Between The Devil and a Good Man

Chapter Six

Rose felt Tommy tense beside her. Her hand was in his, having led him into the darkened room a mere few moments ago, but as she turned to him, her worry causing her brow to furrow, she felt as his hand tightened around hers. She winced slightly as she was pulled closer to him.

"Tommy?" her voice filled the air around them, only audible for the both of them to hear. After a moment, he turned to her with a worrisome expression on his face. "Is everything okay?"

"How did you get everyone here?" Tommy asked, his voice sharp and bitter. "How did you invite these people?"

"I, uh..." Rose thought for a moment. "I asked Aunt Pol to invite people you know, especially those in and around London. Is something the matter?"

"And Kimber? Why did you invite Kimber?"

She searched the room, not knowing where she was looking and who she should be looking at. And though Tommy remained tightlipped and quiet and never once made motion towards the man he called Kimber, she wasn't exactly sure who she was to focus her attention on. She hadn't heard the name Kimber before, and she could only assume that Aunt Pol had invited him. But from Tommy's demeanor, she knew he was someone Tommy wasn't expecting to see.

"I have no idea," Rose explained. "She must've found him in your contact book. Honestly, Tommy, I just thought it would be nice... I didn't know who to invite so I just put Pol in charge..."

Tommy pulled her to him, and she yelped at the sudden movement. She felt his breath upon her neck as he spoke close to her ear. "You don't know who I work with, Rose. You have no idea what they're capable of..."

Sirens began to ring inside Rose's head as she moved away from Tommy; the strength of his hand wrapped tightly around her arm unwavering and painful, the pure venom upon his face as he stared intensely at her, his breathing erratic. She pulled away from him as much as she could, but his hand was never moving her arm.

"Tommy... you're hurting me," she winced, her voice full of terror and panic. Her voice pierced through him and hit him like a bullet to the heart, and he was finally able to see the fear in her eyes, feel the shiver to her body as anxiety overwhelmed her. He released her, his mind racing as he hadn't realised just how tightly he was holding onto her arm.

He moved towards her, but she took a frantic step back. She was holding her arm close to her body, her tearful eyes staring at him, and it was then that it hit him, she hadn't known that part of him. The one that was full of anger and violence, and one who was always bubbling under the surface of the calm and collected stance he portrayed to the world.

"Rose," Tommy urged but she only backed away from him more. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to, it's just..."

Rose slipped away from him then, followed by Ada who had witnessed the whole thing. As Tommy looked around at the people around him, he could see a few gazes upon him, having seen his outburst. He felt a hot wave hit him and wash over him, but as his gaze remained on Rose as she weaved further and further away from him, he knew he had to keep his composure. Kimber was here, and there wasn't much he could do about that. All he could do was keep his head above water, and ensure that Kimber didn't get too close to Rose. The very fact that the man was in the same room as his family unsettled him; it was too close, too personal, and his mind whirred as he tried to figure out what to do. The whole basis of business was to be kept separate from family, and the lines were now blurred.

His gaze moved away from Rose for a moment, and turned to Kimber who only smirked in return and seemingly enjoying the small outburst that had erupted from him. He searched for Rose, his eyes searching the heads and faces that surrounded him, and he found her after a moment to find that she had found comfort with Ada who handed her a drink. She took it shakily and sipped the bitter liquid. Tommy motioned towards Arthur and John who slipped through the crowd towards him in an instant, and he could tell from the way their eyes were always searching the room, that they were on high alert.

"Kimber's on our turf," Tommy muttered low enough for just his brothers to hear. "His invitation here this evening was a mistake. John, you keep him away from Rose. Arthur, you stay by my side."

But it seemed as though Tommy was a flame and Kimber was a moth, for when Tommy turned around, Kimber was stood there with his men standing beside him. Arthur and John stuck close to Tommy, knowing that the man's actions were irrational and crazy.

"You have a nice thing there, Tommy," Kimber began, his head turning towards Rose. Tommy followed his gaze and felt his stomach drop. "It would be a shame, wouldn't it, if something happened to her. You see, I don't trust you. You've given me no reason to trust you just yet, and I'm hoping it isn't too late for you to redeem yourself."

"Why are you here tonight?" Tommy asked, his jaw clenched.

"I wasn't invited, Tommy, if that's what you're thinking," Kimber explained, and took a sip of his drink. "Do you honestly think I'd be seen dead here if I didn't have a reason for my being here? No. I heard about this little birthday surprise through the grapevine."

"Then why are you here?" Arthur seethed in response. His protectiveness for his brother knew no bounds, and it was obvious that he cared for his brother and family more than he would ever be able to explain.

"She loves you," Kimber acknowledged. "Women are fickle when they're in love, aren't they? They moan about things that you do yet they still pick your dirty underwear off the floor because they love you."

Tommy felt his gaze fall on Rose again who felt the burn of his upon her and turned to him. And it was then that he saw it; the way her eyes betrayed her in ways neither one had ever seen before. She was scared of Tommy and his reaction in that moment, and he couldn't seem to shake the anguish he felt grasp at his heart. He had frightened her. He had always been sweet to her, kind, and loving, and his outburst had unraveled all those ties he tried so hard to keep tight.

"You wouldn't want anything to happen to her now, would you?" Kimber's threat was heard loud and clear, and Tommy dropped his gaze onto the short statured man and with a grimace, Tommy watched as he continued to make threats. It was as if he needed to hear them to ensure that Kimber and his men would never be able to do them to Rose. "All I have to do is give my men behind her there a small nod and they'll reach over, place his hands around her face and snap her neck. She will drop like a fly. You betray me, Tommy, and that pretty little thing is gone."

Rose came into view again then, and Tommy watched with nausea washing over him as the barman looked at him and gave him a short wave. He felt his skin prickle with anxiety as the barman passed Rose a drink, with both his sister and lover unaware of the potential threat behind them.

Kimber made to leave then, but stopped. He turned to Tommy, grabbed a fistful of shirt and pulled him towards him. "You hear me? You betray me and she's dead. Just don't promise her the world, Tommy, when you can't keep her safe this evening."

Kimber raised his hand and clicked three times, and Tommy observed half of the men in the room stand and fall the man out of the room. The faces of the men he didn't recognize was startling and it was obvious that Kimber had ensured the whole thing had been protected with his men. He had needed to make himself known, had needed to ensure that his threats were heard in the safety of the room where Tommy and his men were unable to do anything about it. He had needed Tommy's reaction to remain neutral, but he knew there was a fire burning deep down inside the man.

"What do you want to do, Tommy?" Arthur asked, his voice quivering with anger. "You want us to follow them out there and give them a piece of their own medicine?"

"No." Tommy said sharply. "They will kill Rose if you do anything. We enjoy our night, boys."

"You're not going to do anything?" John asked. "He threatened you. He threatened us."

"You don't understand," Tommy seethed. "He wants us like this. He knows we can't do anything to him. He made his threats known and we've heard them loud and clear, but they're just going to stay that way until after the races. We keep our heads clear and noses clean, Arthur. We don't start shooting off our mouths, okay? Rose's life has been threatened, and let me tell you now, he's dead for that. He doesn't have the right to threaten her life and get away with it. His time is coming, boys. And we'll have front row seats."

"The cheeky little shit," Arthur seethed.

"We enjoy the night as if nothing happened," Tommy explained. "Keep an eye on Rose for me. I need to go speak with Aunt Pol."