Chapter 2

1908

The unfamiliar streets of Birmingham stretched out before me as I made my way to the O’Connor house. It had been a few weeks since I had moved here from London, and Alice was one of the first friends I had made. We met at the library and had connected over shared interests such as our love for literature. As I approached the address Alice had given me, my heart raced with a mixture of excitement and nervousness. I rang the doorbell, and soon enough, the door swung open to reveal Alice’s bright smile.

“Kaitlin! I am so glad you could make it.” she exclaimed, giving me a warm hug. I returned the hug with a smile. “Thanks for having me, Alice. I’m really happy to be here.” Alice led me into the house, and immediately, I could feel the vibrant energy that seemed to permeate the air. The living room was filled with laughter and chatter, and I realised that I was surrounded by a lively group of people. “Kaitlin, this is my mum, Evelyn, and these lads here are my brothers, George and Ethan.” she introduced. “Oh, and that is my other brother, Cillian.” she said pointing behind me.

I turned to see the so-called “Cillian”, he was leaning against the wall, his gaze intense as he observed the room. His dark hair was neatly styled, and his expression seemed distant, as if lost in thought. “Nice to meet you,” I said with a polite smile, extending my hand. Cillian’s gaze met mine, and for a brief moment, I got lost in his eyes. The blue held a depth that seemed to see right through me, and I quickly pulled my hand back, feeling a bit flustered. “Likewise,” he replied, his voice deep and resonant.

“So, Kaitlin, what brought you to Birmingham?” Cillian asked, his gaze steady as he sipped his drink. I smiled. “My dad, he got elected as the new MP for Birmingham Central.” He nodded, his lips quirking into a small smile. “Well, you really shouldn’t be here then.” “What do you mean?” I asked. “Nothing.” Alice chimed in. “Well then, if you’d excuse me, I’ve got some business to attend to.” Cillian said grabbing his coat. “Kaitlin, if you need any recommendations or someone to show you around, feel free to ask. You know where to find me.” He said before rushing out of the door.

1915

Back then, I didn’t know the business Cillian was doing that day, but it didn’t take me more than a week to find out. I noticed the scared looks people had on their faces whenever an O’Connor was around and eventually Alice buckled and told me. Her family was part of a gang, a gang that made its money through illegal bookmaking and fixing races, and they weren’t just members of it, they bloody led it.

“Kaitlin.” Cillian says rushing into our room, pulling me out of thoughts. I turn to him with a confused look on my face

“What is it, Cill?” I ask. He gestures towards the door. “Come with me.” “Where to?” I ask. “You’ll find out soon enough, love.” he says intertwining our fingers and pulls me out the door. For a bit, we just stroll through the town, silently enjoying each other’s presence, until we come across the canal by the old bridge. A spot we knew all too well.