REVELATION
When Polly had arrived that morning, it was quite possibly the most awkward and uncomfortable Sophie had ever felt around her aunt. Meeting her at the door in nothing but Alfie's large shirt, creased from the night before, watching her eyebrows raise and a knowing smirk plastered on Pol's face, she knew she was in for an earful on the car journey home. She'd hastily invited Polly in, took the clothes that her aunt had brought with her and dashed off upstairs to get changed.
Alfie walked down the stairs, catching sight of the Shelby matriarch standing in his kitchen and freezing. He recognised who she was from the numerous stories Sophie had told him.
"Good morning, Mr Solomons." Polly greeted him smugly. She stood with her arms crossed as she leant against the counter. He hummed in greeting, nodding his head at hers as he walked further into the kitchen.
He'd only woken up not too long ago, immediately becoming entangled in Sophie and her enchanting body. The morning light through the heavy curtains illuminated their bodies as they moved seamlessly together. Everything felt so natural for them, even before their long night of repeated closeness, They rarely had to verbally communicate what they wanted, the other just seemed to know exactly what was needed to push them over the edge. Alfie could picture it all now, the image of her bare back exposed as the duvet bunched around her waist while she slept. He remembered how he'd trailed his fingers across the perfect pale skin, drawing shapes in between her shoulder blades. Alfie wished he could live in this moment forever, together in their perfect paradise where the outside world was not allowed to infiltrate their happiness.
Sophie had begun to stir, stretching her limbs before rolling over to face Alfie. Her sleepy eyes looked up through her eyelashes at him, a small smile on her face. With one hand splayed across her back, Alfie lifted the other to gently move her hair out of her face and tuck it behind her ear. He needed this every morning, now that he knew what it was like to have her here in his bed, he never wanted her to leave.
"Coffee?" Alfie grunted, setting the kettle he'd filled with water on the stove.
"Sure." Polly said, pursing her lips. The stories she'd heard of the mad baker did not fit this domestic picture. Alfie stood, lighting the stove in his slacks and suspenders slung over the shoulders of his cream coloured linen shirt. His shoulders were slightly hunched, a hand raising to scratch at his beard irritatedly. He was a built man, large broad muscular shoulders and scars littering his forearms visible from where he'd bunched up the sleeves of his shirt to his elbows.
"How has she been?" Polly dares to make conversation. Watching for any clues to his feelings towards the girl. As he freezes, almost imperceptibly, her eyes narrow on him. Alfie remained facing the stove, reaching for two mugs to put the coffee powder into.
"Shaken, but that's to be expected when you gut two men the way she did, innit?" Alfie said, his left eye twitching slightly at the thought of the men who'd put their hands on Sophie. He'd been so distracted last night that he hadn't had much time to actually think about the events that led to her being in his home. Picturing it in his head, he found it hard to imagine his little Sophie taking down two fully grown men. Ollie had called to tell him that they'd found the bodies and taken care of it, detailing the bloody scene to Alfie. The scene was no more shocking than the image of her standing in his office, dripping head to toe in someone else's blood. She'd always had that small edge to her, proving it when he'd first met her with her bruised knuckles, but it was obvious to him that violence was not her first instinct. Sophie always seemed so delicate and nurturing to him, it was difficult to create a picture in which she was hurting someone else.
"She's never been very involved in that side of the business before. Would've been quite a shock to her, I'm sure." Polly said sceptically, pursing her lips as she analysed his behaviour. He turned to put the mug of coffee in front of her on the table, then moving to sit down at the small round table underneath the large window at the end of the room. He grunted as he lowered himself onto the wooden seat, placing his mug down on the black table top. "Mr Solomons, what exactly are your intentions with my niece?"
"Fucking hell, not gonna give me the talk are you?" Alfie grumbled, scratching at his beard again. Polly levelled him with a solid glare, unamused with his teasing. Lifting the mug to her lips, she raised one eyebrow as she took a long sip of the hot drink.
"Christ, well I fucking love her, don't I? Not that it's anyone's fucking business." Alfie said candidly. He met Polly's serious gaze with his own as he leant back into his chair, adjusting his position so he was facing her directly. Polly searched his eyes for any deception and came up empty.
Their intense staring was interrupted as Sophie came rushing down the stairs, dressed in her own clothes. Her feet hit the kitchen floor, her hair wild and bushy around her head as it hung down her back and her eyes flicked between the two.
"Is everything okay in here?" Sophie asked, a nervous laugh breaking through her words. She wore a pale yellow dress, which had a soft blue stitching across the frilly u-shaped waistline and frilly straps for sleeves. The skirt finished mid-shin and flounced airly around her body as she moved. It was her own dress, the kind she would usually wear when she was at home wandering through the streets of Small Heath or riding on one of their horses. On her feet she wore her trusty faded brown leather boots, tied tightly around her ankles.
Sophie's eyes focused on Alfie as she took in his stunned expression, suddenly growing shy at his focus. He had never seen her dressed like this, in her normal attire how she chose to spend her days. Every time Sophie came to London, her aunt would insist she wore clothes which were more becoming of a young lady.
"I was just telling Mr Solomons how urgently we need to get back to Birmingham, can't be leaving the men in charge for too long." Polly said, placing her mug on the table and walking towards the young girl. She took hold of Sophie by her shoulders, giving them a light squeeze as she examined the cuts on her face. The stitches seemed to make the cuts look much more aggressive, the skin an angry red as the dark black and purple bruises began to slowly bloom along the lines. Polly carefully grazed her fingers along the cut in her hairline, it was about four or five inches long weaving between her forehead and hair. "I'll be in the car, don't take too long saying goodbye." Polly teased giving her a wink as she grinned at her. With that, Polly left out the kitchen door. Alfie and Sophie stayed frozen in their spots, staring at each other, drinking in their appearances. Sophie heard the front door close as the sound echoed throughout the house.
"I'm not sure when I'll be able to see you again." Sophie broke the silence. She timidly began to fidget with the frills along her waistline, awkwardly not knowing what to do with her hands under his eyes.
"We'll find time. Guess I'll finally have to drag myself to fucking Birmingham, won't I?" said Alfie. Slowly he stood, using the table to aid him. Keeping his eyes on her, Alfie took slow even steps towards her until he stood directly in front of her. He reached out his hands to gently wrap them around her waist, pulling them together. "Especially if you're gonna be wearing things like this, yeah?" Alfie said before he dipped his head to nip at her neck. Snaking his hands down her body, he took a firm grip of her arse and gave it a strong squeeze as she inhaled sharply.
"Alfie." She whispered his name softly, placing her hands lightly on his chest. Her eyes fluttered closed as Alfie delicately kissed up her neck and across her jawline, eventually capturing her lips in a tender yet heated kiss. Keeping his left hand tightly on her arse, he used his right to hitch her the hem of her dress up so he could reach underneath. He began to heavily palm her through her thin underwear, eliciting a high pitched gasp from the girl. "Alfie…my aunt-"
He shushed her, looking into her deep blue eyes as he pushed her underwear to the side and quickly pushed a finger deep inside her. A large grin spread across his face as her eyes rolled back into her head, her eyelids screwing together tightly as her mouth shaped into an 'o'. He loved seeing her completely distracted with pleasure, especially when he knew it was him causing that pleasure. Not being able to wait much longer, he swiftly picks the girl up and seats her on the kitchen counter and begins to pull down his trousers enough so that he can free himself. Sophie is quick to tilt her hips so that he can enter her easily as he grips her dress and bunches it up around her waist so he can watch as he pushes deep inside her. As he becomes fully inserted inside her she lets out a loud moan, throwing her head back as she grips onto his shoulders. Alfie is unable to contain himself as he begins to slam into her fast, holding her waist so that she can't move, keeping her in the perfect position.
"Fuck, Alfie!" Sophie pants, digging her nails into his skin as the pleasure threatens to burst through her. It's rough and needy between them, a blazing fire that flickers wildly tearing through whatever it comes across. This love was different to the love they'd made only an hour or so ago when they woke in each other's arms. That had been slow and sensual, savouring the feel of each other's bodies as they expressed their love intimately. This now was much more desperate and raw, the pair needing to release the never-ending sexual tension between them. His thrust became sloppier and weaker as he began to reach his peak, planting another passionate heavy kiss on Sophie's lips. Their tongues connecting as he began to still, releasing his seed inside her. Alfie's lips pulled away from hers, lovingly pecking her forehead before slowly pulling out from her. He grabbed her face, lifting it so she looked in his eyes.
"I'm gonna call you, yeah love? Until I can see you again, I'll call you alright." Alfie spoke gruffly, a hint of neediness shining in his voice. Sophie licked her lips as she nodded her head.
Using one hand to re-button his trousers, he held out the other to help Sophie down from the counter. She smoothed her dress back down and kissed his cheek.
"I'll see you soon, Alf." She smiled before following after her aunt. She let the kitchen door close behind her before she quickly checked herself over in the large ornate mirror hung in the corridor, making sure her aunt wouldn't be able to tell what her and Alfie had just been up to. The last thing she needed was Polly prying for details in the long journey home. Satisfied with her appearance, she left the corridor and exited out the front door, spotting the fancy black car Polly was now sat in. A large man with a peaked cap sat in the front behind the wheel, waiting to take off back to Birmingham. Sophie glanced to check there were no oncoming cars before she crossed the street, opening the car door and climbing inside. She sat next to Polly in the back who gave her a mischievous smirk.
"What?" Sophie asked incredulously. Of course Polly knew. She could have come out dressed as a nun and Polly would still know.
"Nothing." Polly smirked. Sophie rolled her eyes as she slumped back into her seat, watching out the window as the driver began to drive away from Alfie's home. They sat in silence for the first half hour of the journey and Sophie could feel the warm safe feeling draining from her bones.
As they reached the countryside, trees flew past them as they sped along the road and Sophie's mind began to wander. The blurs of the passing scenery melted in and out of her vision, momentarily morphing into images of the men's arms reaching out to grab her. The evil glint in their eyes hiding amongst the branches of the menacing trees. Shifting uncomfortably in her seat, she squeezed her eyes shut tightly attempting to rid herself of the images. The darkness behind her eyelids blended into the dark alleyway, empty and waiting for her to be thrown into. Sophie clenched her fists tightly by her sides as their hands crawled under her skin, exploring every inch and defiling her.
"Sophie?" Polly's voice broke through her mental cage. Sophie's eyes shot open as she remembered where she was. Turning her head and connecting eyes with her aunt, the sympathetic and concerned look she found made her lip tremble slightly. Sophie laid her head in her aunt's lap, bunching her fist in her skirt as she let tears stream from her eyes. Polly began to run her fingers through the fragile girl's hair, shaken by the vulnerability in Sophie's eyes. She'd seemed so perfectly okay when she'd first arrived that morning, but now as they travelled towards their home, Sophie's resolve had crumbled to reveal her true emotions.
Polly knew very few details about what had happened to the young girl, but from what she had understood, Sophie had been through a great deal. The girl had never been one for violence, sure she'd punched a few people here and there, but compared to the rest of her family she was as harmless as a mouse. Somehow, their fragile flower had killed two men on her own unarmed. It was not going to be something that she let go so easily, both the blood on her hands and the violation of her body by two strangers. A war began to rage inside of Polly as she battled with how much information to relay to the rest of the Shelby's. There was no way she was going to be able to diminish the attack or any of its gory details, but her relationship with Alfie was going to be a large bomb to drop. The three eldest boys would never let Sophie return to London if they knew where she was going and ordinarily Polly would be joining them in that. However, seeing her so comfortable and happy in his home had muddled her brain. Thomas had described the man he'd intended to go into business with as violent and unhinged, and while Polly could easily see Alfie as capable of being those things, she had not expected to see him so vulnerable with the young girl. The change in his demeanour as Sophie had entered the room, the softening of his face and affection heavy in his eyes, had Polly questioning if removing him from Sophie's life was such a good idea. The man had taken care of her and protected her at her lowest, seeing her weakness and treasuring it fiercely. Perhaps, if Sophie was to become romantically involved with Alfie, it wouldn't be such a bad thing for her after all.