𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟒𝟒

Maeve sat at the couch in Ada's main room, her feet up whilst she watched Ada return with Micheal and Polly.

"Hello Micheal." Maeve said happily, earning a nod from the boy as he walked through awkwardly. "I brought Micheal because as chief accountant, he has to be a witness." Polly said.

Maeve leaned her chin in her hands and watched them.

"Ada can i use your phone?" Micheal asked, sounding awfully worried. "Micheal," Polly scolded, "business first." She added. He hesitantly sat at the table, checking his pocket watch.

"Time doesn't change much in the space of seconds, Micheal." Maeve frowned when he continued looking down at it. "Micheal stop looking at your watch." Polly scolded calmly.

"Ada, whilst you're reading this- can i go and use your phone?" He asked again. Ada looked up at him with a tormenting smile. "Who's the lucky girl, Micheal?" Maeve spoke up.

"Her name is Charlotte." Polly said, sounding uninterested. "And Micheal can not breathe if he does not talk to her every two hours."

"Ada please." Micheal begged. "Phones in the hall, dial nought for the line. And keep it quick, i pay the bill." Ada joked. Maeve sat forward, "hold on, Micheal! You said her name was Charlotte, Charlotte what?" She asked, already having a plan in her head.

Micheal took a frustrated breath. "Charlotte Murray."

Maeve gasped dramatically. "I know her! I do- I know her." She joked, seeming rather truthful. Polly and Ada looked over and Micheal's face dropped. "You know her?"

"Nah only messing. Go call ya girlfriend." She bit back her laugh when he bit his tongue and turned swiftly to the hall.

"Maeve that wasn't nice." Ada said whilst she flicked through papers. Maeve shrugged, "he needs to loosen up. I was only having a joke."

Maeve then began drowning out the conversation that started between the two older women and admired the painting on the wall. She seemed to be drowning out conversations a lot when she wasn't taking her medication.

"Think about it Pol, together we can take control. With two of us in the company we can straighten things out."

"What about the politics?"

"You and me fighting together and winning- that is politics, it's a new kind of politics." Ada argued. "It ain't bloody politics." Maeve snorted. But she was completely ignored. "It's just this way i get paid and Karl gets a nice Christmas."

"Good, welcome to the bourgeoisie." Polly said, earning a chuckle from Ada. "Welcome to Shelby Company Limited." Polly said proudly when Ada finally signed her signature on the paper.

"Shelby Company Limited. Limited and unarmed."

Micheal entered again. "Micheal, would you like to welcome Ada, our new head of property and acquisitions."

"Congratulations." Micheal nodded. "Where do i sign?" Polly slid the paper to him and he began scribbling down his signature. "Ada, have you got whiskey?"

"Yeah, Tommy." She scoffed.

Maeve whistled. "Whiskey sounds lovely actually, Michael. Get me a glass too?" She suggested, her hands behind her head.

"I've already told him. He's becoming too like his cousin." Polly said in a disappointed way. Micheal took a deep breath, "i thought that was the idea?"

"Yeah, Tommy but with a bit more fucking charm and class."

"Ey, nothing wrong with Tommy. You only need to start worrying when he starts acting like my dad." Maeve joined in. "Since when did you actually like Tommy?" Ada raised an eyebrow. Maeve shrugged. "Well he's my uncle, ain't he? He helps me out a lot. I'd say he's redeemed himself."

"Whatever you say." Polly pursed her lips into a straight line. "But don't come crying to us when he tries to kill out again."

Maeve sat up swiftly. "You fuckin what?"

"Need we remind you how he almost killed you, Maeve?" Polly began talking to her in a somewhat rude way. Maeve raised her eyebrows. "Need I remind you how i almost killed him too? Tommy is the only person who truly believes in me. It's just unfortunate that it's never been that way for your Micheal isn't it? Or you actually Polly- Tommy trusts me. He doesn't trust you because of that stupid Russian fella you've been going about with."

Polly's mouth fell open and Maeve felt herself growing angry and decided to leave the room, letting the door slam behind her.

"Well..that went well." Ada said sarcastically. "She's got some cheek on her that girl- needs a slap." Polly whispered.

"A break is what she needs." Ada huffed.

-

"And where the fuck have you been?" John asked happily when Maeve finally appeared at Charlie's yard. Maeve shielded her eyes from the early morning sun and shrugged. "Sleeping at Ada's weren't i."

"Yeah go on, go stand with them." He gently pushed her toward the row of Peaky Boys, Isiah included. Isiah kept his head down and Maeve decided to be confident and slip beside him.

They all watched as Tommy approached a group that was climbing out the back of a van. "Who are they?" She whispered to Isiah, hoping he'd speak back.

He swallowed hard and shrugged. "Seven left out of fifty." Arthur said. "Should I get them tea?" Curly asked. John joined Maeve at her other side. "Get them beer, Curly." He instructed, "they used to run on it like cars on petrol."

"Even the Black Country stuff." Arthur agreed. "It's in the barrel with the tank."

Curly nodded quickly and rushed to where Arthur had sent him. "They're gonna fucking clean me out," Charlie complained. "Whatever they take, they'll put back. They're good men." Arthur assured him.

Tommy turned and walked the group toward them.

"John, Arthur. You remember these boys?" Tommy spoke loudly. John took a few steps forward. "Well if it ain't the Tipton fucking clay kickers, eh?"

"Clay kickers," Arthur repeated. Everyone but Maeve began shaking hands with the lot whilst she stood and observed them all.

One boy in particular stopped in front of her and held his hand out. "It's common etiquette to shake a man's hand." He said. Maeve folded her arms in refusal. "For me, it's also common etiquette to cause you some pain but we don't all get what we want do we?"

Isiah kept his eyes on the pair, watching closely. "She don't shake hands with people," he stepped in when the boy wasn't backing down. "And round 'ere, people don't usually challenge a Shelby. Especially not this one." He said lowly.

"Oh she's only little." The boy tormented. Maeve breathed through her nose and clenched her jaw. "Listen to me, yeah?" Isiah stepped awfully close to him, "she don't want to shake your fuckin hand, alright? So take a step back and go to someone else before either she does something or i do something." He threatened.

The boy laughed slightly and held his hands up in defence. "Alright mate."

Tommy began introducing the leader of the group but Maeve was taking no notice. She didn't care. She cared about the fact that Isiah had stepped in to defend her. After the trouble they'd had earlier that week, he pushed it aside.

Even though they'd somewhat made up, Maeve was still anxious that he was annoyed with her.

Eventually they all gathered in a small shed, Tommy kneeled on the floor above a map. "There's three cellars underneath the house. Wine, kitchen, septic. There's a tunnel here that runs from the house and underneath the river to an underground strong room. Now this used to be the Palace treasury. The tunnel runs directly west and it's separated from the house behind three iron doors with locks we can't open. We need our tool to run from here and hit the strong room direct." He pointed.

Maeve knew they'd been planning a robbery. But she didn't know it'd be so difficult. And she didn't really know why she was there if she had no part in the act.

"You can all go now. You'll be contacted when you're needed." Tommy dismissed them.

Isiah and Maeve were the first to exit the shed and Maeve forced herself to say something to him. "You didn't have to defend me earlier," She said, walking beside him.

Isiah sniffed and shrugged. "It was nothing."

"It wasn't nothing." She refused, "you looked like you were going to kill him." She laughed to try and ease the mood but it didn't work.

Isiah knew what he wanted to say but he couldn't do it. "Because he was being a prick to a girl. Y'know i don't agree with all that." He said. Maeve wanted to remind him of their recent arguments but decided against it. "You're sure that's it?" She asked as they approached the house on Watery Lane.

Isiah took a deep breath and unlocked the door to the betting den. Maeve realised he was ignoring her and decided to repeat herself. "Are you sure that's it?"

"No that's not it." He hissed, hanging his jacket up along with his hat.

"Then talk to me. I just want you to talk to me." Maeve admitted. Isiah turned and grabbed her face, leaning in close. "I didn't like what he was doing because he was practically fucking ya with his eyes. And i didn't bloody like it. If anyone's allowed to do that-" he paused, "it'd be me. And only me, yeah?" His accent was now slightly stronger.

Maeve had no words. "You are mine. I am yours." He whispered angrily. "So whether or not you've pissed me off or made me feel like a complete and utter dickhead, you are my girl, Maeve. Nobody else's."

His voice sent shivers up his spine, his breath on her cheek causing the hairs on her neck to stand. She swallowed hard.

Isiah brushed his thumbs over her cheeks and took a deep breath. "Mine." He repeated. Maeve's hand snaked around the back of his neck and she forced her lips onto his, sending him stumbling back slightly.

She knew what was coming next. She just knew. And it wasn't sex- well it probably was but there was something else.

Isiah had lifted her from the floor and carefully carried her up the stairs, not breaking the kiss. Thankfully the whole house would be empty until it turned twelve in the afternoon.

Maeve pulled back slightly when Isiah gently placed her on the bed and wasted no time before removing her clothes. Her hand pushed his head closer when his lips connected with her neck. It was about to happen. And there was no stopping it.

"Isiah." She whispered, "Isiah, i love you."

He paused and pulled his head back, still hovering over her. Isiah dragged his hand along her body until it met with her face. "Are you being serious?"

Maeve nodded. "I love you, Isiah. I'm in love with you." She finally admitted.

A smile crept onto his face and he brushed her hair away, placing small kisses along her chest. "I've loved you for two years, Maeve Shelby." He reminded her, a tight grip on her sides.

Maeve closed her eyes and tried to get him closer although it was practically impossible. She just wanted him as close as she could get him.

Maeve had finally admitted it to him.
She finally told him how she felt. And it wasn't forced or just in the moment. She felt truly about what she'd said.

She was in love with Isiah Jesus.

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