Crown of a Prince (Finn Shelby)

8.

For the second time that day, Ailbhe's thoughts were interrupted by banging on the door. It had just gone six o clock and it was just Esme and Ailbhe left finishing up. They had just been about to lock up when the banging on the door started. They had slid across the dead bolt so they weren't getting in without the women's permission.

Ailbhe pulled the gun from Polly's desk that was there in case of emergencies and told Esme to stay back. She had a baby to protect. As Ailbhe approached the door she heard a voice along with the knocking

"Open the fuckin' door its John"

The shouting was clearer now and it sounded urgent and as though his voice was strained.

Ailbhe quickly undid the bolt and opened the door, letting John fall through the door but he wasn't alone. Finn was with him, one arm over his shoulder so John could almost carry him in through the door. Ailbhe couldn't see what was wrong or where the blood was coming from it all happened so fast.

"Oh my God" Ailbhe felt herself saying, immediately putting her arm around Finn, helping John.

"What happened?" Esme shouted, looking from her husband to her brother-in-law. They both looked a little worse for wear.

"Fucking wops" John replied through gritted teeth, letting Finn down onto the seat of Ailbhe's desk.

Ailbhe quickly realised it was Finn who was injured. While John had a split in his lip and a nasty bruise coming up on his temple, it was Finn who was bleeding. There was a few cuts and gashes on his face from where Mr Changretta's man's rings had cut his skin when he punched him. But the main wound was on his collar bone. There was a clean slice from a knife, the length of his collar bone that was pumping blood down the front of his shirt.

"Fucking hell Finn" Ailbhe gasped, pushing the shirt back so she could get a better look at it. There was gauze piled onto it but that was now soaked in blood and it was still bleeding. Apart from looking a little pale and in pain, Finn seemed responsive and okay.

"We've got to get him to a hospital John" Esme shouted, pushing a piece of cloth to the gash above John's eye.

"No hospitals, they're full of Italians he'll be like a sitting duck" John replied loudly, pacing back and forth in front of them trying to calm himself down but after the fight they'd just had his body was full of adrenaline.

"Ailbhe can sew me up its fine its just a flesh wound" Finn groaned through gritted teeth, grabbing the bottle of whiskey John offered him and taking a swig.

Ailbhe's mouth fell open, looking to Esme and then back to the boys.

"Have you two lost your minds? I sew clothes not fucking people?" she shouted, looking at them as if they were insane.

Esme grabbed the first aid supplies they had, pushing them in front of Ailbhe, not giving her much of a choice.

"It'll be fine Alv just don't fuck it up" John laughed manically, grabbing Finn and laughing with him.

"Look at you Finn Boy" He roared, looking prouder than ever of his little brother. Finn grinned back at him.

John looked at the women, beaming with pride as he told them

"He's a fucking natural, he's a real Shelby. We got Mr Changretta to Tommy and sent the others to the gates of fucking Hell".

John held Finn steady as Ailbhe grabbed the needle that Esme passed to her. She grabbed the bottle of booze, sterilizing the needle hoping that would make a difference.

"This is fucking crazy" Ailbhe sighed, taking a swig herself for good luck and kissing the cross that hung around her neck. Whether she believed in a God or not she prayed she wouldn't fuck this up.