Ember Jean Lee, born a Gypsy but raised a Shelby.
Running away from an abusive father at the age of 5, Polly finds Ember alone and afraid in the streets of Birmingham and convinces Arthur Sr. to let her stay. A year younger than John, the two grow...
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JOHN
"Are you already drunk?" Arthur asks me.
"Aye. What of it?" I tilt my glass back, emptying the last of the whiskey into my mouth.
My oldest brother sits beside me with a sigh, motioning for Harry to get him a glass. "John boy, Tommy needs us with our wits about us today."
"Fuck Tommy." I grumble.
Arthur pours us both a drink. "You don't mean that, brother."
"He's so fucking fixed on Billy Kimber when he should be more concerned about getting Ember back."
"I know you're struggling but-"
"Struggling?" A humorless laugh escapes my lips. "Arthur, I'm bloody drowning here."
My brother turns on his barstool to face me, placing both his hands on my shoulders. "Tommy promised."
"He's promised me a lot of things." I say.
"So you think he doesn't care about Ember, that's what you're on about?"
I fill my glass yet again. "I don't know what I think anymore, brother. That's why I drink."
"Everything Tommy does, he does for a reason. Now pull yourself together. You get to cut more Lee boys today." He says. "We leave in an hour."
—
At Cheltenham racetrack I have another drink while waiting for word that the Lees have arrived to steal from Kimber's men.
Arthur joins me at the bar. "This has to end John boy, the endless drinking and killing any Lee who crosses your path. Ember wouldn't like this version of you."
"Good thing she's not here to see it then, eh?" I knock the whiskey back, elbowing my brother and nodding in the direction of the two gypsy men I see walking quickly through the room, their heads down.
Arthur and I follow them into the bathroom and watch as the man in burgundy takes money from Kimber's bookie. "It is a pleasure doing business with ya." He says, giving the man a shove.
I sneak up behind him, wrapping my arm around his neck and holding him still as Arthur speaks. "Hello Raz, how's business?" He throws a punch to the gypsy's stomach and I spin him around, throwing a few more punches before bashing his head into the sink several times.
Blood stains the porcelain. "Fucker. Get up!" I shout shoving him against the wall as Scudboat grabs the other gypsy before he can escape.
I hold Raz as still as I can through his thrashing as Arthur removes his cap and slices off a piece of his ear. "Hold still, Raz." Arthur yells over his screams. "Or I'll take the whole ear off and you're gonna need your ears to listen. No more chalking on Billy Kimber's boys right? We're the protection now."
