𝐞𝐠𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 · 𝐚𝐥𝐟𝐢𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐬

𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧

THE SOUND OF ceramic smashing against the floor is a sharp contrast against the gentle waves that crashed outside the house in Margate – a beat of silence passes before the sound reoccurs. 

Alfie hisses when piece from the vase he threw against the wall flings back towards him – slicing a small part of his cheek. He ignores the sharp sensation that's followed by of a drop of blood sliding down his face, blending with the thick tears. 

In the corner of the room, slightly hidden by the large, red sofa sits Cyril – the bullmastiff watching his father break down. Alfie had just got in from a meeting with Luca Changretta back in Camden Town, the man tempting and persuading him until the Italian gangster agreed to Alfie's terms and conditions – the deal made. 

Signed, sealed and fucking delivered.

Falling into the rocking chair in the corner of the room – Alfie gently rubbed his temples as Cyril trotted over, placing his head into the mans lap; Alfie's hand instinctively beginning to pat him.

"I made a mistake," his gruff voice sounded through the area as he talked to the dog. "And somehow, yeah, all I can think about is how disappointed she would be in me. Right, how the best years of my life seemed to have just been swallowed up. But this pathetic life, yeah, this shit storm we call life keeps asking me for more. To do more."

Shutting his eyes, Alfie let his head fall back against the headrest of the chair in exhaustion. Five months without her and all he could still think about is how he had failed in doing everything he had promised. Continuing to run his hands through Cyril's fur, Alfie listened to the waves crash against each other – the occasional ship horn being heard in the distance as he tried to calm his racing mind with thoughts of her. 

He thought about how she lit her cigarettes when she got nervous – her hands shaking like the way the Earth did after a particularly loud burst of thunder. He thought about how she sung along to the songs he would play on Sunday mornings, her hair a birds nest as she danced across their living room clad in nothing but a pair of stockings and his shirt. 

How no matter how hard he tried he couldn't stop her from biting her nails when she got lost deep in thought, or how after they fought she would always tell him to sleep in their bed – making sure his hip didn't get worse from sleeping on the couch, taking care of him even if she was fed up with his brooding behaviour.

He thought about her eyes that resembled the deep blue of the ocean he loved so much. The ocean where lovers hearts go to drown and he would gladly throw his into the deepest parts just to have her again. The same seas that are wide and where monsters are formed.

How nothing would compare to the monster he would become when he finally made those who took her from him feel every ounce of pain he felt the day that Thomas Shelby had uttered those two words to him.

She's dead.

Because for her, he would fight the devil with his bare hands. For their lost love. For her.

~~~~~~~

Evelyn hated being cooped up. The Shelby girl had the most traveller blood in her body than any of her siblings, often loving to run across the fields barefoot – never being able to stand still for more than a couple of hours.

When she turned eleven, her uncle Curly gifted her a young, black mare by the name of Penny Dreadful. The horse was a terror, it refused to be ridden and by result many thought that she had been cursed from the moment she was born. 

When Tommy had met the mare, he wanted to shoot her. 'Put it out of its misery, Curly,' was what he had told the enthusiastic man – but Curly refused, telling Tom that she just needed the right riding partner.

Evelyn was just that.

From the moment that Tommy had removed the blindfold after walking her into the stables, Evelyn fell in love with Penny. It took the girl and horse a while to bond, but pretty soon Evelyn had the mare saddled up and was taking her for rides in the open fields that she used run barefoot across. Sometimes Tommy would join her, his own filly racing alongside hers.

Her family would watch with bemused expressions as Evelyn would enter the house after a ride with mud covering her legs and grass in her hair. Polly would immediately fuss about her making a mess of the floor – but hearing the energetic stories of how she had taught Penny how to jump over the small brick wall was worth it.

Evelyn would kill to be eleven again, riding Penny while the wind blew in her hair. Instead, she was stuck inside all day and all night for the past five months, waiting for her brother to tell her when.

Tommy had allowed Evelyn to live with him at arrow house, knowing that nobody would be over to visit anytime soon while also being assured that Changretta and his men had no idea about the house. They had successfully pulled off her death, people getting word to Luca that the young Shelby girl was out of the picture, which was effectively passed onto the Frank brothers who were awfully chuffed to hear the words Evelyn Shelby and dead in the same sentence.

Making her way down to the kitchen, Evelyn busied herself with making a cup of tea. Tommy had fired most of his maids for safety, minus Dana who was in charge of making sure Evelyn was comfortable and looked after while he was out doing business – most of the time the Shelby girl shrugged off Dana's help and did the task herself. 

Her thigh still ached, but her stab wound was fully healed – a nasty scar left in its place. Mindlessly running her left thumb over the wound, Evelyn barely heard the sound of the font door opening or the footsteps that had entered the kitchen – too lost in her own thoughts. She paid no mind to the heat from her tea that was burning her right hand until Tommy was stood opposite her, taking the cup from her grasp before placing it on the counter.

"You alright?" Tommy grunted out, studying his sister who offered him a shy smile and shrug. He continued solemnly, "I saw Alfie yesterday."

Taking a sip of her tea, Evelyn couldn't stop the way her heart ached at the sound of Alfie's name, urging Tommy to go on.

"There's going to be a boxing match later this evening. Alfie's nephew Goliath is going to fight Bonnie Gold."

"All while I'm still stuck in this huge house trying to entertain myself," Evelyn mused.

Tommy only reached behind Evelyn into the little tin full of biscuits, picking one out, before looking down at his sister. "Actually, I think it's time." He shrugged. 

"Tom I don't-"

"James is set to fight Bonnie after Goliath. His brother, William, is going to be there too, they believe that we are fools and trust them. That we have an alliance in return for James being able to compete. We take them out tonight, you will be safe."

Evelyn's throat tightened at the possibility, her mind racing almost as fast Penny when she allowed the mare to run. 

Pouring the rest of her tea down the sink, Evelyn sighed and ran her hands over her face a couple of times before looking towards Tommy who was nonchalantly chewing his biscuit. Seeing the hesitance in his sisters eyes, Tommy sighed before placing a comforting hand on her tense shoulders.

"He hasn't stopped grieving you," Tommy tried to ease Evelyn who wasn't allowing her tears to spill. "I need you to come tonight, Eve. I have room to believe that Alfie is going to double-cross us."

"You know that seeing me is going to stop his plan."

Nodding firmly, Tommy squeezed Evelyn's shoulder. "He's lost himself. Spent weeks in Small Heath visiting your grave before he made his way back to London. I've had correspondence with Ollie, says Alfie hasn't been the same."

"He thinks I'm fucking dead Tommy," Evelyn shook her head, pulling away from her brothers touch. "He's going to get himself killed because of me."

"No Eve. He's going to get himself killed because he makes stupid decisions. You're going to stop him."