered her mouth.

"Get out," she said.

-

Delilah sat in the betting den, her knees hugged to her chest, scowling as Tommy walked in.

"John is dead" he stated."Esme's gone on the road with the Lee's, she's taken the kids. Micheal is badly wounded, they say it's 60/40 in his favour"

"There's no number, there's no percentage" Polly said, "so the hand, the hand beneath him stops him falling. I spoke to someone. My son will live"

"Micheal and John were shot because we killed someone's, Vincente Changretta, his son Luca has come to take revenge. Men from New York and Sicily have come to Birmingham and these men will not leave our city until our whole family is dead"

Tears dropped from Delilah's eyes, Ada held her hand. Her chest stung. John had died, on Christmas day.

"That's how it works, an eye for an eye. It's called vendetta"

"Yeah well-" Arthur began.

"The bullets been written, it says Luca, when the time comes, and it will come, he as the oldest brother will put this bullet into his fucking head" Arthur whispered, placing the bullet down.

"There's been some bad blood between us" Tommy said, Polly laughed. "Until this business is settled, we stay together"

Isaiah and Jeremiah stayed quiet, looking as Tommy spoke.

"I sent a message, to Aberama Gold" Tommy nodded. "No, no Tom" Johnny dogs said. "I can get you 50 Lee boys, Good men Tom"

"I don't need good men, Johnny. For this, i need bad men"

"Tommy his people are fucking savages." Johnny said. "You know, heathens, Tom. They don't even let them in the fair. So they come and steal our horses. You know, stealing from their own, Tom"

"So this is the plan, Thomas?" Polly raised her voice. "Bullet with a name on it, help from a bunch of savages"

"We're gonna go on the offensive, i've spoken to Moss."