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He shrugs. “His name keeps coming up. Apparently, he’s dealing around the Abbey Road estate.”
“I’m starting to think that estate is more trouble than it’s worth,” I say.
“We can’t risk leaving it to the streets like before,” says Arthur. “Not after what happened with Jenifer Hall and the Palmer brothers,” he adds. They’d run it before, until we took care of them, fitting them up for murder and sending them to prison.
“And Mav doesn’t know of him?”
Albert shakes his head. “Which means he’s got to be a chancer, right? One of us would have heard of him otherwise.”
“Which means he’s a nobody and we shouldn’t worry,” I say.
Albert smirks, grabbing my hand as I try to pass. “We said that before, and I ended up with a price on my head.”
I stare down at our joined hands, then I look to Arthur, who’s frowning. I pull free and step away, unsure of how to feel about Albert’s obvious display of affection. Albert grins. “You going shy on me, Red?”
“You two are a thing?” asks Arthur.
“No,” I snap at the same time Albert says yes.
Arthur looks back and forth between us. “Well, which is it, yes or no?”
“It’s yes,” says Albert before I can reply. “She’s having a hard time accepting it.”
“Fuck,” mutters Arthur in surprise. “Have you told Ma?”
Albert shakes his head. “Not yet.”
His brother smirks. “Good luck with that one.” His words bother me more than I care to admit. Their mum seems lovely. She’s been staying at the clubhouse for a while now, and everyone loves her. Admittedly, I haven’t spent much time getting to know her but only because I’m always so busy. But Arthur’s right, his mum won’t want Albert dating someone like me.
I head upstairs to find Meli, ignoring the inner voice currently shaming me for never being good enough. “What’s the urgent matter I had to rush over for?” I ask.
“I need you to fake tan my back, I need help finding a dress for tonight, and . . .” She pauses and sighs. “Do you ever think you’re not good enough?” she blurts, flopping down on her bed.
I join her. “What are you talking about?”
She shakes her head. “All the dinner parties, the dressing up so I can chat with boring bastards at dinner parties I don’t want to be at, I just feel so out of my depth.”
I smile. “Right. You mean you don’t feel like you belong?”
“Arthur says I’m being silly. He grew up in Peckham and no one judges him. But it just feels like it’s his world, not mine.”
“Meli, you’re way better than any of those jumped-up fuckers who go to these bullshit things. Stop doubting yourself. You have as much right to be there as anyone.”
“I’m terrified I’ll say something to embarrass him. There’re always women there throwing themselves at him, and I just feel so . . . inadequate.”
“You’re not. You’re amazing. What’s the dinner for?”
“Some property development Arthur and Albert are investing in.”
“Both of them?” I ask, frowning.
“Yep. And it’s a plus one, so I can’t really get out of it. Not that Arthur would let me.”
I grab her fake tan. “That’s because he’s proud to have you on his arm.” I busy myself pretending to read the label while my mind goes into overdrive. Albert hasn’t asked me to the dinner even though he’s insisting we’re a thing. It bothers me.
“How about you come?” Meli suggests.
I laugh. “No. No way.”
