Four years ago

Four years ago the worst day in my life happened.

Four years ago my life was torn to shreds and my heart ripped out then stomped on.

Four years ago Thomas Shelby returned home to Birmingham after being away for the war and proceeded to act like I was a complete and utter stranger to him that didn't warrant any of his time, for reasons I know not.

We were to be married, to have children and grow old together; but I was pushed aside like yesterday's garbage. No one would tell me had happened, why he was behaving like he was, I received nothing but looks of pity from Polly, John and Arthur, and blank faced stares from Tommy.

So I left, I had only stayed in Small Heath Birmingham to be with Tommy, my family had left for London years previous, coincidentally with strict instructions for Tommy to respect and protect me, to treat me as the most important woman in the world. A promise he broke. So with a broken heart and tail between my legs I went to my family and tried to put it all behind me.

I immersed myself into the family business which had started to make a name for itself as a family not to cross, I needed to keep myself busy and distracted, and I took whatever jobs and tasks I could get my hands on and I also quickly made a name for myself as well.

All roads lead to an end they say. That's how I find myself sitting on the steps of my home smoking a cigarette to calm a sinking feeling I've had in the pit of my stomach since my father early this morning called for a family meeting. My stomach has never been wrong with its instincts.

The front door to the house opens behind me and my older brother Hiram Brotto steps out from the house, no doubt to come collect me for the meeting. Hiram is a tall man, he towers over nearly everyone.

"What the fuck you doing sitting out here? Fuck, we have been waiting on you to start, let's go." Hiram says all seemingly in one breath in his urgency to get back inside to not anger our father Henry Brotto.

I look over my left shoulder at Hiram while I take one last inhale of my cigarette before stubbing it out next to me. Hiram is a handsome man if it's anything to go by with the trail of ladies he leaves behind him.

He pushes his dark strands of hair out of his eyes as he waits for me to make haste inside, his bright green eyes that he inherited from our mother flicking between myself, the street and back to inside the house. He was anxious and not just about keeping father waiting.

I slowly bring myself up to stand and follow my brother inside. As we make our way down the hallway towards father's office Hiram hasn't lost his nervous edge, his fingers twitch and I can feel his gaze on the side of my face. He opens his mouth as if to say something but closes it before uttering a single word. Just as we reach my father's office door, Hiram finally works up the courage to say what's been bothering him.

"Hilda…I…You know that everything that" he stops in a huff "Fuck, OK look, dads got something planned right, you're not going to like it at all, both me and Harry tried to talk him out of it, said 'we don't need that lot after what he did' but he won't listen, he made up his mind" Hiram stops again and seemingly to collect himself before he places his hand on my shoulders in a comforting manner.

"What I'm trying to say is you're a Brotto and you're not the same person they left behind, don't let them forget it." He held his grip on my shoulders and maintained eye contact for a second or two longer to make sure his message was received. It wasn't.

I looked at my brother in confusion, trying to sort through my brain quickly as to what my brother could be trying to tell me, what my father could have done.

"I don't understand, what's happening Hiram?" I asked my brother, searching his face hoping for the answer to magically jump out at me.

I've made an error he's not anxious, he's angry.

Before Hiram can answer footstep sound from behind the office door before its reefed open and standing in the threshold is Harry Brotto, the other Brotto Sibling, the eldest in fact. Harry looks almost identical to Hiram with the most obvious difference being that he had grown a beard that he was quiet fond of. He also inherited golden brown coloured eyes from my father like myself.

Harry seems startled to find us on the other side of the threshold before recovering himself and taking a side step out of the way and with a gesture of his arm ushers us both inside.

The three of us Brotto siblings slowly made our way into our father's office and each took a seat in the three chairs that sat in front of fathers desk.

Henry Brotto sits on the other side of the desk, a big bulk of a man, clearly Hiram gets his height from Henry, his once near black hair has started to show his age with thick streaks of grey appearing at the side his head, as well as his mustache starting to turn white.

Henry is an imposing man, and he like to use it to his advantage, he likes his power over others, even his children with his incessant need to make us sit quietly while we wait for him to finish going over his documents of the business, documents we know he's already read, he just wants us to wait, because he's in charge.

After a tedious amount of time later, father finally pushed aside his paper work before clearing his throat to begin the meeting that he called us all together for.

"I have an announcement to make" he starts "You will listen and there will be no arguments about what I'm going to tell you, is that clear?" He doesn't wait for a response; he knows we understand the consequences of questioning him and his authority, he is head of the family and the business, what he says go, period.

"As you know, we didn't get this family where it is today easily. We fought tooth and nail to be sitting in this house today." Father lent forward on his desk, making eye contact with his two sons before finally settling his gaze on myself.

"We have made enemies" he continues, his gaze unwavering from me "enemies who think they can take what we have."

Henry Brotto finally breaks his eye contact with me as he slowly leans back and reaches into his suit jacket to take out his case of cigarettes, taking out a single cigarette then proceeding to light and inhale it.

"Hilda..." My father is interrupted by a knock on the door before one of the house maids pokes her head in and announces that father's guests have arrived, further opening the door to allow the guest to move past her into father's office.

I twist myself around in the chair to see who would be permitted to interrupt a family meeting. My heart thumps wildly in my chest as my golden brown eyes connect to icy blue, icy blue eyes I'm all too familiar with. He's still as imposing and handsome as ever. What the fuck was Thomas Shelby doing here?

Thomas strides into the room like he owns the place and both my brothers stand to greet and shake his hand, but I am frozen in my seat. What the fuck is going on?

Father who also remain seated clears his throat, stubs out his cigarette on his glass ashtray and with disdain in his voice says "Your early Shelby, she hasn't been informed yet" he turns to the house maid still hovering at the door "take the Shelby's to the sitting room, they can wait there while we finish this meeting." He says sternly, leaving no room for further discussion.

My head is overwhelmed, trying to conjure up reason why Thomas would be here, why any of them would be, but I don't have enough information. I can't think straight; after all this time why is he here, in my house, and why did my father let him in.

In a daze I tear my gaze away from Thomas and register that John and Arthur are standing behind him, their eyes flicking between myself and Thomas. That's when my brain finally snaps back into working order. Don't sit there like a gawking child Hilda, He left you, and they stood by and watched. You are not the girl they left behind.

I turned back around to face my father and placed a look of cold indifference onto my face, but inside I was overrun by so many conflicting emotions, I've been blindsided and I'm not processing what is happening. And my father can tell.

I hear the shuffle of shoes as the maid finally ushers the Shelby's out of the room and down the hallway to the sitting room with little resistance from them, and just before the door swings shut after them, Arthur can be heard with his deep gravely voice "how do you think she'll take being told she has to marry you Tommy boy?"

Authors Note:

Hey guys I'm new to FanFicton, well posting at least and i just wanted to chuck a note in to just give a little run down.

So I've always loved making story intro, it's kinda my go to, what i struggle with is actually getting past the intro, so i just wanted to warn people that post might be few and far between while i try and work what i want to do and where i want it to go with it for the future.

Thanks heaps guys and fingers crossed I'll be posting again soon! haha