Divided Loyalty

He gave a firm nod. “I’ll put you near the top of the list.” He put his hand on her shoulder and stared at her once again, earnestly. “I’ll be as careful as I can. I can’t imagine being on the other side of your right hook.” He dropped his hand. “Tell Little John that I expect him to accompany you and I will take no excuses. Let him know that you are in charge of this trip.” He went to his desk and removed a piece of paper.

“The Red Eyes, the Stallions, The Romano Family, and then the Staten Island Wanderers. We’ll add more once we get more information.” He wrote the names down and handed it to her as well as a wad of cash. “If you need to stay in a hotel for the night, do so, though I expect you’ll be able to persuade them all by tonight.” He’d feel better if she came back tonight, though he figured he’d be up late anyway. “You have your pistol?”

“Little John? I can do this on my own--” Timber sighed, walking back to the desk with him. The last thing she wanted was someone else breathing down her neck. She knew how it would go--anything slightly reckless (the norm, for her), and it would be reported back to Romeo. All the better to do it on her own where she only had to answer to herself. Bad enough she’d have to wear a damn corset. She could only take so many restrictions in one night. “I have my pistol, I have my knife, I’ll even take a second one if it’ll make you happy--I don’t need a nanny.”

She took up the wad of cash, shoving it between her breasts for safekeeping and taking up the list of their allies. “The Stallions and the Wanderers shouldn’t be hard. Nothing more they like than a game of poker and free booze--especially at someone else’s expense. It’s the Red Eyes and the Romanos...they’re not going to want to be in the same room together.”

sweetjillianryan​:

He wasn’t merely being placating–Romeo didn’t have the time for that, nor did he care about something so silly. If it wasn’t the truth, he didn’t say it. That didn’t mean Timber had to like it. Still in her temper, she refused to face him just yet. She needed to keep herself from throwing whatever shard she could find at him.

Ultimately, Timber finally took a few deep breaths, and glanced back to him. “You’re the boss.” She finally managed, though it was practically through gritted teeth. “I’ll strap on the pair of tits too, shall I?”

Another beat, then, “Mis has the right stuff to wear. I’ll borrow hers. At least she can tie it properly.”

“The tits you have are just fine.” Romeo said as he tapped some ash into his ashtray. He stood up and put on his jacket, shrugging it over his shoulders. He stood in front of Timber and looked down at her. There may have been a flicker of admiration in his eyes. 

“I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t have to, Timber.” It was the safest for her. Their allies wouldn’t dare lay a finger on her, not if Little John went with her and there was no way in hell that Little John wasn’t going with her. “I’ll keep you informed on any news from the Professor and Cobb.”

She wanted to be irritated with him, even lifting her chin as if ready for the fight. It was difficult to keep it up when he looked at her like that. Timber had been exposed to him long enough to see the almost imperceptible shifts in his expression, and when he looked at her this way...

The sigh escaped through her nose, and she finally nodded. She couldn’t have it both ways. Not always.

Romeo stared at her. “Stay low and discreet for you is wearing a dress and a corset.” He said simply. “You’ll still be working.” He put more of the paperwork aside before lacing his fingers together and resting them on his desk. He was more calm but calm for him was scary. 

“Are you demanding me to tell you to go do something that could potentially show a weakness to our allies?” He continued to stare at Timber, almost amused. “If you want a job so badly, you can pass along to our allies that we will be hosting a poker night. Alcohol causes loose lips, a pair of tits can cause a whole story to be spilled, while the game of poker allows an amicable scene.” He smirked, “Make sure you wear the corset.”

Romeo was the boss. Romeo was the boss. She repeated it in her head like a mantra in an effort to avoid the flaring temper that worked its way along the back of her neck to flush her features. Her hands clenched and unclenched in fists, fingers rigid like sharp talons and barely restrained. 

Boss or no, people didn’t talk to her that way. He didn’t get to talk to her that way.

“I am not your lackey, and I am not your whore.” She seethed. In a quick swipe, the paperwork was flipped off of the desk and onto the floor. “Use one of your showgirls, or you know what? You wear the goddamn corset, you condescending asshole.”

“It’s not me I need to worry about.” He growled as he poured himself a glass of whiskey. His eyes went from Reds to Timber. “No one goes on their own.” He started to pull out a bunch of paperwork on their desk. He wasn’t worried about himself. He was concerned about Reds and Timber. If Cobb was taken down as a message, it was only a matter of time before he was the last one standing. The thought of him having to identify Timber’s body made him angry.

“There wasn’t any fucking message except a fucking ear.” He said. “No note. No letter. Nothing.” He started to flip through the paperwork. “Reds, we’re going to need to do something about the families.” He took a swig of his whiskey and put it back down on the table. “Go talk to Edith about security. Timber,” Romeo knew she wasn’t going to like what he had to say.

“You may want to stay low and discreet for a while.”

“Get fucked.” Came her instant reply, as though she knew exactly what he was going to say and prepared for it. Her hands came to rest on the desk as she leaned forward. “I’m not putting my tail between my legs, and I’m sure as fuck not hiding. I won’t.”

She gestured to Reds. “You should be more worried about him, huh? He’s the one with the family. He’s the one that’d be missed. I’m gonna keep working, thanks.” 

Reds rubbed his face. He had to keep his anger in. He wanted to continue to destroy Romeo’s office as well as destroy the man who killed Cobb. He crossed his arms over his chest to hide his fists, but he planned on roughin’ up someone today. He dared someone to be the straw to break his back. He needed it.

“We don’t know yet. Once The Professor comes back, we’ll know more. All we have is a fucking ear in a box and a bloody fucking hat.” He growled, staring straight at Timber. He continued to stare at her as though he was trying to read her mind. “You got everything you need to stay safe?” His gaze lingered on her before looking back at Reds. “Both of you?”

“I got what I need.” Timber mumbled immediately, not having to take stock. Not only did they have their secret hoard in the offices, Timber had her own hidden stock in her apartment, and always had something with her on her person. Romeo had taken care of his people, and she couldn’t ignore the fact that she and Reds had been given some small amount of favoritism in it.

She rubbed her hands over her face. No amount of weaponry would protect them, however, if one of the rival gangs got it in their mind that they wanted war. It didn’t make sense to her. Nothing of this did.

“The boys need to work together, then.” She suggested, though it wasn’t a suggestion at all. “Nobody on their own. Until this gets nipped in the bud, we need to protect each other and hope that the Professor brings some news soon.”

Cobb was the definition of the strong and silent type. He never smiled unless he had a lot of whiskey in him. Even then, it was barely a smile. It was more like a twitch upon his lips.He was like Romeo in a way, but Reds has seen Romeo smile plenty of times and knew how to make him laugh. No matter how hard he tried, Cobb would not smile. He took his job seriously. It was his job to protect his Blue Knife family and he did so without hesitation. 

“He was killed. We’re not sure by whom, but he was found in an alley.” He said seriously. “All I know was that he was missing an ear. The Professor is going to investigate where Cobb was killed.” The Professor was the one who intercepted the ear and Cobb’s hat and came to the conclusion that he was dead. It was the Professor who put on the police uniform and spoke freely with a new cop on the beat and found out where he was killed.

Romeo finally stopped moving and leaned against his desk. “I know a lot of gangs want us dead. None have been so bold as to kill someone that is higher ranked.”

There was an odd sort of roaring in Timber’s ears--as though her heart had rushed ahead through them and drowned out the rest of Romeo’s words. Cobb had been with them as long as she could remember. As far as they were concerned, Cobb was an essential part of the gang. Her personal history with him aside...it was a harsh blow.

“What?” She finally looked back up at him, then shook her head, slumping into one of the seats Reds had turned upright. Almost as soon as she’d sat down, Timber was up and pacing again, as though picking up where Romeo had left off.

Romeo tore open the door and stood in the door frame, his face was red and his hand was a bloody mess. “You two.” He said, his voice almost hoarse. He stared intently at Timber, his gaze almost softened. Almost. It was still hard and intense and his jaw was tight. “Shut the door behind you.” He went back into his office, standing behind his desk. He couldn’t stand still. He tried. He started to pace back and forth behind it, kicking the toppled trash can.

Reds stood up and muttered, “Lilies.” He repeated as he went into the office which was completely destroyed. “Gonna need a lot of lilies.” He said as he lifted up two of the toppled chairs. Reds didn’t think that he needed to sit. There was already a newspaper, a note, and a hat that was soaked in blood sitting on his desk. Reds knew that it wasn’t good news.

The door swung open, and if it startled her, she didn’t show it. Rather, Timber arched a dark brow at Romeo as he seemed to try and decide how he was going to approach it from that moment forward. Finally invited in, she glanced back to Reds as they wandered into the office. Her step slowed as she saw the state of it, taking it in piece by destroyed piece. “And a cleaner.”

She knelt down, picking up a couple of shards of what was once an impressive vase--one that had likely been worth more than she and Reds combined--and ultimately tossed the pieces back down onto the floor as she stood. Timber wanted to remark on how there were better ways to lose ones temper--

When her eyes fell upon the bloodied hat. Frowning deeply, she took a step toward the desk, not daring to touch just yet. Rather, her fingers lingered at the edge of the wood.

“He’s in, but I don’t think it’s a good idea to go in right now.” Reds said. He leaned back in his seat and looked at his shirt and back up at Timber. “When did you care about what I wear? I’m not lookin’ to impress you! Just my wife and Edith.” He grinned lazily at Edith before glancing at Timber. “Though I think my wife would like it better on the floor, if you know what I mean.”

There was a slight sigh as he glanced at his pocket watch to check out the time. “He’s got an appointment in about two hours and he’s tryin’ to cross his t’s and dot his i’s. You know how he gets. Gotta have a plan B…C…all the way to Z and then some.”

“Boy, nobody wants to hear about your wife’s poor taste in men.” Timber replied immediately, rolling her eyes, though her lip quirked affectionately. While Moira’s taste was questionable, Timber couldn’t think of another couple that seemed to match so perfectly as she and Reds did. They were a unit, and if she had been the romantic sort, she might’ve envied them for it.

Glancing toward the office doors, she pursed her lips, mentally weighing her options. Just how much of Romeo’s wrath did she want to risk incurring? While it likely wouldn’t be as severe as if one of the soldiers had burst in on him, his temper was something to be wary of and rivaled her own. 

“Is he in?” She asked, all but sweeping into the room toward Romeo’s office without much pause. Maybe she already knew he was there--maybe she didn’t care, and planned to wait. 

Glancing back to Reds, she arched a brow. “That’s a terrible color on you, buddy. Did the missus pick that out?”

“I picked it out, thank ye.” Edith replied, sharp but not unkind. She brought up the tray of tea balanced on her hip, and placed it down on the desk. “I think he looks handsome in it, an’ I’ll wager so does the missus.”

“I’m more concerned about him getting hung up on me.” Mischief said with a smirk on her lips. “Besides, I have no time for romantic conquests and late night rendezvous with men willing to give their lives for a glimpse at me.” She joked before following Timber. “But really, work keeps me busy, and planning my roommates demise is a pressing matter that must be resolved.” 

She yawned loudly. “And I’m sure they’re just as boring at the bar as well. Men who believe talking about the stock market and revenue as well as war would keep a lady’s attention. I like the ones that vie for our attention by using brute strength against others. It makes for an entertaining night.”

“Hey, you said I could help with the unfortunate demise of your roommates. Don’t back out on me now, woman. I’ve gotta have something to look forward to.”

It felt as though in that moment, they were back to the old days; years before, where the only worries were selling the last of their papes and if they had enough to afford the lodging house. She, Mischief, and Luna were inseparable then, and there were definitely days she longed to return to that. Money, notoriety all came with a price. They couldn’t ignore the fact that they weren’t kids anymore.