VULNERABLE | thomas shelby

☆ F O U R T Y-T H R E E ☆

CHAPTER FOURTY THREE; PRISON

ARTHUR SHELBY WAS arrested for being incorrectly accused of the murder and the assault of Alfie Solomon's and Michael Gray who was taken from his home one evening by Inspector Campbell, the charges against him being that of the fight he took part in this Isaiah was also now in prison. After the arrests a family meeting was called in the betting shop. Beth's eyes never left Polly, she sat a few steps away from the rest of the group focused on the cigarette in her hand and she was like a ticking time bomb waiting to explode.

Beth sat beside John and Finn and Esme stood, the room feeling empty without the presence of Michael, Arthur and Tommy who was late. Tommy marched in ignoring her looks from the rest of his family, his face blank to any emotion. "John?" He called. John nodded shifting in his seat before he began to talk business. "The coppers have lifted ten of our men in Camden Town. The rest of them are on the run."

"Tommy, they've taken Michael." Finn added, glancing over at Beth for help but she knew better than to tell Tommy information he already would have known. "Business first." Tommy nodded. "They took Michael last night." Polly snapped, walking over to Tommy's side. "Business first." Tommy repeated, speaking over Polly. "They picked him up-." Polly began but Tommy cut him off raising his hand up. "Business first." He shouted, Polly's mouth closing shut.

Tommy sighed turning back to John. "John?" John sat in silence for a moment before nodding. "They took all our whiskey. So no doubt they'll be sipping that for Christmas. They've impounded all our vans, put their own locks on the warehouse. The Eden Club and all our pubs have been raided by the coppers and handed back to Sabani and Solomon's. The Black Country boys think that it was Arthur that killed Billy 'cause that's what the coppers told them. So there'll be no more free passes for our whiskey boats."

Polly stood up from the wall her face contorted in anger. "I don't give a fuck about whiskey. I don't give a fuck about Billy Kitchen. I want my son out of prison. Now." Beth glanced over at Esme who crossed her arms over her chest. "Thomas, I spoke to Johnny Dogs." She spoke up. "This meeting should just be family." Polly snapped. "It's family only." She finished glancing between Beth and Esme angrily.

"I can help!" Esme defended. "She is not blood Tommy. Neither of them are." Polly spat. "Let her speak." Tommy spoke softly and John grabbed Beth's hand before she could stand as Polly continued to speak over Esme and Tommy. "ENOUGH!" Tommy shouted, loosing his patience. "Enough Polly. Esme?" Tommy sighed. "I spoke to Johnny dogs. The Lees are kin." Esme informed. "The bloody Lees?" Polly shouted. "They can give us men." Esme stated keeping her voice level.

"We don't need more fucking men! It's men that have done the damage. It's-." Polly screeched , pausing and collecting herself. Beth shot John an annoyed look, leaning over slightly she muttered under her breath. "Someone needs to tame that crazy bitch." John coughed to covered his laughter as Polly continued speaking. "It is men fighting like cockerels that's have put us here in the first place."

"Esme, we'll take up their offer. We need men." Esme glared smugly over at Polly, who turned to Tommy. "If Michael ever gets out of prison, I and taking him away from this family. For good. This life is bad." She spat before marching over and grabbing Finn's arm, dragging him away. "This life is all bad." Finn glanced over at John and Beth a panicked expression on his face as Polly began to pull his out of the room. "Aunt Pol, what're you doing?"

"Shut up and walk." Polly instructed. Once Polly had left the room, Tommy sat down across from Beth and John holding his knuckles up to his lips, Beth watched as Tommy sat in his own thoughts. Esme walked over to the table. "Thomas, Should I go speak to queen Mary Lee at the black patch?" Esme asked. "Yes." Tommy replied, nodding. "She can give us soldiers for a few nights." Esme explained. "Good."

"John go bring the car up the car." Esme instructed. Beth glanced over to the side at John who sat in shock for a moment before finally picking up his hat and standing up to leave. Esme shot Beth a look and she nodded, getting up and walking into Arthur's office walking over to his desk seeing a bottle of whiskey. She poured herself a cup and leaned against the desk looking around as she sipped the whiskey. The Shelby family was falling apart and there was nothing anyone could do about it.

•

After his chat with Esme, Tommy ventured into Arthur's office holding in a laugh at Beth who was dancing around Arthur's office, the low hum of his record playing some type of a piano song and Beth had her eyes closed spinning around and pretending she was in a better place, her glass of whiskey still held in her hands. Tommy coughed slightly and Beth's eyes shot open, her hand coming up to hold her heart that began to thump in her chest as she stared at Tommy with wide eyes.

"Hello." Tommy spoke first a smile on his face, stepping towards Beth. Beth laughed awkwardly walking back to Arthur's office and sitting onto the table, bringing her glass to her lips she watched as Tommy walked over to her not stopping till he was between her legs, his hands either side of her waist. "You haven't been spending much time with me lately." Beth said softly, running her hand over his jacket. "That's because I was with May and then I came back to have-."

Beth groaned loudly allowing her head to fall back as she shook her head at Tommy. "I don't want to hear excuses Tommy and I don't want to fight." Tommy grinned pressing his lips to her jaw and beginning to scatter kisses down her neck. "Let me prove to you that I missed you then." He murmured against her skin. Beth's eyes widened as she laughed, looking down at Tommy in shock. "On Arthur's desk?" Tommy shrugged slightly looking up at Beth with dark eyes. "Would you prefer it be John's?"