𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟔𝟒

Polly walked barefoot to where they
rest of the family stood. "Sorry for calling the meeting here but the location is part of the deal." Tommy said.

"What fucking deal?" Arthur asked. Maeve rolled her eyes and hugged her arms to her body. "How does it feel to be barefoot in the mud again Pol?" Tommy ignored Arthur's question.

"Makes me feel young. What fucking deal?"

"Hold on—" the ginger Shelby interrupted. "Why is it that every fucking meeting tends to be here in this boat yard that is freezing and stinks of shit!?" She snapped. "I'm sorry Uncle Charlie but it's the truth." She added.

"Maeve if you'd be willing to let me talk this would all be over a lot quicker." Tommy said with a sigh. Maeve glared at him but said no more.

"Four boats, four days up the Grand Union from Poplar to here. Half the cargo is coal, underneath is pure opium crystal." He said.

"Opium?" Polly asked. "I vote against it." She said quickly.

"They can't use trucks cause the Chinese drivers get stopped by the police," he argued. "They need to get it out of London cause all the warehouses are being searched by Customs. The seven tons is bound for San Francisco,  but the outward ship doesn't sail for seven days from Liverpool. They need somewhere safe to store it, all we have to do is take it up the canal and keep it there for a week."

"We don't fuck with the Chinese, Tom. Dad always said it." Arthur said. "It's business, Arthur." Tommy argued.

"I vote against." Maeve said, her eyes focused on a barrel not too far from them. Tommy raised an eyebrow at her. "Once upon a time, Maeve, you would play with the snow. What happened?" Tommy asked, referring to cocaine.

"I grew up." Maeve retorted.

He stared at her for a few moments but finally turned back to Arthur. "Ask yourself, would you turn down £250,000? To drive four boats up the canal with no prospect of inspection?"

"I vote against it Tom." Arthur huffed.

"Polly, £250,00 that's half of what Micheal lost in Chicago. I will ask him to take charge of this business." Tommy offered:

"Michaels position will be reinstated in the company?" she asked.

"His period of quarantine will be over."

"Polly do not tell me you're considering such a deal just for your innocent little Micheal?" Maeve mocked. Polly raised an eyebrow at the girl.

"Arthur think about it, four boats sailing up the cut smelling of woodsmoke and bacon." Thomas continued.

"Which ones of Charlie's Gypsy diddicoy friends do you trust Tom, eh?" Arthur asked. "With a cargo worth a million pounds."

"I've already made provision. I'm needed at a meeting. Let's vote. Those in favour?" Arthur hummed, Polly raised her hand as well as Tommy. Isiah, who had been awfully quiet whilst standing behind Maeve slowly raised his hand and she looked over her shoulder, looking at him with some sort of disgust.

Their eyes diverted to John and he shook his head. "I withdrew my place in this business a long time ago." He reminded them.

"Motion carried. Arthur, tell Charlie we need four boats, four tons of coal before it gets dark." Tommy said.

After Tommy went to do whatever it was he was going to do, Polly slowly approached Arthur.

"The man you cut— he went to the police. But we dealt with it." This caught Maeve's attention instantly. "Was she with him?" Arthur whispered.

"If she was it would be your fault, Arthur. But they say his face was so badly cut it was hard to look at. So i would say not. I would also say it is time to give up on Linda. Find someone else who might be able to put your fires out."

Maeve didn't like her Aunts tone at all. Isiah squeezed her shoulder in hopes it would prevent her saying something.

"I can't though, Pol." Arthur muttered. "I fucking can't!" He shouted. Maeve was quick to stand to her feet and got her father, placing a reassuring hand on his arm.

"I'm dealing with that, dad. I've got something up my sleeve."

"God when don't you?" Arthur whispered. "Leave me to it and i'm sure thing will work out in the end. We have made it this far. Don't let that woman be the reason you fail."

-

Maeve turned to the door as it opened, revealing Isiah who stood with a grin on his face. "The party is starting," he informed her, giving her a once over and admiring the dress she was wearing.

Maeve nodded and carefully put her earrings in, watching Isiah through the mirror as he walked closer to her.

"Ya look beautiful, sweetheart." He whispered, standing behind her and placing a kiss on her bare shoulder. "Bloody beautiful."

Maeve leaned into him slightly and chuckled. A part of her had forgotten she still had a fiancé that was yet to be dealt with. "I can't believe this, you know? A family like us holding parties like these."

"Everybody starts somewhere. It just so happens that you all started from the bottom." Isiah said, placing hands on her shoulders and squeezing them slightly. "You voted in favour of the opium deal. Why?" She questioned.

Isiah shrugged.

"I thought we had both moved on from that shit." Maeve turned to face him. Isiah looked at her with a strange look in his eye. "You did..I didn't." He said. "There was no agreement between us to stop doing drugs, Maeve."

She looked at him sadly. "Clearly." She whispered, reaching up and wiping the small amount of white powder from underneath his nose.

Maeve shoved him away slightly and walked to the door. He remained still and just lowered his head, shoving his hands into his pockets. Isiah didn't know how long it would take to have the Shelby girl being one hundred percent normal with him. But he knew he'd wait.

-

Maeve waltzed into the large dining room that was full of people dressed extremely nicely. She swiped a drink off a passing maid's tray and looked around.

"Maeve—" Ada greeted with a wide smile, opening her arms up for the girl to embrace her. Happiness automatically ran throughout Maeve upon seeing her auntie who had practically been in and out of the picture for years. Maeve sighed into Ada's shoulder and looked down, placing a gentle hand on Ada's growing baby bump.

"How's the baby?" She asked.

Ada had a soft smile still present on her lips. "They're getting there— you'd have thought i had offended them with how much they bloody kick." Ada joked.

Maeve chuckled lightly and placed a hand on her aunt's outer arm. "It's really lovely having you around a lot more, Ada." She admitted.

Ada looked at her with sympathetic eyes. "And you, Maeve— are you better?" She asked, lowering her voice. Maeve pursed her lips into a smile but shrugged. "Could say that." She said, "i'm off the drugs if that means anything."

"All progress is still progress." Ada assured her. "Thank you, Ada. Enjoy your evening and i'm sure i'll see you later." Maeve dismissed herself and joined Polly who was having a hushed conversation with Lizzie.

"So did you know?" Lizzie asked Polly, "What— Oh that tonight's special guest may have fucked you when you were a nightclub hostess? Yeah. Lizzie if we were to strike form our guest list, every man from Birmingham who—"

Maeve had raised eyebrows at the conversation she had walked in on.

"Fuck," Lizzie whispered, cutting Polly off and looking over her shoulder. "Yes or no?" Polly asked. "Fucking yea." Lizzie shook her head.

"What on earth are you two talking about?" Maeve finally chimed in. Polly stifled a laugh. "About how Tommy's special guest for the night has fucked Lizzie." Polly said.

"That really narrows it down, Polly." The younger Shelby said with thick sarcasm lacing her voice. Lizzie glared at her and swigged her drink.

"Shit," she muttered when seeing Tommy approach them with the special guest.

"Mr Oswald, my wife, Lizzie. Lizzie, Sir Oswald Mosley." Tommy introduced. They looked at each other. "Since we all appear to know and since knowledge is permission, i'm sure Mr Shelby in the spirit of our honest relationship you won't mind me saying, it was a bottle of champagne and an evening well spent." Oswald tormented.

"Actually it was an evening wasted," Lizzie corrected. "For the champagne and brandy you bought me, as i recall it was the booze that put you to sleep a little prematurely." she said, throwing a coin into his drink.

Maeve almost choked on her drink and smacked a hand over her mouth. "Do excuse me," she apologised, turning away and attempting to contain her laughter. "Jesus christ." She whispered.

-

Everyone sat watching as a dance was performed in front of them. Maeve wasn't particularly interested in the ballet performance despite its beauty. She carefully scanned the room and her eyes landed on a face that made her heart drop.

Suddenly she felt light headed. It was as if she'd seen a ghost. And really...she had. Except it was only a ghost to Maeve.

Her heart had began beating rapidly and she stood, trying to sneak away from the tent and back toward the house. Placing a hand on her chest, she felt herself struggle to breath. Maeve stopped and clung onto a wall. Her eyes burned with panic. "How— what..that's not even possible." She wheezed to herself.

How the fuck was Max Montgomery alive? And why had he been sat across from her.

"Maeve?" A voice called out.

"I can't— I can't breathe.." She said, a hand on her chest a she held onto the wall. "Maeve—" they said again, grabbing onto her arm gently.

Turning her head, she felt as though she was going to throw up. It was Max. He had followed her out. Maeve's eyes widened and she pulled away from him. "You?" She asked.

Max took a step away, not wanting to scare her. "Listen i'm not here to cause any trouble, alright?" He asked, his cockney accent thicker than she could remember. "I just want to talk to ya that's all." He promised.

Maeve shook her head and did indeed panic at the sight of him. "But you're dead— I killed you."

Max swallowed hard and shook his head. "You almost killed me— jesus christ Maeve, sit down will you?" He said with genuine concern in his voice at her broken breathing. She ignored him until he had placed a pair of hands on her shoulders and forced her to sit on the edge of the fountain that was out at the front of Tommy's house.

"Get off me," she gritted through her teeth.

"Maeve— I swear i'm not going to do anything to ya. I ain't like that no more." Max said genuinely. He peered over his shoulder at approaching headlights and frowned, lifting a hand to shield his eyes.

Maeve looked up and also covered her eyes at the bright lights.

That's when they saw someone in the distance, stood in front of the car. But what they didn't know was that the somebody was Arthur.

Maeve shakily stood and watched beside Max, breathing heavily. He stole a glance at her and let out a breath.

Arthur stood in front of the car, squinting when Linda appeared. "I heard there was a family occasion?" she said. "Look i'm sorry, Linda, that animal inside me, it comes out and i can't stop it." Arthur pleaded.

Maeve frowned and squinted harder, trying to see who it was. It was the posture that gave it a way. Arthur stood with his legs parted and his arms dangling at his sides, his fists clenched.

"Fuck, Linda without you— come inside please." he begged. "His name was Frederick, all we did was talk, Arthur. He just listened. And now he has no face. He's as ugly on the outside as you are on the inside." Linda said angrily.

She pulled a gun. "May you peaky blinders all rot.."

Within this time, Maeve had sensed something strange and goosebumps had covered her body. And that's when she knew there was a reason she had kept her gun in her purse that night.

"In fucking hell!" Linda shouted. A gun sounded out it wasn't Arthur who fell.

Tommy appeared from the darkness with concern written all over his face. "Arthur?" he asked. They all looked over their shoulder at Maeve who held a gun, it shaking rapidly in her hands. Linda lay on the floor.

Maeve's eyes were wide, her hands were shaking. Her knees were weak again and she looked at the gun in her hand, not being able to believe what she'd just done. The sound of the metal clashing to the floor as she dropped it rang in her ears.

"I thought she was going to shoot
you— I panicked." Maeve took a deep breath, pressing a hand to her forehead.

It was strange to see her distressed over shooting the woman she despised most. Maeve stumbled backward and felt her legs shake. Accidentally, she collided with Max who had been standing behind her.

"What the fuck is he doing back?" John asked, starting to approach the boy but only to be dragged back by Tommy. Their eyes darted between Maeve who was being held by the Montgomery boy and Arthur who was cradling Linda.

Maeve didn't fight him this time, she shoved her head into his chest and closed her eyes, whispering things to herself. Max couldn't make out what she was saying but for whatever reason she was completely distraught.

"They're coming to get us—" Her voice was croaky and it sent an eery feeling over Max.

"Take her inside— go." Tommy demanded, joining his eldest brother in attempts to see to Linda. Max nodded once and helped Maeve walk inside.

Isiah stood not too far away, watching with anger deep inside of him. Max was back— why? And why was he consoling Maeve?

"John," Isiah said, catching his attention. "Tell me why the fuck that bastard has his hands on Maeve?" He stormed to John, aggressively pointing to the house. John turned to him and shook his head. "I could ask the same fucking thing.." He muttered under his breath.

-

"Outside till it's done, brother." Tommy urged, pushing Arthur away. Linda groaned, screaming as Tommy searched her wound whilst she lay on the table.

"Linda, i would've taken your bullet." Arthur kneeled beside her. "I deserve the bullet." He cried.

"An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth!" Linda screamed in agony. Arthur stepped away. "Linda, look at me—" Tommy said. "You've got a kid if you die, he'll come to us to raise."

"She used a derringer." Polly said, holding the gun Maeve had dropped outside. Mosley appeared. "Get him out, family only."

"Mr Shelby, on your behalf—"

"Get out!" Arthur shouted, pointing his gun at him.

John snatched Arthur's gun from his hand and placed a hand on his chest to push him backward. "If ya know what's good for you, get the fuck out." John spoke lowly to Mosley.

"Where's my girl?" Arthur grabbed John by the collar. "Where's Maeve? Do not let that bastard near her— d'ya hear me? Do not—"

Isiah pushed himself off the wall and stormed out. He couldn't wait there any longer not knowing what was going on with Max and Maeve.

Maeve sat on the bed and Max remained by the wall, hoping it would keep her relaxed. "Why are you back?" Maeve asked, wanting the full truth. Max took a deep breath. "To be honest with you Maeve— i don't know. I suppose I was hearing the name Shelby a lot and thought I needed to come back." He said. "Thomas invited me."

"But I thought I killed you!" She snapped, "you let them believe I killed you. Do you know what that did to me?"

"Maeve—" He began.

"Max, you were the first boy I had ever had feelings for properly. They were real. We were real. And then suddenly you changed and became this jealous and angry boy." Maeve shook her head, staring at the floor.

"And i'm sorry for that— I really am." Max alologised. "But after you almost killed me, Tommy gave me money and told me to get the fuck out of the city." He admitted. "He said you were losing yourself and if I stayed, you wouldn't get better."

She looked up at him and her mouth parted. Tommy had said that? He had invited Max?

"And the whole thing about you and Isiah..everything we had disappeared within moments. It slipped between your fingers— our fingers."

"It was you who sent the card." Maeve whispered. "You sent the fucking card."

He crossed his arms and nodded simply.

"Do you know what that did to me? You can't just write such a thing and not sign it. Max— i've turned into a paranoid mess. I always have been. And over these years I claimed to be getting better but deep down I knew i wasn't. And to receive a card with such a sentence..it felt like a threat."

Max huffed and tried to think of something to say. "I didn't know what else to do. I needed to come back and try fix things."

"Fix what?"

"Us." He said almost shamefully. Maeve tilted her head and placed her fingers on her lip. "Max im engaged.." She told him.

Isiah walked up the stairs heavily and his footsteps made loud noises. "Where the fuck are ya— eh?" He shouted, opening and closing doors as he walked along. He finally got to the room they were in and flung the door open, letting it hit the wall.

Maeve jumped and looked at him fearfully. "Isiah what the fuck?" She asked.

"What are you doing, eh, Montgomery? What is it that brought you back?" Isiah got him by the shirt and pinned him to the wall. Maeve was quick to stand, not wanting the pair to fight. "Isiah."

"I wanted to fix things. It wasn't right- none of it was right. The way we left things wasn't okay." Max said, not cowering in the slightest.

Isiah breathed heavily and inched closer. "If you've laid a single finger on my fucking—"

"She said she's engaged." Max turned to face Maeve, "you said you were engaged..i didn't think it was to Isiah." Max said to her. Isiah aggressively grabbed the boys face and forced him to look him in the eye.

"She's engaged to some fuck off American who loves the money. And even still she ends up in bed next to me." He whispered. Which was a complete lie because Maeve and Isiah hadn't fucked since before she left for America.

Max, once again, just stared at him. He wasn't phased. "Good for you, Isiah. You've always liked taking other peoples girls, haven't you? First you took mine now you're taking the 'fuck off American's?" He asked.

"Let go of him!" Maeve shouted, "I am neither of your girl— not anymore!" She said truthfully.

This made Isiah let go of Max. Her words confused him. "You fuckin what?

"I am still engaged, Isiah." She walked to him, pointing at the ring on her finger. "Therefor I am Jonathan's fiance until the wedding gets called off. And until then— me and you aren't anything. Especially not if you're going to be so goddamn childish!"

Max refrained from laughing and sniffed. "I didn't come to cause problems. I came to try and resolve them."

"Yeah fuck off, Montgomery." Isiah hissed, scoffing.

"I'm a bad person and you— Max, you hurt me. We hurt each other. That makes you a bad person too. And bad people do not change no matter how hard they try." She said.

"No— Maeve. I have changed. I can swear that on my father's fucking grave. You tried to change and have failed. And everything you do or have done, makes you a bad person. This life you continue to live makes you a bad person." He said, trying to be truthful.

Isiah stared him down and watching him get closer to Maeve. She shared a look with Isiah and her hands squeezed together — her knuckles turning white.

"You can't change no matter how hard you try." He muttered.

Isiah kept his eyes on Maeve, giving her a look of reassurance hoping she wouldn't give in to him and flip out. But she couldn't hold the eye contact. Maeve stared down at her feet and shook her head. Her breathing was unsteady again and her eyes were burning.

"Did you come back just to wind her up, Montgomery? It ain't 1920 anymore. You can't just do that cause someone will have your fucking head." Isiah told him.

Max shook his head with refusal.

"If it's an apology you want— just ask." Maeve snapped. The two boys looked at her. Max stepped forward. "I want an apology." He leaned close and whispered. His breath was hot on her skin and it made her feel sick.

"I'm sorry that i didn't kill you." Maeve hissed, getting in his face. There was a satisfied grin on Max's face that he had been able to somewhat make her snap.

"Get out." A voice came from the door. Maeve looked and relief filled her from seeing John. "Both of you get out." He demanded. John was still calm despite the anger that ran through him. Isiah looked between Maeve and John in hopes she'd tell him to stay.

"I'm not going to tell you again," he pulled a gun from the back of his trousers.

Max and Isiah's eyes widened and they nodded, walking to the door.

Maeve walked over to the window and placed her head in her hands. John waited for the two boys to leave before closing over the door and tucking the gun back into his waistband.

"Maeve," he said gently. She said nothing. John let out a sigh and walked to her. "Maeve come here." He tutted, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her in.

Maeve let out a breath and that's when she started crying again. She held onto John, taking a fist full of his shirt into her hand. He rubbed her back and placed a hand on the back of her head.

"Come on— sit down." John urged. The pair ended up sat on the floor with their backs against the wall and Maeve took a few deep breaths.

"Linda..is she?"

"She's fine." John reassured her. "Your dads a bit upset but he ain't angry at you or anything. But we're all worried about you Maeve— me especially." He started, "cause what the fuck is this?" He asked, referring to her meltdown.

"I'm not alright John. I hate what i have become— i need help. Real help. Not those shitty meds that Polly gave to Arthur or a cup of tea and a conversation. Yes we're a violent family who live a violent life but it's not right. None of it's right. I almost killed Max because he layed hands on me— i shot Theadosia because she betrayed the family. I fucking beat and broke some lad's arm in my school because he was taunting me about my mum—"

"The beating was reasonable and so was the shooting with Thea. And with Max it's just a shame it went so far. You lost control and there's nothing you can do now— he's alive and that's that. You can't change the past. Your past is what makes you Maeve."

"Yes but i'm not proud at who I am!" She shouted. "None of this is right, John. You and I both know it. God you almost died because of what we are!" She reminded him. "I almost died."

John grabbed the side of her neck and forced her to look at him. "The moment I almost died was the moment i withdrew my role in this business. You can do the same."

"But i can't!" Maeve said, "they need me. They've said it themselves."

"But what do you want, Maeve? Say the words and me and you can go run away to some big fuck off house in the countryside like we said we said we'd do when you were little— before the war, d'ya remember?"

Maeve smiled slightly. "I remember. But I can't leave dad."

"Maeve..what do you want? Think about yourself. Not everybody else."

"I want to be happy again." Maeve whispered.

The door creaked open and Tommy stood there with a somewhat furious look on his face. "What the bloody hell were you thinking, Maeve?" He asked. Silence. "You could've killed her. That'd more blood staining your hands!" He entered the room, pointing a finger at her.

Maeve stared at him. There wasn't a single thought behind her eyes.

"Imagine what that would've done to ya father." He continued. "Shut up." Maeve hissed. Tommy raised his eyebrows. "You fuckin' what?" Tommy asked. "I said shut up!" Maeve shouted, shooting to her feet and shoving him backward by the chest although he didn't move very far.

John also stood to his feet cautiously.

"You tried to put on a facade to make us think you weren't like Arthur, eh. Well it isn't fucking working no more, Maeve. We see you as you are." He whispered.

"Go on. Say what you want to say." Maeve urged.

"You're nothing but a psychopath who carried the Shelby name like a crown." He said. His words fell from his tongue as if it meant nothing.

Maeve's hand collided with his face, slapping him. "Everything you touch, Thomas, turns to fucking dust. Freddie, Danny—" She paused, "Grace."

"Fuck you," Tommy shook his head lightly. "Fuck you!" He shouted, grabbing her by the arms and shaking her.

John shoved Tommy away and pointed in his face. "Stop it, Tom. Stop. Look at yourself. You're no better than she is. I never let you ever speak to her like that when she was sixteen so why the hell would i let you do it now, eh?" John asked. "Get a fucking grip Tom. Do it for all of us." John shook his head in disappointment.

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