My Next Mistake || Book One

It's going to go down in flames

Tommy knocked at Olivia's front door. No reply. Tommy knocked again, a bit louder. Again, no reply. He stepped back from the door and looked up and the windows. He couldn't see a figure. He shrugged his shoulders and turned to walk down the London Street.

Maybe she was still out?

As Tommy walked down the street he could hear footsteps. Running footsteps. He placed his hand on his gun for safety. The footsteps became louder and Tommy heard a familiar voice.

'Tommy! Tommy!' It was Arthur. Tommy turned around to see Arthur pacing down the pavement. He reached Tommy and his breathing was heavy. Tommy grabbed hold of his brother.

'Arthur. What's wrong?' Tommy asked his concern growing deeper. His brother gasped for breath.

'Tommy...it's Sabini. His men came looking for you. He wants you at the club. 9pm.' Arthur gasped. He bent over and tried to regain himself. Tommy stood tall and patted his brother on the back. Then he remembered...Olivia wasn't home. Was she okay?

'Arthur..Arthur. Listen to me. Olivia, have you seen her?' Tommy questioned, worry in his voice. Arthur shook his head. Tommy put his head in his hands. Fuck. 'Right, Arthur. Get John, I will meet you both at the club, let's see what Sabini wants,' Tommy said trying to keep calm. If anything had happened to Olivia Sabini was a dead man.

Arthur composed himself and ran back to find John. Tommy looked up at the dark London sky. Why was nothing even simple? Tommy began to walk down to the club, checking his gun was loaded on the way.

9pm. Tommy, Arthur and John stood outside Sabini's club.

'Tommy, do you think this is about the races?' John asked, a hit of nerves in his voice. Tommy looked at the door ahead of him.

'Let's hope so, hey John. Ready?' Tommy asked and he hinted towards the guns both lads were carrying on their person. The threesome opened the club doors and began to walk in. It was quiet. The club was never quiet. Suddenly they heard a booming voice.

'Shelby!' The brothers walked towards the loud sound. The dance floor was now in front of them and Sabini stood there, proud and tall with his men scattered around the room with rifles and pistols. The brothers didn't pull out there guns just yet. Tommy needed to know what the fuss was all about.

'Mr Sabini. You sent me a message. What can I do for you?' Tommy asked, hands in his coat pocket, putting on his confident persona. John and Arthur stood beside him watching every move of every person in the club. Anyone to make a move would be dead. Sabini glared at the Birmingham gangster stood before him.

'Well you see Shelby, I have been having a problem. You seem to think that rigging my races is a good idea. Well guess what, Shelby scum. This is my town, my races. You get that?' Sabini spat at Tommy. Tommy nodded. Sabini thought he had the higher ground, but the peaky blinders were not one to be messed with.

'Oh Mr Sabini I do. I just don't think you're doing a good enough job of it. Especially when I can race one of my horses without you knowing and then claim all the money from the bets,' Tommy chuckled. Sabini was a fool. Arthur and John smirked. Sabini's face crumpled. He was mad.

'You fucking gypsy scum! What don't you fucking get? This is my town! Now you have one option..get the fuck out of my town!' Sabini shouted in anger. Tommy didn't flinch at his words. He looked at his brothers who were both calm, the war had done much worse to them then Sabini ever will.

'I will not be taking that option, Sabini. This is London and I plan to take it over,' Tommy replied. He could see the rush of angry come over the Italian in front of him. Before he could breathe, Sabini nodded to one of his men who scurried out of sight. Within moments, Tommy could hear screaming. A woman screaming. The man was dragging the screaming body out from the back by the arms. The woman had a bag over her head, her hands were tied in front of hrf and she was clearly shaken. The man pushed the woman in front of Tommy and his brothers to the fall. Tommy looked at Sabini with a raised eyebrow.

Sabini smirked. He walked towards the woman and pulled the bag from her head. Tommy instantly pulled out his gun from its hold and pointed it straight at Sabini, his brothers following suite. All guns were now pointed at Tommy.

It was Olivia. She was shaking from head to toe. Tears were falling from her blue eyes and she looked completely lost. Her eyes caught Tommy in front of her. She looked back at the floor. How could she betray him like this? Her heart wept.

'Sabini! What the fuck is this?' Tommy shouted. The girl he had fallen for was tied and collapsed on the floor. His heart broke at the sight. She was broken and Tommy needed to fix it. He couldnt have the woman he loved totured in front kf him. Sabini was playing a dangerous game. Sabini began to laugh. Tommy felt uncomfortable at the sound. Sabini walked towards Tommy, ignoring the pistol pointed straight at him.

'Ahhh Shelby. You have no idea do you? You see, this pretty little thing of mine, has been playing you for a fool,' Sabini sang as he walked back to Olivia and knelt to her level. She refused to look at anyone she felt so ashamed. Sabini grabbed her roughly by the chin and lifted her face to see Tommy.

Tommy was confused. Was Sabini just playing one of his sick games? He kept his gun pointed.

'You don't see it do you? Let me make it clear Shelby. Miss Olivia here has been working for me all along,' Sabini explained as he messed with Olivia by playing with her hair. She flinched and turned her face away from Tommy. 'I asked her to get information on you and to find your weak spot. And I think we have found what that is, haven't we Olivia?' Sabini laughed as Olivia cried though his words. She shook her head.

Tommy slowly put his gun down. Realisation hitting him. Olivia was lying the whole time. Every kiss, every flirtation, every moment...a lie. Olivia could see the look in his eyes. He was broken, hurt. John grabbed hold of Tommy who was just staring at Olivia.

'Tommy, don't believe a fucking word this bastard says, alright. That girl loves you,' John argued with Tommy's thoughts. Tommy glanced at John. What was he to think? The woman he had fallen for was before him, after lying and deceiving him. Make him fall for her.

Tommy looked at Olivia, she was sobbing on the floor. She looked at him, tears spilling from her eyes.

'Tommy....please..I didn't mean for this too happen,' Olivia pleaded. Tommy was conflicted. He had fallen in love with this girl, but she had done the one thing he could never do to someone he loved and that was lie. She continued to cry. John glared at Tommy as his brother looked lost. John knew his brother and he would never let some poor girl suffer like this.

'I tell you what Shelby. I will give you a choice. Either you shoot the girl or I will. It's your choice.' Sabini threatened. Olivia screamed in response. How could Sabini torture her like this? He pulled out a gun and pointed it straight at Olivia's head. Olivia began to shake and cry even more. She stared at Tommy.

'Tommy, please....Tommy,' The words stuttered from her lips. Tommy lifted his gun and pointed it at Olivia. John pushed him.

'You fucking coward!' John screamed at Tommy. Arthur turned his back, scared to see this poor girl suffer more. John threw his hands in the air in defeat. Sabini smirked as he watched Tommy point the gun at Olivia. Tommy looked straight into Olivia's eyes as he pointed the gun. Olivia pleaded and begged for her life with both the men.

'That's it, put a bullet in the girl who made a Shelby boy believe he could fall in love,' Sabini spat. John and Arthur looked on in shock.

Then a gun shot rang throughout the club.