IX. FORGED RESOLUTION

5.2K 192 24
                                    



- FORGED RESOLUTION -

Her back was aching as she twisted on the thin piece of hay-stuffed fabric she guessed was the police station's feeble attempt at a mattress. Her head was pounding, as was her jaw and mouth. She hadn't gotten a minute of sleep as she replayed the events of the previous night over again and again.

Anger was the only thing that fuelled her- anger that Alfie had betrayed them but also anger that they had been so stupid and careless. That they had believed all would go to plan.

The jingling of keys and heavy boot-steps made her sit up, only enough to peer out of the small opening of the metal door. She stood quickly as she heard a key slip into the deadbolt and the door swing open.

A short, gruff-looking officer with a bushy white moustache walked into the cell nodded his head at her.

"You're free to go, Ms. King. Somebody's sorted your problem for you and paid your bail. Consider yourself lucky this time and expect a letter from the court soon."

She just nodded, following the officer out of the cell block and into the main constabulary office.

Turning out the door, she tried not to roll her eyes when she saw Tommy leaning against the side of his car parked across the street.

She kept walking, pulling her coat tighter around her shoulders and trying to pretend it wasn't still wet from last night's rain.

"Rose!" he called, but she didn't stop. The apartment would take an hour to walk to but she didn't care. The anger that was slowly burning her up didn't seem to care, either.

It was only a few minutes before Tommy's car pulled up on the wrong side of the road next to her. She finally stopped, letting him take in her bruised jaw and the bloodied scrapes along her cheek.

She tried to read him but it was impossible as always- his face was a near-blank slate of frustrating composure.

"Get in the car," he said. She stared at him, unmoving. He reached to grab her arm but she pulled out of his grasp and snapped.

"Don't touch me," she hissed. "Do you have any idea what happened last night?"

"Get in the car," he repeated. "We're not doing this here."

She hated that he was right. They couldn't fight on the street, not with Sabini's men watching from every crack and corner of the city.

She slide into the seat next to him and he quickly turned onto the road, turning around.

"Where's Arthur?' she asked finally. He was silent for a moment and panic rose in her chest as she remembered he could hang for what Alfie had accused him of.

"I sent him back to the house with John."

She just nodded, suddenly realizing they were headed in the opposite direction.

"Where are we going, Tommy?"

"Home. I have things to deal with in Birmingham."

She was fuming. His short answers, the placid face. No indication that he even knew she had spent the last night in jail.

"Do you even want to know what happened last night?" she spat, turning to face him as he drove, not even taking his eyes off the road. "Do you even care?"

She knew he did, but she was embarrassed and angry and the words came faster than daggers.

"I know what happened."

NEW REIGN || Tommy ShelbyWhere stories live. Discover now