DUNDEE // John Shelby

Chapter Eight

"Join us for dinner?" Polly asked as i finished my glass of whiskey. I nodded.

"I'd love that, Polly." I told her while washing the dishes. Grace pushed me out of the way gently, pointing to my hand.

"I dont want to see you using that hand while it's still like that." She told me with a smile. I rolled my eyes. "Do you want to get lunch sometime? Just the two of us?" she deadpanned, making me look straight at her like a ghost.

"Are you serious?" I asked her, she nodded. "How about next Monday, when we've all had time to cool off?" I told her. She smiled in response. She has such a pretty smile.

"Ill mark it on my calendar." she gave my shoulder a slight squeeze and walked out of the bar. What a wonderful person.

The blazer i was wearing before was absolutely ruined. It had blood all over it, Tommy's and mine. It was disgusting. They used it as a rag.

A jacket was then placed over my shoulders by John Shelby, who also had a cigar in his mouth. He pulled it out of his mouth and gave me a hug. It took me off guard, seeing as though he never really hugged anybody. It was like the hug meant something.

"Cmon, Pol said youre staying again." He grabbed my shoulder and started to walk out of the Garrison. I liked his touch. It put me in a good mood.

-

Once we got to the Shelby house, Polly sat down plates of food on the table. Each of us had roast, carrots, potatoes and a dinner roll on our plate. I looked at it intently. The last time I had food with a family was five years ago. All i've done was eat alone in alley's or peanuts in local bars. Never a good meal like this.

"You alright, Toni?" John whispered in my ear as we held hands for grace. He was on my left, so he was careful with my hand. He held it softly as per Arthur, well, let's just say I thought I was holding hands with bricks.

"I've just forgotten what this feels like." I mumbled as he finished the prayer. Finn- the youngest brother- gave me a funny look but didn't say anything. Prick.

Arthur was the first to finish his food, then John, then Thomas. Polly and I were the last since we talked the most. It was mostly about Australia and how I got over here. She didn't really ask me much about my family, seeing as though I loved the one here.

"Nonono, do not get your hands wet." Polly shooed me away from the water as she was doing the dishes. I groaned.

"I feel like a burden when i dont help." I groaned, she smiled and laughed a bit.

"Antonia, after what you did today, this family owes you." She grabbed the sides of my face and pinched them a little.

John grabbed my right hand and led me back to the table where he offered me a cigarette. Thomas and Arthur were there too. There was going to be a deal made tonight and we all knew it.

"I think we can all agree Toni here thinks things through a little more than us." Thomas ran his cigarette between his lips before lighting it. He exhaled the smoke as he opened a folder. "So, given her expertise in languages and Chemistry, she is now in charge of all foreign relations the Shelby Company has." he slid a piece of paper in front of me. It had my name printed out so neatly I wanted to cry at the sight of it.

"If she signs it, of course." Arthur joked a little, hitting me on the shoulder lightly.

I picked up the pen and twisted it so the ink came out. I had signed my name once in my life. It was for the ASC, who I'm guessing I no longer work for since they haven't reached out to me in a year. Antonio Dundee. It has a ring to it.