The Hanging Noose

Fifty-Five

Dottie's yanked out of her sleep by a large man. He rips her up from the mattress, and throws her in to the wall. He stalks over to her as she crawls further back, trying to hide herself. He doesn't say anything as he throws her some clothes. He then stalks out of the bare room, leaving Dottie shaking with goosebumps lining her skin. Dottie didn't move until the door bolted open again. This time it was Luca, staring cockily at her.

Luca had ordered Dottie to get dressed, watching her with intense eyes.

"Today, Dorothea, your family will be gone," he says, his thick American and Italian accent lining her ears as she pulls the dress over her hips.
"Micheal's dead. Did you know that, Dorothea?"

Dottie doesn't react as she breathes in sharply, pulling the dress straps over her shoulders. He's lying, she tells herself, Mum wouldn't have let him be killed, he's lying Dots.

"Now you're going to be a good girl today, or otherwise you won't see your children again. And that would be a shame, wouldn't it, Dorothea?"

Dottie nods, "I'll be good." Her voice is croaky, itching and scratching against her throat. The thought of not seeing her children scratched against her mind.

Luca doesn't say anything else. He stays silent as he watches Dottie getting dressed, helping her to click her heels in place. He smiles upon seeing her dressed, seeing her hollow cheeks and her tear stained eyes. Her hairs knotty and wild, giving the impression of staying in bed for the last few days.

Upon driving, Dottie was squished between two of Luca's men. They refused to look at her as she sat between them, careful of not touching either.

Luca's driver pulls up in front of a warehouse. The men climb out, holding large guns and riffles, and Dottie follows, looking up at the large and deserted building. She recognises it, but she's not sure from where.

She walks behind Luca. Looking around, seeing the doors bolted shut. She's unsure what will happen. Maybe he'll sell her to another man, the highest bidder. Maybe he's going to put her out of her misery. Every scenario runs through her brain, but the one that happens is the one that she forgets.

She sees Tommy, Finn and Polly. Polly looks dishevelled, heartbroken. Upon seeing her daughter, she takes a deep breath in, her eyes begin to swarm with tears.

Dottie's breathing shallows. She side eyes Luca before she decides, going to take a step towards her family. However Luca's quick, his fingers wrap around her arm. He pins her free arm behind her back, twisting it to an angle. Dottie cries out, her knees buckling. Tommy and Polly share a look, clenching their jaws.

A table stands between Luca and Tommy. Luca throws Dottie on to the floor. His previous threat lingers in her ears as she stares at the cobbled floor. She turns her head slightly, seeing beneath the table is a gun, taped to the underside of the oak.

Luca speaks Italian first, before his smug voice irrupts in English.

"All that's left of the Peaky fucking Blinders." He says, stepping past Dottie. He stares down at Tommy as Polly glares at him. Luca snaps his fingers, and one of his men come running to his side, he places his bag upon the table and finds a few pieces of parchment paper.

Luca steps back, "I've had my lawyer draw up these papers. Cover, uh, every enterprise in your possession. Bars, restaurants, warehouses. Every fucking thing that you've taken all these years to gather together."

Dottie continues to stare at the gun.

"You will sign them all over to my family or you're gonna watch your precious Dorothea die. Right here."