Angel

11

            

            The next Friday I stood arms crossed leaning backwards against Alfie Solomons desk as Tommy's men lined up outside. "Next lad!" Alfie shouted as the next man walked in, "Name?". "Abbey Heath," the man said, removing his jacket and opening his shirt. "Profession?" Alfie asked as I inspected the man in front of me. "Baker," Abbey Heath replied, and I gave a nod, allowing the man to put his coat back on and close up his shirt. "Good lad. Fill it out, fuck off," Alfie muttered, throwing a wad of papers across his desk. The man picked it up and filed out of the room as Ollie threw an apron at him. "Next lad!" Alfie shouted out again. "Name?" he asked. "Buddy Halls," the new man replied. "Buddy Halls. Right, profession?" Alfie asked. "Baker," Buddy answered as I inspected him. I gave a nod to Alfie and Buddy threw his jacket back on. "Good lad. Fill it out, fuck off," Alfie barked, ready for the next stack of papers from Ollie. "Next lad!" he shouted again. "Name?" he asked as Billy entered the room. "Billy Kitchen," he answered, and I gave Alfie a nod. "Billy Kitchen. Occupation?" Alfie asked. "Head baker," Billy replied, and Alfie threw a stack of papers across the desk to him. "Fill it out," Alfie ordered after a short silence filled the room. Billy picked up the papers and caught an apron from Ollie as he left the room.

            "Tommy Shelby, mate," Alfie muttered, shaking his head tiredly, "Never give power to the big man, what did I tell ya? Never give power to the big man." I rolled my eyes, grateful he couldn't see my face. "Next lad!" he shouted, and the next man came walking through. This went on for another two hours as Alfie doled out papers to Tommy's men and I inspected each one of them to ensure they were healthy enough to work. "Sir, they're all done," Ollie said quietly after the last man had left the room. "Thank the good Lord," I muttered, rising to my feet. "Alright Ollie, direct the men to the main bakery, Tommy Shelby will meet us down there in a few minutes," Alfie said, standing up. Ollie nodded obediently, closing the office door behind him as he left. "Couldn't take any more of that, eh, angel?" Alfie chuckled as I stretched my back. "It's hard work, being a nurse," I chuckled in response. "Come 'ere, sit down," Alfie said quietly, and I raised an eyebrow, remaining frozen where I stood. "Just sit fuckin' down, eh?" he said softly, gesturing to his own chair. I nodded, and walked around the side of the desk, taking a seat. Alfie moved to stand behind the chair.

            I jumped slightly when I felt the weight of his rough, calloused hands on my shoulders. His thumbs and fingers went to work rubbing circles into my shoulders and back, and I closed my eyes in contentedness as he worked out the knots. "Whatever you did to me back was magic, that was," Alfie whispered, "Thought I'd return the favor, angel." I nodded, eyes still closed as his hands worked their magic, leaving a blazing trail of warmth across my clothed skin. I gave an involuntary quiet moan of pleasure, and felt the blush creep up my cheeks as Alfie's hands froze for a brief moment, before getting back to work as he quietly let out a deep chuckle. I let out a small whine as his hands left my shoulders a few minutes later. "Don't worry angel, there's gonna be more where that came from, eh?" Alfie chuckled, "But right now your brother's expecting us." I slowly rose from the table, feeling the stress lifted from my shoulders as I nodded. Alfie placed his hand gently on the small of my back, guiding me from his office and down into the main bakery. I gave my brother a nod in greeting, standing behind him as Alfie moved to stand next to him, the workers lined up before them.

            "Alright boys, you've all been enrolled as bakers in the Aerated Bread Company of Camden Town," Tommy addressed them as he paced the floor in front of them, "Anyone asks, that's what you do. You're bakers. The coppers in Camden Town are on our side, but north or south, you show them that piece of paper. Tell 'em you've come down from north to find work, to break strikes. Tell 'em you're fascists if you have to. We're finding lodgings for you, but for now, you'll sleep here in the bakery. Don't touch any of the bread, it'll most likely explode. If you sustain any injuries, there'll be a private nurse on the weekends." Tommy gestured to me, and I drew myself up straight. "Any questions?" he asked. A man raised his hand, and Tommy locked eyes with him. "Yes?" he asked. "I haven't even seen any bread, and that pretty nurse in the corner, what's her hourly rate?" the man said, and the men behind him all laughed. I scowled, fury burning in my eyes. Tommy remained silent as Alfie cleared his throat, moving to stand before the man, his arms crossed over his massive chest. He let out a huff of air, suddenly moving his hand back to strike the man next to him across the face with his cane, most likely knocking out a few teeth, and knocking him unconscious.

            He walked up to the man who'd made the comment, tapping his cane against his chest. "He'll wake up. Granted 'e won't 'ave any teeth left. But 'e will be a wiser man for it. And the last thing 'e will remember is your funny little joke, won't 'e?" Alfie growled. The man in front of him was almost shaking in his boots he looked so terrified. "Right!" Alfie shouted, pacing the floor in front of the men, "There are fuckin' rules here, yeah? There are fuckin' rules for a fuckin' reason. Quite simply they have to be obeyed, alright? Rule numba one. The distinction between bread and rum, that is not discussed!" Alfie raised his voice, shouting the last part. "Rule numba two. Anything, right, that your superior officer says to you or any of your other fuckin' superior officers say to you, yeah? Not discussed!" Alfie's voice then became dangerously low, "Rule numba three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, I don't care...For the rest of your fuckin, miserable, measly lives, yeah? That nurse over there, yeah? You do not go anywhere near 'er, because she is off the fuckin' menu. Touch 'er, or make a joke about 'er again, and you will not live to see another fuckin' day. I think that's fair." Alfie looked down at the unconscious man on the floor before turning to face Tommy. His eyes flickered to me and the corners of my lips turned up in a coy smile as I shyly looked down to the floor in front of me. "Alright, that's it then. Oh...Forgive me, I interrupted ya," Alfie said, moving behind Tommy to stand partially in front of me as he drew himself up and crossed his arms over his chest.

            "Pick him up," Tommy muttered, nodding his head to the man laying on the floor. Three of Tommy's men moved forward to pick the man up. Tommy crossed the floor to speak softly to Billy. "Get them out of here and make this fucking work," he muttered. He turned away abruptly as Billy turned to face his men. "Don't fucking wait!" Billy shouted, "You better be fucking soldiers!" The men abruptly started moving forward out of the room as Billy pushed them all out. "You're a fucking disgrace! Go!" he yelled. I was left alone in the room with Alfie and Tommy, who was checking his pocket watch. "I'll expect you back on Sunday," Tommy said to me, and I nodded, hugging him briefly before he departed the bakery. I remained silent where I was standing as Alfie approached me. "I am sorry about that joke, angel. There won't be any more," he said softly, tucking a few strands of hair behind my ear. "Yeah, well, I think you scared them shitless about touching me or making jokes about me," I chuckled. "And are you?" he asked quietly, and I looked up to meet his gaze.

            "Am I what?" I asked him, and he motioned to himself with his hands. "Scared shitless?" he asked, and I stepped closer to him. Close enough that I could feel the heat radiating from his body, mere centimetres away. "You could never scare me off, Alfie Solomons," I whispered, reaching up to place a gentle hand on his chest. The corner of his lips twitched up into a smile. "I'm glad you'll be stickin' around angel," he whispered in reply. "Oh come on, you couldn't get rid of me that easily," I laughed, letting my hand stray down his chest before I pulled it away. "Oh, I'd never want to be rid of you, angel," he chuckled lightly. The tension that filled the room was thick, and my heart pounded in my chest as Alfie's hand started to move upwards towards my face when we were interrupted by a slight cough. "What the fuck do ya want?" Alfie barked, lowering his hand as we both turned to see Ollie standing before us. "Um...there's some men that are awaiting orders," he stammered. Alfie sighed, looking back down at me. "Come on angel, I'll 'ave some men drive ya home," he said softly, and he placed a hand on the small of my back as we left the room.