this scene between Tommy and Ada honestly filled my heart with FEELINGS. the fact that he turns to Ada in times of emotional need is so heartwarming and yet so heartbreaking.

Discoholic đȘ©

oozey mess
let's talk about Bridgerton tea, my ask is open
đȘŒ
PUT YOUR BEARD IN MY MOUTH

shark vs the universe
RMH
d e v o n

@theartofmadeline

Andulka

ç„æ„ / Permanent Vacation

⣠Chile in a Photography âŁ
taylor price
"I'm Dorothy Gale from Kansas"

Origami Around
occasionally subtle

Monterey Bay Aquarium
Alisa U Zemlji Chuda
seen from Italy
seen from United States

seen from Germany
seen from United States

seen from United Kingdom

seen from Belgium

seen from United Kingdom
seen from United States

seen from China

seen from Malaysia

seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States

seen from Russia

seen from Australia

seen from Malaysia

seen from Japan
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United Arab Emirates
@thegarrisonpublichouse
this scene between Tommy and Ada honestly filled my heart with FEELINGS. the fact that he turns to Ada in times of emotional need is so heartwarming and yet so heartbreaking.

Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
Free to watch âą No registration required âą HD streaming
Polly "I am the queen of the Romanies and I too am unavailable" Gray
Arthurâs story line breaks my heart every episode.Â
Why canât the man catch a break?!Â
My dude youâre from Manchester? Me too! I see the Porky Blinders every week and it always makes me laugh.
hahaha yes! itâs literally one of my fave parts of the city đ
Not a very good picture but me and my mum thought it was funny
this is fantastic
this is literally in my city hahahah

Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
Free to watch âą No registration required âą HD streaming
âThereâs the rise of nationalism, populism, fascism and racism - the huge sweep across the world, and you look at the world now and what I hope people might take from this is what was the consequence of when it happened last time? Nine years later there was a war. Thatâs what happened before and there was this real movement of, âWe must protect ourselves, foreigners are the enemy.â People will find it staggering that the language, the phrases, the sentences used at the time are not just similar to now but the same, itâs chilling.â
â Steven Knight on season 5 of Peaky Blinders, which is set in the late 1920s
Business Comes First - Chapter 10
 A Peaky Blinders fanfiction set around the end of season three. Â
MASTERLIST (including parts 1-9)
Summary:Â Now comfortable in the bustling London scene, Alice makes an internal decision that will alter her life and character.Â
Word Count: A relatively short 2,200 words- the next chapter should make up for it though.Â
Authorâs note: I hope everyone loves Alice as much as I love writing about her: sheâs a complex being but she is beginning to find some direction.Â
As always, any feedback/questions etc are much appreciated and do let me know if you wish to be tagged in any future instalments.  This blog is a side blog, so any replies will be from @bookish-fox (hopefully this will avoid any confusion!)
Tagged accounts: @mariamermaiiid @little-miss-mischief1 @liive0urlife @peakyhoegh @chickens-are-life @birmingum @ishoutmarcoandyoushout @tenderlydeliciousthing @megatqistina @sginger1995 @cannibalcuriosity @shesgucci @zazasblogxx @fleurs-en-ruines @booktvmoviefangirlÂ
Warnings: Blood, death, war, PTSD, guns and language. You know, the usual.Â
Your hand was stock-still, the gun aimed directly at the back of the manâs head. Your eyes glance between Alfieâs eyes and the greying bristles on the manâs cranium. You exhale deeply and fire the trigger. Â
Alfieâs reaction was automatic, this was not the first time a gun had been directed towards him. Immediately he ducked under the heavy wooden desk, shielding his face as he went. He stayed there for several seconds, until the reverberations from the gunshot had completely stopped and the room was coated in an eery silence. Slowly, he peeked over the table, he could see nothing. He rose further, expecting to see one body on the floor- to his surprise there were two. Â
Sabiniâs man was slumped on the floor by the desk, neck at an awkward angle revealing the extent of the damage your bullet had caused. Blood was splattered across the floor and the furniture and a pool was forming under the casualty. After his inspection of Sabiniâs man, Alfieâs gaze turned to you. Upon the feeling and sound of your gun firing, your body had almost completely shut down, causing you to pass out as the distant memories of times in France cascaded over your already over-worked mind. Alfie practically jumped towards you, immediately checking your pulse with two of his ring-clad fingers pressed against your neck. He sighed a sigh of relief when he felt the light undulation. He knelt next you, removing his large, wooden jacket and rolling it up tight. With upmost care, he lifted your head, and placed his jacket under it like a pillow. He rose, grunting as his tired joints complained. Silently and smoothly, he got to work clearing up the mess your single bullet caused.
I could watch that hand forever
Could I pretty please be tagged in business first please because I am obsessed!!! It's so good!! All the love hunny xx
of course!!! Iâm so glad that youâre enjoying it!đ

Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
Free to watch âą No registration required âą HD streaming
d, p, t y!
Thank you for the ask! Here are my answers:
d =Â If I have a preference for boys or girls.
romantically, I prefer boys. Â friendship wise, I am open to anyone providing they have a good heart and are generally a nice person.
p =Â What kind of music I like.
what a question! I have such a varied taste: if you put my entire music collection on shuffle you could get anything from Mozart to Abba to Drake. Â Iâm not at all fussy when it comes to music- if I like it I like it, you know. Â My current go-tos and all time faves are The Smiths, Masego and Jorja Smith.Â
t =Â 5 things I love unconditionally.
1. Â My parents: although we donât always agree and we argue A LOT, they have been nothing but supportive in everything that I do, and I am truly blessed with them. Â 2. Â Music - without it I would truly go insane. Â 3. Â My journals/scrapbooks: they contain so many memories and thoughts and there are several pages in them which I am honestly so proud of. Â 4. Â Nature/the outdoors - I live in a very rural area so I am never far away from moorlands or forests. Â whenever Iâm feeling low I always go for a walk and it never fails to heighten my mood. Â 5. Â History - I love history, researching it, reading it and generally immersing myself in it! I just find it all so interesting and thereâs so much we can learn and appreciate from it.Â
y =Â If I like my town and why.
A very interesting one. Â As I mentioned before, I am from a very rural area in England. Â My town is very rich in local history and is quite a busy tourist destination. Â A large percentage of people I know are farmers and they own land and animals. Â This, of course is absolutely amazing, I truly classify myself as a country gal, but it also has its drawbacks. Â My town is TINY so thereâs not really a large demographic of people- everyone is kind of the same. Â Also, no where is within walking distance, so I have to drive everywhere! Â In short, I love my town a lot, but Iâm glad to be moving away this year, although I don't doubt Iâll be back!
Thank you for the ask! I find these kind of things so cathartic and a weird kind of emotional release so do keep them coming! xxx
Business Comes First- Chapter 3
A Peaky Blinders fanfiction set around the end of season three.Â
Chapter 1 - A woman who drinks // Chapter 2- Tea for my Lady // Chapter 3- Ricocheting Bullets // Chapter 4- Demons // Chapter 5 - A Country House // Chapter 6 - Numbing the Pain
Summary: Alice is a smart and savvy business woman in a male dominated world. Â She uses her wit and power to get what she wants but she has burdens from her past that could hinder a business transaction in Small Heath.
Word count: 2700 wordsÂ
Authorâs note: In this chapter we learn a little bit more about Aliceâs past!  As always, feedback is always much appreciated!  As this is a longer fiction with several parts, do let me know if you wish to be tagged in the next instalment.  All replies come from @bookish-fox as this is a side account (come on Tumblr sort it out pls).
Tagged accounts: @mariamermaid  @little-miss-mischief1  @liiv0urlifee @chickens-are-life @peakyhoegh
Warnings: Flashbacks, blood, past trauma languageÂ
Chapter 3 - Ricocheting Bullets
You were there again. Running across the muddy, slippy wooden planks into the tent, the stained material flapping in the wind and bouncing with the impact of rocks and chunks of mud ricocheting off the taut material. You paused briefly at the entrance of the tent, straightening your hat and wiping down your apron, ensuring that your hands were clean and it was creaseless. You looked inside and felt your heart drop.Â
The sight which befell you was something that you would never forget. Man upon man, body upon body piled and squeezed into every nook and cranny. Bloody material draped over the ends of beds, dripping onto the floor creating pools of red. A constant drone of men groaning and screaming in pure agony. Â
You walk, as if in a trance between the beds, careful so as not to tread on the men who were lying on the floor. Distantly, you hear cries for you, cries of your name, but youâre not really there. Red, white and green begin to merge into one sludgy brown and youâre swimming in blood, gas and pain. Â
âNurse,â a raspy, pained whisper sharply brings you back. Like a light switching on, clarity in your vision is restored. You feel a hand grasp your own- it feels wet to the touch. Blood. You look at the hand grasping your own and follow the arm upwards to the torso, up to his head.
His curls had formed almost a casing around his head with a mixture of sweat and blood, but you could see that they were still just as untameable and wild as your own. His eyes were dark and omniscient, like your own, but they were filled with agony and suffering. He was you and you were him. Â
âAlice,â he rasps. You knew the pain in his eyes, for they were the same as your own. You had looked into those eyes everyday of your life until the war broke out and he had signed up to fight, leaving you alone at home. You had to be with him, so a week later you had volunteered to lessen the distance between you.Â
âHenry!â you cry out. Grasping onto his face with your other hand. You feel hot tears run controllably down your cheeks as you watch tears fall down his. Â
Its not real, Alice, heâs not there. You tell yourself over and over again. Heâs alive, Alice.Â
âHenry!â You scream repeatedly, getting louder and louder.Â
Your eyes fly open, tears falling uncontrollably. Heâs not there. Youâre in Small Heath, not France. Itâs dark outside, but the light from the street lamps seeped into your room through your curtains, illuminating your furniture in a light glow. You look down and your gun was nestled in your right hand, trigger at the ready. Fuck. You climb out of bed, still shaking and crying and trudge to the phone, gun still wrapped in your fingers. Without so much of a though you dialled his number. It barely rang before Henry picked up.Â
âAlice,â he murmured, sleep evident in his voice.
âIâm sorry,â you say, crying slightly. âI just had to make sure youâre okay.âÂ
âIâm fine, did it happen again?â he asked, his voice softening as he became more awake.
âYeahâ
âSame dream?âÂ
âYeah,â
âBut Alice, I wasnât there, and Iâm okay.â He says quietly, trying to reassure you. You break into a sob. âGet yourself some tea and go back to bed.â
âFuck, Henry,â you sob, âI canât get it to stop.â
âGo home then, Lou will help you.â
âI canât. I have to get over this. I need to finalise this deal.â
âFuck, Alice, I promise Iâll come up and see you soon, or you come down to London to see me, weâll try and sort something.â You could hear his voice begin to crack as your emotions ran through to him. You were always connected, even if it was through a telephone wire.Â
âOkay. Iâm sorry for calling you at this time, its just before I had-â you sniffle, trying to stop yourself from crying more.Â
âHeâs not around any more Alice.â Henry interrupted quickly, âand donât worry, I was up anyway.â
âNo you werenâtâÂ
âYeah, okay, I wasnât. Iâm just trying to make you feel better, okay? I love you, Alice.â He said, causing you to smile into the phone.Â
âLove you too.â You sniff. You hang up the phone and put the gun down on the table. Slowly, you walk into the kitchen to make yourself some tea like he advised.Â
Tommy always woke up early, whether he needed to or not. However, this morning, he woke up especially early, leaving Arrow House when it was still dark and making his way into Small Heath under the cover of night. The sun was just rising as he made his way into his office. As soon as he had sat at his desk, he grabbed a pen and some paper and began writing out all he knew about Goodfellows Ltd. Â
After having a cigarette and a drink, he went to the phone and dialled. It rang several times before the recipient picked up.Â
âAlfie,â Tommy greeted.
âAhh, Thomas Shelby.â Alfie gruffly greeted back, his unique tone of voice coming across strongly in such a simple sentence. âTo what do I owe this - early morning - pleasure?â
âGoodfellows Ltd. Tell me what you know.â
Alfie laugh loudly, Tommy could picture him sat in his office, his head thrown back as he guffaws. âWell Thomas, Iâll tell you what, they are quite something. Going to take over the country last time I heard.â
âDonât talk puzzles with me Alfie, theyâre here in Small Heath wanting business.â Tommy states, trying to maintain a professional tone when in actuality, Alfie could easily make him verge on hysterical laughter. The bakerâs guffaw through the phone was not helping the situation.Â
âTheyâre here in Camden too, mate. Theyâre everywhere.â Alfie continues to laugh. âNah, but in all seriousness though, Tommy, they are a good and honest company.â Alfieâs tone alters dramatically, turning from friendly and warm to deadly serious and cold in almost immediately. Â
Tommy leans back and sighs. âHonest? What about the rumours?â he asks.
âThey are as honest as you can be in this field of work, my friend.â Alfie answers. âRight, excuse me, Tommy mate, but business calls.âÂ
âOf course, I hope to see you soon, Alfie.â Â
âLikewise, likewise.â Alfie replies before cutting the line dead.Â
Well, that settles that, then. Tommy trusted Alfieâs opinion despite previous arguments they had endured. The deal was to be concluded following verification from the rest of the Shelby clan.Â
After your tea, you had fallen into a dreamless slumber, waking up late at around eleven oâclock. You felt refreshed despite the trauma of the night and had spent what was left of the morning reading and taking a bath.
Your older sister, Lou, rang you up mid afternoon after hearing from Henry about your night. After reassuring her that you were fine and telling her repeatedly that you would be home soon, she gave you more details about your deal with Shelby Company Ltd. She gave you details of the horses you were going to offer for your part of the deal and you gave feedback on how your initial meeting with Tommy went, purposely missing out the detail about him finding your gun at the end. Â
At six, you began to get ready to meet the rest of the Shelbys at The Garrison. You picked out a navy blue dress that showed just the right amount of skin and paired it with a dark red lipstick and black eyeliner. You sat at your dressing table as you added the finishing touches to your ensemble: small diamond earrings and a matching necklace. You looked classy, perhaps too classy for somewhere like The Garrison, but, you needed to instil the right kind of image into their minds of you, and what your company represents. Having the right image could make or break a high profile deal like this one. You pulled a bottle of perfume out of the drawer of your dressing table; it was an expensive one, from Paris that you had been bought many moons ago. You smiled at the memories, and gently squirted it. You felt the gentle droplets of perfume nestle on your neck and the soft undulations of your collar bones. Its scent made you sway, overwhelming floral tones transporting you to a Hollywood movie scene. You sighed in tranquility: it had been a long time since you had felt quite so relaxed and even excited to go out dressed up.Â
Tommy gathered his brothers in their private room at The Garrison. The booth smelt strongly of cigarettes and alcohol, but to the Peaky boys, it was like a second home.Â
âRight boys,â he started before he was interrupted.
âSo are we going to meet this Goodfellow bird then?â John cut in, earning himself laughs from the rest of the group. Tommy glared at him, his azure eyes seeming to burn into his younger brother. John faced him dead on, unyielding to the sheer power of his brother. âLighten up, Tom.â
âSheâs not like us, lads,â Tommy spoke softly, âsheâs of another class, so we need to behave accordingly.â
âIâm sure we can handle a posh bird!â Arthur yelled, creating a ripple of cheers and clinking glasses from around the room. âMichael can, anyway!â Laughter and cheers erupted around the room, rolling around it like a tornado. Michael smirked in the corner, remaining silent as Polly gave him an iron hard glare. Tommy clenched his jaw in frustration, clearly his message wasnât coming across. He sighed, loudly, and sat down. Â
A few minutes later, there was a soft knock at the door of the Shelby private room. Finn rose to get it. Before opening the door, he looked to Tommy who gave him a silent nod of approval. Finn opened the door and you walked inside, smiling and trying to hide the nerves which had crept up on you. The room went silent as the Peaky Blinders took you in. Â
âWelcome, Miss Goodfellow.â Tommy rose, breaking the uncomfortable silence. He reached out a hand for you to take, and you grasped hold of it. The whole thing seemed rather overwhelming. You were used to business meetings, but they were normally one on one situations, unlike the room of Shelbys that faced you now.Â
âCall me Alice, please,â you smile. Tommy smiled back and led you to a seat between himself and an older woman. The womanâs poise radiated beauty and power, but she had kind eyes that made you feel at home. As you sat, you felt hands wrap around your own. You looked into the kind eyes of the woman.Â
âIâm Polly, Alice,â she smiled at you, âIâm sorry that you have to meet everyone like this, I would imagine that it is very overwhelming for you. Men never seem to understand what its like for us ladies.â
âOh, its okay,â you smile back. Â
âAlthough Tommy may be the literal head of this company, I run it.â Polly chuckles speaking quietly into your ear, âand I give this deal my blessing.â She offers you a cigarette and you take it graciously. Â
Tommy struggled to keep his eyes off you. The diamonds in your ears and around your neck glinted in the light, giving your whole complexion an iridescent glow. He drifted in and out of the conversation, and after a while, he became fully distant, allowing himself to lean back in his seat and just absorb the atmosphere. He felt a smile come across his face as he sat absentmindedly. Legitimate business was exactly what his company needed. Â
âWhat are you smiling about Thomas?â Polly chuckled. It was rare for her to see her nephew looking so at ease.Â
âWhat is there not to smile about?â Arthur yelled. You laughed. You found the oldest Shelby brother to be must less intimidating than you had originally thought he would be, and after a few glasses of whisky you and him conversed freely about your respective businesses. Arthur was considerably drunk and at several points in the evening, you had wondered how he was still conscious. âHeâs got a beautiful woman sat on one side,â you blushed as he indicated towards you with a wave of his hand, âand his favourite brother sat on the other!â Arthur erupted into howls of laughter and the rest of the room followed. Â
Tommy said nothing but continued to smile. For some reason, you put him at considerable ease despite the seriousness of the business you had come to Small Heath to discuss. You had decided that you liked Tommy, he seemed a reasonable and loyal man: the right kind of person to be doing business with. You secretly hoped that this transaction would be the first of many.Â
âSo itâs decided then,â Your voice brought Tommy back into reality.Â
âHuh?â He asked, now well aware that whilst he was lost in his mind he had missed out on key information.
âThat you will come with me to Devon to choose a horse,â you chuckle, well aware that he hadnât been listening before. Â
âOh, shit, yeah.â Shit. When did I agree to this? âSounds good.â  He smiled. A trip away with you would be interesting. He knew that there was much more to you than what met the eye, and he was very eager to learn more.
You swallowed upon hearing his agreement to your proposition. It was happening. Despite having had it all planned before you had even arrived in Small Heath, you couldnât help but feel nervous. Tommy was a dangerous man, and you were to be spending hours alone with him. You silently suppressed your mind from running away with itself - and you are a dangerous woman, Alice, he ought to be nervous spending time with you. Silently, you approved of your own thought. This was your deal, and it comes under your terms.Â
You look at him, eyes blurring out the rest of the room to solely focus on the smoke billowing out of his mouth like ribbons. His eyes were piercing. You bite your lips as your eyes fall on his plump lips. Fuck. Â
This deal between Goodfellows and the Peaky Blinders could be the best deal you have ever made, but, you knew from experience that such alliances could be broken in an instant. One wrong decision, one joke taken wrong, one slip up could result in war. The lines between business, and other things were so blurred. What is business and what is friendship? What is truth and what is lies? Gangs can never truly trust each other, and yet you wanted to trust Thomas and the Shelbys. You really wanted to trust Tommy. You lean back in your seat. What do you actually want here, Alice? Business orâŠÂ No. Business must come first. Â
BANG! BANG! BANG!
You are snapped back into reality having completely zoned out of the room. Isaiah stood on the table in the centre of the room, shooting his gun into the ceiling, laughing hysterically with the rest of the room as fragments of paint, wood and brick rains down in the room. Your alcohol-induced mind begins to swim, the white ceiling warps into material, flapping and bouncing as the bullets hit it. You feel sick.
âI need to go,â you say quietly, rising quickly out of your seat and walking to the door. Tommy rises sharply and follows you.
âAlice?â He grabs your arm once youâre both out of the room. He tries to spin you around to face him, but you refuse. You knew you had turned pale, and, honestly, you didnât fancy vomiting onto his shoes. âAlice?â He persisted.Â
âI want to go home,â you say quietly, bloody images filling your mind. You shake your head to try and get them to go away, but the sudden movement causes your vision to go blotchy. You turn slowly to face him. His eyebrows raised as he took in your complexion. Shit, he thought, she doesnât look well.Â
âOkay okay, letâs go,â he takes your arm, and in silence you walk home. Â
âand you are a dangerous woman, Aliceâ fuck yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Ahh I'm so glad youâre enjoying this!! Thank you! xxx
Business Comes First - Masterlist
Thought I should do an updated masterlist for this fic
Chapter 1 - A Woman Who Drinks
Chapter 2 - Tea for my Lady
Chapter 3 - Ricocheting Bullets
Chapter 4 - DemonsÂ
Chapter 5 - Country HouseÂ
Chapter 6 - Numbing the Pain
Chapter 7 - Pleasure Doing Business With You
Chapter 8 - London BoundÂ
Chapter 9 - Rings and a Baker
Please do let me know if any links donât work!Â
honestly, Iâd like Tommy to push me up against a wall and kiss me like really really hard.
BRUTAL HONESTY HOUR
A - If Iâm in love.
B - Who the last person I talked to on the phone was.
C - How long itâs been since Iâve kissed.
D - If I have a preference for boys or girls.
E - How many holes I have in my ears.
F - Give me any options, like âhot or cold?â
G - The last person I said âI love youâ to.
H - The last person I hugged.
I - The last time I felt jealous, and why.
J - Are you insecure. What about?
K - What my full name is.
L - If I have siblings.
M - If I forgive betrayal.
N - If you want to know how I treat my friends.
O - If I like my school.
P - What kind of music I like.
Q - What the last party I went to was, and when the next will be.
R - For me to tell 10 of my curiosities.
S - 2 habits.
T - 5 things I love unconditionally.
U - How many texts I send daily.
V - 3 big dreams.
W - An idol.
X - If Iâve done something I regret very much.
Y - If I like my town and why.
Z - Ask any question you want.

Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
Free to watch âą No registration required âą HD streaming
Business Comes First - Chapter 9
A Peaky Blinders fanfiction set around the end of season three.Â
MY MASTERLIST (with parts 1-8)
Summary: Alice is a smart and savvy business woman in a male dominated world. Â She uses her wit and power to get what she wants but she has burdens from her past that could hinder a business transaction in Small Heath.
Word Count: 3000+ words.
Authorâs note: Sorry for my lack of new chapters recently- hereâs an extra long one to make up for it! Â Our gal has made her way to London Town, and she is beginning to forge new relationships: business and pleasure.Â
As always, any feedback/questions etc are much appreciated and do let me know if you wish to be tagged in any future instalments. Â This blog is a side blog, so any replies will be from @bookish-fox (hopefully this will avoid any confusion!)
Tagged Accounts: @mariamermaiiid @little-miss-mischief1 @liive0urlife @peakyhoegh @chickens-are-life @birmingum @ishoutmarcoandyoushout @tenderlydeliciousthing @megatqistina @sginger1995 @cannibalcuriosity @shesgucci @zazasblogxxÂ
Warnings: Language, blood, guns etc.
Chapter 9 - Rings and a BakerÂ
You had found Eunice to exceed your expectations, you never approved of Henryâs choice in partner, but you found her to be amiable and welcoming. The only issue that you had was that she seemed to be completely unaware of your familyâs profession.Â
âWhat are you planning to do tomorrow, Alice?â She sweetly asked you. Â
âHenry is at work in the bakery all day, but Iâd be happy to show you around London.â
âIn the bakery?â You question.
Could she be that naive?  From behind her, you could see Henry giving you the eyes to go along with her. He looked panicked more than anything. Smiling, you reply. âOh, Iâm not sure yet, I have some friends I wish to see, but Iâll happily take you up on your offer another time.â
Eunice smiled in return, then excused herself as she was tired. As soon as she was out of earshot, you bombarded Henry with questions.Â
âWhy havenât you told her about Goodfellows?â
âI will, but not yet.â He replied curtly.Â
âWhy not? She would be thrilled to know our background Iâm sure.â You say, sipping at your tea.Â
âGoodfellows is something different here, Al,â he says slowly, his eyes meeting yours with a serious and sincere gaze. You raise an eyebrow, but decide not to question him further for you didnât want to fall out with him so early in your visit.Â
âAnyway, what is the plan for tomorrow?â You ask, changing the subject.Â
âIâll send a car for you in the morning, then you shall meet Mr Solomons. I have a deal I need to conclude with him so Iâll fill you in on that.â He lowered his voice as he continued. âWeâll probably spend a lot of time in the bakery, so I would eat a hearty breakfast if I were you.â Â
You smirk at this, privy to the gangster secret code. âSounds good.â You smile.
---
After dropping you off at your brotherâs house, Tommy had driven straight to May Carletonâs house. The ruminative silence that filled the car in your absence gave him time to think. He thought he was sure of his previous convictions, but upon the conversation during your picnic, his head was filled with nothing but doubts and worries. As he pulled up onto the driveway of Mayâs country estate, he saw her stood in the doorway, and he felt himself melt into her chocolate brown eyes the way that he always did. In that moment, he decided that he was not going to think anymore that night, he would let himself free to sensation, thus allowing everything to wash over him. Thought would resume in the morning.Â
---
You awoke at eight the next morning, giving yourself ample time to get ready for your meeting with Mr Solomons at ten. There was a change in the recurring dream you experienced every night, you found yourself simply circling the hospital tent in a frenzy, searching for an unknown object. Despite the night terror, you didnât wake up clutching the gun you kept under your pillow and screaming Henryâs name, so, anything was an improvement. You took your time choosing your outfit, eventually choosing a dusty pink dress and matching long coat. The coat was a particular favourite of yours: long enough to conceal any weapon with ease. As normal, you strapped your gun to the holster on your thigh, but, upon an inspection of the busy street below through your hotel window, you decided that additional protection would be required, so you put your hair into a messy up-do with a long pin that could be pulled out and used as a weapon within seconds. Â
Henryâs car arrived at exactly ten, to your satisfaction and you were even more thrilled to discover that Henry himself was in that car too, for you had assumed he would be making his own way to the âbakeryâ. Â
âIâm sorry things have been tense between us, Al,â he said a couple minutes into your drive. âThings have been quite stressful with business at the moment. I havenât told Eunice about business at all.â You felt your heart drop slightly at Henryâs confession, you hated to know that he was stressed, but you were grateful for his honesty. You smiled at him, but before you could reply, the car had pulled over, signalling the end of your journey.Â
You followed Henry down an intricate system of dark passages and corridors. All around you, you could hear the sounds of industry and working, but not once did you see a loaf of bread. Henry stopped in front of a door, and looked back at you reassuringly before he knocked.  You were expecting it to be Alfie Solomonsâ office through the door, but you were mistaken, for you were met with an empty room, with two armed guards stood in front of another door. Â
âMr Goodfellow,â one acknowledged your brother.Â
âOllie,â Henry replied. He raised his arms as he allowed Ollie to search him. Â
Ollie carried out his search, then nodded, allowing Henry to make his way through the next door. You felt the metal of your gun burn against your thigh. Ollie came awkwardly towards you, so swallowed and raised your arms, allowing him to initiate a search. Ollie bit his lip and looked to his colleague, evidently unsure of how to proceed. He turned to talk to his colleague.Â
âShe wonât be carrying anything, surely?â He asked, not quite quiet enough for you not to hear. His colleague shrugged as you still stood with your arms raised. Â
âAre you going to search me or not, boys?â You ask frustratedly. âI can feel the blood running from my arms.â
âGo on through, Mrs-â
âMiss Goodfellow.â You state firmly, walking through the door. Â
---
Upon entering the room, you were immediately met with the strong smell of alcohol, and the severity of the stench caused you to wrinkle your nose in reaction. Â
âSorry if the smell is too much for your nose, love,â you looked up to see the owner of the voice. The man that stood before you was large, but his clothes made him look larger. He wore a wide brimmed hat, causing a shadow to be formed across his face, but his bright eyes shone in the darkness. He had a beard that covered a large extent of his lips and face, but you could immediately see he had a quick tongue, and dimples when he smiled. Â
âAlfie Solomons,â he extended a hand in greeting. You shook his hand firmly.Â
âAlice Goodfellow,â you reply. He smiled at you before returning to his seat. He sat behind a large wooden desk. On the other side stood three leather chairs, Henry sat in one, so naturally you pull up the one next to him. Â
âWeâre just waiting for one more to join our little party now.â Alfie said, running a hand through the hairs of his beard. Then, he reached down to a drawer on his side of the desk, pulling out two bottles and four glasses. He poured two whiskies, and pushed one glass towards Henry. Â
âWhisky or rum?â he asked.Â
âYou seem like the kind of man who will analyse my choice, Mr Solomons.â You tease, trying to lighten the air.  He chuckled at your remark. âIâll let you decide.â
âWhisky first.â He stated, pouring you a glass of the brown liquid. âRum for later.â Upon the word âlaterâ, he raised his eyes, meeting yours. You blushed. Alfie intrigued you, possibly even more than Tommy did. He sat on the throne of his underground empire with poise and power, and yet he appeared humble. He was forward and open, but you could sense there were many layers to him and that he withheld many secrets. He finished pouring your drink and you took it from him graciously, raising your eyebrows as your hand brushed against the metal of the rings on his fingers. He grinned as he reclined back into his chair. Â
âLetâs get to business, Alfie, before the fourth member of our party arrives.â Henry said, cracking his knuckles in enthusiasm. Â
âThe horse is ready for you.â
âAnd will this âorse win races?â Alfie leaned forwards, resting his chin on his interweaved knuckles and ring-clad fingers.Â
Henry smiled and winked. âIf that is what you desire.â Your head shot up. By Henryâs and Alfieâs discussion it seemed your horses didnât just win by training alone. Henry must be fixing races.Â
âHenry!â you say sharply. âWe had stopped this! We agreed that we wouldnât do that anymore!âÂ
âAlice, donât be naive.â Henry replied, equally as sharply. You sighed and flared your nostrils at him. âYou know fully well that the refined world we live in is based on lies.â
âWell, your money may be dirty, but mine is always clean.â You say curtly, leaning back in your chair, picking your nails.Â
âMy money is the same colour as yours, sister.â Was Henryâs reply.Â
Alfie watched the argument before him unfurl- he found the whole affair rather entertaining. He found it admirable in a person when they stood strong in their opinions, and when they were prepared to argue and fight for what they believed in. From the moment he saw you, he knew that you were strong-willed and not afraid of making a scene. He noticed the now healing cuts and bruises on your face and knew that you werenât one to shy away from the predominantly manâs world you had found yourself in. He liked that your morals stood intact, despite the beating they were receiving from your brother, who you evidently loved a lot.Â
âNow, now, children! Alright! We get it, all money is the same colour at the end of the day, right.â Alfie interjected, knowing that the childish argument had ensued for long enough.Â
âApologies, Alfie.â Henry conceded. He looked to you, awaiting your apology but you just turned your head. Alfie was left grinning like the Cheshire Cat. Â
The door behind the three of you suddenly opened, the force of the strong push it had received caused it to bang loudly against its wooden frame making the whole room shake. Immediately all eyes were on the man who had caused such a ruckus. Thomas Shelby.Â
âMr Solomons,â muttered, trudging in not looking up from the floor. He stopped when he reached the three chairs opposite Alfie, looking up and immediately squinting as he realised it was you who was sat in one of them. âAlice?â You smile at his confused face. You watched his eyes leave your face and go towards Henry, then back to you as he put two and two together. He stretched out a hand towards Henry, âMr Goodfellow.â
âHenry, please, Mr Shelby.â Henry smiled warmly back shaking Tommyâs hand.
 It wasnât long before the four of you were deep in discussion. Yourself and Tommy quickly filled Henry in on your deal, and Henry secured the sale of a filly to Alfie. You found yourself drifting in and out of the conversation, your eyelids once again becoming lead weights as you fought against the urge to sleep. In an attempted to occupy your mind and keep yourself awake, you began to fiddle with a ring on the fourth finger on your right hand. Â
âAnother drink, love?â Alfieâs voice cut through your otherwise occupied mind. Before you had a chance to reply he had poured you a glass. Quickly you drank it in one, the strong taste of alcohol waking you up.Â
âChrist, Al!â Henry laughed. You smiled and laughed with him. Out of the corner of your eye you saw Alfieâs infectious grin, turning your head you also saw Tommy, whose eyes were fixed on Alfie in a hard, harsh stare.Â
âI forgot to ask, Tommy, how is our good friend May Carleton?â Alfie asked. Your head snapped up at the name, you new that was the âfriendâ Tommy was staying with. Despite having slowed things down with Tommy, this news felt like a punch in the gut - you leaned back in your chair, exhaling and still twisting the ring on your finger.Â
âSheâs well, thank you Alfie.â Tommy replied, his tone flat. His words were like another punch to the gut. You lean forwards in your chair, placing your ring on the desk so you could run your hands through your hair, an involuntary reaction you always had to displeasing news. Alfie seemed to gauge your reaction, making eye contact with you and raising an eyebrow. You met his eyes. A million things were running through your head at once: Tommy, Henry, Alfie, business, alcohol and now May Carleton. Everything felt overwhelming, and you were no longer in your own territory of Devon: you were in unknown land. Â
Alfie had the ability to analyse a person deeply with one glance. It was something he had been able to do since he was young, and his instincts on a person had never failed him yet. He could see that a range of complex thoughts and emotions were running amok in your head. In his opinion, business was something one had to pay one hundred percent attention to, and so he sought to end the meeting. Â
âWell, lady and gentlemen, this meeting is concluded.â Alfie stood, raising both arms out wide as he gesticulated each word. Tommy, Henry and yourself followed suite and stood too. Tommy shakes hands with you all, before charging out the room, his coat billowing out behind him. Henry and Alfie embrace in goodbye and you offer your hand for Alfie to shake. He didnât take your hand, but pulled you into an embrace like your brotherâs, his whole body shaking with his howling laughter. As you embraced he whispered into your ear âbusiness is a personal thing, Miss Alice, if you canât hug your partners they ainât worth doing nothing with.â You blushed as you followed your brother out of the room. Â
---
After you had made plans for the next day with Henry, your car dropped you back at your hotel. Almost in a trance, you stumbled to your room, fingertips trailing along the wallpaper as you walked, feeling every bump and indentation in the intricate pattern. Instinctively, you go to take off your jewellery as soon as you enter the room; necklace first, followed by bracelets then rings. You pause when you reach your fingers.
Fuck.
Your ring was on the desk in Alfieâs office. Slumping back on your bed, you revel in your own recklessness, but, not being one for hanging around, you quickly call a car and take it back to the bakery. Â
The air of the bakery was different than it was before. It was quiet: the sounds of working men, heavy machinery and the tinny radio had all ceased and had been replaced by an uncomfortable silence. You were conscious of the sounds of your laboured breathing and shoes clicking along the corridor as you walked. Quickly, you pause to take off your shoes, meaning that you could effortlessly glide across the hard wooden panels. Â
You reached the room where Henry had been searched previously. Silently, you opened the door, hoping to slip past Alfieâs guards without causing too much of a stir. The guards were not stationed at the door as they were before: now there was only one guard, and he was slumped against the wall, blood cascading down his face from a wound at his forehead. You stifled your gasp as you took in the scene before you. Evidently, there had been a struggle, and Alfie, and now you, were in danger. You knelt before the guard, quickly and professionally checking his pulse and you sighed out of relief as you felt a weak pulse beneath your fingers. Your heart was beating rapidly in your chest, so ferociously in fact that you could practically feel it pushing against your rips as it pulsed, threatening to break free out of its boney cage. Ensuring the injured man was comfortable and safe, you placed a hand on the handle of the door leading to Alfieâs office. You could hear muffled, but passionate yelling. In haste, you pulled up your dress, taking out the gun from its holster on your thigh. Holding it up, you slowly open the door.  As you walk down the next corridor, the muffled shouting became coherent words. Alfieâs thick accented cusses and exclamations were instantly recognisable.Â
âWell if I had your fucking money, I would fucking give it to ya wunnit I?!â You heard him yell.Â
âThe money is missing, Solomons, we need it today.â A voice you didnât recognise replied in an equally angry and loud tone. Â
âIf Sabini wants the money I supposedly âave he needs to come and get it âimself! Tell âim, from me, his friend, that I donât fuck with people who canât âandle their own fucking affairs themselves!âÂ
You had reached the door to Alfieâs office. It was open, but you couldnât see in properly. You lean against the wall, gun in hand, controlling your breathing to ensure it was completely silent. Slowly, gun first, you peak around the door frame: Alfie was stood behind his desk, facing the door. Opposite him, stood facing away from the door and you, was a man who you didnât recognise. He had broad shoulders and greying hair, it was obvious from the tense way he was standing that he was stressed and perhaps even unsure about what he was doing. Definitely a messenger for whoever this Sabini is. Quickly, you scooted back to your hiding place behind the wall. You were confused: was Alfie in need of assistance? Â
The shouting between the two men ensued and seemed as if it would never reach a resolution. Â
âMr Solomons, I need that money, today.â The man said firmly.Â
âI. Donât. Have. Your. Fucking. Money. Mate.â Alfie said, pausing between each word and placing particular emphasis on the expletive. You took another peek at the scene unfurling before you, but this time you catch eyes with Alfie. He registers your presence, but shows no sign of this knowledge to the other man. You watch Alfieâs eyes make contact with the gun in your hand, then go back up to your eyes: a silent affirmation of your task. Â
âWell Iâm sorry, Mr Solomons.â The man quickly pulls out a gun and points it directly at Alfie. Almost instantaneously, your gun was aimed at the back of the manâs head.Â
âIâve got to get in shape and condition a little bit, eating protein, going to the gym and go on all kinds of appalling machines so I look hench for the role.â - Cillian Murphy
and i will forever be grateful