Chapter Three
Familiar Faces

The party was a grand affair and no expense was spared, it seemed. Tommy glanced around at the room full of people where successful businessmen with wives too posh to even glance in his direction were stood on the outskirts of the room. There were men who he recognised who had brought women from the whore houses to keep them company for the evening. He smirked as he recognised a few of the women, but the women pretended to not recognise him and thus avoided his gaze as it swept over them. And then there were men like him who were only there for the free alcohol. Kimber and Tommy never had the best relationship, but it was to keep up appearances. Keep your friends close but your enemies closer, that kind of thing.

A whistle captured Tommy's attention and he glanced over at his brother Arthur who was owner of the whistle. He tipped his head to the side, and Tommy allowed his gaze to move towards who Arthur was motioning towards. Billy Kimber entered the room looking as smug as ever with his wife hanging off his arm, looking as if she wanted to be anywhere but there with him. As Billy glanced around at the faces staring back at him, his gaze fell on Tommy who smirked and lifted his whiskey glass towards him in a mocking manner. This seemed to anger Kimber and he failed to hide his reaction causing Tommy to become even more amused. Kimber moved towards a group of people in conversation.

Arthur caught Tommy's attention. He said, "How long do we have to be here for? I've seen drunks more entertaining than this shit hole."

His comment caused the people around him to tut in disgust at his language. Tommy found it amusing that their mere existence at a party was causing people to be so outraged.

"We'll stay for a little longer, brother," Tommy replied, his eyes moving across the mass of people that seemed to fill the room quickly. "Nothin' makes you more uncomfortable than people who do not want us here. But that is somethin' I enjoy most."

Arthur smirked, and excused himself to get himself and his brother another drink. Tommy took the opportunity to keep an eye on Kimber as he moved from group to group. Tommy would describe him as an eel; a slippery little shit, who, if you didn't have a constant gaze on him, would slip away and disappear right under his nose. He hated him for that, but not only that, he also had a face that Tommy would love to punch.

They had only been there for less than twenty minutes but already he was bored. He felt so out of place at events like this that when he was invited to them – which was a rare occasion – he made sure he showed his face before leaving quickly. Give him The Garrison Pub where fights broke out nearly every night over this place anytime, at least he was respected there unlike this place. The people who attended these kind of events were the high and mighty of Birmingham. It was just a place where they paraded their wealth around to rub it in people's faces. It was not a place Tommy ever wanted to associate with but he had business to keep up with and he had to keep a watchful eye over Kimber.

Arthur returned at that moment with fresh drinks, and Tommy finished his old drink and placed it upon the bookshelf behind him.

"This drink, Arthur, then we leave," Tommy ordered, to which his brother nodded.

"Do yer ever think he gets sick of listening to himself talk?" Arthur asked, as he directed to conversation towards Kimber. "I bet he doesn't. I bet he gets off on it knowing he can bore people to death just by hearing his voice."

Tommy smirked and let out a laugh. "I do feel sorry for his missus, though."

"I bet she has to stop herself from trying to kill him every time he comes near her," Arthur commented. "Especially knowing that his eyes are on every other woman except her."

"She must be used to it," Tommy wondered. "He's pretty exhausting to be around. It probably gives her some space away from him to actually be able to talk about anything other than that hair of his."

"I wonder if his mum still cuts it for him," Arthur joked. "Hey… at least we have free whiskey to get us through this. I'm surprised no one has thrown themselves out of the window yet."

"There's still time," Tommy commented. "I'm guessing at least a few of these people have thought about it by now."

"Wanna make a bet there, Tommy?" Arthur chuckled.

"Alright. I'm guessing at least half of this crowd have thought about either choking him to death or jumping to their death just to get away from him and his never-ending stories," Tommy said, analysing the crowd. "Five quid."

Arthur chuckled. "Do we go around the room asking them?"

Tommy smirked. "You can, brother."

"Nah, I'm too busy. I've got whiskey to drink," Arthur replied. "You win."

Tommy watched as Kimber moved deeper into the crowd and towards a couple. They had their backs turned to him, and Tommy watched as Kimber tapped the man on the shoulder. The man turned around first smiling at Kimber. The woman remained talking to another couple as the two men fell into an easy conversation.

And it was as if all time slowed as his eyes watched her from afar. She turned around as the blonde man called her name. His breath hitched in his throat. She was dressed in a white laced gown with her hair in an up-do but with a few pieces of curled hair down to frame her face. He wondered if it was his mind playing tricks on him again like it always did but he knew this time that it was real. She was there. He narrowed his eyes at the scene in front of him: she was stood close to the tall blonde man wearing a tuxedo who was deep in conversation with Kimber. He could see Kimber move his head slightly, and he could only guess that he was taking prime opportunity to glance at the woman's bosom. She was obviously uncomfortable at that, and Tommy noticed a flush of red creep across her chest and up her neck. The man stood next to her didn't seem to notice the unwanted attention coming from the Kimber who was ogling Martha's body like it was a piece of meat. Tommy felt anger surge within him.

Arthur seemed to notice Tommy tense up and tapped him on the arm to remind him of where he was. "We want no trouble," Arthur reminded him. He nodded quickly, although he couldn't help but notice he had curled his hands into a fist.

"Is that her?" Tommy asked Arthur, uncertain. "Or is it my mind again?"

Arthur scanned the crowd until his eyes fell on a familiar figure. He bit his lip for a moment.

"Is that her?" Tommy asked again.

"Yes, Tommy," Arthur replied, wishing that he could deny her existence at the party. "It's her."

Tommy nodded slowly, his jaw clenching.

"What are you gonna do, Tommy?" Arthur said, his voice stern as if warning Tommy.

"Nothin'," Tommy whispered, his eyes never falling away from her.

He wasn't sure what he expected when he looked at her. He had hoped that she would look different, but with her standing just a distance away from him, she looked exactly the same as he remembered her to be. The only thing different was the dress that she wore. She never dared to dress that way. She was always modest with her attire, knowing that any attention in her direction was unwanted. She was a shy person, a naïve girl who had opened her life to him. He'd grown up with her and yet staring at her, it was as if he was looking at a stranger. He was able to read her movements: the way she rubbed her neck signified that she was uncomfortable and anxious; and the way she always glanced towards the door every couple of seconds meant she wanted to escape. He knew her, and yet in the same moment, he didn't. Time had passed between them.

Tommy looked away to compose himself, and that was when he felt it. The burning sensation upon his skin. He knew she had noticed him then. He took a moment before he returned his gaze to her. They stared at each other for a moment before she looked away, her face pale and mouth ajar. She returned her gaze almost immediately, as if disbelieving he was there. He narrowed his gaze at her, trying to figure out her reaction. She moved away from the two men and moved in his direction as if an unseen force was pulling her towards him. However, she was unable to get that far as Kimber grabbed her wrist tightly and yanked her back with such force that it caused her to fall on the marble floor. It was unseen to others but it was clear as day to him.

Anger surged through Tommy's veins once more as he saw Martha disappear, and he moved through the crowd of people, not caring that he was pushing people out of the way at that point. His eyes fell upon Martha on the ground, tears streaming down her blushed face. His eyes moved towards the blonde man standing next to her, obviously embarrassed that she had fallen. He sneered at him, aware of Martha never taking her eyes off him.

Kimber joked about her having too much to drink, not realising that Tommy was stood behind him. Tommy cracked his head towards Kimber after his comment about Martha, and before Kimber knew it, Tommy had him by the scruff of his neck. Kimber freaked out at that moment as he stared at the seething face of Tommy who stared down at him.

"You wanna say that again, Billy?" Tommy seethed, running his tongue along his teeth.

"S-she h-had too much c-c-champagne," Kimber stuttered.

"I saw what you did," Tommy said calmly.

The blonde man pulled Martha to her feet roughly, whispering something in her ear. Tommy glanced at her.

"Are you hurt?" asked Tommy. Martha went to answer his question but the man next to her stepped forward.

"She's fine," he said.

Tommy never took his eyes off Martha, and asked her the question again. "Are you hurt?"

"I said, she's fine," the man answered for her again, more sternly this time. But still Tommy's gaze never wavered from Martha and he knew that she was anything but fine. Her eyes were red and tear filled, her entire right side of her body was red from where it connected with the marble floor, and her lip was bleeding from where her teeth bit into her bottom lip.

"If you answer for her again, you'll be spitting out teeth," Tommy warned. "Are you hurt?"

Martha offered a faint nod of the head, and that was all Tommy needed. He let go of Kimber causing the man to fall into a heap on the floor. Tommy offered a hand in Martha's direction, and she glanced at it for a moment. When Tommy felt her hand slip in his, he felt his entire body jolt. The feeling of her hand in his once more caused him to become breathless. He led her out of the room where all eyes were on them until Arthur who trailed after them closed the door to the grand room behind them.

Tommy led her towards the bathroom and opened the door. He let go of her hand and allowed her to enter first. He motioned to Arthur. "Watch the door. Don't let anyone come in."

And with that, he closed the door behind him.