𝐒𝐈𝐑𝐄𝐍, ᵖᵉᵃᵏʸ ᵇˡⁱⁿᵈᵉʳˢ

𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘳

"Happy birthday, dear Polly."

•*•

"Lettie, dear! Come in take a seat, get comfortable, yeah?"

   The Morelli woman walked further into the small room. She could feel the stare of a certain bookmaker piercing through her soul, the smoke from his cigarette clouding her peripheral.

Alfie, who hadn't noticed the tension or simply just ignored it, gestured to another chair in front of his desk right beside Thomas. Lettie sat down once she reached the wooden seat, setting her hands in her lap, she quickly rolled her eyes at the look the Solomons man was giving her. Tommy simply faced the front in a grim patient manner.

Looking to the Shelby man, Alfie began, "You look confused, mate," even though Thomas's features hadn't moved an inch, the humor behind the 'bakers' words hadn't gone unheard, "Let me clear the air for everyone. You see, Lettie here has been in london for five...six days now, right," trying to guess the correct date, he looked to the Morelli woman with furrowed brows for confirmation. Though, her face remained stoic as well, not in the mood for Solomons humor.

Switching his gaze back to the Shelby man, he continued, "After her encounter with the other Sabini brother, she got in contact with me," Alfie pointed to Leticia, but his eyes remained on the man before him, "Funny thing is, she knew you'd come here. The reason why she contacted me, yeah, was so that I can inform her of your arrival," clasping his hands in front of him, his gruff voice carried on, "From what I've heard, mate, you don't have a clean track record on involving her with Italian business."

Lettie squinted her eyes at his words in irritation. She had let that piece of information slip out in confidence when she last talked to him. So, quickly butting in after he finished his last sentence, she gritted out quietly, "Alfie!"

Raising his hands in defense, he shrugged, "Sorry, darling, couldn't help myself," leaning back in his chair, he finished off with patient nonchalance, "It's none of my business but...something fuckin' tells me, you lot are going to have a little spat after this meeting, so," leaning forward once more, he rested his arms on his desk, "Let's get back to previous business, shall we?"

Shaking her head lightly, Lettie brought her attention to her fingers that were fiddling with her silver rings. Meanwhile, Thomas had cleared his throat, leaning forward to ash his cigarette. He would be talking with her later...on his terms.

Bringing the previous conversation back into the thick atmosphere, Tommy leaned forward, "As I was saying, I'm offering you a solution," Alfie returned to his serious nature, a hand rubbing through his beard in wariness when the next words left the Shelby man's mouth, "You see, Mister Sabini is running all your bookies off your courses. And he is closing down the premises that take your rum."