Too Late To Say Goodbye | Tommy Shelby {1}

13.

The drive was quick and tense. Neither saying anything.

Bella faced away from him and glared out the window.

While Tommy kept his eyes on the road, knuckles turning white in his grip.

Then Bella was out of the car as soon as it stopped on Watery Lane.
Not bothering to wait for the man, she burst through the front door and slammed it behind her.

Polly heard the slam from the kitchen, where she sat drinking a cup of tea.
Not a second later she saw Bella come bursting into the kitchen,
"Well hello to you too Bella"

Bella looked over at the woman, "Hi Pol."

That's when the front door opened and slammed closed again

Only to be followed by Tommy matching into the kitchen as well, pointing his finger at Bella.
"We're not done speaking about this."

Bella spun around to face him again, hands clenched by her sides.
"Like hell we are! I don't want you getting mixed up with that shit!"

Tommy raised his eyebrows, "you don't want me to be the one mixed up in it?!"

Polly sat there smirking, sipping her tea, eyes looking between the two,
"I'm guessing Bella found out about the rest of the family business. Aye Tommy?"

Tommy looked over at his aunt when she said this, eyes brows still raised

"Yeah she found out. But I also found out that she's been involved in her own businesses."

Polly was surprised at this, looking over at the girl, putting her tea down. "What is he taking about Bella?"

Tommy continued before she could answer, "apparently Bella is accustomed to this lifestyle, after her time spent in London. I didn't want her involved in this but turns out she already was involved in her own"

Now Bella was offended, did he think of her as a traitor?
"Oh would you stop fucking saying that?! I'm not your enemy, neither was the family I was with. I'm involved now whether you like it or not!"

Polly sighed watching the two go back and forth. This wasn't going to get anywhere. And now she needed to find out information from Bella, refusing to let another situation similar to Graces happen again.

Standing up she moved between the two, "alright enough! Now both of you sit down!"

Bella and Tommy stopped their shouting but continued to glare at each other.

That was until Bella broke it to look at Polly, then slowly moving to sit at the table.

Polly nodded at her and turned to her nephew,
"That's right Tommy, cmon sit down"

After a second, he did what he was told. Sitting down across from Bella, taking his cap off and throwing it on the table. Polly standing between them.

"Now we aren't going to get anywhere with this if you two don't stop acting like children" Polly said then looked at Bella "now Bella I like you girl. But if what Tommy says is true...you need to tell us what you were involved in."

Bella looked at her and then to Tommy and then to the table. Taking a deep breath she answered them. "When I first got to London, I spent weeks living on the streets...Until a family took me in. At first I didn't know they were a family of gangsters...but I didn't know that about this one either"

Tommy kept his glare on her, as Polly asked "who was this family?"

Bella was calmer now, but still keeping up her defense "they are not you're enemy. They helped me gain control over meself, they taught me how to protect those I lov-"

"Who was this family?" Tommy interrupted her

Bella looked up at him "the Rossi family. A man named Marco Rossi was the one in charge." No point in lying, if she wanted to keep their trust.

Tommy thought about her answer. She was right, they weren't an enemy. He's heard of them through Sabini, but never had a need to make contact.

Polly was the one to ask the next question. "And how were you involved with Marco Rossi?" She asked carefully

Bella kept her gaze on Tommy sitting across from her as she answered,

"I was in a relationship with his son."

Tommy barely reacted, but she did noticed his nostril flaring.

"And where are they now Bella?" He pushed

Looking back down at her hands, not wanting to talk about this anymore.
"They're dead...and they're the only reason I'm still alive, and that's how I ended up in Small Heath"

Polly felt the remorse Bella held after saying that. She rubbed her shoulder.
"Thank you for telling us Bell. I trust you and trust you won't betray our family-"

"I would never" Bella interrupted her looking up at the woman.

Polly nodded and looked at Tommy, who still hasn't relaxed, then back at the girl. "I think this might be a good thing,...welcome to the family business Bella"

And with that she went into the betting room, leaving the two alone again.

It was calmer now. Neither knowing what to say to the other.

After a few moments Bella spoke up. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, it's just not something I like to talk about"

Tommy nodded and after a second replied
"I apologize as well. You were right, I was being selfish."

Bella stood up and walked to over to him, bending down she wrapped an arm around his shoulder, leaning her head on top of his.

He brought his left hand up to rub her arm.

"It's okay. We're both at fault....I know you don't want me to be but I really want you to trust me with this"

Tommy sighed "I just don't want you getting hurt because of me."

Bella smiled, "I appreciate you caring, but I can take care of meself. Plus you never leave me alone long enough for you not to be there"

Tommy let out an airy laugh at this. "Yeah peach, you are hard to get rid of"

She giggled and stood up, grabbing his hat as she did so.

Tommy watched her with curiosity, as she carefully spun the hat around the look at the razors.

She felt him looking up at her, so she looked back at him, "I can't believe I never noticed these before."

Tommy hummed continuing to watch her

"Soo now that I'm apart of the business... do I get one of these hats?" She wittily asked him

He let a single snicker at her comment "if ya want one peach" then his face became serious again, studying her, thinking about what she meant by her being involved.

"Have you ever killed peach?"

Instantly breaking eye contact, she put the hat down and nodded her head,

"...uh yes and I've had people try to kill me...I'm not proud of the things I've done, but I don't regret them...I'd do anything for my family" she whispered and then looked back up at Tommy

He didn't like the feeling he got in his stomach when she told him people have tried to kill her before, but he stayed quiet and let her complete her thought.

"And now you're my family Tommy"