— 𝐀𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐌𝐈𝐃𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 —
⁰⁰³

Cecilia stood behind Peter and glanced over his shoulder. "What's that you're reading?" He asked. Peter looked back at her for a moment. "The Garrison re-opening is this weekend." He told her.

"Am I supposed to know what the Garrison is?"

"The pub owned by the Shelby's." Peter informed her. She hummed and nodded once. "I might go." She smirked. Peter raised his eyebrows. "You? In Birmingham? You're havin' a laugh, Cecilia." Peter chuckled.

"Not really. I'm in Small Heath that weekend anyway." She said. "Me and my father have been invited to discuss business apparently."

"You don't seem pleased about that." Peter noticed.

"I'm not." She admitted. "I'm not sure if I like those Peaky bastards. I mean— who do they think they are coming to London and making announcements after fucking up The Eden Club?" She said with a sour expression.

"They have some balls that's for sure." Peter said with raised brows.

"You can say that again." She agreed. "They have some balls—" he began but stopped when she hit him round the back of the head. "I didn't actually mean say it again." She snapped.

He laughed to himself, holding her wrist as he stood. "Relax, Cecilia. It's your day off but you're here behind the bar. Have a drink." He held the sides of her face.  "I'm here behind the bar because I have a club to look after," she poked a finger into his chest.

—

Cecilia stepped out onto the cobblestone and took a deep breath before throwing her half smoked cigarette to the ground and stepping on it. "They weren't lying when they said this was a shit hole." She muttered to herself.

The blonde walked to the newly furnished pub and pushed the doors open, surprised by the golden and red interior.

She didn't recognise a single face. Not yet. Cecilia walked to the bar and pushed through a few people. "Cecilia Abott—" A lively Arthur Shelby shouted. "What can I get ya, love?"

She took out another cigarette and placed it between her lips. "Your best gin." She said to him.

Arthur spun, swiping a bottle from the shelf and putting a glass down in front of her before messily pouring the liquid into it. He didn't bother giving her a tonic. She didn't bother asking. "How much?" She asked.

"On the house." A voice spoke from behind her before Arthur could answer.

The voice made Cecilia tighten her grip on the glass and stick her tongue into the side of her cheek.

"I wasn't expecting to see you here tonight, Miss Abbott." Tommy spoke, leaning on the bar beside her. She looked around. "This is a nice place you got." She complimented, blowing smoke into the air.

"Thank you, Miss Abbott." He cleared his throat. "What brings you to Small Heath?"

"I was curious. Saw the advertisement in the paper and thought i'd come see for myself." She said, sipping the gin. Tommy nodded along. "And?"

She locked eyes with him and stared blankly. "And what?"

"What do you think?" Tommy asked. Cecilia raised a brow. "Are you slow, Mr Shelby?" She asked. "Because i've just complimented ya pub and you're tryin' to make me look stupid. Are you tryna make me look stupid, Mr Shelby?" She asked defensively.

"No, no. Not at all." He shook his head.

"Good." Cecilia hissed, finishing off her drink. "Do you have something else to say?" Cecilia asked when he didn't move from beside her. Tommy looked down at her for a moment. "Will you be joining your father in the meeting this weekend?"

"For a man who doesn't like to be asked questions— you sure do ask a lot." Cecilia mentioned. Before he could get another word in, she got up from her chair and found somewhere else to stand.

As Cecilia passed through the pub, she caught the eye of many. One of those being the eyes of Isaiah Jesus. He was quick to approach her, his usual confident walk displayed as he kept one hand in his pocket.

"Can I get ya a drink, sweetheart?" He spoke, voice like honey. Cecilia looked over her shoulder and gave the attractive boy a quick once over. Before she could answer, he had knocked his knuckles on the bar. "Artha! Get this lady another drink—" he called out.

"What ya name?" He turned to her.

"Cecilia." She held her hand out. He hummed and took her hand. "Cecilia Abbott." She added. The voice rung a bell but he didn't think too much of it. "You ain't from here.." he noticed.

She shook her head. "No, i'm not."

"Hang about— let me guess." He tried. She had her lips pursed into a line and waited. "London. You from London? You got that look about you. That show girl look." He said.

She nodded slowly in amusement. "Originally from Boston, America. Moved to London a few years back." She informed him, being careful about what she was telling him.

"They don't like cockneys round 'ere." He informed her.

"Good thing I don't sound like a cockney then, hm?" She replied, accepting her next drink from Arthur. "Anyway— your boss already knows who I am."

"My boss?" Isaiah trailed off.

She nodded toward Tommy who was speaking with a young, brunette girl.

"How d'ya know?"

"I know everything." She tormented. "Just like how I know i'm not the first girl you've tried to impress tonight." She said. His face fell slightly. "It's okay," she tutted, a tormenting hand on his shoulder. "A young boy like you has all the time in the world. You've got nothing to be worried about." She teased, knowing she was a few years older than him.

"Leave the lady alone, Isaiah." Tommy's voice rang out again.

Cecilia almost groaned. "Do you fancy me or something, Mr Shelby?" Cecilia asked seriously when Isaiah walked away.

"You intrigue me, Cecilia." He said.

"So you say Cecilia now? Which is it— Miss Abbott or Cecilia?" She asked. "Whichever I choose. I'm not picky." He said plainly.

Cecilia rolled her eyes and looked away. "And what is it about me that you find intriguing?"

"Everything." He spoke lowly. "I know so little about you yet you know so much about me." He hummed. "Well, Mr Shelby, you aren't necessarily quiet when you go places. Your name appears in the papers every other week." She told him.

Cecilia looked him in the eye. "Have you ever heard of my name in the papers, Mr Shelby? Or my father's?"

He shook his head. "I don't believe I have."

"That's because we do what we do and we do it quietly. Fuss creates competition. And competition brings enemies. You know all about enemies, don't you?"

Tommy bit his tongue.

She looked around the room. "You know— I heard you had a sister. Is that her?" She stared toward the brunette who held a young boy.

Tommy snapped his head toward Cecilia and frowned. "Who the fuck are you?" He hissed. "Who the fuck are you and what do you want? You know my sister. How?"

"I don't know your sister, Thomas. I took a wild guess." She had a playful grin on her lips. "All it took was for me to point a finger and you said yes. That's where you went wrong. You need to—"

Tommy grabbed her chin. "Don't you fucking tell me what to do. Don't sit here in my pub and tell me what to do."

She couldn't help but smile at him. That only infuriated him more. "I'm starting to see a pattern whenever we meet." She said, placing her hand on his wrist. "Is it often you put hands on women or are you just intimidated by me?"

And quickly, Cecilia pulled his wrist away, gripping it firmly. "The next time you see me i'll be alongside my father and if you even think of doing that again, he'll have your head in a box and at your brother's front door by morning." She whispered.

Tommy's lips parted and his brows were knitted together.

"I'll see you, Mr Shelby." She finally stood and grabbed his hand, opening it up and balancing her cigarette between his two fingers. "Goodnight." She smirked.

And Tommy just stood, listening to her heels against the floor as she walked away. He looked down at the cigarette she had placed between his fingers and sighed.

She was good. Tommy Shelby had met his match. She didn't give a shit and that made him drawn to her. He wanted to know more.

—

"What's the time?" Cecilia whispered to Rafael as she grew impatient. He showed her his pocket watch and she shrunk in her seat, acting like a bored child.

"Sit up." He scolded.

Arthur and John shared awkward glances and looked anywhere but at the two Abbott's.

The door opened and in came Tommy, his jacket in hand.

"Mr Abbott," Tommy walked into the private room of the Garrison. "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting." He sighed and took a seat. Cecilia had her arms crossed over her chest and gave him a once over. "These are my brothers Arthur and John." He introduced.

The two Shelby's just nodded at the Abbott man.

"This is my daughter Cecilia." Rafael looked at her. She kept a stone expression, her eyes burning into Tommy's. "We've met." She spoke for them. "Haven't we?"

"Er— yeah. That would be correct." Tommy cleared his throat.

Cecilia looked at the table. "It seems we haven't been offered a drink yet." She stated. Tommy took a deep breath and tried not to get annoyed with the girl. "My apologies. What would you like?"

"A gin." She said. Rafael glared at her. "Please." She said smoothly.

"And you, Mr Abbott?" Tommy looked to Rafael. "A whiskey is fine." He told him.

Arthur shifted in his chair, not liking the girl's confidence. It was the look of warning he got from Tommy that prevented him from doing anything about it. Arthur seen the way she was looking at Tommy. There was tension between the two.

Tommy came away from the small window with the two drinks and placed them on the table.

"So— business." Tommy sighed as he sat opposite them. "I plan on expansion into London and I've come to understand that your family hold power."

Rafael listened intently.

"And I also understand that your daughter, Cecilia, works in a bar on the edge of Darby Sabini's territory."

"Tell me something I don't know." Rafael chuckled lightly, wanting him to get to the point. Tommy clasped his hands together. "I'm suggesting that we come together— as business partners."

Cecilia's laugh made him stop talking. "Sorry, do continue."

"By becoming business partners, we can offer protection for your daughter if the time ever comes that she needs it." Rafael raised a brow at the proposal. "And you can expand your liquor business into Birmingham— have it sold in all of the pubs we run."

Rafael nodded along slowly. "That's a judicious proposal, Mr Shelby. Eh, what do ya think, Cecilia?" He turned.

"I think Mr Shelby is.." she paused, thinking about what she wanted to say. She could either torment him and try and get a rise out of him or she could play nice. "Smart." She chose the latter.

Rafael clapped his hands together. "There it is then." He said. "I'll have somebody call you. My son comes down from Boston later this week. You remind me of him, you know? We can arrange for another meeting and he will be there."

"Sounds good." Tommy raised his glass before swigging it, his eyes still on Cecilia.

—

"Da, I don't understand." Cecilia followed after her father as they got into the house. "What is there to understand, hm?" He asked her.

"Last week you fuckin' hated those bastards and now you're agreeing to business with 'em?" Cecilia shouted. Rafael spun on her heels, forcing her to come to a halt. "There was a reason I chose you to come to London instead of Reggie. Don't make me regret that." He pointed a finger at her.

She backed away and shook her head. "All i'm sayin' is be careful, da."

"I know what i'm doin' Cecilia." He assured her. She took a deep breath. They just stood and stared at each other for a moment before Rafael let out a breath and pulled her in. "Im sorry, kid. I know you're just tryna help."

She said nothing. Whenever Cecilia Abbott felt insulted of unappreciated, she would go silent or be a ticking time bomb waiting to go off.

In this case, she was silent.

After Midnight
Chapter 003
[gracessecretshelby]