If You Play With Fire

Chapter 6

It was quite a sight to see; Tommy, Arthur, John, Finn, Michael, Isaiah, Uncle Charlie and Marilyn in the middle in a long wedding dress walking towards the Garrison. The amount of strange looks she got was uncountable, but everyone soon diverted their gaze when one of her brothers glared at them.

Arthur opened the door for her to step through, "Welcome to the Garrison, I own it." He smiled as she stared around at the gold decorations. All the men inside had fallen silent when she walked in, but she was oblivious as she stared in awe at the intricately painted ceiling.

As she was staring up, she accidentally knocked a man, causing him to spill some of his beer. "Hey, watch where you're fucking going."

Marilyn stepped back laughing, trying not to trip over her long dress. "I'm sorry." He stood up, towering over her and was about to say something else when he noticed who she was with.

Every member of the Shelby clan was staring at him intensely making him freeze in terror. "I'm so sorry Mr Shelby, I didn't realise she was with you."

Marilyn noticed that everyone was staring at the interaction and furrowed her eyebrows, "You don't need to apologise, I walked into you remember." She laughed, but the man didn't find it very funny, neither did anybody else.

"Everybody out, we're closing early!" Arthur shouted and within ten seconds the whole building was evacuated. The clattering of chairs and clanking of boots soon subsided when the doors eventually swung shut.

"Are you like royalty around here or something?" She questioned the men, comfortably sliding into a booth.

"They might as well be," Isaiah responded, taking a whiskey as Arthur poured out eight glasses. Marilyn turned to him and smiled, "I don't think I know you, I'm Marilyn." She stood up and held out her hand politely to which he laughed, but shook nonetheless, "I'm Isaiah, Finn's best mate."

John coughed irritably, making Isaiah move to sit elsewhere, not wanting to push his luck.

"Right, I'm guessing you'll want a proper introduction." Tommy sat down on one of the bar stools with Arthur and Charlie on either side of him, sipping his whiskey. John and Isaiah pulled up a chair whilst Michael and Finn shared the booth she had sat in.

"So you have four brothers. This is Arthur, he's the eldest. I'm Tommy, there's John, Finn is your twin. Michael is your cousin and he there is your Uncle Charlie. Then there's Ada, your older sister..."

He droned off and something seemed to click in his head as he slammed his glass down on the bar, "Fucking hell. Where are the girls? Surely, they should be back by now."

As if on cue, Polly came through the door guiding a very drunk Ada and Esme who looked like they could topple over at any minute. As soon as the boys noticed them, John went to help his wife whilst Arthur steadied Ada in his arms.

"Bloody hell, what happened to you?" John asked sweeping the curly hair out of Esme's bruised face, "We got in a scrap. Should've seen the other guys, right Ada?"

Polly sat down tiredly, downing Finn's whiskey as Ada started to laugh, "She fucking shot our dad." Ada nearly collapsed, so Arthur smartly sat her in a booth where she couldn't hurt herself.

"You did what?" John asked, trying to hide his grin as Esme rolled her eyes, "Ssshh Ada! It was supposed to be a secret. It was self-defence though, I promise. And I only shot him in the foot." She wobbled again, but he caught her before she hit the ground.

"She was only defending herself, John." Ada yawned, "Our dad gave her a right whack in the stomach with his cane and then he punched her round the face. He got what he deserved." Tommy and John shared a look as though trying to decide what their next move needed to be.