The Sweetest of Hearts.1| T.S

•Worcester race.

XV. Worcester race.

Tommy and Maude only spent one night at the cabin before it was safe again for them to return to Birmingham. When Maude stepped into her house, her brothers were waiting for her in the living room, looking as livid as they did when she used to sneak out of the house as a teenager, and the two would wait for her to return.

She let out a soft sigh when she stepped through the door and her eyes landed on them, pursing her lips as she met Henry's gaze first. Her brother shot up to his feet, jaw clenched as he sternly glared at her. "Where the fuck have you been?" He asked with a raised voice.

Maude looked at him like a child caught being naughty, shifting on her feet as she sighed again. "I was with Tommy." She informed him softly as she gave them a shrug of her shoulders.

"With Tommy?" Henry repeated as his eyebrows furrowed and he looked back at Daniel, sharing a confused and pissed-off look with his brother before turning back to Maude. "Why were you with Tommy?" He asked as he raised his eyebrows.

"Tommy laid low for the coppers," Daniel muttered as he looked at his sister with furrowed eyebrows, crossing his arms over his chest as he got a knowing look in his dark eyes. "You went with him?" He asked.

Maude's lips parted as she glanced between her brothers, feeling backed up into a corner as they both waited for a reply. She let out another sigh as she nodded her head. "Yes, I did." She confirmed.

"Why?" Henry asked as he quirked an eyebrow at her, resting his hands on his hips.

Maude pursed her lips, a scowl on her face as she felt like a child in front of her brothers. Twenty-eight years old and she felt like a child being scolded for doing something bad. She huffed as she stared up at Henry. "Because I am a grown woman and I wanted to, so I did." She finally snapped.

Henry's jaw clenched again as he stared at her, his eyes squinting. "What's going on between you and Tommy, Maude?" He asked as his arms crossed over his chest as he raised his eyebrows.

"I am in love with him." She revealed softly as she looked between her brothers, shrugging in a way that told them both they could do nothing about the situation, whether they liked it or not.

Henry took a deep breath which he released slowly, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose. "He's going to hurt you." He insisted, looking at her as his arms dropped to his sides.

"How can you speak of him that way?" She asked, eyebrows furrowing as she took offense to his words about the man she loved so much. The man who was also Henry's friend, comrade, and boss.

"Because I know him." He argued with her, his voice raising again as Daniel silently watched the two. "I know how his mind works, mine works the same." He insisted. "France...France fucked us up to the point where we can barely function in society."He muttered as a soft sigh slipped from his lips and he slowly shook his head. "He will hurt you without meaning it." He explained.

"And when he does, it will be my hurt and my burden to carry." She replied as she pressed a hand over her heart, giving her brother a pleading look. "I love him." She insisted.

Henry sighed as he lowered his head for a second before nodding in understanding. "Come here." He insisted as he grabbed her shoulder and pulled her into his arms." Just please be careful. "He begged as he rested his chin on top of her head, holding her close. "He's my boss, if he breaks your heart, I can't really fuck him up." He joked and Maude chuckled softly.

Neither brothers truly did like the situation they found themselves in with their friend and sister, but neither said anything either and sucked up all their protective feelings over Maude.