Ollie winced and visibly tensed as he heard the noises from the bakery downstairs. The loud shouts and crashes, as more things were knocked over and broken, ringing out. He wondering who would find themselves on the wrong side of the Bakers ire, today. The entire place feeling that at any moment it would just explode like a powder keg; all of them, to a man, walking on eggshells. And if people hadn't been scared of Alfie Solomons before, they certainly were now. No one daring to breath, to say a word or even look at Alfie. The big man more unpredictable now, than he had ever been. And it had been like this for six, long months.

(Y/n) leaving, had broken Alfie. Ollie hadn't been able to believe it; yes, he knew that they lived in the same house; slept in the same room. He had seen the way that they would look at one another and he had even caught them in the office together; Ollie sure that the image of walking into the room to find the young Shelby bent over Alfie's desk, with Alfie behind her; he grunting with every thrust, would never leave his mind. But this was Alfie......Alfie was all about business. Though it seemed obvious now that even though he might have said that; (Y/n) had become something far from business. Alfred Solomons had fallen in love, and he had fallen hard; and worse, he had fallen in love with a Shelby. Not that Ollie could blame (Y/n) for any of this, she was the victim. Alfie had lied, he had hurt her. Ollie knowing that it would all end in tears if his boss didn't tell her that he knew her brothers; if he didn't explain thing, before the shit hit the fan. And he had been right; he seeing the pain in her eyes the day that she had threatened her own family for Alfie, the day that she had stormed out of Bakery and never come back. Ollie not knowing what he would do if Alfie didn't recover soon; if he didn't stop trying to drink himself to death.

"What tha fuck you lookin at..........." Alfie's irate voice filling the building. Ollie not sure whether he was already drunk or soon would be, but he knew that he would find out soon. His hand shaking slightly as he placed the letters on Alfie's desk, and he heard the door crash into the cabinet next to it.

"What you doin here..........?" Alfie growled, as he staggered into the office and fell into his chair. His hand going straight for the draw, pulling out a bottle and a glass.

"I brought tha mail.......Alfie......do you think you should be..........."

"Do I think I should be what........? Awake, outta bed, drinkin; fuckin alive........? Well....spit it out, come on......seeing as ya seem ta be my fuckin conscience; either that or my fuckin mother, yeah. So.....what is it........?" The disdain in his voice getting worse, as he downed his first drink.

"Nothin ta say now..........fuckin coward......all a ya, fuckin cowards ta a man. Go on....fuck off......get outta my sight.........Oh, and that cunt downstairs; tha little bastard with tha glasses and tha moustache.....If I see his face around here tomorrow, he won't have one left......an nor will you, right...........?" Alfie warned. Ollie just nodding, before quickly making his way out of the office; closing what was left of the door behind him.

Alfie sniffed, before unsteadily brushing his hand over his beard. His head was spinning, he not sure whether it was from the booze, or the lack of it. He deciding to give up on the glass and just swig the rum from the bottle instead.

The last six months had changed him; it had destroyed him. Alfie not realising how much (Y/n) had really meant to him; how much he needed her, wanted her, until she was gone. Watching her run away from him that day, had broken him, body and soul. He not the man that he had been before that day. The bags under his eyes, his unkempt hair and beard, his dirty creased clothes, and the fact that he was always drunk, or about to be; showing how much he no longer cared for himself........no longer cared for anything. And it wasn't just himself that was suffering because of the neglect, it was his business. Everything slipping though his fingers.....but he couldn't give a fuck.

Suddenly his eyes fell on the cane in the corner of the room; the cane that (Y/n) had bought him for his birthday. The cane that she had gifted him the first night they had made love. He had wanted to break it when he had found out that she had run from him without the slightest chance to explain. He wanted to smash it into a million pieces, just like his heart had been. But when it had come down to it, he couldn't. It was the most beautiful gift that he had ever been given; and it had been given, not because she wanted something from him, not because she had any ulterior motives; but because she had cared for him......she had loved him. Yet he knew that he couldn't have it in the house; it bad enough when the place had still smelt of her perfume and the salts that she would pour into the bath, but the cane too........No, that had had to stay in the office. It bringing back too many memories; too many painful feelings. Alfie banging his fist on the top of the desk, as he felt the tear roll down his cheek; a tear that he knew would be the first of many if he didn't harden the fuck up......that, or drink away all of it. Drink until he once more found that oblivion...........

"Thought I told ya to fuck off..........if its Tommy Shelby again.....tell him I'm dead........." Alfie huffed, as Ollie made his way back into the office. Ollie forcing himself not to say anything as Alfie took a few gulps from the bottle.

"I..........someone just delivered this for ya........it was one of Sabini's men......." Ollie explained, as he slowly moved further into the room. Alfie snatching the note from his hand, before struggling to put his glasses on. The alcohol seeming to instantly leave his system as he read the words......

Alfie,

I believe that I have found something that you might be very interested in. She's a beautiful thing that one of my boys discovered up in Edinburgh; and as you and I are old friends, I thought I would give you a chance to make a deal, before I have to go and see those stinking pikkies in Birmingham.

It would be a shame to see anything happen to her. She's a spirited thing and my boys would all love to get to know her better. So, if you would like her back unharmed......and untouched, you know what to do. Oh, and just so you don't think I am bluffing, I have enclosed a little something.

S.

Alfie suddenly feeling sick; opening his hand and letting the item enclosed in the envelope, slip into his palm. The lock of hair looking up at him, surrounding him with her scent. He getting to his feet and looking straight at Ollie.

"I am gonna fuckin kill tha cunt............"