The Thorne To His Rose

Sixty Five

Delilah had infromed Lili, that she would be out until late.

Lili was sitting beside the fire, a book in her hands as she tried to concentrate. She let out a loud sigh as she stood up. She walked over to the fire and looked in the mirror. Her eyes had bags under them. Her usual bright hazel eyes where dull.

She grabbed her coat and pulled it on, deciding she didn't want to be in the house anymore. She needed air.

She shoved her hands in her pocket as she walked, not knowing where she was actually going. She just needed to get away.

She walked until she came to the docks, her eyes on the water as it danced in the sunlight. She turned her head as two uniformed officers where walking her way. She held the small gun that was in her pocket, tight in her hand. They where both looking at her as they neared.

"Mam". They both said, nodding there heads as they walked past. She let out a sigh as they continued to walk. She rubbed her face and walked the opposite direction. She needed a drink.

She made her way to a club she went to last night. It was open during the days for the older people who wanted to drink. During the night it was open for those who wanted to dance, do drugs or fuck.

She sat down at the bar, her hands shaking as she looked down at her brusied knuckles. She slipped of her coat and placed it on her lap. Her lilic dress fit perfectly on her body.

"What will it be Miss?" The bartender asked.

She looked up at him and cleared her throat. "Whisky". She answered, her voice quiet.

The man nodded as he poured her drink. After she paid she grabbed the drink and sighed, bringing it up to her lips. She looked around, her eyes on the old couples who danced. She smiled sadly, wandering if she would ever find love like that.

She ran her fingers through her hair and sighed, instantly regetting her breakdown from the night before.

"Your here again?" A voice asked.

She turned her head as her eyes clocked Bart. He smiled at her and nodded the bartender to fill up her glass.

"Mark, anything she want's its on the house". He said. He turned and looked at Lili.

"So.......I need to ask you something. The police came sniffing around here asking me if this man named Howard Jones had been in here. When I said yes, they asked if he was with anyone, if he had interacted with anyone. I told them no, even though some of my men told me, they saw him talking to you at the bar. They also told me he left straight after you did". He muttered.

Lili knocked back her drink and grabbed the bottle from the bartender. He raised his eyes as she poured her own drink, but nonetheless moved on to the next customer. She rolled her shoulders and turned to look at Bart.

"Are you asking if I killed the man?" She asked.

His jaw clenched, his adams apple sticking out as he swallowed his words.

Lili knocked back her drink and poured herself another drink.

"Mind if I smoke?" She asked.

He shook his head. "No, no that's okay continue". He answered.

She nodded her head and pulled out her cigarettes. She placed on between her lips and inhaled.

"Well...did you? Did.....did you kill him?" He asked, his voice quiet.

Lili turned to look at him as she blew out her smoke. "I did". She answered.

He frowned and sat beside her. "Lili...look I do care about you, your a very nice girl. But I need to warn you...your not back home, you can't do mercy killings because you feel like it. Camden...it's different from Birmingham okay? It's not the same. Over there you are obviously protected by the police and your family, here they would chew you up and happily....happily let you hang". He muttered, his eyes drifting to her neck.

Lili scoffed and knocked back her drink. She turned to look at his, her eyes dark. "You don't no anything about me. I'm clearly not protected in Birmingham if they nearly let me hang". She spat as she stood up.

Bart raised his hands as he stepped back, his eyebrow raised. His men moved towards him, for protection.

"And that man, if you want to call him that deserved what he got. And I'll happily do it again". She shouted.

She pulled on her coat and threw some notes onto the bar. "Thank's for the drinks". She muttered as she walked away.

Bart sighed as he followed her out.

"I'm only looking out for you okay? Look...with Sabini in London, if he caught word that you were here it could be dangerous for you. I know that you've had dealings with him before. You've just got to be careful". He muttered.

Lili turned her head to look at him. She opened her mouth to speak but shut it when she had no words. She looked down at the ground as they walked.

"Look...don't you think I know it was stupid. It was but he fucking laid his hands on me. He was going to kill me and I...I wanted him dead okay". She said.

She walked up the steps to Delilah's door. "I'm sorry it happened outside your club, I am. But he had me on the ground, with his fucking body on top of mine. I snapped, I wasn't thinking properly. I'm sorry". She whispered.

She turned around and unlocked the door.

"I'll see you Bart". She said softly as she shut the door.