Everyone’s A Whore, Grace.

The pavement gave way to heavy, swift footsteps-wind howling as a million thoughts raced through John’s mind. His other-half, the one who helped him get through some of the toughest years so far-was taken from him during the night.

Esme put up a fight but the intruders-a vicious gang from the north of Small Heath broke into their cottage home. Their children screaming as the were ripped from their sleep. One of the men-whom John befriended in the past carried her off while his other men tackled and pinned him to the ground, her emerald necklace falling to the floor in the scuffle. The sound felt like thunder in his hears, and in that moment he resolved he’d do anything to get her back. She was his and his only.

It took a day of planning with Tommy and Arthur-making a solid decision to breach their headquarters.

They drove there-a good two hours worth of city buildings passing them by. My evening they arrived, guns in hand.

“Alright John you get the back door. Arthur you take the window on the lower left. I’ll get the front door.” Tommy said, his eyes cold-knowing it could be a bloodbath soon enough.

Once they all got in, John yelled for the man-but to no avail there was silence. He’d met the guy a year before meeting Esme. His face recognizable from a mile away. He had rough scarred skin-from a fiery previous conflict. His left eye harboring a nasty scar in particular across it. John had given it to him after he dragged the man out of his burning barn.

In that moment though-it clicked. He knew where she was.

“I know where they are. Let’s go.” Johnson said jumping in the drivers seat-much to Tommy’s hushed protest.

After speeding off-they arrived and you later at the remains of the barn, charred beams covering a hidden cellar.

“Remeber this aye? We got them before I met Esme.” John said, Arthur’s nodded-grabbing his gun and hopping out.

“Alright, I’ll take the perimeter-keep an eye out I suppose.” Tommy said, annoyed his brother knew more than him in this instance. But he set it aside for now-they had a mission to complete after all.

“Arthur I’ll need your help getting this cellar open. Blow the lock first.” John commanded.

Once in they heard faint screams and men laughing.

John cocked his gun and Arthur followed, in the faint light coming from a small lanterns they saw the men crowded around Esme she had been beaten and they were about to tie her up to a post for god knows what-but it ended there. John let out a warning shot to get their attention, and quickly laid one into the main culprits head, causing him to fall instantly. He quickly pivoted though and helped Arthur take care of the others, both of them only getting grazed by a few bullets luckily.

Esme looked over her shoulder, shaking and bleeding from her nose. Her face was bruised as was her spirit-but she wasn’t broken. She knew he’d come for her, not knowing how he’d known where she was-but she knew she’d never be left behind.

Once freed, she immediately lept into John’s arms. The scent of sweat, blood, gunpowder, and cologne entering her nostrils.

“Thank you.” She said, tearing running down her eyes.

“You’re mine. I had to.” He said, kissing her passionately before John hoisted her up out of the cellar, Arthur and Tommy checking for anymore wounds and getting her in the car.