elysiashelby

[elysiashelby]

In Another World - T.Shelby Imagine Ch. 31

Paring: Thomas Shelby x Aliena Welsh (OC)

Fandom: Peaky Blinders

Word Count: 21,521

WARNINGS: Cursing, Fluff, POV! Shifts, TIME SKIPS!!, SMUT! (NSFW): oral sex (female receiving), fingering, penetrative sex, unprotected sex, A LOT of hinted at sex

Summary: Aliena and Tommy have fallen into domestic bliss. Experience that with them and all it’s challenges.

MASTERLIST  CHAPTER 30  CHAPTER 32

A/N: This chapter also took a lot longer than I thought it was going to take. Sorry about that. Anyhow, I just kept falling in and out of love with Tommy and made it harder to write. Plus, life. But I’ll try to be more consistent in the future.... Sadly, I won’t make any promises.

This chapter is another filler, ig? Season two won’t appear till about chapter 34... HOPE YOU ENJOY!!

A LOT OF POV! CHANGES SO PLEASE REFER TO THE LINE BREAK GUIDELINE IN THE MASTER IF CONFUSED!!

It’s been three months since Percy’s birth, and the majority of it has been great. You know, your child lucks out when they get two insomniacs as parents. So, the lack of sleep was bearable, but it was the crying that got to me. Tom was always a pillar of strength, but I had to learn not to cry when Percy was crying. It was somewhat embarrassing, but I was aware of the possibility. 

There was a short time when he was two months old that I thought he had colic, but I think he was just feeling my stress. I have no clue! We asked the doctor, and he said it could be several things, but that Percy was healthy and did not have an illness. I’m guessing that colic was discovered in a different decade ‘cause he had no idea what I was talking about when I brought it up. It was frustrating. Plus, I had only heard of the “illness” and knew nothing other than it made babies cry uncontrollably.  

Ah! I used all the tips I learned from the internet. I wrapped him in a towel and gave him a water bath. I held him in certain positions that mimicked him still being in the womb. I focused on meditating as much as possible, even though I despise the practice. After two weeks, Percy calmed down, and it was smooth sailing after that.  

It was like all that crying regulated his little body or something ‘cause he’s been sleeping through the night since those past two weeks! Another thing is that despite us having a nursery, we hardly use it. Percy only sleeps in his crib for his naps; otherwise, he sleeps with Tommy and me. If I have to step out of the room, there’s usually a maid nearby to help me look after him. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve had to leave Percy in his crib while I had to do something while he was awake. 

Sleeping through the night was a significant milestone for Tommy and me seeing as we’ve yet to have sex since five months ago. It was around the time the doctor put me on complete bed rest, and even though we were given the okay to have sex again— we just haven’t. So many things got in the way, sadly, including our child. Not that we were celibate either. A lot of oral sex. It was nice, and I never thought that there’d be a day where I’d rather be fucked, but here we are! I guess I just miss it, if I’m honest. 

But then there was the fact that I haven’t been feeling great about my body since Percy’s birth. It was challenging juggling exercise and taking care of a baby, and I was managing, but not as well as I’d like. It’s easier to put off exercising to spend more time with my baby, and it’s obvious that I’d rather drop some freaking push-ups for an hour over staring at my son as he sleeps. I know that my body just needs time, but I wanted the time to be now. Not even for Tommy, but myself. It took so much hard work to achieve my ideal body, and I just really want it back.

My sex drive disappeared after Percy was born, and during the weeks, I was healing, but since then, it’s returned two-fold. Worth noting that Tom couldn’t keep his hands to himself during that time. Not even in a sexual way either, it was there— of course, but there were usually softer touches. I smacked his hands away from my breasts and hips more times than I cared to admit. I never thought that would be a problem either. 

Tommy hasn’t helped my increased urges in the slightest. I don’t know if he realized it or not, but he hasn’t had a haircut in a while, and I swear I’m in heaven. Not that I hate his usual style, but there was something about the way he looks with his sides grown out a bit and the top being floppy! If I had to pick an era, Tommy looks like the Shivering Soldier from Dunkirk or William Killick from The Edge of Love. Sometimes I wonder if he feels my staring— if he’s seen the moments where I clench my thighs together or bite my bottom lip.  

If you’ve ever seen Thomas Shelby playing with a baby, you too may just develop a breeding kink. You’ll be entitled to financial compensation for any emotional distress. 

Hell, Percy doesn’t have a lick of me in ‘em. He’s all his father! Spittin’ image he is. Tommy loves to beg to differ, but the man is blind, so I don’t take his words to heart. I know when a child looks more like the father than the mother! I thought that perhaps Percy had gotten his hair from me, but now with Tom’s hair growing out— I figure I might not even have that. 

I swear if this kid gets his attitude from me, then God help us!

I was sitting down on the sofa, staring down at those precious blue eyes of my Percy’s. He was having his dinner: milk. With a single finger, I began stroking the side of his face. Percy’s eyes found mine, and he smiled, then giggled.

“Are you happy? Huh?” I asked softly. “Filling your tummy up.”

Percy gave me another smile, cooed a little, and then began sucking again.

“Daddy is coming home soon, and then you’ll be stolen from me. But that’s alright, innit, ‘cause we’ll get to see that smile of his. No matter how big or small.” 

Percy smiled at me again before he moved his face away from my breast, began moving around in my arms, and reaching from me while babbling away. 

“What?” I asked excitedly while holding his tiny hand in mine. “What is it, Percy? Do you want to touch Mama’s face?” I giggled, which he mimicked. I leaned down ‘n began placing a bunch of kisses upon his closed fist. His giggles grew louder. As much as this was great fun, I knew he had to be burped sooner rather than later. “Okay, love. Up we get!” I rearranged Percy to face my shoulder where the towel I had there lay. Just in case Percy threw up. 

I expected my son to claim his first victim among the Shelby clan, but they were all experienced with babies. All except Michael. John deliberately set up the poor lad; gave ‘em Percy after the bastard spent his time throwing him up in the air. Quite the sight. 

I patted his back till I heard that belch. Stank like hell but always put a smile on my face. When Percy was done, he immediately tried getting away from me— throwing himself back while trying to push me away. He’d just started picking things up, getting a hold of things with an iron grip, building up the strength in his arms. 

I chuckled as I held him in my arms. The little tyke was still throwing his weight back. “Alright, alright! Hold on a sec’!” I rose to my feet, hauling him up in my arms as I walked over to the blanket I had laid out from him to roam about in. I set him down gently, threw the towel on the table, covered my breast, and then gave him my full attention.

Percy started showing signs of learning how to roll from his back to his belly, but I don’t think that was his goal right now. His arms were flailing about, as were his legs, but he wasn’t fussing. He was just babbling. I leaned over, grabbed hold of a rattle, and then shook it near him. 

“How about this, honey? Do you wanna play with the rattle?” I asked as I continued to shake it near him. Percy tore it from my hand and began shaking it like crazy. I chuckled at the sight. “Hmm, someone is trying to stay up for daddy. Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing, young man!”

The rattle went in his mouth for a second, then out, and then back in. This went on for quite some time before Anne entered the room.

“Ma’am, dinner is ready. Shall I leave it here, or are you eating in the dining room?” She asked as her eyes kept fluttering from me to Percy with a smile on her face.

“Uh, we’ll—!”

“--Aliena! I’m home, love. Where are you?” It was Tommy.

I gasped, crawled closer to Percy, and whispered. “Daddy’s home!” I turned my face away, taking Percy into my arms as I shouted. “In here, love!” I quickly rose to my feet and didn’t have to wait long as Tom’s head peeked ‘round the corner.

He smiled, holding out his arms. “There’s my little bugger!” Percy was calmly chewing on his rattle, but the excitement in Tom’s voice made him squeal. 

“Oi, what about me?” I jokingly asked.

Tommy took his son from my arms ‘n replied. “Oh, hi, love.”

I tsked and smacked the side of his arm. He ignored me and gave his full attention to our baby. 

“How were you, eh? Did you have a bunch of fun with Mummy?” Tommy bounced Percy in his arms before walking over to the sofa and sitting down. Percy released his rattle to take his father’s face in his hands as he spoke unintelligible words. “Yeah! Really? My goodness, it sounds like you had a busy day. Not as busy as Papa’s, though.”

Anne cleared her throat, saying, “Shall I prepare a plate for you as well, Mr. Shelby?”

Tom told her yes while he extended his arms, holding Percy in the air without looking back. Percy squealed happily with his little fist in his mouth.

I glanced at Anne and said. “We’ll be eating in the dining room, Anne. Thank you.” She nodded then left the room. “He already ate,” I said. “Just a little while ago, so be careful with him. So, how was your day?”

Tom was so wrapped up in playing with Percy that he almost ignored me. He thrust him up into the air then swooped him down for kisses. Tom only stopped to answer me. “It was good. As good as it could be.”

“Nothing else happened? Like I don’t know, um, I don’t know. Maybe someone fucked up the books again?” 

Tommy shook his head. “Nah. It was just paperwork and deadlines.” 

I hummed. “Well, come on then. We need to eat.” I waited as Tommy rose to his feet with our son in his arms. I locked arms with him, and we walked together to the dining room. Once we entered the room, a maid and a butler came rushing out with our meals in their hands. As we neared the chairs, they set down our food then pulled out our chairs. 

The maid stood aside while the man stayed. I sat to the right of Tom, who sat at the head of the table as he still held Percy. The butler came ‘round and pushed my seat in for me. The poor man could only jerk toward Tom’s direction before my fiancé held up his hand and scooted his seat forward. 

Tom cleared his throat before asking, “Now, in all seriousness, how was your day, love?”

I held a hand over my mouth as I hurried to chew my food. Once I was done, I replied. “Oh, it was a lazy day today. We spent most of our time upstairs, playing, talking, and taking naps. Speaking of, he, obviously, didn’t go right to sleep after he ate, so he’ll probably be sleeping through the night again if we’re lucky.”

“Did he give you any trouble? Throw any fits?”

I shook my head. “No, he hasn’t thrown a proper fit since last month. No bad moments today.” My eyes fell upon my baby, who was gumming his papa’s tie. I reached over and tickled his chin. “This little one has been giggling all day!”

Percy squirmed away from my touch with a big smile on his face. 

Tom hugged Percy tighter as he hummed. “Growin’ up to be just like his Mummy, then? That’s good to hear. You had a good day with mummy, Percy, huh?” Tom leaned down and kissed the top of his head. 

Tommy leaned forward and shoveled some food in his mouth, but proved to be a challenge as our son attempted to steal his fork from him. As we ate, Percy continuously tried to steal his father’s fork away from him to the point where he began letting out little whimpers. 

“Tommy,” I began.

He peered up at me, saying, “I know.” He looked back down at Percy. “Percy, behave. Daddy’s trying to eat.”

We both knew that the babe wouldn’t understand exactly, but perhaps he would. Our hopes were swiftly crushed as our son continued to make grabby hands for the fork, and his whines bumped up an octave. Tommy and I shared a sigh. I glanced behind me, and as expected, Anne was standing near the threshold of the room.

I beckoned her over, asking, “Anne, can you take Percy upstairs for his nap?”

Anne hastily walked over to Tommy, who didn’t hesitate to hand over our son. “Of course, Madam.”

Tom cleared his throat. “Bathe the boy before you lay him to rest. Thank you, Anne.”

Anne nodded with a smile on her face. “Of course, Mr. Shelby.”

I ignored the soft whimpers from my baby, stuffing my face with food. There was an ache in my heart and a pit in my stomach whenever he was sad. I just needed to learn that some actions called for the proper consequences and that coddling him too much would do him no good. 

Just like it had been done with me.

Besides, Percy was probably beginning to grow fussy from the nap he never took. That’s how it usually is with babies. I took a deep breath and soothed the worries in my mind. I glanced over at Tom and smiled. 

I cleared my throat. “So, I was thinking with Percy born ‘n all, we should begin talking abar the weddin’?”

Tommy had this pensive look on his face before saying, “Right, I forgot all about that.”

I tutted, leaned toward him, and tried to smack him. Tommy didn’t flinch away, and my hand didn’t connect with his arm either. He just sported a smirk as he took another bite of scran.

“Right then, first things first. We need to ‘ave an engagement party.” He said before taking a sip of whiskey.

I nodded. “I was thinking we have it when Percy’s six months.”

“Six months?”

“Yes.”

“All right, I see no problem with that.”

“Why, thank you for seeing the logic in it.” I teased before taking a rather large gulp of my water. “Plus, it gives us ample time to prepare for the occasion.”

Tommy hummed in agreement. “We’ll announce it at the next family meeting. We have one coming up next week. We’ll do it then, and I’ll leave the party planning to you.”

My eyebrows raised in surprise, and I felt a wave of anxiety wash over me. “Me? Leave it to me?”

Tommy nodded with his face expressionless. “Yes. You are capable of planning a party, correct?”

The way he said it was like a taunt— a challenge. 

I straightened my back and hardened my expression. “Of course.” ‘I’ve killed close to a hundred men in my life! I can handle planning a goddamn party!’

“Then, there’s nothing to be worried about.”

“Right.”

“Right.”

I squinted at him before picking my glass up and taking another sip of water. “I was thinking that we have the wedding next year instead of anytime soon. I don’t want to rush things, and well, how do you feel about it?”

Tommy nodded. “I agree. We can have the wedding next year but at the beginning of the year. Around January or February, but no later than March. Agreed?”

I snickered at how we handled this, and then the snickering turned into cackling. “Why are we talking like we’re doin’ a deal, Tommy?”

Tommy’s lips twitched upward before replying in a playful tone. “I was following your lead.”

I sighed. “¡Ay, Dios mío! ¡Chingados!” I took another deep breath before continuing, “Agreed. Probably in February, my love. I wouldn’t want to hold too many celebrations in January, and I want Percy to have his birthday month all to himself.”

“Ali, your birthday is just four days later.”

I cocked my head to the side as the information hit me like a bag of bricks. “Oh, shit! You’re right.” I giggled a little as I shook my head. “We could combine the birthdays then.”

“He’s not gonna like that when he’s older.”

I shrugged and pouted. “Time will tell. Besides, by the time he begins to even think like that, I’ll probably be too old to celebrate my birthday anymore anyhow.”

Tom huffed and smiled. “I’ll always want to celebrate the day you were born.” I smiled then reached for his hand. He took it in his and brought my hand to his lips for a kiss.

Afterward, Tom and I finished the rest of our meals briefly talkin’ about how we would tell the family and what my vision for the engagement party looked like. Then, we went upstairs only to find that Percy had fallen asleep after his bath as planned. Our baby had fallen asleep in his crib. Tommy ‘n I decided to leave him there for the rest of the night in fear of waking him up. 

We continued to whisper, and we even took a shower together, but there were nothing but sweet touches— kisses on the neck and gentle caresses. I can’t describe the disappointment I felt when we simply went to bed without anything else happening.

Tom woke up just as dawn crept up. He had work today as it was a weekday, but he sensed it was nowhere near the appropriate time he should be awake. Carefully, Tom swiped his watch off the bedside nightstand and read the time. It was barely five in the morning, meaning he had an extra hour before he actually needed to be up. 

‘There was no going back to sleep now,’ He thought pitifully. Tom placed his watch back onto the nightstand and then drew his attention to his side. Aliena clung to his side with a hand on his chest while the other was tucked under his arm. He raised his available hand and lovingly stroked her cheek.

This woman filled his mind 24/7, consciously and subconsciously. Tom wondered and worried if Aliena would ever understand the depth of his devotion toward her now that he had her. He didn’t care if no one else ever saw it— he just wanted her to know. 

Tommy leaned down and placed a small kiss upon her lips. He continued to peck his fiancée till she stirred.

“Tommy?” She muttered questionably. 

He gave her no answer and continued to kiss her with a bit more passion behind it now. The hand on his chest flew to his cheek as she propped herself up to meet his kisses. 

Their kisses grew with passion, their breaths fell heavier, and their hearts were in their ears. Tom tore himself away from her lips and nestled his head along the crook of her neck, where he feverishly began laying his kisses there. Aliena let out a breathy moan as she ran her fingers through her lover’s hair, bringing him closer to her neck. 

Tom didn’t cease his assault on her neck till every inch of skin was practically covered in his love bites. Ali was putty in his hands with her pussy throbbing for attention— almost on the verge of climax. He slipped the straps of her nightgown down her arms while kissing the top of her cleavage. Once Tommy uncovered her breasts entirely, he immediately went to wrap his lips around her nipple but was stopped. 

Through heavy whispers, Aliena said, “Tommy, you can’t! Percy will need to eat soon.”

Tommy chuckled with a rasp that went straight to Aliena’s pussy. “He probably won’t be up for another hour, love.” He gave her left tit a teasing suck, breast milk filling his mouth slightly. “That means these,” he gave each breast a squeeze which caused milk to drip from each one. “Are mine for now.” Though he talked a big game, Tom stayed at her breasts for only a few minutes longer before trailing further down.

Aliena was utterly restless. She had been waiting for this moment for so long but was worried that their time together would be cut short. Tommy bunched up her dress so that it rested under her breasts— giving him full access to everything below. 

“Tommy, please…” She rasped while throwing an arm over her eyes while her other hand found its place in Tom’s hair. 

Tom chuckled breathily, “Patience, love.” He placed open-mouthed kisses down from her stomach to the top of her covered pussy. Tom pulled the garment down at a teasingly slow pace that had Aliena near tears. 

She was a hair away from throwing a fucking tantrum, but somehow— she still had her pride.

Instead, the lass took a deep breath and calmed herself down. Tommy, who was beneath the sheets, kissed her labia many times before even daring to use his tongue against her. The bastard was truly going at his own pace, determined to kill his wife. 

At the snail’s pace, Tom was going; it would take Ali, perhaps, thirty or twenty minutes to finish. That would leave enough window time for their early sleeper to awaken at any given time— during or afterward. 

“Tommy, please. I want you to fuck me already.”

“All in good time,” he said before throwing her thighs further apart and began to ravish his lover as she liked.

The change in tempo forced Aliena to bite down on her arm as she attempted to stifle her squeal. This man knew how to drive her absolutely mad! The woman was a gasping, panting mess. 

Tom was in utter heaven. He could eat her for hours on end— had done it before ‘n God, did he miss it. Some minutes later, Tommy added his fingers into the mix, driving Aliena wild. Her hips bucked, and her thighs desperately tried to clamp shut. Tommy wouldn’t allow it. Lord knows how he loves Ali’s plump thighs around his ears, but no. Any other time he might’ve allowed it, but this time he was in control.

Tommy had two fingers thrusting into his lover’s tight pussy while he suckled on her clit before he felt her shake. 

“Oh, Tommy! Tommy, I’m coming!” She exclaimed softly, an arm still shielding her face while the other fisted the sheets. Tommy didn’t make an effort to respond as he was dead set on making her come. Within seconds, he got his wish, but he didn’t let up. 

Aliena whimpered from the oversensitivity. “No… Tommy, no…” She begged against her better nature. She felt her sensibility slip from her with each stroke of his tongue. Falling deeper into her haze of lust.

Tommy’s cock was painfully hard— he had half a mind just to begin rutting against the mattress. But this wasn’t about his pleasure; the man didn’t want it to be about him. So, when he parted from this sweet cunt of his, it was but for a moment as he flung the covers off of his body. 

Tom yanked Aliena further down the sheets causing her to let out a series of giggles. He groaned loudly as he returned to his ministrations. Aliena threw her head back, biting her bottom lip while both hands found a home in her lover’s hair. 

Ali threw herself into the chase; the original goal was lingering in the back of her mind but coming again definitely topped the list. Tom’s grip on Ali’s hips was bruising, his pace was rapid, and he had no intention of stopping anytime soon.

“Oh, Tom! Fuck!” Aliena gasped as she arched her back. “I’m so close… Don’t stop!”

However, the room came to a standstill as a shrill cry came from the nursery.  

Though deep down Aliena wanted to whimper and cry, she was already gathering herself together.

Tommy lifted his head and cursed. “Fuck! Aliena, love, wait! Let him cry a little. He’ll be alright.”

Already propped up on her elbows, Ali switched her gaze between her lover and the door to her son’s nursery. Her lustfulness was begging her to listen to Tommy, but the cries of her son weighed on her conscious. She shook her head. “N-No, I can’t. I’m so sorry, Tommy.” For reasons she can’t explain, tears sprang to her eyes as she scurried away from Tom. 

Tom released his grip in defeat ‘n watched as his girl scrambled back up the bed, pulled the straps of her nightie up, and then climbed off the bed toward their son’s nursery. He got up to his knees, then sat on his legs, fists curled up on thighs. The man threw his head back as he heaved a large breath and closed his eyes. 

He was so fucking close.

The tension in his jaw mattered not— the fact that Ali was now saddened did. Tom took one more deep breath before he sat up properly on the side of the bed. Checking the watch on his nightstand, he read the time, “6:34.” 

That son of his was getting too good at tellin’ time, he didn’t make his wife come a second time, and now he was running late for work. 

Today was not going to be a good day.

No way was that going to be the end of it. No fucking way! Tommy took a shower and got ready while I was still breastfeeding Percy. I think he was even running late ‘cause he zipped out of the house like a bat out of hell. I’ll give him that, but no way was I going to let that be the end of it!

I’m not even chasing my own high! I want his! I’m having sex with my fiancé today if it’s the last thing I fucking do!  I’m a woman on a mission, and nothing is getting in my way today. 

So I didn’t waste time as I made my arrangements. Tommy made it easy for me by never taking lunch, so I’ll use that as my excuse. I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to leave Percy with Cassie or Polly, but the thought of facing Pol’ with shagging her nephew in mind was too much a burden to bear. I rang up Cass ‘n asked if she could take care of her godson for a couple of hours. I was grateful that the nosy Nancy, for once, wasn’t prying.

She seemed genuinely ecstatic at the thought of seeing Percy. I wouldn’t have been surprised if she called Dougie to join her. Cassie and the lot of them haven’t been ‘round the house much, but that’s mainly my doing. My baby is barely three, four months! Usually, I wouldn’t even dare take him outside ‘de ‘ouse till he was six months old, but these were different times. 

I couldn’t even do that if I tried; after all, I wasn’t raising him by myself. My mother would’ve had an absolute fit if she found out I took Percy out without all his shots. Though, to be fair, I don’t even think they have all the baby vaccines yet anyhow. Which is still worrying, but I know that none of the people around me will catch an illness anytime soon. 

Well, excluding my friends… 

I should probably be more cautious about that in the future.

In fucking conclusion, after feeding Percy, I ate breakfast then we both took a bath. I made it fun ‘n my baby boy was full of smiles the whole time. Even made a show of picking out my scandalous outfit that I was going to use to seduce his father, kinda like that scene in Look Who’s Talking.

However, he wasn’t old enough to sit on his own and join me by my vanity. That’s when Anne came in, and I enlisted her help watching him as I did my hair and makeup. Truthfully, the dress I was in was more appropriate for the summer as a nightgown, but I’m wearing it in the spring. 

Do I care? No, I’m on a mission. I feel sexy in said dress, and I’m looking for something that I can easily slip on and off. It’s beige and best resembles a curtain, if I’m honest. It’s tough to describe, but it was a lace boho sundress. Spaghetti straps, by the way— not long-sleeved or anything else. I used foundation and concealer as my base. Added some mascara ‘n foxy eyeliner, added in some light brown almost nude eyeshadow, and a pink lip. Not obnoxiously pink, but not precisely nude either. 

I left my hair to curl up on its own, only fixing up a few stubborn hairs. It was around eight in the morning by the time I was done. I retrieved my beige fur collar coat from the rack slipped on some black high heels. I have no idea what they were called. The salesperson surely told me, but one ear out the other with me. 

Percy and I spent time together downstairs after I sent Anne on the hunt for a basket to put the food in. I had the good sense to tell the cook what I wanted made beforehand; otherwise, I would’ve been late leaving. 

Lunchtime at Shelby Company Ltd. was at 1:30 for all office employees, and that’s the time I intended on arriving, which is why I had to leave at the latest nine! It was a two-hour drive to London from Warwickshire and another two hours to Birmingham. If all goes according to plan, I will arrive in the city around 12 or 1. 

I should mention that I eventually managed to get my car onto our estate. I asked Cassie and Dom to make it a big thing ‘n act like I was being gifted the vehicle for the first time. Tommy wasn’t exactly happy about the extravagant gift, and I’m confident that when they switch up the company cars— I’m getting a switch as well. 

However, I wasn’t driving today. I had other duties to conclude during the ride to London. You see, breast pumps weren’t really a thing in 1923. Formula is, for sure, a thing, but I didn’t want my Percy to be drinking that stuff. So, I needed someone else driving while I got creative in the back seat. Do you want to know what also isn’t invented yet? Baby car seats and seat belts are nowhere near being developed in the 1920s. 

Yes, you guessed it. Anne was joining me on this journey. The driver (a Peaky Blinder) was in the front— driving. Eyes on the road! While Anne and I were in the back, Anne took care of Percy. My baby boy looked positively a-fucking-dorable! My little man looks like a sailor with a cap ‘n all. I was beside them with my coat open…and my tits out as I coaxed my milk out into bottles. I planned to fill four to six bottles, depending on how much I could get out. 

I had never done this before, but I figured it would be the same method back home. Ya know, keep it chilled or at least refrigerated ‘n all will be well! Which is why I had a basket filled with ice packs to cool the milk. It’s not a particularly hot day here in England, but I wasn’t taking any chances in anything concerning my child.

Well, I am doing a lot just to get my own fiancé to make love to me. Quite embarrassing and telling about the things I do to satiate my sexual urges. Hmm, burying my head in a hole right now sounds nice!

Anyhow, you’re all caught up! Welcome to the present!

When I noticed we were nearing the Ritz, I quickly redressed myself and ensured everything was there for Percy. It didn’t matter that Anne and I had already checked thrice beforehand— I had to do it once more. 

I managed to fill six bottles. It was hard work ‘n my tits hurt like hell, but my child would be fed. I pray Tommy will let them rest, but I could deal with the pain should he decide to pay special attention to them. 

With a heavy sigh, I sat up straight after closing up the basket and faced Anne. “Alrighty, then. Give ‘em here, Anne.” I waved both arms then smoothed my hands around his tiny body. She passed my baby over to me. “Thank you,” I muttered. I shimmed back against the seats and ran a finger down the side of Percy’s face. “‘Ello, my love. You’ve been such a good boy.”

Percy just fussed in response with an absent look on his face. I giggled, then leaned down to nuzzle my nose against his. “Mummy is gonna miss you so much!” Guilt was starting to settle in ‘n fast. 

‘I mean! I could’ve waited till Tom got home, but I didn’t wanna. There was something scandalous about what I was planning that I missed. Our spark is still there, and I want to make sure it stays lit. I don’t want him to get bored with me and with him not—! For lack of better words, penetrating me! It was creating dark thoughts in me head.’

I took a deep breath, trying to calm the nerves I had built up. I looked back down at my baby and smiled. “Mummy and Daddy will be there to pick you up, and you’ll have a fun time with Auntie Cassie. I know you will!” I kissed his forehead and continued to lay kisses all around his face. 

“Mrs. Shelby, we’ve arrived.”

I picked up my head, and sure enough, we were outside of the hotel. I inhaled deeply before exhaling with puffed-up cheeks. I looked at Anne and nodded. “Let’s rip the band-aid off, eh.” She nodded with a slight smile on her face as she grabbed Percy’s things. 

Cassie and Dougie were on the steps waiting anxiously as if they were adoptees about to receive their child. I swallowed down my anxieties and pulled on a smiling face. I shouted, “Hello, hello!” Cassie rushed over to me with Dougie close behind. 

“Oh, it’s so good to see you!” She said before kissing my cheek. I replied the same. She looked down at Percy and gasped before glancing back at Dougie. “He’s gotten bigger since the last time we’ve seen him. Oh my god!”

Dougie scoffed behind her, sporting a smirk. “Jesus, love, you saw him only a few weeks ago.”

She sucked her teeth in annoyance and rolled her eyes. “Yeah, so? Babies can grow a lot in a few weeks!” 

“It’s true; they can.”

She huffed triumphantly before her sights set on me. “So, are you sure about this? Maybe you can stay awhile, you know? Get him settled in if you’d like.” 

I looked down at my perfect boy and felt my drive slip. I shook my head as if someone else were controlling me. “No… It’s alright.”

Anne cleared her throat beside me. “Perhaps I can stay with the young master if you’d prefer that instead, madam?”

My eyebrows furrowed, Percy made wiggling motions in my arms. It felt like he could feel my confusion and frustration. My mouth opened, and an utterance was let out, but not a word came to mind.

She looked over at Anne, her face just as conflicted. Dougie stepped toward me with his arms stretched out. One hand cradled the back of Percy’s neck while the other cradled his body. He said while gently taking Percy into his embrace, “We’ll be glad to have the company. I’ve had older sisters but never had them into my care this early on. Met the little ones when they were older ‘cause of the war. Plus, I’m not sure Cassie’s ever had to take care of babies, either? Right, love?”

Cassie pulled her lips in and shook her head bashfully. I nodded and smiled. “Oh, then, Anne, it’d be wonderful if you could help them.” I took Cassie’s hands into mine and whispered, “There’s nothing wrong with you not knowing. If Anne weren’t there to help me 24/7, then I’d be like a headless chicken. I promise.”

Cassie nodded again, her eyes flitting toward Anne. “Thank you,” she muttered. Anne simply flashed her a grin ‘n bowed her head. 

I swallowed harshly with my eyes locked on Percy. “Okay, well, I hafta get going. Anne will help youse with everythin’ so—!'' Another deep breath. “This is see youse later.” I shuffled over to Dougie and smothered my baby boy’s face with kisses. “Mummy loves you and will see you later. I love you.” I gave the rest of them a kiss goodbye, told them I loved them too, and then got back into the car.

I spent a good half of the car ride just getting myself together mentally. Anne would help Cassie and Dougie take care of Percy. Everything was going to be just fine. I know it will be. I wanted this pit in my stomach to be gone. So, I began fantasizing about Tommy. About his body, his face— anything and everything about him. 

Eventually, I began to feel the shift in my body. Blood rushed to my cheeks, my thighs were clenched together, and there was a throbbing between my legs. I cleared my throat and glanced over to the front. The man kept his eyes on the road. I didn’t remember his name. I probably should, but I’m hardly ever outside, and when I am, I’m accompanied by one of Dom’s men and one Peaky Blinder.

Their names were Will and Frank, good men. 

I cleared my throat. “Hey, can you tell me what time it is?”

There was a bit of shuffling around before he replied, “12:22, ma’am. We’re almost in Birmingham. I’d say about ‘alf an hour more.”

I hummed and thanked him. I went back to fantasizing about Tommy. It just helped in general. It helped ensure I was in the right mindset for the awful stunt I was about to pull. 

But was it genuinely awful? I feel like it’s actually quite common. I mean, didn’t Linda do this with Arthur? Well, that bitch wanted something from ‘em, didn’t she? Linda was manipulating the poor man. I just want to have sex with mine ‘cause I desire him. I think that makes me a way better woman. Yeah, conscious soothed. 

When the streets became too familiar, I gathered the basket from the car floor onto my lap then started smoothing out my hair. Soon the car was pulling into the company street; then, we were parked right outside. 

“What time is it?” I asked while scooting closer to the car door. 

He cleared his throat with a stifled cough. “1:40, ma’am.”

“Good!” I bit my lip in excitement. “Um, you can return to the estate. I’ll get Tom to drive me back.”

“Are you sure, ma’am? I can wait if you’d like!”

I shook my head. “I’m sure. Goodbye.” I didn’t care if he responded or not. I had already climbed out of the car. There was no one to open the door for me, not that I cared, but usually, I caught someone as they were heading out. I beelined it directly to Tommy’s office, and I gotta tell ya, it was fucking weird seeing it so barren.

But I was glad of it ‘cause it meant no one would be here for the start of the show. “Shelby Company Ltd” was plastered on the doors to Tom’s office. I sincerely hated that he chose to have glass on ‘em. Granted, it’s not see-through glass, but they’re not wooden doors either. Those who would dare sneak a peek into his office could see what the pair of us were up to. 

Sure the image would be blurry, but hardly the sound!

I knocked on the door ‘n waited. 

He shouted, “Come in!”

I didn’t hesitate to open a door and walk on in. I turned ‘round to check if the coast was clear one more time, then shut the door. I was locking the door when I heard from behind me, “What is it?” 

I steeled my nerves then twirled ‘round to face ‘em. Tommy’s eyes instantly met mine, and it was like all my worries melted away. I dropped the basket; my heart was beating faster. I worked on untying the belt of my coat, unfastening the buttons afterward— my breathing picked up. Tom didn’t say a word. He leaned back in his chair ‘n while keeping his eyes on me; he reached for his cigarette case. 

I watched as he lit it up and did a French inhale. I couldn’t help but bite my lip as I let my coat slip off my arms. 

Tom held the ciggie between two fingers. His facial expression was stone-cold but oh so sexy. “Are you not wearing a bra under that?” 

I huffed, then smirked. “Why don’t you come over here ‘n find out for yourself?”

Tom raised his eyebrow as he took another pull. “Our son?”

“With his godparents and Anne.”

“Clever girl. Had this planned, did you?”

I bit my lip again but quickly released it. I nodded as I whispered, “Yes.”

Tommy hummed before rising to his feet. I went to meet him halfway. He walked to the front of his desk then leaned his body against it. I didn’t stop walking till I was in front of him. I slid my arms around his waist, pressing my body against him as I maintained eye contact. 

His eyes were so beautiful and clearly showed how badly I was affecting him, as was the erection poking my midsection. Tom cupped my face, and we continued to stare at each other. His pointer finger from his left hand began stroking my face. Tom raised the other to his ciggie and hissed softly as he inhaled. 

“You couldn’t wait till I got home to get was denied to you, hm? Even shipped our son away so that you could come here ‘n visit me.”

Heat enveloped my face ‘n my eyes became heavier as they fluttered. I was embarrassed, yes, but it also turned me on. “I need you, Tommy. Please, I need you.” I tried pulling his mouth down on mine, but he stood firm. I huffed, prodded my cheek with my tongue, and shook my head as I scoffed. 

It was cute at first, but now it was all too “asshole-ish.” I stepped away from him as I continued to shake my head. “Okay, then. See you at home.” I spun on my heels and made it about five steps away from him before I felt his tight grip on my arm. Tom yanked me back toward him, and I was left breathless as he smashed his lips on mine. 

I moaned in surprise, and it didn’t matter that all I wanted to do was be putty in his hands. The fucker pissed me off. I pounded away at his arms, trying to part away from him, but God was he strong. Our teeth clashed, and our tongues fought for control. 

I wasn’t allowed to part from ‘em, not for anything. Not even to breathe. Instead, we parted till Tom trailed off from my lips to my neck. I gasped for breath and let out a moan. My eyes rolled back as his tongue ran over my neck, his teeth nipped at it, and he sucked. 

I let out an open-mouthed, breathy chuckle before I rasped, “I fucking hate you sometimes.” Tom groaned into my neck as his hands traveled down south. Giggles erupted as he squeezed my arse while tugging my body closer to him. When Tom squeezed once more, I realized the ciggie was still between his fingers. “Tommy,” I whispered. Our bodies shifted slightly as he turned his attention to the left side of my neck. “Your ciggie, it’s still burning.”

Muffled, he replied. “Aye, hold it for me, will you?” The bastard didn’t give me a chance as he placed the stick between my lips. I held onto it for dear life. I didn’t want it falling on ‘em! 

He successfully silenced me all while continuing his assault on my neck. My panties were getting increasingly more annoying. They were soaked, and I hated feeling it against me. We stayed there, writhing against one another as he littered my neck in love bites. God and I loved every second of it.   

My eyes shot open when Tom abruptly stood up straight. His crazed eyes met my hooded ones before he plucked the ciggie away from my lips and inhaled. A hand roughly nestled its way in my hair, his fingers curling around my strands. I gasped as he forced me to walk with him back toward his desk. 

Tom stubbed out the ciggie then faced me. His mouth crashed on mine, and I felt the bitter smoke enter my mouth. I didn’t hesitate to inhale. We continued to kiss for so long that I had no choice but to exhale from my nose. His other hand threaded itself into my hair, and it felt so fucking good. 

My hands were fisting his lapels, but I decided to start unbuckling his belt. He let me and only gave me that before roughly pulling us apart. It was such a noisy parting. 

Breathily, Tom whispered. “Woman, you drive me fucking wild.”

I scoffed. “Not too bad yourself.”

He chuckled, a smile on his face as he shook his head. “I don’t think I can treat you how you deserve to be treated right now.”

My eyes fluttered at the threat, a hand raising to one of his. I clutched his wrist and smiled. “Then don’t.” His tongue prodded his cheek before a smirk etched across his face. I didn’t think I could get any wetter. Our lips crashed onto one another, but this time he was leading me somewhere. I trusted him enough to follow his lead as he led me backward. 

Nothing could’ve prepared me from gasping as I was roughly spun ‘round and pinned against the wall. Tommy kicked my legs further apart, and I’m so fucking glad I chose to wear heels with some height to them. With my breasts pressed against the wall as well as my hands, I waited for Tommy to unsheathe himself. 

Could hear his zipper being pulled down, and then there was pressure around my hips along with a rip. I couldn’t help but giggle. 

“Jesus, woman, you’re fucking soaked. Haven’t been treatin’ you right, ‘ave I, Aliena?”

I shook my head. “No, but you can fix that right here ‘n now.” I felt so lightheaded with adrenaline. I wanted his cock so fucking badly.

“Yes, ma’am.” Then without warning, Tommy thrusted into me. I cried out in a cocktail of pleasure and pain as Tommy moaned into my ear. “Fucking heaven,” he muttered. “You’re fucking heaven. So fucking tight. God, I fucking missed this pussy.” He pulled out till only the tip was in, then slammed back into me. My eyes rolled to the back of my head, and my toes were curling in my heels. 

He continued with this a couple of times, and regretfully that was all it took. My thighs, my legs— they both trembled violently as I came. Tommy was laughing behind me. “Don’t even think we’re gonna stop just ‘cause you got yours! No, we’re not stopping till I say we are.” An’ like a flip of a switch, Tommy was pounding into me with newfound fervor. 

A high-pitched squeal escaped from me as pleasure tingled all over my body. I was stuck between throwing myself into mindless abandon and being conscious of the fact that we were still in his office. I whimpered and let out a strained, long breath. “Fuck me…!” 

Tommy was worse than me with his heavy, strained pants, moans, ‘n whines. But being both of us being pent up for so long meant quick finishes, ‘cause after a couple of more pumps, Tommy’s hips were stuttering ‘n then warmness spread within. It didn’t end there, though. No fucking way.

Tommy pulled out of me, but only to drag me toward his chair. He hurriedly threw his belt away, and I worked on the hundreds of buttons he had on his torso. Tom brought down his pants just enough before sitting down and pulling me onto his lap. My straps, which were already falling off my shoulders, were pulled down.

My breasts were naked, and my dress was hiked up. Both of us hurried to slip his cock inside me again, and we simultaneously moaned once he was. I kept the tempo slow, not wanting to rush into it. I would’ve, honestly, but the times I had— Tommy would be quick to stop me. So, I’ve learned to ease into it. 

My hands were on his shoulders as I slowly rode his cock. My clit was rubbing against him, making it all the more pleasurable. Though, I guess I was going too slow ‘cause Tommy thrusted upward ‘n then kept going. I picked up the cue and hastened my pace. I loved the burn in my muscles, but not as much as the blissed-out look on Tommy’s face. 

I felt the moan build up in my throat ‘n I couldn’t find myself caring to quiet myself anymore. Throwing my head back, my left hand flew to Tommy’s knee as I leaned back. 

I can’t even describe what I was doing. I was following my body’s instinct. Was I just rolling my hips instead of bouncing? Was I grinding on him? I don’t care… God, I wanna come so fucking much!

“That’s it, love, chase it! Make yourself come with my cock. Wanna feel it.” Tom tugged my torso closer to him, and I practically shouted in my surprise as he began suckling my tit. He stayed there a bit longer, drinking my milk before parting. He kissed my nipple, then tugged on it with his teeth. While leaning back into his chair, Tommy’s gaze was locked on my breasts. His hands trailed upward from my sides to them. I hissed loudly when Tom squeezed.

“Fucking love these tits. All fucking mine.”

I giggled, my hips coming to a stop. 

“What’s so funny, Ali?”

I shook my head, my hands falling back to his torso. “It’s just that. They’re not all yours.” Tom rolled his eyes. “Oi, if your son could understand the implication of what you just said, he’d throw a fit.” The thought made me laugh again. Tommy smiled and shook his head.

With a hand in my hair, we leaned toward each other and met with a kiss. Tommy hooked his hands in the crook of my knees, and then I was lifted into his arms. My heels were begging to come off my feet, but I arched them just enough so that they would stay on. 

Tommy set me down on his desk ‘n led me down till my back was draped over his desk. I wrapped my legs around his waist. Our lips never parted. Not when he began thrusting— only when we grew near to our orgasms again. 

We were practically moaning into each other’s mouths before Tommy stood up straight, grabbed my hips, and started pounding into me. I reached down and played with my clit— I was coming in seconds. Eyes rolled back, one heel came off, and my back was arching as my other hand fondled my tit. Tommy was not too far off.

When the ringing in my ears ‘n my vision came back, I realized that Tommy had dragged us back to his chair with me resting on top of him. Plus, there was rustling outside. I cursed under my breath as I closed my eyes again.

“What is it, Ali?” Tommy asked, somewhat breathlessly. 

I shook my head, saying, “It’s nothing. I’d hoped we had more time to ourselves before the staff came back.” I picked myself up from his chest and swiped away the hair that had fallen into my face. I took a deep breath; my cheeks puffed up. “And I really wanted to get the chance to use the fucking restroom.”

Tommy scoffed softly; a grin flashed across his face. “Mm, looks like you didn’t have it all worked out then, eh?” He ran his hands over my thighs before spanking my arse with both of his heavy, ring-bearing hands. I gasped breathily, my body flinching. 

He was lucky I was so exhausted. Otherwise, I would’ve hit him, but I just slumped against him instead.

“Fix it, Tommy.”

He sighed loudly before whispering, “What am I gonna do with you?”

I only blew raspberries as a response.

To save me from any further embarrassment, Tom called it a half-day, and we left his office together. Not before I hit the restroom on the way out, though. The drive to the Ritz was pretty hazy, and I ended up taking a nap in the car, only waking up when the car rolled to a stop. 

We picked up Percy and Anne, thanked Cassie ‘n Dougie, and headed home. I was so happy to see my baby boy again and be with his father. We spent the entirety of the rest of the day with him after I freshened up a bit, of course. 

It was like that weird block between us vanished ‘cause this fucker was insatiable. I had to actually deny him once! Plus, there was the addition of a condom when we made love. I was serious about not wanting another child so soon after Percy. I wanted our son to have his alone time with us as much as he could before we gave him a sibling. 

The family meeting came up relatively quickly, and after Tommy ‘n them got business out of the way, we were going to announce our engagement party. 

Keyword: Were.

We were rudely interrupted by Linda and, by association, Arthur. 

I was standing beside Tommy with Percy in my arms. All attention was on us after Tommy called for it, and I was just about to open my mouth when Linda cleared her throat as she shot up from her seat. Arthur stumbled to follow her lead.

I couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. I bounced my sleeping babe, waiting for the woman to say what she interrupted me for; however, Linda only nudged Arthur. 

The man stammered over his words. “Um, uh, sorry to interrupt you, Aliena.” I nodded. Arthur fiddled with the cap in his hands before straightening up. “I would’ve liked to do this once Tom ‘n Ali said their piece; however, plans change. They change all the time.” He cleared his throat as Linda nudged him again, even harder this time as she hissed his name. “I-I would like to announce that I’ve asked Linda to marry me ‘n she’s said yes!”

At that moment, I wasn’t proud to admit that I felt nothing but annoyance. I’m 100% sure that Tommy felt the same ‘cause he did not move an inch, not even his facial expression. He looked as deadpan as could be, but cheers erupted beside us. 

I took a short shuffle closer to him ‘n nudged him like Linda has been doin’ to Arthur. He looked at me from his peripherals, and I demonstrated the facial expressions we should both be sporting. A big ole’ smile spread across my face, and he mimicked it. Since my hands were busy holding our son, Tommy clapped for us.

My gaze fell on Polly just as she turned to look at me. Her eyes said everything, and I felt the same. Tommy moved closer to his older brother to personally congratulate him. John ‘n Tommy took turns hugging and patting Arthur on the back. It was nice to see smiles on their faces, especially Arthur’s, seeing as Tommy’s was somewhat insincere.

I followed my fiancé’s lead and walked over to Linda to congratulate her more intimately. I held Percy closer to my chest as I leaned in to kiss her cheek as I congratulated her. Funnily enough, the thought did cross my mind that I was holding Percy closer to me to shield him from the awful person I thought Linda was.

‘She didn’t like my Tommy, and I’m sure she didn’t like me, so why the hell did I hafta like her?’

John cleared his throat, saying, “Right, congratulations Arthur, again! But Ali, Thomas, what did youse ‘ave to say?”

Everybody looked around the room before shuffling back to where we previously stood. Tommy and I took our places quicker than the rest, and we used it to our advantage. 

I was staring up at him, hoping he could read my mind, and all he did was give me a nod. So, I took a deep breath before saying, “Right! Tommy and I wanted to tell all of you that we’ll be holding an engagement party in five months’ time, and we’ve decided that the wedding won’t be till next year. The date isn’t exactly set, but it’ll happen at the beginning of the year.”

Tom wrapped an arm around my waist, tucking me into his side. “We don’t have any details on the party yet. Only that Aliena’s friends are sure to attend as well, so you’ll all be expected to be on your best behavior. It’ll most likely be fancy ‘n posh—” The comment made snickers and chuckles spread throughout the room. “, so perhaps take the time to buy something for the occasion. Does anybody have anything to add before we end this meeting?”

Everybody held their tongues, and that was that!

Polly and Ada were quick to surround me to ask if I had any ideas in mind. I told them I had a vague one, and we spent a good hour just brainstorming ideas. I was utterly clueless about how to plan and host a party. It seemed easy enough, but it would take a lot of talking and— ew, work.

I knew I wanted to be either at the Ritz or home, but I just wasn’t sure which. The Ritz-Carlton has barely begun its rapid climb to fame, but it’s still fucking expensive. Cassie and Ange went halfers on the venue last time as a kind gesture towards Tom ‘n I, but we would probably rent out more than one venue this time ‘round. 

When I met with the girls, my suspicions were proven correct. There were at least three separate rooms that I would need to book to host an engagement party there, and it wasn’t going to be cheap. I spent the first party meeting just shooting the shit ‘cause I didn’t want to make any moves without consulting Tommy first. Hell, we didn’t even discuss a budget, and I know we were making good money, but I didn’t know how “good” we were talking about here!

And the truth was that I could pay for the party myself. Probably put a dent in my savings, but I wasn’t above going back to work later in life. I could do a hit or two when Percy or my future children were at school. I got really good at disguise makeup to the point where I couldn’t even recognize myself at times. I’m sure I could get back into the game! Well, only if it came to that.

But like I said, the first meeting was filled with “what-ifs,” then when they left, I waited for Tommy to come home. When he did, I discussed everything with him. He told me that the starting budget would be £50,000 ‘n if I needed more than that, we could talk. 

In all honesty, I thought that was enough. I asked if he wanted the party to be at home or the Ritz, and it took him a while before he could respond. 

“Whatever you want, love. Just try ‘n stay within the budget, yeah?”

I nodded with my heart pounding away at my chest so profoundly I thought it was trying to escape. “Tommy, it wouldn’t matter to me where we have the party. Hell, I wouldn’t mind skipping it. All I want is you ‘n Percy. You know that, right?”

Tommy and I stared into each other’s eyes. The corner of his mouth twitched upward before he schooled his expression. He nodded, softly saying, “I know, Ali. I know. Now, hand over my son, eh. You’ve had your time with ‘em now it’s my turn! ‘Ello, ‘ello, you!”

Talking about money was always tricky and made me feel guilty. My mates were all rich toffs, richer than Tommy even. I just didn’t want to make him feel insecure or like inferior. I didn’t want to make it seem like we had to have all our events at the Ritz just because I was so used to being there. I would’ve been happy with the other hotel that Tommy’s destined to buy. I forgot what it’s called, but I’m sure it’s just as lovely. 

I know that sounded somewhat backhanded, but I frankly forgot the hotel’s name! And the money truly doesn’t matter to me! I said many things in the past about marrying rich, but that was a survival tactic. You know, if I can’t live and marry for love, I might as well do it for the money. Or something along those lines, you know?

Anyway, soon all my plans were coming together with the help of my darling boy. Couldn’t bear to leave Percy alone for a second. I loved having him in my arms way too much, but I can’t deny that he was a distraction. He still helped, nonetheless. Percy forced me to take breaks and clear my mind when I felt it was all becoming a bit too much. 

I met with the girls, including Polly and Ada (I invited Esme and Linda; they just didn’t come), and we hit the town. The first stop was the Ritz to get a quote on how much reserving three rooms would be, and it totaled £33,000. However, the catering would be an add-on, not a joint expenditure, and we would need to put some money down for any damages if any. The deposit would depend on if we chose to add in the catering plus an additional charge should we have to make any last-minute changes. In actuality, it was more around £38,500. 

I talked it over briefly with everyone, and I decided to sign the contract. I made an £8,000 deposit for June 16th. It would be a Saturday and not too early within the month! I would have to make the full payment at most a week before the event. I would’ve paid upfront, but everyone advised me not to. I’m guessing they would’ve tried something…or something.

I had £11,500 leftover, and I was so glad I had all the ladies by my side, or else I would’ve probably given the money back to Tommy. I was dead set on buying my dress with my own money, but I think I could buy it with the budget instead. A lot was already settled by booking the rooms at the Ritz, including the floral arrangements, chairs, tables, and catering. However, it didn’t include entertainment, aka music. Angie and Cassie suggested I do party favors, but Polly was against the idea. She didn’t see the point in it, and truthfully, I saw both of their issues.

Hell, did you know Tommy and I weren’t even supposed to be throwing our engagement party? According to Angie, it’s supposed to be thrown by the bride’s parents or a friend or relative. It stung to hear that it was supposed to be my parents’ responsibility, but I was swift to bury the feeling. 

I loved them with all my heart, but it was time to move on… You know?

I’m guessing the reason Tommy wanted us to throw the party rather than leave it into someone else’s hands was a grab at staying in control. I would’ve had an issue with someone else planning the party, too, but would’ve liked to have the conversation first. Plus, I didn’t want this to become a big thing on the day either. 

I was dreading the whispers these posh bitches were gonna have! They would go on and on about us being lower class ‘n it showing ‘cause we didn’t have the party the “proper” way. 

After booking the Ritz, we headed back to Cassie’s flat to reconvene and get started on those invitations. They were to be handwritten as per Angie’s instruction. Having about seven pairs of hands writing was better than only one, so I was thankful for the help. It was going to be a grand party, alright! Immediate families were definitely invited, but then came the outsiders. 

While working for Dom, I made a few friends and thought it was only fitting to invite them. Some of them saved my arse a few times on the job, so might as well! Then I took Tom’s interests into mind and thought about inviting some businessmen to the party. Luckily, I didn’t even have to introduce the notion since my gals brought it up themselves. Angie said she’d be happy to invite some people she knew, as did Tina, but I reckon her connections were women rather than men. Cassie said she would as well ‘n ask Dougie for some names, including his father if I wanted. 

I told them I’d ask Tommy if it was okay. Polly seemed to like my response as she rubbed my thigh under the table ‘n gave me a grin. We continued with the invitations till we decided to eat lunch. Afterward, we just hung out. Some point during that time, Polly and Ada both told me how they were upset with Linda since she did what she did at the family meeting. I aired my grievances too, and we took the piss outta ‘er. Refreshing really!

At the end of the day, when I was at home with Percy ‘n later on, Tommy, I asked him about how he felt with all these outsiders coming to our party.

This man was a fucking master at micro-expressions, but I had the eyes of a hawk!

Tom tried to appear indifferent about the proposition, but I saw the furrow in his brow. I never thought I would ever go through the whole “coaxing the truth out of my partner” event, but there I was. After softening him up with neck kisses and a massage, he finally told me the truth. 

There were two things: he wasn’t sure that I would be 100% okay with him doing business on the day, and he didn’t like the fact they would be by default “my connections.” Like I worried, Tom felt emasculated that he was getting help from his wife-to-be rather than his own influences. 

“Oh, my love.” I kissed his shoulder before shuffling off the bed, standing before him, then straddling his lap. I took his face into my hands and peppered his face with kisses. “First of all, I know you, Thomas Shelby. There will hardly be a day that you’re not working, and I know eventually that’ll get on me nerves. However, who gives a fuck, eh? It’s just an engagement party.” I chuckled.

Tommy scoffed with a smirk on his face. His eyes drifted all over mine just as he began stroking my cheek with his thumb. 

I continued, “Meet these people, hmm? Give them a run for their money, or whatever it is you do.” We both laughed at that. “People will always talk, love. You told me that, no? They’ll gossip abar how we got together, our age gap, and our pasts. I say fuck ‘em. All that matters is that we persevere and appear as a solidified unit.”

“That right?”

I nodded. “Is fucking right. We’ll both give them one hell of a stern look. Make them shake in their boots.” I ran my fingers through his hair before placing a hard kiss on his lips. 

Tommy took a deep breath through his nose, staring into my eyes. “Aliena Welsh, the love of my life, how was I so lucky to ‘ave found you?”

I looked away and pursed my lips as my head tipped to the left. I hummed, “I don’t know.”

Tom caressed me as he whispered, “Don’t ever change, Aliena. I need you. I need you by my side more than you know.”

“And I you.” Our mouths smashed together, which led to us having sex.

I asked about the entertainment the morning after, which was again left up to me. I met up with only the girls this time, seeing as Polly and Ada had work ‘n we went looking for a band or something. 

See, I wanted a jazz band, but the loudness of the playing might’ve not been appropriate for this kind of party. I also wanted a female and male singer because as much as I love some good plain instrumentals— I fucking miss lyrics! I hired a Blues & Jazz band or company by the end of the morning. I don’t know. I let Angie handle this one. 

I was there at the transactions, giving my input when asked, but I was more concerned about Percy. He’s been babbling more, sleeping through the night, loves colours, and has a bit more object permanence. That means he loves peek-a-boo right now, and his case of the grabby hands has gotten worse. But I love it all!

I was happy to tell the girls that Tommy approved of the extended invitation list, and we spent the rest of the day writing the rest of them. Once I returned home, I had taken the time to handwrite my loved ones’ invitations myself. It would’ve been too awkward had I done them at Cassie’s flat. 

Eventually, I decided against doing party favors but welcomed Cassie or Angie to take up the job if they wished. They both told me that if I didn’t want them, then the idea was sacked. By the way, the entertainment cost £3,000 since it was £100 an hour and I decided 10 hours would be best. 

The day after, I went dress shopping with Anne. I wanted to see if the dress I had in mind existed before I went ‘n visited Sinead, my dressmaker. Sinead was a master of her craft even at her young age. I’ve been with her from the very beginning, though I’ve only recently remembered her name. 

‘Sorry, Sinead.’

I didn’t manage to find what I was looking for and, as such, went to give Sinead a visit. The lass always knew what I sought. My clothing descriptions sucked, but she never failed to understand my gibberish. It’s why I paid her so much. This outfit would cost me around £650. After ordering the dress and the matching headband, we went for a walk in the park. Playgrounds weren’t a big thing yet, and even if they were— I wouldn’t take Percy anywhere near one. 

I didn’t want him contracting anything from other kids. He stayed in his pram the entire time and was only out in my or Anne’s arms. We went home around midday. Upon Tom’s arrival, I reported all my expenses to him and was happy to say that I had more than £7k leftover of the budget. 

I swear to God that his eyes lit up like a Christmas tree! There was no way he’d ever express it, but I knew he loved having that much money left over from the budget.

I knew my soon-to-be husband. I asked him whether or not he would order himself a new tailored suit for the occasion. He loved the idea but acted indifferently. He was on cloud fucking 9. It led to some enthusiastic love-making that night! However, even if everything was in order— the party planning continued. 

I had to pick the decorations, the table pieces, the flowers, the chairs, the tables, the food, the drinks, and then the music. I had to choose which pieces I wanted to listen to, what was acceptable ‘n at what point during the night. It was insane, and quite frankly, I wanted Tommy beside me. I wanted him to help me pick everything seeing as this was a party to celebrate us, and I was confident enough to ask him. 

I don’t know why I was worried; he gave me an automatic yes. We made a whole day of it with Percy and Anne. Anne was only there if we needed her to take care of Percy. However, it was more like she got the day off, seeing as Tommy wanted to carry his son the entire time. It was so cute! Tommy was wearing his signature peaked cap, but he’s been wearing ones without a razor ‘cause of Percy’s grabby hands. Anyway, Percy eventually decided to attack his father’s hat ‘n the cap kept passing between them!

My ovaries were hurting at the sight! I almost broke my promise, I swear, just to keep that sight!

It was funny seeing Tommy ordering people ‘round with a baby in his arms. One I got to see all to myself! God, if this is a dream— I don’t want to wake up. By the way, this took place in the course of three months. When it was May, it was a lot of rehearsals and making sure everything was as planned. Yeah, another “event” that took place during May was another announcement made by the newly engaged couple.

Linda and Arthur announced that they would be having the wedding this year and two months after Tommy and I’s engagement party. Honestly, Tommy and I were miffed, but not as much as last time. I think if they tried to have it anywhere near the same time we chose, then it was going to be a real problem. Do I even have to mention that Polly was annoyed? No, right? Because that has to practically be a given by now! 

May came ‘n went till finally, it was the big day!

June 16th of 1923 was a momentous day for the Shelby Estate. The lady of the house spent the whole morning being pampered by her maids. The madam was given a massage, a facial, a good scrubbing, a manicure, and a pedicure. Everybody in the house knows that the madam took special care of her body just for this one day. 

Aliena Welsh exercised her arse off to fit into her new dress that was designed to be one size smaller than what she previously was. Every woman in the house was holding their breath, begging to all that’s holy that she fit ‘cause if she didn’t, then God only knows what will happen! They’ve yet to see their mistress freak out, and they were hoping today wouldn’t be the day. It would be pitiful. 

She even got her hair done again since the roots had grown. Anyway, after the spa morning— they got into the real nitty-gritty of this operation! The Shelby maids have till 6 o'clock this evening to make their madam look the most beautiful belle of the ball. 

Aliena’s hair was covered in pins seeing as she was going for finger waves. However, she had too much thick hair. That meant that while the top of her head was covered in pins, the lower half was to be curled. Though Anne wanted to be the one to take care of her mistress, she was given the task to oversee the young master. Perseus Shelby would attend the party for a good hour or two before being whisked away by his most trusted maid/nanny, Anne. 

Speaking of the boys, Tommy took his son to visit the stables. He brought him real close and personal to the beasts he so openly adored. Percy loved them, especially their soft coats. Tom couldn’t describe how proud he felt that his son managed a smile. He wouldn’t know what he’d had done if he began to cry. Perhaps, Tommy would have just tried another time when the lad was a bit older. Seeing as babies are often frightened at loud noises and tall beings. 

When they were done with the horses, Tommy and Percy took a bath together at Aliena’s request. She said it’d be a bonding experience for them to have. Tom didn’t think it appropriate at first, seeing as he’d never heard of it being done before; however, he grew rather fond of it when he actually tried it. It was a pure moment that Tom would remember for the rest of his life. Afterward, Tom handed off his little one to Anne.

It wouldn’t take long for the men to get ready, but it was best to prepare beforehand. After all, they had to be at the hotel earlier to ensure everything was perfect. 

Tommy Shelby recently received a fresh cut, so his hair took up no time. He shaved, added aftershave, then wiped off the excess. Tommy took his time putting on his suit, which he had to do within the confines of his bathroom, seeing as his fiancée was hoarding their bedroom. After smoothing everything out ‘n tugging on his suit jack and cuffs, Tommy walked confidently into the room and chose his watch as well as his accessories. 

Tom decided to wear the ring and earring Aliena had gifted him. How could he not after finding out she was doing the same? She planned to wear the same earring and the butterfly ‘n teardrop earrings. There was something oddly possessive about Ali wearing the jewelry Tommy bought for her. He knew she would be hard to resist come the time she adorns them.

Tom kissed her cheek as he walked by; the women were still fussing over her hair. His fiancée was in nothing but her white, lace undergarments and robe. God have mercy on his soul! After annoying them, he walked into the nursery, where it would seem Percy was having a grand ole time.

Tom had instructed Anne earlier that it would be best to put Percy in something light after his bath. Aliena had picked out Percy’s outfit, and Tommy was not going to run the risk of being the reason why his son managed to ruin it. So, his boy was romping around on the rug-covered floor with Anne. He and Anne were playing with the blocks Tommy had got him. 

Tom sniffed loudly before hiking up his pants as he crouched down. “Is all right, Anne. I’ll take care of him now. Go ‘n help Aliena finish getting ready.” The man shuffled closer to his son before sitting down next to him. Anne rose to her feet gracefully and bowed before leaving Tom to his child. 

When Anne returned to the bedroom, the maids were still fretting over Aliena’s hair. The older woman clapped her hands, and the room fell silent. “Okay, everyone,” She began, “let’s all calm down and tell me what’s going on.” Multiple women talked over each other, trying to inform Anne of their dilemma, but ultimately it came from the Madam herself.

Ali sighed as her right elbow rested on her vanity mirror. She looked pretty exasperated. “It seems they are worried about whether or not my curls will hold. My hair is too thick; they said ‘n fear they should’ve started earlier.”

Anne tutted as she waved off the other maids from her mistress’s hair. “Poppycock! Let’s see what we can do, huh!” Anne worked her magic as she added in styling products ‘n knowledge she wouldn’t divulge to any of her other coworkers. Perhaps she would tell Aliena all her secrets if she asked.

 Though Anne solved the hair issue— they’ve yet to start on Aliena’s makeup. Only when she looked into the mirror Ali’s face was finished. The young woman glanced at Anne via the mirror and continued to apply mascara. Ali couldn’t help but chuckle at the older woman’s surprised eyes. Ali muttered, “I got it, Anne. Can you tell me what time it is?”

Anne cleared her throat silently before looking around the room. Another maid noticed this and said, “‘S 2:25.” Anne nodded, turned back to face Ali, and repeated the time. 

Aliena sighed as she looked over her face. She applied her usual base but went with thick winged eyeliner, mascara, brown eyeshadow, white inner corner, blush, and a bold red lip. Aliena smiled at herself before turning toward her staff. “Anne, can you get Percy ready or tell Tommy to get him dressed?” Turning toward the rest of them, she said. “I’ll be putting on my dress; then we’ll take my hair down.” 

Everybody took their places. Anne briskly walked back into the nursery, where the master and young master were taking a nap. Her heart soared at the sight, but she had an emotionless facial expression plastered on. Anne stood at the doorway with her hands at her stomach. “Mr. Shelby.” She began. Tom’s eyes flew open as if he were never awake.

“What is it, Anne?” He asked without missing a beat.

“The Madam would like Percy to be changed now. Shall I do it, or shall I leave it to you, sir?” Her gaze fell upon the sleeping five-month-old and found her heartbreaking at the thought of waking ‘em up.

Tom looked down at his son’s sleeping face. He was absolutely adorable with his drool ‘n all. Tom shook his head. “I can do it, Anne. Go ‘n help, Aliena, as I’ve told ya.” Tom slowly rose to his feet and gently tossed Percy higher in his arms just as Anne bowed before leaving the room. 

There was no easy way to wake your child, but Tom was determined. See if Tom tried and let Percy sleep, then he’s the arsehole when the baby wakes up while he’s being changed. Tommy began rocking Percy ‘n softly, calling his name in the little one’s ear. Percy whimpered but slowly opened up his eyes. 

Tommy cooed at the boy, trying to stop Percy from bawling his eyes out, but there was no stopping the floodgate. “Aw, I’m sorry, son. Daddy’s sorry, darling. Daddy’s so sorry.” He couldn’t help but chuckle at the situation he was in. Tommy never thought he’d have this. He felt he didn’t deserve it. “How about you help me get you all dressed up, and then you can go back to sleep, eh? Do a deal with Dad?”

Though Percy was too young to comprehend his father’s words, the bouncing ‘n his daddy’s voice soothed him to the point where his cries settled into whimpers again. The clothes had been lying on the changing table since Percy’s got out of the shower, so all Tom had to do was lay him on it. 

It wasn’t often that Tommy had to change a dirty nappy, but when he could, he did. In all honesty, Aliena and Tommy left the dirty nappies to their maids whenever they could. That’s what they’re there for. But Tommy began changing his baby boy into a clean one. He put the dirty nappy in the laundry bin, wiped all of Percy’s private areas clean, and added some baby powder. Tommy made sure to rub the power into his son’s chubby leg rolls as Aliena instructed before finally slipping on the boy’s clean nappy. 

Also, under his wife-to-be’s instructions, Tommy tried being as comical as possible. Tom made various faces ‘n talked in an exaggerated tone, but it was worth the smiles his boy gave him. Percy’s outfit includes a blue-collar white shirt with black trousers. There was an undershirt the baby was to wear as well. The only thing Tom was unsure about was whether or not she wanted him to tuck in Percy’s shirt. Tom voted tucked in, so tucked it was! 

When Tom was done, he picked up his baby boy in his arms. He cleared his throat loudly as he hauled Percy up before reaching into his pocket and grabbing his watch. They were cutting it close for time. Tom sniffed before walking back into his bedroom. 

Aliena was nearly done as she held out her arms for two maids to slip on her white satin gloves. Once they had, Aliena tugged them at the elbows and again at every finger as she started to walk back to her vanity. However, she caught her boys standing at the nursery’s doorway.

Simultaneously, Tommy was looking at his fiancée in awe. She looked beyond beautiful in her white beaded and fringed gown. Her makeup was bold, something Tommy had never seen her in. It was more sophisticated than the natural look she usually adorned. Tommy swears he’s never seen Aliena’s hair so short, and while it went well with the look— he wouldn’t trade it for her long hair for anything. 

His Ali was standing there, dressed more appropriately to the times, but her personality still shined through. As always, Tommy was correct; the dress was designed to have a plunging sweetheart neckline which wasn’t common till about the 1940s. Her bejeweled headband was white and had a floral pattern. The length of her dress covered Aliena’s shoes, but they were white heels. The heels were no more than four inches, as were favored by the times. 

Tommy smiled— genuinely smiled as he said, “You look beautiful, sweetheart.”

Aliena’s blush intensified, and she couldn’t help but act silly. She struck a pose before waving him off. They met each other halfway and shared several kisses. “You look rather handsome yourself,” Aliena replied as she stared deep into those familiar baby blues. Speaking of baby, Ali dropped her gaze to Percy, and she squealed. “Who is the most cutest baby boy around? Huh! Give me my baby!” 

Ali reached for Percy ‘n Tommy helped her carry him. Ali limited her range to his temple to save Percy from having very apparent red kisses on his face. “You are just so cute!” She gushed while swaying him back and forth. The boy laughed in his mother’s arms. 

“Love, we ‘ave to be leaving soon.” Tommy felt guilty cutting short such a sweet moment, but they had to be going seeing as they had a two-hour drive ahead of themselves. 

Aliena groaned before parting from Percy, who remained all smiles. She exhaled sharply before holding Percy out for Tom to take. “All right, then! Let me take a look of myself in the mirror, and then we’ll be off.” However, she didn’t stop there. “Anne, go ‘n make sure we ‘ave everything ready for Percy. His nappies, bottles, change of clothes if necessary— everything! Marie, dear, fetch Mr. Shelby’s and I’s coats. The white one for me and—”

“Marie, I won’t be needing my coat,” Tommy cut in. 

Ali’s gaze remained on herself, but she asked. “Oh? Why?” Before the man could respond, the Madam stood up straight ‘n dusted off her hands as she continued. “Nevermind his coat then. Just find a white scarf for ‘em, just in case. That alright, darling?”

“Yes, that’s all right.” Tom nodded, his eyes locking with Ali’s as she walked past him toward the bathroom. Tom looked around the room and noticed hardly anyone but Anne had moved. However, one glance from ‘em and they were scattering outta the room like rats. 

Tom bounced Percy in his arms, noticing the boy was trying to get his small grubby hands on his bowtie. “Oh no, love, that’s Daddy’s. Aliena, will you be long, or shall I go ‘n get the car ready?”

“Go ‘n get the car ready, hun!” She shouted over the toilet flush. Tommy didn’t hesitate to walk out of the room with their son in his arms as he made his way throughout their mansion. Meanwhile, Aliena was upstairs drying her hands then rushing to put back on her gloves. 

As she made her way out of the bedroom, Aliena caught Anne leaving the nursery. Aliena asked her, “Didja get Percy’s coat and hat as well, Anne?”

Anne nodded, her hands full with a suitcase and basket. “Of course, Ma’am. I’ve got it all in here.”

“Thank God! I swear, Anne, I’ve never been so nervous in my fucking life!”

Anne chuckled behind Ali. “Oh, you’re going to be just fine, Aliena. Relax and let your hard work pay off.”

Ali giggled as she waved off Anne’s words. “I know you’re right, but I can’t get that stupid pit out of my stomach. Oh well, not like I can back out now, can I?” Aliena laughed again as she hopped off the last step of the stairs. 

Under her breath, Anne muttered. “No, you can not.”

Aliena was out the door and in the door in no time. “Is everyone out of the house? Who’s gonna lock up?”

Tom replied, “Yeah, everyone’s outta the house. I’ll have some men guarding while we’re gone, but gone ahead and told one of them to lock up once we leave.”

Ali nodded. “Good. Well, I’m ready. You have my coat, right?”

“Right here.”

“Good.”

“Leo, drive.”

“Yes, Mr. Shelby, sir!”

The party was going off without a hitch. Anyone who received an invitation accepted and elected to go. This included all the “outsiders,” Johnny Dogs, the Lees, and Isaiah ‘n Jeremiah. It made for quite a big event! One where Tommy never left his lovely fiancée's side. 

Well, at least he didn’t leave her side till night fell. 

But before we talk about the night, let’s start at the beginning. First of all, before the rest of the Shelby's arrived— Aliena was running around making sure everything was perfect with Tommy not too far behind. People didn’t start showing up till an hour later, and the first was Cassie and Dougie. Cassie lived at the Ritz, so it was hardly a journey. She arrived on the dot and practically kidnapped Percy from his father.

Next to arrive were Polly and Michael, who sucked at hiding his true feelings. Everyone could tell that the lad was more or less sad at the union, and I mean everyone! After was John and Esme, along with their horde of children. The pattern of arrival began switching from Shelby to Aliena’s mates. 

A potential business connection would surprise the couple with their early arrival here and there, but they kept their calm appearances. Johnny Dogs and the Lees were tricked in their invitations. Aliena wrote them that the event took place two hours earlier than it was as a way to get them to arrive on time. 

Dougie’s, Angie’s, Tina’s, and Horace’s parents arrived later than the rest. Dom came not long after the party began, and Aliena’s reaction to the man’s arrival threw Tommy off. If she had told him that Dominic Johnson was her father, he’d have to believe her ‘cause of her reaction! The girl practically jumped into his arms!

Tommy’s interactions with said parents were strained since many were classists at heart, but he managed to charm Dougie’s and Tina’s parents. Dougie’s father worked in a trade like Tom’s, so they bonded in that. However, with Tina’s father— well, the man was just weak. He was easy to befriend, charm, and manipulate. Tina’s mother was no better, and Tom realized where Tina got her timid nature from. Aliena came to the same realization.  

Angie and Horace’s parents were so far up their own arses that they didn’t realize they were rude to the literal couple they were supposed to be congratulating. Aliena and Tom handled it like champs, though! They kept their smiles and took turns putting the older couples on their arses. Witty banter ‘n all that jazz!

Tom and Dom had a weird talk. Again, the older gentlemen came across as Ali’s father figure. Something he had never been expecting, seeing as the girl’s birth father is dead. Tom didn’t stand down and took Dom’s challenge head-on. He took the insults, the suspicions, and thinly disguised threats. Tom only hoped to God that he’d only have to suffer through it this one day.

Once everyone arrived within the allotted hour they were granted, Tommy and Aliena urged everyone to find a table as dinner began. Tommy and Aliena sat at the most oversized table surrounded by their families. The room was filled with chatter, smiles, and grimaces. The only saving grace was the food. Of course, they served sophisticated courses at the Ritz-Carlton!

Both sides of the family decided it appropriate to share stories about the celebrated couple. Something the two felt conflicted about. They were fine when the accounts were sweet and harmless but felt the sweat comin’ on when specific information was divulged. Shins were kicked often during dinner, as were subtle glares. 

After dinner, the guests were allowed to move around all three rooms that Aliena booked for the evening. Percy stayed with them for at least another hour before he was sent to Cassie’s room to rest with Anne. Meanwhile, the party was roaring strong downstairs. 

Tommy left Ali’s side in favor of talking business to those extra guests while Aliena spoke to anyone who came to her. It seemed to go reasonably well, and Tom made new contacts. However, throughout the night, two obstacles become clear to him—the gossip of his unfamiliar guests as well as the interference done by Aliena’s mates.

Just as they feared, loud-spoken people drawled on and on about how shameless the two were. They ragged on about their age gap, social standing, and Tom’s “obvious” shortcomings. They were both leeches, according to some of their guests. Aliena and Tom paid no mind to these loud whispers, and if someone dared to voice their concerns to their faces— they dealt with that as well.

“We are two consenting adults, who fell in love,” Aliena replied with a tranquil tone ‘n smile. “Did you feel the same when you married your husband, Mrs. Roberts? I’m sure despite the arrangement, it was still a happy union made, right?”

“Yes, I am indeed quite a bit older than my soon-to-be wife; however, you’ll find that we are both quite happy. She’s one of the great joys of my life, along with my son. But thank you for your concern. We’re going to be just fine.” Tommy would eloquently state.

“Yes, Tommy was born in Small Heath, Birmingham. He’s come a long way since then using his intelligence and drive. I’m proud to say I’ll be wedded to a man who not only fought for his country but fought for his ambitions in life. It built the foundation of his company and all we are thankful for. Not all men can say they earned what they own like my fiancé can.” Aliena said sweetly before sipping her champagne. 

That was all one thing, but then there was the second. It was not only the mates Tommy was familiar with, no. There were people coming up to him— many of whom were men, telling him all about his Ali and how lucky he was to have her.

Tom was having a conversation with Douglas, who’s had a few since dinner. The man was 27 years old and fought in the war same as Tom. For that, Douglas had Tom’s respect, but he wouldn’t go as far as to call ‘em a friend. 

Douglas cleared his throat before taking a pull of his cigarette. “Say, Thomas, do you know Aliena’s favorite colour?”

Undisturbed, Tom replied. “It’s teal.”

Douglass hummed. “Do you know what her favorite alcoholic beverage is?”

Tom blinked before replying, “Ah, I think it was a gin ‘n tonic. It’s been almost a year since she’s had a drink.”

“Yeah, it has, hasn’t it? God, you should’ve seen her, Tom! She was the absolute life of the party! Ali’s gone drink for drink with me before, has she told you?”

Tom looked down at his whiskey before shaking his head. “No, she hasn’t.” 

Douglas hummed again, taking another pull. “You know, Thomas, I didn’t say this last time ‘cause it was our first time meeting ‘n all plus you scare the shit out of me. But, I love Ali like a younger sister, and that’s saying something ‘cause I have older sisters. So, I’ll just get this over with.”

“That would be nice.” Tom quipped.

“If you hurt her, I’ll hurt you, and despite us being on good terms now— don’t doubt my ability nor any of our abilities to make your life a living hell.”

* * *

“Oh, I’m a friend of Aliena’s. We met during her time in London. She’s a strong woman,” said an American man.

“I’m a friend of Aliena’s. We met at a party. She’s one of a kind, isn’t she! You’re one lucky man. A woman like her will walk with you through the fires of hell,” said another man.

“Oh, I was invited. Yeah, I met Aliena through a mutual mate. She was a real party girl when we met! Had all the lads lookin’ at her when she walked into a room, especially when she danced! And Christ, that girl knows how to dance.” The raven-haired woman looked Tom up and down before smiling. “I’m glad to see that she settle down. She kind of worried me from time to time. Hopefully, you ‘n her will live a long life together, eh!”

There were at least eight more interactions like that. It became so ridiculous that Tommy eventually felt annoyed. He was annoyed and confused. It had Tom so dazed that he naturally drifted back to Aliena, who wasn’t expecting him back that soon. He took her into his arms, hugging her from behind. Aliena welcomed the surprise and acknowledged him with a kiss before turning back to her conversation. 

Tommy stood behind her like a pillar as he worked on compartmentalizing his feelings. Storing it away to be dealt with another day. He never questioned their relationship before, and he wasn't now. However, Tom was barely coming to terms that she had a life outside of the family. He knew the girl could befriend the damndest of people, but that was a lot.

The party ended around two in the morning. Everyone stumbled out of the hotel in droves. Tom drove his little family back home and delighted in the sight of his lover holding his child. Aliena tried to fight it, but she was yawning every five seconds. Tom's sure that she would've been passed out if it wasn't for the babe in her arms. 

Percy was everything to them. They'd murder, maim, frame anyone for him. It's just instinct to a parent. Or at least, it should be. When they arrived home, it was four in the morning. They'd be sleeping all day if their little one allowed it.

Only as Tom watched Ali put down their sleeping son from the doorway connecting their rooms, he wasn’t feeling tired anymore. They ended the day making slow, sweet love.

Tom’s had a lot to deal with during these past two months. He was getting hit from both business and familial prospects of his life. Arthur asked him to be the best man at his wedding while Churchill put him through the wringer. The man wouldn’t tell him what he was needed for, not yet anyhow! Churchill was sending him on wild goose chases— tests! Testing Tom’s ability to see if he could handle whatever big mission he had in store for him.

The only thing that kept him going was his wife and son. Arthur was a pain in the arse because he became an awkward man after his “conversion.” His older brother was in this limbo between redeemed man and the dog he’d once been. The dog had been leashed, and ownership was taken— stolen. Linda swiped the leash from Tommy’s hand, and he knew there was no way he’d get that leash back fully. He could borrow Arthur but had to give him back by the end of the day.

That being said, the dog knew who his original owner was and remained submissive. As long as Arthur remained in his place, everything else didn’t matter.

The wedding would take place on the 15th of August as chosen by the happy couple. It was laughable how insecure and jealous Linda was of Tom’s family. Perhaps it wasn’t that; maybe she just wanted to secure her position as Arthur’s legal spouse. That woman wanted her claws so far into his brother that no one would question if there were ever there. Again, Tommy didn’t care as long as they both stayed in their place.

So, Tom accepted the position. He was honored and glad he could help his older brother in such a monumental moment in his life. Lord knows that Arthur would need the help if he wanted to be included in his own wedding at all. Otherwise, it’d be a one-woman show. 

Rather fondly, Tom remembers the conversation he and Ali had as they made their way back to ‘de ‘ouse. They both complained about the couple. How Linda acted the entire time they’d known her, and how subservient Arthur had become. It was laughable, so they did. That’s when Tom knew that he didn’t like it when they stepped out of line either. 

Tom was King, and since Aliena’s the mother of his child ‘n fiancée, she’s to be Queen. The sharks were sniffing for blood. The storm was brewing: Blah-blah and all that good jazz. Point was money was being made; the situation allowed for positions to rise. His family wasn’t idiotic; they were just slower on the uptake. Some desperately wanted a new King to ascend, but Tommy was never letting go. Not until he was good and ready, and since he’s barely received his crown— it wasn’t going to be any time soon.

Plus, Tom wasn’t so sure that he ever wanted to stop. Talking to Ali changed a lot of things. She made it his decision— it would be all on him whichever path he chose. If he tried to go straight and ended up soft, it might bite him on the arse later in life when the wolves come to the door. On the other hand, continuing on this path means he might accumulate more enemies over time, putting his family’s lives in even more danger. Either way, he’s fucked! 

Tommy kept telling himself that he didn’t have to choose now and that he could put it off; however, deep down, he knew he had already made his choice. He just hopes Percy can forgive him. Hopes that all his children will understand his decisions. 

Tom kept his head down as he walked into the building of Churchill’s office. Upon his first encounter with the man, he was instructed that he was to meet him at 12:30, always. Their meetings would, hopefully, only take 30 minutes to avoid being seen by Churchill’s secretary. Tom beelined it from the man’s office and knocked before he entered. 

The older man was diligently sitting at his desk ‘n didn’t even lift his head as he acknowledged Tom. “Good afternoon, Mr. Shelby. Have a seat, and let us discuss business.”

Tom closed the door behind him before sitting down in the chair Churchill suggested. He fished into his pocket for his cigarette case. True to his word, Tom didn't smoke around his baby, but he smoked a helluva lot outside. 

"So, I've read the report. You've impressed me with the results once again, Mr. Shelby," said Churchill as he shifted through a manilla folder. 

Tom exhaled before leaning back. He didn't care to respond, seeing as no reply would benefit the conversation. 

"Yes, well, I suppose killing a man becomes easier the more times you do it. After all, we had plenty of practice in the war."

Again, Tom said nothing to the comment. He only scoffed softly before taking another drag. 

"Mr. Shelby, I've decided that you are now ready to receive the full details on what these whole tedious meetings have been for." Churchill reached down into his drawer and tossed a bulky manila folder toward Tom. "It would seem that we've recently come into business with Russia."

Jesus fucking Christ! Russia! What the ‘ell was the government getting involved with Russia for? How the hell was Tommy gonna benefit from this situation? And how far would this take his family up the food chain? 

Churchill gave him a summary of the background of the mission before getting to his objective. 

Churchill cleared his throat. "So it's finally out in the open. You can't tell a soul, and if you do, no one would believe you, and the government would hang you for treason. If anyone from your family should spread this information— because you will eventually tell them, they will reach the same fate. No matter the gender or age. Do we have an understanding, Mr. Shelby?"

Without hesitation, Tommy replied. "Yes, I understand." He wasn't threatened in the least. Well, he felt the weight of the threat, but Tom would never let it show. He couldn't deny the sharp pain in his heart when the man in front of him practically threatened not only his family but his future wife as well. He couldn't stop the image of her swinging past his mind no sooner than he'd like. 

"Good. Now, enough with that. I'd like to meet with you at least one more time before we get into things, seeing as these meetings must be kept brief and all. It's been brought to my attention that someone is beginning to notice these secret meetings between you and me. As far as I know, they haven't discovered your identity, but nonetheless, the venue of where we meet will have to change. You see, there is a charity party being hosted in New York next month; I am working on getting you an invitation. Very exclusive this charity, but still, who could question your right to be there as a businessman and the social standing your fiancée has. I'm sure convincing your lovely fiancée will be easy for you, but make it happen."

"I don't want my fiancée anywhere near this business," replied Tommy as he flicked off the ash at the end of his cigarette. 

Churchill sighed before stating, “Unfortunately, Mr. Shelby, that was not a suggestion. It was an order. Having Ms. Welsh there will provide sufficient cover for you. Otherwise, your appearance at an elite social level event will draw in wandering eyes.”

Thomas Shelby was a secure man who loved his fiancée with all his “cold heart.” Aliena’s time by herself proved to be fruitful since she made connections to influential people in a social class higher than theirs. 

Thomas wasn’t used to the help or at least the help from someone he didn’t manipulate into helping him.  Did it hurt his pride? A little, but he’d never admit it to anyone. 

The point is that Tom always thought of Aliena’s higher social status as an advantage, but at that moment, he’d wished her friends had hidden her away like a dirty secret. Tom said nothing in reply to Churchill’s statement and took another drag instead. 

The older man did the same to his cigar before asking, “Do we have an understanding, Mr. Shelby?”

Tom cleared his throat. “Yes, we have an understanding.” 

“Good. I will send you the invitations for you and your fiancée as soon as possible. Dismissed, Mr. Shelby.”

Without reply, Tommy stubbed out his cigarette and left. Inside he was irritated. He desperately wanted to keep Ali away from this business, but there was no way out of this. He knew that if he gave it to her straight, she’d understand, but there was just something in the back of his head preventing him from talking. 

Tom knew his lovely little wife was capable of bloodshed ‘n violence. She’d killed a man, and he had a front-row ticket to the bloody assault of a woman who messed with her best mate. However, the information just wasn’t sticking to his brain. He saw his quirky, crybaby Aliena. 

He was the brooding grump who could make people tremble from a single look while she drew people in. After you got over your initial impression of her. As Aliena states, “She has a resting bitch face that makes people think she’s mad all the time.” Aliena was a short glass of giggles, smiles, twitches, and ramblings. Like the residents of Birmingham said, she was the Light of the Peaky Blinders. 

There was something in him that wanted to keep that statement alive for as long as they lived. Tom didn’t want to wake up one day and hear people calling her the she-devil to his devilish status. 

Tom made it back to the office around two or three in the afternoon. He spent much of his time catching up on work that the meetings with Churchill usually took. Tom didn’t eat lunch ‘n he didn’t stop working for anything— only to pour himself another drink. 

On an average day, he’d sit in that chair till around ten at night or something like that. However, today would be one of those special days when he’d surprise his small family by coming home early. He left the office around six and arrived home at seven. 

Tom had his last whiskey and smoke at the office ‘n now that he was home— he’d refrain from all his vices. Anne greeted him at the door and quickly helped him out of his coat. He handed her his cap as well before shouting, “Sweetheart, I’m ‘ome!”

He heard her pounding footsteps before he actually laid eyes on her. Aliena had a black headband on with a few framing hairs curling around the sides of her face. She had on a black silk slip and a gold dressing gown accented with various coloured flowers. As for shoes, she had on some black house slippers. 

She was absolutely breathtaking.

Before he could greet her with his semi-usual embrace and kiss, she took his hands in hers as she shouted with a grin on her face, “Tommy, you have to see this! C’mon, c’mon!”

Her infectious happiness had a habit of rubbing off on him, so he tried his best to stifle the smile that threatened to stretch across his face. “All right, love, I’m right behind ya.”

She dragged him into the parlous-slash-family room, where his son was sitting down on a blanket as he played with his toy horse. “Sit,” Aliena commanded as she pushed Tom down onto the sofa. She gave him one last ecstatic smile before turning around and getting down on her knees. Tom patiently waited to see what she had in store for him and wondered how it involved their baby.

Aliena scootched closer to Percy before holding her arms out and saying, “Percy, my love, come to Mummy. Come to Mama, baby.” Tom’s heart skipped a beat, and he sat on the edge of his seat. Their son didn’t give Aliena any mind at first, but when he realized his Mama was calling for ‘em— he didn’t hesitate to throw his horse away. 

Ali continued to call for Percy, and not a second after throwing away his toy, did their boy fall onto his hands ‘n knees and made his way toward her. Tom felt an indescribable amount of love and happiness that made him almost feel like he wasn’t in his body. Like this wasn’t his life, a life that he didn’t deserve to have due to all of his many sins. But here he was, with the loves of his life. 

Percy crawled to Ali’s knees and was beginning to push himself up when Ali scooped him up. She pressed a bunch of kisses against his cheek and cheered him on for doing so well. Her gaze fell to his, and she smiled at him. “He just started today. We were working on it practically all day.”

Tom smiled without any reservations, but he didn’t know what to say. Aliena shifted her gaze from Percy, then back to him, then asked. “Do you want to see if he’ll crawl over to you?”

Surprisingly when he replied, “Yeah,” it came out soft and strained. Tom could feel all the beginnings of a good cry, but he didn’t want to deal with it. So, he tried calming down as much as he could. 

Aliena kissed Percy’s cheek once more before placing him on the floor. “Go to Daddy, Percy. Go on. Crawl to Daddy.” 

Tom bent down and reached out for ‘em as best he could. “Come to Papa, Percy.” Tom and Ali kept repeating themselves until Percy made his way over to Tom. Percy crawled up to Tom’s shoes and managed to curl his fingers around his Papa’s pant legs before being hauled up into his father’s arms. Tommy pressed a kiss to his son’s temples, then his cheek. He muttered against him, “Oh, my sweet boy. Eh, kiddo, you did it! Hmm!” Tom didn’t want to let him go, so he didn’t. The man was so enamored with his son that Tom didn’t want to hand Percy over even when Ali sat beside them.  

“Soon, he’ll be saying his first words,” Aliena whispered as she stroked the side of Tom’s head. “Sometimes, I swear Percy calls for me. His babbles have been sounding more and more like ‘Ma-Ma-Ma’.”

Tommy pulled away from Percy and found himself staring into the same blue eyes he had. “He’s growing up so fast.” Tom stroked Percy’s face with his thumbs before pulling him back in with a kiss to the babe’s forehead. Percy was busy trying to take Tom’s tie. 

Aliena hummed in agreement. “Yeah, he is.” She reached over and began stroking Percy’s tufts of hair, which was growing along nicely and had some waves to it. “So, how was your day?”

Tom kept his eyes on Percy but replied, “It was good. Had a meeting that ended early, so I was able to finish all I had to do today. ‘S how I was able to get home so early. What about your day?”

“Well, other than working on his crawling, I worked on introducing him to solid foods. He ate some cut-up pieces of fruits and veggies, but I don’t feel comfortable giving him meat yet.”

“How is he doing on his teething, love?”

Aliena audibly winced, which drew Tom’s attention. She began rubbing her breast as she said. “It’s still there if that’s what you’re asking. I’ve tried getting him to teethe as much as he could on anything other than my nipples, but something tells me that as long as he’s teething and I’m breastfeeding— I’ll just ‘ave to suck it up.” Ali chuckled humorlessly before shaking her head. “God, I hope it ends sooner rather than later.”

“I do too, for your sake.”

“Thank you.” They both looked back at their babe, who had snuggled closer to his daddy. Percy’s face was hidden in Tom’s neck, and his eyes were fluttering. Aliena sighed softly. “Aw, we outta take this little one to bed. C’mon, love.” 

Aliena rose to her feet first and waited for Tom to stand with their son in his arms slowly. Then, they made their way upstairs to the boy’s nursery. Tom and Ali parted from Percy with kisses, laid the babe down to sleep, and then shuffled into their room. 

Aliena sighed loudly before launching herself backward onto their bed. Tom smiled at the sight. She propped herself up by her elbows and stared directly at him. “I forgot to ask you downstairs, but were you hungry? I can ask Anne to whip you up something.”

Tom shook his head. “No, that’s all right. I-uh, actually have something I want to ask you.” Tommy sniffled loudly before walking over to Ali’s vanity bench. He hitched up his pant legs before sitting down. 

Aliena scooted closer to the edge of the bed and let out a deep breath. “Uh oh,” she muttered just as Tom took her hands in hers. Not a second later did she let out a bout of nervous giggles and snap her fingers a few times. 

Something Aliena did from time to time when she was anxious. 

Tom shook his head. “Nothing like that, sweetheart.” It took him a couple of seconds to come up with a good lie. “That meeting I had today isn’t exactly a done deal. He’s a powerful man and harder to…persuade than most. He invited me to a charity in New York, and I was wondering if you’d like to accompany me?”

Aliena’s eyes widened, and she drew a hand over her mouth. “Oh, Tommy! New York!”

He nodded. “Yes.”

“What about the baby, Tommy? We-We can’t just leave him.” Aliena looked away with a hand pressed against her cheek.

“We can talk to Pol or Cassie about taking him while we take the trip.”

“How long is it gonna be?” She asked with furrowed brows.

Tom wracked his brain for a minute. The last time he seriously thought about making a trip to New York was when he was caught up with Grace, but he hadn’t gone that far into planning. “I believe it will take about a week or two to get there.”

Ali’s hand slapped over her mouth. “To get there, Tommy! But—!”

“Ali, love, think about it. We’ll have time together. Just the two of us. It’ll be like our honeymoon ‘cause you know, we’re not gonna be able to have one after the wedding.”

Aliena’s hand finally dropped back down, and Tommy didn’t hesitate to rub that one like he had been the other. She looked around the room, thoughtfully, before meeting his gaze. “That’s true…”

“So, what do you say? We’ll have about a month to ourselves. It’s gonna be you, me, and the sea. Then, we’ll take over New York.”

Aliena chuckled while shaking her head. “You drive a hard bargain, Mr. Shelby!” Tom waited for her answer. He could see her brain working. The worry in her expression, but he knew. Tom watched as her face softened. She nodded. “Yeah, alright. Let’s go to New York.”

Tommy was on top of her in a blink of an eye, and his lips muffled the squeal that wanted to escape her lips. “We’ll go to New York ‘n have us a grand ‘ole time. I’ll make love to you as many times as I like and hear those delicious moans of yours. Take you shopping, out to dinner— anything you want, love.”

Aliena ran her fingers through Tom’s hair and moaned softly, “Tommy.” 

Tom pulled away from Aliena to take all of her in for a second. Safe to say, he fucked her all night long.

August 15th didn’t come soon enough. Lord knew Tom wanted to get the day over with ‘n just go home with his family. Not that he wasn’t happy for his brother— he just didn’t especially like Linda.

“Brother, I-I’m nervous. You don’t think she’d leave me at the alter, do ya?” Arthur asked Tom for the millionth time.

Tom shook his head as he cleared his throat. “No, Arthur, I don’t think Linda would leave you at the alter.”

Arthur fixed his stance, straightening up his back, then nodded. “Right, right! Just nerves is all.” 

Tom didn’t respond. His gaze fell to Ali, who had Percy in her lap. She looked to be reading him the Hymn sheet. Tom couldn’t help but grin a little. Polly didn’t need one, but he knew his fiancée sure as shit needed it. The girl hadn’t stepped a foot in a church since Ada’s wedding, but before that, it was when she was baptized as a babe. Meanwhile, his mother had hauled him and his siblings to Sunday Mass for most of their childhood.

Tom had no plans of making Percy or any of his future children suffer through the same thing. He wasn’t religious, and it made it easier that Aliena wasn’t either. Eventually, the Bridal Chorus began playing, and everyone stiffened up as Linda started walking up the aisle. 

Arthur and Linda were getting married in Birmingham’s nicest church, with the pews being side-by-side. Linda’s side was hardly filled, but some people were sitting in them. As far as Tommy knew, her mother was either dead or not in her life.

Think her mother was a whore, or at least a “sinful” woman in her daughter’s eyes. Linda’s father was definitely walking her down, but otherwise, there was nobody of importance on Linda’s side. A bunch of Quakers and churchgoers. The ceremony in itself was as plain as a wedding could be, and Tommy found himself inside of his head. 

When the ceremony finished, everybody hurried outside. Tom didn’t hesitate to find his way back to Aliena, who was just as exasperated as he was, and Percy. 

John rounded up all the immediate family as Finn corralled the women fighting for the bouquet away from the steps. 

Tommy shouted, “All right, let’s take this photograph! Come on!” The photographer rushed to set himself up. Tom glanced over at Ali before saying, “Give me him, eh?”

Aliena said nothing in return but passed the man his son. She wrapped her hands around Tom’s biceps and smiled toward the camera. Tom managed a quick kiss to her temple before looking ahead. 

John shouted, “Take the fucking photo!”

Blinding lights fucked with the lots visions a couple of times from the number of photos taken, and then it was time to get their cars ‘n drive to the reception. The drive to the place wasn’t long. The newlywed couple had decided to rent out a hotel just as Tom ‘n Ali did for their engagement party. 

It wasn’t as extravagant as the Ritz, but it wasn’t a cheap place either. Tommy spent his time with Aliena and Percy. Mainly, Percy since his lovely fiancée as gossiping about the bride with his Aunt. Eventually, he gave Percy back to his mother ‘n went looking for his brothers. He had a drink with John and Arthur, but only one with Arthur since the man turned over a new leaf. 

 Arthur was swearing off everything— booze, drugs, fighting, and other women, which Tom was all the happy for ‘em, as long as the man didn’t become a thorn in his side. Didn’t want his older brother growing soft.

So, after sharing that drink with his brothers— it was time for dinner. After dinner would be Tommy’s speech. He went over it with Arthur beforehand and more with Ali. It was short and sweet. Arthur and Linda were together for such a short amount of time that he couldn’t put a lot of thought into it. So, short ‘n simple/sweet, it’ll have to be.

Dinner went well. Tom had a fun time trying to see which foods Percy would eat. Ali wouldn’t stop smacking him for “teasing” ‘em, but Tommy didn’t mind. To be fair, he was being a bit of an arsehole on purpose, making Percy reach for some things and wait for others. A part of him hoped to push his son over the edge so that he and his family would have to make a break for it. The victim himself foiled his plans. Percy was a naturally calm child, so even if he would be whining one second the next, he’d already be relaxed. 

Once dinner was over, Tom put on his big boy pants, swallowed his ‘tsk,’ and rose from his seat. It was time to give the half-heartfelt speech. “Hello, everyone. We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of my eldest brother, Arthur, and his lovely new wife, Linda. Linda’s been an overwhelmingly good influence for my brother from the moment these two got together. He was in a dark place for a long time, but she made it better. Changed him for the better. Arthur has waited a long time to meet his match, and Lord knows he was impatient to find ‘er.”

Tom received chuckles from around the room, but he continued. “‘N now he’s found her.” He raised his glass, and the whole room followed suit. “To Arthur and Linda!” The room repeated his words. “And may their union be filled with happiness and long-lasting!” Everyone took a drink from their glasses and continued with their business.

Arthur and Linda thanked Tom for his words while others complimented him for his speech. Meanwhile, his little Ali had a hand over her mouth with her shoulders shaking. 

“Have I said something funny, love?” Tom asked.

She shook her head, took a deep breath, and replied. “That was rather short, wasn’t it? You said like three lines at the most.”

Tom cleared his throat as his mouth twitched upward. “My mother used to say if you have nothing nice to say, then don’t say it at all.”

Aliena’s laughter grew an octave which caught Percy’s attention. He began mimicking his mother and laughed with her. The pair of them set their sights on the babe just as Tom reached over and began ticking Percy’s stomach— giving him something to laugh about. The babe’s giggles turned genuine, and Tommy couldn’t handle the cuteness. He took Percy from Aliena and began kissing his cheeks. 

The day went into the night, and eventually, it was just immediate family. Before everyone was ready to say their goodbyes, Tom called a family meeting. Arthur looked hurt, but Tom tried to send him a reassuring look. It didn’t do much.

They all looked a little miffed at him if he was being honest. However, he also didn’t care. “Right, now that we’re all settled down, you all can stop with the glares. It’s not about business.” The stale air immediately lifted. “Aliena and I have an announcement to share. Just as Arthur and Linda will be taking a honeymoon, so will we. Aliena and I have planned to go to New York next month, and seeing as we’re going to the states— the trip will take a month. Fifteen days to get there and fifteen days to get back.”

“That’s a whole bloody month, Tommy!” John exclaimed.

Tom’s expression never changed. “Yes, like I said,” he repeated like he was talking to a child. “While I’m gone, Polly will be in charge, and I trust that you all hold down the fort. We’ll be leaving on the 24th, and we’ll be back around the 29th.”

Finn chimed in, “But you said it would take fifteen days each way.”

Aliena, who was closest to the boy, stroked his arm and replied. “He meant we’ll be leaving on the 24th of this month, and we’ll be back by the 29th of September, love.” 

Finn went redder than a tomato but asked another question, nevertheless. “What about Percy? Are you taking him along, or…?”

Tom shook his head, his gaze falling on Ali. She immediately went crestfallen. “Percy’s gonna be with his godparents. You’re all welcome to check up on him from time to time, but he’s to remain in their care while we’re gone.”

Polly hmphed from beside him with her arms crossed. Ali giggled at the sight and walked over to the woman. She hugged Polly, who embraced her back. “You can take care of him too, Pol. I’m sure they’ll need your help.”

Polly hmphed again. “As if I’d let them hog, that beautiful boy from me!” Polly kissed Ali’s temple and shook her head. All eyes were then set back to Tommy. 

The man looked over his family and nodded his head. “That’s all. Let’s say good night to the newlyweds and be on our way, eh.”

* “Oh my God! Fuck!”

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[elysiashelby]

I didn't realize how many typos I had throughout the series... 😳

[elysiashelby]

In Another World - T.Shelby Imagine Ch. 30

Paring: Thomas Shelby x Aliena Welsh (OC)

Fandom: Peaky Blinders

Word Count: 15,683

WARNINGS: Cursing, Fluff, POV! Shifts, Pregnancy, Detailed Labor Scene

Summary: Aliena has yet to have her baby and it’s worry the hell out of Tommy. However, the holidays save the day and prevent him from being too overprotective. The holidays also allow Aliena to see a side of him that she’s never seen before. However, when will the baby be born?

MASTERLIST  CHAPTER 29  CHAPTER 31

A/N: Oof, so this took a lot longer to finish than I thought it was going to take! However, I have delivered. This chapter is about the baby being born, so if you don’t like things like this... I guess you’ll have to skip this chapter. You can read it up to a certain point since the beginning is a lot of filler. Anyways, I HOPE YOU ENJOY!! 

A LOT OF POV! CHANGES SO PLEASE REFER TO THE LINE BREAK GUIDELINE IN THE MASTER IF CONFUSED!!

When December rolled around, everybody was on their toes at the possibility of me going into labor any day. I, sure as hell, was ready for this baby to get out of me. Look, being pregnant beats having a period by a landslide, but the weight! Oh god, the weight! And the amount of times I have to go pee in a day is annoying and tiring. 

I can’t believe how many people I’ve taught the TikTok trick during my ninth month. I taught anybody I could: Tommy, Polly, Cassie, Angie, Dougie, and Horace. I couldn’t get Tina to do it since she felt as if she’d hurt me. The whole point was to gently lift my belly so some of the weight would get off my back, but whatever! 

Back to it being December, my new doctor confirmed that my supposed due date was December 22nd, but the day came and went. All I felt that day was Braxton-Hicks contractions, so he was called back to the house the next day. Tommy was worried out of his mind, and quite frankly— he stressed me out.

The doctor soothed Tommy’s worries by reassuring us that the baby was fine and healthy and that we would just have to wait it out. The baby would choose their time to enter the world, but in the meantime, I was to be put on bed rest with the minimalist amount of movement. I tried to argue, ya know? But Tommy gave me this stern look, and I caved. 

I was only allowed to walk to the restroom as my meals would be brought to the room. It was ridiculous, and Anne had the gall to be on Tommy’s side! It didn’t make sense ‘cause I only did that for the one day, seeing as the next day was Christmas Eve, and we had already made plans to celebrate at the house. It frustrated Tom to no end when I rubbed it in his face, but what could we do— cancel? I wouldn’t let him. 

We already bought the food, the decorations and sent out the invites. So, I had my way and was allowed up and about for the holiday, but there were conditions. Of course, Thomas Shelby had to do a deal. I was to sit on the couch as often as I could. I couldn’t be on me feet for long, and I was to be "obedient" and tell ‘em if I felt anything wrong. I remember just staring at him deadpan but agreeing with him, nonetheless.

I wasn’t keeping any promises, and we owned a fucking mansion. He’d lose sight of me eventually. Let me tell you something real quick, news flash— he never lost sight of me. Freakin’ overprotective, loveable bastard! 

The whole family came over, including my mates, since they were technically “my family.” Nobody protested their presence, so why would I make a big deal about it? I was expecting pushback from Pol, if I was honest. However, I think she quite likes Cassie and Angie. Cassie is over almost every day, so they’ve had plenty of time to talk while Angie has a fire lit under her arse that she admires, as she put it. Tina came by the house when she could, but lately, she had thrown herself into her work and studies. Couldn’t knock her for it, ya know.

I wore this lovely green velvet dress with my pearl set and my hair in a low ponytail with some of my hair framing my face. I kept my makeup light as always. The dress had flowy mid-arm sleeves, a square cut neckline, and it came down to my knees. I wore black stocking under, which Tommy graciously offered to help me in. 

It was seriously a wonder that this man was still attracted to me. I mean, not that I was fat or anything along those lines— no. I mean, my stomach was bulging outward. There’s not much torso on me, so the growth of my bump was exaggerated. My brain couldn’t comprehend Tommy’s lustfulness for me, but it made me feel secure. For every day this man stays with me, my confidence and ego grows, I swear! Tom’s just way more romantic and playful than I thought he’d be. It’s beyond words the affection I feel for him. 

The Christmas party went off without a hitch. There was a minor hiccup with Robert and John Jr.— the hiccup being that they broke a vase as they were fighting. John assumed I had bought it and promised he’d pay me back for it, but I told him that it was fine. Tom didn’t even care about it; however, I knew it would be getting replaced. The party was slightly awkward because of two people: Michael and Linda. 

Arthur and Linda began dating in September of 1922. I just hardly pay attention to ‘er ‘cause she pisses me off, and I can’t be stressed. So, it’s physically and mentally better for me to just pretend she doesn’t exist. I still smile to her face, though. What I do for family, right? I have no idea if she knows I don’t like her, and I don’t care. I don’t mind religion. What I do mind is when people try to push it on others. Arthur wasn’t a praying man before her, but suddenly, he converted or something. 

I’d understand better if he found the path on his own, but it feels like he’s only doing it as a way to get closer to her. Look, I’m just happy for Arthur, alright? Despite all his hellraising, I believe the man deserves a soulmate and some happiness. Arthur and John are like the older brothers I never had, and they will be my brothers once Tom and I are wed. Point is, I care deeply about the two knuckleheads despite all the chaos they’re going to raise later in life. 

I’ve found that I’m legitimately the only one Polly has accepted full-heartedly into the family. The woman never welcomed Freddie, Grace, Esme, and now she doesn’t accept Linda. Like the two peas in a pod we are, she smiles at Linda’s face too but complains about her to me. It’s fun and reminds me a lot of me mum. We even whispered about her at the party. We were criticizing the way Linda kept Arthur by her side the whole party. Linda had Arthur on a tight leash, and she wasn’t planning on letting up on her grip anytime soon. 

As promised, I was mostly sitting down on my arse during the party. I’d try ‘n move about only to be guided back to a seat. Sometimes I didn’t mind ‘cause my feet were actually hurting, and I was stubborn. However, Ilsa tried pulling me to the side for a chat during the party but was seen by her uncle, and he waved her off. That was the only time I was genuinely annoyed with him. I scolded him for it then waddled off to find the girl. She was having boy troubles, and she felt that she couldn’t ask Esme or John for help. Poor thing cried about her problems with me. It was rather endearing, and it took a lot out of me not to cry with her.

It was a small scolding, so there was no need to make up. I just joined him when I was done talking to Ilsa. He kissed my temple as he hugged me close to his side. He muttered a tiny apology into the kiss, and of course, all was forgiven. I desperately tried to control my mood swings during my pregnancy. I wasn’t a saint. 

I’m not going to sit or stand anywhere and preach that I was a pillar of calm during these past months. I wasn’t. There were days that Tommy annoyed the hell out of me for no reason. There were times I yelled at him and bullied him for no reason other than doing what I perceived as wrong at the moment. I’ve cursed at him, threatened him (though he would just laugh and make it worse), given him the silent treatment, and locked him out of our bedroom. 

The most significant part about these days is that we would always make up by the end of the day before we went to bed. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve sobbed into his chest with apologies. Tommy wouldn’t grovel at my feet or cry, but he wasn’t so prideful to withhold any apology from me if he was in the wrong. He was just way sweeter about it. Tommy would come home with a gift for me or the baby, or he would take the next day off, and we’d have an “us” day. Our relationship was indeed becoming something solid. 

After the party, cleaning up was left to the maids, and we went to bed. The whole family stayed over because that was just the Christmas Eve party. We still had Christmas to celebrate. Bright and early in the morning, the kids woke us up for presents; after presents came preparation for the rest of the day. The men and kids went outside while the women stayed inside. 

I’d sent any and all inside staff home to celebrate Christmas with their families once the Eve Party was over. Polly and I planned it that way so that we could freely roam about the kitchen with the other women in our family. Though it was technically my kitchen, Polly was handing out the orders, and we were just cooking the food for the day while still wearing our pajamas. 

Katie and Ilsa tried staying with us, but I sent them outside. I never liked them in the kitchen with us when they could be playing outside with their brothers and cousin. If they wanted to help out any other time, I wouldn’t turn them away. But I didn’t want them to think that they had to help make the food. Luckily, Polly didn’t prevent them from leaving. 

Once lunch was ready and dinner was cooking, all of us women retreated to our rooms to get appropriately dressed. Meanwhile, the men had been outside the time. They were getting the outside of the house ready with the Lees, who had arrived for the celebration. The Lees were family and were, of course, invited for the holiday. Plus, it meant more playmates for the kids. 

The men were setting up tables, games, and tents. I’m sure some were already drunk by that time! I managed to convince Dougie to bring his camera. 

He took plenty of pictures and videos of both parties. I didn't care how grainy there were or the fact that there wouldn't be audio in the videos. I just wanted the memories to be captured for my babies.

Tommy and his brothers went off and rode horses with his brothers. They wrestled like children and had themselves a grand ole time. I’m just sad I wasn’t there to see it. 

I wore another velvet dress, but this time it was red and had a V-neck. I went to sleep with clamps in my hair, as every other woman in the house did, but I was going for some Hollywood waves. I didn’t like it all bunched up in stiff, so I tried my best to make them loose and natural. I topped off the look with some black bobby pins that would hold back any hair that would want to frame my face. I went with another natural look. I didn’t put on any eyeshadow, but I drew a smooth eyeliner look. I don’t know how to describe it. I got into makeup when I was about 18, and I always had to watch a tutorial to accomplish something. It’s been a miracle these past years. I used pink blush on my cheeks and the tip of my nose and then used highlighter on top. I went with nude pink lipstick, and that was my look. 

After we women got ready, we went back downstairs. It had to have been around one or two in the afternoon by then, and lunch hadn’t been served yet. I remember Polly yelling for the boys to come ‘n get the scran from the kitchen. Men being men, they fought their way through the kitchen’s threshold. It put a smile on my face seeing Tommy acting so freely. They helped bring the food outside, and we ate at the large table. 

There were smaller tables around, but our family was the ones who occupied the long table in the middle of the newly set-up camp. After lunch came games, those which I’d never heard of nor played before. Tommy loved teaching me a few before he sat me down, and we talked instead. 

Sometime during the day, I was surrounded by children while their parents were off doing something else. Karl was perched on me hip while his mother was off dancing with some bloke. Jack, John and Esme’s baby, was asleep in the stroller I was pushing back ‘n forth. The rest of the kids were still playing games, only now I was the appointed referee. I had no idea where me fiancé was at the time. I guessed that he was fooling around with his brothers. 

I wasn’t alone with the kids since I had my mates with me. Poor buggers were practically attached to me hip the whole evening. There were a few times that they branched away from me, but they always ended up coming back. Speaking of coming back, when it was around sunset— my lover and his brothers came back along with a huge group of men. Arthur, Finn, and Isaiah looked like they had been scrapping with their faces bruised ‘n bloodied and their shirts unbuttoned.

Oh, Arthur got scolded by Linda, alright! She gave the man the loudest silent treatment I’d ever witnessed. Arthur and Linda’s relationship brought a lot of nostalgia to me for reasons I’d rather remain unsaid. Just poor divvy, and Lord help him. 

Isaiah had a busted lip with some blood on his temple. He was hanging off of Michael’s arm. Michael and I are still in a weird place. I had hoped that we’d be close again, but all we ever have is one-word conversations. I figure it’s for the best, and I can’t afford to stress over him. I know Tommy sure as hell wouldn’t let me stress over it. From what I understand, “Michael has a staring problem.” If the lad weren’t kin, Tommy would’ve already blinded him. 

The boys came back just in time for dinner, but before I go about telling you how that went. I’ll let you know about the minor freak-out Tommy had when I found me carrying his nephew in me arms. The man locked eyes with me, furrowed his eyebrows, and then began running toward me. He took  Karl from me ‘n immediately went to hound Ada. I couldn’t get a word out; that’s how fast he was! When Tom was done reprimanding Ada, he set his sights on me! 

I’m quite ashamed to say that I abandoned poor Jack with his father and tried to do a runner. I waddled over to Polly and tried to offer my services as a diversion. If there were one thing I knew would never happen, it would be Polly being on his side over mine. So when Tommy caught up to me, he tried scolding me, but Polly hounded him off. She made him carry the platter of food in my stead. The lad had the audacity to glare at me, and I blew raspberries back at ‘em. 

Tommy managed to get me soon after as we sat down to eat, but it was a light-hearted reprimand. There were plenty of smiles and laughter, which put off the underlying confusion that revolved around my pregnancy. I may have seemed nonchalant about the whole situation, but inside I was just as concerned as Tommy had been. I didn’t understand why our baby didn't want to come out yet. I didn't even know the risks or if there were any. You know about the dangers of having a preemie baby, but never a post-term one.

At some point during the night, Tommy had run inside and got me a coat. It was just sweet that I didn't have to ask him to get it, ya know? He just draped it over my shoulders. There was cake, fireworks, singing, and dancing. Everyone had a good time. There were no fights that hadn't been planned, and that's what I count as a win! Hell, into the night when John had more than enough bevies— he came up to me and suggested I dance as Ada danced. To induce my labor as she had. I'm not tellin' a blag; he made me ugly laugh. 

Anyway, we eventually had to call it a night. Let me rephrase, Tommy called it a night. The Lees and Johnny Dogs left the grounds while my mates and the family went back inside with us. We stayed up for about a half-hour more before heading up to our room. 

For Christmas, it would seem Tommy and I had the same idea: jewelry. I didn't know what to get him, but I had an idea. If that makes sense? I just wanted it to mean something to both of us. 

You know, with my parents and I think with a lot of Hispanic couples, you share jewelry. Me ma' and papa both wore gold chains. So, I thought about getting us both silver chains. But I don't think Tommy would ever wear a silver chain, but I bought it anyway. Then, I started getting really insecure about the present, and I began looking for other types of jewelry. Tom had his left ear double pierced, but he never wore any earrings. I still bought the earring set and got another piercing on both ears.  

I had to take care of the new piercings in secret, and my hair covered them. Nothing gets past Tom for long, though. The man seemed to pride himself in knowing every inch of my body and expertly pointed out one evening that I suddenly had an extra set of holes in my ears. I tried to trick ‘em, but I ended up just telling him that I just decided to get them done.

I thought about the pocket watch, but with this item, I thought I could match the chain with a necklace. I didn't end up buying it. But I did think about rings, despite us being engaged. I was the only one with a "commitment" ring at the moment, while Tommy only wore his signet ring. It felt like a good idea at the time, so I got us matching rings that would be going on our right hand instead of the left. 

Altogether, I put all the jewelry in a box. The inside was blue velvet and packed with: a 6mm silver chain, a single set of diamond stud earrings, and a matching set of gold tungsten rings. Their design was simple, with only a single thick band of, I don't know, diamonds running through it. I got the rings 'cause they were pretty. I have no clue what they're all about. The person working there tried telling me, but it went one ear out the other. I was just worried about the price at the time. 

I had my 0.8 mm silver chain in a box of its own, also laced with blue velvet.

Tommy had handed me a well-wrapped present, but the shape of it had me suspicious. At first, I thought it was a book, but then I opened it. It was a sleek, smooth black box, and I instantly knew what was inside. I remember sitting down on the bed before opening it. Inside the box was a necklace, pair of earrings, two rings, and a bracelet. The necklace was more like a choker, and the lines of jewels dangled down to my chest in the form of butterflies. The butterfly design was subtle. The earring dangled as well with a single butterfly then a teardrop at the end. The bracelet had no other design other than the butterflies, and the ring resembled a broch. It was a diamond set. 

I remember asking how the hell he could afford this, but he just told me that we make more than enough so that I could get five more sets. I was in awe of the gift. I don’t remember if I ever told him, but my mother loved butterflies, and I was going to get a tattoo of one per her request, but I never got around to it. I kissed and thanked him. He loved his gift too and promised he’d try his hardest to wear them at all times. We even put on the earrings. 

It was a single pair, right? Well, we’d each wear a single earring out of the pair. 

After Christmas soon came New Year’s and still no baby. The day was grand, but the baby weight was definitely getting to me now. Before I would fight through it, ya know? I wanted to be a part of the festivities as much as anyone, and I wasn’t going to let my pregnancy keep me away from having a good time. However, I think the baby dropped or something! My back and feet ached like a motherfucker! I could hardly stay on me feet, and I had to catch my breath just crossing the room. 

When another week passed with no baby, Tommy’s paranoia grew worse, as did mine in secret. The doctor was practically here every other day to ensure that the baby’s heart was still beating, and sure enough— he kept insisting that the baby was perfectly healthy. Continuously asserting that Tommy and I would just have to wait till our little one was ready. 

And Tommy wasn’t taking no for an answer any longer as he ordered me on bed rest. Tommy blatantly told me that he wasn’t playing around and if he found me walking around more than necessary— it’d be my grave I was digging. I had no idea what he meant by that, but I wasn’t looking to find out. 

What if it meant he was gonna give me the silent treatment? What if he slept in another room? I’d die! I’d throw a tantrum! Trust me, I’m not above it, but I haven’t done one since I was about 19. It worked like a charm on me parents, but he was my lover! Everybody knows how Tommy Shelby gets when he doesn’t have his way!

So, I was on bed rest and limited to only our bedroom. Well, at least until I get bored and he’s already away at work. I have everyone working here under my thumb— nobody would dare snitch on me. Though Anne has threatened to do it a few times, I always manage to persuade her not to. That was until reinforcements were called. 

Polly and Cassie were called to keep an eye on me from time to time. I only knew they were called instead of coming out of the kindness of their hearts ‘cause Cassie straight out told me. 

“Oh! Tommy called and told me to keep you company, hun. ‘Said you were on strict bed rest now, and probably outta your mind with boredom. Didn’t you know I was coming?”

Smart bastard…

I couldn’t complain too much since they were such great company. It was just different when you’re ordered to do something rather than doing it out of your free will. I generally liked lazing abar in bed doing nothing but reading a good book, but when I was told to do it— it made me want to walk ‘round. Polly’s caught me loads of times on my feet ‘n scolds me for it, as does Cassie. The traitor. 

Polly and Cassie have come to visit me together and separately, and we usually talk about mundane stuff. Ya know, the news, gossip, and of course— the baby. To be completely honest, sometimes I get bored of the conversation, but I blame it on the baby. I use them as an excuse to take a nap. 

It was night, and I was sitting at my ottoman bench in front of my vanity while rubbing cream on my bump. I was humming one of the songs from Cinderella, which I believe was called “Sweet Nightingale.” Fortunately/Unfortunately, I wasn’t too wrapped up in song as I heard the door creak open and a figure enter the corner of my eye. 

A smile spread across my face as I whipped around and breathily exclaimed, “Tommy!” I was going to rush up to greet him, but he put a hand up as he chucked his briefcase on the bed. I tsked and rolled my eyes, but held my arms out for him, nonetheless. 

Tom walked over to me, and we shared an awkward hug as he remained standing. “Hello, my love.” 

I chuckled before allowing my arms to drop to my side. “Welcome home.” We shared a kiss before parting. My eyes followed him through the mirror, watching as he zipped around the room. I gathered more cream on my fingers, rubbed it on my hands, then asked, “So, how was your day?”

Tommy sighed as he shook his suit jacket straight. “Some fucking idiot fucked up on his first day on the job. Set us back, and of course, I had to go ‘n fix it.” Under his breath, he grumbled. “Fuckers can’t do shit without me holding their hands. Do I wipe their arses too?”

I heard all his muttering with my elephant ears, and I attempted to stifle my laughter, but it just came out me nose. I made this elephant-like noise and hurriedly covered my mouth before I began to cackle openly. “Tommy!” I admonished, and he let out a short laugh. I shook my head before dipping my hands in a bowl of water to wash the cream off my hands. 

“What else happened? Or was that the only thing?” I asked as I dried my hands with a towel I kept beside the bowl. I twisted the cap of my stretch mark cream closed shut, placed it where I usually kept it, and then grabbed my facial cream. I began using it when I noticed that the space under my eyes was darkening. 

Should’ve just got an eye cream, but then I thought about the wrinkles that were developing on my forehead. Honestly, I don’t know too much about skincare, and it’s not like I’m in the best time period for it!

Tommy was undoing his cufflinks as he replied, “There was some Blinder business that I had to take care of.”

I scoffed slightly as I smoothed out the skin under my eyes. “So, are you gonna tell me abar it or not?”

Tom cleared his throat, saying, “Money wasn’t addin’ up right, and Arthur was nowhere near the books. So, we had to look elsewhere. John caught one of the bookies embezzling money. He was stuffing the money into his pockets, going over to his desk ‘n then putting them in a sock. At the end of the day, he’d throw the sock into his lunch bin and walk out with it.”

I nodded. “So, you’ve dealt with ‘em then?” I was done with my face, dipping my hands into the bowel then drying them off once more. I locked eyes with Tommy in the mirror as I dabbed the towel along my arms.

“Yeah, we dealt with him.”

“How?”

“He won’t be able to see again or talk without an impediment if that’s what you’re asking.”

I wanted to ask more questions, but somewhere deep down, I knew he wouldn’t like that somewhere deep down. Did he do it, I wondered. Did he take part in it? Or did he just watch as his brothers and men carried out the order? 

I hummed before standing up, pulling down my nightgown, picking up the bowl of water, and then began to walk to the bathroom. 

“What?” Tommy asked with a bit of bite at the end of it.

I furrowed my eyebrows. “What?”

“No, what was that supposed to mean?”

I emptied the bowl into the sink before setting it down in the sink. I shuffled closer to the toilet, and as I hiked up my dress, I asked. “What was what supposed to mean?”

“Well, you just hummed. What was that hum supposed to mean?”

I starred off in confusion as I peed. “Um, nothing.”

“Didn’t sound like nothing, Ali.”

I grabbed some toilet paper, cleaned myself up, then flushed. I shouted over the water. “I was just thinking if we should tell Percy about the other side of the business when he’s old enough? You know, beat everyone to the punch?” I washed my hands once more before heading back into the room with the bowl in hand.

“You wanna tell him about his dad being a gangster?” He asked with no clear tone lacing his voice.

I hummed in the affirmative. “Yeah...” I waited a little while to give him a chance to respond, but when he didn’t— I asked. “Well, don’t you? At least, eventually.” I set the bowl down on top of my vanity dresser then turned around to face him. 

Tommy had his back to me, shirtless, while still in his work trousers. He nodded slowly. “Eventually.”

I walked over then shuffled on my knees on the bed ‘till I was able to hug him from behind despite the bump between us. I ran my right hand through his hair while the other rested on his shoulder. I kissed the top of his shoulder, whispering, “Now, what’s the matter with you?”

Tommy shook his head ‘n sighed. “No, it was an idealistic thought.”

“Tell me anyway.”

“I wondered if, by the time he’s old enough to understand, we’d be away from the other side of business. One hundred percent legal.”

I exhaled through my nose. “If you set your mind to it, I bet it could happen. Look at what you’ve accomplished just this past year. If you wanted to be one hundred percent legal, I’d support you, but that doesn’t mean we’ll be able to get away from the past. Depending on where we send him to school, those kids will probably bring it up in hopes of humiliating him.”

“Humiliate him, huh? Not fear him?”

“Well, some might, but there’s always the brats you can count on that brag about their daddies money like it’s their own. You know, they’d throw it in his face that his daddy had to work to send him to a nice school while they were born with their silver spoons.”

Tommy hummed. 

“You can picture it, can’t you?” I teased lightly as I wrapped my arms loosely around his neck while swaying us side to side. 

“Unfortunately, yes.”

I smacked my mouth before I said. “Perhaps we don’t need to decide on this right now? We still have some years before we ‘ave to send ‘em to school, and even then, we could decide to homeschool him.” I pushed myself up ‘n smacked his shoulders before rolling back onto the bed. 

I had yanked the covers down and shimmied myself underneath them. I was just patting them down when Tommy turned his head to me. 

“What?” I asked softly. The way he was looking at me was somewhat off-putting.

With an emotionless glare still on his face, Tom asked. “What did you mean by, ‘If you want?’ Don’t you want the company to be one hundred percent legal? No more Peaky Blinder stuff?”

I sighed and looked away from him. “Haven’t we already had this conversation before?”

Tommy rose to his feet and began to unbuckle his belt as he said. “I don’t understand why you’d leave it up to me to decide. You know the risks. You know that me coming home is not a guarantee! That I may piss off the wrong person one day and put your life as well as the rest of our family’s lives in danger! Our son— our children would always live with a weight on their backs ‘cause their father put it there! And—! And you seem to be fine either way.” Tommy had kicked off his pants in frustration and remained standing up as he rubbed his chin. 

I took a deep breath then gripped the blanket in my hands. I began picking at it as if pieces of it would fall out like plucking hair or something. I took another deep breath before I could feel the anger start to seep in. “What do you want me to say, Tom?”  I laughed humorlessly. “God, I feel like a broken record!” 

I took a second as I tried to gather my thoughts before I said. “When we got together— when I started having feelings for you, I knew you weren’t a saint. The whole of Birmingham knew of King Tommy Shelby of the Peaky Blinders. Hell, in my first week, I had so many people come up to me and warn me about the beatings and the cuttings and the occasional death. Either by your hand or your bidding.”

I looked over his face and tried to read him, but he was just standing there listening to me. “I knew, and I loved you anyway. ‘Cause I also saw a part of you that I knew nobody else had seen in a long while. Tommy, the world is a wicked place, and I’m the last person who can preach to you about this, but you know… You know that there are worse men in the world than you. I won’t speak about how you feel about the beatings ‘n cuttings because I know you don’t like it when I do. But, I can feel it in my heart of hearts—!” I shook my head at myself, chuckling softly. “--That you don’t take pleasure in what you do as a Blinder. And maybe you do, but not in a perverse way! And that’s what matters. You do it because it needs to be done. It’s one of the only ways to establish power and control in the "gangster world." As far as I know, you’ve never hurt somebody who didn’t deserve it in one way or another. You’re too soft for that, even though you’d never admit it.”

My eyes began to sting, and I ripped my gaze away from him. With my throat tight, I continued, “I-I’m not Grace. I’m not some naive, posh girl who lives in a fantasy that you can realistically get away from this lifestyle. It’ll follow both of us for the rest of our lives since I’m your fianceé, and of course, our child! She may have asked you to change for her. Fuck maybe any other woman would have asked, but I’m not them! You want to feel safer, more secure? Then teach me how to shoot a gun properly! Hell, get Arthur and John to do it! They’ll love to, and you know it! I really hope this is the last time I have to say this, Thomas Shelby, except for perhaps in my vows, but I will always stand by your side. Well, as long as it doesn’t put our child’s life in danger, I will stand by your side through everything.” 

Tom chuckled and shook his head while smiling. 

It made me laugh also. “What,” I shouted. “It’s true, isn’t it? Well, Christ, anyway! Gangster or otherwise ‘till death do us part. That was the deal way before you put this ring on my finger. Five months late ‘n all.” Our laughter had subsided, but the smiles stayed. “Now, stop standing there all ominously and get in bed. Our son has been moving and kicking abar through this whole conversation, waiting for his daddy to tell ‘em good night.”

Tommy shook his head once more before climbing into bed with me. “I don’t deserve you.” He whispered as he took my face into his hands. I huffed softly before turning my head and kissed his palm. “Now, does this mean I can keep guns in the house, Mrs. Shelby?”

I froze. “Ah—! Excuse me, sir! ‘N how in the hell are we gonna explain that to the kids, eh? Let’s fucking walk before we run.”

“That is walking. It could be our conversation opener.”

I tsked and smacked his chest. “We’ve had enough talking for one night, so let’s resume in the morning. For now, talk to your child. He’s getting more and more impatient by the second.”

Tommy managed a small smile before he tugged me closer to him. I giggled uncontrollably at his antics and couldn’t stop as he pulled me gown up. Tommy started whispering quite loudly to our son despite my cackles.

I woke up with an insane need to pee— a sensation that was getting annoyingly customary. I had to roll to my side then up to rise to my feet. Then, I quickly waddled to the bathroom. After I was done, I was hoping to return to bed for some more sleep. However, it seemed my body’s internal clock was perfectly aligning itself with Tommy’s work schedule. 

The man was sitting there with a ciggie hanging on his lips. He had seriously cut down at home, but I can’t account for how many he smokes while he’s at work. I mind and don’t, simultaneously. All I can hope for is that Tommy seriously is cutting down his smoking regardless of where he’s at. 

I cleared my throat. “Good morning, Mr. Shelby.”

“G’morning, Mrs. Shelby.” Tommy held up his arms for me, and I complied, taking a couple of steps until I was in his arms. He kissed my belly and whispered. “G’morning, little one.”

I hummed happily before asking, “Do you realize that you call me Mrs. Shelby, but we’re not married yet?” I ran my fingers through his hair, laughing at the messed-up tufts of hair. 

Tommy inhaled sharply before holding the stick between his fingers ‘n away from me. “I put that ring on your finger, eh? And I don’t plan on taking it back anytime soon, so I’ll call you Mrs. Shelby if I bloody well, please. Anybody who has a problem with that will lose their eyes.” 

I laughed haughtily. “Ho, ho, ho! Look who’s not ready to put down their razor blade.” I poked his cheek teasingly as I continued to laugh. 

Tommy took one last drag of his ciggie before snuffing it out in the ashtray that laid on top of the nightstand. “Speaking of razor blades, we have some unfinished business to discuss.”

I groaned and attempted to walk away, only to be gently pulled back. 

“Ah, ah! Come ‘ere, love. There’s no running away from this conversation.”

I stomped my foot and rolled my eyes. “Fine!” I whined. “But I’m lying back down. My feet are killing me.” I climbed onto the bed and over to my spot. I crawled back under the sheets and waited till Tommy got comfortable as he faced me. “So, where were we?”

Tom raised his eyebrows before replying, “Guns in ‘de ‘ouse?”

I nodded. “Right… Well, do you want them in the house?”

“It would make me feel, as you put it, more secure.”

I hummed before raising a hand to stroke his cheek. “Where would you want to keep them?” Tommy cleared his throat. “C’mon, I know that big brain of yours already picked out a couple of places.”

He snickered, closing his eyes and shaking his head. “The amount of cheek I get from you in a morning is enough for three lifetimes. What ‘ave I done to you, eh?”

 I scoffed before chuckling a bit. “Oh, don’t go there! I have a list ‘n then you’ll never make it to work. No, now, c’mon, then! Tell me where they’d be.”

Tommy sighed. “I thought about getting a case for them in your office, but that was before I wanted that office for you. Then, I thought about keeping them downstairs, but then anybody could get to them, even the baby. So, that went out the window too. I was expecting you to be against them—!”

“--So you didn’t give it a second thought.”

“Yeah… Yep!”

We both hummed before I said, “Well, if you still wanna put that case or whatever you had planned in my office, then I’d allow it. We’d just have to teach him not to try ‘n pick the lock, and about gun safety.” Silence washed over us, and I took the time to tease him. “On one condition.”

Tommy rolled his eyes and brought a hand to his face. “All right, here we go. I was waitin’ for the other shoe to drop.”

I spluttered for a second, covering my mouth as I did so. “You haven’t even heard of my condition yet, you proper divvy! Anyway, I want you to teach our son and any other future child of ours all about horses.”

Tom looked at me like I was crazy. “Sweetheart, I was gonna do that anyway.”

I pursed my lips petulantly. “I knew that, but I was just giving you my permission.”

“You were just giving me your permission, eh?”

“Yes, yes I—!” I was silenced with a kiss, one that quickly became heated. I had to push him away while fighting off a fit of giggles. “Oh, you! Tommy, you ‘ave to start getting ready for work.”

He just groaned and hid his face in the crook of my neck, which was not helping my overwhelming need to laugh. Tommy laid there a couple of more seconds before sighing and picking himself up. “All right!”

The moment his warmth left me, a cramping sensation began to build in my thighs. It reminded me of my period cramps. The pain was dull, so I decided to ignore it. I’ve been having these “aches” for about two days now, but I’m sure they’ll go away soon. 

Despite my discomfort, I sat up in bed and then rose to my feet. Tommy had already grabbed a towel ‘n gone to take a shower. I know he can get dressed without all my meddling, but I can’t help it now that I’m awake. I quickly gathered his suit for the day and laid it out on the bed along with all his accessories. 

I didn’t get ready for the day quite yet since I had to take a bath as well. I would love to take a shower, but standing for too long, as I’ve said, kills my feet! I made my way to my vanity and began to brush out any tangles in my hair that had formed during the night. 

The pain increased a bit at the top of my stomach, but I managed. I figured I was hungry. I took a few calming breaths while I rubbed my belly. Luckily, the rubbing did the trick, but I knew I’d have to eat sooner rather than later. Rising to my feet, I waddled over to the nightstand by the bedroom door. I rang the bell, and I instantly got a knock in reply.

“Ms. Welsh,” Anne said. “May I enter?”

“Yes, of course!” I called out as I walked further into the bedroom to get away from the bathroom. ‘If Tommy were to get out anytime soon, I wouldn’t want him to be startled by Anne! Well, he usually comes out with a towel wrapped around his waist, anyhow.’

The door opened then closed with footsteps following after. Once I sat in front of my vanity again, I was able to see Anne through the mirror.

“Good morning, ma’am.”

“Good morning, Anne.”

“How can I be of service?” She asked with a smile on her face. 

Anne’s smile was never fake like the other women of this house were. I kept her close to me, and I’m not ashamed to admit it. 

I cleared my throat a little. “Is breakfast ready, Anne?”

“Not yet, Ms. Welsh, but I’ll give the cook the order. Still feeling like eggs and bacon, ma’am?”

I thought about it as I ran my fingers through my long, blonde locks. The cramping in my thighs and around my belly worried me, but I didn’t want to get our hopes up. “Um, no. Uh...” I abandoned my hair to rub my eyes. I couldn’t think about what to eat for the life of me. I wanted something light, but I had no idea what was considered light food. It didn’t help that I was hungry but wasn’t craving anything. Anytime I felt like this back at my parents’ house, I would eat waffles or whatever my mother suggested.  

“Shall I give you some suggestions, ma’am?”

I sighed heavily and shook my head before letting my arms rest on top of the desk. “No, that’s alright, thank you. Um, I’m feeling like something light, Anne. Do you think I should have waffles or pancakes?”

Anne’s eyes widened as she clasped her hands in front of her torso. “Uh… I’d suggest the waffles, ma’am. Shall I tell the chef to prepare those instead?”

I nodded, a small smile gracing my face. “Yes, please! And bring it up here as always.” I winked at her, and she returned it with a smile. “I plan on taking a bath after eating, so if Polly or Cassie arrive, just tell them, and they can decide whether they want to be in the room or not.”

“Of course, ma’am, and I’ll have that bath ready for you as soon as you’ve finished your breakfast. Will that be all?”

I nodded. “Yes, thank you, Anne.” She didn’t hesitate to leave, and good thing too ‘cause I could hear the water turn off in the bathroom. I climbed into bed before Tommy came back into the room. No real reason behind it. 

Tommy walked in with a towel wrapped around his waist, as I knew he would. “You didn’t have to set my clothes out for me, sweetheart.”

I shrugged ‘n hummed dismissively. “It was no trouble. Isn’t today Friday?”

Tom unwrapped the towel from his waist then used it to dry his hair. “Uh, yeah. It’s the 19th. Why?”

I shook my head. “No, it’s just I was gonna ask you if you’re comin’ home early today or not. Usually, on Fridays, you come home early.” I began to rub my belly; it’s become a comfort thing. 

“Yeah, I should be home around seven or eight.”

I nodded. “Should I have the cook make you something for lunch, or are you not eating today?”

Tommy huffed, an amused smile on his face as he pulled up his boxers. “I eat, love. Just not as much as you’d like me to.”

“Well, if you know I don’t like you eating so little, why do you do it?” I teased.

“‘Cause otherwise, especially if you're doing the cooking, you’d be married to a fat oaf. And we can’t have that, can we?”

My scoff quickly turned into uncontrollable cackling. “Tommy Shelby!” 

He laughed at his own joke before saying, "I'll be home for dinner, and I'll be on me own if I get hungry around the afternoon."

Still in a teasing mood, I asked. "You'll just smoke a ciggie, eh?"

"Oh, you know it!" Tom winked at me as he pulled his undershirt over his head.

Squinting me eyes at 'em, I said. "If I were close enough to ya, I'd smack ya. You know I would." I pointed my finger at him for emphasis before cracking a smile then bursting into a fit of giggles.

"Why do you think I'm safely out of your range while you're laying down over there?"

“Oh, you!” I grabbed a pillow and chucked it at him. It missed its target, of course, but the snicker I’d gotten out of him made it worth it. I rested my back against my pillows and sighed. “You mess with me too much. Watch this baby is gonna come out and beat you up for me.”

Tommy rolled his eyes. “Keep sayin’ it, and it’s gonna come true. The babe’s destined to beat the both of us up regardless.”

While stroking my belly, I asked with a smile. “Aw, flashbacks from Finn?”

He shook his head as he tugged on the sleeve of his white button-down shirt. “Laugh all you want, but that kid had a mean right hook.”

I shook my head as I chuckled more to myself than at him. “My niece had the grip strength of, I don’t know, an elephant! She could pull me around like I was a freaking ragdoll. We were afraid of her, not the other way ‘round!” 

Big mistake…

I bit my lip and tried to immediately change the topic even when there was a stinging in my eyes. I yanked the blankets off me, rolled to my side, and rose to my feet. “I’ll do your tie for you,” I said as I walked over to him. 

I’m glad he didn’t press the situation or comment. Tommy just turned around and held out his arms for me. Once I was standing in front of him, I leaned down to pick up the tie from the bed. I flipped his collar up, slid the tie around his neck, and then began doing a simple Windsor knot. 

When I was done, I flipped the collar down and couldn’t help but pat the tie then smooth my hand over his chest. Tommy placed a bent finger under my chin then lifted it. I gazed into those piercing blue eyes of his and couldn’t help but smile. 

“I love you,” he said. I giggled and repeated the same to him. Tommy continued, “You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on.”

I snickered, rolled me eyes, then smacked his chest. I tsked. “Alright, buddy, you ruined it. You laid it on too thick.” I picked up his vest, flapped it out, and then held it open for him to put his arms through.

Tommy turned his back to me as he put one arm in before reaching in for the other. “I wasn’t lying, Aliena. You are.” Tommy spun around after he tugged down on his vest and cradled my face. He leaned down and kissed me. 

I ripped my face from his grasp. “I haven’t brushed my teeth yet, and I’m ten times bigger than a watermelon. My feet and ankles are swollen. Speaking of feet, haven’t seen them in a while! Not to mention, I spend more time in the bathroom than I do anywhere else, and when I get there— it’s like I ran like five miles—!”

Tommy was quick to have my face back in his grasp, and I just let him do it. “Eh, listen to me. You are carrying our child, and every day since, you have become more beautiful than Aphrodite herself. Didn’t you say it yourself that your hair got healthier and— what was it, curlier?”

I pouted, rolled my eyes, and smacked his chest. “My hair got wavier, not curlier. I don’t have any curls and watch what you say, and you might cause another Greek war. But thank you, now finish getting ready. You, my love, have work.” I lowered myself down onto the bed ‘n sat there.  

Tommy smirked. “There wasn’t a war, but they were punished.” I blew raspberries at him then watched him as he finished getting ready. Once he was, he helped me to my feet and walked me to the bedroom door. 

I huffed. “You know, I can walk you out the whole way.”

Tommy shook his head as he peered down at me, stroking the side of my face while his other hand held his briefcase. “Nah, you’re on bed rest till our son decides to come out into the world, remember? Doctor’s orders.”

I tsked, rolled my eyes, and then pulled him closer by his lapels. “Kiss,” I demanded. He huffed before leaning down to kiss me. Once we parted, I said. “Have a good day at work, love you.”

“Love you too. I’ll be back for dinner.”

I didn’t move from my spot by the door till he was out of sight. Even when he was gone from my view, I didn’t move as Anne walked toward me in his place. I took a step back then walked back into the room with Anne behind as she carried my food.

Aliena ate her breakfast then had a relaxing bath afterward as planned. The dull aches never stopped, but they never increased either. So, Ali kept ignoring them until she couldn’t. The entire morning, Anne had been with her and offered to help her with some exercises that could perhaps relieve some of the tension, but Aliena refused her offer. 

Aliena’s long hair quickly became a nuisance, and she asked Anne if she could braid it for her. The older woman didn’t hesitate to help the pregnant Lady of the house. Aliena was not only taking care of her hair problem but testing out if she needed to be sitting up instead of laying down. Ever since she acknowledged these minor pains, laying down seemed to aggravate them. However, sitting up managed to soothe the aches ever so slightly. 

Frustrated and uncomfortable, Aliena decided she needed to be up ‘n about. Anne tried persuading Aliena against it, but the younger woman teared up a bit, and suddenly, Anne was putty in her hands. So, the pair limited their tread to inside the residence as Anne could allow her only that much. 

Walking, as Aliena suspected, helped ease the ache. Aliena eventually took a book from her office and read it aloud as she strolled around the room. That’s precisely how Polly found her when she arrived. 

The woman scoffed and put her hands on her hips. “Aliena, love, what the ‘ell are you doing on your feet? For Christ’s sake, the doctor put you on bed rest!”

Aliena giggled rather mischievously, covering her mouth. 

Polly walked closer to her before taking the younger girl into her arms in a firm embrace. She smacked her mouth. “It’s no laughing matter! You’re bloody ten months.”

Aliena allowed herself to be guided into the parlour room with her book in hand. Once they sat, Aliena placed her book aside on the coffee table and faced Polly head-on. “Alright, Pol, you have me where you want me. I was feeling restless up in that room and needed to walk around for a bit.”

“I don’t have you where I want you. If I did, you’d be laying down in that bed of yours upstairs.” Polly tugged off her gloves, placed them in her lap, then gently cradled Aliena’s face in her hands. “You look tired, Ali. How ‘ave you been sleeping?”

Ali scoffed but held a smirk. “As well I can. This little boy is destined to be some type of athlete, can hardly stay still at night! Lord knows he sleeps during the day, though.” She laughed it off, but Polly still had a look of concern on her face.

“Perhaps you should try taking a nap.”

Aliena shook her head. “Nah, I’m wide awake anyhow. Tell me what’s been on your mind.” The younger girl patted Polly’s leg before looking over to Anne, who had been silently standing near the door. “Anne, can you bring some tea for us, please?”

She nodded. “Of course, Ms. Welsh.”

Polly sighed before tossing her gloves on the coffee table, grabbing the purse beside her, and fished out a cigarette. “That Linda woman,” She began as she took a drag. “I don’t trust ‘er.”

Aliena scoffed ‘n sneered at the mention of Linda. “Yeah, well, me neither.”

“There’s just something there that I can’t put my finger on. I think it’s the way she says things with an attitude, you know? That lace of pretentiousness and arrogance in her words.”

Aliena raised her legs closer to her body, tucking them under her, and rested her head on her closed fist. She scoffed. “I know exactly what you’re talking about, Pol. She has this sneaky way of talking that just makes her seem fake. It’s infuriating!”

She hummed in agreement while inhaling another drag. “I wanna snuff her out, but Arthur… He’s so sweet on ‘er. I’ve never seen him smile as much as he does when he’s with her.”

Aliena managed a small smile as she recalled Arthur’s behavior these past months, how much of a joy he is to be around. “Yeah, yeah, you’re right. But that doesn’t mean we gotta like ‘er. Shit, I don’t fucking appreciate how much holy shit she spits out at every fucking family gathering! No offense, Polly.”

Polly waved the girl off. “None taken. I have my own special relationship with God, but hers. Huh, it’s fucking annoying.”

Aliena immediately brightened. “Isn’t it! She preaches to us as if we’ve never heard of Church or read the freaking Bible! Though, she would be right about me.”

Polly turned her head to Aliena as if remembering something then said. “Ah, that’s right. You told me about that.”

Aliena nodded. “I was baptized, so I’m saved, or whatever. But, I’ve never sat through a sermon or read the book. Me ma’ tried encouraging me to read it, but the stuff just never stayed, if that makes sense. One time, I began using the book to hide my money.” Aliena chuckled at the memory. 

Polly laughed at the confession. “Well, hopefully, we’re both wrong, and Arthur’s finally found himself a good woman.”

Aliena hummed in agreement while nodding her head. “Hopefully,” she echoed. 

Anne came back in with tea, and the women continued to talk as they enjoyed their drink. When lunch came around, Aliena wasn’t feeling any better, so she ate a simple sandwich. Polly entertained her most of the day, but Aliena can’t say she had a lovely time. 

The pain in her thighs increased, as did the pain in her back. It didn’t matter if she was walking around, sitting down, or lying down. The pain wasn’t going away. However, it was still manageable. Aliena had to change into something more light and less fitting, but it was a minor change. 

Polly left around four in the afternoon, and she made sure she left with Aliena tucked into bed. The pregnant lass managed to take a nap but awoke two hours later feeling just as awful as before she fell asleep. Aliena had chicken soup for dinner and was only half-surprised when Tom called, saying he wouldn’t be home on time.

While a part of her was disappointed, the other part of her was glad. It meant that she had more time to express her grievances openly. 

After Ali ate, she walked over to her vanity and tried to write. She wrote while sitting down then attempted to write while walking around her bedroom. Eventually, Aliena couldn’t focus on a single thing and gave up. It frustrated her to no end trying to maintain her flow of thought to keep a realistic and rational plot. 

She tossed her journal back into its drawer before continuing to pace around the room while stroking her stomach. The urge to pee came, and she went. Only on her panties and toilet paper, Aliena found bloody discharge. At least, Ali was hoping it was discharge. Still, she was hellbent that everything was fine and didn’t tell anyone about the development. 

The decision to call up the doctor, the midwife, or even Polly was hanging the balance, but Aliena didn’t want to get anyone’s hopes up. So, Ali swallowed her worries and looked for somethin’ else to do. She eventually came to a standstill as she stood in front of the door that connected her bedroom to the nursery. Aliena opened the door, walked into the room, and then began memorizing every detail. She ran her fingertips along all the shelves, toys, and walls. 

Aliena settled in front of the tall dresser that held all of the baby’s clothes. The nursery and the clothing were quite obviously for a boy, so if this baby turned out to be a girl— they’d be in a bit of a pickle. Ali noticed there had been a few pairs of new baby clothes laid out on the chair and decided to take the time to fold them ‘n put them into the dresser herself.  

Folding the clothes, holding them in her hands got her feeling a little low. She’d be having her first child without any of her family present. If this baby were truly a boy, he’d have been the first son in the family. Her brother hardly counts, and she didn’t count her nephew either. Aliena can’t explain why, but she just didn’t. But she’s sure as hell certain that her son would have been spoiled rotten. 

Anyway, Aliena teared up a little but then suppressed her feelings the moment she was aware of them. After folding all of them up, Aliena had difficulty rising to her feet from sitting on the floor, but she did it. However, it did feel like she fucked up somewhere along the way ‘cause there was a sharp pain in her abdomen.  

It only lasted a few seconds, but it scared the crap out of her. When the pain ceased, she waddled over to the crib in the middle of the room and admired it. Aliena never imagined she’d have so little involvement with the nursery. She saw herself with Tommy painting it and decorating the rest together. The disappointment was slight and always in the very back of her mind whenever she was in the room. 

Fatigue hit her hard out of the blue, and she had no will to fight it. Aliena walked out of the room, closed the door behind her, then crawled into the bed. She hoped that Tommy would be there when she woke. 

Tommy Shelby had one hell of a day at work. Not only did he have to work overtime because of a meeting with Churchill, but a particular visitor came back to England for a spell. Tom had no interest in seeing Grace again after the night he blew her off to take care of Aliena; he was sure she’d never want to see him again either. 

Of course, there was the matter that she showed up at Epson without him knowing, but still— he didn’t care even after hearing that she’d been looking for him.

Tom couldn’t escape Grace since she showed up at his office, and he didn’t miss the dirty glares he got from Michael and Lizzie. Against his better judgment, Tom allowed her in his office and tried to get to the bottom of her visit as quickly as he could. Turns out she wanted to catch up again. Grace didn't like how their last meeting ended and was willing to give him another chance. 

Grace didn't outright phrase it like that, but that's what Tommy concluded from her long-winded sentences.

Grace asked if he was free during the time that she was in London, and he told her curtly that he was busy. In a last ditch effort to rouse his attention, Grace revealed to Tommy that she and her husband were in the middle of treatments. There was no child cooking in her belly just yet. 

Tom was painfully indifferent; he had a fiancée at home with one in the oven. Truth be told, there was no reason for his callousness. Though the woman had spurned his family and turned them against him, she had still laid in his bed, and she would have again had he not run off. But then Tom thought about Aliena and how she would feel if she found out that Grace had come back ‘n paid him this visit. 

Yeah, that was enough to instill some fear into him. Pregnancy made Ali’s mood swings teeter in the extremes— though those were the bad days. He knew Aliena tried her hardest not to let the pregnancy control her, but sometimes she just couldn’t fight against it and took it out on him. Tom didn’t mind; after all, he was used to it from the other women in his family. However, when she was angry, it was nothing like he’d ever seen. A lot of cussing in Spanish and hand movements! 

If Grace were in the mix, it would only add fuel to the fire. According to her show, he and Grace were destined to end up back together. It was written, and Tom knew how concepts like fate and destiny took a chokehold on people, and he was not going to let his relationship be destroyed by it. Tom controlled his own future— he chose Aliena as much as she chose him. 

 Grace confessed that she doesn’t believe that she is the one at fault despite what her husband and the doctors think. Again, Tommy didn’t know what that had to do with him till the second it clicked. He laughed humorlessly as he rolled his cigarette between his fingers before he lit it. 

Tom didn’t wait for her to try anything with him. He didn’t wait for the outright proposition for sex, or perhaps, the seduction she may have attempted. No, Tom asked her if she knew he was getting married. He asked her if she knew that his fiancée was pregnant. 

Oh, Grace knew! She just didn’t care. That’s when Tom saw in her eyes that she believed he was still in love with her. 

Maybe Grace was still in love with him. Perhaps she wanted to bear his child instead of her husband's. Grace never claimed to love her husband the last time they met, just that he was sweet and kind and rich. But his ship has sailed, Tom has moved on. 

 Honestly, the man didn’t have time for this. First, he had that Churchill bastard on his arse, and now this! He still had work to complete! He’d promised Aliena that he’d be home in time for dinner! No. However, he knew that refusing her wouldn’t deter her. Grace was a determined woman, a quality that he used to like in her. So, he decided to strike for her pride. 

Tom goaded her into believing that he was falling for her scheme till he showed her that he had been the one playing her. Grace turned redder than a tomato, slapped him, then ran out. Tom had to admit it felt nice to know Grace wouldn't be in his life anymore. If anything, it was like the previous night solidified his decision.

Grace would have wanted him to change— would have begged him to go on the straight ‘n narrow. Tom doesn’t know if it’s because Aliena knows him like the back of her hand or otherwise, but it’s like she knows that he’s not ready to give it all up. That he isn’t willing to relinquish his “throne.” Hell, with this job Churchill is setting him up for, Tommy might be able to move his family’s position up even higher! 

Why stop when you’re on a roll?

Tom came home at two in the morning, having only eaten a small lunch and dinner. Food he had to get for himself out of a guilty conscience. As he walked up the steps, he could only pray that his love had the good sense to go to sleep rather than stay up ‘n wait for him. If she were awake, it wouldn’t have been the first time. 

Tom had just placed his foot on the last step when a voice called out for him. Did he get scared? Yes, yes, he did. It was painfully apparent since he whipped out his gun ‘n pointed at the person at the end of the hall. It was only Polly. 

“Jesus Christ, Pol! What are you doing ‘ere?” Tommy asked exasperatedly while tucking his gun away. He raised his other foot and walked closer to her.

Polly, who managed to hide her shock, replied. “Aliena was acting off all day yesterday. Went home but didn’t feel right. So, I came back. She’s been asleep since ten, and where the fuck ‘ave you been?”

Tommy rubbed his eyes, smacked his mouth, then said. “Uh, work. I just finished up.”

She hummed. “Well, don’t wake her. And Tommy, try ‘n get some sleep.” Just like that, she walked off back into her room. 

Tom shook his head while trying to calm his heart. He needs to put a bell on his aunt— should’ve done it years ago. Tommy shook his head once more before continuing his seemingly long journey to his bedroom. He opened the door swiftly but closed it with caution. 

When Tommy stood at the foot of their bed, he was in awe. He honestly did think of his wife as a goddess as she carried their child. Made him want to keep her pregnant 24/7. Tommy couldn’t have suspected that Ali would make him wait for their next child. He’d believed that she would be all for having another child as soon as Percy arrived. The shocker he had, eh?

Tommy set his briefcase down before walking over to Aliena’s side, bent down, and kissed her forehead. Mentally, he said. “I’m home.” After greeting her in his head, Tommy dressed down then climbed into bed. After all, he went to bed in only his boxers. He scooted closer to Ali ‘n she instinctively nestled herself as close as she could into his chest. Tom went to sleep certain that his child knew daddy was home too.

Aliena woke up to sharp pains in her belly. She didn’t open her eyes, chopping it up to being a random pain. However, when it came back some minutes later, Aliena opened her eyes ‘n trained them on the clock. It had been three in the morning. When another pain hit her, it was like her brain was finally catching up to what was happening. It had knocked the breath right out of her. 

She stifled her gasp into a small whimper then hurried to sit up. Aliena was no good with timing, no good with measurements— so she had no idea how many minutes passed before another contraction hit. 

Yes, contraction. There was no denying it this time. 

Aliena scrambled to her feet ‘n the second she stood up, another one hit her. She let out a pained huff while clutching the bottom of her belly. She took a step closer to her vanity with her breaths already coming out in hushed pants. Aliena knew she could either be going into early labor or active labor, and she didn’t want to wake Tommy just yet. Labor could take hours. It could take a whole day! She had no idea when he came in, but she guessed it wasn’t too long ago. 

He didn’t wake up; that’s how she knew. If he had been “well-rested,” Tom would have woken up in a heartbeat.

So, Aliena paced around her little spot from the window behind the bed to her vanity, stifling her grunts and pants as she dealt with the contractions. Tommy woke up to the sound of strained whines and heavy breathing. His eyes kept blinking, body begging him to go back to sleep, but he fought against it. When Tom’s eyes finally cleared up, he realized that Ali wasn’t in bed. 

His head snapped up and behind the headboard. Tom met her gaze just as she let out a loud groan ‘n dived for the curtains behind her. Tom quickly climbed out of bed and to her side. “Is it the baby?” He asked.

Aliena couldn’t fathom an answer as she panted without restrictions this time. She turned around in Tommy’s embrace and clutched his chest as she let out a grunt. “Yes!” The next moment, water could be heard trickling to the hardwood floor. “My-My water broke, Tommy...” Aliena looked up at Tom with tears in her eyes. “The baby’s coming.”

Tommy couldn’t help but smile and laugh. “The baby, our baby, Ali.” He cradled her face and kissed her passionately. Aliena tried to reciprocate, but soon enough, another contraction rippled through her ‘n she pushed his face away. Tom felt lost for a second; his mind went blank. “Um, uh… I’ll—! I’ll get Polly!” He shouted before running out the door, leaving Aliena to fend for herself for a few seconds. 

The lass rushed forward to the headboard and squeezed the wood as a contraction hit while groaning. If Aliena was sure of one thing at this moment, it was that she was not going to give birth laying down on her back despite the pain. It was then she wished she could have fallen in love with someone in a more modern setting so that she could have some fucking drugs! She can bet a £100,000 that she wasn’t even near a dilation of 10cm. 

Just as Aliena began making her way to the bed to sit down, Tommy ran back into the room like a bat out of hell. “Where’s Polly?” Aliena asked. 

Tommy took her hand in his while placing the other on the arch of her back, guiding her to the bed. “She went to wake up Anne. Get the things you need. She told me to stay with you in the meantime.”

Aliena began to mix her heavy breathing with pants and grunts. Sitting down on the bed was not helping at all, and that’s when she realized she was still wearing her soaked panties. Ali hiked up her dress and said. “Tommy, take them off. Take them off!”

The man didn’t hesitate to crumble to his knees and tug off the undergarment. “What else? Do you want me to get you a different dress?”

Aliena thought about it for a moment before shaking her head. “No, I’m okay. Luckily, the dress was flowy enough that it wasn’t soaked.” That’s all she could manage to say before she engaged in some deep breathing. The lass looked over her lover’s appearance, and through strained whines, she said. “Tommy, you should get dressed.”

Tom furrowed his eyebrows at the order but then nodded, quickly realizing that he was still underdressed. “Right,” he muttered. 

The man disappeared from her sight, the hand that was on his bicep came down to her side. The pain was like something she had never imagined. Aliena honestly thought she would be spared with all the exercise she had done. Tommy returned to her side soon enough with his usual white long sleeve and pants on. He took her hand and knelt beside her.

“I’m here, Ali.” He said. “I’m right here.”

With her eyes closed, Ali let out a breathy chuckle as she shook her head. “This baby isn’t coming out just yet. We have a long night a-HEAD!” Aliena winced in pain and lurched forward. Tom attempted to soothe the pain by rubbing her belly, but it was hardly working. 

Some minutes later, Polly and Anne walked in with all their supplies. Polly ran to Aliena, who was on her feet again leaning against her vanity. Polly instantly placed her hands on the younger girl’s arms to support her before glancing over at her nephew. “No business you being in here, Tom. Go downstairs or wait in a different room. Call your brothers, even! But get out of this room.” Polly pushed back any stray hairs away from Aliena’s face— completely finished talking to Tom.

It was typical for men of this era to be away from their wives as they gave birth. Aliena knew that, and yet she didn’t think Tom would leave her alone. She wasn’t even sure she liked the idea of company over. 

Tom noticed the displeased look on his lover’s face and ignored his aunt. “Aliena, love, do you want me to leave?”

Aliena let out a long exhale through clenched teeth before smacking her lips. “I-I don’t know. I can’t think.” She turned around in their arms and allowed them to help her as she sat down on her bench. The pain was fading. Ali took a few calming breaths before she allowed herself to mull it over. “Do you want to leave?”

Tom let a chuckle out through his nose and shook his head. The man crouched down and stroked his fianceé’s face. “It’s not about what I want. This is about what you want.”

Ali nodded in understanding and thought about it again. “Call your brothers if you want, Tommy. I’m sure you and your brothers went to the Garrison every time John had another baby, and I want you to have that experience if you want it. But, Thomas Michael Shelby, so help me God if you get so bladdered that you can’t even hold this child when they arrive— I’ll kill ya!”

Tom smiled and nodded. “Understood.” Tommy’s gaze shifted to Pol and before he could say anything to the older woman, she beat him to it.

“I’ll take care of ‘er, Tommy. Go on ‘n call your brothers.”

Tommy kissed Ali on her cheek, lips, forehead and then left the room. Polly didn’t hesitate to get Aliena on her feet and over to Anne. 

Tom stood outside the bedroom door with a blank expression on his face. He couldn’t believe that he’d be meeting his child soon. As if Tom were on autopilot, Tommy turned to his left toward the nursery. He turned the knob and let the door swing open. A room he decorated himself for his firstborn child. Now that the moment was upon him, all of Tom’s worries came knocking. 

Would he be a good father? Gentle yet stern? Or more like his father? Would his child come to hate him for his past sins? Will he be able to protect him from the dangers of the world? Will his son hate him for his shortcomings? 

Funnily enough, Tom could hear Ali’s voice in his head to stop his needless worrying. Tell him to stop being a better beaut ‘n realize that he’ll be a wonderful father. Tommy stepped into the room, walked over to the crib, and picked up the teddy bear that lay in the corner. He smiled at the doll then it fell as Ali’s groans were loud enough to hear through the wall that separated them. 

Tommy stroked the teddy bear once more before putting it down. The man walked out of the room, closed the door behind him, and then headed downstairs. Tommy took a seat on one of their many couches and held his face in his hands. He vigorously rubbed his hands over his face before inhaling deeply. Tom couldn’t decide whether or not he’d want his siblings over. Didn’t want to run the risk of havin’ them all here. 

Tom had run the idea by Ali once, and she agreed, but Tom knew she just decided to appease him. There was a flash of a wince on her face just before she agreed, and it made it harder to tell if she was sincere or not. 

Perhaps for once in their lives, his brothers would actually listen to ‘em. Tom picked up the phone and decided to make the calls to bring them ‘round. It’ll be his child they’ll be drinking for this time ‘n words can’t describe how happy that makes him.

Arthur, John, and Finn arrived an hour later. Tom rang Ada as well, but she didn’t pick up. Arthur and John kept their promises and brought along only one straggler. Fucking Finn was still a Shelby brother, even if he was the youngest. Arthur and John gave their brother a grand ‘ole congratulations that included a lot of back-slapping ‘n hollering. Tommy couldn’t keep a smile off his face, but there was a nagging voice in the back of his head. Worried about his future wife and his baby.

Labor began at three, and it was four hours later. The volume of her screams and the intensity of pain were at their worst. Aliena was a sweaty, sticky mess, and she hated every second of it. Polly and Anne tried to soothe her distress by patting her down with freshwater, but the sweat would eventually just build back up. She’s had to change her dress two times! Luckily, Polly informed Ali that the baby was almost ready. Nine centimeters dilated, she was. Just needed one more to go!

Groaning loudly, Aliena dove for the edge of the bed frame. Panting and double over, Aliena began to pray that this would soon be over.

“Aliena, enough of this! Come and sit in the chair!” Polly shouted.

 The chair had been bought upon Aliena’s request. It was made especially for birthing with a circle hollowed out in the middle to let the baby come out via gravity. The loop was not entirely closed, by the way. Aliena glanced over at the chair, and out of pure instictint, she shook her head.

“It’s not time yet, Pol.” She insisted but sat down on her ottoman bench instead. 

Anne was twisting her hands with all her built-up concern. “Aliena, dear, Mrs. Gray is right. You should sit on the chair now.”

Aliena shook her head again before rising to her feet and waddling over to the bed. She sat at the edge of it and then laid down. She placed one hand at the bottom of her bump while the other had a death grip on the bed frame. “I can’t explain it, but it’s not time yet!” Her voice came out strained, her pain fully apparent in her words. 

  Aliena continued to lie down, grunting and panting through the contraction till Polly had enough. The older woman stood in front of Aliena and slowly hauled her up as she said. “Ali, you are getting in that chair right now! We need to check if you’re ready.” 

This time Aliena allowed herself to be guided into the chair. Anne and Polly knelt, and one lifted her dress before they could tell her the good news, Aliena was already bearing down. The young girl tried to stifle the beginning scream but ultimately couldn’t help but let it flow out naturally. Her head tilted back, her eyes closed. Aliena took the crumpled-up dress into her hands and allowed Polly and Anne a better view. 

Ali’s scream trailed off at the end into a tiny whimper before she took a quick inhale. When her next contraction hit, Aliena couldn’t help the elongated grunt as she bore down again. 

Polly affectionately rubbed Ali’s bear bump. “That’s it, love. That’s it! Push! Keep pushing!”

Aliena took some deep breaths waiting for the next contraction to come. Once it arrived, she held her breath and screamed as she pushed. The scream converted into an open-mouthed cry. Her braid was a mess, her face flushed red with her veins almost popping out, and she was perspiring. A tear dropped from her eye onto her dress as she worked on catching her breath.

Gaspingly, she asked. “Is he here yet?”

Polly crouched lower and felt Aliena’s vagina with her hand, and she could feel the baby’s head. “He’s here, love! He’s here! Oh, just a couple of more pushes, and he’s here!”

Through her pain, Aliena managed a smile before it fell. A contraction wracked through her. Aliena’s face bunched up as she bore down while grunting. More tears fell, and she threw back her head— you could see the sheen of sweat along her neck. 

The baby was nearly out. Polly could hold his little head in her hand. “Almost, Ali. Almost!”

Aliena couldn’t stop her wails and cries. But she managed to take a deep breath and then give it all she had. The grunt she let out was rough and full of strain as her head tucked into her chest, but Aliena could feel it. She knew that her baby had finally been born. 

Anne let out a breathy laugh. “Oh, sweetheart. He’s here.” Through the middle of her words, Aliena’s baby had begun to cry just as his mother was.

Towels were already placed under Aliena to catch any fluid that leaked or otherwise. There was another cloth kept warm that would be used to swaddle the baby when he arrived. Anne was happy that her hard work would pay off. She scrambled to her feet before dragging the rolling trolley closer.

Polly held the baby carefully in her hands, marveling at yet another one of her grand-nephews. “A beautiful baby boy, Aliena.” She whispered while stroking the crying baby’s cheek. 

Aliena sniffled. Tiredly, she said. “Give him to me. My baby, give me my baby.”

Polly shushed them both. She looked up at Aliena and said. “Right now, love. Just a few things to do first.”

Anne made quick work of the umbilical cord, which allowed Polly to rise to her feet with the baby in her arms. Without looking away from her grand-nephew, she spoke to Anne. “Anne, make sure her placenta safely passes and then fix her up.” 

Anne merely bowed her head and made a sound to assure the Misses that she understood. The young mother couldn’t take her eyes off her baby, and her eyes were blown wide as if she were in a panic. But in reality, Aliena was trying to take in every second of her son. Even if he was covered in white stuff that reminded her of blue cheese and some blood, he surely did have a head of hair on him, and had she not been present at her sister’s labor— Aliena would have been worried at the state of her child’s head. Babies come out looking like aliens.

Anne pressed on Aliena’s stomach firmly as she attempted to advance the placenta out. However, Ali’s attention was still on her son, watching as Polly bathed his head with the warm water. Anne grabbed a bowl and held it under Aliena. Soon enough, the placenta dropped. 

By then, Polly had wrapped the wailing baby up in the warm towel and began rocking him in her arms. Aliena was going to ask for him again when she realized that she was still messy. Though her body was thoroughly exhausted, Aliena scooted forward, grabbed a towel from the trolley, and began wiping away all her sweat. She started with her face then moved on to between her legs. She tossed the towel onto the bed, and with Anne’s help, Ali rose to her feet. 

Aliena gathered the skirt into her hands and then raised it over her head. Anne received the dirty dress and swiftly came back with another. Aliena had an endless supply of flowy gowns, courtesy of her lover. This one just so happened to be white as well. Aliena turned to Polly, but the woman gestured toward the bed with her head. 

Aliena hurriedly crawled to her side, tucked herself in, and then raised her arms. Polly walked over to Ali, and just as she passed Anne, she said. “Anne, go and tell Mr. Shelby the good news.”

Anne bowed. “Yes, Mrs. Gray.” Anne grabbed the soiled towels and dresses into her arms, threw them onto the trolley, and then rolled it out the room. 

Polly carefully passed Aliena her son, and when the young girl finally had her baby in her arms— she couldn’t stop the waterworks. 

“Hello, there.” She tearfully cooed. Her son, who had just quieted moments before, was quickly making his way to mimic his mother. “Oh no,” she chuckled. “Don’t cry, sweetheart. Mummy isn’t sad; she’s happy. She’s so happy to finally meet you.” Aliena raised her baby’s fist to her lips and pressed a bunch of kisses into the back of his hand. “Now, if only your daddy hurried up these stairs, would this moment be perfect.” Aliena and Polly both laughed at her comment.

 Tommy and his brothers were in the middle of a conversation when Anne walked in. Tom made good on his promise and managed not to get as drunk as his company had, but once Anne walked through the threshold— he found himself regretting it. 

It was funny how quickly a smile could change his mood.

“Mr. Shelby,” she began. “The young master has arrived.”

All four men rose to their feet, though Tommy was the only one to approach Anne. “And Aliena? Is she—!”

“--She’s completely fine, Mr. Shelby. Everything is fine.”

“Go on, brother!” Arthur drunkenly shouted.

“Yeah, go on, Tommy! See ya baby ‘n Ali,” John slurred. The brothers were both slumped against one another while Finn was passed out on the floor. Tommy offered the little shit a room, but Finn was determined to stay with his brothers. 

With a stupidly wide grin on his face, Tom ran through the house and didn’t stop till he crossed the threshold of his bedroom. Slowly, he walked further into the room till he finally set his sights on the love of his life and child. 

Polly walked over to her nephew and hugged him. She congratulated him, kissed his cheek, and they exchanged a couple of words before she walked out the door to give the new parents some privacy. 

Aliena looked up at Tom with a smile that matched his own. She whispered. “‘Ello there.”

Tom, who was still processing everything, could only manage to say, “You look beautiful.”

The reply made Ali giggle; the tremors disturbed the baby, making him fuss. Ali quickly puckered her lips to soothe him but stopped when he didn’t begin to cry. She looked back up at Tommy with another smile. “Do you want to hold him? It’ll have to be now ‘cause I still need to feed him.”

Tom nodded. “Yeah, yeah. Give ‘em here.” Tom walked over to the other side of the bed, crawled close to Ali, and held his arms open. Aliena gently passed their son over to ‘em. As Tommy brought him closer to his chest, Ali patted down the blanket from his face. Tom took in his son’s face. His beautiful face. Tom whispered, “Hello there, Perseus Ciel Michael Shelby. Your mum ‘n I have been waiting a long time to meet you.” Tommy looked over at Ali, who was pressed closely beside him and smiled.

“Ciel Michael? I thought we agreed on just Michael.”

Tommy shook his head. “Ciel Michael sounds better, don’t you think?”

Ali hummed as she nestled her cheek against Tommy’s arm. “No, I think Michael will do just fine. Adding Ciel throws off the name a bit. Doesn't roll off the tongue." As much as I appreciated Tommy's willingness to add in my father's name, I had already grown attached to the name we agreed on. I have no doubt that we'll have another child, and the possibility of honoring my father will still be there.

"Alright then, love. We'll do without your father's name. promise to remember that I tried."

I chuckled while I nudged him to the side. "He has your eyes, Tommy,” I whispered after a beat of silence.

Tommy hummed. “Just the colour. He has your eyes— the shape.” Tommy held Percy with one arm so that he could stroke Percy’s cheek. Tommy glanced over at Ali and whispered. “Thank you.”

Ali breathily chuckled, reached up, and kissed Tommy’s cheek. “You’re welcome.”

A moment passed before Percy began to cry. Tommy hurriedly gave Percy to Aliena, who readily received him. Aliena pulled down her dress before cradling Percy’s head. The newborn didn’t hesitate to latch onto his mother’s breast. 

Aliena and Tommy shared a joyful glance before sharing a single kiss.

“I love you, Tommy.”

“And I love you.”

On January 20th of 1923 at 7:23 am, Perseus Michael Shelby was born to Thomas Michael Shelby and Aliena Shelby neé Welsh.

Though they’ve yet to marry, the newspaper still wrote her name as is.

After the baby ate, he soon fell asleep, followed by his mother. Tommy stayed awake, carrying Percy in his arms the whole time. Tom desperately wanted to show off his newborn son with all his ten fingers and toes, but he knew he’d upset Aliena if they weren’t there when she woke. 

Eventually, when Aliena woke up, Percy was awake and entertained by his father. Tom was quick to order food to be made for the house, but the new family remained in their room. He suspected that his brothers were either still asleep or had gone back to their homes. 

Polly had entered the room after their meal, which was more like a brunch. She fussed over the baby relentlessly to the point that she almost managed to get on Aliena’s nerves. The new mom didn’t think she’d have to ask more than two times for her own child back. 

The rest of the day was solely the three of them. Anne had entered the room in the evening to inform her employers that the three brothers had left earlier in the day just as Tom suspected. The next day was purely Tom and Ali’s, but the day after that would finally break the short spell they had. 

Aliena gave Tommy the okay to invite the entire family while she invited her own. The Shelby’s and Aliena’s mates piled into the mansion once again to celebrate the birth of Percy Shelby. 

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[elysiashelby]

In Another World - T.Shelby Imagine Ch. 29

Paring: Thomas Shelby x Aliena Welsh (OC)

Fandom: Peaky Blinders

Word Count: 12,448

WARNINGS: Cursing, Fluff, Tommy POV! shift to 1st Person POV!, 1st Person POV to 3rd Person POV!, TIME JUMPS/SKIPS, Pregnancy, Implied smut!

Summary: Aliena and Thomas are navigating a fresh relationship while expecting a child on the way. Fortunately, everything has been smooth sailing. So, here’s some domestic scenes.

MASTERLIST  CHAPTER 28  CHAPTER 30

A/N: Guess who’s back in time for spooky season! It’s been awhile, but I got back into the fandom. Let’s all hope I stick around for a long time. Also, forgive the summary as always-- It’s been a long time since I’ve had to do one. This is kind of a filler chapter, so be warned. At least, it’s all fluff! Huh! That’s new...

A LOT OF POV! CHANGES SO PLEASE REFER TO THE LINE BREAK GUIDELINE IN THE MASTER IF CONFUSED!!

Tom was moving fast, but he was really just seizing the moment. He’s on the older side at 32-years-old, and within his line of work— there was no time to “screw around.” So, he proposed and wasted no time in moving her into his flat. Aliena practically already lived there anyhow, and they were just making it permanent.

When Tom saw those pre-packed suitcases on the bed, his blood ran cold. Never, he never thought Aliena would ever think about leaving him. Truthfully, Tom had the mindset that they were a couple but just never said it aloud. Once he saw the bags, he knew he’d been a fucking idiot.

Look, Tom knew there were two sides of Aliena: the sweet, innocent Aliena who wanted to act all friendly and motherly to everyone around her, and the feisty Aliena who was waiting for you to say the wrong thing, so she was in the right to fight back. Just like he knew her anger levels, he knew Mrs. Jekyll and Hyde. He’s been in enough arguments with her to figure out how she ticks.

For some recap, let’s go in chronological order. 

So, the day after the Derby, when Tom and Ali were moving her stuff into his flat, Tom left during the day to go over to May Carleton’s residence. He wanted to clear things up and make sure she didn’t have the wrong idea. Tom still wanted to do business with her since she was a good horse trainer, but he couldn’t jeopardize leaving his relationship with her as is. 

What if she tried fucking with his relationship, huh?

So, he drove over, and she wasn’t happy to see him, to say the least. 

“You never met me. After the race or otherwise.” May began as they walked over to the stables. “I met Grace, by the way. Beautiful woman.”

Tom cleared his throat and nodded. “That she is. May, I had some things to attend to that day, and it drew me away from the races.”

May nodded stiffly. “I know. Some of your men were burning up licenses.”

Tom nodded.

They came to a standstill before the stables. May asked. “So, to what honor do I owe this visit?”

Tom hung his head. ‘This part’s always hard.’ He thought. He picked up his head, looking her straight in the eyes. “I’m getting married.”

The woman’s head softly jerked back, then after processing it, she scoffed. “Grace, then. The woman who you weren’t good enough for.”

Tom shook his head. “No, someone else. Her name’s Aliena. I met her at a party a long time ago, and we hit it off.” Tom reached into his pocket and pulled out a cigarette.

May was nodding insistently. “Con-Congratulations. But just so we’re clear, were there any other women you were fucking about with? ‘Cause, right now, you’re totaling at three.”

While taking a drag, Tom shook his head once more. “No. There weren’t any others.”

May hung her head, a hand cradling it as well. She took a deep breath before picking up her head. “So, what shall I do with the horse, sir? Do you want her or…?”

Tom sniffed, rolling his cigarette between his two fingers. “I’ll leave her in your care. Breed her with that stud of yours.”

May nodded. Some silence passed between them before she asked. “Does she know?”

“Know what?” Tom took another drag of his cigarette.

May sighed. “About me. About Grace.”

Tom nodded. “She knew.”

May’s eyes widened, taken back from Tom’s candor. She mouthed the word “wow,” before scoffing and nodding. “Right, then. Congratulations, Thomas. From the sound of her, you both deserve each other.” May turned around and walked away.

Tom decided not to go after her since he figured the wound was far too fresh. He just turned around, hopped back into his car, and drove back to Small Heath.

After dealing with May, Tom was going to meet all of Aliena’s closest friends officially. The posh ones. They’ve always barely crossed paths, never partaking in any deep conversations. He was most looking forward to meeting Cassie since she appears to be his fiancée’s best mate. Tom dreaded meeting Cassie simultaneously since Ali confessed that she had told her everything about their relationship— from the beginning to end.

Oh, he knew he was not in the girl’s good graces in the slightest.

All in all, the gathering went well. A lot of surprises wouldn’t even begin to cover it. Douglas, Cassie’s boyfriend, and Aliena’s good mate, told Tom about how Aliena encouraged his photography hobby. Even decided to bring him some of the pictures he took of her. 

Yeah, uh… Some of them, Tom could find himself cherishing while the others— he was just rendered speechless. Risqué photos, pornography— it was practically pornography! Aliena… She was in her undergarments in some pictures. Douglas assured Tom that he and Aliena were the only ones with copies now, but that didn’t appease the man at all. Douglas had seen his woman with barely anything on, nearly naked!

It wasn’t brought up after the party because Tom found out the pictures were taken before they got together. Like a month or something before they first made love. Now the shots would just stay with him, at his office…in his locked drawer. The ones of her in the flower field and basically her being properly dressed were to be framed for the house and his desk at the office.

Concerning their son’s name, truthfully, he knew Aliena wanted to name ‘em Percy or Perseus. It’s what she said to Polly. Tom just thought it was sweet that she was willing to give him a say. He knew how stubborn and sensitive she was about this topic. Tommy had heard her tell Polly that she wouldn’t budge when it came to the name, but guess the circumstances changed since it’s their child. Though, it did make him a little sad that he couldn’t name his firstborn. 

That’s why he called dibs on the second. ‘Cause, there was going to be a second. Aliena had a thing about evens and multiples of fives, and Tom wanted at least two kids. Win-win situation here.

When the doctor told them that Aliena could be at greater risk due to her height later in her pregnancy, all Tom heard was that first part. The possibility of losing her to childbirth never crossed his mind since all the pregnancies he’s known were successful. Being told he could lose her sent him into a frenzy, and he didn't want her to be standing, walking, running, or anything else.

Too bad she put her foot down, and they ended up compromising. Then, about a week later, Tom came home, and Aliena was almost in tears. She was experiencing her first craving. The fruits he could understand and get in a heartbeat, but the spices… He hadn't even heard of them, and they had names of U.S. states! Tom wasn't even sure they had 'em in the country!

Then, she began tearing up ‘n it was like his mind went blank. He swore he would find all the items on the list as if it were the last thing he would do. Luckily, he managed to find them in an obscure shop somewhere in London. The smile on her face made it all worth it.

For the next few months, Tom was busy with all the new business and the pushback from Sabini. Bastard didn’t get anywhere from rebelling, though. Well, maybe just a swift kick to the arse. Tom doted over Ali, as did everyone else around her. It wasn’t just the family. It was her mates, the neighbors, and...Moss. 

Tom knew she was well-liked within the community— he just didn’t realize how much. For months three and four, he accompanied Aliena when she got her photos taken of her belly. She wore a rather revealing dress, and Tom didn’t comment on it. Tom wasn’t jealous, and he didn’t mind that the dress showed so much skin— he just wanted to be there. 

When Aliena was five months pregnant, Tom had finally prepared everything for his proposal. The most crucial piece of his proposal was the ring. It was the most expensive thing he’s ever bought, and it would all be worth it, in Tom’s opinion. The ring’s design was a round square cut with three small bands of diamonds and a circular-cut diamond in the middle. Tom had no idea if Aliena would like it or not since the woman didn’t even have an idea of what she wanted, so he went with what he thought would look the best on her. 

Tom made reservations at one of the fanciest restaurants in England; then they walked a bit around the city— even got ice cream. Tom waited till they were walking through the park they had visited last time. The park meant a lot to Tom, holding one of his most cherished memories of Aliena. Anyway, he went down on one knee and properly asked Ali to marry him. 

Long story short— she loved the ring, and the rest of the night was lovely. Tom and Ali continued their stroll, arm-in-arm, talking about the future and their child.

I’m seven months pregnant now, and safe to say; I’m huge. Not to mention, I pee more frequently, my feet are swollen some days, and I’m even more of an insomniac than I was before the baby. So, the daytime naps are still happening! Oh, and totally pass gas more frequently! Embarrassing? Yes, but expected! Esme told me she experienced it plenty during her pregnancy, and Ada admitted to it as well. 

Surprisingly enough, having this baby brought a lot of people closer to me. Ada and I weren’t close, nor were I with Esme before the baby. I had no quarrel with Ada— she just was in London with Karl. I couldn’t exactly pop in frequently since it would be suspicious. I was meant to be on dates with lads, not out assassinating people! With Esme, on the other hand, I blamed her for John’s death, and that wasn’t going away. 

I tried to work on it, but it never worked out. I’m not ashamed to say that getting to know her personally just deepened my dislike of her. She gave good baby tips ‘n all, but she had a habit of bad-mouthin’ Tommy. I’d like to say it’s getting harder and harder every day to tolerate her, but I’ve learned the skill of selective hearing instead. My sister was a pro at it, so I figured it wouldn’t be hard to learn. 

In reality, I’ve found out it was a mixture of ignoring the individual, zoning out/drowning them out, then either diverting the conversation or agreeing with whatever the hell they said. Works like a charm.

It was October that meant autumn weather. I've come to love the rain and wind here. I was lucky enough to be blessed with that scent October autumn always seems to have. I can't describe it, but it gives me a lot of nostalgia. Even brings me comfort. 

I bring this up 'cause gone were the days when my mates would come over to Small Heath, and we'd go over to my tree for a picnic. The summer of '22 was certainly something! Even managed to get Tommy to take me down to the beach for a change. He didn't get in the water, and I just dipped my legs in, of course. We spent our time walking around the pier instead.

Now, we all just stay inside. I'm especially cooped up in this flat. I don't mind, though. I feel safer here than anywhere else. A lot of free time, at first. I just had to complain to the girls, and suddenly nobody had a life of their own. Whenever they were free, someone was over at my house. 

Not the lads, of course not! Wait… Actually, they've come by themselves. 

Anyway, right now, the big thing going on around here is fawning over me. Let me correct myself—! Not me, my baby. 

These days, Cassie and Angie's favorite activity is to rub my belly like it's a genie lamp. Horace is buying pregnancy books and guides like crazy. Tina—! Don't get me started on her! She's buying more clothes for Percy than he'll ever wear. I tried telling her that he's likely to grow out of the size before he even gets a chance to wear some of the outfits she bought him, but she didn't mind. 

Once Tina started showering me with baby clothes, it began a war between her and Cassie. Dougie was then swept up into the war, giving me gifts or three now 'n again. This child of mine was being spoiled before he even got out of me womb! It was endearing and filled a gap in my heart where my parents’ love ought to be.

I got out of my head for a second and reached for a cookie. I looked around the room at my mates. Cassie and the girls were talking while the boys talked amongst themselves. More accurately, Cassie and the girls were talking to me.

“So, apparently, Mary’s been havin’ an affair with one of the manservants in her estate,” Tina revealed to us while nodding her head.

I cocked my head. “That’s the auld baig who’s just lost her hubby, innit? The one who was mad rich, like a duke of somethin’?”

Cassie reached over and tapped my knee with her hand. “Yeah.”

I nodded. We talked a bit more about the affair or the fact that it was actually just rumors and other things of the like. 

“So, you and Thomas talk out all the details of your wedding yet?” Angie asked, leaned back against the chair while sippin’ a cuppa tea. 

Just a second before she asked me the question, I was rubbing my belly absent-mindedly. So, I blinked harshly as me head shot up. “Huh, oh right, shit!” My head jerked to the right before I continued. “We’ve decided to hold off any wedding talk till after the baby is born. Can’t exactly fit in a dress right now, ya know?”

Angie nodded, muttering, “Fair enough.”

Tina tsked, catching everyone’s attention. While peering up at the grandfather clock, she said. “Well, fuck. I need to head down to the library before it closes. Shit!”

Tina, Angie, and Horace all shot out from their seats, and they quickly kissed my cheek and bid me farewell. The second the door shut, Cassie got up from her seat ‘n sat in the chair closest to me. 

“Can I rub your belly?” She asked me with her hands in prayer. 

I nodded. “Of course.” I scooted closer to her while smoothing out my dress around my bump. Cassie scooted closer to me as well, then began to rub my belly. 

“So,” she began. “How are you? Like really. You can tell me— us! Since it’s just us three.”

I blinked and sort of looked around the room before bursting into a fit of laughter with my hand covering my mouth. “Love, I’m fucking made up. Really! I couldn’t be happier. I have this fucking flat all to meself. I don’t work...” I sighed. “Okay, fine. It can get a bit boring, but you guys come around all the time, so it cancels it out.” I shrugged my shoulders. “Yeah, yeah, I’m fucking grand.” I toothily smiled and tucked a piece of my hair behind my ears.

“That’s good to hear, Ali,” Dougie said before reaching forward for a cookie. “Have youse decided on a name yet?”

Without skipping a beat, I shrugged my shoulders as I replied. “No, we haven’t. We’ve been debating through them so much that at this point, we might not even name him after he’s born.” I chuckled to myself, which made them laugh as well.

In all honesty, we’ve already chosen a name for the baby. His name is Perseus Michael Shelby. We did make a deal. I would choose his name, and Tommy would choose the second child’s name. We’ve decided not to tell anyone on my insistence. I knew nobody was gonna be knocked up around the same time as me, but you never know. I didn’t want anybody stealing my baby name.

I took a deep breath and hesitantly decided to ask them what I’d meant to for a while now. I cleared my throat. “So… Cass, you know how you asked to be the auntie all those months ago, and I said you could be the godmother?”

Cassie gasped, and her hands flew to her mouth. “You’re lying!”

I chuckled. “I want to— properly, ask you both if you’d like to be the godparents of my baby.”

Before Cassie could accept, Dougie scoffed and put his hand up. “Wait! Hold on a second. Have you talked this over with Tom, love? I mean, this is a pretty big decision.”

I dismissively waved the back of my head, rolled my eyes, and pshhed. “No, but what does it matter? He can ask someone from his side as well.”

 Dougie’s eyes grew wide as he cut me off. “I don’t think tha—!” 

“Oh, of course, he can!” Cassie exclaimed as she got up from her seat just to reach over ‘n smack Dougie across his arm. “We’ll be glad to be his godparents.” Cassie had the biggest smile on her face, and it was just infectious.

I chuckled awkwardly, my shoulder hunching a little. I said. “Um, I was going to say just kidding that we talked about it already. Um, what do you say, Dougie? We got an outstanding yes from Cassie over here; what about you?”

Dougie took a deep breath before nodding. “If Tom’s all ready given the okay, I don’t see why not?”

I furrowed my eyebrows at that. “You do know what a godparent is, right?”

He nodded. “Of course.”

While rubbing my stomach, I continued. “You’d be assuming the role of his father should anything happen to Tommy and me.”

Dougie nodded again. “I know.”

I nodded. “Okay, then. I declare you both the godparents of my child.”

Cassie squealed while jumping for joy. She rushed over to me and wrapped her arms around me, shaking me side-to-side. Dougie was calmer but showed affection to me as well. They stayed a bit longer till it was about five. 

As I was beginning to clean up in the living room a few minutes later, the door had abruptly opened. 

"Love?" Tommy shouted as he ran through the house. 

The sound of his footsteps made me giggle to myself. "In here, Tommy!" I responded with a plate in each hand. I was walking to the doorway just as he made an appearance. 

"Ali, you—!" Tom's excited face dropped a little, and his eyes kept darting from the plates in me hands to my face. "Give me those. What are you doing on your feet, love?"

I happily let Tommy take the plates from me hands and walked behind him to the kitchen. I replied as we walked. "It's just to the kitchen, Tom!" I snickered before continuing, "I had friends over, and I wanted to clean up a bit before you came home."

Tom placed the dishes into the sink. "Yeah, I know. They come over almost every day." Just as I was gearing to take that as a complaint, Tom had spun 'round saying, "Not that I'm complaining! I know it gets boring laying around doing nothing, and they bring you some form of entertainment."

I nodded with a smile on my face. "They do." One hand was caressing my belly while the other was tucked into the arch of my back. I took a step forward, rested both hands on Tommy’s right shoulder, and kissed his cheek.

"I know..." He replied softly while wrapping an arm around my waist. Tom peered down at me and then gave me a chaste kiss. He parted from me and then held my hands in his as he began to walk backward. "I have something to show you, but it's a surprise, so— "

"--Is this surprise the reason why you've been coming home so late?" I asked with a teasing smile on my face. My nerves were set alight, and I was growing more anxious by the millisecond.

Tom scoffed. His eyes closed before he opened them back up again with an amused look on his face. "Yes, yes it is. Now, as I was saying, I want you..." Our walking came to a stop as we were out the door and near the car. Tom reached inside and pulled out a flat box. He hastily opened it while saying, "To wear this."

Hanging on his finger was a blindfold. It was very much my turn to scoff.

"You want me to wear that?" I dropped a hip and replaced my hands on my back and belly. 

A smirk flashed on his face before he pulled himself together, sporting his normal emotionless one. "Yes, I want you to wear this."

I sighed before a smile crept up, and I stretched out my hand for the damn thing. "Give it here then," I replied.

Tom passed me the blindfold, but I didn’t put it on just yet. I looked down at my outfit and chewed on my bottom lip. “What I’m wearing right now is fine, right?” I asked. “Like we aren’t going anywhere special or with a lot of people?”

 I was in a silk mint green nightgown with a matching robe over it. I’ve been cooped up in the house for so long that I didn’t see the need to dress for the outdoors. Plus, none of my company ever complained about me being in my nightclothes, so it made me even more comfortable to do so. 

Tommy shook his head reassuringly. “You’ll be fine. Where I’m taking you, we’ll be completely alone. Now, put the blindfold on.”

I took a deep breath before sliding the thing over my eyes. Tommy took my hands in his and led me into the car. It took a few seconds before I was comfortable without my sight, and I began my plan to annoy him. I tried asking as many questions about my so-called gift as I could. Trying to get any and every bit of information to try ‘n guess, but this man wouldn’t crack. Honestly, I knew it was in vain, but it made me smile. 

Couldn’t exactly tell if he was enjoying it too since I was without me vision. 

Once I was done with the teasing, I asked about his day, but he was reluctant to answer even then! It was absolutely impossible with this man! No, but he did tell me that work was the same as always. Tedious and frustrating. 

I don’t know how he does it sometimes. I try thinking about how I would be if I had to work a job that I wasn’t passionately about, and it sucks the life out of me. The thought gives me overwhelming anxiety, and it takes me a while before I’m okay again. I mean, being a maid and an assassin wasn’t my dream occupation! They weren’t but being a maid was easy enough. 

I loved the people I worked for, and while everything wasn’t peachy— I still had a good time. It was more like havin’ chores than it was havin’ a job. Being an assassin was something that came naturally. I mean, after the first job, it was smooth sailing. There was always the chance that I could die or end up in the clink, but I was confident in my abilities. They hadn’t failed me in all my kills, so I was right about something. Juggling both jobs was tiring, but the money made it all worth it. The people who employed me made it a whole lot easier too. 

However, my passions were more creative. I wanted to become an author and, with my new artistic abilities— perhaps an artist. However, with the little one on the way, I think I will put those pursuits on hold for quite some more time. 

Oh, but not saying he’s not passionate about his job! Tommy, quite obviously, is passionate about the company. It’s just—! I know he wanted to work with horses. Deep down, I think Tom wanted a simple life. But just not in this lifetime.

When I was done with the whole internal debate, I began ranting about how my day had been. Just told him about the recent scoops in high society, which he actually loves hearing about because it can give him some leverage against those people in case he has to work with them in the future. I also gave him an update on my friends were doing and then about how I finally came ‘round to asking Cassie and Dougie to be Percy’s godparents. 

 I had just finished talking, and a hush fell over us as the car began to slow. 

“Don’t take it off just yet,” said Tommy. 

I could hear the crunch of gravel under the car. The sound was familiar, but I couldn’t place my finger on it. I mean, many places have gravel flooring or driveways, but they mainly reminded me of homes or a restaurant. 

The car finally came to a stop, and Tom put it in park. I could hear him get out and close the door behind himself before walking over to the passenger side. I shimmied closer to the door just as Tommy swung it open. The cold air made me shiver, and I couldn’t help but let out a nervous giggle. I held my hands out from him and smiled when his warm hands touched mine. 

“Come ‘ere, love,” Tommy said as one hand drifted from mine to my arm as he guided me out. “Out you get.”

I was still giggling. I couldn’t help it. “Tommy,” I managed to get out. “Tommy, don’t let me fall.”

He chuckled under his breath. “Never.”

When my feet hit the ground, it was like I was able to let go of a breath that I was holding in. With one hand still intertwined, Tommy placed his other one on my side while I put my one on my belly. Slowly, we walked until Tom decided to stop us. Suddenly, warmth spread across my back, and his breath tickled my neck. 

I laughed at the surprise, our hands parting, and I raised it to cradle his face. 

“Wha—”

“--Okay, you can take off the blindfold now.”

I let the interruption slide. I chuckled a bit more before removing my hand from his face and my belly to remove the blindfold. I kept my eye closed ‘till I entirely removed it from my face, and when I opened my eyes— I was blown away. 

I put a hand over my gaping mouth as I let out a scoff. It was Arrow House. I whipped ‘round to face Tommy and asked, “What—? Is this…? Is this ours?”

Tommy had a shit-eating grin on his face as he nodded and tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear. “I believe I promised you, future Mrs. Shelby, a mansion.” He slid his fingers into my hair and kept them there as he nestled my nose.

A snicker escaped my nose before I hit his chest. With our faces still close together, I stared deeply into his eyes. My Tommy’s beautiful blue eyes. I can’t describe the amount of love held in those eyes. He was a dream, and this whole situation was a dream. Tears blurred my vision, and it made me laugh. “I love you,” I whispered shakily. 

I knew this meant as much much as it did to me as it did to him. The smile on his face and the reddening of his eyes was enough evidence. 

“I mean it, Aliena when I said that you deserve only the finest things.”

I leaned into the palm of his hand and rubbed my cheek against it. I took a deep breath before parting from his grasp just a smidge, another smile making its way onto my face. 

“Somebody else is pleased, Mr. Shelby.” I gently guided Tommy’s hand to my stomach and let him feel our baby kicking. 

He was quick to place both hands firmly on my bump, as he’d always done when the baby moved around. I took the time to gaze at his face. Though the tears had vanished from his eyes and his face was dry, I knew our child’s antics only sweetened the moment.

Once the baby stopped kicking, I took another deep breath before saying, “Well, then! How about you give me a tour of our new home?” I held my hand out from him to take, which he did but not before placing a kiss on it.

“Of course, my love.” He replied. Tommy let go of my hand and instead locked our arms together. As we walked toward the entrance, I craned my head back to see where exactly we came from. Trees and grass extended back from as far as I could see. 

“Tommy?”

“Hmm?”

“Is...Is all of that ours too?” I pointed behind us, and the man briefly craned his head before replying, “That it is.”

My eyes nearly came out of me eyes sockets. “You’re tellin’ a blag!” I shouted as I punched his arm.

Tommy chuckled. “Am not, love, and you haven’t seen anything yet.” Tommy unlocked our arms as he went to open the doors. “Have I ever told you that when you punch me, it feels like being hit by pillows?”

I gasped, horrified, and tried swatting him, but he swiftly evaded my attack. Grumbling under my breath as I marched past him, “My papa would say me punches felt like marshmallows. Became one of me fucking nicknames.”

Guess I didn’t grumble quite softly enough as Tommy snickered loudly behind me.

I greatly misjudged the appeal of Arrow House in my “youth.” Arrow House was never just a mansion— no, it was very much an estate. Sitting on various acres of land with a garden, chapel, and stable! The stables I knew about but not the chapel or the garden. I didn’t get to see the chapel since it was someways away from the house, and Tom didn’t want me on my feet that long.

The mansion had more rooms than I could count or process! I had no idea how I was going to fix this place up. At this rate, I was about to leave it to Polly, Ada, Cassie, Angie, or Tommy himself. 

Oh, but the nursery he showed me was beautiful! I couldn’t find myself able to nitpick a thing. The room was filled with items that Tommy and I both loved. There were toy horses and playsets. Obviously, I appreciated that there was a stuffed animal of a dog. The nursery was decorated much how Tommy and I had spoken about, which thrown me off. However, I wouldn’t put it past him if he had the room done beforehand. If he did, it just makes this even more of a grand gesture. 

Okay, the one and only thing I would probably change was the blue and white striped walls. BUT, it could grow on me too! That’s why I’m hesitant to say anything “bad.”

Suddenly, I was being led into what I remember as the room where Arthur made a speech at the end of season four. 

I giggled before asking, “Where exactly are you taking me, Tommy?”

“To the only room that I haven’t shown you,” Tom replied as he walked backward toward a door. With one hand, he opened the door behind him and then led me through. I took in the room and recognized it as his office. There were so many fucking books lining the walls, and surprisingly the fireplace was already lit. Just as I was about to ask about the fireplace, Tom said. “This room is yours.”

My head snapped so quickly toward him that I was afraid that I’d pinch a nerve. “What do you mean? Won’t you make this room your home office?”

Tom tugged me closer, I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he rested his hands on my bum. He shook his head. “I all ready have an office, love. The hell do I need one at home for? Home will be for solely you and our child.”

Why... Why am I so turned on right now? How could that have—! I’m not questioning it any further! This is Thomas Shelby we’re talking about here.

I scoffed. “I’ll hold you to that promise, then.”

Tommy hummed, a tiny smile on his face as he peered down at me. “I hope you do.”

I rolled my eyes, a smile also on mine. “What do I need an office for, love? I’m not business-y like you.”

He pursed his lips before waving a hand about and shaking his head as he said. “I don’t know. Make it your work studio. Stash all your painting and scribbling in here. Just—! This room is yours. Hell, if you want, we’ll make this room the childrens’ playroom.”

My eyes widened, and my smile deepened. “Thomas Shelby!” I screeched while swatting his chest. “Let the first one pop out first!”

Tommy shook his head. “I’ll have you pregnant all the time. Right when this one comes out, I’ll put another one in ya.”

I spluttered and pushed him away from me. “You most certainly are not, Thomas Shelby!” I managed to shout through my laughter. “We’re waiting at least three or four years until the next.”

His face contorted in surprise. “Three or four?”

I nodded, walking back to him and hanging onto the lapels of his suit. “Three or four.”

Tommy placed his hands back on my bum, sighing. “All right, love. Three or four years ‘till the next little bugger.”

I played with his lapels a moment longer before meeting his eyes. “So, is it safe to presume that we’re sleeping here tonight?”

Tommy nodded. “I’d like that, but if you wish, we could always go back to the flat.”

I shook my head. “No, I don’t mind. All I need is you and your voice to fall asleep.”

Tommy’s hands slid from my bum up to my back, and one stayed there while the other trailed down my left arm. I raised a hand, and he grabbed it. 

Softly, he said, “I had a little birdie light the fire for us and leave us dinner.” My head whipped around to find the food. “It’s in the other room. But before we dine, how about you sing us a song, and we have a dance?”

I hummed. “And what would you have me sing? Hmm?”

Tommy smiled and let out a breathy chuckle. “You know what song.”

“Do I now?” I teased.

He nodded. “You do.”

And so, we swayed together as I sang “At Last” by Etta Fitzgerald. After sharing a dance, we walked back into the other room and had dinner. After dinner, I figured we would cuddle up on the couch but nope. I was being led up again and upstairs. Only this time, I knew where we were heading. 

As we were climbing the stairs, I said, “We just ate, Tommy. There is no way we are doing anything right now.”

He scoffed. “Who said anything about doing that? Get your head out of the gutter, woman.”

I tsked and smacked his back, and all he did was laugh. We walked over to the master bedroom, and as we reached the door, Tommy pulled me in front of him. He threw open the door before crossing my arms over my bump and holding my hands that way. Tommy waddled us over the threshold into the room. 

“Tommy, love, are we keeping it furnished like this?”

“What are you talkin’ about? I had everything put it the moment I got the ‘ouse.”

I craned my head back to peer up at him. “You’re saying all the furniture and stuff— you had picked out?”

His head tipped to the side, as did his gaze. “Well, I had some say, but I hired someone. Told them your tastes and mine, then they did the rest. I know you wouldn’t feel comfortable living like you were in someone else’s home, so I was quick to fix that.”

Tommy looked down at me like an expectant child waiting to be praised, and so I did. I puckered my lips, and between kisses, I said. “My. Brilliant. Considerate. Man. Thank you.” I looked around our bedroom for about the third time with a new perspective. “So, this is all newly furnished?”

He nodded behind me. Tommy moved my hair away from my neck and then began peppering kisses there. My eyes fluttered close, and I leaned my head against his chest. 

“Love,” Tommy began. “I have something to ask of ya.” His words were muffled as he rested his mouth against the crook of my neck.

I giggled, teasing. “Oh no. What could it be?” I laughed to myself only a second longer before I sighed. “I’m kidding. What’s the matter, honey?”

Tommy cleared his throat before asking, “Well, I was wondering if the baby could be born here instead of in a hospital?” 

My eyes flew open as I stilled. “What?” It barely coming out as an utterance. I turned around in his grasp and held his face. “You want the baby to be born here?”

Tom closed his eyes before smacking his lips and nodding. “Yeah. I—! Instead of naming our second child, grant me this.”

“I—! But—! Tommy...” My gaze fell to his torso as I began to get lost in thought. So many things could go wrong, and without a doctor, well! 

Tommy shook my hands off his face and cradled mine instead. “Hey, hey. Before you go freaking out, I plan on hiring a doctor and a midwife. A private one that can make house calls. Hell, I’ll hire a live-in midwife if that makes you more at ease.”

I squinted my eyes at him. “So instead of naming our second-born child, you’d rather me give birth ‘ere?”

He nodded. 

I released the tension in my eyes and smiled. “You’ve got yourself a deal, Mr. Shelby. Hope you don’t end up regretting it.”

Tom smirked and rolled his eyes. “What? It’s not like you won’t come up with a name I won’t like.”

I pretended to ponder before saying, “Well, I was thinking Grace for a girl. No, May! No, Pollyanna! Nope, nope, nope! Elizabeth.”

Tom glared at me as his tongue prodded the inside of his cheek. He scoffed and shook his head. “And for another boy?”

“Hmm, I’m thinking Arthur or maybe Michael. Perhaps—!” 

His lips silenced me, and I couldn’t help but giggle in our kiss. 

“The cheek of you girl.” He said as we kissed. 

I parted from ‘em and rested my forehead on his. “Oh, you’re already used to me. So, shall we christen the bed, Mr. Shelby?”

I didn’t have to do much more persuading.

Since Tom had gone out of his way to get the mansion newly furnished, the couple didn’t have to do much packing and moving in. Tom was fully prepared to abandon his old things at the flat except for his clothes and any valuables. However, Aliena was much more reluctant to part with anything. The move was actually much more spontaneous than she believed despite already spending a night in the new house. 

After hearing the good news, family and friends gladly came over to the flat and offered to help out. The only one who knew about Arrow House was Polly, but that was to be expected. 

Aliena only gave up the few pieces of furniture in the flat and almost everything else she had stuffed in boxes and shipped off to Arrow House. It amused Tom to no end, and he teased her the whole drive as she kept a death grip on the two suitcases he remembered from when she arrived in Small Heath. John, Arthur, and Finn all offered to take the suitcases for her, but she would just slap their hands away. 

The cars piled into the driveway, and genders split off. Tom and the other men wasted no time looking around the place while the women collected into the master bedroom, dead set on organizing everything. Aliena had set the suitcases under the bed and told them that she’d sort those things later at night. Nobody questioned it, and they didn’t try getting it from under the bed either. They knew they would run the risk of getting smacked, and Polly didn’t attempt anything out of respect. 

Cassie gushed over Aliena’s new place, but Angie quickly brought the rest of them out of their little bubble as she began getting into the nitty-gritty of owning a considerable estate. Though Ali did appreciate the advice, she wished Angie had read the room a little better. In all honesty, Aliena was worried about hiring maids and their equivalents. 

Would they be called butlers? Manservants? Oh, what the ‘ell!

Ali was worried about the trouble the staff would bring— if there would be any snakes or rats in the midst. But Tom was adamant about leaving the responsibility to her. He said she would be with them more than he’d ever be, so she needed to make an environment where she and their child would be comfortable. 

After situating the bedroom, Aliena had to find other places to put her old things. Some pictures went on the mantle in the bedroom, while others found themselves on stands in the hallways or a different room. Eventually, both groups encountered each other in the now dubbed "family room." We don't know who named it, but we are sticking to it.

Family and friends took the time to catch up, or in some cases, get to know each other. Then by the time dinner came 'round, everyone began leaving, including Tom and Aliena. Dinner wasn't prepared that night, seeing as they'd yet to hire a cook. Polly would have loved to cook for everyone, but Finn, who was given the task to go grocery shopping, never left the house at any point. 

Tom and Aliena ended up eating dinner at a restaurant before heading back to Arrow House. Aliena had to practically beg him to take a walk around the mansion 'cause the night breeze had felt perfect against her skin. However, when Tom suspected the night was growing too cold for his liking— he herded them back inside. They still didn't go to sleep quite yet. They dressed down, got relaxed, but ended up playing card games on the bed as they talked about their plans for the house and the future. 

First things first, they had to buy food and then hire staff. Buying groceries was easy enough; after all, Tom had Finn do it. However, hiring staff took a bit more time. Tom had the good sense to put the word out that he’d be looking for help before they moved in, but then came the interviewing process. The interviews were held in Aliena’s office. 

It was a tip from Angie and Polly that she should not hire anybody under the age of 40. You might be asking yourself why? Well, it’s because of men. Simple as that. Women are to blame as well— it takes two to tango, but men.

Aliena did not hire anybody on the spot, even though she wanted to desperately. Her paranoia couldn’t allow her to make any “hasty” decisions. So, in a moment of vulnerability, she decided to call upon the one person in her life that honestly had it all figured out.

Aliena smoothed out the wrinkles on her forehead before tossing the application on the coffee table. She tucked her legs closer to her body and let out a deep breath through her mouth. Aliena rested her head on her closed palm and tsked. She peeked an eye and stared at the telephone that was sitting on her desk. 

Surely enough, Ali rose to her feet and picked up the phone. She asked for Dom.

“Hello, Dom.” She greeted him after he asked who it was.

“Oh, Ali, love. I heard about the address change. Good for you, and I’m happy to hear that the bookkeeper can afford such luxuries for you.”

“Bookmaker, but yeah. Um, about the new house.” She chuckled nervously. “Dom, I-I need help.”

“What’s wrong?”

“This place is too big!” Aliena curtly laughed as the hand she had in her hair came swinging down and smacked her thigh. “There are so many doors and windows. So many fucking rooms. I keep thinking that someone is gonna break-in, and I can’t make a full-hearted decision hiring anybody ‘cause I think they just wanna take a shot at Mr. and Mrs. Shelby!”

Dom sniffed loudly through the phone before replying, “Okay, okay. Let’s calm down. Stress isn’t good for the baby, Aliena. You know this.”

Aliena nodded but muttered. “Right.” At the mention of her child, she rested her hand on top of her bump and began to stroke it. She cleared her throat. “I really don’t know what to do, and it’s getting so bad that I can’t sleep at night.”

“Doesn’t Thomas at least have men guarding the house?”

“Uh, yeah, yeah. He does, but—!” Aliena laughed humorlessly. “I can’t even trust them.”

Dom hummed. “Well, Aliena, this is me saying to stop worrying your pretty little head about this. Let me take care of it.”

Aliena’s eyebrows furrowed, and she shook her head. “What? Dom, no. I should really do this on my own. I—!”

“--No. You’re losing sleep over this, and you’re pregnant. I know someone who can make your new home safer than a fucking army base, and as much as I want to, I won’t send you all of your staff. I will be sending Anne, though. The woman took a liking to you the moment she dressed you up. She’s been my head maid for quite some time. She’ll help you run a household. ”

Aliena hummed in agreement. “Alright, I’ll take Anne. She did seem like a lovely lady. Now, how in the hell are you gonna make me home safer than a fucking army base?”

“There’s a man I know. Name’s James with no last name. I’ll give him a call ‘n he’ll be over there tomorrow.”

Aliena straightened her posture. “T’morrow? How are you gonna convince him to come tomorrow?”

“Let me worry about that. I’ll call ya back with a time, love. Consider this my gift for the child.”

He hung up after that and called back two hours later with a time. Luckily, the appointment was late enough that Tommy wouldn’t be in the house. So, the next day, Aliena was greeted by not only one guest but two. Anne arrived bright and early in the morning, fully intending on making breakfast for her new employers. It wouldn’t be her job for long, but she still wanted to complete the task. 

Anne was in her late 40s to early 50s— she wouldn’t disclose her age, but neither did Aliena ask. She had brown hair, hazel eyes, sunken cheeks, sharp cheekbones, crow’s feet, and smile lines. Anne reminded Aliena somewhat of her mum but softer and gentler. Her voice was melodic and soothing, and she created a domestic atmosphere with ease. 

Tom didn’t even question her arrival. All he saw was his wife’s smiling face, and he was sold. At least on the surface, he’d question the woman when he was due back, and Tom just didn’t want to ruin the mood his fiancée was in. So, with a kiss goodbye, Tommy left his wife to their new hire. 

Aliena and Anne spent most of the day going over applications and things that the lady of the house ought to know. When two in the afternoon rolled around, there was another arrival at the door. Anne ordered Ali to wait in her office while she went and got the door. Something Ali wasn’t used to. 

When Anne and James entered the room, Aliena rose to her feet to greet the man. He was an old man, not what Aliena had been expecting at all. He wore a fedora and a poor-quality suit—someone obviously hiding his wealth and provoked a reaction from certain people. 

Aliena held her hand out for him to take as she said, “Hello, my name is Aliena Welsh. Dom recommended you to me. Thank you for coming on such short notice.”

The man shook her hand and smirked. “James, ma’am.” He huffed before continuing, “Not a single callus on your hand. Are you sure you’ve held a gun before?”

Aliena’s eyes darted toward Anne’s, who seemed just as dumbfounded. Anne bowed before leaving the room immediately. The older woman knew of Aliena’s capabilities. Of course, she knew! The girl had been flying in and out of the Johnson Residence for months on end, and she knew her old boss’s profession.

Aliena took a deep breath, and before she could comment, James began again. “Ah, my apologies. You’ve kept it a secret. Women typically do. Doesn’t matter if they are what you are; they still fear their husbands.”

Aliena smiled sweetly. “I’m not married yet, James, and I’m not afraid of him in the slightest.”

He hummed. “No, not afraid of him, but afraid of his reaction.”

Aliena kept the smile on her face as she motioned toward the seats. “Please sit down. I believe we have business to discuss.”

James’s smile deepened before he took off his hat, took a seat, and placed it on his lap. “Will you ever tell him? Won’t keeping your past a secret eat away at you? Or are you arrogant enough to believe that your past will never catch up to you?”

Aliena sighed, both hands on her bump as she lowered herself in her seat. “To answer your questions, even though they are invasive and quite rude— I don’t plan on telling my fiancé anything. What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him. Keeping my past a secret doesn’t, as you put it, ‘eat away at me.’ I’m quite comfortable with my own skin and my actions. Hmm, I guess I am arrogant enough to believe my past will never catch up with me. However, if the problem ever arises— I could always fool him into thinking it was his fault or own up to it then. But that would be years from now and increases the chances of him loving me anyway.” 

James whistled at Aliena’s response before bursting into a fit of laughter. “Dominic told me you were a firecracker! You’ve got moxie, girl!” He sighed. “Such a shame that your husband will never see this side of you.”

Aliena gave him a polite smile but didn’t see the need to divulge any more personal matters than she already had. 

Once James had calmed down, he finally began talking about the service he provides. “Dominic has told me all about your little problem, and don’t worry; I’ll take care of it. All expenses paid for by him, of course, just need to get a layout of the place and the okay from you.”

“What exactly is it that you do, James?” She asked.

“Security, ma’am. I’ll lace the walls, rooms— fuck! I’ll even do the chimneys with weapons. I could even see a few hiding places in this room right now. You could even point me to the nursery, and we’ll have that room done.”

Aliena chuckled at that one. “Thank you for the offer, but that won’t be necessary. How long would it take for all of that to be done?”

James whistled again. “You have a considerably large place, Ms. Welsh, but my crew and I can have this place loaded up in say… A month at the latest, maybe two.”

Aliena craned her head at the thought of it, her eyes trailing off to the desk in front of her. “You can only work after seven in the morning till about ten at night. My husband—!”

“--I figured the husband would be a problem, but don’t worry, Miss. This isn’t my first rodeo hiding it from a significant other. Well, this is the first time I’ve provided my services for a woman. Usually, I’ll say I could perfectly hide it from the Missus, but given that you are said, Missus.”

Aliena hummed with another smile on her face. “Well, then. I believe our business here is done. I’ll get you blueprints of the house as soon as I can, and then you can start.”

James cleared his throat. “Actually, Ms. Welsh, I all ready have the prints. Curtesy of our mutual friend ‘n all. We could start now if you wish. I just need to know what weapons you’d prefer in the house and your methods.”

Aliena’s eyes widened at the information. “Well, I’d have to make a list. Um, I’d appreciate it if you could start tomorrow rather than today. I’ve had more than enough excitement for one day.”

James nodded. They exchanged goodbyes, and then the rest of the day was Ali’s. Anne and Aliena managed to call back a few women who they deemed qualified enough to work for the house. That night Tom had arrived home at eight o’clock, which surprised his lover, but she expected him home by ten as usual. When she asked him the occasion, Tom said that he had finished work early to be home. 

As they ate, Tom explained that he had received a telephone call from Dominic Johnson and how he knew Dom was Cassie’s father. However, he didn’t understand why Mr. Johnson offered Tom and Aliena some of his own men to protect her and their baby. Aliena confessed that Dom had become somewhat of a father figure to her and that Cassie had told Dom about the new house, so he called and gave her the same offer. Aliena told Tom that she had told Dom to ask him instead of her. She was lying through her teeth, but what else could she do? 

Tom asked her for her opinion, and she said she wouldn’t mind the extra protection. Tom’s facial expression remained neutral, but something about his vibe told Ali that he was a little miffed. Every trying to be understanding, Aliena asked if he’d rather not have Dom’s men around. He stubbornly shook his head and said that he’d accept the help. It was rather unlike him, but Aliena knew better than to pry. It was a win for now, and she’d have to talk to him about it when it wasn’t so fresh. 

As promised, Aliena had a list ready the next time James came over the house, and he didn’t come alone. Any maids or male staff hired were due two weeks later, so James and his crew went uninterrupted during that time. On the day that the new staff was due to arrive, Tommy had taken the day off to vet all the new hires for himself. 

He planned on doing it inconspicuously as he had done with Anne, but the arrival of several unknown men changed his plans. Tom was astonished and furious that he was not made aware of the men by his Blinders. When asked, they replied that they thought Tom had given the Misses the okay. 

So, he questioned Aliena about why the men were there, and she replied that they were fixing up anything wrong with the house. When Tom said that he already had people do that— she replied that perhaps the people he’d hired did poorly. This was their first real fight as a couple, and it lasted all of six hours. They made up at dinner. Tom admitted that he should have been more understanding since Aliena had so little input when it came to the house— the nursery. That perhaps things would have been smoother if they had done this together, and while Aliena didn’t disagree— she tried placing blame on herself as well.

Tom wasn’t at all as innocent in this whole cat ‘n mouse game either. While Aliena was keeping some secrets of her own, so was he. Tom had been meeting with Winston Churchill in private from time to time. It ate him up inside that he could divulge this information to his bride-to-be, but it was classified information that could get him, her, the baby, and his whole family killed. 

A month had passed, and James and his crew were still working. The staff had been vetted and officially hired. All was well between the lady and master of the house. 

On the 5th of November, Aliena and Tommy took a trip to London to visit Douglas and Cassie in their new flat and take her monthly pregnancy photo. Aliena had worn something appropriate to exit the house and enter their flat but brought along her sheer black robe to change into. She’d remove her casual clothing while keeping on her bra and panties and then dawned the robe. That’s how Douglas would take the photo, only highlighting her bump’s growth. Well, on Aliena’s insistence— he’d take a number of other images. These photos included solo shots of Aliena in her eternity, couple shots with Tom, and then with Cassie. 

Aliena had all the developed images in a baby photo book, and she planned on adding pictures of their child until the whole thing was filled. Meanwhile, Tom had done a deal with Douglas to get copies of his own, and he had them stored in a book that was kept in his locked drawer in the office along with her other pictures. 

Ah, their sex life was still going strong. So, don’t worry about them! 

They had sex in the morning, at his office, in her office, afternoon, night, and dawn. The horndogs couldn’t keep their hands off of each other at one point, but luckily for Tom— her sex drive had gone down a bit since then. She was pumping him dry, but he’d never tell her that.

Anyway, Aliena and Tom had managed to get into a bit of routine at Arrow House. They’d wake up together, Ali would help him get dressed, and occasionally, they’d eat breakfast together. Then after dinner, they’d take a walk around the garden. Simply domestic, something they both desired for their life. 

By the middle of November, James and his crew had finally finished the job and fully booby-trapped the estate. Aliena was pleased with the job and glad they were finally gone. They weren’t disruptive or anything, but she knew the men made Tommy uneased. Hell, Ali noticed his mood lighten up when she mentioned that they’d no longer be coming over!

“Ali, love… Ali… Wake up.”

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion as I peeked my eyes open. Tommy was hovering over me as he stroked strands of my hair away from my face. 

I croaked. “Tommy, why aren’t you in bed? It’s your day off!” I tried rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, but his cold hands wrapped around my forearms. Tommy led me up,, and I whined in protest. “No, Tommy! It’s too cold!”

He just laughed at me. “You live in England, love. It’s always cold.”

I tsked and hit his chest. Despite my protests, I let him help me up. Once I was on my feet, he kicked my fuzzy slippers closer to me feet. 

As I was stepping in them, he was already running to the wardrobe. He asked, “Which one do you want to wear?”

 I hummed in thought, waddling closer to him with squinted eyes. “How cold is it outside?”

“Cold.”

I tsked and rolled my eyes. “Ha ha ha, so funny. Gimme my white coat, the fuzzy one.”

Tommy took the coat off its hanger, shook it out, and then held it open for me to put on. I turned ‘round and put my arms in it, then tugged it closer to me. 

I sighed before asking, “So, why did you wake me, Tommy Shelby? And it better be for a good fucking reason!”

Tommy stood behind me ‘n placed a hand on my hip while the other held onto my hand. We often walked together like since I was later into my pregnancy. I didn’t mind it much. There were times that I did, but I always made my discomfort known. At this time, I welcomed any heat he could spare.

We had just exited our bedroom when he said, “You’ll just have to wait ‘n see.”

I chuckled. “Another gift, Mr. Shelby? Any more, and you prove the rumors right that I want you for your money.”

“Let them talk, eh. At least that can’t say I’m not treating ya right.”

I hummed. “Yes, I guess not.” The walk down the stairs was always tedious when I walked with Tom. He insisted that I take one step at a time, but I only ever humored him in his presence. It was lovely—all his doting on the baby and me. Speaking of the baby, I think someone’s hungry. I cleared my throat, saying, “Well, whatever it is that you have for me— let’s get it over with. Your child is punishing me for not feeding them soon enough.”

Tom snickered. “My child, eh? You sure it’s not just your stomach rumbling? Bringing our child into it!” He laughed harder, and I just rolled my eyes as a smile spread across my face. 

Instead of leading me toward the family room or even the entrance, Tom began leading me out back. By the time I managed to wrack my brain for the appropriate answer, it was already standing in front of me. I let out a shocked gasp and then awed at the horse. 

“Oh, Tommy. They’re beautiful. Boy or girl?” I asked while cuddling closer into his grasp. I didn’t dare approach the beast in a slight case of fear.

“This horse, right here, is a mare.” He replied while ushering me forward. “C’mon, love. You can get closer to ‘er. She’s meant to be yours.”

I tsked and smacked his chest but let him shuffle me forward, nonetheless. I ended up petting the mare’s white coat. Suddenly, an old memory popped up in me head. I looked over and squinted at my devious fiancé. “Oi, you! Don’t think I didn’t catch your wording just now. You said the horse ‘right here,’ so where’s the other one then.”

Tom smirked before he reached into his pocket and pulled out a ciggie. He used the lighter I had given him all those moons ago, then rested the stick on his lip. “Come. I’ll show you ‘em.”

I noticed she had a lead, but I decided against it since he hadn’t told me to get it. I grabbed Tommy’s outstretched hand and waddled behind him as he guided me inside the stables. The in one of the— let’s call it a stall, for now, was a pitch-black horse. 

I snorted as the memory hit me even harder. “Oh, Tommy, you didn’t!”

He whipped ‘round to face me with the biggest smile on his face. “I did. Just like the horses we rode that day.”

I shook my head slightly. “But that was only the one time; we didn’t go again after that day. How did you remember?” 

His chuckle came out of his nose. “How could I forget? The only woman in the whole of England to not ride a horse. It was definitely a day to remember.”

“Oh, do one, old man! I was asking how’d you remember ‘cause I figured you’d lost your memories already!”

He hooted at that, throwing his head back and pulling me in closer. 

We shared a passionate kiss. I stroked over his bottom lip as I asked. “So, what did you name him?”

He hummed in thought. “I was thinking of naming ‘em Dangerous. Speaking of, don’t came ‘round him with me around. He’s a wild one, and I don’t want you or the baby getting hurt.”

I nodded. “Of course.”

“So, do you approve of the name?”

I nodded again as I giggled. “Yes… I don’t see any problem in naming a horse Dangerous, seeing as it is. And did you name my horse?”

As he traced over my cheekbones, Tommy shook his head. “Why would I name your horse? She’s yours to name.”

I hummed then sighed. “I usually take the time to research anything I name deeply. See, if you had given me a black horse, I would’ve named ‘er Nyx.”

“Hmm, a fine name. But this ‘orse is white, what shall you ever do?”

“Keep poking me, Tommy Shelby. Keep at it! No food in my belly yet, and you’re already provoking me. Hmph...” I giggled at my own words before trying to think of what to name the mare outside seriously. “Should I name her Blanca or Blanc?”

Tom instantly replied, “The first one. Pick a name you can actually pronounce, my love.”

I gasped, deeply offended, before I broke into a fit of laughter. After I calmed down, Tommy led me back into the house. 

Just as we crossed the threshold, Tommy said. “I’ll tell Anne to light a fire in the dining room.”

“That sounds perfect. I, on the other hand, have to go pee.” I spun around, pecked his lips, and then hightailed it for the bathroom. Once I finished, I joined Tom in the dining room. He rose from his seat to pull out my chair and then tuck me in.

“What ‘appened to your coat?” He asked before lighting another ciggie.

I picked up my fork as I replied, “Oh, I ordered one of the maids to toss it back in the room. Why? Are we going outside again soon?”

Tom shook his head before taking a sip of his tea. “No, I was just wondering.”

I nodded then took a sip of my orange juice. “Good. I don’t even know if I can do our walk tonight! That leg cramp I got last night really fucking hurt.”

The bastard just snickered. 

“You’re evil,” I muttered, and his laughter just got louder. 

After breakfast, we spent time lounging around in the family room. I cuddled up next to Tommy as he read a book aloud. Eventually, we began talking, but it was just of the most random things like the future, or how our child would come out, or whether the nursery had everything it needed. The talking wore me out, and I ended up taking a nap. 

When I woke, Tom was still asleep, and I admit that I love lazy days like this with him. It’s so rare that Thomas Shelby takes a nap, after all. But I think I’m going to see this sight a bit more frequently once the baby comes. Anyway, because he was still asleep, I decided to go back to sleep. Only when I woke up the second time around, it was to the sound of his voice. 

“Mummy and Daddy are so excited to meet you soon, love.” Tom chuckled before continuing, “I can feel that you are excited too, but that also means that you might wake up your Mummy. So, try to let up, all right?” There was a bit of silence before he spoke again. “Daddy is going to protect you and Mummy. Always. You’ll want and need for nothing, kiddo. Daddy is gonna make sure of it. Daddy will become the kind of father and husband both of youse deserve. So, please come out an obedient child.”

I couldn’t help but let out a snicker.

“I hope you know that I knew you were awake.”

I was still snickering. “Not you asking our baby to be obedient.”

“Az if it doesn’t play in your favor as well.”

I shook my head and cradled my belly. “I know, I know! But still! Not you asking!” I laughed for a bit more before reaching behind me and stroking over his cheekbone. “Oh, what am I to do with you?”

 We soon got up from our spot on the couch, and of course, I had to make a run for the bathroom. Afterward, we spent more time relaxing. We put on the record player and danced, and we did indeed go on that walk around the garden but not before checking in on the horses before dinner. It killed my feet, but it was worth it. I loved hearing the sound of his voice. It didn’t matter if he was talking about work, the family, or us. 

I mourned over television, though. Sitting in the house got boring after a while, but there was nothing we could do about it. We could only entertain ourselves with what we had, and that was usually each other. 

During dinner, I finally came ‘round to ask him about work, but he kept it vague as always. I tried not to mind it. I had no idea what he could be hiding from me or whether he considered that one time I told him I had no clue or understanding of what he does. Which is true; I can’t bring myself to comprehend any of the stuff he does. I was able to help out with the books ‘cause all I had to do was log how much money there was at the desk assigned to me. However, all the paperwork ‘n shit he does all day— goes over my head. 

Hell, I was starting to suspect that it had to deal with Russian business. But I genuinely believe that the talks haven’t come around yet, and Tommy would tell me about it when it did. That’s all I can hope for. 

After dinner, we stayed in the family room to play a round of cards before heading to bed. As I was climbing up the stairs, taking one step at a time, I found it troubling when I still felt out of breath. 

I don’t know if my frustration was written across my face, or what but Tommy felt the need to say, “It’s just the baby weight, love.”

My head snapped up at him, and I glared. “I know it’s the baby. Doesn’t make it any less— ugh!” I waved him off before shaking my head. “No, no, you’re right. Just give me a moment.” I stepped closer to the railing and tried to stabilize myself as I caught my breath. “Hate this feeling, Tommy.”

Tommy took a step down then began to rub my back. “Just think of it this way, we’ll have our little one in just a couple of weeks. Hmm? Our little boy.” He swept away the hair covering my neck to pepper kisses there. 

I took one last deep breath before standing up straight. “Yes, that is something to think about. I’m better now. Let’s go to bed. I’m tired, love.” 

Tommy took my hand in his again and helped me upstairs. Once we entered our bedroom, I had to waddle to the bathroom after I came back into the room and began sifting through my drawers for another nightgown set. I was fortunate enough to have a lover who bought me a new set of clothes almost every week. I swear it took a lot to persuade him to stop. Tom’s reasoning came back to the fact that I’d be pregnant again in no time. I think I unlocked a breeding kink of his or something. He’s just as bad as me. 

I love him all the same— makes me love him even more.

As I was tugging my old nightgown over my head, I asked Tom. “Oh, did we ever decide if we are going to have Christmas and New Year’s here?”

I could hear Tommy’s shuffling behind me as he dressed down as well. “Uh, the family’s agreed to having Christmas here, but I think New Year’s will be a fight. Polly wanted it at hers, seeing as she got her place not too long ago, but with John’s in the process of getting a new house as well.”

I finished tugging down my silk navy blue nightgown before I sat down in front of my vanity. I rolled up my gown to uncover my bump and unfastened the lid on my cream as I asked, “Oh, but isn’t John only looking? The last time I talked to Esme, she said they weren’t sure. Plus, would he even have ‘de ‘ouse in time for the holiday.” I scraped some cream onto my fingers and then rubbed it into the palms of my hands before massaging it into my skin. 

I had developed stretch marks across the bottom of my stomach. Sometimes I think the cream does nothing, while other times, I think it helps. It was too late to stop now; it had become a part of my routine.

I could hear Tommy pull back the blankets as he sighed. “Oh, you can never tell with my brothers, love. They say one thing ‘n do another.”

Our eyes connected in the mirror. He looked so handsome, lying in bed, shirtless and relaxed. “Do you think he could buy a house in time?”

Tom thought about it for a second, then shook his head. “No.” I hummed and nodded. I held the same belief. Tom patted the space beside him and whispered, “Come to bed.”

I couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face. I pulled my dress down as I rose to my feet. I walked over to the bed and crawled in. I giggled as I cuddled up close to ‘em. 

It didn’t take long ‘till I was out for the count. It didn’t matter that I didn’t fall asleep to the sound of his voice; I was tuckered out because of the baby. Though, I was brought out of my sleep at some point through the night by the sound of Tommy’s voice. I knew he was whispering to our child again, but I decided against geggin’ in this time.

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[elysiashelby]

In another world 😍 could I be added to the taglist please????

Of course!! 😊

[elysiashelby]

In Another World - T.Shelby Imagine Ch. 28

Paring: Thomas Shelby x Aliena Welsh (OC)

Fandom: Peaky Blinders

Word Count: 13,524

WARNINGS: Light Angst!, Cursing, Fluff, TIME JUMPS/SKIPS, Pregnancy, Implied smut!

Summary: Direct aftermath of our season two finale, Aliena and Thomas announce their engagement and the pregnancy to all their loves ones and family. Aliena has some clearing up to do before she can fully be with Thomas, and then we breeze past her first six months of pregnancy.

MASTERLIST  CHAPTER 27  CHAPTER 29

A/N: Hey, guys! It’s been such a long time! Truthfully, I really want to get back into the series, but I kinda fell out of love with Tommy... I had this one in the can for awhile, so I decided to just post it. I hope you guys like it!

P.S. - Remember bold means flashback!

The morning light and birds chirping outside were what woke me. I was never really one to flutter my eyes when awakening. No, my eyes would just open. And I was never one to forget what happened the night before. No, yesterday’s events hit me full force and I honestly didn’t know how to feel about it.

I mean—! I did just go to sleep after all of it, so…

To be honest, I do have my reservations. I’ve never been in a relationship before, well, they just existed in my head. So, I still considered this surreal. Add the fact that I’m pregnant! And engaged! I had to choke down that giggle so that I wouldn’t shake. 

‘So, I’m engaged to Thomas Shelby. That means I’ll fill in Grace's role in season three. That means I may have to get shot, and perhaps die. Sucks… But, as of right now, that’s just one of my possible realities. Maybe I can prevent the situation altogether by putting John on a leash.’

I slowly slid my hand upward his chest, and simply kept stroking the spot I laid my hand at.  

‘I have half a mind to just tug on his chest hairs. …  Aw shit! My bags! I already packed my bags. Well, maybe he won’t ask me to move in right away and if he does— I’ll just chill out in my room. If he pops in, I’ll just throw open a suitcase and pretend that I’m filling in an already packed suitcase.

Oh, and Grace isn’t pregnant. I trust Tom and believe he told me the truth. That means that our child will be his only. No fighting for affection and attention for you little one. Hopefully, your mama and papa will work out ‘n you’ll be raised in a loving household. Of course, it’ll be an abnormal household given that their father is a gangster and I’m from the future— but I’ll make it a loving environment, nonetheless.’

I slid my hand over to Tommy’s left pec and began tracing his tattoo. Sunrays, they were.

‘Speaking of my relationship with Tommy, I gotta try ‘n not let it go to my head. I’m caught between fully throwing myself in the fact that Tommy Shelby is my fiancé, and cringing at it. I just hope the amount of affection he showed when we were just screwing is maintained. I honestly don’t know how I’d react if he decided to switch up on me. Or wait, would I get disappointed if he didn’t dote on me? Huh?’

“What are you thinking about so deeply this early in the mornin’, huh?” Tommy asked me before raising his right hand ‘n intertwining our fingers. 

I replied, craning my head up to look at him. “You.”

He widened his eyes before smirking. "All good things, I hope.”

I rolled my eyes, a small smile making its way to my face as I hit his chest softly with our joined hands. I took a deep breath before gazing back up at him. I hauled myself up a bit and planted a kiss on his lips. “G’morning.”

“Good morning, Aliena.” He replied before kissing me again. 

We laid there for a little more before I smacked my lips. “I! Have to go pee!” I rolled off the bed and jogged into the bathroom. I’m sure his arm was hurting like a bitch right now since I just got off of it. 

Maybe I should hit it when I come back!

When I was done with my business, I walked back into the room and directly to my basket. I could hear Tommy grunt from behind me, meaning he got up from the bed.

“Hold on.”

I turned ‘round to see what he wanted. He walked over to his dresser and pulled out one of his white, long-sleeved undershirts. Tom held it out to me. “Wear this.”

Slowly, I took it with a small smile as my gaze kept switching between him and the shirt. I pulled it over my head, tugged it down, then untucked my hair. All while he was putting on a pair of pants and his own white, long-sleeved undershirt.

I chuckled. “I can never get over how odd you look in anything other than a suit.” I kissed his cheek and opened the door before twirling out of the room.

“Should probably get over it soon seeing as we’re gonna get married!” He shouted.

“Ha! Not a chance!” I shouted back while already walking down the last of the steps. His thunderous footsteps told me that he was not too far behind me. “What do you want for breakfast, Tommy?”

I was about to turn around when I felt his arms wrap around my waist. I spluttered while raising a hand to touch his face. “Wha—! What’s all this?” I exclaimed through my spluttering ‘n mixed laughter.

“Nothin’. How about something simple like eggs and bacon? I don’t want you on your feet long.”

I tsked and rolled my eyes, though, a smile was on my face. “Oh, do one. I’m not even close to being that big yet. And I’ll have to see if the bacon is defrosted enough for me to cook it.” I waited a moment. “I kinda need you to let me go there, sir.”

Tom let me go without a word ‘n I didn’t hesitate to walk into the kitchen. He was not too far behind. I opened up the icebox and looked around to see if there was any bacon. I cheered when I found them. 

“How many eggs, Tom?” I asked.

“Two.”

I nodded and grabbed two eggs, leaving the icebox open. I set the bacon down on the counter before reaching into the cupboard for a bowl. I set the bowl down then gently placed the eggs inside. I got myself an egg before I got everything else ready. 

Tommy didn’t wait long till he was back behind me, hugging me from behind. He rested his chin on my head then I felt his hands hike up the bottom of my shirt. I hissed and shuddered once his cold hands made contact with my stomach. 

“Oi! I’m tryna cook breakfast.”

“Sorry...”

‘Yeah, right!’

Tommy began stroking my stomach silently. It was really comforting. I didn’t mind at all. I was loving the amount of physical affection I was getting from him and him stroking my belly was like he was being affectionate with our child as well.

Our little moment was broken when the bacon began to pop and we both flinched away from it. The way we simultaneously jumped back made me snicker. I sighed, motioning toward the cupboard with my spatula before saying, “Get the plates ‘n drinks, will you?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Tom readily replied, walking to get the plates without protest.

“Thanks.” I turned my attention back toward our meal. Within minutes it was ready to be plated. I placed everything on our plates as Tommy held them for me.

Tommy asked. “Let’s eat in the living room, eh?”

I pursed my lips, my eyes widening a bit in surprise. “Alright then. Let me just put this down ‘n get the drinks. Then, I’ll follow you.”

He nodded and walked away into the living room. Hurriedly, I set the pan back onto the stove and grabbed our drinks. I hastened my walking pace to catch up with him. Tom had just set our plates down on the little table before sitting down. I did the same except I tucked my legs up onto the sofa.

I reached for my orange juice, taking a gulp, while Tommy wasted no time digging in. I let out a sigh after I gulped. “So, are you going into work today, Tommy?”

He shook his head, juice still in his mouth. Once he swallowed, he replied. “No. There’s more important business to be done.” Tom clapped his hand on my thigh, stroking it gently. 

I tucked in my lips, hiding them before letting them go. “Are we really gonna tell your family today?”

Tom stopped eating, holding his fork in the air. He turned his head toward me and asked. “Do you not want to tell them today?”

I shook my head furiously. “Of course, I want to tell them. I’m just nervous about how they’ll react.”

Tom chuckled. He set his fork down before cradling my face with both hands. “Ali, they all ready love ya. What do you have to be worried about?”

I wiggled my head softly before saying, “Well, you make it sound dumb when you say it like that. But no seriously. You kept the fact that we were seeing each other a secret, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, you know how your brothers hate secrets. Especially when you keep them!”

“They can get over it.”

I nodded, making a face that just somehow screamed, “Yeah, they could.” But then it hit me. I asked. “You’re gonna call a family meetin’, right?”

Tom nodded. “I am.”

“And Michael will be there...” My voice trailing off at the end. I wasn’t sure if Tom knew that Michael had a crush on me or not.

Tom averted his gaze, and the squeeze of my thigh told me that he knew what I was hinting at. “Well, he’ll just have to get over it too. He practically already knows.”

“What do you mean? You told him that you were gonna propose to me or somethin’?”

“Not really. All I said was that I was going to. Not with who though.”

“Hmm. Well, I doubt that he’ll kick up a fuss anyway since I mean—!” I huffed. “He and Lizzie practically had front row seats whenever we did it in your office.” 

He hummed and kept his eyes locked in on his plate. So, that meant he didn’t hold the same opinion as me. Fuck… Well, not like Michael can change anything. I’m pregnant with Tommy’s child and I told him— I’m not going anywhere. 

Well, unless… No! I’m playing! I’m playing!

After swallowing my scran, I reached over for Tommy’s left hand and began fiddling with his fingers. “So,” I began. “Do you really mean what you said? Getting me a mansion I deserve ‘n all that?”

“So, you want it after all, eh?”

I shrugged my shoulders with a mischievous smile on my face.

“Yes, I meant it. I want this—!” Tommy reached over and placed both of his hands on my belly. “Little one to grow up in a place where there's plenty of room to play outside and there's grass and clean fucking air. I’ll make sure we won’t have to worry about when he’ll eat, or about a new pair of shoes, or going down the wrong fucking alley. He’ll be at home. With us. Safe.”

“Him, huh? You tellin’ me you want a boy?”

Tom chuckled. “Me? You’ve been saying you wanted a son since I’ve met you.” Tom raised his hand and tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear. “A little girl who looks like you would be nice.”

I hummed, stifling a giggle. “Oh… Okay, my turn. And I think a little boy who looks just like you would be just as nice.”

Tommy rolled his eyes while shaking his head. “I’m trying to be serious here.”

“What? I said nothing!” I over-exaggerated my words, falling into a fit of giggles by the end of it! I cleared my throat and clapped my hands. “Okay, Okay! I’m sorry. Tell me more.”

Tommy pulled our hands closer to his lap, making me crawl closer to him on the sofa. “About the baby or our future?”

“Both.”

Tommy sighed before tipping his head back. He stared up at the ceiling then rolled his head to the side. He switched his hands so that the left one was caressing my cheek while the right held my hand. With his thumb, he gently stroked my cheek while staring directly into my eyes. 

"I want the baby to be healthy and happy. Happier than I was as a child. I want 'em to grow up with a father and mother who are both present." Tommy had turned his gaze from me while talking 'n by the end of it, he looked toward me again. "We are the largest legal race track operation in the country. I'll focus on the track and selling cars, building up the family name and riches. Soon, I reckon I’ll be able to chuck this gun in the canal."

The smile on my face didn't fall, but on the inside it did. 'Was this truly what he wanted? Didn't he want to like move up in the world more than this? I don't know, but this seems like he was trying to placate my own feelings.'

I chuckled nervously before asking, "Tommy, is that really what you want?"

"What do you mean?" He asked, eyebrows furrowing.

"Like… Do you want to give up your gun?"

His eyebrows furrowed, his jaw-dropping a little as he looked away. Tommy licked his lips before looking back at me. "Don't you want me to give it up?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. It could be nice, but it's not really possible. Right?"

Tommy shook his head a little. "You... You don't mind if I continue being Thomas Shelby, leader of the Peaky Blinders— the King of Birmingham?"

I smiled as sweetly as I could manage before I reached up and took the hand that was on my face, and held it in both of my hands. “I want you to be whatever you want to be. Fuck, if you want to rule the world, I’ll be there right beside you. You want to give up your gun, right there beside you. Tom, I just don’t want you to choose to do that for my sake. If anything—! How do I say this?” I chuckled nervously and brought my thumb to my mouth.

I began nibbling on my fingernail. “I don’t know how to exactly say it, but basically— I’ll love you no matter what. You know? I was your maid before I was your… fiancée, and I didn’t have a problem with it then. Why would I now?”

Tommy caressed my cheek with the hand I had abandoned to bite my nail. “It’s different now. We have the baby to think about. I can’t guarantee your safety if I don’t give it up. Someday, someone might try to get to you to get to me.”

I nodded. “I know that.”

His eyes kept darting from left to right on my face and he scoffed. “You’re not afraid of that?”

I scrunched my eyebrows and averted my eyes before looking back at him. I shook my head. “Yes and no. I trust you to protect me and the little one, but I know you can’t be with us 24/7… So, I just have to suck it up. Maybe I can get Arthur and John to teach me how to shoot a gun properly.” I shrugged my shoulders again. “I mean, it’s not like I’ve never killed anybody before.”

“You did that in self-defense!”

“Okay? And how would someone kidnapping me be any different? They’re gonna try to do something, right? Kill me or torture me or just keep me locked away somewhere till you meet a demand! Some shit like that!”

Tom scoffed, leaning forward, resting his elbows on top of thighs. He sniffed and ran his hands over his face. I averted my eyes, looking toward the curtains on my right. I looked back at him and crawled closer. I rested my cheek on the back of his shoulder, gripping his left arm, while my right hand rubbed circles on the right side of his back. 

I asked, softly. “Can you tell me what you’re thinking, please?”

“Don’t want to talk about stuff like that. Makes me imagine it.” He replied in an octave barely above a whisper.

I hummed, continuing to rub his back. “I’m sorry.”

Tom slowly turned his head toward me and within a second, he pulled me onto his lap with his body leaning against the sofa. I snickered as a response. 

“Tell me the truth, Aliena. Are you saying these things for my sake? Eh?” His face looked so serious.

I scoffed and looked at him like he was crazy. “Look, I get it that you could think that since I’m me, but there would be no way I’d say something like that when I know our child could be in harm's way. I know I have it in me to protect our child just as much as you can. I know it. That’s why I feel so comfortable with whatever you choose.”

I sighed and ran my hands over his clothed chest. Cocking my head to the side, I said. “Tell me, Tommy. Don’t hold anything back. How do you see our future?”

“Do you all ready have an idea?”

I chuckled before huffing. “Yes and no. It’s vague, but I can sculpt it better when you tell me yours.”

“Tell me.”

I smiled as I nodded. “Okay, then! Um, truth be told— you were right. I see this child being a boy. Though, the only alternative that I have is twin girls. My father always said that I would have twin girls and he’d teach them to haunt me— annoy me! Basically! Um, I envision us by a window, smiling. Um, the house changes from time to time, but uh... Sometimes it’s just a small cottage or something, and other times it’s a mansion.

Either way, we’re by a window and you have our baby in your arms, and you're smiling down at ‘em. I can picture you swaying with him in your arms and I’m standing right there in front of you both, carefully checking if he’s falling to sleep or not. Then, it changes and our baby is around three years old. He can run, basically. 

And he’s rushing to catch up to you as you’re leading him to the stables. I can see us having a picnic and you’re playing with him as I’m setting everything down for lunch. And yeah, just a lot of smiles.” I chuckled sheepishly while shrugging my shoulders. 

Tommy raised his hand and began running his fingers through my hair as I was talking. “When did you think of all that?”

I drew my lips into a thin line, rubbing them together before I replied. “When I was going to sleep! I usually have to imagine something to make myself fall asleep. Now it’s your turn! Go!”

Tommy nodded. “I see all of that too. But...”

“But...”

“I don’t think I’m gonna be home as often as you’d like me to be.”

The confession made my smile fall and I gazed down at my hands on his chest instead of his eyes. 

“We’re finally at the top, love, and I think we can go even higher. I’ll make it so this family never has to go through any hardships ever again. We’ll never be as weak as we were.”

I chuckled, albeit it was a little more humorless than I liked. “King Thomas Shelby trying to expand his kingdom to all of England, hmm? Birmingham, London, now the country.”

Tommy smirked and licked his lips. “Something like that. So, do you want to back out?”

I snickered. “Back out? Back out of what?” I stifled my laughter before letting out a cackle. “Ha! You wish! You asked me to marry ‘n you said you loved me. Is too late for getting cold feet. You could try leaving me at the altar, but I’ll find ya and break your legs so that you can’t run away again.” I reached up ‘n tapped his nose, adding in some sound effects as I did so. “Boop.”

We both laughed at my words. Well, I laughed and he let out a little chuckle. Once I settled down, Tom leaned up and kissed me. Just as we parted from our kiss, he said while tracing my bottom lip. “Not like I was gonna give you the choice. You’re mine and the whole world will know it soon enough.”

My hands shot to my face as I hid my reddening face. I squealed to myself before hurrying off his lap. “You’re dangerous, Tommy Shelby!”

“Where’re think you're going?” He shouted from behind me.

“Away from you! I will not be fucked out when we go ‘n tell the family the news.” I turned around just in time to crash into his chest. Tommy held me close. “They’ll notice.” I finished.

“They won’t notice.”

“Yes, they— Will! Oi, you, let me down!” I playfully beat his shoulders as he carried me up the stairs.

His chuckle made his chest vibrate. “Oh stop being so dramatic, will ya? I’m just walking to the bedroom.”

I tsked. “Like that’s supposed to make me feel better. Don’t forget where this baby was conceived!”

“What? You talking about me car? Or was it me office? No, had to have been in that alle—”

“--Shut up!”

“Okay. But maybe it was that time I took you by the canal...”

“Thomas Shelby put a fucking sock in it!” 

Tommy walked us upstairs and needless to say, we had sex… In the shower. I couldn’t resist him! But the fact that we took a shower was a complete win, even if I’m feeling lethargic now. Bloody bastard!

I huffed as I ran my brush through my hair. “So, are you going to call them or are we waiting for them over at the house?”

“Calling them, of course. Who’ll know when those bastards would pile in. Plus, I want Ada to be there as well.”

“Hmm. True.” I stopped brushing my hair for a second and bit my lip. “Hey, Tommy, do you think I would be able to pop over and like get a dress? I don’t have any clothes here.” I craned my body ‘round to see Tommy peer up at me as he was putting on his shoe.

“Uh… Do you think you can get in and get out?”

I thought about it and tsked. “I’ll pull something out from the hamper. Not like they’re that dirty anyway...” 

That was a fat blag. With the way these streets were! Ha! I’d just have to pick a dress that doesn’t have a dirtied skirt. I doubt they would smell, but eh.

“Maybe we should move your stuff in today rather than later?” Tommy chimed while I was fishing through the hamper.

I froze and thought about it. I said. “I wouldn’t mind, but you don’t have a dresser or a wardrobe for my clothes.”

“We can just take the ones you have in your room.”

“There’s no space for it in this room.”

“That’s why I have others.”

I hummed and bit my tongue. I thought about it and I figured I’d just have to rip the band-aid off. I mean it was going to have to happen eventually, even had an inkling about it this morning. It made sense. I was pregnant— though only about two months, and he proposed to me. 

“Alright, then. We’ll do it after we tell the family?”

“Yeah.”

I put on a light blue dress. It was a frock that I swear I got from Polly! I put on the white heels I had on yesterday and tied my hair back in a ponytail. I took out my “bangs” to frame my face and left the rest of my face bear. 

I got up from my chair and turned toward Tommy as I sighed. He grunted as he got up from the bed, a ciggie hanging from his lips, and glancing down at his watch.

“Ready?” He asked while giving me his hand to take.

I nodded, entwining our fingers together. We walked hand-in-hand down. Tom helped me put on my coat before putting on his own. He grabbed his cap and then we were out the door. The whole walk to the house I chatted his ear off, speculating how everyone would react.

Tommy opened the door for me and I walked in. He helped me take off my coat and I waited patiently for him to take off his. 

When he was done, I sort of did a double-take since I wasn’t sure where we were going to be. “Where… Are we going?” 

Tommy clasped his hands on my shoulders from behind me and led me into the kitchen. He pulled out a chair before walking backwards towards the shop as he said. “Stay right there.”

 I huffed and sat there, obediently. Eventually, I got bored and stood up to see if I could find anything to keep myself busy. Even if it was just washing dishes. I had just picked up a plate when I heard a booming shout, “ALL RIGHT YOU SORRY LOT FUCK OFF! BOSS’S GIVEN US A HALF-DAY! GET OUT!”

Not a second later, Tommy came bursting through the doors. His eyes immediately found me. “What’re you doing?”

I pointed to the plate in my hand ‘n said. “Washing dishes.” Tommy looked at me then back into the shop then back at me. He did that a couple of times before nodding. 

“Right, well, come on. I just cleared everybody out.”

“Okay, after I’m done with the dishes.” ‘Not like anybody’s here yet.’

As if I were being jinxed by the universe, a door opening and slamming shut rang throughout the place. I sighed, dropped the plate, and walked over to Tommy while nodding. I took Tommy’s hand. He led me into the shop and into another chair. 

I didn’t mind all this attention, it just seemed rather excessive to put me in a chair. I was just going to let it happen, though. Finn walked over to us and took his peaky cap off. I rushed up to him and started inspecting his face.

“Aliena—!” He shrieked.

“‘Ello you… Have you eaten yet? I bet you haven’t. Are you hungry?” I asked while tipping his face around.

Finn had trouble answering me, he began to stutter.“ I-I! I uh...”

“Love, leave ‘em alone. He’s fine. Come ‘n sit back down.”

I craned my head back and stuck my tongue out at Tommy. He had two fingers beckoning me over, the cheek of this man. 

I faced Finn again ‘n whispered. “Are you hungry?”

Finn’s eyes flickered toward Tom before he looked back at me. He shook his head. “No, I’m all right.”

I nodded, smiling a little. I patted his cheek before returning to my chair. 

Finn cleared his throat and turned his gaze toward his older brother. “Tom, why did you call a family meeting?”

Tommy reached over from behind me and stubbed out his ciggie as he replied. “Not till everyone’s here, Finn. So, I suggest you get comfortable.”

I looked up at Tom and asked. “When did you call Ada?”

“I called her first, don’t worry. She’ll probably be here in an hour and a half or something like that.”

I hummed with a big smile on my face. Great…

After Finn came Arthur and John along with Esme. Lovelock, Scudboat, Jeremiah, and Isaiah came as a group then it was Polly and Michael. By the time they came, I was in the kitchen whipping up something for everyone to eat. I couldn’t stand being in that chair for a second longer.

They were just staring at me, wondering why I was sitting down with Tommy at my side. It made me want to, like, cry. I walked back in and set down the eggs, toast, sausage, and tea.

I blew some of my hair away from my face before looking around the room. I chuckled softly. “Um, dig in, I guess!” Everyone except Esme, Polly, and Michael dived for the food. Polly and I locked eyes and she nodded toward me. I nodded back and she smiled. 

Tommy cleared his throat before shooting out his arm and looking at his wristwatch. He tsked then became deadpan again. 

“Look, what the ‘ell is going on, Tom?” John asked with a mouth full of scrambled eggs.

Tom gave him a pointed look. “Just shut up ‘n wait. We’re not starting without Ada.”

So, we did. For about five minutes more till Ada walked through the door with Karl on her hip. 

She shouted while walking closer to us. “Hello, hello!” Practically, everyone cheered at her arrival and went to greet her. 

I, on the other hand, took my place next to Tommy. I thought about reaching for his hand. My hand was already hovering over his and a gasp was caught in my throat as Tommy took my hand in his. 

Tommy cleared his throat and everyone’s attention turned toward us. Consequently, I kept shifting my focus to the floorboards then back to them. 

“I called this family meeting,” He began. “Because I have an important announcement to make.”

I harshly bit down on my tongue to stop the smile that wanted to spread across my face.

“Aliena and I are getting married.” 

I looked up at Tommy ‘n he had a big ol’ smile on his face, so of course— I had to have one of me own! What surprised me the most was Arthur’s booming voice as he hollered and cheered. Everyone followed suit, well— except for Michael. He was just clapping without a smile on his face.

I shook my head and looked away from him. I snuggled into Tommy’s side and he wrapped an arm around my shoulders. 

“Hold your applause, please, I have something else to tell youse.”

“No fucking way!” John shouted. “She’s up the duff?”

Tom and I both scoffed and snickered. I hid my face into Tom’s chest to stifle my laughter. 

Tom said. “Yes… Yes, she’s pregnant.”

I could hear a female squeal and I looked up to see it was Ada. She ran over to me and I parted from Tommy so that I could properly be in her arms.

She swayed me side to side while saying, “Congratulations! Oh, we’re gonna be sisters!”

“How far gone is she, brother?” Arthur asked Tommy.

“About two months.” He replied.

“When did you ‘n her ‘ave time to be sneaking around? What the fuck ‘ave we been doing?” John asked.

I laughed and shook my head. I managed to give Ada one last squeeze before Polly came ‘round and hugged me tightly. 

She whispered in my ear, “Welcome to the family, love.”

My eyes and nose both began stinging in an instant. “Thank you,” I said while chuckling. We parted from our hug and as I sniffled, she cradled my face in her hands. 

 Polly whispered to me. “I hope you know what you’ve signed up for.”

I laughed loudly as I wiped away the tears from under my eyes. “Oh, you don’t have to worry about that, Polly. I know.”

She hummed before smiling and caressing my face. Tracing over my eyebrows, forehead, and nose. “I’m glad it’s you. Better you than the other option.”

I snickered and shook my head while rolling my eyes. “Thanks.”

“Here. Let’s see if I still got it in me, eh?” Polly said as she took a step back, putting some space between us.

All of a sudden the room quieted down and looked over at us. I looked at Tommy, whose face was deadpan, but I swear he looked happy. Polly groped my left tit a bit before a smile broke out on her face. She turned toward Tommy ‘n said with my tit still in hand. “A boy. A beautiful baby boy.” She groped around a bit more as she continued. “He’ll be a gentle soul, intelligent, and… Have a strong connection to nature. ”

I let out a scoff before laughing in disbelief. “A boy? Pol, really?”

Tears had welled up in her eyes as well. She nodded while stroking my face. I clutched my stomach and somewhat folded into myself. I couldn’t stop the tears from flowing out my eyes at all. 

All of a sudden, I was being swept up and I immediately knew who had done it. I wrapped my arms around Tommy’s neck and he spun us ‘round. When he stopped, I raised my head and we met in a kiss. We kissed, perhaps, five times before Tommy looked toward the family and shouted. “I’m having a son!”

Another roar of cheers enveloped the air and I couldn’t help but stare at Tommy’s smiling face. 

‘I’ve never seen him so happy.’

Things somewhat calmed down after that. John had vanished to pull out the good whiskey and poured it ‘round. Of course, there was gin for the ladies and Arthur even offered to run down to the Garrison to get me a glass of stout, but I declined. 

Polly, Esme, and Ada stuck by me while the boys stayed in their corner. Polly grabbed at my hands and was surprised to see that I didn’t have a ring yet. I told her that Tommy said he would get me one soon. 

She just smiled and said okay. Ada and Esme were quick to give me pregnancy tips, and I was thankful for it. Michael and I kept making eye contact, but we couldn’t get to each other. Not like I was going to make the effort to confront him either.

It would be tense and awkward ‘n the stress wouldn’t be good for the baby.

Tommy eventually separated from the herd and beckoned me over to him. I went to him without hesitation. 

“All right, we’re gonna go to the house in Sutton to get her things. Okay, Pol?” Tommy said as we were walking into the kitchen. 

Polly waved us off, her hands clapping as they fell closer to her body. “Yeah, go on.”

Tommy took my hand in his and led me out the door. Once more he helped me put on my coat, put his own on, then we were out the door. While we were walking over to the garage, Tommy didn’t hesitate to gloat that he knew everything would be alright. 

I just told him to shut up with a smile on my face. I still couldn’t get over the fact that we were having a boy. I told him how if my parents were still around that they would have spoiled him. Oh, he would’ve been spoiled rotten. My family was female-dominated, so having a boy would be a blessing. Not for the Shelby family, though! 

During the drive to Sutton, I had the window rolled down and let the wind comfort me. I just closed my eyes and rested my head on my fist as I had my elbow on the car door. I took a power nap, of sorts, ‘n I was thankful for it. When the car slowed, I opened my eyes and looked out toward the house. 

Tommy hopped out the car and I just slid out after him. He gave me a hand as I slowly reached for the ground with my feet. I had to hop a little to plant my feet on the pavement. We walked up to the entrance and Tommy pulled out his ring of keys. He unlocked the door, swinging it open for me to walk in first. I walked in and looked up at the staircase apprehensively.

As Tommy was closing the door, I said. “Tom, why don’t you go ‘n rest on the couch? It’ll take a while for me to pack up all of my things, so...”

Tommy turned ‘round away from the door ‘n furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. “What’d you mean? I’m helping you. Two people are better than one.” He said while already making his way up the stairs.

I began biting my lip anxiously. I tried getting past him, but there was no way. When we were off, I pushed past him and came between him and my door. “Wait!” I shouted. “Wait, I don’t want you to come in just yet.”

His eyebrows furrowed again as he asked. “And why not?” He leaned back, putting his hands in his coat pockets.

I took a deep breath, saying, “It’s messy and there’s things lying about that I’d rather you not see.”

Tom’s eyes darted back ‘n forth before he blinked and began to snicker. “So, you’ll marry me, but be afraid to show me your messy room? What could possibly be so embarrassing that you don’t want me to see?”

I’m not going to tell a blag. The question sent me for a loop. My eyes gazed around my surroundings as I thought of a blag to tell ‘em. I knew he probably already knew that I was making up a reason.

I cleared my throat while shifting in place. “Um, portraits. I painted portraits of you and I don’t want you to see them.”

Not exactly a blag since I really did have those, but they were already packed away.

Tom scoffed. “Okay, then, I want to see them. Open the door, love.” 

I tsked and stood still for about a minute more. I turned the doorknob behind me and then walked backward with the door, giving him a wide view of my room. I averted my gaze to the floor since I was unable to meet his eyes. 

My suitcases and bags were on my bed. There was really no lying my way out of this one. I never thought about the possibility of him wanting to go into my room to help me or just go in my room— okay!

I could feel the air around us change, becoming thicker. Fuck, the happy air around us instantly soured, especially around Tommy. He took one sluggish step ‘n then another and another till he was standing right in front of my bed. He knocked on one of my suitcases and scoffed while shaking his head.

I looked up for a second and it was a mistake. Tommy looked betrayed and hurt, I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen him like that. Maybe when the bizzies didn’t come to help him and Grace or was it when—! I can’t think…

“You were… You were planning on leaving. Eh?” He whispered. He scoffed, taking a step forward as he continued. “You really just gonna… You were just gonna leave ‘n take me own fucking child with you!”   

My eyebrows furrowed and I turned my head. I tried not to let the fact that he yelled at me get to me. I opened my mouth, but nothing was coming out. I took a shuddering breath.

I whispered. “Um, yeah bu—!”

Tommy scoffed loudly while shaking his head, his blinking was exaggerated. “Were you even planning on telling me?”

I nibbled on my lip and sighed. “Yes and no...”

“‘Yes and no,’ what the fuck is that supposed to mean? Eh? Aliena!”

I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms across my chest. “Look, I thought you had sex with Grace and there were rumors that she was supposed to get pregnant—!” 

“Supposed to? What do you mean 'supposed to'?” 

“On the show, Tommy! In my universe, in my world— people speculated that Grace was supposed to get pregnant, but the show ended before that could happen.” I huffed and rubbed my eyes. “I-I’m sorry, Tommy. I just really couldn’t stand the thought of...” I let my words trail off as I tried to compose myself, even if I managed just a bit of decorum.

He shook his head. “Ali, I don’t know what I have to do to make you trust me.”

I shook my head while sniffling. My mouth smacked before I said. “Nothing. You don’t need to do anything. These feelings, these doubts will just take some time to get rid of. This was before you actually told me that you loved me. I—! I didn’t know you felt the same way about me as I did you.”

I sniffled again before bringing up my hand and wiping my nose. I continued. “I really thought that Grace was pregnant and that you would choose her, Tommy.”

“You actually planned on leaving me.” He whispered with his head hanging and while pointing to the floorboards. 

I tsked and stomped my foot. I began to shake my leg and my face was contorted in a sob. “It’s different now, though. It’s different now...”

There was a moment of pregnant silence between us. Well, we weren’t talking. The room was full of my sniffles and sobs. 

“ Come here, Ali. Eh. Come here.” 

I picked up my head and hurried over to him as he had hands stretched out to me. I hugged him and hid my face in his chest. I didn’t begin to sob harshly or wail, but I was still sniffling. Muffled, I muttered. “I really am sorry.”

Tommy cleared his throat and I felt movement. “No… No, it’s okay. You packed up before I told you how I felt. I thought you all ready knew we were together, so I never said it. I thought it was implied.” He chuckled humorlessly, more at him himself than anything. “It was just the thought of you leaving me. Never thought it would’ve been this close to happening. Truthfully, I didn’t think you had this in you.”

I tsked and aimed a kick at his shin. “I’m not that fucking bad!”

“Well...”

“Oi! You want me to be a bitch ‘cause I can be. All this sweetness and compassion can be gone in a second. I promise you that.”

“Okay, I give. I give. But seriously, though, Ali. Where would you have gone? Would you have even told me?”

I hummed, hiding my face back into his chest. I turned my head so that my voice would be clear. “Not telling you where I would have gone since you never know when I might need that spot. Um, but I can tell you that I didn’t plan on telling you if I found out Grace was pregnant. But then, yesterday I said fuck it and went to find you at the Derby. Otherwise, I think I would’ve stayed over at your flat till you got home and then I would’ve assessed the situation.”

“So, you telling me was an impulsive decision?”

I nodded. “Yep!”

“Thank God for that...”

“Yep!”

Anyway, after that whole confrontation, we kissed then Tommy got to work on loading my stuff up into the car. I was only allowed to carry “light” stuff. Which irritated me at first, but then I got to see Tommy Shelby struggle with carrying my things. His jaw clenched a lot more than usual as well as the muscles he worked out today. 

Hallelujah, thank you, Jesus!

My packed-up things fit in the car, but no furniture. Which I wouldn’t have minded if we didn’t need a wardrobe or dresser. Tom had to go back into the house and call someone to go up ‘n fetch them. 

The car ride home was silent and a smidge awkward, to say the least. I cried like that because I was caught, like a child. I thought I was over crying like that in front of him when he yelled at me. You get used to it but maybe because things are so fragile right now— I panicked. I’m not entirely sure.

When we got back to the flat, I already had a headache ‘n I was hungry. I didn’t say anything and just waited till we were done putting everything in my new room. Once I was done, I walked downstairs into the kitchen to make myself something to eat. Choose to make myself a grilled cheese sandwich since it was easy to make. 

Meanwhile, Tommy was still hauling up my things. I thought about making him one too, but I don’t know if he was in the mood to eat. He came over to the kitchen and took the second sandwich I made for myself. I couldn’t help but giggle at his antics. 

I was sitting on the counter while he leaned on it next to me. I leaned down and kissed him on the cheek. “We good?” I asked him softly.

He nodded. “Yeah.”  

I giggled and kissed him on his cheek again. “Good.” I was the first to finish eating since I began before him, and I asked. “So, do you want to come with me to tell my mates, or… ‘Cause I’m fine doing it by myself, I just want to know if you want to be there.”

Tom swallowed his food before replying, “I’ll be there just tell me when.”

I smiled and hopped off the counter. “Let me call them! I’ll find out.”

“Ali.” He said before he grabbed my wrist and pulled me to him. 

I hummed inquisitively while staring into his eyes. Tommy leaned down and we began to make out. We parted once we had no breath left, I guess. 

“What was that for?” I asked with a little chuckle.

“Nothing. Just wanted to kiss you.”

I hummed before muttering, “Alright, then.”

I turned around after patting his chest. I should have known the moment I turned he would have smacked my arse. I tsked and twirled to glare at him. He had a mischievous grin on his face. 

He shouted from behind me. “Go ‘n make that call then we’ll go over to the other house for the rest of your things.”

I giggled. “Yes, Mr. Shelby.”

“Oi!”

I cackled while scurrying over to the phone in fear that he was going to try ‘n distract me. The first person I called was obviously Cassie who was still with Dougie, then Tina, and Angie and Horace who were together. Since everyone else except Cassie and Dougie were in the dark, I simply asked them if they were free and if they could meet up.

Tom had stepped out while I was on the phone. He came over as I was talking to Cassie ‘n kissed me on the temple before telling me he was going. He might’ve gone to talk to Sabini or Solomons. Maybe even his brothers, moral of the story: I didn’t have a clue. 

I was telling Cassie how it went and she was telling me about how happy she was for me. Even went as far as to ask if I wanted a party to celebrate. I declined it since I was sure that Tommy didn’t want something like that. They were my mates, not his. I didn’t want to put him through something like that. Not that he’d outright say he wouldn’t want a party. I know he’d go through it for my sake, but I don’t know. 

I feel like right now we should probably get as much time together as possible since we barely decided to be an official couple, he already proposed to me, and we’re having a baby. 

Yeah, we needed as much alone time that we could get!

I didn’t tell her that I was engaged, but I told her that we were together and he took the news of my pregnancy well. Anyway, I was able to confirm that they were free Friday and Saturday, so all I had to do was run those days by Tommy and then called them back. 

Tommy took too long coming back, so I took the time to go to the house in Birmingham. I was just looking to get the suitcases that had guns in it and my birthname stitched inside of it, okay! I know he wouldn’t look inside the suitcases, but you could most definitely feel the weight of them both and hear the clattering inside one of them, So, I wanted to avoid as many questions as possible.

When I got there, I was met by Polly and Arthur. They fawned over me and Arthur was quick to take me into his arms and spin me ‘round. I made some small talk before saying that I was there to get my things. Polly was taken aback by how quickly we were moving, and I told her how it was a little overwhelming but that I was happy. They both congratulated me once more before leaving me to do what I was there to do. 

I hauled ass up the stairs, grabbed my suitcases, and ran out the door. I wanted these shits in the flat asap. No one was getting in my way. Even if Tommy met me on the fucking street, he was getting the suitcase full of clothes— I swear on my life, he is! 

Speaking of, I’m going to have to hide these weapons somewhere else. How the fuck will I explain why I have guns, ammo, and practically a fucking arsenal in me fucking suitcase! Huh?

I was just glad I was allowed this small kindness. The kindness being that I made it to the flat without any complications. But I had stressed myself out too much and made myself sick. Quite literally. I vomited. So, I brushed my teeth then called it a night— when it was still the early evening. 

“Love… Aliena...”

I opened my eyes to see Tommy sitting beside me on the bed as he was stroking my hair away from my face. 

I smiled and whispered. “Welcome home.” ‘I’ve always wanted to say that!’

Tom took a second to process what I just said. You could see it in the way he just blinked before he snickered while shaking his head. “That’s gonna take some getting used to.”

I nodded with a hum. I began to slowly get up and I placed my hands on his shoulders. We kissed till eventually, he was hovering over me on the bed. His lips trailed down to my neck and I gasped while arching my back into him. I spread my legs wider for him to settle in between, but then something embarrassing happened. My stomach growled. 

He stopped kissing my neck and we both panted for air. Didn't take long at all for the both of us to start laughing. 

Tommy picked up his head and asked. "You didn't eat before taking a nap?"

I shook my head. "I was too tired to eat. Plus, I threw up so..."

He nodded. Tommy climbed off of me and sat down where he originally was. "How's the morning sickness? You craving anything yet?"

I sat up once more, sitting on my legs as I leaned against him. I took his left arm and wrapped my right one around it. I entwined the fingers of his left hand with my right, and I used my left hand to trace his veins. "No, no cravings yet. And I think the morning sickness is at its worst right now. Not too sure, though."

"That's good. You'll tell me when the cravings start, right?"

I chuckled while purposely bumping into his side. "Who else am I gonna tell?"

Tommy’s lips smacked before he stood to his feet, and turned 'round to give me his hand. I took it as he said. "C'mon. Should satisfy that hunger of yours sooner rather than later. Our son has spoken."

"Our son," I repeated. "Can you believe it, Tommy?"

"Hardly." Tom brought our hands up to his lips and he kissed the back of my hand.

We walked into the kitchen and he pulled out a chair for me. I couldn't help but look at him as if he were crazy.

"What?" He asked with wide eyes. He scoffed before saying, "You think I don't know how to cook?"

I pursed my lips and cocked my head as I took my seat. "Uh… you said it, not me."

While pushing in my chair, Tommy said. "You do remember that you weren't always the family maid, right? My mother taught me a few things here and there."

"Really?" I asked, craning my head to follow him as he made his way to the icebox.

"Yes really! Just sit there and be ready to be blown away."

I attempted to muffle my snicker with my hand, but I knew he'd still hear it. So, Tommy made us dinner. Surprisingly, he made us steak. It didn’t take as long as I thought it was going to be and it actually tasted great. 

I asked him where he’d gone and he said to the office for a little while ‘n see if anything urgent came up. Then, he told me he’d need to visit Sabini and Solomons soon to make sure he lays down the new law and all that. He didn’t say it like that, but it was the gist of it. 

I told him that my mates were free tomorrow and Saturday. Tom said Saturday would be best. I couldn’t call them after dinner ‘cause I was preoccupied with something else. Well, first we went down to the main house to get the rest of my things and then we made love. 

I spent the next day getting comfortable living in the flat. I mean I was basically here most of the time before I moved in, but it has a different context now. Meanwhile, Tommy went to London to "make peace" with Sabini and Solomons. I’m sure he really went to tell them that they were no longer in power and that they needed to work out some arrangements to make everything “fair and peaceful.” More so with Sabini than Alfie since Tom ‘n Alfie have come to an understanding.

Polly and Ada came over to keep me company, so it was really grand! I was honestly worried that they might have thought of me in a different light, but it seemed that this union was tying us together again.

Well, for the past two days, at least…

Tommy didn’t come home till it was eleven o’clock that day, but it wasn’t like I minded. I minded. I mean I was worried for him, but it was irrational since I knew he wouldn’t be dying any time soon. However, on the upside— he didn’t see the atrocity that was on my head. 

I had wave clips on and I swear I looked like a torture victim from a horror movie. It felt like one too. I swear to god I’d fucking kill someone for some sponge rollers. The only reason I chose to wear the monstrosities was because I wanted to look my best for Saturday’s gathering.

The next morning before Tommy woke up, I got up and did my hair. I really didn’t want him to see how I looked. I know it’s stupid, but whatever. He’ll eventually see it— I know that! But let me live my life…

When I was done with my hair, I went to the bathroom to relieve myself then tiptoed downstairs to get something to eat. I ate some jam toast and just as I was making myself another one, I felt warm arms wrap around me.

I inhaled sharply but settled quickly since it was just Tommy. He leaned down, moving away my hair from my neck, and began peppering kisses there. I giggled and instinctively raised my shoulder as a way to get him away from my tickle spot. 

“T-Tommy! Fuck off!” I stuttered while still trying to get him away from my neck.

Tom chuckled a bit despite the fact I was pushing his face away. I eventually managed to turn around in his arms and we both settled down. He rested his forehead on top of mine, looking deep into my eyes. “What are you doing up?” He whispered.

“Getting ready...”

“It’s not till ten, love. Why the rush?” The smirk on his face told me all I needed to know.

I tsked, glared, and averted my eyes. I muttered. “I think you already know the reason.”

Tommy nodded, his shoulders shaking. I tsked again and began smacking his bare chest. Eventually, Tom leaned against the counter beside me as we both ate jam with toast. We chatted about how today was goin’ to go ‘n if he wanted to stay long. 

Just as I predicted, he said he wouldn’t mind staying long since they were my mates. I asked him if he really didn’t mind and he insisted. I decided I would make up my mind when we were actually there. We ended up hanging out for a little while longer till it hit seven, and then we both began to get ready. 

We had to be out of here by at least 8:30 since it’s a two-hour drive. I wore a yellow, square neck, floral print dress with black heels. I liked how the dress had airy long-sleeves. I think this style was called chiffon or something. I think I remember the dressmaker telling me before, but it went one ear out the other. 

I put the bare essentials on for makeup then I was ready. I made sure I had everything in my purse ready, picked out a hat, and done. Tom had been waiting for me, so it was easy for us to just put on our coats and head out the door.

The drive was filled with me filling him in on all of my mates’ situations. It was like a preparation for his big battle. Since me mum is not with me, it was like Cassie took her place. I told Cass EVERYTHING of what transpired between me and this man, so to say he wasn’t in her good graces would be an understatement.

She was so ready to wreak havoc if I told her that he knocked up Grace and that I was moving in with her. The woman was just waiting for my green light! 

When we arrived Angie and Horace were already there at the hotel. They had rented out the dining room for us. Who is “they”? Angie and Cassie. They paid. We chatted a bit. I introduced them to Tommy once more, but this time more intimately. Had to do this two more times before everyone was there. 

Then, we announced the pregnancy first then the engagement. They congratulated us, but I think it was just a little fake. How do I know it was a little fake? They hesitated. Well, Dougie and Cassie didn’t hesitate to congratulate me on the pregnancy since they already knew about it, but when we announced the engagement— I saw the moment their eyes went wide. The only genuine chipper one of the lot was freaking Tina! 

Imma go all out for her birthday this year. She deserves it, especially after her breakup with Darren as well. 

Anyway, we ended up staying a lot longer than I thought we were. Tommy didn’t seem as uncomfortable as I thought he was going to be. Throughout the occasion, our party kept separating by sexes and then reconvening. I thought it was funny. 

Tommy interacting with my mates was even more hilarious. Not going to tell ya a blag, I have no idea what he, Horace, and Dougie were talking about. It could’ve been the war, a book, politics, or business. Worst case scenario they were talking about me, but luckily— I’ve already given Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-dum training. They knew not to bring up anything I did when we were out. 

I swore to myself that if they caused an argument to break out between me and Tommy, that I would personally torture and kill them myself.

Fortunately, I could count on them because the event went off without a hitch. Oh, and during the gathering, I asked Dougie if he could take pictures of my bump development. That I’d even pay him, but he said he’d do it for free since it was just a hobby. So, I got that done!

Tommy and I drove back to Small Heath happier than ever. We discussed the fact that I needed to see a proper doctor soon and Tommy said that he was going to make me an appointment. He did it as soon as we were home. 

We ate lunch and dinner at the Ritz, which allowed us to be so available. The doctor squeezed us in for Monday. Squeeze is a loose term— he made room for us. No doubt about that. After making the appointment, we went upstairs to get relaxed.

You know, changing out of day clothes and getting into our sleepwear. Afterward, we got to talking about baby names.

“Did you want him to be named after you?” I asked as I was snuggled up to his side while drawing scribbles on his bare chest with my fingertips. 

He scoffed. “God, no.” Tommy had the arm that wasn’t under me bent above him, his hand resting on his forehead.

I hummed. “Do you have any ideas?”

Tommy took a deep breath. “We’re not namin’ him fucking Arthur. That’s for damn sure...”

I chuckled. “Okay. What else?”

“Not Walter. Or John or Finn. Or something idiotic like Chester.”

I chuckled again. “Okay, got it. So, you don’t want to name him after anybody in the family, got it! And you don’t want to give him a name that sounds like it belongs to some old fart who may or may not be a lord or some shit like that.”

“Cavalry officer.”

I let out a quick “oh” before snickering and sending myself into a laughing fit. I composed myself fairly quickly and I nodded when I did so.

I felt Tommy’s head move as he went to look at me. “What about you?” He asked in a hushed voice. “You must have a name picked out all ready.”

I smiled and nodded. “I do.” There was a moment of silence, which I assumed was my cue to continue talking. “Um, well… I wanted to name him Percy or Perseus.”

Judge me if you want bitches! I could care less.

“Percy?”

I nodded, rising up to rest on my elbow. “I picked the name when I was eleven.”

“Why?”

Because it’s the name of my favorite fictional character.

“Perseus is one of the only heroes or demigods who got a happy ending.”

“So what?”

My face just dropped and I rolled my eyes. “You asked me to share and now you’re being nitpicky about it.”

He chuckled. “Sorry. Sorry. Did you pick out a middle name or just the one?”

I tsked and pouted. “Don’t wanna tell ya now. You’ll just make fun of me.”

Tommy sighed deeply before getting up beside me. “Won’t make fun of ya this time. Promise.”

I huffed and crossed my arms petulantly. “You’re lucky you’re cute. For his middle name, I was thinking of choosing something for my dad. His middle name was Michael. I know.” Tom’s face dropped. “It really was Michael!” I picked up a pillow from behind me and hit him with it. “Anyway! His first name was Ciel. I couldn’t decide if I wanted both or just one. Perseus Ciel, Percy Cielo, Perseus Michael, Percy Michael, or Perseus Ciel Michael. So, yeah! That's what I wanted to name my son."

Tommy hummed while his gaze was drawn to the side. He began rubbing the fabric of my nightgown between his fingers. “Perseus, eh?”

“Mhmm. Mhmm.” I nodded rather animatedly as I watched him fiddle with my dress.

Tommy sighed before picking up his head, hiking himself up a bit more so that we were at the same eye level, and gently cupped my cheek with his hand. “How about we make a deal?”

I chuckled, a small smile on my face. “Ooh, I don’t know. Making a deal with the infamous Tommy Shelby— it’s a big decision.”

Tommy closed his eyes, fighting off a grin. He opened them back up, saying, “C’mon. I’m being serious.”

I exhaled loudly while shaking my head, fighting off my own smile. “Alright, alright. Okay. Let’s do a deal.”

“How about… You name this child and I’ll name the second?” By the end of his proposition, he had a shit-eating grin on his face.

I scoffed. “Mr. Shelby, are you saying you want another baby already?”

“Deal?”

I hummed pretending to gruel over it before breaking out in a fit of giggles and smiles. I put my hands on Tommy’s shoulders and pinned him against the bed as I said. “Deal!”

I didn’t hesitate to press my lips against his. 

On Sunday, we spent a good chunk of the morning by ourselves. You know, just talking and spending time together. But by around eleven, Tom went to the office to work. On the other hand, I stayed behind to clean up the house. He said that sometime during the afternoon he was going to send some Peaky men to drop off my wardrobe and drawers, so I was waiting around for that.

‘Course I squeezed some exercise in. I wanted this birth to be as painless as possible and I think I read somewhere that exercising can help that. I’m not too sure. I knew that after Monday— since Monday was when we had our first doctor’s appointment, I was going to go back doing what I always did. 

Cleaning up the houses, making everyone their scran, and the whole lot of it. I was not going to be cooped up at Tommy’s flat where I basically had nothing to do. No TV, no real music— well actually I think I do have a couple of records in that suitcase of mine. However, my mind might actually be playing tricks on me! And I’d be all by myself! No, ma’am!

I’ll save being cooped up for when I’m so big I have to waddle. As of right now, I just look like I’ve been gaining weight. 

After the boys finished up, I began fixing up my room. I did indeed find some records from my time. Whoever packed this bag for me— is a real one. I never questioned who sent me, and I don’t want to. Hell, I even speculated that I’m in a coma and this was all a dream.

I’ll never know and I don’t want to know.

However! If I ever get to speak to them, I’ll thank them. They gave me the opportunity to meet Tommy, or at least have a different life. Not that I was suffering too much back in my own universe. In fact, I think I was more blessed than other people. I knew I was, which is why I was so surprised that this happened to me. But I took advantage of the opportunity rather than send myself into some existential crisis on why it had to be or why it just was me. 

I mean I have a child growing inside me and it was Tommy’s. I couldn’t be happier. 

When I was done organizing everything, I went downstairs to fix myself a snack. After that I went upstairs to take a shower, you know, wash off the sweat. The shower I took was a fairly long one, but it’s been a while since I took one like that. Felt like I really needed it.

I was drying my hair with my towel when I swore I heard the door open. I stilled and concentrated my hearing. 

“Love, I’m home!” Tommy shouted from downstairs.

I furrowed my eyebrows and whipped around the room for a clock. It was only five, almost six. I shouted. “What are you doin’ home?”

Next, all I could hear was Tommy’s thunderous footsteps as he ran up the stairs. I went to open the door and he was in front of me a second later. I began walking back to my vanity as he was beginning to answer me.

"I, uh, finished things up early." He said.

I hummed as I grabbed my hairbrush. "You've kinda been putting off work for a while. Is that alright?" I looked at him via my mirror as I began brushing out my hair. Tommy was leaning against the doorframe with a certain look on his face. One I knew all too well.

My eyes widened and my hand came to a still. I glared at him and asked. "What?" 

He shook his head. "Nothing. Just you look so beautiful right now."

I scoffed, my jaw dropping while a smile crept up my face. "I just got out of the shower."

Tommy walked up behind me with a smirk on his face. 

Yeah, you get what happened. We took another shower together. I didn't feel like cooking so I sent his arse to go get us something to eat. Served him right. 

I took a nap before he came back with our food. We ate, I asked him about his day, and I told him about mine. He still had to get a few papers done and I decided to read a book till he decided to call the night for us. 

The next morning, we got up at around seven. I made us breakfast then we got ready for the day since the doctor appointment was at 10:30. We were out the door in record time. Even though Tommy was adamant that I shouldn’t rush ‘cause fuck ‘em, you know? The doctor was either going to take us in when we arrived or something bad was going to happen. And I mean— yeah, that’s how it should be.

Seeing Tommy get angry at someone or threaten or maim someone would be really exciting. Not ashamed to say. Highly doubt he’d do it in front of me now, but… The possibility is very titillating.

So, we found out that the baby was healthy and that our expected due date was December 22nd. The doctor was somewhat jumpy but attempted to stay professional. It was hilarious and nerve-wracking to be in. I really just wanted to get my due date and maybe have a lunch date. 

But seeing the doctor’s eyes keep glancing over at Tom as Tom was just sitting there with a deadpan face— just looking overprotective, was amazing. Though, at the same time— it was annoying since I was the only one talking. 

I would have to talk about it with him another time.

Oh, the only thing that I wish wasn’t mentioned was the fact that my height might complicate things. 

Yeah, I knew for a fact that would light a fire under his arse.

Other than that, we went on our lunch date. Tommy made it very clear that my physical activities would be limited, but then I threw in the fact that that meant sex would be limited too. He… He hesitated and we compromised. 

I got to do whatever I wanted as long as I didn’t run or do anything harmful for this pregnancy. I’m allowed to do activities like walk, swim, and ride a bike. I’m not allowed to do any jumping, horse-riding, anything that could potentially cause direct harm to my mid-section, and strenuous exercise. 

I’m sure the second time around Tommy will be more chill but because this is our first— he’s freaking out. I was and I wasn’t. Hard to articulate. I was more worried about my mental health than anything else. I wanted to be in a happy, healthy mindset at all times because I believed that if I were to grow depressed at any point during this pregnancy— our baby would feel it. There is no science behind this belief, it could just be my paranoia.

After lunch, Tommy dropped me off at the main house, I gave him a parting kiss, and then I went inside to the shop to tell Polly all about the baby and his name. We got to chatting for a while till Michael showed up. His sudden visit quite literally sucked the happiness out of the room.

Michael made a beeline for me then asked to talk. I looked at Polly for help, but she shook her head. Giving me the silent gesture that she had no idea what Michael wanted to talk to me about. I reluctantly followed Michael into the kitchen where he began to pace instead of talking to me.

Eventually, I grew tired of it and asked him if he were alright.

It was like my question grounded him or something ‘cause next thing that happened was he took a deep breath then asked. “Are you really gonna marry him?”

I scoffed softly, letting my jaw drop in disbelief with my tongue slightly prodding my cheek.

“I mean—! He’s dangerous—! What he does is dangerous! Can you honestly marry him knowing that your life and your baby’s life are constantly going to be in danger?”

I took a deep breath, attempting not to blow up at him, and said. “Michael, you know me. I can handle myself. I’m not some damsel in distress. Thank you for being concerned about me, but you don’t need to be so worried. I love Tom and he loves me—!”

“Out of nowhere! That happened out of nowhere! How are you so sure he’s not just lying to you and he’s not just marrying you ‘cause of the baby?”

Any facial expression I had on my face dropped and I rolled my eyes. I sighed. “Michael, stop. Again. Thank you for your concern, but you have no idea what kind of relationship Tom and I have. So, please let’s stop before you make a bigger arse of yourself.”

Michael sighed and ran his hand through his hair furiously. Like it wasn’t even running, it was rubbing. He huffed, squeezed his eyes shut, and nodded. “All right, then.”

“Okay...” I thought about walking out, but I didn’t want to keep things awkward between us. So, I swallowed— I guess, my pride and decided to keep the ball rolling. “Have you apologized to your mum yet?”

He inhaled sharply before nodding. “Yeah, we’re— uh, good now.”

“Good. Are we good?”

“Um, are we?”

I nodded. “Yeah. I mean I think so.”

“I feel the same. Uh, congratulations, by the way, on the baby.”

I gave him a polite, tight-lipped smile before giving him a small wave, walking back toward the shop, and whispering a quick “thank you.” 

I tried my hardest to push past that awkward encounter and I focused on the positives. When Tommy came home that day, he asked me what Michael wanted to talk to me about. Finn had told him that Michael dragged me away. Fucking Finn…

Told him the truth about what happened, and he didn’t really react. Though, he was a lot more touchy than usual. Kept managing to get me to sit in his lap or just wrap his arms around me.

Things were so peaceful that six months passed by in a blur. Tommy definitely got more protective as the months passed, and I let him have his way. I found the whole over-protectiveness endearing. 

Oh! Oh, my god! When I was five months pregnant, Tommy finally proposed to me with an actual ring. It was amazing and romantic. He wooed me on a date. You know, wined and dined me and then proposed at the park we strolled through that one time. Tommy went down on one knee and everything!

At six months, I wasn’t waddling yet, but my baby bump was very prominent. My morning sickness went away after the first trimester, but in turn, my libido increased. A lot of fun times indeed! I experienced my first cravings about a week after going to the doctor and let me just say it was a doozy.

So, I got the craving for something spicy and not just any type of spicy— something my dad used to make all the time as a snack when I was a kid. Of course, I knew that Tommy wouldn’t have it and I had no idea where to ask since everywhere I had gone didn’t have what I was looking for.

I was at my wit’s end and was very close to crying when Tommy walked in. 

“Love, I’m home!” He yelled. 

“I’m in here...”

I was sitting on the couch with my hands cradling my head. I sighed and ran my hands over my face before looking up at him. 

We locked eyes and he didn’t hesitate to ask. “What’s wrong today, eh?”

I chuckled dryly before smacking my lips. “I-uh… I have a craving for something spicy but I can’t find it anywhere, so… I’m frustrated and hungry and—!” I huffed while dropping my arms to my sides.

Tommy fiddled with his cap in his hands, a small smile on his face.

I tsked. “What’s so funny?”

He shook his head. “Nothing. I’m not laughing, it’s just you’re craving something.” He chuckled and raised his eyebrows. 

I smiled, but I dropped it a second later. 

Tom nodded then cleared his throat as he put back on his cap. “Right then. What am I looking for?”

I squealed and ran into his arms. I stood on my tippy toes and smothered his face in kisses. I snapped my fingers and walked over to the desk he had in the room. I found a paper and slid it over to me. I picked up a pencil, twirled it between my fingers, and then began rattling off what I wanted while writing it at simultaneously. “Okay… I need California Chili Powder, New Mexico Chili Powder, cucumbers, mango, and watermelon. Oh and melon— the green one! And cantaloupe.”

I swirled around and pushed the list into his chest. “The melon I want is the green one and it’s sweet.”

Tom nodded. “I know it.” He took the list into his hands and gazed down at it as if he were reading it over a few times. Then, Tommy scratched at his temple. “Sweetheart, I don’t know if I can get you all of these.”

My smile and mood instantly dropped. “What?” Tears were already stinging my eyes, my nose stung too, and my face began to heat up. 

“I don’t think these spices are even in the city. Or the country.” He chuckled a little, but I couldn’t help but pout and whimper at the suggestion. I whimpered a few more times before my tears started falling down my face.

His smile fell and tsked. “Right,” he said while folding and tucking the list into his pocket. “I’m gonna be right back with everything on this list.” Tommy kissed my cheek and then took off.

He managed to get everything on the list by nightfall. So, I made this chili powder with lemon juice... juice then added in some mango and cucumbers and I was good to go! I treated the other fruits as my sides, untouched by the concoction I whipped up.

The craving stayed the same for a while, it being spicy food ‘n fruit. Then, it turned into wanting hamburgers like from In-and-Out, but couldn’t get that so I had to make due. Between every new craving, I made sure to show my appreciation for him. Of course, I was also itching my own scratch as well.

Let’s see… Dougie has been taking a photo of my bump at the end of each month. He makes two copies, one for me and the other for Tommy. Apparently, not a whole lot of mothers do it. Must be because you have to be practically naked, which is probably why Tommy always takes the time out of his day off to go with me to take the photo— now that I think about it.

Speaking of Tommy taking some time off during the day, he was way busier than he usually was. He tried his best to spend time with me ‘n take me out on dates, but with all the new business coming in— it made it difficult. I still cherished the time we had together. Especially when he comes home and he tells me all about his day, and all the little dates really accumulated over time. Sometimes he won’t though which usually means that it didn’t go so well as he’d hoped. 

Another milestone happened when I was at 20 weeks, Percy started kicking. Definitely a weird sensation, but a good one. Meant that he was there. Sometimes they were painful, not enough to make me cry or anything, but it hurt. Tommy had the biggest smile on his face when Percy kicked. He teared up but didn’t cry.

I didn’t realize how much a child would mean to him till now. I sincerely thought that he tolerated Charles’s existence in the show since he wasn’t that attentive to the kid in the show. Well, add in the loss of a loved one, stress, work… I don’t know. 

Some men really do only tolerate having children because it’s what their partners want and not their own personal desire. I was fucking relieved this wasn’t the case! 

Anyway, yeah… Happy!

TAG LIST: @amirahiddleston @nemesis729​ @salvatoreitmeanssaviour @tlfshelby1 @halepea @lilymurphy03 @marsfireeyes @masumiyetimziyanoldu @i-love-superhero​ @thatweirddaydreamer​ @xxbeckybeexx-blog​ @ilikealotofpeople-younotsomuch​ @well-hydratedpvssy​ @the-jess-life @babaohhhriley @7shadesofharold​ @melissamaine​ @urbankaite2

[elysiashelby]

In Another World Update 5/29/21

Hi guys! It’s been awhile. Do not fret I intend to continue the series. I’m just in a bit of a writer’s block rn. A lot is happening in my life and I’m kinda just trying to come to terms with that so.....

But yeah! The series is not completed and I don’t intend to discontinue it. Till then thank you to all my new readers as well as the readers who come back to read them again! 

[elysiashelby]

In Another World - T.Shelby Imagine Ch. 27

Paring: Thomas Shelby x Aliena Welsh (OC)

Fandom: Peaky Blinders

Word Count: 16,697

WARNINGS: Angst!, Cursing, Fluff, Tommy! Third Person POV, First Person to Third Person POV Shift, SMUT! (NSFW):  penetrative sex, unprotected sex (2x)

Summary: The season two finale has finally approached, but there’s no happiness to be found. Aliena finds out some rather life-changing news that will alter her plans. Will everything play out as it did in the TV show? Will Aliena and Tom stay together? Or, will Aliena run away as she planned?

MASTERLIST  CHAPTER 26.2  CHAPTER 28

A/N: This chapter still has some POV shifts. There are two smut scenes! I hope y’all like this chapter. Some background on the story. I began it in June, but I actually had a draft laying about in my Docs since January. The first scene I wrote for this story was this chapter, so... Yeah! Enjoy!

I woke up with yet again the urge to vomit my guts out. The rancid taste of vomit brought tears to my eyes, and snot definitely dripped out of my nose. I gathered what was left in my mouth ‘n spat it out before I reached for a piece of toilet paper to blow my nose in. I groaned tiredly, flushing the toilet as I rested my back against the sink. 

Just a few days ago, Polly finally told Tom everything that happened. I guess Tom had enough of wondering, and basically provoked an argument. Unfortunately, Polly fell for it and yeah. She not only told him what Campbell did to her, but what happened to Michael in prison— which I guess he didn’t either. 

Obviously, Tom didn’t take well. In fact, when he came home that night, he went off on me. Asking, demanding if I knew and then accusing of knowing ‘cause “I always know.” 

I mean he’s right in a sense, but that doesn’t mean he can really take that tone of voice with me. I get it! You know, he just found out— so I let it slide. 

I told that I knew and that I couldn’t tell him for the most blatant reasoning. If Polly found out I told him without her permission, she probably would never trust me again ‘n would cut me like she threatened to do to Esme. I told him that and that was the end of the argument. Instead, he sat down on the sofa and didn’t say anything else, but was panting pretty heavily. 

I’m not going to tell a blag, but I hesitated to walk over ‘n comfort him. I didn’t know if he was still upset with me, but then I thought screw it he needs me— maybe. So, I walked closer to him and surprisingly he tugged me closer to him. Like a child, he hid his face in my stomach and muttered an apology. Saying that he shouldn’t have taken his anger out on me. I said it was fine and I understood ‘n that I would’ve felt— done the same in his position.

To be honest, the amount of apologies I’ve received from this man was staggering ‘n it was out of character— even I knew that. Or maybe I’m just a bitch for assuming he’d be a complete total arsehole. Or maybe I’m naive to think that he’s not? I don’t know and I don’t care. He gave me an apology. I should be happy.

And I was, since that night we just went up to bed and were no longer “fighting.” Michael and I have talked, I mean, we sort of had to. Well, we didn’t but with everything “out in the open” it allowed for us to have another conversation. Michael and I haven’t talked in a while, and I think he was pissed at me for a different reason. I knew the reason. Michael and Lizzie had, most likely, front row seats to my endeavors with Tommy every time we had sex in his office, so that was mortifying. We didn’t really talk it out as a result. He was just really closed off and giving me one word answers. 

So, that was my past few days…

I was leaning against the sink contemplating whether I was willing to admit that I was pregnant. I scoffed at myself while rolling my eyes. Of course, I fucking was! This was morning sickness, right? 

I was a bloody virgin before I had sex with Tommy, and we've been going at it like rabbits. Mama always said that I would get pregnant if I had unprotected sex for my first time. I just didn't think it would happen since I was smoking weed and Tommy has his own vices. And I don’t know, I thought the universe would basically like ignore me to stay within the plot.

Like it wouldn’t allow me to get pregnant ‘cause Grace is meant to!

I got up and instantly began brushing my teeth. I began rethinking every symptom I may have experienced these last few weeks that contributed to morning sickness. I was experiencing vomiting without sickness, feeling nauseous, tender breasts, smell aversion, taste aversion, bloating, gas, and massive fatigue.

I stopped brushing my teeth and held my toothbrush in my mouth. I glanced down at my stomach, and tugged my nightgown up. I caressed my stomach with both of my hands before turning my body to the side, and stared at myself in the mirror. It would seem that I also gained weight, there was no mistaking that. I finally got the ideal body of my dreams a couple of years back and I’ve done everything to keep it.

Now, there was finally some protrusion. I felt my face contort in a sob, my nose stinging again, and I tipped my head back to stop the tears from forming— I guess. 

‘How would Tommy react?’ I thought.

Quickly, I let my dress fall, spat out the toothpaste in my mouth, cleaned my toothbrush, and rinsed my mouth. I leaned against the sink and began shaking my head.

 ‘How could you let this happen, Aliena? You’re so much smarter than this.’

 I shouldn't be thinking about how he would react. All I would be doing is causing myself stress unnecessary. I knew that if I was, indeed, pregnant I would be in my early trimester, and, a this time, I'm more susceptible to having a miscarriage due to stress. 

I knew there was no more hiding in my ignorance. I needed to find out if I was pregnant since Derby Day is in two days. 

I walked out of the bathroom, straight into my room, and began picking out my clothes for the day. I know Tommy and I have been together for these past few weeks, but who's to say he wasn't just using me to get over Grace. That I wasn’t just a distraction. Another notch on his belt! 

I don't know when he was supposed to meet Grace, so I don't know if I interrupted that or if it happened. Meaning, I don't know if she is going to show up on Derby Day telling Thomas fucking Shelby that she's carrying his child. Then, if I'm pregnant— he'll have to choose. 

And if he did get her pregnant that must mean that I really was just a distraction, leaving me to some allowance that he'll put me on because Tommy Shelby may be a bastard but he cherishes family. 

I scoffed at the thought of it before I stomped my foot in frustration. I wasn't supposed to rile myself up, but here I was doing it. I ran my fingers through my hair before fixing the straps to my slip while huffing. I zipped up my skirt and then moved onto my hair. My normal bun that would no doubt be undone if I decided to still visit Tommy later on. 

I stood up from my chair and headed downstairs for breakfast and Polly. Polly would know and I really don’t want to hide this from her. Since I’ve lost my mum, Pol’s been the only maternal figure in my life these past few years and it’s not like I could exactly go to Cassie about this. She’d probably freak, and I definitely don’t need that!

When I entered the kitchen, Polly was there sipping on a cuppa tea while skimming through the newspaper. My heart was in my ears and I felt my nerves wrack my body. Which was fucking hilarious and ironic given I’ve killed— god only knows how many people!

With a smile on my face, I greeted. "Good morning, Pol." I walked over to her, leaned down and kissed her cheek.  She repeated the same and I went to make myself a bowl of cereal. 

‘Cereal, eh? My baby wouldn't know my mum's big breakfasts with eggs and bacon, or eggs and sausage, or eggs, bacon, and a hash brown. Nope. You know, I used to fight her for breakfast since I was such a picky eater. She would never know what to give me and cereal was always on the list, but I’d never want to eat. I've gotten used to eating cereal since some of the breakfasts here were not to my taste exactly.’ The thought made me laugh to myself. 

"So, I heard you come home this morning. I believe it was around 3 o'clock. Why were you sneaking in at 3 in the morning?" She asked me. 

My eyes bulged out from my head, and I thanked my lucky stars that I was facing away from her because I was sporting the most mischievous smile of my life. Not on purpose, it happens when I tell a blag. 

Correction, it used to happen when I told a blag!

 I took a deep breath and another, then turned around saying, "Cassie needed me, and I spent a good chunk of the night comforting her. But, I headed on home when she said she was fine, which was why I came in at 3. Sorry..." 

I took my bowl and sat at the table next to her. Pol looked at me up and down. I tried to hold on to my most innocent of smiles, but my lord, I wanted to laugh. Without any more words shared between us, I ate. She was smoking with her gaze still trained on me. 

I didn’t know how to bring it up, and honestly— I wanted to eat. There this awkward silence, but at the same time— I wasn’t minding it. However, I witnessed the point where Polly realized. I don’t know how I set off the alarm in Pol, but she just stopped mid drag and her jaw dropped. 

Pol passionately stubbed out her cigarette and before she got out a word, I set down my bowl and blurted out. “I think I might be pregnant...” I averted my gaze away from her and clasped my trembling hands together. 

‘Why was I so worried?’

I whimpered and waited for her response.

I heard the screeching of her chair as she stood up. “Stand up, love. C’mon on.”

I did as I was told ‘n I stood up. 

She sighed. "Side on." 

I continued to look down for a second before I brought my gaze to meet hers. I remembered this. She did this with Ada. I stammered to say something, but she shut me down and pointed. I pivoted my body. Not a second wasted, Polly cupped my tit and gave me a pointed look. 

"How late are you?" She asked. 

I sighed heavily then stuttered for an answer. "I-I… I, um. Maybe a month or two."

Then, Polly asked, "Did you try iron tablets?"

I scoffed, throwing my head in a figure eight. I replied while picking at my dress, "I've never had an iron deficiency before."

Polly rubbed her brow, ran her hands along her face before she closed the gap between us. She whispered, practically tears in her eyes, "Don't tell me the father is who I think it is." 

I looked away. Almost defeatedly, I replied. "Depends on who you think it is, Pol."

She scoffed before saying, "Aliena, please tell me it hasn't been Tommy that you've been sneaking ‘round with."

I felt my eyes flutter and sting, my gaze shift, as well as the knot that formed in my throat. I croaked, "That would be a blag, then."

I closed my eyes. Tears gathering further. To my surprise, Polly tsked, pulled me into a hug, then rested her chin on my head. Polly pulled away ‘n gave me a kiss on my forehead. 

 She muttered. "You stupid, stupid girl."

I chuckled at her words, not taking any offense. I whispered, "The baby's Tommy's, Pol. I haven't been with anyone else. And I am not having an abortion, so please don't ask." 

We split apart and Polly guided me to sit down. 

"Fine then. It seems you've got that figured out. You may just be having a baby. We'll go see someone I know today. That way we'll know if you are ‘n how far gone.”

I nodded, absentmindedly. 

How could I refute that order? It’s what I wanted to happen and I would get a rough estimate of my due date. But I doubt we were going to a real doctor. We’re probably going to the same one we took Ada to.

 It wasn't long after the conversation that we were boarding a train then walking to whatever woman she trusted to deal with the situation. Polly mainly interrogated me about when my relationship with Tommy started. I didn't lie to her. I couldn't, and I’ve said before that I would tell her everything anyway. 

Polly wasn’t particularly happy, but she wasn’t mad either. It was like she—! Look I know everyone wanted me to fall for some rich man, alright! I know people don’t understand why I like Tommy, no one except Cassie. But, how was I supposed to explain it! How does anyone explain their attraction to another person? It just happens! And I’m sick of trying to explain myself ‘cause he and I are really happy when we’re together, so why isn’t that the thing that matters?

I didn't pay attention to the conversation between Polly and Mrs. Simeon, the same woman who saw Ada. All I did was dress down to my slip, as I was told, and waited for the news. 

As she was inspecting me, all I could think about was my sister. How I was there when she was pregnant with my niece, and yet, she would never be able to support me through any of my "doctor" appointments. Hell, my mother had been pressuring for me so long till I was about to be inseminated. I remember she was so elated when I told her I’d been approved for the process. Now, she’ll never meet my child or children just as she feared.

The thought brought tears to my eyes and I let them fall.

Mrs. Simeon told me to get dressed and I quickly did so. After I got dressed, I went into the hall with Polly and we waited. She was holding my hand tightly. I wasn't faring any better, at all. I was a bundle of nerves. 

I kept wondering if it was all a scare, if I would be relieved or disappointed. I wanted a child since I was eleven, but I was still so afraid of the thought of being used by Tommy. I sure talked a big game about not needing love in a relationship to survive. But that's the thing, I wouldn't be living— I would be surviving. 

Finally, Mrs. Simeon walked to us after about five minutes. She gave us a tight lipped smile before she revealed to us, "Congratulations, Ms. Welsh. You are about no more than two months pregnant."

My eyes widened in disbelief and I could feel that pit in my stomach grow, exponentially. I'm pregnant. I'm finally pregnant! I let out a sound of disbelief. Polly practically dragged me out of the house. Probably in a rush to avoid anyone recognizing us like the last time with Ada. I didn't care. I was pregnant. 

When we were back on the train, Polly asked me. "So, when are you going to tell, Tommy?" 

I ran my free hand over my face as I replied. "I'll tell him tomorrow." 

Polly hummed. "Ali, you should tell him tonight. Epsom is in two days."

"I don’t know, Pol."

She sighed loudly. "Look, love. We don’t know what will happen on the day, but if Tommy knew he had a baby on the way… Maybe he'll rethink whatever ridiculous, life threatening plan he has. So, I want you to go to him the minute we step off this train ‘n tell ‘em the news."

I gulped harshly before quietly muttering, "Okay."

Yeah, that didn’t happen. Even though she said that as soon as we got off the train, I should dart to Tommy— I didn't. I walked back to the house in Small Heath while she had someone drive her home in Sutton, much to her frustration. 

I was planning on changing out of my work clothes ‘n into a dress. It was an important moment and I wanted to look the part. I just didn’t want to tell him in my work clothes ‘cause if I’m being honest, I didn’t want to. I’m dramatic, let me be! 

Was I also hoping that the less conservative dress that I picked out would entice him and distract him and perhaps— appeal to him more… Um, make him take it better and choose me? Yeah… Not proud of it, but yeah. I’m basically without brain cells at this point. 

‘Cause am I confident that he loves me and only me? No. Am I confident that he hasn't fucked anyone else beside me during these past weeks? Nope. So, here’s to making dumb decisions for important “problems!”

I put on this pink, almost white, dress. It had a deep v-neck, flowy fabric, but had a form-fitting mid-section that resembled a corset. I put on white heels and undid my hair, shaking out the curls that formed. I took a deep breath then a couple more before heading toward Tom’s flat. 

I was running up the steps to Tommy's flat in no time, and instead of using my key, I knocked on his door. I was basically playing a guessing game since determining where the hell this man was, was more difficult than finding Waldo. However, lady luck was on my side since Tommy's door swung wide open. I gave him a big smile while fidgeting with my hands. 

As he dropped his hand, with a cigarette between his two fingers, away from his lips, he asked. "And where were you all day?"

I giggled, trying to hide my nervousness. "Polly and I had a girl's day. We went out to eat." I closed the gap between us and kissed him. Mind you, we were still out on the doorstep. He didn't pull us in right away, which was surprising. Though, it was more unusual that he was at his flat before me, so whatever. We slowly made our way past the entrance and I kicked the door closed with my foot, but by then we had stopped kissing. 

We walked into the living room. I looked ‘round ‘n noticed a bunch of papers on the short table. "Was I interrupting work?" I asked while pointing toward them.

Tommy had walked over to his little bevvie cart ‘n poured himself some whiskey. He took hold of the bottle of gin beside it and motioned it towards me. I shook my head.

He cleared his throat before saying, "It's just some paperwork that needs filling out. Nothin' too important."

I hummed while I bounced on my heels. We stood there quite awkwardly for a while. I clapped my hands saying, "I bet you haven't had dinner yet! Let me make you something." 

Okay, yeah… This wasn’t going good!

Before he could utter a word, I had walked into the kitchen.

Just seeing him— standing there was intimidating. I don't know what to believe. Everything is sort of just battling each other. ‘Cause he’s been such a gentle lover, ya know? But I don’t know if that’s just him! It’s like somewhere in my heart I want to believe that, perhaps, he loves me. That he reciprocates my feelings, but he’s never said so. 

He’s giving me an inch, and I don’t want to be delusional in taking a mile! Would his reaction be positive or negative? I don’t know and quite frankly, I don’t want to find out.

I shook my head and tried focusing on preparing our meal. I opened the ice box, looking around to see what I could cook. My stomach faintly rumbled, but I wasn’t in the mood to eat. Despite that fact, I was still going to force myself to eat anyway. Being pregnant ‘n all. I know my mum would have forced me.

I was startled when Tommy’s voice reverberated around the room as he asked. “So, how was Polly?”

With the ice box open, I reached down and pulled out some chicken drums. “Uh, she was fine. Doing better, I suppose. You can’t really tell, ya know?” I turned around holding the poultry in my hands, and then set it on the counter. I craned my head back to see a sight that I’ve been seeing very often since our little “affair” began, a smiling Thomas Shelby. 

It’s times like this that fools me into believing that he loves me. 

With a small smile still on his face, he walked over to the table to stub out his ciggie before walking back over to me, and twirling me into his arms. I softly chuckled at his antics. As I looked into his beautiful eyes and my mind wandered elsewhere. I imagined a life with him, one where we were happy with this baby growing inside of me.

Tom pressed his lips against my own. His hands began to slide from my waist to my bottom. I chuckled within the kiss as he squeezed my bum, but it was muffled. I would have let this go on longer, but I felt a sharp pain coming from my stomach.

 As I slowly pulled away from Tommy, I whispered. “I have to start dinner. You, sir, go on and finish your paperwork.” I pushed him away from me then turned ‘round to begin preparing the chicken. 

Tom muttered a soft “okay” behind me then left the kitchen. I took a deep breath and attempted to come up with a game plan. A game plan on how I was going to break it to Tommy that I was pregnant with his child.

However, I got wrapped up in cooking. I was humming “Let’s Stay Together” by Al Green. Yeah, I’m not going to try ‘n defend myself. At this point, I was feeling horny, sad, and overwhelmed. That combination of emotions was always nice.

When I couldn’t tolerate my stomach pains any longer, I stopped cooking ‘n walked over to the counter to eat a strawberry. So, there I was cooking, eating strawberries, and singing quietly to myself like any other day.

Soon enough, I started to sway my hips a little. I had just put the lid on the chicken that I put in the oil—  when I felt hands on my waist. I was twirled ‘round and pinned against the ice box. I gasped but my breath was taken from me. My hands flew to his hair, and I began running my fingers through it, feverishly. 

Tommy lifted my left thigh, pressing himself closer against me as he muttered, “Fuck paperwork. Fuck eating.” 

I couldn’t help but giggle at his eagerness. I jumped up and he caught me. I moaned as I felt his hardened cock press against my clothed core. As he began to attack my neck, I couldn’t help the small breathily gasps that escaped my lips. One hand at his neck while the other had a grip in his hair. He nipped, sucked, and kissed my neck just how I liked it. My bottom lip felt as if it split from the amount of times I’ve bitten it ever since we first started having sex. 

“Hurry, Tommy.” I rasped. “I don’t want to burn the food.”

Tommy chuckled a little. “Yes, ma’am.”

I spluttered and shook my head. Tommy swiftly ‘n expertly undid his belt as I moved my panties to the side. I reached between us and guided his head to my entrance. When I took his cock in my hand, he groaned loudly. I smiled, feeling proud that I managed to get a response like that out of him. I hovered my lips over his own. His gaze met mine intensely. 

With our eyes still meeting, Tommy slowly pushed into me. As slowly as he was going, the feeling of him bottoming out inside of me caused a low moan to be ripped from me. My head tipped back, gently hitting the ice box I was pinned against.

Tommy leaned down and whispered in my ear, “That’s the only amount of kindness I’ll be showing you.” 

Such a simple sentence caused a new wave of lust to wash over me. I ran my hand through his hair with a tighter grip, and my mouth fell open in a half gasp half chuckle. That was all I was allowed as his hips began bucking into me at an alarming speed. My body was overridden with pleasure. 

Even if I hated moaning loudly, I knew Tommy liked it, and at this point—  it was an unconditioned response. My grip on Tommy tightened, his head buried in the crook of my neck. My pornographic moans made me cringe, but I couldn’t help it anymore. 

Tommy whispered in my ear, “You’re always so wet for me. I just slide in and out with ease.” His words excited me more. I felt my cunt tense which spurred a moan from him. 

“Tommy! Tommy! Fuck! Don’t stop!” I whimpered. My face and chest burned with embarrassment. I cried out in pleasure.My eyes kept rolling back. The pleasure, the sensation was overwhelming. My hand on his neck moved south down his back, scratching harshly. 

I gasped in surprise, my common sense washing over me as Tommy lifted me in his arms as he walked over to the kitchen counter. I giggled as he set me down gently. Our mouths joined as his thrusts paused. 

It was tender, passionate. I could feel his cock twitching inside of me begging for release. Tommy began to kiss my neck again, but this time he started trailing down. 

I felt his hands move from my waist to my breasts. He massaged them, soliciting moans from me as I threw my head back. They were still sore. I guess now I know why.

Tom pinched my clothed nipples. Which I guess he didn’t like because the next thing I knew, he tugged the torso of my dress under my tits. My nipples instantly started to harden from the cold air, but they were soon warmed by Tommy’s mouth. 

Just like that we were fucking like rabbits again. 

“Tommy, don’t stop! I’m so close, please don’t stop!” My hips were desperately trying to match the rhythm of his thrusts. Tommy’s teeth tugged and sucked on my hardened bud. I yelped in response. 

Before switching to the other tit, Tommy muttered, “I’m close too.”  His thrusts were deeper, which caused me to throw one of my hands over my mouth. Tommy heard the contact of my hand over my mouth, and he grabbed my hand, successfully pinned it down.

He said, “What have I told you about stifling your moans? Lemme hear it all, Ali.” He grasped my chin with one hand while the other held me close to ‘em. 

God, I hated my moans! They sounded as if I were in pain, but Tommy liked them so... 

His pants became more strained as his hips stuttered. I felt warmness spill inside of me and I knew he came. It took a few more thrusts before I was a shaking mess. My thighs were shaking uncontrollably as I orgasmed, but all I could really feel was him. Our foreheads rubbing together, kissing each other, and exchanging each other’s breaths.

Tommy stayed inside of me for quite some time. Once he stepped back away from me, I slid off of the counter to my feet— quite clumsily, and turned off the heat on the stove. Tommy was laughing from behind me. 

Rather defensively, I turned around and asked. “What? You wanted to have a quickie while I was making us dinner. Is it so wrong that I didn’t want the chicken to burn any more than it probably is now?” I wrapped my arms around his neck, giving him a peck. I whispered against his lips, “Now, let me finish dinner, please. Dinner will be ready in a minute, I promise.” 

Tommy hugged my waist before replying with a simple “All right.” His arms slipped away from my waist.

I turned back to the chicken while shaking my head, but my inspection process was interrupted as a sharp pain erupted on my ass. I yelped while swatting Tommy's hand away. His face held a smirk as he walked back into the living room. I sighed ‘n finally managed to do what I intended to do. It took me all of a few seconds to plate our food. 

I walked into the living room, put down our plates, and then I grabbed Tommy's glass. 

"I'm guessing you'll be wanting more whiskey, right?" I asked rhetorically.

Tommy only hummed in agreement, but I also heard his fork clink the plate. It put a smile on my face knowing that I got to feed Thomas Shelby, a man known to drink alcohol for every meal of the fucking day. 

I set the glass down and took my seat. A grimace made its way across my face as I realized it felt a little weird to sit. For a while, we ate in silence until I glanced at the documents Tommy had on the table. My movements stilled as I realized he was getting things in order, in case he’s murdered. 

Of course I knew he was going to be just fine, but it still managed to put an awful taste in my mouth. I looked over at Tommy and stared as he ate. He often ate as if the meal was his last; however, he only acted like this was when I cooked for him. Whenever we went out to a restaurant, Tommy was much more sophisticated. I chuckled quietly to myself before humming loudly. 

“What is it?” Tommy asked. 

I shrugged my shoulders. “Nothing! Just wondering what we could talk about, ya know?" It was at that time that I picked up my fork and used it to push around crumbs of my food. Tommy only hummed in response. 

When I finally decided I was done with dinner, I had scooted over to Tommy and cuddled up next to him. I heaved a deep breath before asking softly. “What’re you workin’ on?”

Almost absentmindedly, he replied. “Nothing too important. Just some paperwork I have to get done as soon as possible.”

He’s been using that excuse since we’ve started fucking. If this is what he was going to do if we were together, ya know, keep things from me— then it’s gonna be a problem!

My mood instantly soured. “Done with your food?” I asked with some annoyance in my tone. I shot to my feet, grabbing our dishes, and marching back into the kitchen. I dropped the dishes into the sink ‘n the clattered loudly as I result. I leaned against it, wiping my face with one hand. I huffed, launching myself away from the sink, and determined to head up to bed.

I ignored Tom ‘n headed for the staircase. 

“Love?” He called out. I ignored him. “Ali, where’re you going?”

“Bed.” I shouted, a foot already on the stairs. When I was about halfway up, I was hit with an overwhelming wave of nausea. It stopped me where I stood and I brought a hand up to clutch my forehead. My other hand gripped the handrail tightly, afraid that I might fall back for a second.

Without hesitation, I ran up the rest of the steps ‘n darted to the bathroom. I crashed onto my knees, hastily put up the toilet seat, and held my mouth open. Took a couple of heaves, but I began upchucking my dinner. 

“Hey, hey, are you all right?” Tom shouted concernedly behind me. His knees hit the tile and he quickly took hold of my makeshift ponytail while rubbing my back.

I couldn’t respond. I was still throwing up. Unfortunately, this episode was a bad one since I was literally kicking the fucking floor! When it was over, I spat what was left out. 

I rasped. “Yes, I’m alright.” I took a deep breath before coughing. I slammed the toilet lid down then flushed. Limply, I reached beside the toilet for the toilet paper, but Tom got it for me instead. I took it from his hand and blew my nose. 

I huffed, sniffled, and cleaned up my nose before throwing it in the bin. 

“You still sick?”

‘No, I’m pregnant, you fucking gobshite!’

“No, no it’s just nerves.” I sighed and sniffled once more before scrambling to my feet. 

“Nerves?”

I closed my eyes tightly and clutched my forehead. I whispered. “Yes, Tommy, nerves… I’m just worried about Derby Day, alright. Let’s just leave it, I’ll get over it.” I leaned on the sink, turning on the water.

He scoffed. “Don’t.”

“Don’t what?”

“Don’t try ‘n guilt me into tellin’ ya.”

I blinked before reaching for my toothbrush ‘n running it under the water. “Not what I’m trying to do.”

“Yes, it is.”

“You know, what, Thomas!” I slammed my toothbrush down, turned off the faucet, and spun ‘round to face him. “We used to tell each other everything! What’s changed, huh? How many fucking times do I hafta tell ya not to keep things from me? Eh?”

“You don’t need to know! You just need to trust me.”

“Trust has nothing to do with this, Tommy. It’s about keeping me in the dark. It’s about you telling me what stupid, idiotic plan you’ve got, so that I know—! I know… I don’t know.” I sighed ‘n hung my head.

Tom tsked before walking toward me ‘n pulling me into a hug. He sighed, kissing my head. I weakly punched his chest. 

“Everything will be all right. I’ve got it all planned out, Ali. Just—! Just trust me.”

I hummed as a reply.

Safe to say there was no progress made that night. He didn’t tell me the plan ‘n I didn’t tell him that I was pregnant. We were both being kept in the dark. Well, not me since I knew the plan, but sweet, sweet irony. 

The rest of the night was calm, though. There was no “making up,” but there was no further arguing either. Tom was dead set on not telling me anything ‘n for the life of me— I couldn’t come up with a reason why. If anything he sees me as this dainty fucking thing that can’t stand murder, which is stupid since he knows that I already killed someone. One person, though. He only knows about the one.

I know it sounds weird but we were able to go to sleep soundly without any hard feelings. The next day went on as normal, but my hand kept finding my stomach. I still couldn’t believe that I was pregnant. I couldn’t—! 

I didn’t know how to feel, to be honest.

I avoided everyone like the plague, wanting as much privacy to myself as I could manage while working. Though, I didn’t mind the company I got from Finn. The boy was doing everything he could to get me to smile, and it really did cheer me up. When the clock hit five, I headed over to Tommy’s flat as usual.

I undressed, relaxed for a bit till it hit 6:30. Then, I started on dinner since Tom was to arrive at seven. When he came home, it was like everything was normal. Except when we sat across from each other at the table, I was practically a trembling bundle of nerves.

I kept trying to tell him, but couldn’t. Then, Tom told me that I couldn’t sleep here tonight since he was heading over to Ada’s. I didn’t mind, hell— I wanted to get the fuck out of the place! 

So after dinner ‘n cleaning up dishes, I headed upstairs ‘n got dressed. Tommy offered to drive me to the house in Sutton, and of course, I accepted. The drive was silent. Neither of us made the effort to say anything to the other. 

At least not until I was about to get out of the car after he pulled up to the house. 

Tommy gripped my arm before calling out. “Wait!” My head snapped back toward him, my heart pounding. “Wait…” He repeated. Tom let go of my arm, cleared his throat, resting an arm on the steering wheel before saying, “I wanted to tell you that I’ll be alright.”

I sighed, averting my gaze. “Tom...”

“No, wait. I wanted to tell you that if anything should happen to me t’morrow— I want you to be happy, Ali. I want you to move on with your life ‘n forget about me.”

My eyes widened at his words, instantly watering as well. “Why would you say that?” I whispered. 

“‘Cause… Just ‘cause. You know what will go down tomorrow will be dangerous and nothing is ever guaranteed, so I need you to know this—! Just in case.”

“Tommy, I...” My lip trembled and I bit my lip harshly. I shook my head. I rushed toward him and pulled him into a hug. Hesitantly, he wrapped his arms around me. I hid my head in his neck and took in his scent. “Don’t say shit like that.” I muttered against his neck. My sniffle was louder than my words.

He chuckled. “Have to tell you the truth, love. Even if you don’t like hearing it.”

I hummed, petulantly. Tom placed a hand on my cheek and raised my face to face him. He raised his other hand ‘n wiped the tears from under my eyes. 

“Promise you won’t do anything stupid, Tom.”

He sighed. “Can you do the same?”

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion at the question.

“If something happens to me, if I die— promise you won’t do anything stupid.”

I was taken aback by his words. I didn’t expect him to bring that up at all. I mean we haven’t talked about it ever since that day. I mean I know he’s seen my scars. He’s had to have, but he never brought them up. Once.

“Yeah, um… I promise.” 

Of course, I wouldn’t commit suicide! For two reasons, he was going to be alright and I’m having a baby. I’m set. I’m fine.

He caressed my cheek with his thumb. “Then, I promise too.”

We stared into each other’s eyes for a while till I dove forward ‘n kissed him. Wasn’t long till our kisses turned feverish ‘n I was climbing onto his lap. I ran my hands through his hair, knocking off his cap. 

Ironically, even though I knew the future— I still felt the anxiety. I couldn’t get out of the headspace that he may die. ‘Cause what if he does? What if our union upset the universe ‘n decides to strike retribution? Messing with the timeline was something I was never supposed to do, and yet I did it!

I pulled him closer to me, my breasts pressed up against his chest. I parted from his lips and said. “Fuck me, Tommy. Please.” I kissed him again, repeating what I just said.

I took his bottom lip between my lip and tugged on it while grinding down on him. 

“Ali… Ali, wait!” He scoffed. 

I did as he wished. Our panting filled the car. 

He took a deep breath. “You should—! You should head inside.”

“Tom?”

“Go. Go on.” He pecked my lips, but I couldn’t wipe off the confused expression on my face. “Go.”

I nodded before climbing off of him then out the car. Tom didn’t leave till I opened the door of the house. I watched as he drove off then headed inside. I marched upstairs and went straight inside my room. I sat down on my bed and pushed my hair away from my face. 

‘Fucking bastard!’ I couldn’t help but think. I tugged down on my face before letting go. I sighed and put my fingernail between my teeth. ‘What are you going to do now, Ali?’

I sniffled as I dropped my hands on my lap. I looked around this room ‘n I knew. I knew what I had to do. I took a deep breath before getting up from the bed. I slid out the suitcases from under my bed. These weren’t the ones with my name stitched in it. No, those were at the house in Small Heath.

I spent a good chunk of the rest of the night packing. I packed those suitcase so tightly that I had to sit down on them. The rest I couldn’t fit went inside bags ‘n purses that I had lying about. 

I still couldn’t go to sleep. I still had things to do. I walked over to my desk and slid on my robe. I went downstairs to where the tele was ‘n phoned Cassie.

“Aliena, what’s going on? Why are you calling so late?”

I gnawed on my bottom lip before saying, “Cass, um. On Monday, I went to see a woman that Polly knew ‘n well… Cassie, I’m pregnant.”

There was a silence.

“What?”

“I’m pregnant.”

“Oh my god! OH MY GOD! You’re pregnant? You’re pregnant! I’m gonna be an auntie! Right? You’ll make me the aunt!”

The tears that wanted to spill quickly dissipated as I chuckled softly. “Yeah. You’re gonna be the godmother, if ya want the position.”

She squealed. “Oh my god, Aliena! Of course!”

“Does that mean I’m the godfather?”

I snorted and a hand smacked over my mouth. “Was that Dougie?” I asked, my voice strangled. 

“Fucking Christ! Shut up! Yes, it was him.”

“Maybe not talk so loud...”

I heard a smack then a cry. I chuckled at their antics.

I cleared my throat. “Cassie, there was another reason why I called you so late.”

“Oh, really? What is it?”

I sighed, raising a hand to my head. “Um, well. So, I found out from Finn that Tommy may have seen Grace since she’s been here. I uh—! Cass, I don’t know if they’ve fucked. And Cass the whole reason why she’s here in London was to get fertility treatments, so I don’t know if Tom knocked her up too.”

“Wait! Wait. Aren’t you getting a little ahead of yourself there, Ali? How do you even know about that?”

I smashed my lips together as I tried to come up with another blag on the spot. “Had a mate look into her. A mate that I made while on the job with your dad.”

“Oh, okay… But who’s to say that Thomas even had sex with her! Maybe he turned her down instead!”

“I don’t know, Cassie...”

“Exactly, you don’t know. Hey, did you tell him yet?”

“I’m planning on telling him tomorrow at the Epsom races, at the Derby.”

“Ali, Jesus H. Christ!”

“Cass, can you calm down for like five seconds ‘n listen to me!” I sighed while rubbing my forehead. “Look. I’m going to go to the Derby and find out everything. If—! If Tom slept with Grace, there’s a good chance she’s pregnant ‘n I’m not planning on sticking around to find out. If he did, I’m planning on going away. Can you help me?”

“Going away! What do you mean ‘going away’!”

I sniffed. “I mean like hiding out at your dad’s mansion. Tom knows about the flat, so… I’m asking ya if you can, like, ask your dad for me. Or something.”

“Of course. Of course. You know he’ll say yes.”

I hummed. “You know, I probably need help moving my shit out. I have shit here at this house ‘n the one in Small Heath.”

“I’m sure our friends wouldn’t mind helping you. We’ll take good care of you, Ali. You’re pregnant, you shouldn’t be worrying about things like this.”

I shrugged my shoulders, even though she could see me. “Yeah, well, that’s life. Anyway, thanks Cass. I’ll keep you updated. Good night, love you. Tell Dougie good night and I love him also.”

“Yeah, good night. Love you too. And Ali, for real. Get some sleep.” She chuckled before continuing. “Sounds like you have a big day ahead of you.”

“Oh, do one.” I replied softly. I hung up the phone then ran my hands over my face.

Last night I set my alarm clock for six o’clock in the morning, so I was promptly startled awake. I slammed my hand down on the wretched thing, groaning loudly into my pillow. That’s all I allowed myself before I hauled myself up from my bed, and began getting ready. 

I slid on a frock that I thought was comfortable and shoes to match. I did nothing but brush my hair out, then grabbed my clutch. See I always planned on going to the Derby since I did want to find out if things would play out like the episode; however, the motive has changed now.

Now, I was determined to take Grace’s place ‘n tell Tommy about my pregnancy. I just had to go pick up the dress to do it. This was the dress I commissioned a while back ‘n paid her extra to get it done for this day. Hopefully, I still fit into it. Ya know since I gained a couple of pounds.

I hailed a taxi and began my journey. The drive was fairly quick, and I told him I’d pay extra if he kept the cab running. After I picked up my dress from the shop, I was going to head over to Dom’s place to go ‘n fetch my car. I wasn’t going to keep hailing cabs when I had a perfectly good car wasting away in the garage.

My morning went off without a hitch, to say the least, and it was only 8:45 in the morning. I paid the driver his fare then began walking up the driveway. I greeted the men I knew as I passed them. 

I passed by the entrance ‘n waved at Frank. Frank guarded the front door. Anyway, I continued on walking. 

‘So this was the end, huh? Didn’t think it’d pass by this fast nor did I think I’d end up pregnant. Oh, god. A baby. A little human being. One I might ‘ave to raise by myself. In a time where there’s blatant awful racism, an upcoming war, ‘n the world is ruled by misogynistic pricks. Oh, c’mon. Let’s get real. None of that went away! Well except for World War II, of course.

Oh god, my child would be old enough to serve or be drafted by that time. Oh my lord, Jesus! Wait, this child might be a girl. Hmm. A girl. Hmm. Shall I begin praying for a girl?’

While I was already dreading future problems, I didn’t notice that Dom had walked up beside me. 

“Aliena, are you all right?” He asked me, effectively startling me.

I flinched before taking a calming breath. “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. G’morning, Dom.”

“Morning, Ali. May I ask why you’re here?”

“Ah, um...” I pointed at my car. “To get my car.”

He nodded before rocking on his heels. “You know, Cassie phoned me late last night. She said you were…”

I nodded. “Yes, I’m pregnant.”

He came up to me and pulled me into a hug. I only managed to wrap one arm around him since the other had my dress draped over it. 

“Congratulations.” He said while jostling me a bit before taking some steps back. With his hands in his pockets, he asked. “How far along are you, if I may ask?”

“Said about two months.”

Dom nodded once more. “So, the father is?”

I shuffled around in place, tucking a piece of my hair behind my ear. “Oh, my boss. Um--”

Simultaneously, we said. “Thomas Shelby.”

I chuckled and nodded, sheepishly. 

“Aliena, isn’t the man some years older than you? About 12 years, was it?” 

“Mhmm.”

“Are you two— ”

I cleared my throat before swiping away a different piece of hair away from my face. “I thought Cassie would have told you, but I guess not. Um, I don’t know, to be frank. I don’t know if we’re going to be together. There was another woman in the picture before ‘n she came back. So… I know he went to visit her, but I don’t know if he was just... Using me.” I chuckled humorlessly, dropping my arm back to my side.

Dom wiped the corner of his mouth before nodding. “Well, Ali. You know I care for you like family. You’ve been a good mate to my daughter, so if you want me too— I’ll kill him personally. If you want me too, that is.”

I shook my head in disbelief and couldn’t help but burst with laughter. “Like father, like daughter.” I shook my head once more with a sigh. “No, no. That’s okay. But if you don’t mind waiting by the phone, that’ll be great. I don’t want him dead, but I wouldn’t stop you if you gathered the boys ‘round ‘n fucked up everything he owned. His offices ‘n houses ‘n such. Just no hurting people. Fuck take the money as well ‘n split with me. That’ll be his child support.” I grumbled that last part to myself.

Dom whistled, rocking on his heels again. “Aren’t you frightening? Seems like Thomas Shelby might have pissed off the wrong woman.”

“Is right, la!” I giggled. “Anyway, thank you for the offer. Um, so, you know that this means I’ll be out of the game for at least nine months, right?”

Dom nodded, raising a hand to stroke his chin. “Of course. Take as much time as you want.”

I nodded, bouncing on my feet. “Well, I have to get ready. I’m going to the Epsom races since that’s where he’ll be.”

“Do you have a ticket?”

“Huh?”

“You need a ticket to get in, Aliena.”

I nodded. “Mhmm. I knew that, but I was planning on sneaking in.”

He shook his head. “Look, I have a ticket. Get one every year. I’ll give it to you if you allow me to drive you there.”

My eyes widened at the proposition and a smile stretched across my face. “Really?”

“Really. After all, you shouldn’t be doing anything dangerous. You're pregnant, Ali, you should be more cautious.”

I tsked ‘n pouted. “I am cautious.”

Dom rolled his eyes. “If you were as cautious as you think you are, you wouldn’t be knocked up, now would you?”

My mouth hung ajar as I watched him walk away, back into the mansion.

“Come on, follow me. I suspect that you still need to get ready by that dress hanging off your arm.”

I tsked before I caught up and walked inside the house with him. He ordered a maid to tend to me. She guided me to a room before helping me out. I told her that I wanted to put my hair up ‘n she suggested that she use the curling iron specifically for making waves and then tie my hair in a low bun.

I agreed to it. So, she did just that. It took over an hour with the amount of hair I had, and I was right to assume she was an expert seeing as she was hired by Dom. After hair came makeup, I decided on a light shade of grey for my eyeshadow. She suggested applying on eyeliner ‘n I allowed her to apply it. As for lipstick, I went with a nude pink shade. Decided to apply some mascara as well.

Finally, after makeup came putting on the dress. I looked at it, apprehensively. 

“Do you reckon it still fits?” I asked her. 

She chuckled, a smile on her face. “Of course, lass. Your belly is barely a bump. But don’t ask me the same question in two months. That’ll be a different story, love.”

We both laughed before she helped me get in it. The dress wasn’t snug enough that the bottoms wouldn’t fasten, but it was definitely form-fitting seeing as my breasts were almost spilling out from the top. I swear I didn’t plan on that happenin’, and I decided to just ignore how it hugged my midsection the best I could since it wasn’t fat. It was my baby bump. 

Once I got the dress on, she guided me to a closet where there were a multitude of women’s shoes at the ready. 

I picked a pair of white heels ‘n she put them on for me. It was rather kind of her ‘cause to be honest— I wasn’t sure if I was able to bend down in this dress. With the shoes, I was fully dressed so we both walked out. I walked straight to Dom’s office ‘n knocked before entering.

“I’ll be right there. Hold on.” He said.

I waited there with my hands clasped around my clutch. He picked up his head and squinted at me.

“What?” I asked.

Dom shrugged his shoulders. “Anne, doesn’t it seem like she’s missing something?”

The maid, who was aiding me, Anne furrowed her eyebrows at me ‘n took in my outfit along with Dom. I kept glancing between them expectantly. 

Anne snapped her fingers before turning toward Dom. “How about that white fur shawl, sir? Shall I go fetch it for the Miss?”

Dom nodded, waving her off. “Yes, go quickly we need to leave. And fetch her some gloves too!”

Anne bowed toward him before running off. 

I raised an eyebrow at Dom, who was rising from his seat. “A white fur shawl and some gloves? That’s what was missing?”

He nodded. “Been in the business a long time, Aliena. I know fashion.”

I shook my head while scoffing. Once Anne came back with the shawl ‘n gloves, I draped it around myself, put on the gloves, ‘n then Dom escorted me to the car. 

The drive to the derby was filled with conversation. I told Dom about my plans for my child ‘n caught him up on my relationship with Tommy. Even though I knew he probably didn’t care to hear about him. He seemed happier when I was talking about leaving him than when I was describing our relationship. 

When we arrived at the Derby, it had been around one in the afternoon. Dom gave me his ticket, I thanked him, he wished me good luck, then I ran out of there.

I didn’t know where or when Tom would be at the stairs but I needed to find him as quickly as I could. After getting in, the race was on for me. I was pushing past people ‘n switching between briskly walking and running. Quite honestly it was more strenuously ‘n stressful than I thought it was going to be. 

By the grace of the gods, I eventually managed to find Tommy. Just in time too, seeing as he was tailing behind that Irishmen he was ordered to kill. But, if he was standing there— that meant Grace was around, no?

For a split second, I forgot what I meant to do as a wave of panic washed over me ‘n I searched throughout the crowd for Grace. I shook my head and ran to Tom, swallowing my nerves ‘n pride.

I ran up the stairs and caught his arm. “Tommy, I have to talk to you.”

His face contorted in confusion as he looked at me up ‘n down. “Aliena, wh-what are you doing here? Ali.” He raised his ciggie to his lips before he began guiding me away. “This is not a good time.”

It wasn’t really guiding, it was more like dragging. I looked ‘round the crowd to see if I could find Grace. Not so much as a glimpse of ‘er.

“Let’s go this way. Excuse us.” Tom led me to the exact same spot he would’ve led her. With his head still looking up, he said. “Whatever it is, Ali, it'll have to wait.”

I shook my head. “No, Tommy. It can’t. I—! I wanted to tell you yesterday but I couldn’t muster up the courage. I know today you have plans. Plans that might get you killed, so—!” I looked at his eyes. I kept switching focus between the pair. “I’m pregnant, Tommy. I’m pregnant.” 

His mouth was ajar and he couldn’t stand still. Tom was honestly stunned. His mouth puckered as if to say something, but he couldn’t manage it. “But you said… You said it was an illness.”

I shook my head. “It was morning sickness, Tommy. I’m two months along.”

His gaze kept drifting upward and in a fit of frustration, he said. “Ali, I seriously have things to do.”

“I know that, but—!” My eyes and nose were stinging at this point. It was utterly humiliating that I was getting this emotional.

“Aliena, I have things to do. When they are…” His mouth smacked as he looked up again. With his gaze back on me, he continued. “When they are done, I will decide.”

“And when will that happen’, eh?”

“After the race.”

I scoffed. “After the fucking race, Thomas? After the fucking race?”

“When the race is over, I will decide what to do. What to fucking do, all right?”

My tears blurred my vision ‘n I tried blinking them away. “Tommy, I—! I need you to know that—!” I tsked ‘n shook my head. I raised a hand to his face and took a deep breath. “Whatever you decide, I’ll respect it. You know that, don’t you?”

It wasn’t what I really wanted to tell him.

Tom huffed while nodding. He replied. “I know. I know...”

I grinned a little before it fell. Mustering up the courage, I said. “Because the thing is…” Tommy heaved a sigh. “I’ve loved you since I was 16. Those boys I went out with, they meant nothing to me. Everything, everything was to get over you ‘n now—!” I inhaled sharply before chuckling breathily.

“That is the thing.”

Our faces inched closer together, but we didn’t kiss.

“A baby, Tommy.” My gaze dropped down to my stomach, but I looked up just in time to see he followed suit.

“Yes.”

I nodded before dropping my hand to his shoulder ‘n pushed him away. “Go on. Go do what you have to do.”

Tommy still looked stunned. His breath was raspy as he asked. “Where will you be?”

I took a deep breath. “I’ll… I’ll wait where they lay their bets. If you’re not there by the time the races are over, I’m gonna head over to your flat.”

Tommy took off with not even a spare glance. With tears running down my face as I closed my eyes shut, I turned away from the handrail where he’d gone. I brought my free hand under my right eye. I opened my eyes as I let out a choked sob. I sniffled before opening my clutch ‘n fishing out a tissue.

Carefully, I dabbed my eyes as I walked away from the scene. In reality, I had no idea where I was going. I thought about finding John ‘n Arthur, but then I remembered that they were on the job. So, I just walked around aimlessly. 

Men tried to talk to me, but I shot them down or straight up ignored them. I was just glad that none of them decided to get physical with me. I really didn’t want to draw any attention to myself.

Eventually, I entered a tent bustling with people and found an empty chair. The second I sat down my body was wracked with nerves ‘n I haven’t eaten anything all day. I tried calming myself down, but the sharp pains coming from my stomach were becoming too hard to ignore. 

I got back up and went on the hunt for food. I managed to snag some sandwiches and a glass of water since I asked for it. Not the sandwiches— the water. I don’t know the time, but eventually people began piling out toward the track. I followed suit. 

I didn’t have anything better to do, and it’s not like I’d actually pay attention to the race. I couldn’t get a grasp on Tommy’s reaction. Instead of a positive or negative reaction, I got a neutral one. So, my nerves were never calmed. 

Though, it was a plus that Grace didn’t show. It meant that they were over with! Obviously! I kept still till I heard whistles blowing. I was thanking the gods once more. Police ran past me with their guns in hand that meant Tommy successfully killed that bloke. But I knew there was still one more hurdle for today. So, I couldn’t fully rejoice just yet.

I got up from my seat at the stands and began walking around again. Eventually, I managed to witness some of  the Peaky men fucking up some of Sabini’s. Good riddance. 

I continued walking around and I don’t know how, but I managed to see Tommy as he was being dragged off by “the red right hand” men. A hand clasped over my mouth and I followed them slowly. I tried to avoid catching Tommy’s eye as best I could. Tried avoiding the men’s eyes as well. 

But I couldn’t deny the feeling of dread in my stomach. My lunch threatened to come back up. They loaded him into the van then took off. I ran over, bent down, my dress cutting into my body as I did so, and quickly took his peaky cap into my hands. I minded the razor, of course. I dusted it off, cherishing it.

Quite shamelessly, I brought it up to my nose and sniffed it. Smelled of him and brought me the comfort I sought. I exhaled through my mouth, tipping my head back, and letting my hands fall against my stomach. I carried the cap ‘n my clutch in the same hand. 

I continued walking around aimlessly. Eventually, I made my way back to one of the tents. The same time I walked into this tent— May came in through the other side. My gaze fell to the center of us both and lo’ ‘n behold— Grace.

My eyes fluttered shut and I stood still. I felt anger, devastation, despair, and confusion hit me all at once. I shook my head. 

‘No, Aliena! You are a mother now. You’re a fucking mum. This is no time to wallow in self-pity, going “poor me!” No. Stand your fucking ground ‘cause between the two women right there. I bet I had more sex with him than them two combined!’

I raised my head then straightened my back ‘n shoulders. I moved in closer to hear their conversation.

“I guessed and then John confirmed it.” May said to Grace.

Grace faced May as she replied. “Guessed what? Who are you?” 

“I'm May Carleton. I trained Tommy Shelby's horse. And you're the woman who he said he wasn’t good enough for.”

My eyes practically bulged out of my sockets. ‘That wasn’t like the episode. She deviated from the original line! Did Tommy really tell her something different?’

May continued. “I see he didn't tell you about me. He did tell me about you, I wonder if that's significant.”

“Tell me what about you?”

“Do you have any idea where he is?”

Grace shook her head a little before replying, “I-! I'm waiting for him here.”

‘Why would she wait here? I stole her scene. She shouldn’t have had time to speak to him.’

“There's been trouble on the track. All the bookies have had their licences burnt.”

“Shouldn't you be down with the horses?”

I contorted my face in a deep frown while stifling a laugh. ‘Damn, Grace is fed up with her. I mean me too. But, it’s not like they’ve noticed me. The only ones who knew I was even in the running would be Polly ‘n Lizzie. So...’

May continued. “Which means they'll have to re-apply for their legal pitches. It's all part of Tommy's plan for the future.”

“What do you know about Tommy's future?” Grace asked, snappily. 

‘Excuse me, bitch! What do you know about his future? Are you fucking pregnant or not? I swear to all that is holy, I’ll—! Sorry, that’s just the anger talking. I could never kill Tommy.’

“The applications will be denied, of course. And all the pitches will be allocated instead to Tommy's bookies. I know because I'll make sure of it. I have influence with the board.”

“There's business and there's love.”

‘Bitch, you’re married! MARRIED!’

“Is there? With Thomas Shelby?”

‘I mean, I agree with May. But, for my own sake— I can’t be on her side fully. I know being with Tommy will be no picnic. I think I know that better than anyone now. Not just from these past few weeks, but these years. He’s rude, blunt, abrasive, selfish, and etc. However, he can be kind ‘n gentle and everything else. So, no. There’s not just business, but it’s his profession. So, I have to respect it ‘n understand his struggle.’

“What do you want from him?” Grace asked May.

“Same as you. I want to feel alive.” May then began to walk away.

‘It’s like I want to say ditto, but at the same time— no. There’s more than that in my relationship with him. If ya get what I mean? I admit being with Tommy is exciting, but I coveted his love not his life as a gangster.’

Grace shouted. “Did he tell you my name?” May turned ‘round ‘n faced her. “My name is Grace.” Then, she walked away even faster.

I pursed my lips before tapping the counter I was leaning against rhythmically. I waited around there for about a second more before I decided to go back to exploring. Well, not exploring— I needed to find a phone or Polly.

I went from tent to tent, just looking for her. I can’t describe the relief I felt when I finally entered one with what appeared to be phone booths at the back. I walked closer to the stall that I hoped would be occupied by Polly ‘n sure enough, all I could manage to see was her hat peeking out.

I waited for the business to be done while leaning against the bar. The gun shot made me smile. It meant that Campbell would no longer be a thorn in our side ‘n that part of business was over with. I stood on my feet ‘n waited for the door to open. 

Polly came out with that red patch on her coat. I took notice of it immediately. I walked right up to her.

“A-Aliena! Love, what’re doing here?” She asked me, obviously very startled. 

I shook my head. “Polly, take my shawl. Take it! Hurry!” With trembling hands, she did as I said. I leaned closer to her and whispered. “You had a spot.” I leaned back ‘n gave her a smile. 

I joined our arms together and led her out of the tent. We didn’t hear the commotion I knew was taking place in the back ‘cause of the other loud noises. Polly was trembling really badly. I didn’t realize how badly it affected her till she made us stop. She threw up behind a barrel.

I pitied her. I couldn’t understand her feelings. Was it because it was her first kill? Was it because she simply killed a man? But, he was her rapist. It was just. Not that I care about justice. I care more about revenge ‘n vengeance. I didn’t react like that when I killed my first person, but I guess this was the more normal reaction. 

Polly composed herself before asking me yet again. “Aliena, why are you here?”

I cleared my throat. “Well, um… Tommy never gave me a proper response after I told him on Monday, and my mate had a ticket. She gave it to me to confront him.”

“And what did he say?”

“Nothing. He still hasn’t given me a response. Had work to do. He said he would tell me after the races, but I can’t find him.”

She nodded. “Well, then. C’mon, love.” Polly beckoned me over with her hand. “Let’s head on home. We’ll take the train.”

I nodded and took her hand. We walked to a cab to the train station. Then as we sat in our car, Polly allowed herself to be vulnerable with me. She rested her head on my shoulder ‘n her body wracked with sobs. 

Her sobbing brought tears to my eyes, but not enough to spill over. Unfortunately, my tears kept filling then retracting from my eyes. Like I’d want to cry, but then wouldn’t the next. Certainly brought that pit back into my stomach, though. 

Tommy’s peaky cap was the only thing that brought me comfort.

Tom couldn’t believe the situation he was in, but at the same time— he could. Of course, he could. Tom would just rather it not be happening to him.

“Were any of you boys in France? Allow a man a cigarette?” He asked.

One of the men replied. “The Somme. Blackwoods.”

Tom stared at the man. His mouth smacked softly as he said. “The Somme. The bulge.”

The man gave Tom a nod. “Smoke.”

Tom reached into his coat pocket for his carton, placed one between his lips, tucked it back in while reaching to his other pocket for his matches. While opening the box, he shook his head in disbelief. “So fucking close.” He muttered to himself. He lit the match, brought it to his cigarette, then inhaled. Tom took a deep breath before taking a drag ‘n with two fingers, taking it away from his lips. 

Tom looked over at the man to his side and while waving his cigarette at him, he repeated. “So fucking close.” A sad smile on his face. Tom brought the cigarette back to his lips, taking a puff, then turning ‘round. 

He swears he could hear Aliena’s laughter. As clear as day. 

Tom closed his eyes before dropping his arm. 

He swears he can see Aliena. Her face contorted in a smile, in pleasure. His two favorite memories of her. “Oh... And there's a woman.” Tom said aloud. God ‘n when she would ride him. What a sight. “Yeah… A woman...” Tom recalled what took place earlier. How Aliena professed her love to him again, more directly. “Who I love. And I got close.” 

Tom opened his eyes and looked at the sky. Their child. Just as he feared, he’d never have a future with her ‘n never lay eyes upon their child. “Nearly got fucking everything!” He shouted, eyes pooling with tears. His voice strained at the end as he held himself back.  

The sound of a gun cocked behind him made his heart sink to his stomach. Tom closed his eyes ‘n made his peace. He hung his head, taking a puff, then exhaling. He looked down at the cigarette in his hand before saying, “Oh, what the fuck.” Tom brought it to his lips for one last drag. After he took it, he threw it behind him while saying, “Get it done, boys.”

Waiting alone in his flat wasn’t the brightest idea. It allowed my mind to be the loudest thing in the room. Gone was the confident me who acted boldly, and the girl who was riddled with mental illnesses returned. 

Why was Grace there? Was she pregnant? Since she was there, should I just bolt? I mean why stick around just for him to tell me that I was just—! Why stick around when I’ll be forever labeled as the other woman? Even though she was the bitch with a husband!

I couldn’t—! I couldn’t handle something like that. God, I don’t even think I could stomach co-parenting! Like if Tommy told me that he didn’t love me, but he wanted to be in our child’s life… I don’t know, but I wouldn’t like it.

I wanted everything or nothing! Everything or nothing…

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. It didn’t work. I couldn’t stop shaking my leg. I couldn’t stop the worst of possibilities hijacking my mind. Thinking about everything— except positive outcomes. My gaze fell onto a drawer in the living room, one I knew contained several packs of cigarettes.

My hands were itching for one between my fingers. I groaned and shook my head. I buried my face in my hands and took another deep breath. 

God, all of this deep breathing was making me nauseous ‘n annoyed! 

My gaze fell upon the drawer again. I tsked before angrily marching over to the drawer, yanking it open, grabbing all of the packs, and marching to the back door. I struggled to hold them all in one hand as I attempted to pick up the lid of the garbage bin. I threw them all away then marched back inside. 

While marching back to the living room, I reached up to my hair ‘n began taking it down. Anne used so many bobby pins, it was honestly worsening my mood. I threw the pins in the middle of the table before plopping back down on the sofa. 

I should leave. I should leave. You should leave. He was just using you. He doesn’t care about your child. He loves Grace, he will always love Grace. Why would he love you? You’re boring ‘n easy ‘n naïve. You were a game to him, Aliena. You were a distraction. 

What good is a distraction when it ties you down with responsibilities? Grace was there because she was pregnant. She had to be! Your child will suffer because of this man.

I shook my head and clutched my eyes. “Stop it...” I whispered to myself. I sat up straight.

This child will not receive the same amount of attention ‘n love ‘n care as their sibling and they will figure it out eventually. They’ll ask you, “Why does Charles get to stay with Daddy all the time and I can’t?” 

They’ll ask you, “Why doesn’t daddy treat me the same way?” Fuck!

 I was shaking my head frantically now. But then, I realized what I was doing. I was acting insane! I held my breath till I couldn’t hold it anymore. Then, I allowed myself to breath. I did this a couple of times before I felt myself calm down. 

“Think, Ali, think. What can you do to take your mind off things? Get your mind off the negatives!” I said to myself. I placed a hand on my stomach. “You’re stressing yourself out way too damn much. Think of the baby, Aliena. Think of your baby.”

I nodded to myself about my own words. Then, I was hit with the bright idea to sing. What song did I choose to sing, might you ask? ‘No Time to Die’ by Billie Eilish. 

By the time I was done singing the song, I had numbed myself as I laid there on the sofa. Waiting for Tommy to come home.

Tom pushed open his office doors, taking it all in. He’s managed to escape death yet again ‘n on his way back— he’s already managed to “get over it.” Nobody was better at compartmentalization than Thomas Shelby.

Tom noticed Michael sleeping at his desk. He walked up to the lad and kicked his desk, startling his younger cousin awake. While talking, Tom pointed at Michael as he walked into his office. “Polly and I had a bet.”

Michael groaned, sleepily. Getting up from his chair, following Tom while yawning.

“One of us bet you'd take the money and go. And one of us bet you'd still be here.” Tom continued as he walked over to his little alcohol bar, picking up a bottle, and two glasses. 

Michael replied. “She wants me to stay.”

Tom walked over to his chair as he replied. “Mmm, you know something, Michael? What Polly wants will always be a mystery to me.”

Tommy set the glasses down on his desk then poured himself ‘n his cousin a drink. 

While leaning on Tom’s desk, Michael continued. “I've decided. I want to make real money with you.” 

Tom raised his glass, Michael took his in hand, then clinked it with Tom’s. The men brought their glasses to their lips and threw their bevvies back. Tom tutted ‘n groaned before he sat down in his chair. Michael following suit. 

Tom shut his eyes for a second. His body released all the tension that had built up since that moment. When Tom opened his eyes, he said. “I've got some ideas, Michael. For the future of the company.” 

Tommy looked up at the ceiling, a small smile on his face. So small that he wasn’t sure if it was really there. All that was running through his head was Aliena and their child. “And also… I'm planning on getting married.”

The expression on Michael’s face just absolutely dropped as did his heart. 

Tom didn’t waste a second longer, though. He got up from his chair, patted Michael’s shoulder as he walked past him, then out to the door. Tom was practically running to his flat.

On the other hand, Aliena was laying calmly on the sofa still. Well, she got up to put a record on since she couldn’t empty her mind till there was something louder in her vicinity. Something she could focus on. Then, there was that time that she went to the bathroom to wipe off her makeup ‘n then use it. 

But, yeah. Now, she was laying on the sofa. Aliena raised her hands to her stomach and she began caressing it. Her bump was small, but there. She just looked bloated. Aliena smiled as she came up with the thought of making Dougie or Cassie take pictures monthly. 

Well, they’d miss this month ‘n the last— but they can capture the other seven months. Just as she began giving herself some comfort, the door to Tom’s flat swung open and hit the wall with a loud bang.

It made Ali jump to her feet. Tom appeared before her within a second. The pair just stared at each other. Then, like an unspoken agreement— they rushed toward each other. 

Aliena had meant to check on the wound on his temple, but Tom had other plans in mind. He leaned down and captured her lips in a kiss. Ali whimpered into it before pulling away.

“Tommy—!”

“Wait...” Tom didn’t let her finish her sentence. 

He’d almost lost her. Lost their child. He wanted all of her. He wanted to know that this was all real. 

When Tommy parted from their kiss, he rested his forehead on hers. Their pants mixed ‘n filled the room along with the music. 

Tom’s lips smacked before he whispered. “Marry me.”

Aliena’s eyes widened, her eyebrows furrowed, and her mouth dropped. Her eyes darted all around his face as she took a step back. She whispered in disbelief. “What?” Her head cocking to the side. 

Tom licked his lips before repeating, “Marry me, Aliena.”

Ali was sent through a loop. Her mind immediately wanted to ruin this for her, screaming at her that he was deceiving her. But she took a deep breath, walked straight up to Tom, and took his face into her hands. Tom immediately placed his hands on her arms.

She looked into his eyes, searching for the sincerity in those gorgeous, blue eyes of his. Her eyes watered, her tongue poked the inside of her cheek. Aliena let out a breathy chuckle, a smile spreading across her face. “Do you love me, Tommy?” She whispered.

Tom took a moment to process her question then snorted. Thomas Shelby began laughing, so hard that he practically sent himself in a coughing fit. Aliena had a smile on her face as Tom regained his composure. He took Ali’s hovering hands into his own ‘n placed hers back on his face. 

“Yes, Aliena Welsh, I love you. Now, will you do me the honor and marry me?”

Aliena’s tears slipped out of her eyes as her body wracked with laughter. Her hands slid from his face to his neck to his chest. Lightly, she smacked it while still in a fit. Aliena took a deep breath, resting her forehead on his chest before picking it back up ‘n looking up at him. She gasped while nodding her head. “Yes, Thomas Shelby. I’ll marry you.”

Tears stung Tommy’s eyes, he let out a short, raspy chuckle. Then, he wrapped his arms around Ali’s waist and spun her in the air. Aliena squealed while wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. 

When Tommy stopped ‘n stood still, he managed to put a hand lovingly on her face. He hummed. “A baby, Ali. You’ll have that child with blue eyes you’ve always wanted, eh.”

Ali spluttered, a hand shooting up to cover her face before she smacked Tom on his arm. He just tipped his head back while cackling. When they both calmed down, Tommy began walking backwards. When his calves hit the sofa, he sat them down, being mindful of her legs. 

“I’ll get you the ring as soon as I can, promise.” He said while admiring her eyes.

Ali snorted before rolling her eyes. She playfully punched his chest. “You better! I’ll be expecting the prettiest engagement ring known to womankind.” Ali shrugged her shoulders a little as she spoke, but then laughed into her hand. 

Tom just smirked at her words. “As you wish, Mrs. Shelby.”

Ali sobered and perked up at the title. She scoffed, reaching down to play with the collar of his shirt. “Already calling me your wife?”

“The sooner, the better.” Tom raised a hand from her waist and entwined it in her hair. Ali placed a hand upon his forearm with a smile on her face. 

“Tell me you love me, Tommy.”

Tom sighed, a smile on his face. “I love you, Aliena.”

“Tell me again.”

“I love you, Ali.”

Ali sniffled, tears already spilling from her eyes. She hid her face in his chest and began sobbing. Tommy just rubbed her back while resting his cheek on the top of her head. 

“Why are you crying, love?” He asked.

Ali sniffled ‘n sobbed. “I’m so happy!” She took a stuttering inhale before sobbing it out. 

Tom tried fighting back the smile that wanted to spread across his face. Eventually, Ali calmed down and just went limp against his chest. Tom was stroking her hair away from her face. 

Ali whispered. “Tommy?” He hummed. She rose from his chest, sniffled, then asked. “Can we make love now?”

Tom smiled and nodded while caressing her face. “Okay...” He leaned closer to ‘er ‘n pecked her lips. Ali went to climb off his lap, but Tom gripped her thighs. While hauling them both up, he groaned. Almost limply, Aliena wrapped her arms around his neck ‘n hid her face there. 

Tom walked upstairs to his bedroom. When they reached the room, Ali asked him to put her down. She kissed him before walking into the bathroom. While she was fixing herself up, Tom looked at the ajar door in disbelief. 

He asked her to marry him, and she said yes. He was getting married. He was going to have a child. 

Tom began undressing just as Aliena came back into the room. She saw what he was doin’ ‘n followed suit, but Tom shook his head. 

Tom finished unbuttoning his vest before raising his hand mid-air, beckoning Ali. “Come here, love. Let me do it.” 

Aliena rolled her eyes, taking his hand. He pulled her to his chest, spun her ‘round so that her back was pressed against him. Tom leaned down while moving away some of her hair that covered her neck. 

Ali sighed at the feeling. Truthfully, she was overwhelmed with emotions. She was almost in a dissociative state, but not. Married? Being his wife? Would she be allowed to be in his life like this?

Tommy cupped and squeezed Aliena breasts and she inhaled sharply. They were still tender. 

Tom chuckled under his breath. "Guess I haven't been paying the right amount of attention to you, love. Want me to help you?"

Aliena practically melted into Tommy’s touch then nodded while moaning. Tom squeezed her breasts softly a couple of times more before reaching down to undo the buttons of her dress. When her breasts were free, Tom didn’t hesitate to begin massaging Ali’s tits. 

Ali gasped 'n threw her head back in pleasure and pain. This continued till Ali no longer felt any more soreness, ya know— it sort of just went numb. She craned her head up to look at him. 

"Tommy, please. I want you already."

Tommy smirked and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Okay." He whispered, wasting no time to spin her 'round by her waist, and place her on top of his desk. While continuing to unfasten the buttons on her dress, he captured her lips. Their kisses were passionate and messy. 

Between them, Ali was chanting his name like it was the only word she knew.

At the same time, Tommy began. "I'm gonna take care of you, Aliena. You'll want for nothing. Our child will want for nothing. I'll surround you with only the lavish of things. A fucking mansion you deserve. A lifestyle that you deserve."

Ali chuckled breathily, her hands on his face as well as a big smile adorning her face. She pecked his lips once more before raising a finger to trace his bottom lip. “Tommy Shelby, if you swear to give all of yourself to me, that would be all I need.”

Tommy ran his tongue along the inside of his bottom lip as he scoffed. He gripped Aliena’s thighs as he hauled her up once more. “Are you sure? I’m a lot to handle.” He laid her down gently before standing up straight ‘n continuing to undress himself. 

“I said yes to marrying you, didn’t I? I want all of you.” Aliena shimmed her dress off ‘n yanked off her panties as well. When she was done, she didn’t hesitate to help him undress. 

When it was all said in done, they both crawled to the middle of the bed with Tom hovering above Aliena. Then, he leaned down and paid special attention toward her breasts. “Will you promise the same?”

Aliena ran one hand through his hair while the other scratched up and down his back. Slowly, she wrapped her legs around his waist. “You’ve had all of me since the day I met you. So, you know it’s not the same.”

Tom trailed his way back to Ali’s lips, exchanging open mouthed kisses. “Fair enough. You’ll have all of me.” He reached between them and guided his head toward her entrance. Slowly, he pushed in. 

Aliena moaned from the sensation as did Tom. Tom kept a slow pace for a while, wanting to experience this for as long as he could. Wanting to hear the little mewls that would escape her mouth. He was mindful of his weight, trying his hardest to maintain hovering above her in fear of crushing the child in ‘er stomach.

Not like he could, but he was still mindful of himself.

“Faster, Tom...” 

Tom grunted as he launched himself up to his knees, his cock slipping out a little. He grasped Ali’s legs, which had fallen off him, brought them together and held them up like that. Tom held them at angle to the left before he began thrusting quickly into Aliena. 

Ali threw her head back against the pillows as she tightly shut her eyes ‘n began panting like crazy.  

“Look at me, love. C’mon, open your eyes.”

Aliena whined at the order, but did it, nonetheless. With her head bent to one side, she gazed at him through squinted eyes. Her teeth were clenched together, trying to lessen the sounds coming from her. 

Tommy stopped thrusting, reached over, and stuck two fingers into her mouth. Aliena let him do so since she knew what he was after. 

Through heavy breathing, Tommy said. “They’re gonna stay there till I come. You got that?”

Aliena nodded while wiggling her hips— desperate for him to make her come already. Tommy shook his head while scoffing before he withdrew his fingers and smacked Ali’s arse. 

She yelped, but actually welcomed the sting. However, her yelp was cut off since Tom returned his fingers upon her tongue, holding her mouth open. Not even a second later, Tom began his brutal pace. 

So, there Aliena laid. Demanded to look at Tom and keep her mouth open. Her lewd moans and little sounds reverberated around the quiet room along with Tommy’s quick inhales ‘n the noises from their endeavor. 

Eventually, Ali’s orgasm grew close once more— the pressure in her lower stomach building up. Since Tom couldn’t keep up the same pace for that long, he decided to roll them over. Ali was quick to adapt ‘n began bouncing dangerously fast on his cock. 

Tom let out a choked gasp before his hands shot up to regain control of the pace. “Ali—!”

The girl barely heard him ‘n calmed down. Slowly, she raised herself up and down. With an iron grip on her hips, Tommy let out a deep sigh before he started guiding Aliena’s hips along his cock. 

Fortunately for her, Tom was giving her what she wanted— a fast pace. Just not the pace she was originally going. She rolled her head to the left from the pleasure. Then, she let out a strangled cry as a wave of euphoria washed over her. 

With his grip still on her hips, Tom propped up his legs and began bucking into her. Ali let out this coquettish laugh with a smile to match. Tom groaned at the sight before gripping her hair ‘n pulling her down to meet his lips.

At the rate Tommy was going and the angle, it overwhelmed Ali. Her squeals ‘n shouts were muffled by their kiss. Tom’s face contorted in pleasure as he came. Ali’s expression was faring no better.

The couple laid there like that for some time while catching their breath before Ali rose up from Tommy’s chest and fell over to her side. She propped herself up with her elbow and raised her other hand to inspect Tommy’s wound on his temple.

“You’ve had blood on your face this entire time, you better beaut.” She tsked before attempting to rise from the bed.

Tom grabbed her forearm, pulling her back to ‘em, as he said. “It’s all right, love. Lay with me, eh?”

Aliena hummed, splaying her fingers across his chest as she cuddled into his side. Once again, they laid there cuddling for a while before Tom cleared his throat and reached for the nightstand. With one hand he opened a drawer, took out a pack of cigarettes along with the matches, then expertly got one out. He held it between his lips before striking the match ‘n lighting his cig.

The smell alerted Aliena, forcing her to open her eyes ‘n look up at him. She hummed, judgmentally. She said, matter-of-factly. “You know you’re gonna ‘ave to stop smoking.”

“Wha—”

“Not now, but after the baby arrives. I don’t want them to develop any health issues like asthma.”

Tommy was the one to hum this time. He raised the cig away from his lips, raised it into the air, and looked at it. He turned it side-to-side, sighing before he brought it back to his lips. “All right, Ali. I’ll quit.”

The statement arose guilt rather than relief. 

Aliena quickly rattled off. “Well, maybe you don’t have to fully quit. I just don’t want you to be smoking ‘round the baby, is all.”

Tommy raised himself up to get a better look at Ali with a smirk on his face. He turned to his side and stubbed his ciggie out in the tray. “No, is all right. I’ll quit for the baby. Besides, perhaps I should listen to you this time and try ‘n prolong my life as much as I can. Want to see how this little bugger of ours will turn out.”

Ali’s eyebrows furrowed as she spluttered, smacking on his chest. Tom joined in on the laughter. He pulled her into a quick kiss not a second later. Ali pecked his lips once more before rolling away from his grasp ‘n walking over to the bathroom. 

Tom groaned in protest, ultimately deciding to look up at the ceiling in his boredom. Immediately, his brain began calculating and speculation the necessities for a wedding, a mansion, and everything else. 

After a wee, Aliena came back with a warm cloth. She set it down on her dresser, bending down to get some panties from out the drawer. After she put them on, she picked up the cloth ‘n walked over to Tom. 

Ali muttered as she dabbed the warm, wet cloth along the right side of his face. “I’m just cleaning up the blood, not the wound. So, if you want to do that after?”

“No… Just want to keep lookin’ at ya.” He replied, raising a hand to caress her cheek. 

Ali smiled before she hummed. “I won’t ask you how it happened. I won’t, but I have to ask you about something else.”

She knew that she was playing a dangerous game. Tommy had just professed his love to her and they were “engaged,” but she had to know. She had to know before it was too late.

Tom sighed, immediately recognizing that their little “love bubble” had popped. “Okay, what about?”

Ali took a deep breath, taking the cloth into her hands, and gazed down upon it. She sniffed before tossing it on the nightstand. She wiped her nose with the back of her left hand before she asked softly. “Did you… Did you have sex with Grace recently?”

Tom averted his eyes, clenching ‘n unclenching his jaw. He replied. “I’ll be honest, I invited her over to Ada’s and intended on sleeping with her. But I didn’t.”

Ali faced Tom, her face pinched in confusion. “You didn't?”

“I didn’t.” Tom’s mouth smacked as he continued. “It was the night we first made love. Finn called me up and I went to you instead.”

Aliena’s face went deadpan. “You do realize that didn’t sound romantic, right?”

“Yep.”

“You wanna rephrase tha—”

“Yep! What I meant was that. While I was with Grace, it didn’t feel right. It felt wrong and my mind kept drifting back to you. To your smiling face, to your giggles.” Tom chuckled softly with a small smile on his face. “I can’t tell you how glad I was to get that call from Finn. It’s what made you mine.” He rubbed the side of her side with his thumb.

Aliena hummed, leaning into his touch, but the tight-lipped smile on her face said that she was displeased with something. “Then, why was she there?”

“Why was who there?”

“Why was Grace at the Derby today? She said that you had told her to meet her where they laid bets, just as I told you.”

Without missing a beat, Tom replied. “Aliena, after that night, I never saw her or made contact with her ever again. This afternoon I was busy with other stuff. After you told me about the baby, I didn’t meet up with anyone else.”

Aliena glared at Tom. “You promise?”

“Promise.”

Aliena hummed again before smiling. “Okay, then. I’ll believe ya!” Tom grabbed her forearms and pulled her over his body so that she was tucked into his right side. She squealed ‘n cackled loudly as he did so.

As they cuddled, Aliena’s mind was a battlefield. Her mind wasn’t allowing her to be happy, plaguing her with toxic thoughts. Eventually, tears stung her eyes and she sniffled. Alarmed by the sound, Tom gently lifted her head up— asking what was wrong.

Ali tried composing herself as much as she could before saying, “Tommy, I’m scared.”

“Scared of what?”

“This! Being happy.”

Tom’s eyes widened before he snorted. Ali tsked, punching his chest. 

“Don’t laugh! Don’t fucking laugh!” She shouted.

“Sorry! Look, I’m sorry. It’s just why would you be afraid of being happy?”

She whimpered, averting her eyes yet again. Tom guided her back with the lift of his finger under her chin. She sighed. “I’m worried that the other shoe will drop. Maybe not now, but in the future. I know it’s probably not right, but I’m worried about you leaving me.” She scoffed. “I’m worried that you’ll get bored of me and cheat on me with Grace or Lizzie or some prostitute. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

Aliena slowly scrambled away from Tommy, pulling her knees to her chest while clutching her ears. Tommy finally sat up and placed his hands on her wrists as he shook his head.

“Aliena, don’t be sorry. Don’t apologize.” He leaned forward, so that they were eye-level. He whispered. “It’s all right. Just focus on me.”

Aliena repeatedly held her breath and exhaled out her mouth as she did earlier, trying to calm herself down. 

“I can’t change my past. I can’t, but what I can do is promise you that I will never betray you, Aliena. We’ll get married, have this child, ‘n be happy. I swear. I’ll make us safe, so that we can live out our days in peace. Eh? Come now, stop worrying about it.” Tom pulled her to his chest and allowed her to cry there.

Aliena took in a shuddering breath, sniffling as well. “I just don’t understand it, Tommy. How—? When did you fall in love with me?”

Tom sighed, shutting his eyes tightly. “I’m not sure. Just know that one day, I began wishing you were there to comfort me when I was frustrated or just wanted to see you smile. I can’t give you an exact date. I just know I wanted you around me all the time. Fucking hated hearing about your boyfriends and yeah...”

“What about Grace?”

“What about her?”

“When did you stop loving her?”

“When I began loving you.”

“That’s not fair you’re being vague.”

“I can’t give you a detailed answer, Ali. I just stopped feeling that way for her.”

Ali pouted. She hid her face “deeper” within his chest as she muttered. “I love you...”

Tommy replied. “I love you too.”

“If you cheat on me, I’ll hurt you.”

Tommy hummed and nodded. “Okay, love.”

“I’m serious, Tom.”

“I-I know, love.” Truthfully, he was rather enjoying this. Her petulant side hardly came out this much ‘n Tom prided himself on the fact that he’d be the only one to see her like this. 

Only he wasn’t. The mates have seen her like this plenty of times due to the influence of alcohol ‘n fatigue.

Tom parted from Ali a bit, seeing her eyes barely open. “How about we go to sleep now, eh?”

Ali rubbed her eyes and nodded. The couple quickly situated themselves in bed, but before either of them could close their eyes— Ali asked. “When are we gonna tell your family?”

“Tomorrow.”

“Cool.” She raised her head, pecked his cheek, then nuzzled her head under his chin. “Love you, good night.”

Tommy’s smile stretched down into a deep frown as he let out an amused breath. It resembled a chuckle, but it was too short to be called one. “Love you too, good night.”

Aliena and Tommy fell asleep in each other’s arms with their love finally out in the open.

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[elysiashelby]

In Another World - T.Shelby Imagine Ch. 26.2

Paring: Thomas Shelby x Aliena Welsh (OC)

Fandom: Peaky Blinders

Word Count: 17,414

WARNINGS: Angst (Undertones), Cursing, Fluff, Continuous First Person to Third Person POV Shifts, Recreational Drug Use (Weed), Vivid Murder Scenes, SMUT! (NSFW):  penetrative sex, unprotected sex

Summary: The countdown begins now, find out how the three weeks before Derby Day played out — before the season two finale. 

MASTERLIST  CHAPTER 26  CHAPTER 27 S2 FINALE

A/N: This chapter still has some POV shifts. There is ONE smut scene and it’s short, so... Other than that this chapter is an extra, so enjoy!

I should’ve known that eventually I’d have to come back down to reality. Well, I was always in reality, but it was more like the “love bubble” popped? Basically, my hiatus was over. I absolutely had to start working for Dom again. Word came directly from the big boss himself. It was somewhat humiliating, but yeah. 

Apparently, the only reason he hesitated calling was ‘cause Cassie kept guilt-tripping him about my situation. About how I couldn’t be seen in the South. Well, he ordered me to change my appearance— any way, shape, or form— ‘n to get my arse down there ‘cause he needed me. 

Of course, I could have, respectively, told him to go fuck himself— but then he just HAD to sweeten the deal.

Dom offered 55k for the job. I accepted without hesitation. It was very idiotic thing to do on my part. I was just so caught up in the fact that if I had to hightail it away from Tom then I’d be set for a while. I’d be able to live near Cassie, but in a home. I’d be able to maintain a rich lifestyle ‘n all that. It’d just be great.

Cassie knew that I took the job since she was there with her father, arguing in the background, and immediately said that she'd come ‘n get me. I was going to be with her for a while. About four to seven days, depending on how much time I needed to change and prep.

I spent the rest of the day coming up with a plan on how I was going to trick Tom into letting me go, but I couldn’t. At dinner, I kept trying to tell him, but I was afraid he was going to try ‘n talk me out of it. Basically, I didn’t want to create any more tension than there already was.

We got into an argument. Tom still didn’t want to tell me about how he was going to deal with Campbell, Sabini, and Solomons. 

‘He told me everything before, but now that we were “together”—  what? It fucking changes things?’

Tommy tried to avoid the situation ‘n thought that I would understand him. That was literally his words! I said fuck that and decided to start ignoring him. I was really mad at first, well— duh! We fought, but then I couldn’t stay mad. In fact, I cried when I was by myself. I was ugly crying, so he heard. 

He managed to soothe me and we both kind of just put the “argument” to rest. Tommy still didn’t tell me about the plan and I disliked him for it, but I couldn’t exactly be too mad. I already knew what he was going to do, so jokes on him. I just wish he actually told me. I know he trusts me, but I still don’t get why he wouldn’t tell me.

Anyway, the next morning after Tommy headed to work at the office, or wherever he goes when he’s out— I packed a couple of bags before calling him. I told him that I had to go to Cassie’s because something happened to her. Something like she needed me ‘cause she and Dougie got in a fight. He tried getting a few words in, but I told him that I wasn’t asking him— I was telling him.

Something told me I was gonna be in for it when I got back home. 

I was smart enough to make the call around the time Cassie pulled up ‘cause I think if I didn’t tell him that Cassie was already there, he would’ve ordered me to stay ‘n wait till he made it over. Instead, Tom begged me to stay safe. I told him that I would and that was the end of it.

Cassie picked me up in a limousine this time around. I don’t know why. Maybe it was to make sure Sabini’s men wouldn’t “find me.” I don’t know. I wasn’t afraid of the fucking bastards, but c'est la vie. I was chilling out on the floor of the car till we arrived at the hotel. Don’t ask me why, Cassie made me.

I knew Grace was staying at the Ritz to ‘n I prayed to God that I didn’t run into her. I knew she wouldn't come up to me, but I'm not gonna tell ya a blag— I felt like I would snicker in her face. 

Like a whole, "I'm fuckin' ya mans" moment! 'Cause I am. That's the thing. Even if he and Grace fucked the one time. I'm still fucking him, so what does that say about him? Huh? The bastard.

Anyway I didn't catch a glimpse of her 'n we went straight up to the flat. While waiting for a hairstylist to come up and bleach my hair blonde, I got the file for the target from Cassie. 

Yeah, now I know why I fucking getting paid so much! It wasn't just one bloody person! It was a whole fucking house full of people. 

Dom pulled some connections and got me in as a maid. That's why he needed me. I could easily slip into a mansion that replaces it's staff regularly, or at least from time to time. A butler is more conspicuous because we'll, male— while I, a female, wouldn’t be doubted. If anything not as harshly scrutinized. I’ll probably just act meek, but firm. Can go either way if I act too skittish or too confident. 

The hairstylist arrived not too long after I read the file for the first time. I still had to memorize it, so I gave it back to Cassie. She set it aside for me somewhere. During the whole process, Cassie kept me company despite the fact she ended up despising the scent of the bleach. I was already used to it, having bleach and dyed my hair a couple of times throughout my life.

We talked about the usual, ya know— boys. How my relationship with Tom was like and if anything had gone wrong yet, things like that. She was the only one I could tell, so fuck it, right? I couldn’t gossip with my mum— who would have been fucking ecstatic that I “landed” a man. Not like I could chat with Polly either since I was sleeping with her nephew.

Plus, she hasn’t really been talking to people much. She’d been keeping to herself, but not in a “weak” way. Polly will always keep her head held high, it’s what I love about her. But it was obvious that something had happened to her. Well, obviously to anyone who could fucking give a damn or could read her. Tom tried asking her what’s been wrong; however, Polly shot him down. 

So, all we’ve really been doing is giving her the space she probably needed. I didn’t want to, but after Tom and I got “together”— it’s been too awkward to be around her. Kind of. I mean I just didn’t want to give her an opportunity to ask about the love bites on my neck, or tell me that my hair was disheveled, or that I smelt like I had sex.

Yeah… I’d just be mortified ‘n I’d probably cave if she asked me who I was seeing. ‘Cause to be honest, I’d just assume she already figured it out ‘n tell her that she was right that I was seeing Tommy. The lady knows everything!

Bleaching my hair blonde took about the whole day since I had to go two rounds of bleach to get the areas that didn’t lift then go in and tone it. If I had to describe the shade of blonde, I’m guessing chestnut or just a dirty blonde shade. Did my hair feel like straw? Perhaps. I couldn’t tell the difference. 

Once the hairstylist left, I spent the rest of the day going over the file. Dom didn’t care about the method. There were no specifications, so that always made it a bit harder. My gut instinct was to always go for the biggest amount of bloodshed, ya know? 

I liked hearing them scream in pain and watching the blood seep out of them.

However, these targets were experienced men who would not hesitate to shoot back at me. There’s also the fact that Dom got me into the staff— clearly for a reason. 

There was a riddle that stuck with me from my childhood. It was about two friends who both ordered iced drinks. One drank their beverage quickly while the other took their time. The one who took their time died. Why? The person who quickly drank their beverage had poisoned the ice cubes. 

I liked the idea of that. I really liked that idea. But there’s no guarantee I could sneak in the ice, or that every single one of my targets would use ice. For that, I think I could finish them off with a bullet or a kitchen knife. 

I can’t sneak in a gun, so I’d have to get one from one of the men there somehow. Well, it was a plan. Now, I just had to figure out the disguise. 

The next day, I worked out before getting ready. I wore plain clothing and a red, long-haired wig. I bid Cassie good-bye as always, but I knew anytime I took on more than one target she grew worried. But, this was for the greater good. My greater good.

I walked over to the assigned pickup and a man from the target’s staff picked me up. We made some light conversation ‘n I was just glad that he was young. Probably a little older than me. If I had to give ‘em an occupation, I’d say he’s a stable boy or cook. I don’t know. Maybe even a fetching boy or an underling.

The boy talked for the whole ride, but I didn’t mind. The mansion was grand as they always were. I’m just glad this one was on the older side. Made me feel better for some reason. The mansions I usually infiltrate were modern, and in good condition. 

If you’re not catching my drift, I’m dissing Arrow House… Tom really needed to fix up the exterior of that place. Just saying...

Another man and woman came out to greet me ‘n I knew they were the ones in charge. The man took the boy while the woman guided me away. She quickly told me of all the responsibilities I would have while working for the family. She told me of all the do’s and don’ts as well. 

Like I’m not to look the “master” in the eye and the lady of the house was not to be spoken to unless she wanted us to reply. I’m not to look any of the guests in their eyes either. It would be best to just not attract any attention from them since they were all monstrous people, she said. People who have been forsaken by God. They were deprived and their souls were as black as coal. 

She really did not like the people who gave her her paycheck. It was laughable!

After getting settled in a room, I changed into my maid’s uniform— making sure I hid a knife in my boot like Polly taught me. I put my hair into a bun as well. Then, it was time to take in my surroundings.

I legit worked as a maid in the household for a day. I took in the layout of the home, got to know the master ‘n mistress as well as their bodyguards— which were a lot! Found out the master fucks any maid he likes, and the mistress fucks the young stable boy who drove me here. Well, he was a stable boy. Now, he’s an underling as I suspected. 

He has got a gun. It’s quite obvious who I was gonna manipulate if things get dicey, or rather, before things get dicey. 

The next morning, I was put on kitchen duty. I hid the poison in a vile that was hidden in the stitching of my suitcase. I mixed it in the water that was going to be used for the ice ‘n the rest was history. However, as a good measure I added it into the wine that was going to be served. No idea if the men would drink the wine, but it would kill any person at the dinner table who drank it. 

Arsenic is a very lethal ‘n tasteless after all. 

I couldn’t get to the alcohol cart. It was in a different room and when I tried to leave to “chat” with a co-worker who was nice to me— I got reprimanded so… There was no getting to the cart.

The rest of the targets didn’t arrive till the sun was no longer in the sky ‘n the moon replaced it. They weren’t going to have their scran immediately, so that gave me the time to find the underling. When I did find him, he was in the stables shoveling shit. It was pitiful and it made me internally cringe.

I was gonna ‘ave to seduce someone who was just shoveling shit. The smell gets on to clothes, alright! I had to suck it up ‘n I flung myself at him. He responded how I wanted him too. 

After making out for a while, he began to get too eager ‘n started unbuckling his belt. I pretended to be excited ‘n I looked down for the gun. It was jostling around as he struggled to rid himself of his belt. I didn’t reach for the gun just yet. 

I could’ve just stolen it from his hip and shot him in his head or chest, but the gunshot would create too loud of a sound for my liking. So, I let the boy do what he wanted. I guided him to my neck and held him there while gasping pornographically. I raised my leg, reached down into my boot, and pulled out my knife. 

“Please, I can’t wait anymore!” I pleaded into his ear, almost shouted— to cover the sound of my knife clicking open. The boy could only let out a scoff before I gripped his hair, pulled him away from me by his locks, and drove my knife into his chest repeatedly. He let out choked gasps, but I silenced him by driving my knife into the dip at the bottom of his neck. 

I dropped his body ‘n didn’t hesitate to hide him in the haystacks. I took the gun off his hip ‘n checked the clip before sliding it into my gun holster. I had the gun holster hidden on my inner thigh, so that it felt like I was just wearing a garter or somethin’.

I fixed myself, making sure no blood got on me before making my way back into the house. I got a scolding for being away when I wasn’t supposed to be, but I made it just in time for the dinner party. Some of us maids were supposed to stand patiently on the sidelines as the guests ate in case someone needed anything. 

But all I got was a front row seat to the chaos that was about to occur ‘cause of me. I tried not to stare too hard at who had ice in their beverages ‘n who had the wine and who didn’t. The one I knew would not have the fucking wine was the master, but he had the ice cubes. 

All I could hope was that he didn’t knock back his drinks, or at least hoped he used the same cup to knock back his bevvies. There were two targets, both men, who didn’t have ice cubes nor wine. I knew I was gonna have to fight them. The anticipation was killing me, but I didn’t show it.

They were all fine… for about 30 minutes to an hour and a half. Don’t know, there wasn’t a clock in the room. A woman who was not a target began to visibly show symptoms. She tried getting up and wobbled around while clutching her head. That caused the man next to her to get up as well.

Which led to the chaos. 

No longer than two minutes after the couple had stood up did the rest of them begin to notice they were nauseous and dizzy. The woman who first stood up began to hack blood and then violently convulse. 

Yeah, wasn’t long before the rest of them followed suit. During the chaos that unraveled around me, whether it be the staff running away or the targets realizing what was going on, I grasped the gun from its holster and fired two bullets at the men who didn’t consume my poison. 

One fell back in his chair while the other fell backward since I nailed him in the middle of his forehead. I turned to the master ‘n fired twice. One in the shoulder and the other in his chest. That was four bullets gone. I only had about four more in the clip.

I checked around the room to see some men still kicking it. They sluggishly attempted to pull out their guns, but the poison took them. Of course they weren’t my only obstacle. I had to worry about the bodyguards, who were about to burst through that door.

I ran over to the nearest body and stole his guns. I shot at the first man who walked through the door. Dead. I dove and ducked behind the table. While shooting at the entrance, I made my way down the table— walking with my knees bent. 

I think the stance is called something with duck in it.

Of course, I’m not perfect. I missed some guys ‘n they almost shot me too— but I’m one hell of a dodger. I made my way out of the room. Grabbing and swapping guns from dead bodies as I did so and ran out into the hallway. I hid behind a wall waiting for someone to come and try to attack me. 

My heart was in my ears, to be honest. But I loved the thrill. It was so exhilarating. A guard walked past me. I grabbed him by his face, yanked him back to me, pressed my gun to his temple, and pulled the trigger. 

One more to fucking go. 

I ran down the hallways again, dodging bullets as they nailed the walls instead of me. I made it outside. I chucked the empty gun away then hid behind a pillar. The whole walkway was filled with lined up pillars. I hurriedly leaned down and cut up my maid’s uniform since the length was going to probably get in my way. 

The guard was not making an appearance. I bunched it together and left it in a ball there before I dashed two pillars ahead of me. I pressed my back flat against it and focused my ears. It was silent for some time before I could hear his shoes against the gravel.

I turned my body round to peak over. He was getting closer to me, but I needed him to pass me. When I felt ‘n heard his footsteps growing nearer, I inched toward the slide of the pillar. When I heard him pass me, I swiftly twirled to the back of the pillar. 

I readied my knife and then rushed him from behind. I managed to slash his arm and disarm him, but he grabbed hold of my forearm ‘n flung me to the ground. I rolled with a grunt before getting to my feet. He was inspecting the damage I’d done him.

I readied my knife again and broke into a stance. He reached behind him and unsheathed a knife.

I half-expected that to happen.

“You’re gonna pay for what you’ve done, bitch.” He said.

I cocked my head as he tsked. The guard didn’t hesitate to attempt to slash my face, but I blocked and returned the favor. It turned into a series of slashing and dodging with neither of us hitting the other.

Eventually, he grabbed me by my forearm and kneed me in the stomach. I cried out in pain, and stumbled back against a pillar. There was a second of mercy before he slashed again. 

I let out this guttural moan as I returned his slashes. I felt this wave of happiness wash over me when he cried out and flinched from my blade. He turned back around and tried to grab me, but I slashed his hand. Once again, he cried out as he quickly pulled his hand back to himself.

The guard glared at me as he clutched his injured hand. I sniffed and curtly nodded my head toward him. The guard shouted as he ran toward me. I quickly assessed my next move, gripping the arm that attempted to punch me, placing a foot on his thigh, and launching myself up so that I could stab him in his back.

As I dismounted ‘n landed back on the ground in a crouching position, I twirled around and slashed his inner thigh. He instinctively clutched his new wound. But, he regained his composure.

We did a little dance as we circled each other, but then he began faking me out. Made me flinch every time in anticipation. The guard began swiping for me, but it was out of intimidation. 

The second time he did it, I blocked his blade, gripped mine sideways, and ran it past his shoulder. 

I, honestly, hate the amount of sound effects that come out when fighting. It’s embarrassing. Usually I’m composed and can keep my vocalization to a minimum, but I’ve been feeling fatigued lately.

I can’t deny the confidence I was experiencing since he hadn’t managed to get me with his knife yet. I readied myself as he recuperated. He striked first ‘n our blades crossed. But this time, he sent a right hook to my jaw. 

I grunted in pain, but bounced back. He tried driving his knife downward as I’m sure he planned to nail me as my head whipped ‘round, but I stopped it. I wrapped my right leg around his left arm, which was holding the weapon, launched myself up by firmly placing my right foot on his thigh, and I wrapped my legs around his neck. I craned his neck to the side, rose my knife into the air, and drove it down. 

He let out this croaky sound. I yanked my knife out and blood sprayed ‘n gushed out. I drove my knife back in and that’s when he dropped his knife ‘n fell to his knees. I didn’t hesitate to start walking once my feet hit the ground. The guard let out one last croak before he kicked the bucket.

Everything in that suitcase was a prop and I got rid of the arsenic bottles. Anything “personal” in the suitcase like a photo, I had chucked into the staff’s fireplace the night before. The rest of the staff had most likely booked it or were hiding in the mansion somewhere. 

I walked up to a car ‘n yanked on the door. It was locked. I sighed and rolled my eyes. 

‘I swear to God if I have to go back into that house to get some motherfucking keys!’

I reached down and cut off another piece of the outfit. I wrapped it around my fist and was about to raise it when I noticed headlights coming in. I didn’t hesitate to run for the bushes. The car parked semi near to the entrance of the brick walls, and I peered into the car. I tsked and rolled my eyes when I noticed it was just Chris.

He climbed out of the car and waved toward my direction. “Ms. Welsh, I’m over here!”

I crawled to my feet and hurried toward him. “Am I glad to fucking see you! Forgot you were fucking coming to get me.” I climbed in the backseat with a sigh, and then tugged up the suitcase that was there for me on the car floor.

“The assignment done, Miss?”

Through my eyelashes, I glanced at him before dropping my gaze back to the suitcase. “Of course.” I said, loud ‘n clear.

“Always glad to hear it. The boss said to bring you to the house to get cleaned up. Figured you'd be bloodied up as… usual and you'll be receiving your payment t'night as well.”

“Alright.” I muttered as I worked on taking off the maid outfit.

We arrived at Dom’s place in no time. The second I took a step out of the car, someone was there to take my bloodied clothes, and began escorting me to the nearest room with a shower. Cassie surprised me with a hug the moment I walked through the threshold of the home, and took over the maid’s job. 

She bombarded me with questions as she guided me to a room. Didn’t even leave me alone when I was undressing… Or when I was taking an iced bath. I told her almost everything, sparring some dark thoughts ‘n details to myself. 

But what was disturbing me the most was that I felt nauseous. I never felt nauseous after a mission! 

‘Was Tommy making me go soft?’

I shook the thought away and focused on answering Cassie’s question. Once I was presentable, we headed over to Don’s office. As we walked toward it, I noticed that the pit in my stomach was still aching. I cleared my throat and tried not to focus on it. 

Cassie knocked on the door and Dom allowed us in. 

“Ali...” Excitement laced his tone before he set eyes on Cass. “Honey, why don’t you take a step outside? I know you know about this,” pointing at himself and me, “but I don’t want you listening to everything.”

Cass tutted as she dropped her hip to one side. With a dismissive wave of her hand, she replied. "Might as well let me stay. Ali will just end up telling me everything anyway." Cass walked over to a chair and sat down. 

Dom's eyes flickered toward me as if asking if that were true. I swiftly shook my head, somewhat nervous of Cassie's reaction if she saw me. But her head was turned toward her father, so I was in the clear. 

Dom sighed. "Fine, then. Aliena, begin." He dropped his head before sitting down 'n raising it again. 

I took a deep breath before saying, "It went off without a hitch. No one was suspicious of me and all the targets were dealt with. My method was arsenic poisoning. There were two targets that tried attacking me while they were dying, but I stole a gun."

"Casualties?"

I nodded, my eyebrows furrowing for a moment before relaxing once more. "There were a couple of women who the targets brought along to the dinner. They were poisoned. Oh, and minus the bunch that I was paid to kill! Um, bodyguards— of course tried to avenge their boss but I killed them. Gun and a knife was my method. Oh, and a lackey. He was the git I got the gun from."

"Overall count?"

I hummed while rocking on my heels. "About six casualties, give or take."

He nodded while tapping on the desk with a pen. "Okay, then. Good job, Aliena." Dom shot up from his chair, and I didn't hesitate to walk up to his desk. Dom opened a drawer and pulled out my wads of money. "Knew I could count on you to get the job done. Aren't you glad I made you get out?"

I hummed in the affirmative. I couldn’t formulate an arse-kissing statement since I was blown away by the amount of money I was going to be receiving right now. 

“Payment was 55 thousand pounds and here it is.” He stuffed his hands in his pockets. “There’s a duffle bag you can use for the money.” Dom pointed to the bag which was beside Cassie before stuffing his hands back into his pockets. 

Cassie rolled her eyes at Dom before handing me the duffle bag with a smile. I gave her a smile back as I took it from her, and I walked back to the desk. I didn’t hesitate stuffing the money into the bag. 

Dom cleared his throat a little and shuffled around in place. “So, you decided to bleach your hair? It looks nice.”

I looked up at him through my eyelashes. “Thanks.” I replied dismissively. 

‘Money, money, money. Always funny in a rich man’s world.’

“Now that you’ve ‘disguised’ yourself, you’ll be able to complete jobs like you used to, right?” Dom asked me.

My hand stopped mid air and I thought about what he said. 

‘I really couldn’t make any promises since I wanted to spend as much time with Tommy as I could before...you know, the inevitable.’

I tucked the cash into the duffle bag while straightening my back. “I— uh! Yeah, I think so.”

“Great!”

I glanced over at Cassie and she gave me a tight-lipped smile. The one I wanted to give her, but couldn’t.

After the business side of my visit was over with, Dom invited me to stay ‘n have some dinner— if I didn’t already eat. Despite the fact I was feeling nauseous, I knew I was hungry, so I stayed. Much to Cassie’s chagrin, though, ‘cause I knew she was itching to leave.

She loved her father, but she loved him more from a distance. Part of me understands while the other is confused. I just roll with it. After all, he’s her dad so I can’t really put my two cents in. 

So, we ate dinner and made small talk. My new relationship with Tommy was not discussed, for obvious reasons, you know? We weren’t officially together, so I wasn’t going to run around telling everyone that I was sleeping with him. 

Well only my mates knew! Oops...

Anyway, once we were done with dinner— Cassie dragged me out of the house to go back to the flat. I didn’t really mind since I couldn’t stand entertaining her father for any longer. The nausea hadn’t gone away, in fact, ‘cause I ate it got stronger. 

I had Cassie drive, rolled my window down, and was humming the whole trip. I truly felt like I was going to puke at any moment. The cool wind and the humming could only do so much, unfortunately. 

I was so disturbed by the feeling that I couldn’t even hide it any longer. When the car stopped, it was like everything that was holding this feeling back was gone and came back to punch me in the gut. I groaned in discomfort, clutched my stomach with one hand while the other covered my mouth, and doubled over in my seat.

“Ali, are you all right?” Cassie asked me while putting a hand on my shoulder. 

Her touch brought annoyance instead of comfort and I shook her hand off. “I’m fine.” I muttered. “I’m just tired. I think...”

“Oh… Well, okay.”

I felt Cassie climb out of the car, but I took my sweet time doing the same. I couldn’t help it, and believe me— I wanted to climb out completely ‘n totally unaffected but—! Nothing was gonna help me now.

‘Well, maybe, if the fucking car didn’t stop!’

I somewhat ignored Cassie’s presence as I hurried to the elevator to get to the flat. Her worried calls were like distant, faded shouts in my ears. I practically threw myself inside the elevator and clutched the bars that were there for dear life. 

I could hear the clacking of Cassie’s heels and an exasperated sigh. “What the hell, Ali? You kinda just left me back there.”

I furrowed my eyebrows with shut eyes and began breathing from my mouth. “I. Need. To puke!” 

“Oh shit!” Cassie rushed over to me, pulled my hair away from my face, and rubbed my back as I hunched over.

I was focusing on my breathing ‘n trying to wait till we hit the flat to throw up. When the elevator stopped and opened, Cassie and I ran out of there like bats out of hell. 

When I tell you I had the determination to wait for the toilet! My mouth was fucking watering already!

Cassie eventually got the door unlocked after a couple of tries and I pushed past her to get to the bathroom. I dove to my knees, yanked the toilet seat up, held my hair back, and held my mouth open. Not ten seconds later and I was already throwing up.

I felt Cassie fall to my side ‘n take my hair into her hands while rubbing my back. Snot and tears dripped down my face, but I was used to it. I’d rather vomit than have diarrhea, I’ve always said!

I gathered what was left over in my mouth and spat it into the toilet before reaching over and flushing it. Of course, I didn’t want any of it splashin’ on me, so I fell back into Cassie’s arms.

She didn’t hesitate to soothe me. Sweeping my hair away from my forehead and rocking me gently. “Are you sick? Oh my god, did you poison yourself!”

I chuckled and shook my head. “No! No, that can’t be it. I-I… I’m not sick. But, I don’t know. My period must be coming soon.”

“You think it’s that?”

I shrugged my shoulders. “It has to be my period. I mean it’s made me throw up before.”

Cassie’s eyebrows furrowed and her mouth scrunched up. “Yeah...but that’s only happened when you were already on it. Not before.” She averted her gaze from me before bursting out in a chuckle. “Eh, maybe you’re pregnant!”

My eyes widened and I scoffed. I raised my fist up a little and punched her thigh. “Don’t say shit like that!”

She laughed while exclaiming. 

Truthfully, she just opened a can of worms I had not taken notice of at all! I’m not on birth control and I don’t ever remember Tommy wearing a condom when we’ve fucked once. So, is there a possibility that I’m “up the duff”? Yes! Yes, there fucking is!

But—!

I don’t think I am. I think my body is just going through it since I took on such a big job since coming back. It doesn’t matter that I’ve never thrown up after finishing up a job, not even after my first kill. 

I wasn’t pregnant!

After having a bit more of a laugh, I brushed my teeth and we both got ready for bed. The possibility that I might be pregnant wasn't brought up again, mainly because I think she knew I didn't want to talk about it. We made some small talk before going to sleep.

When I woke up the next morning, I laid in bed awake. My right hand stroked my stomach under my dress. 

‘What if I really was pregnant? Would Grace and I both be with child? Whose child was conceived first? If Grace is pregnant and he chooses her, would I still stick around? Hell! Would I even tell him? 

You know, my plans wouldn’t really change! A baby would just have to be incorporated in it. Honestly, I was planning on throwing myself into the whole assassin bit and fucking everything that moved— but a baby would prevent that. I’d do a job here and there to make ends meet when the money ran low, and spend the rest of my time taking care of them. Maybe even focus on writing!’

I took a deep breath, stopped stroking my stomach, and just laid there with my hand resting on my stomach. 

‘If Tom fucked Grace while fucking me and I’m pregnant, I’ll never forgive him. If he was never gonna love me, he shouldn’t have touched me. Plain ‘n simple. Just because I offered myself to him, doesn’t mean he had to take my offer. 

If he goes looking for me, hiding from him won’t be enough. I’ll go to America and I’m sure Cassie will go with me. I’m sure of it. Thomas would never have the privilege of knowing my child, and I would only tell my child of their father when they turned 18.

You want to go know him and shit! Go by your damn self! I’d never want to see that Peaky Bastard again!

Jesus Christ, Ali! Getting yourself worked up with hypotheticals so early in the morning, are we?’

I sighed, brought my hand out of my dress, and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. I laid there till Cassie stirred from her sleep. I always did that. There was a hint of disrespect in getting up if I was just going to wake her, so I let her wake up on her own time.

We ate breakfast then planned out how we wanted to spend the day. I was going to hang out today then head on back to Small Heath. I was just itching to see Tommy. 

So, we would go for some morning shopping then in the evening we would invite everyone over. Cassie wanted a day for just the two of us, but I told her I was planning on heading back. She seemed disappointed by my choice, and I even thought about changing it, but she accepted it.

Still made me feel like shit, though.

Anyway, once we hit the road— the mood was immediately lightened. We gossiped about London’s scandals and dabbled a little on politics. We didn’t know much, but we knew a lot about Communism 'n Feminism thanks to Angie.

It wasn’t that hard to keep up with the new dish. Hearing it from person to person made it more juicy. Social media gave you the full information, but hearsay was more entertaining. People have a tendency of twisting it, so you get like five different versions of the truth. 

While we were out, I made sure to visit my dressmaker. I gave her a commission a while back ‘n I was expecting it to be done soon. Well, to be fair, I gave her multiple commissions. But I was looser with the dates for those outfits! Of course, I needed a dressmaker! I was fucking tired of wearing loose dresses all the time. The clothes that I came with were fine ‘n all, but I wanted a change from time to time, ya know! 

We debated eating outside, but with the amount of stuff we bought— we ultimately decided on ordering room service back at the flat. I was talking about a story idea I had with Cassie for the whole ride. 

I loved it when people gave me criticism or added in something because it meant that they were listening and wanted to help me make my creation perfect. 

Simmons called a bellhop to help with our things, but we paid no attention. Heading into the lobby like the rich bitches we were. We were still very lost in my story talk by the time we walked all the way to the elevator, and the universe just had to fuck with me.

Lo and behold, little Miss Grace neé Burgess was in the elevator with her husband. I felt Cassie look at me, but I kept a smile on my face. I gripped Cassie’s arm and dragged her inside. I quickly told the elevator boy our floor and that was the end of it. 

I looked over at Cassie to see her rolling her lips around, trying to fight off the smile that wanted to form. Unfortunately, her stifled laughter made me want to laugh too. I began doing the same, biting my tongue to stop myself from snickering. We weren’t with Grace ‘n her husband for long since they stayed in a lower floor than us. 

Her husband looked over at us and tipped his hat before leaving. Cassie and I both gave him a small, polite wave back. When the elevator boy shut the doors and we moved up a floor— we bursted with awkward laughter.

“Oh my God, babes! Did you see her face?” I shouted.

“Babes, she looks like an older version of you!” She replied.

Immediately, my face dropped and I tsked, which of course made her cackle. She doubled over and clutched her knees.

“What? It’s fucking true and you know it!” She got out through her laughter.

I rolled my eyes and shook my head, a small smile on my face. I knocked her head gently with my fist as I said. “Yeah, I fucking know. I bet the blonde hair made it worse now, but whatever.” I thought about what I was going to say next, which made the corners of my mouth pull down excessively. I snickered to myself before saying, “But, eh. Who’s been in his bed these last few fucking weeks!”

We both fucking bursted with laughter. Crashing into each other, slapping our thighs ‘n gasping for air. We were acting like straight fucking fools! 

The elevator stopped and I composed myself without hesitation. Cassie, on the other hand, was more worried about her makeup as she dabbed under her eyes. I took her arm and led her out. 

While walking over to the door, I asked. “Hey, did you think Grace looked happy?”

Cassie hummed and cocked her head to the side. “Now that I think about it… Her husband looked stiff and she looked downright pissed off.”

I tsked. “I fucking knew I wasn’t going mad! The bitch had a cob on, plain as day.” Probably went to see the fertility doctor for a treatment ‘n it went bad, I guess. Maybe she’s not pregnant! The twat. She better not be!

The door opened and I decided to just forget those thoughts I was having since they wouldn’t do me any good anyhow. Cassie and I sat at the table while we waited for Simmons and the bellboy to come up with our stuff. We basically shit talked Grace. So, so much for leaving those thoughts alone.

Once our purchases had arrived, we wasted no time putting on a little fashion show with the clothes we bought. It was fun, especially since Cassie had bought her own camera recently ‘n we took photos. Some were sweet while others were risqué. 

Honestly, just two raging bisexuals here in love with two hetero men. Life is cruel and unfair, I know.

When we were done playing around, Cassie put away her stuff while I put away some of the clothes I bought since I only wanted certain things to stay here. You know, just in case. Everything else, I was going to either take to the house in Small Heath or in Sutton. 

Wow, I have three places— well, four places that I squat at, huh? Cool, but also very hectic!

Next on the list was lunch. We didn’t talk much. We opted for music ‘n singing. After a nap that, yes, we both took— we called up the gang. Of course, they were all free. It was really fucking rare for any of them to be busy with anything. Angie was the most free, Tina was the third most, while Horace ‘n Dougie were tied up. With Horace’s academic schedule ‘n Dougie’s job with his pops, they were more booked than us girls. 

Angie had meetings to attend, but they were always on obscure weekdays. Hardly ever interfered with our group meetings, seeing as I usually only come out during the weekends.

Taking a nap wasn’t the smartest choice ‘cause once I woke up, I was utterly lethargic. Cassie told me to wash my face and perhaps change wake me up. So, I did it. I got up, took off my clothes, went into the restroom and washed my face. 

I looked for breakouts and was praising the Gods when I found none. It’s certainly been awhile since my last breakout. Stress, it was. I sighed and took one last look at myself in the mirror. 

You know, everyone back home said that I would look great with blonde hair. I took it with a grain of salt ‘cause you know your family might just try to butter you up. 

But there was that time in high school that I got complimented with blonde hair. The rose gold I was going for came out to be a very light fucking pink that washed out in like two weeks, so I was left with blonde hair. 

I left it alone for a while before dying it teal. But, I always wondered how’d I’d look with blonde hair like this. I have to say, it’s an ego boost. I look beautiful with brown and blonde hair.

Oh, yeah— it’s god complex hours! Eh, just kidding...

I leaned on the sink as I gazed at myself in the mirror. I looked over my body and felt my ego growing.

It certainly took me a long time, but I was finally the weight I wanted to be. Not only that, but I was fucking the man I wanted to be with too. I felt powerful, in a way.

Breathily, I chuckled at myself. I sucked my teeth before launching myself off the sink and walked over to a towel near the door. I patted my face dry before walking out the bathroom ‘n over to the closet. I shuffled through the clothes I have here, and pulled out an oversized, long-sleeve I liked. 

It had thick, yellow and black stripes and came down to my mid-thigh. I wasn't going to put on any shorts or pants. We've all seen each other in our underwear, so who the fuck is stopping me? I hung out on the bed till people began showing up. 

Dougie was first. I made an effort to not be as touchy as I used to be with him as a sign of respect to Cassie. Despite her saying that it was cool. After it was brought to my attention, it just didn't feel the same, that's all. So, instead of the kiss on the temple I always used to get— we just hugged. 

"You dyed your hair!" He exclaimed while keeping me in a hug. 

I smiled and played with my hair. "Yep! Cassie encouraged me to do it. How's it look on me?"

He nodded, pursing his lips. "Yeah, you look nice. Honest, it suits you. Doesn't it, Cass?" Dougie patted my shoulder before going over to Cassie 'n hugging her from behind. 

She nodded, holding on to one of his arms. "That's what I keep on telling her."

I squinted my eyes ‘n blew raspberries at them both as I rocked on my heels.

"Oi! You show your Mr. Shelby yet? What's he 'ave to say about the change?" He snapped his fingers as the question dawned on him.

I shrugged my shoulders while pursing my lips. "Haven't been home in a couple days. Been hanging out with Cass since I haven't been allowed out in awhile. Kinda did this in a spur of the moment, so he doesn't 'ave a clue. I haven't even called him up yet."

He hissed through his teeth. "Rough, love. How'd you think he's gonna react?"

While fiddling with my fingers and cocking my head, I replied. "Huh? Haven't given it much thought. Thanks for that you fucking gobshite." I rushed forward and tried to smack his arm, but he played dirty. Tried using Cassie as a shield. 

That began the chase. We tuckered ourselves out just in time for the rest of the gang to get here. And one noticeable thing about their arrival was the instant shift of the mood in the room. Tina's face was tucked into the crook of Angie's neck, her face red, and she was sniffling. Angie was cradling her face while looking at the rest of us apprehensive.

"What's happened?" I whispered.

Angie barely opened her mouth when Tina wailed and ran toward me. She knocked me down onto the bed and I grunted from the impact. 

Tina sobbed. "He’s not leaving his wife! So, I broke up with him!" She let out a loud wail before hiding her face in my chest. 

I whimpered and held her closer to me. “Oh, honey...” I muttered. I began rubbing her back and rocking her. Everyone in the room had sullen faces. 

We all knew this was going to happen eventually. Luckily, it happened sooner rather than later. 

I didn’t stop comforting her. I even hiked her up a bit and began whispering into her ear. Not going to tell a blag, I got teary-eyed myself. 

“You don’t need him. He’s not worth your tears. You’ll find someone else. It’s okay to feel this pain now. It’s a lesson learned.” I whispered continuously into her ear. 

Eventually, her sobs ‘n wails turned into hiccups and sniffles. She picked up her head from my chest and wiped away her tears. Not to mention the snot and saliva. I looked down at my shirt and patted it. It was a little wet, but not drenched enough that it would make me uncomfortable. 

I’d be seriously irked if I had to change this shirt. I really wanted to wear it, okay?

She muttered. “I-I wanna forget. I wanna forget all about him.” 

I looked over to the rest of my mates and Angie shook her head. I sighed and asked. “What’d ya mean, babes?”

Tina sniffled. “I wanna smoke.”

I glanced over at Angie again ‘n she averted her eyes. Horace put a hand on her shoulder. I looked over at Cass ‘n Dougie. Dougie shrugged while Cassie nodded. I glanced back at Horace and Angie, and Horace nodded. 

I took a deep breath and looked back at Tina. I cupped her face while whispering. “Alright, then. I’ll go get it.” I leaned in and gave her a kiss on her cheek. I waited till she was ready to stand on her feet ‘n once she was I got up from my spot to go ‘n get the weed. 

As I walked to the drawer I kept it in, I could hear the chatter coming from the other room. Hopefully, we will all get high and have a fun time. I got the wooden box I stored it in before closing the drawer. I walked over to the small table next to one of the sofas ‘n got a hair tie. I shimmied it down my wrist before walking over to the round table that my mates were at. 

Pulled out a chair for myself, sat down criss-cross applesauce, and hoped there was already a rolled joint in my box. I opened it up 'n sure enough, I had a pre rolled joint! 

I grabbed it and punched the air. "Fuck yeah!" I exclaimed. "Pre rolled!" 

My mates cheered with me before I reached back into the box for the lighter. Needless to say, we began a rotation. It wasn't long till the whole room was just second hand 'n I had the munchies. 

The funniest person to be around when they were high has to be hands down...Horace. He was just so lost and fucking free. Horace gets very loose. Ya know, in his movements and so is his lips. He loves talking shit about his colleagues and about the past. 

On the other hand, on a regular night— the suckiest person to be around was Dougie. Dougie had to smoke a certain strain to be okay. Otherwise, he’ll either trip out or talk about the war non-stop. Luckily, we found the right strain of indica to chill him out. 

We spent the night fooling around, talking, and munching. I was just happy that nobody was shedding sad tears after I broke out the weed. Some of us got emotional, like the type of emotional you see in any 90s movie—! Basically, we were saying that we loved each other a lot, but other than that. We were good! 

Even broke out the camera ‘n got steamy again. Look, if you’re not sus with your mates, are they really your best mates?

Anyhow, we had another sleepover since we got way too sleepy after talking so much. I’m proud to say that this time I was not the first to crash. It was Tina. It was the crying, I know it was. I was about the third to last person to crash. Horace practically stays awake 24/7 and Angie can talk for days. A pair matched in insomnia.

The next morning, I lied in bed while contemplating pregnancy again. 

‘I mean I was really just hoping I wasn’t pregnant, which would be a fucking first! I’ve wanted a baby for so long ‘n now because I’m afraid of how my relationship with Tommy is gonna play out— I can’t be happy.’

So as I laid there, I decided not to think about the possibility anymore. 

‘The probability that I’m pregnant is low. Oh, fuck! I was just taking into account my first time and not the other fucking gazillion times we’ve fucked! Well, either way I’m not ‘cause it takes longer for any symptoms to show. The fact that I’m dwelling on it will just give me a phantom pregnancy or something, so I should just fucking stop!’

So, I did. I stopped worrying about that ‘n began worrying about Tommy instead. Like if he was okay or if he missed me or how he was going to react to my hair, but then Tina woke up. I took the opportunity to climb out of the bed from Cassie’s clutches and run to the bathroom. 

Awful habit I have, holding in my piss. Learned it from those years in school. Fucking pricks, the whole fucking lot of them and the institution! Bloody bastards, punishing children just for wanting to do what our bodies want us to do.

Anyway, my run to the loo sort of woke the rest of the lot. Cassie ordered breakfast for us, and we all just sat at the table as we waited for the food. None of us were in a bad mood since there were no hangovers, but we were all somewhat sluggish. I swear I could always still feel the effects lingering in my body after a sesh. 

Didn’t take long for one of us to get the conversations going. Hell, the scran helped loads in bringing our energy back. The phone rang as I was talking to Cass ‘n since I was technically closest to it, I stopped speaking mid sentence to answer it.

"Roo—!"

"Ali, it's Tom."

My eyes widened and I felt a flush of heat wash over my face. While craning my head back, I said. "Oh, Tommy!" My mates all began to tune into my conversation. "What's up?"

Tom sniffed. "Well, I wanted to know when you were comin' back."

I stopped craning my head back and looked down at the tele. "Um, today. Why?"

"Good. Good. I wanted to, uh, take you out. Is been a while, right?"

I chuckled. I crossed my arms and dropped my hip to one side. "Yeah, I guess it has. When? Well, I mean should I start heading out now?"

"No." He replied and I imagine that he shook his head as he said it. "No need. I have some business to take care of first, but I want to meet you at the same restaurant we had our first date at. Does six sound good to you?"

I nodded and hummed in the affirmative so that he knew my actual response. "Mhmm."

"Okay, see you then, love. Bye."

"Bye, Tommy."

I put the phone back on the receiver and looked at my mates. Cassie was the first to react as she squealed then attacked me in a hug. 

“Hun, he’s absolutely smitten for you!” She shouted while jumping up and down.

I scoffed and shook my head, though, I was smiling. I hummed “I don’t know” as a response. I cleared my throat. “Anyway, the date’s at six so I’m free for the day. How about we do something? Unless… Youse ‘ave something already?”

Cassie and I looked at our mates expectantly while they looked at each other. One by one, they admitted that they didn’t have anything today. Cassie and I walked backed to our seats and sat down. We began throwing out ideas of what to do with our day. 

Some of us wanted to go window shopping, others to the pictures, and then some of us wanted to have a picnic. If ya don’t know us, then obviously you wouldn’t guess that the picnic won. Why? You may ask. ‘Cause that meant another photoshoot.

I did nothing with my hair, just brushed out any tangles from the night before. I put on a little makeup, going for a more natural look. I put on a white dress. It had white polka dots with a deep v-neck, and the sleeves were puffy with ruffles at the end of them. The sleeve was short as it came down to about my mid arm, but not exactly— it was a little less than that.

Grabbed a coat ‘n a peaky cap, then waited for the rest of the girls to get dressed. We were all similar sizes, so Angie ‘n Tina borrowed clothes from Cassie ‘n I’s closet. While waiting, Dougie and I were rough-housing. Horace was busy double checking everything. 

Eventually, the girls were ready ‘n we were out the door. We took Dougie’s car. I liked his car, but the rest of the girls didn’t since it didn’t have a top. I was lucky enough to have hair that would whip back in the wind as did Tina, but doesn’t mean she liked it. I did. 

The wind and water brings me more comfort than I can express. 

Dougie stopped at our usual spot in the grasslands, and we didn’t hesitate to set up our picnic. When it was all said ‘n done, I laid down on the white sheet we’d put down while basking in the sun. Or at least, what little rays of sunlight that were peaking through the clouds. 

“So, how do you think he’s gonna take it, Ali? Your hair, I mean.” Cassie asked as she flopped down on her stomach beside me.

With my eyes still closed, I sighed and pondered. My mouth smacked as I replied. “I’m still not sure. It’s fifty-fifty. There’s a chance that he’ll love it ‘n jump my bones, and there’s the chance where he’ll avoid me till he gets used to it— or decides that I’m not attractive anymore.”

“Hmph. Really? That sucks.”

“Yeah, but I’d respect it. After all, we lose feelings when guys get a haircut.”

“Yeah, but Thomas’s hair is all ready short. Which, by the way, is the bigger mystery.”

“How’d you mean?” I faced her and looked at her through squinted eyes. Regretfully, my gaze fell upon her breasts before looking back at her eyes.

“All the guys you’ve ever had a ‘crush’ on had some hair length on ‘em. You know medium hair length, some curls! But Thomas… Thomas is the only man I’ve ever seen you fancy with short hair.”

I chuckled. “Wow, am I that fucking obvious?”

Cassie chuckled too. “No, you just announce it whenever a guy you think is the bee’s knees. Well, more like you say it under your breath. But you usually say it louder when you’re drunk.”

“Geez, yeah! Thank you! I got it...” 

“But seriously, your love must be true if you love him despite his short hair.” She teased while poking me.

I pouted and blushed. “Shut it.”

She was right, though. Tommy had been one of the few men that I’ve fancied that had short hair. I can’t even imagine Tom with medium length hair like Cillian Murphy had. Maybe the same length of Robert Fischer’s hair in Inception, but not the hair length he had in Watching the Detectives. 

You know what, maybe I could imagine the hair length he had in The Delinquent Season, or the hair length he had when it was time for the Anthropoid interviews. I’m getting ahead of myself!

Cassie huffed, which caught my attention. She crawled closer to me and asked. “Ali, will you really let him go if it doesn’t work out? I mean, wouldn’t you want to hurt him, or fuck up his life? Hell, I can get my dad to put a target on him. He’ll probably do it for you!”

My eyes widened before I began cackling. I awed and cuddled her the best I could. “Aw! That’s so sweet, but no.” I sighed falling back to the ground. “Even though I understand the sentiment. Believe me, sometimes I fantasize about him hurting me and imagine what I might do. Never, and I mean never, once could I bring myself to kill him. I’d just rather go about my own way.” I looked up at the sky ‘n admired the clouds.

I muttered to myself. “He’ll bring about his own destruction anyhow.” 

Cassie hummed.

“Oi, youse two! Are you gonna eat or what?” Angie shouted while holding up two bowels.

Simultaneously, we shouted. “Coming!” 

The gang ‘n I hung out till it got around three. We were already back at the hotel at that point, so I just took a taxi home. I wanted to get everything out of the way before my date with Tommy tonight. I still had to hide the money I’d received, put away some of the things I bought, and figure out what I was going to wear.

  55k was a lot of money and it was too late before I realized that this amount of money was not going to fit in my floorboards at the main house. I crawled over to my wardrobe and checked if I had any room under the false bottom of it. I managed to squeeze in a good stack, but not enough. I crawled over 'n under my bed to get one of my suitcases and decided to hide the left over money in there.

One of these days I'm going to have to transfer this money to my car. Perhaps make a false bottom in the truck. Or maybe I should ask Dom to make a bank account for me since women aren't allowed to have one. Yeah, the bank account sounds more promising. I'll tell him to use me da's name.

I smiled at the thought of him. I really missed my father. He truly knew everything and it was hard living without him and my mum. Every day was easier as the saying goes, but yeah. I still miss them.

Anyway, after dealing with the money crisis— I had to plan out my outfit. I must have gone through every piece of clothing I owed, well that was at the house. I just kept thinking about how the outfit I was going to wear should enhance my hair. 

By the time I found a dress, an hour had fucking passed! It was a dark grey frock with like 1920s art deco style beading. As for my hair, well— Tommy always said he likes my hair down, so I decided I would just curl it a little more. But with only two hours left on my clock, I was feeling overwhelmed. 

I still had to fix my makeup to match my outfit! Well, that wouldn’t take up too much time, but still— it had to be done. God, I also had to take a bath and ugh! 

I threw my hands up into the air and slammed them down in my thighs. I rushed downstairs to get the tub, ignoring anyone who I walked past. Which was basically Finn and John. I hauled the tub up to my room then filled it with cold water. I was just going to clean my body since if I washed my hair— it would take too long to dry ‘n style.

Once I was done, I rushed to dry myself off. I put on a nightgown before making the effort to dump out my bath water. I had to dump the water first before bringing the tub back down. 

I ran back up the stairs, fully intending on fixing up my hair and makeup. I had to swap the nightgown for undergarments, though. Yes, I went down without putting anything underneath, but to my defense it was a black nightgown. 

I put on a black set with a garter belt ‘n stockings to match. Tommy wouldn’t see them unless we decided to have sex tonight, so it was exciting knowing that I was wearing this underneath without him knowing.

To pass the time as I applied my makeup, I began humming and whispering songs under my breath. I didn’t even notice how I was only singing love songs. 

I know I try to fool myself, but the truth is if Tom already had sex with Grace— him choosing her over me will hurt. I know I try to act tough ‘n say that I’ll only allow myself to cry one day ‘n that’s that! That I would get over him the next day, but that’s bullshit. 

I’ve been in love with Tommy for a long time, longer than I’ve known him in this universe and even longer than I’ve been with him. It won’t just go away after a good cry. I know this… But I hope I can just push it down. There’s no use crying over a man. Never. I’m being hypocritical given that I have and probably will cry over ‘em, but— anyway!

I blinked from my trance and continued applying my blush. After makeup came the dress then I began curling my hair. I hated using a curling iron, but it’s all this era had. I mean they had clips ‘n shit, but I needed curls like now. So, I was stuck using an iron.

I glanced over at the clock and saw that it was almost fucking six. I cursed under my breath and abruptly rose from my seat. I curled the last piece of hair I had to get before putting it away. I hitched my dress up and ran over to my wardrobe to take out some black heels. 

I hurried over to my bed ‘n put them on. I let out a guttural groan before getting up. I pulled down my dress then looked at myself in the mirror as I scrunched up my hair. I leaned against my desk ‘n swiped a finger under my lips. I rubbed my fingers together and got a final good look at myself in the mirror

“Beautiful.” I whispered to myself. I smiled and squealed, shrugging my shoulders as I did so. I grabbed my clutch ‘n slid it off the desk. I practically strutted out the door. I caught Polly’s eye, but I just smiled at her as I swiped my coat from the rack and made my way out the door.

 I only took one step before I picked up my head ‘n I was met with Scudboat. 

“Oh, Scudboat! Good evening...”

He smiled at me, his hands clasped in front of his stomach. He rocked on his heels before stepping to the side. He opened the car door wide for me. “Tommy told me to pick you up.”

I chuckled awkwardly, but I plastered on a polite smile, nonetheless. I nodded. “Right! Okay, then.” I took a hesitantly step forward before walking over ‘n climbing into the car. 

Scudboat entered the car after closing my car door. I readied myself for a somewhat awkward car ride. It was pretty silent for a while till we were about five miles from the city. 

Scudboat cleared his throat ‘n asked. “So, you and Tom, huh?”

I pinched my lips tight together and hummed. “Mhmm.”

“If you don’t mind my asking, um, well— when did this happen?”

My jaw dropped. “Uh… Um… A few weeks back.” I flicked a piece of hair away from my face while giving him a small smile before turning my head and stared out the window.

“Did, uh, did Tom ask ya out then?”

My left eye twitched at the question. “Mhmm.”

‘What! Of course, I was gonna lie!’

For the rest of the ride, it was silent. Thankfully…

The second Scudboat parked outside the restaurant, Aliena didn’t hesitate to jump out the vehicle. She twirled around ‘n thanked him for the ride before heading inside. Aliena walked up to the host and told him that she had a reservation under the name Shelby. 

The expression on the host flashed with fear, and he didn’t hesitate to show her his finest hospitality. He came around and personally took Aliena’s coat.  Though, he handed it off to one of the servers to hang. 

Aliena’s eyes fell upon the clock, and she realized she was about a half hour late. She slightly winced at the fact and hoped Tommy wasn’t angry. 

Conversely, Tommy had been checking his pocket and wrist watch every ten seconds since it hit six. Aliena had almost never been late to anything since he’s known her, and it was sending him through a loop. 

Tom practically yanked his cigarette away from his lips as he tucked his pocket watch away for the dozenth time. He sighed and used his empty hand to rub his forehead. He raised his head and that’s when he saw her.

Aliena, with blonde hair, was smiling politely at the host while moving a piece of her hair away from her face. It was like everything was moving in slow motion for Tommy, and he was trying to take in Ali’s new appearance as she walked closer to ‘em. 

“Your seat, Mrs. Shelby.” The host said before gesturing toward the seat opposite of Tom and walking away. 

Aliena’s eyes fluttered, adorably, and her neck must have hurt since she snapped it toward the man so quickly. Her mouth ajar as she struggled to utter a word to correct him. 

Ali blinked again before scoffing. She faced Tommy, her hands gripping her clutch. 

Tom was still stuck in slow motion, still trying to adjust to the change. 

He would never admit to it and never tell a living soul what he thought, but all he could think as he gazed upon Ali was, ‘What an angel.’ He will never admit it to her nor anyone else. It was too embarrassing.

Ali couldn’t read Tom’s expression, after all, it was still fucking blank. It made her heart sink to her stomach ‘n she assumed the worst. She barely managed to open her mouth when Tommy shot up from his seat.

“Here,” he said while stubbing out his ciggie. “Let me.” Tom shuffled ‘round from his chair and stood behind Ali’s. 

She craned her neck and smiled brightly at him before taking her seat, allowing him to push her in. After he did so, he went back to his seat ‘n couldn’t take his eyes off of her. 

Well, he always looked straight at her, but the context this time was different.

He cleared his throat before his mouth smacked. “Your hair….”

Ali’s hand shot up and she twirled a piece of it around her finger. “Yeah, I- uh. I’ve been thinking about changing it up for a while. And I knew you’d be worried with me goin’ to London ‘n all so I decided to just take the leap, ya know? I figured if I changed my hair, and if they had a picture of me or something— they wouldn’t recognize me.” She gave him a nervous smile when she was done talking.

Tom nodded, shocked by her reasoning. “Smart. Smart thinking.”

With a smile still on her face, Ali hummed and nodded. Tom noticed that smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. Quickly deducing that she must have been nervous. A small smile flashed across his face, one Ali didn’t catch since she picked up her menu. 

Tom reached across the table, took one of Ali’s hands in his, and brought it to his lips. Of course, he had to lean a little forward to actually meet it. Tom kissed her hand, which made Ali splutter then stifle a fit of giggles. She looked away from him, her shoulders shaking from stifling her laughter. 

“You look gorgeous, love.”

Ali’s gaze snapped toward him, and she looked at him so expectantly. “Really? You like it? It doesn’t look weird or anythin’?”

Tom chuckled. “No. You look beautiful.” The smile that spread across Ali’s face finally met her eyes. 

Bashfully, Ali tipped her head back down at the menu— even though she knew damn well what she was going to order. She attempted to tug her hand back to her side, but Tom squeezed her hand gently. 

She looked up at him through her eyelashes to find that his eyes never left her face. Ali worried that she looked like a cherry at this point. Their love bubble never burst, not even when the waiter came over.

Tom only let go of her hand when they ate, otherwise he took her hand back in his. The couple couldn’t help but admire the other. Aliena felt her heart swell with every upward twitch Tom’s mouth with make, every chuckle ‘n smirk. Tom was the same. He had missed her smiles, giggles ‘n all. 

It was bizarre to them both how they grew attached to the other in so little time. This realization sparked fear in one and contentment in the other. 

However, lust triumphed the night. The couple left the restaurant without desert ‘n headed straight for Tommy’s car. There was no funny business in the car. They waited till they were inside Tom’s flat, or home— as they both thought of it as.

They shared kisses all the way up the stairs and never parted till they were in his room. Tom led Ali to his bed as his lips trailed down to her neck. Aliena moaned softly at the sensation, furrowing her eyebrows. 

Tom slipped a finger under the left strap of her dress ‘n pressed kisses along the skin he exposed as he slid the fabric off her shoulder. He repeated this along her right side, allowing the dress to fall. 

Ali let out a snicker, a hand flying to her mouth. She composed herself before reaching down and sliding her dress down. It had been caught at her waist. 

“There we go.” She whispered, more to herself. 

Tom didn’t acknowledge the comment, instead he chose to pay attention to her breasts. Aliena let out a giggle this time. 

Tom was slow and gentle. He took his time with Ali. It was something that was rare, after all, the girl liked it rough. But, she wouldn’t refuse a little tender loving from time to time— especially if Tommy wanted it.

His thrusts were slow, but deep. It made Ali gasp with every stroke. Tom loved watching her face contort in pleasure. Admired the shade of red her face ‘n chest would get from their activities, and the way she still managed to crack a soft giggle. 

Tom’s had a lot of lovers in his life, but only few make an impression. Few managed to wiggle into his heart. Some were flings others were genuine lovers. Grace managed to get a spot, but that ship has sailed. Looking down at Aliena’s smiling face, he felt at peace. 

As if he could die the next morning ‘n have—! No, he’d regret it. He’d regret leaving her behind before they could actually have a life together. To experience it fully ‘n not just have the glimpse of it that they’d gotten from the past few weeks. 

Aliena deserved the world, and he wanted to be the one to give it to her. 

Ali gasped, her nails digged deeper into Tom’s skin as he sped up his thrusts. Tom tipped his head toward the ceiling, fully basking in the build up of his orgasm as well as Aliena’s moans. 

The sudden increase in tempo drew Ali’s orgasm close just like Tom’s, and they finished together. Tom let out pants that matched his lover’s. His head fell onto hers, which made Ali giggle. Her legs slipped from his waist in a similar fashion.

He let out a laugh of his own before capturing her lips in a kiss. The couple stayed like that. Cuddling in each other’s arms.

If only that moment could have lasted forever, right?

I don’t know what did it, but not soon after I got sick. Honestly, I think the bath did it. I did use, like, lukewarm— cold water. It was weird and difficult to cure since whenever I get sick— nobody else can feel it but me. I don’t know why it happens, but let’s say I feel like I’m running a fever. Like, I know my head is on fire!

Nobody can feel it. Nobody. 

I’ve learned to deal with it on my own, but this was difficult. I would be overwhelmed with nausea at different times of the day, and puke as a result, sometimes. I chopped it up to anxiety because honestly, that was normal for me. However, actually vomiting was something else entirely. 

I figured that I may have caught a bug or something. I told Cassie over the phone that I thought I was sick, and asked her to explain it to her father. Eventually, Dom called me directly called me ‘n said I’d have two assignments instead of four. 

I’ve never wanted to kill him more than that day!

Oh, and things weren’t going well on the homefront either. Since I was hit with nausea at random times, it made it hard to do the nasty. Tom knew I was sick. It was hard for me to hide it. But, he made it seem like it was nothing! 

Not a kind word or support. No, he threw himself in work and came back after I went to sleep. Which was a wonder in itself since I usually need him beside me to fall asleep, but I think with being sick— I was just too fatigued to wait up for him. 

Not having sex just ‘cause I was sick felt awful. I still wanted to have sex. I even tried hinting at it during breakfast. Since that’s literally the only time I’ve been able to see him! It was fucking humiliating! And, he had the audacity to turn me down! 

Well, if he didn’t want to— of course, I respect it. Doesn’t mean I have to like it. 

So, in a last ditch effort to raise my spirits, I was ditching work and bunking off to hang with Cass. Simmons picked me up and I was just glad I didn’t experience any car sickness like I was expecting. I thanked him for the ride and didn’t hesitate to make a run for the elevator. 

I wanted to be with Cassie as quickly as I could. The elevator boy didn’t even ask me which floor. I thanked him as well before making my way to the flat. I pounded on the door for about ten seconds before Cassie ripped it open.

Tears stung my eyes ‘n nose burned. “Cassie!” I whimpered.

She gasped ‘n pulled me inside. I wasted no time airing out my grievances since if I even hesitated Cassie might turn me down. It wasn’t a fight, I was just feeling neglected. I guess. Maybe sexually frustrated is more like it.

I sighed, flopping my arms back to my side. “I don’t know, honest. I mean, don’t men want sex like all the time? He hasn’t made a move in like a week ‘n I’m pent up! And I’m tired all the time, and I’m throwing up for like no reason! Plus, my nose—! God, my nose just won’t stop burning and I can smell everything!”

I wiped the tears from my face before blowing my nose into the tissue. Cassie sat in the chair beside me. She was rubbing my arm.

“Haven’t you both gone without sex longer than this, though?”

I cocked my head toward her and glared. “So?”

Cassie let out a nervous chuckle. “I’m just saying. Anyway, what if he’s just being a gentleman about it ‘n letting you rest? Huh? Ever thought about that?”

I averted my gaze, wiping my nose with the tissue. Seconds later, I whispered. “That doesn’t make up for the fact that he’s been practically ignoring me.”

“Ali, honey. Isn’t Thomas like an important businessman? Maybe he’s just busy! Maybe if you wait a little longer, he’ll tell you why he’s been acting like this. Hmm?”

I blinked and nodded. “Your-You’re right. Maybe I’m just overreacting.”

“It’s just a possibility. Hey, if he’s still acting like this after you’ve gotten better than obviously he’s a prick ‘n you need to leave him.”

I snickered and shook my head, a smile made its way across my face. 

Cassie chuckled. “But, hey, Ali!” She said in a singsong tone. “You could always just tell him what you’re telling me.”

I tsked and glared at her. “No, I can’t. What if he thinks I’m annoying ‘n clingy? Or that I’m a sex addict! No way.”

I could almost feel Cassie roll her eyes at me, but I didn’t really care. I knew I sounded like I was being irrational, but I really just didn’t want to tell her that I just didn’t want to confront him. That deep down, I thought the problem was with me and I would have to get over it soon, or that I would get over it soon.

I heaved a big sigh. My gaze falling on the ciggie case on the table. My eyes flickered toward Cassie. I asked. “Can I?” I pointed to the case.

 “Yeah!” She responded as she clapped my hand on my shoulder. “How about some ice cream too, hmm?”

I nodded and hummed. “Sure.” I reached over for the case, took out a ciggie, and held it between my lips. I had to reach farther for the lighter. I lit my ciggie and inhaled. The delicious sting at the back of my throat caused a wave of relaxation spread throughout my body. 

Something I appreciated at the moment, but I despised at the same time. I got up from the seat and crawled onto the bed. I situated myself on the bed so that my head was hanging off the edge. 

I made the mistake of continuing to dwell on possibilities on why Tom may not want to touch me, and unfortunately— I finally entertained the idea that he may have sex with her. With Grace. 

It would explain why he wasn’t touching me all of sudden. Why he was coming home late as if to avoid me. 

‘Did he really? Was this the end of us already?’  

I let my tears slip from my eyes into my hairline. An ache settling between my nose since I was upside down. Languidly, I brought my ciggie to my lips and inhaled. Funnily enough, I amused myself with the cloud of smoke that left my mouth.

FALSE ALARM, PEOPLE! FALSE ALARM!

Tom found out that I ditched work and called Cassie’s flat. He told me to come home and I didn’t like his tone— but since I already was in a mood. I was ready to go at it with him. 

The moment I stepped into the lounge area, which he was waiting for me in, I noticed that he looked disheveled ‘n had been pacing. Tommy admitted to being worried about me. He told me he thought something had happened. Even rushed toward me and kissed me.

Petuatantly, though, I made the snide comment that the kiss was something I hadn’t gotten in a while. The fucker actually scoffed. I just kept pouting. 

He asked me if that was the reason why I was in such a mood lately. I asked him if he was dense or something. That I’ve been off since I’ve been throwing up, feeling nauseous, and that my nose burned. That he hadn’t even asked about me.

Tom looked genuinely surprised and told me he thought I was on my monthly ‘n didn’t want to touch me unless I asked for it. I never asked for it directly, so he never made a move. He said he could have asked ‘n he apologized for not asking. 

He legit made me have a brain fart. Like the anger was there, but his reasoning was valid— so like I had to struggle to get rid of it.

I took a deep breath ‘n told him I wasn’t on my monthly. Tom went a step further by saying he’s been busy with work, and suspects that Polly is beginning to catch on to us. So, he wanted to create some kind of distance.

Do you know how hard it was to be attracted by someone’s intelligence, but be so mad ‘cause they didn’t fill you in on the plan? It’s fucking difficult!

We obviously had sex that night, and since we’ve been good. I mean relationship wise ‘cause like—! Look this is just embarrassing, we had a particularly rough session the night before and the next day, I had gas.

The gas was followed by bloating. I was so self-conscious of myself around him that I think I’ve made this nauseousness worse. To the point where I could only stomach specific foods, which was basically fruits ‘n candies. The thought of anything else made me nauseous. I was lucky to be able to eat eggs and chicken from time to time.  

All of this “excitement” occurred in the span of two weeks. Well, I was still in week two since it was only Thursday. Felt like Friday, though. Must be ‘cause I’ve been sneaking in more naps than usual. I blame my depression acting up, to be perfectly honest. I just get really fatigued from time to time, and it’s really a burden.

Nobody has really scolded me about it. Well, Polly tried but then she just let me, which was weird. On the topic of people confronting me, everybody “liked” my hair. They were just as shocked as Tommy, maybe even more so. Finn was the only one who seemed to genuinely like it. 

Michael, Polly, and John’s responses seemed fake. Michael was more dismissive than anyone ‘n I couldn’t blame him since we still weren’t on speaking terms. 

Anyway, this afternoon I had a job to complete. Life was beginning to go back to normal except for the fact I was still sleeping at Tom’s more than any other place. Managed to still lie to Polly as well. Thank god! I’ve been saying that I’ve either been with my new beau, or with Cass. She wouldn’t pry, but she’d give me a judging look.

This was one of the easier but riskier jobs, which was why I’d be paid a lot. It’s beginning to be a pattern with Dom. It seems that this would be my compromise. He allows me to take on less jobs, but in return, I take on the riskier ones. More bang for my buck, I guess. 

My wig was cut and dyed to a black bob. I was wearing casual clothing. A pink frock adorned with a beaded necklace. My shoes were Oxford Louis heels in black, and I wore a tan, brown coat. Plan was to catch the target while he was in the streets. Make it seem like a robbery or something, even though I brought a suitcase along with me. It just had a change of clothes.

  The only way this plan of mine possible was thanks to the target having a strict routine. It was 3:23 in the afternoon, which meant he was due to come out of this alleyway at 3:30. I sped up my pace, trying to remain as inconspicuous as possible. I entered the alleyway, right hand in one pocket grasping my silence gun while the other held the suitcase. 

The man paid me no attention. My grip on my gun tightened ‘n I felt my heart rate fasten. When our shoulders were about to cross, I didn’t hesitate to drop my suitcase and cover the man’s mouth before pinning him against the wall. I brought up my gun as it was still hidden inside of my coat pocket, and unloaded almost all of my clip. 

Poor dude didn’t even get a chance to protest…

I backed away from the corpse and checked my surroundings. Nobody noticed a thing. I sighed and looked down at him. 

I felt nothing. Usually I’d be pumping with adrenaline, ya know? Like experiencing a high, but I was so tired that I didn’t care. I didn’t feel victorious or anything of the sort. This felt like, let me just vomit here, actual work!

I grimaced at the thought and walked over to pick up my suitcase. I walked to the other end of the alley to get changed. 

I admit, any other time I would be incredibly self-conscious about what I was doing; however, if I didn’t want to die or be arrested… I was going to have to make sacrifices.

I set the suitcase down on a large garbage can, opened it, then disassembled the gun. Taking off the silencer, I was able to tuck both pieces into its pocket. I ripped off my coat ‘n placed it to the side of the case, throwing my hat aside as well. I crossed my arms, gripped the sides of my dress, and pulled it over my head. I tossed that before taking my new dress into my hands and sliding it over my head. As I was pulling it down, I checked to see if anyone had entered the alleyway. 

No one.

I reached behind my neck and unlatched the necklace from my neck. After setting that down as well, I took hold of my new coat ‘n put that on. Next was placing my old items back into the suitcase. Finally, the wig. I shook out my hair before reaching up and closing the suitcase. 

I heaved a deep breath, checking my surroundings once more before running out of the alleyway. I slowed down once I joined the general population. 

Chris was waiting in the car for me a few streets away, so I didn’t hesitate to climb into the car when I spotted it. 

“Afternoon, Ms. Welsh! How was it?” He asked me just as I closed the door behind me.

I sighed. “Completed as usual. Are you taking me to the boss?”

I met his eyes via the rear-view mirror. He replied. “Uh, no. I don’t have any orders to do so. I was just gonna take you on home.”

I shook my head. “Um, can you please take me to the hotel? I want to freshen up before going home.”

Chris nodded, finally pulling out of the parking space. “Of course, Ms. Welsh. Do I need to pick up ice on the way?”

I picked up my head, somewhat taken aback by the question. “Oh, no! Ice won’t be necessary. The target went down without a fight.”

“Right!”

For the rest of the drive, we didn’t speak. Believe me, I wanted to doze off, but we weren’t that close. I didn’t trust Chris with my life, but enough to not be a snitch. The drive to the hotel wasn’t long and I was grateful for it. 

I hopped out and dashed out in a hurry. I was only going to take a bath. I couldn’t afford getting my hair wet since I needed to head back to Polly’s house in Sutton. If I came back with wet hair, it would certainly be suspicious seeing as I’m supposed to be on the clock right now. 

I was going back to de ‘ouse for some fresh clothes. I haven’t done laundry at Tom’s place yet ‘n I had no clothes for tomorrow. It definitely made tomorrow's agenda! 

The hotel wasn’t the same one as Cassie’s. It was more run down ‘n discrete. When I was keeping it a secret from Cass, I’d come here to clean up ‘n ice down my wounds. It sucked at first, ya know, taking an ice bath but then you get somewhat used to it. Not fully ‘cause the cold knocks the wind out of ya almost every time, but you just get it over with.

Lucky me, I was just taking a quick bath. Almost lulled myself to sleep on accident, but woke myself up in time. When I was done, I ran back out to the car. Chris drove me to the house in Sutton. I asked him if he could wait ‘n drive me to Tommy’s flat back in Small Heath. He agreed without a fight. 

Made me feel guilty, but happy at the same time. Felt like I was taking advantage of him, but whatever. I used my key to unlock the door, closed the door behind me, and went for the staircase. From the corner of my eye, I caught Polly ‘n Michael coming out of the living room, but I was already runnin’ up. 

I briskly walked to my room ‘n made my way to my wardrobe. I picked out a respectable outfit for work tomorrow then made my way over to my dresser to get everything that would go under it and socks. When I was done, I walked straight back out ‘n downstairs.

“Ali, where are you going this time?” Polly shouted, looking at me with  a judgemental look on ‘er face. 

I smiled politely as I replied while leaning against the handrail. “Headin’ over to Cassie’s again, Pol. Why didja need me?”

Polly dropped her hip and sighed while shaking her head. Using both hands, she rubbed her forehead. Dropping them to her sides when she was done ‘n scoffed. “No. No, it’s all right. Go on. Be safe.”

“‘Kay then. Love you.” I said while continuing down the stairs.

While walking back into the living room, she muttered. “Love you too.”

Once again, I didn’t acknowledge Michael’s presence ‘n just left the house without so much as a word to him. I headed into the car and took a deep breath. Chris pulled away from the house without a word.

We didn’t speak till we entered Birmingham. I asked. “Oi, Chris. Is Dom gonna wire the money to my bank account?”

Dom made me the bank account under my father’s real name, not the fake name I gave everyone else. Let’s just say I have way more than 100k in the account.

“Uh, yes, Miss. That’s what he told me.”

“Good, just making sure. And thank you for driving me.”

“Of course, Miss. It’s my pleasure.”

‘Yeah, right.’

I leaned back against the seat ‘n waited for the ride to be over with. We arrived at Tom’s flat not too long after. I climbed out of the car, thanked him, then reminded him that he needed to dispose of the suitcase in the back. I walked up to the door, unlocked it, and headed inside. 

My stomach was aching, but the desire to sleep overpowered my hunger. I headed upstairs and beelined it for the bed. I tossed my clothes aside before flopping onto the bed. 

I got comfortable before slipping under the covers and falling asleep.

Tom got off the clock at seven, but he would take work home. Before Ali, he would just stay at the office till he was finished, but it was different now. He looked forward to seven ‘cause that meant he’d see her for dinner. 

He wanted dinner to be at his place. If she kept taking it to him at the office, he feared that Michael would get fed up with their antics ‘n rat them out to Polly. Basically, it lessened the chance of ‘aving sex at the office. 

Tom unlocked his door ‘n stepped in. He shouted with a small smile on his face. “Love, I’m home!”

Tom’s shout startled Ali awake. She inhaled sharply and moaned. “Alright! I’ll be down in a min!” She shouted back. Aliena sighed before throwing the blanket off her, and planting her feet on the ground. While she was a bit annoyed by the sudden awakening, she was feeling better. 

Ali got up from the bed, slippers on her feet, and reached for her robe. She tied it around her waist as she walked out the room. 

Tom had gone into the living room to set down his things. He managed to hear Ali’s footsteps as she came downstairs. Tom walked out of the living room ‘n over to the staircase. He met Ali as she was coming down the last few steps. 

“Hi...” She muttered before she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed ‘em. 

Tom returned it, muttering against her lips. “‘ello.”

They parted ‘n Ali rested her forehead on his. Her hand trailed up to his face and she stroked his cheek with her thumb. She whispered. “I took a nap, so dinner will probably be awhile.”

He nodded. “That’s all right.”

“‘Kay.” She admired his eyes a little more before taking a big breath ‘n taking in his appearance. His clothes were dirty. “You were down at Charlie’s Yard today, weren’t you? Go on. Go change.” Ali patted his shoulder then motioned him up with her thumb.

Tom gave her a peck on the lips, muttering a quick “okay,” before heading up. Ali cracked a smile, heading toward the kitchen. While Ali was deciding on what to make for dinner, Tom was upstairs getting comfortable. 

Luckily, Aliena remembered that she took out ground beef yesterday ‘n that she was going to make hamburgers. It would take a while, but not too long. Hopefully, she’d be able to eat it today. 

Tom’s thunderous steps on the stairs told Ali where he was. She chuckled at the fact. 

She shouted. “So, how was your day, Tommy?”

“Uh, fine.” He shouted back. Tom left on his long-sleeved undershirt and had on blue pajama pants.

Tom walked into the kitchen, walked closer to her, then hugged her from behind. Hiding his face in the crook of her neck. Ali’s shoulder instinctively rose as did her neck come down on his face, attempting to protect her tickle spot. 

She spluttered. “Tommy!” Bursting into a fit of cackles since he didn’t withdraw his face. Instead, he began to kiss her neck. “I’m fucking making scran, ya better beaut! Do one, will ya?”

Tommy choked down the urge to laugh, opting for a deep breath. He faced forward inspecting what his lover was making. “Hamburgers t’night?” He asked.

Ali hummed in the affirmative. “Is right!” She craned her neck to face him, giving him a smile ‘fore kissing ‘em. “So, tell me more abar your day.”

Tom sighed, holding her tighter. “It was the usual. Taking care of the track, reading reports, figuring out how to get Arthur out of jail. The usual.”

She hummed. “One or two?”

“Two.”

“I know you don’t want to tell me, so I’m not gonna pry. But I know you’ve already figured out how to get Arthur out of jail. That big head of yours, you.”

Tom snickered, throwing his head back as he laughed. “That right?”

“It’s what I said innit! What about the ‘orse? How’s that Derby horse of yours doing?” She asked while moving over to the stove where the pan was getting hot. 

Tom stepped away and leaned against the table, reaching into his pocket for his cigarette case. “Uh, she’s good.” He replied just as Ali placed the patties onto the pan. “Mrs. Carleton is strong in her opinion that the ‘orse will place—”

“--But won’t win, right?” 

Tom nodded. “Uh huh. How about you? How was your day?”

Ali tipped her head back. “Ha! You know nothing eventful ever fills my day.” Her giggles continued for a little while longer.

Tom took a drag before coming back behind Ali. “Are you still feeling sick, love?”

Ali had to take a second to think. “Hmm. No? I mean, I’m still throwing up ‘n feeling all of it. But I think it’s just my monthly.”

Tom’s eyebrows furrowed. ‘Was she?’ He thought. Tom cleared his throat. “Aliena, you did have your period, right?”

Ali felt panic strike her heart, but she didn’t show it. She continued cooking cool as a cucumber. “Of course, I have.” She lied. 

“You sure?”

She nodded. “Tom, how can I get that mixed up?” She chuckled. “It’s blood coming out of my vagina.”

“Right.” He nodded. “Well, call me when dinner’s done.”

“Will do...”

Tom’s arms slipped from her waist and he walked back into the living room while Ali was going through an existential crisis. 

Her period didn’t come last month, but she wasn’t tripping. No ‘cause her cycles change from time to time! So no, she wasn’t pregnant. She absolutely wasn’t! Aliena chastised herself ‘n focused back on dinner.

When dinner was done, she decided to bring their meal to the living room rather than have it in the kitchen. Didn’t really have a reason for it, Ali just wanted to accommodate Tom since she knew he was still working. 

This was a rare occurrence, of course! Well… Shut up, she’s doing it ‘cause she wants to. If she didn’t want to do it, then she wouldn’t!

Tom thanked her for the meal then they both dug in. They chatted about anything and everything but business! They speculated about the future, about Finn, and the past. 

Tom told her a lot about how he used to be. Who he wanted to be ‘n who made him into the man he was today. Aliena did the same. She told him all about her parents ‘n how they raised her— and how they didn’t.

But then again, who the fuck had a happy childhood? Not these two, that’s for sure.

Even though they finished their meal, they stayed seated. Tom was still working while Aliena had fetched a book from the mantle. Even put a record on. But that only kept her entertained for so long. 

At one point, Tom offered Ali a ciggie but she declined it, for subconscious reasons.

Tom noticed Aliena yawning every ten seconds, and decided to call it quits. He closed the folder of the paperwork he was doin’ before stretching out his hand to her. “Eh, Ali, love.” He called out softly.

Ali picked up her head, her eyes hooded. “Hmm?”

With his hand still outstretched, he stood straight from his seat. “Let’s head on up to bed, huh?”

A droopy smile stretched across Ali’s face before she nodded ‘n took his hand, setting the book down on the table. Tom helped her to her feet then they walked up together hand in hand. 

The couple climbed into bed, which was somewhat of a mistake ‘cause Aliena was awake now. But she knew he would just persuade her to close her eyes, so she rolled over to her side without a fight.

Tom scooted his body close to hers before draping his arm over her. Before he could pull her closer to his body, Ali winced.

“What? What’s wrong?” He asked, concernedly.

Ali’s hand flew to her left breast and she massaged it a little. She replied after moaning. “I don’t know. My tit is sore.” She tsked before smacking his chest with the back of her hand.

“Wha— ”

“--Told you you should leave them alone for a while. Now look what you’ve done.” Though her tone was scolding, the chuckle that followed told Tom she actually wasn’t that peeved.

Tom repositioned his arm over her body then pulled her closer. Aliena fell asleep to the sound of her voice while Tom was lulled to sleep from the rising ‘n falling of her chest.

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[elysiashelby]

In Another World - T.Shelby Imagine Ch. 26

Paring: Thomas Shelby x Aliena Welsh (OC)

Fandom: Peaky Blinders

Word Count: 20,990

WARNINGS: Angst (Undertones), Cursing, Fluff, Continuous First Person to Third Person POV Shifts, ONE Tom Third Person POV, Alcohol, SMUT! (NSFW): oral sex (male & female receiving), fingering, penetrative sex, unprotected sex, undertones of a Dom!Thomas Shelby & Sub!Aliena Welsh

Summary: It’s the morning after Tom and Aliena’s first night together, and only one is in the bed they shared. Life has to move on and the world keeps spinning despite such an important moment shared between to two. What will become of their relationship?

MASTERLIST  CHAPTER 25  CHAPTER 26.2

A/N: This chapter has A LOT of POV shifts! Also, Smut-- a lot of smut. 

A stream of light that peered through the curtains woke me up. Memories of last night filled my head and a smile crept up on my face. I turned around only to find Tom’s side of the bed empty. My smile fell as did my mood. 

Last night after going two rounds, I had to go to the bathroom, of course. It hurt to pee, but it wasn’t excruciating pain. I knew my hymen broke as reddish come appeared on the toilet paper. It reminded me of when I was spotting at the end of a cycle. 

Tom went to the bathroom after me ‘n then joined me in bed. We couldn’t keep our hands off each other. I was really happy...

Now look at me, alone in his bed. I patted the empty spot before sitting up and rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. I was so happy a second ago and now—! I sighed. I felt dirty and used. While supporting my head with my hand, I turned my head to the side. 

There was a glass of water and a folded note under it. I threw the blankets off me, immediately succumbing to the slightly chilling temperature in the room, and rushed to open the note.

‘Good morning love,

Drink this glass of water, I’m sure you need it since you drank so much last night. I had to leave so early because I had business to take care of. Take the day off and rest. I’ll be back in the evening. Swing by my office around seven or eight. I’m still unsure if I’ll be in by then, but just come on by. If you don’t meet me in the office, come back to my place. I still want to see you tonight.

Tommy x’

My hand clasped over my mouth and I hid the smile on my face. ‘This meant that he didn’t regret last night, right? He put a kiss next to his name!’ I squealed and began kicking my legs while rolling all over the bed. I kissed the note and fell back with a deep sigh. Those nasty feelings were all soothed with this stupid little note. I bit my lip and allowed myself to recall the steamier parts of last night. 

I ran a hand down my neck and trailed them all the way down to my stomach. My fingertips danced around my stomach, leaving ticklish strokes. 

‘He was there, you know. Filling me up inside. I couldn’t help but wonder if you could see his bulge in my stomach. God, that would be so fucking hot!’

I threw my head back and started thrashing about the bed again. When I calmed down, I scooted over to Tommy’s side of the bed and took in his scent. I was practically on cloud nine. Eventually, I got up from the bed and gulped down the water he set on the stand for me. Finally taking notice that he had lit the fireplace for me as well. 

I got up from the bed and ran for the bathroom. Once again, it stung to pee but I loved it. Not for the pain or anything, but for what it represented to me. My legs were sore as well. I had been on top for the second round and while I had been “training” myself for it— it was still difficult, as I thought. I was more versed on top since I was the one “in control.” I’m ashamed to say he had to tell me to slow down a couple of times. 

Don’t look at me...

After I took a piss, I walked back into the bedroom and picked up his undershirt from the ground. His clothes from last night were everywhere as were my own. I giggled at the fact before slipping on the shirt. I walked out of the bedroom and into the hallway. I climbed down the steps and made my way into the kitchen. I made myself some toast ‘n after I was done, I walked over to the closet to get myself some towels. 

I walked back up to his bedroom and into the bathroom. I admired how I looked in the mirror. He really went wild. My chest and neck were littered with hickies, I almost couldn’t believe that the person in that reflection was me. A smile broke out on my face, my hands cupped over my mouth as I folded into myself ‘n squealed. 

I shot straight up, took a deep breath ‘n calmed myself. I was getting too overwhelmed. I hopped in the shower, happy as can be. I tried not to think about the hard hitting questions, you know? About whether or not we were an item now or not. I was fine with just having sex. I couldn’t exactly “trust him” since I don’t know when he’s gonna meet up with Grace. 

And I wasn’t going to ask him about it since that would be awkward. And by “trusting him,” I really mean by giving him my heart. You know, I don’t want to invest my everything into ‘em if Grace is just gonna end up pregnant and I have to skedaddle. 

So, as I was saying— I wasn’t thinking about these things at all!

I had a pleasant shower and then went back into Tommy’s bedroom. Unfortunately, I had to put on the same soiled panties from last night and my dress. I hated it, oh, how I fucking hated it! But, the quicker I put them on and got home— the better. I didn’t do anything with my hair. I just scrunched it up as I was drying it and then left it alone. 

I picked up Tom’s clothes from the floor ‘n put them in the hamper along with the towels I used. I would have to clean his clothes another day, but not anytime soon since it wasn’t the time for that yet. 

Once I did all that, I was ready to step out into the world. I mean I felt different in a spiritual sense, not a physical one. I just felt like I conquered womanhood, in a way. Like nothing can be taken away from me now. That was the one thing I wanted to have control over, my virginity, and I was able to share the experience with the exact person I wanted it to be with. 

So, yeah, happy!

I ignored the stares I got on the street ‘n focused on getting home. When I did, I didn’t hesitate to run to my room and change. I chose to put on this light pink beaded flapper dress for its collar type and of course, I had to change my underwear. And add a bra. There was a knock on my door just as I was checking my hair to see how it was faring.

“Come in.” I shouted.

Through my mirror, I saw Finn walk in looking quite sheepish. 

He scratched the back of his head before dropping his hands done and fiddled with his fingers. “Uh, um. I have your presents in my room. Um, Tom took you away so suddenly, ya know, so… I have your purse and coat too. Isaiah helped me carry everything. So, you don’t need to worry about everything.”

I nodded and smiled. “Oh thank goodness! I’m so glad I don’t have to like go back there for my things. That would be mortifying!” I spun around and threw in a little wave as I talked.

Finn, still appearing apprehensive, asked. “Um, Ali?”

I hummed.

“Are we… Are we okay?”

I chuckled and smacked my forehead with the palm of my hand lightly. “Oh, shit, right. Yeah, we’re fine. Finn.” I put my hands on his shoulders and rubbed his arms. “You were worried for me and I forgot that you don’t really know how I get when I drink. I’m sorry for worrying you, but yeah, Tom told me. And we are a-okay!”

Finn let out a loud exhale as he rocked on the heels of his shoes. “Thank god!”

We both started chuckling. I clapped my hands before saying, “Well, then. Shall we move my things in my room now?”

Finn’s head jerked a little before nodding and we went to his room to fetch my stuff. We talked a bit about what he’s been up to, and I showered him in compliments about how much I loved his gift. Once I had everything in my room, I went downstairs and rang Cassie’s.

“Oh my god! Tell me everything, bitch!”

I snickered loudly before laughing. “Oh my god! Hi, good morning. How ya been?”

“Shut the fuck up and tell me what happened! You lost your virginity, didn’t you!”

I snickered again. “Oh my god, let me breathe! You know what, can we meet up somewhere? Uh, um, that one like a cafe or tea place that you like so much? Can we go there? The sun is out and I want to take advantage of it.”

“Is there someone like listening, right now?”

I sighed looking around the room. “Uh, yeah. All the time.”

“Okay, I’ll be there like in 20 or something.”

“Damn, okay.”

Tom couldn’t stop thinking about Aliena as he kept replaying last night in his head. Could he even call it “last night.” He only got like three hours of sleep. Today was a big day. He was setting the second half of his plan in action. It took some time to conjure it up, but he had confidence that his brother and Johnny Dogs wouldn’t fuck it up. 

Tom drove through the night all the way to May’s estate for two reasons. One was to check up on the horse and second, was to end things properly. He couldn’t jeopardize Aliena finding out about her. Even though she probably already knew ‘cause of her “foresight” ‘n all.   

Tom wasn’t one to play with his food. He made his bed and now he was going to lie in it, comfortably. He chose to lie with Aliena, and he intended on taking this relationship seriously. He was too old to be playing such childish games. 

He pulled up to the estate and parked the car out front. They greeted each other before heading ‘round back to where the stables were. May was excited to show him something. That he knew. 

May eventually called him over to have a look at the watering trough. There were fish in the water. 

“Does it really stop the horses from getting worms?” She asked him.

He tsked. “Yep. It really does.” Tom brought his cigarette to his mouth for another drag.

May sighed. “Anyway, I thought it would make you smile. I'm sorry that you had to drive through the night. You must be exhausted. You can go and sleep if you want.”

There was no easy way to do it, so Tom was just gonna rip the bandage off. 

He picked his head up and faced her. “May. We have to stop. This. Came here to tell you we have to stop.” Tom could see it in her eyes that she was hurt. She was good at hiding it, but he didn’t miss the way her eyes gleamed and averted her gaze.

“Why?” She asked. “Because I'm me and you're you, that old thing?”

As Tom was about to reply to May, he couldn’t help but imagine Aliena in front of him. As she laid in his bed with her hands caressing his face as she giggled before pullin’ him in for a kiss.

“There's someone. For a long time.” He replied. “And I didn't want you to think anything about how it's gonna be after the race.” Tom cleared his throat before continuing, “Not many of your people know about me, so I haven't done the damage that would come.”

“ “My people?” ”

Tom shuffled in his place. “Well, the damage isn't done, i-is what I mean.”

“Right...” May’s voice trailed off, obviously upset. 

“It’s… Even if it's like this, I want the horse to stay here.”

“To stay? Yes, of course.”

“Epsom is close. And—!”

“--I haven't got my outfit yet so it's all right.”

This whole situation was fucking awkward. Tom was mentally beating himself for laying with the woman.

“You can still be with me at the enclosure.”

“That's very gracious of you, sir.”

“You can wear something…”

“It's funny, isn't it? Because you'll be up there and I'll be down in the ring. Sort of upside down, isn't it?”

Tom knew she was probably pissed off right now, or upset at the very least. But he was going to say what he needed to say ‘n then head back to Birmingham. 

“Y-You can still be with me after and you can still wear something.”

“I'll be covered in mud from the ring.” She said. Her voice raised a bit.

“May, forget about men like me.”

Just as Tom took a step forward, May began walking around the watering trough. “I was going to tell you how much she's improved.”

With his hands in his pockets, he said. “There are other men, May.”

Cut off once again, May said. “I think she stands a chance of placing, so… That's the silly part of our business done. Are you going to drive straight off to Birmingham? Or...”

He cocked his head in amusement. His eyebrows furrowing at the preposterousness of the question. “And what if I said, uh, "All right, I'll stay," after what I just said?”

May took some time to think about it, but she replied. “Then that would be all right.”

Tom lowered his head. She'd fallen for him. Poor her. 

“You talk about damage. The damage not yet done. You don't think that half of London already thinks that I'm fucking a racketeer? Laughing about it. Laying on bets about when you'll steal the silver. You think your people are ruthless? Try mine.”

Tom averted his gaze from her. They had two very different definitions of ruthless. 

“So that's why you carry on, eh? Because you can't back down.”

May chuckled, humorlessly before replying— borderline shouting, “Amongst many other illogical reasons.”

Two confessions within a few hours time. New record for Tom. Only thing is, only one mattered to him. So...

“So will you drive straight off or… I haven't got any petrol in the garage.”

Still bewildered at this whole situation, Tom slowly replied. “Yeah. I have some cans of petrol in the car.”

“Good. So you can go.”

Tom turned around and began walking off. He cleared his throat before spinning back ‘round. He walked up to the watering trough and set a foot upon it. He sniffed before saying, “They look happy in there, eh?” He still needed May for his plans against Campbell to work. He still needed May to be on his side for work. “And why wouldn't they be?”

May walked over to Tom. She asked. “Who is she?”

Tom refrained from smiling. He sniffled. “Someone who deserves someone far better than a man like me.” Tom dropped his foot, placed his hands back in his pockets, and stood up straight.

“So, let her go.” There was a short silence between them before May curtly continued. “You've told me about her like a gentleman. Now kindly behave like a gangster again.”

Tom’s head snapped to her. Apprehensive she was going to do something stupid like talk ill of Aliena or just do something stupid.

May walked directly in front of Tom as she said. “Feel sorry for me. It's fine.” May kissed him ‘n he didn’t reciprocate the gesture. May parted from him while dusting off a little area of his chest. “Because your horse will come fifth or sixth. But I will win you.”

Tom allowed May to walk off. He did feel sorry for her. ‘Cause even though she confidently said she’d win him— she would never be able to. While walking back to his car, he thought more about it.

Tom had given Aliena every opportunity to get over him ‘n she never took it. She’s been with other people, but they never stuck. The clever girl actually managed to get him to adore her with just as much love. He smiled to himself.

Tom was prepared to let her go. To let her find someone richer, kinder, more open, and less damaged. But nope… She couldn’t stop loving him. 

So...

Why the fuck did anyone on planet Earth think he was gonna let her slip through his fingers now that he had her?

Tom climbed in his car ‘n headed back to Birmingham.

Cassie and I did not talk about Tom for the whole drive. I wanted to wait till we got to the cafe place, so I distracted her as much as I could. She told me she knew what I was doing, but it wasn’t like that was going to change my mind. 

We finally got to the place and we picked a table that was outside. 

I wish Dougie was here to take out picture ‘cause I bet we look fucking fine right now! I was wearing this large hat with sunglasses. Cassie was wearing one of my dresses that showed some cleavage— we probably looked like a dream. 

Anyway, Cassie was quick to like pressure into telling her about what happened last night, but I was gonna till the waiter got out drinks and I told her that. She tsked and rolled her eyes, but there was a smile on her face.

Once she got her coffee and I got my lemonade, it was go time.

I took a sip and then sighed. “Okay! Here’s what happened!” We squealed like the girls we are! “Tommy threw me over his shoulder, right? Well, he didn’t let me down till we got to his place. We were like arguing, but it was so attractive. I couldn’t help like he was trying to so hard to like chastise me, but it wasn’t working. Like he grabbed my chin at some point to like make look at him, right? And ah—! I was so… Fucking turned on!”

Our faces both contorted and scrunched in like joy ‘n cringe. 

“So after we were… Basically, we were fighting—! We were arguing downstairs, right? Well, I didn’t want to argue anymore because we were just in a shouting match really ‘n I didn’t want it to get out of pocket. So, I was going to bed.”

I took another sip of my drink as did Cassie. She was leaning in on this conversation like she was not trying to miss a word I said.

“And like the fucking better beaut I am, I was actually debatin’ about which room I wanted to lay down in for the night. Yeah, that gave him enough time to run up the stairs after me and threw me into his room.” A smile crept up on my face and I bit my bottom lip. I shrugged my shoulder as I exclaimed. “Well, you know the rest!”

Cassie gasped and began to clap excitedly. “Oh my goodness, Ali. Oh, I’m gonna cry. You lost your virginity to the man you love. Oh, I’m so happy for you.” We reached over the table and shared a hug. As we sat back down in our chairs, she asked. “Oh, babes, did it hurt? I know my first time did.”

I shook my head. “Nope. He took real good care of me.”

Cassie smirked. “Was he…?” She mouthed the word “big” as she extended her hands in front of her.

I spluttered while covering my mouth. I scrunched my nose up as I debated telling her what I thought. “Um, I think he was. He used like three fingers to prep me, so yeah. I think he is… Well-endowed.”

She tsked. “Lucky bitch!”

I chuckled. “What? What about Dougie? Is he big?”

Cassie sat up straighter and shifted in her seat. “I wouldn’t know persay. We’re takin’ it slow.”

I cocked my head and raised my eyebrow. “Bitch, did you forget you tell me everything? Um, what happened to fuck buddies, babes? ‘Cause I remember that was the  deal since like yesterday, um… Did you forget to update me or something?”

Cassie took a deep breath before exhaling through her mouth. Her cheeks puffing up. She moved a piece of her hair out of her face before rummaging through her purse for a ciggie. Once she had a drag, she said. “Fine. Fine. He’s… He’s—!” Cassie cocked her head to the side and widened her eyes.

“Mhmm. Tryin’ to lie to me. Yeah, right! High five.” I raised my hand and we high-fived before bursting into a fit of laughter. 

We calmed down and then decided to order something to eat as well. I got a coffee cake while she got chocolate cake. 

As she was taking a bite of her scran, she asked. “So like are you guys dating?”

I shrugged my shoulders. My hand covering my mouth as I tried pushing my scran to the sides of my mouth to talk. “We didn’t define it, really. We just went two rounds, cuddled, and then fell asleep.”

“No shit!” She exclaimed with her eyebrows raised. “Well, do you want to define it? Are you gonna ask him about it?”

I pursed my lips, widened my eyes, and averted my gaze. “Ah, no. I don’t wanna ruin a good thing. For now, I’m fine with just having sex. For now...” I nodded to myself as if trying to reassure me.

Cassie hummed. “Well, no judgement here as long as you are making that decision for you. I want you to make the best decision for you! And hey, if he fucking breaks your heart— I’ll sick my daddy on him.”

I scoffed, tipping my head back. “Thank you?”

She smirked. “You’re welcome. So, two rounds, huh? What positions?” 

I smacked my mouth before replying, “Missionary then cowgirl.”

“You didn’t do the bunny position. The one you taught us?”

I shut my eyes and turned my head away. “No...Cassie. I haven’t tried that yet.”

She pursed her lips. “Well, you should. I did it with Doug ‘n you were right. His legs were shaking and his eyes rolled to the back of his head.”

I gasped and gagged. “Eee! No! My brother!”

She started laughing at me.

“Don’t laugh!” I gagged again. “Eee!”

Basically, the whole lunch we talked about Tommy and Douglas. After that we walked around London ‘n went window shopping. We did some actually shopping too for some lingerie. I figured Tom and I were going to have sex again, I just didn’t know when. But that doesn't mean I can’t be prepared.

Even if he were to change his mind today, I would still buy the lingerie for myself. I got the virginity thing over with. I found out I can reach an orgasm with fingers and with a cock, so… There’s nothing stopping me from having sex with other people if he just wanted to hit it and quit it. 

And believe me, I knew I could catch the eye of both men and women. Where did you gain this confidence, Ali? My side job. I seduced enough people, both genders, to know that I am fucking hot. And I’m not losing this “fuck it” mentality. 

You have no idea how long it took me to get to this point!

I looked at myself in the mirror and pulled back the skin on my face, particularly my cheeks and under my eyes. I sighed and blew raspberries. I smiled tightly and curled a chunk of my hair around my finger. “Cassie?” I called out.

“Yeah?” She replied behind the curtain since she was trying on a dress.

“Do you think I should bleach my hair blonde?”

She chuckled before she dragged behind the curtain with her. “I thought I told you like ages ago. I think you would like super cute with blonde hair. I can even set you up with a really trustworthy hairstylist. She won’t put that deadly concoction in your hair that some girls are going around getting. Now, tell me does this dress make me look fat?”

“Fat, no. You look absolutely gorgeous, Cass! And, I’m just thinking about it. I’m not sure if I really want to make the change. I think I might just be bored.” I curled the ends of my hair around my finger and leaned against the wall. 

Cassie was taking off the dress. “I don’t think you’re bored, Ali. I think you’re ready for a change. This is a pivotal point in your life, girl. You are either gonna end up as Mrs. Thomas Shelby...”

I smiled, bit my lip, and chuckled under my breath.

“Right...! Or, you are going to be a single sheba ready to mingle ‘n find Mr.Right.” Cassie wiggled her eyebrows which made us both giggle.

“You know what, you’re right.” I sighed and just fantasized Tommy and I being all domestic and happy ‘n shit. 

“When am I ever wrong?”

We made eye contact and stuck our tongues at each other. After ringing up her dress, we went to a restaurant to eat dinner. Instead of talking about boys, we talked about the latest trends and scandals of high society. We talked about music and literature as well as new films that came out.

I developed a liking to silent films. It was hard to say the least since their facial expressions were exaggerated and there was no talking. Not to mention, the soundtracks were almost always comical.

After dinner, I headed back to Birmingham. Tom said to meet him at his office at seven or either ‘n I didn’t want to be late. I kissed Cassie farewell before climbing out the car with my purchases in hand. I dumped my bags in my room and hurried to get freshened up.

I wanted to look perfect! I threw off the pink dress, unclipped my bra, and slid down my, regretfully soaked, panties. I threw open my wardrobe and looked for a sexually appealing dress. I wanted it to be sexy, but not obvious to everyone around me that I was visiting Tommy for a dick appointment.

After all, I’m still littered in hickies. I found this one dress that I had from my universe. It was really, really provocative ‘n I just knew I had to wear this. It was a brown floral print dress that had a deep neckline. It showed my breasts while hiding my nipples, if that made sense. The buttons stopped at the end of my breastbone, I think. They always ended pretty high up my legs as well. But luckily, standing up it doesn’t look as revealing. 

I didn’t wear a bra and I wore black lace panties. I was lucky enough to have a cream coloured, cropped blazer that I had made not too long ago. I buttoned it up and it hid my cleavage completely. I squealed at the fact and raced to my desk to figure out what to do with my hair.

Tommy did say he likes me best with my hair down. And! If I wore it up now, you’d see the hickies on my neck. 

I blew another raspberry before moving onto makeup. Tom’s never really commented specifically about my makeup. He’s told me I looked beautiful in times that I’ve worn it, but—!

‘Wouldn’t it just get messed up anyways. I’ll just put on some lipstick and I’ll leave the messy mascara look another time. Something tells me that if we are having sex tonight, again, he’s not gonna go rough.’

I applied a rich matte red lip, got some of the excess off with a nearby napkin, and then I was all set to go. I looked at the time and it was 7:33. I gasped and shot up from my desk. I hurried to slip on some nude heels before heading downstairs ‘n darting to the kitchen. 

‘I couldn’t just show up to Tommy’s office empty handed!’

I made Tom a ham and turkey sandwich, threw it in, and then made my way out of the house.

Aliena was having a hard time keeping a smile off her face. She couldn’t wait to see Tommy. As aforementioned, physical touch was Ali’s love language and sex was the ultimate form of that love, in her eyes. I mean for her, she orgasmed three times. Twice on his cock— that was a big deal to her. 

She knew not to expect it all the time, but that didn’t matter to her. She could always ask Tom to finish her off ‘n something told her he’d always comply because that’s the type of lover he is. But, that warmth that came from Tommy orgasming inside of her— she… It’d be hard to give that up. 

Aliena walked up the steps of the Shelby Company building. A staff member saw Ali coming up the steps ‘n held the door open for her. She thanked him before walking through the door and making a beeline for Tom’s office. 

As she neared the door, Ali made sure to have her poker face on. She was going to pass by two very observant people, Michael and Lizzie. Ali was well aware that Lizzie was in love with Tom, but he was never going to reciprocate her feelings.

Snidely, Ali wondered if they were in the same boat, just for a second.

Michael had fancied Ali and she knew he was still seeking forgiveness from her, but nope. He still hasn’t apologized to Polly. I mean it’s just been a few hours and she hasn’t been around for like the entire day, so she really wouldn’t know if had apologized during this time or not. But, not like she cared.

Tommy was the sole person on her mind. 

Aliena knocked on the door before walking in. She whipped ‘round and closed the door behind her only to be twirled around ‘n pinned against the door. Tommy’s lips captured hers and he—! He moaned into their kiss. Feverishly, Tom threw the basket that held his dinner aside and reached next to her to lock both doors. With his hands on the sides of her face, he twirled them around. 

Tom parted from the kiss, only for a moment. “Jump.” He grasped the back of her knees and hauled her up. Ali could’ve sworn she didn’t jump, that in Tom’s haste— he threw her up in the air. Her arms wrapped around his neck and her hands ran over the stubble of hair on the back of his head. 

Tom led them toward his desk, which he had prepared for this moment. All of his important documents and pens ‘n things were set aside somewhere around the room.  He set her down on it ‘n worked on unfastening the buttons on her jacket. 

He pecked her lips a couple more times before saying against her lips. “I’ve been thinking about you all day. Have you?”

Aliena giggled as she pulled Tommy in for a kiss. “Of course, you dummy.” Using her legs, Ali pulled him flush against her body. Her hot core against his clothed cock. She began to grind against his tent. 

Tom finally undid her jacket and roughly yanked it off her shoulders and down her arms. He threw it aside and then turned his attention back to Ali, who was wearing a rather revealing dress. 

He chuckled under his breath and shook his head. “You’re not as innocent as you seem, are you?”

Aliena giggled again while stroking his jawline. She rose herself higher on the desk and whispered against his lips. “You wanna find out, Mr. Shelby?”

“Fuck…” Tom muttered before taking the sides of her dress that framed her breasts and yanked them apart. Aliena gasped as her dress was ripped apart.

“Tommy!” She cried out through her laughter. “I liked this dress!”

Tommy pecked her lips before saying, “We can get it repaired.”

She rolled her eyes and shook her head, but there was a smile on her face. Ali shook her destroyed dress off, raised her bum so she wasn’t sitting on it, and then let it fall to the side. The second she got comfortable again, Tom didn’t hesitate to attack the hickies he’d left the night before.

Aliena clutched him closer to her body and arched her back into him. A loud, breathy gasp escaped her lips and it encouraged Tom to continue his attack. Her fingers were running and tugging his hair, something Tom enjoyed a lot. 

“Tommy,” she rasped. “You’re too dressed up.”

Tom let go of her nipple and found her lips instead. Ali met him with just as much passion. While Tom was working on unfastening his vest and shirt, Aliena was working on his pants. Just like last night.

‘Deciding to go without an undershirt was the right call.’ He thought.

Aliena’s hands roamed Tommy’s body as she took in the sight ‘n the feel. He let her for a little while before he hooked his fingers along the sides of her panties again. “Up.” He ordered, and Ali didn’t hesitate to lift her bum up long enough so that he could slip off her panties.

She chuckled. “Shoes on or off, Tommy?” 

Tom didn’t respond. He just leaned down and shut her up by kissing her. His fingertips stroked all along her body, never once brushing over the place she was most desperate to be touched at. Tom eventually slid his fingers up her body and swiped them across her lips. 

“Open.” He said.

Ali’s attention, having been drawn to her own lips, looked at Tommy’s. They were smudged with her red lipstick. It made her giggle, tipping her head back. She calmed down not a second later ‘n dropped her jaw as Tom wished. 

Ali didn’t hesitate to gather all the saliva she had and lather his fingers with it. She rolled her tongue around them and between them till Tom was satisfied. He trailed his wet fingers down her body all the way to her pussy. 

He stroked her and teased her entrance till she was a whimpering mess. He had to remind her to be quiet more than once. Tom eventually pushed his fingers into her cunt and finger fucked her roughly. The noises that were coming from her soaking cunt made her blush and avoid his gaze. 

Tom noticed this ‘n with his free hand— he gripped the back of her head and yanked her up. “Look at me, love.” Aliena couldn’t. “Fucking look at me.”

Ali inhaled sharply before doing as he ordered her, and tightened around Tommy’s fingers. 

He smirked. “You like that, Ali? You like it when I give you an order? When I yank your hair?”

She couldn’t respond. It was taking everything inside of her not to cringe up at his dirty talk. It was arousing, she knew that, but she wasn’t used to those words coming from his mouth. It sent her for a loop. She threw her head back once she felt her orgasm nearing. 

“Tommy, I’m gonna come!”

Tom yanked out his fingers, positioned his cock at her entrance, and slammed inside her. Ali pulled him in closer with her legs as she slapped a hand over her mouth and arched her back almost painfully off the desk. Her head thumped from the impact. Tom cursed under his breath as he, himself, had to adjust to her tightness. 

Ali recuperated rather fast ‘n was thrown into a fit of giggles. She dropped her hands to her sides before raising them up and cupping her breasts, kneading them. The sight of her touching herself made Tom’s cock twitch inside of her. 

Tom hiked Ali’s body further up the desk, gripped the crooks of her knees, and brought them toward her chest. Aliena gasped and immediately reached for her legs to hold them back. Tom shook his head. 

“Hold on to me neck, love.” He leaned down and captured Ali’s lips in a brutal kiss. Tommy began at a slow pace gradually working his way till the poor desk was shaking under his brutal pace. And Aliena loved every fucking minute of it.

Tom felt his orgasm inch closer ‘n just like last time. He reached between their bodies and settled his hand on top of Ali’s clit. With hard, stuttering thrusts and his rapid assault on her clit, Aliena felt her eyes roll backward and her head fill with white noise as she came. A high pitched whine was all that she could manage without actually screaming. But, Tommy wasn’t ready yet so his thrusts didn’t stop. 

She’s read about it, ya know, but she never thought it would happen to her. Her orgasm wasn’t stopping. Aliena let out a loud, breathy laugh while throwing her head back. Tom’s gasps and pants began to raise in pitch and his thrusts slowed but grew in strength. 

Ali stared into Tom’s eyes and caressed his face as she whispered. “Come in me, Tommy. Fucking come inside me...” Tom buried his head between her breasts and groaned as he orgasmed. 

Ali chewed at her bottom lip and hummed as she ran her fingers through his hair. Tom didn’t pull out till he was done coming, and when he did— Aliena whimpered. Tom watched as her hands rubbed her stomach and her fingertips drew patterns there. He felt his cock twitch, but he knew she was in no condition to go a second round right now.

Tom gripped Ali’s wrists and yanked her torso up from the desk. He hurriedly placed a hand on her back for support as the other grasped under her thigh to lift her up. Ali hummed and tightened her hold around her lover. Tom walked them over to his chair and set her down on the floor. Aliena’s heels clacked against the wooden floor. He grasped her waist, spun her round, and then pulled her down with him as he sat down in his chair. 

Softly, Ali chuckled and reached behind herself to stroke his cheek. Tom smiles into her shoulder and presses a kiss there. He raised his hand, gripped her chin, and made her face him. They engaged in a passionate kiss. Aliena was the first to pull away. She hummed and chuckled.

“Can you at least let me put back on my panties?”

Tom shook his head. “No. They’re wet, anyway.”

Ali twisted her mouth before melting into Tommy’s hold. “You’re right...”

Tom rested his chin on her shoulder with his arms wrapped around her stomach, pulling her flush against him. He looked around his office and muttered. “Maybe I should get a sofa in ‘ere.”

Aliena’s eyes which had fluttered shut, blew open and gasped horrified before cackling. She craned her body around and smacked his chest lightly. Tom chuckled before leaning in for a kiss. 

The pair stayed seated like that for a while. Tom checked the time ‘n only an hour had since passed. That meant Lizzie and Michael were still out there. He couldn’t make Aliena suffer through the embarrassment of walking out of his office wearing his coat since they were sure to catch on. Hell, they probably heard them two fucking.

It’d be better for Ali to not suffer through making eye contact ‘n such. So, he convinced her to stay in the office with him. And just to stay within a lover’s embrace, Aliena agreed to stay despite the subtle urge to pee that was no doubt going to grow harder to ignore in time. 

Tom helped Ali to her feet before standing up after her. He told her to sit down after he got up since he was going to fix his desk. Tom hiked up his pants ‘n got to work reorganizing his desk. Through the corner of his eye, he could see Ali’s increasing discomfort as she kept shifting around in the chair. 

He looked around the room in thought before he remembered he was going to give her his coat to wear. Tom gave her the coat and his heart swelled when Ali cuddled up into it. Her eyes drooped and fought to stay open. 

Tom worked faster to get back to his seat. He made his finishing touches before walking over to his shirts and putting them on. Knowing she’d most likely want skin to skin contact, he didn’t button them up. 

He walked back over to his chair, helped her up, and then sat down. Instead of sitting on him side-saddle like before, Ali straddled his legs and buried her head into his neck. Her breasts pressed against his chest. Tom chuckled and stroked her hair. Slowly but surely lulling her to sleep. In the meantime, Tom attempted to get some paperwork done.

Two weeks later and Tom and I are still having sex like everyday. I went from being a 20 year old virgin to having sex everyday. It was awesome! Well, like I’m really sore, but I can live with it. 

We still haven’t “defined” the relationship; however, he’s been like calling me his during sex. You know saying things like, “my girl,” “you’re mine,” and asking who I belong to. It was so fucking sexy! The moment he would leave for work ‘n you know, just leave— I would roll around and kick about. 

I can’t tell you how happy I am right now! 

Eh, well sometimes when he leaves I wonder if he’s still seeing Grace or May, but whatever. I mean he ultimately comes home to lay with me, so I hope that means something. I hope I’m not deluding myself.

Oh! It’s not just the sex that I’m hung up about. It’s post-sex too. The cuddling and whispering and gentle kisses. I was just so warm. 

This had been what I wanted for so long ‘n now that I had it— I didn’t want to let it go. Sad thing is— I might have to, regardless of what I want.

A moan escaped my lips as I felt my orgasm inch closer. My thighs were burning as I bounced on Tommy’s cock. I had my feet planted on the bed, and I held onto the bed frame for support. 

"Tommy! Mhmm… Fuck! Tommy!" My head tipped back as I felt a wave of pleasure go straight to my head. I brought my hips in and out at a fast rate, and gasped. Tommy threw his head back against the pillows and hissed through his teeth.

I giggled breathily at the sight. 

He brought his head back down and he chuckled breathily. His tongue poking out 'n swiping over his bottom lip. "You laughing at me?" 

I stopped moving my hips and furrowed my eyebrows at him. Tommy scooted his body up till he was practically sitting against the headboard. Breathing from his mouth, he asked. "Eh?" His hand shot out and gripped the back of my head. He yanked me back by my hair, which made me laugh even more. "You haven' a fucking laugh, love?"

I shook my head. "Not in that way 'n you know it, fucking idiot." I chuckled again as his grip on my hair tightened even more. 

"You're gonna regret that."

"Ha! Promise?" I didn't hesitate to start bouncing on his cock again. His eyes rolled back and he bit his bottom lip. I sighed at the sight. 

Tom's eyes rolled forward, and he glared at me before heaving a big breath. His hands gripped my arse and he began guiding me up and down his cock all while thrusting into me at an ungodly pace. 

I squealed before throwing my head in a guttural groan. The urge to come came back like it had never left, and it was approaching fast. I brought one of my hands down to my clit and began rubbing my clit as I bounced. 

My eyes rolled to the back of my head, and I moaned as I felt that coil of an orgasm unravel. And from under me, Tommy let out raspy grunts as his hips stuttered up. His come spilled into me, and I bit my lip at the feeling. We both rode out our highs for a little more before halting our movements. 

Using the headboard, I leaned forward and got onto my knees. I whimpered at the pain that shot through my legs. I rose my hips up till Tommy's cock slipped out of me. A chuckle escaped my nose as I watched his cock teeter a little after sliding out of me. Tommy’s hand from its grip on my hair again, and he jerked my head toward him. 

His other hand clasped around my throat, and he brought me to his lips. I loved his lips against mine. I loved the moans that would come from him from time to time, and the whimpers that escaped me. Even though I wanted to cringe at the kissing noises, sometimes. When we eventually parted, Tom didn't let me lay back down till we shared a few pecks. 

I giggled as I rolled over off of his body and onto his arm. I didn’t hesitate to loosely interlock our fingers. I was entirely spent and it was probably only six or seven in the morning. I could feel him move beside me and once I heard a familiar snap, I knew he had reached over for a smoke. 

"You haven't even had breakfast..." I whispered, a smile creeping up on my face. I craned my neck to look up at him as he did the opposite. 

He didn't respond. Tom took the ciggie between his two fingers and held it before my lips. I glared at him before deciding to wrap my lips around the stick and inhale. 

The burn, it was nice… 

Tommy’s eye's kept flickering between mine and my lips. I didn't break our stare even as I exhaled. I didn't blow it in his face, of course! Had to move my mouth to the side. He smirked and inaudibly chuckled before raising the ciggie back to his lips. I settled back down into his side and hummed, contented. 

We laid next to each other in silence. Tommy was smoking and kneading my left tit while I was almost dozing off back to sleep. 

Tommy exhaled and stubbed his ciggie out loudly. Since my eyes were closed, I felt his two fingers grip my chin and crane my neck upwards. I rolled my body to the side to accommodate the change.

"Eh..."He whispered, making my eyes flutter open, and before claiming my lips. I reciprocated the kiss, my hands cupping the sides of his face. Tom was the first to part this time. He licked his lips, well more like the middle of his lips. I pecked him twice more on the mouth before littering his face with kisses. 

He snickered. One of Tom's hands held into the dip of my waist while the other stroked my back. I came back down kissing his nose before his lips again. I stroked his bottom lip in adoration gazing at my action before my eyes flickered to his. 

Tom cleared his throat before whispering, "Good morning."

I laughed under my breath while rolling my eyes. "Good morning, Tommy."

Tom had a small smile on his face. He pecked my lips for the last time before getting up from the bed. The draft he caused from rising from the bed made me shiver. I tugged the blankets over my naked body and groaned. 

"Don't go! Just stay with me..." I made grabby hands and pouted. My arms fell to my side rather quickly since I knew my pleading would be in vain.

Tom rolled his eyes, but I didn’t miss the small smile as he pulled up his boxers. I admired the reverse strip show I was getting, but begrudgingly since he was only getting dressed to head to work. 

Tom had dressed up to his vest and was working on fastening his cufflinks when he sighed. “You know, you have work too. You’ve lost your rest time due to our morning activities.” He cleared his throat before tugging on his sleeves. 

I pursed my lips in a frown and shrugged my shoulders. “It’s not like I take long to dress.”

He scoffed and shook his head. Tom stretched his hand out to me and urged me to take it. I looked at the hand and then back up at him. I groaned exaggeratedly before taking his hand. I was dragged up to my knees ‘n against his clothed chest. He cupped my face gently and whispered. “You need to get dressed.”

I rolled my eyes and blew raspberries before chuckling. I pushed him aside a little before crawling off the bed. As I was walking to the drawer of undergarments, Tom had stocked for me— he spanked my arse. 

“Ah—!” I spun around to see the smirk on his face, but I did a full 180 and continued walking to the drawer. I plucked up a pair of panties and a bra then walked over to the bathroom. I peed, it did still “hurt,” and I can’t tell you how much I wish panty liners existed. 

I put my undergarments on while I was in the bathroom. I cringed as the fabric of my bra rubbed against my nipples. 

‘I really have to get him to leave them alone for a while.’ I thought while massaging my breasts underneath my bra. I walked out of the bathroom to see Tom still there but at his desk. I skipped over and kissed his temple. His head wobbled ‘cause of the force I put behind it. 

I twirled around ‘n walked over to the basket I had placed near my drawer, and bent down to take out the clothes I packed for today. It was a flowy, long-sleeved, red polka dot button up and a grey, tweed skirt. I decided against doing anything special to my hair as I already made the promise that I don’t take long when getting ready. So, I settled with putting my hair up in my regular work bun. 

I could see Tom get up from the corner of my eyes as I was making sure I was pleased with my hair. He came from behind me and wrapped his arms around my stomach, pulling me closer to him. I curled a piece of my framing hairs around my fingers before letting it unravel. 

He began to kiss my clothed neck, his eyebrows furrowing when his lips were blocked by my blouse collar. Tom tugged it down and continued his sensual attack on my neck. I hummed content and reached up behind me to stroke his cheek. 

Tom’s innocent kisses turned into playful nips and then tempting sucking. I bit my lip and leaned into his touch. It was like my exhaustion was gone ‘n all I wanted was to be fucked again. 

I squeezed my thighs together ‘n my face expressed the pleasure I was experiencing. But then a different sensation took over— hunger. I gasped and leaned forward. Tom tried following me, but ultimately was dragged a bit forward as I crashed onto the vanity desk. 

His face was full of concern, which made me chuckle. 

I whispered with some strain in my voice. “If you’d chosen to stay in bed, we could be continuing this. But, unfortunately—!” I spun around and gently unwrapped his arms from me. “We have work.”

I didn’t see it, but I could practically feel his smirk or eye roll.

As I ran down the stairs, I shouted. “Will you be eating with me this morning?” I walked into the kitchen and beelined for the fridge. Looking over all the ingredients I have yet to use.

“Yeah!” He shouted. 

He won’t eat a whole buffet, but considering we had sex— he might want a plate of scran rather than just like two items. I pursed my lips and scrunched them side to side. I grabbed eggs, bacon, tomato, and sausage. It really hurt to grab the tomato. I only like ketchup and like chopped tomatoes in certain dishes. I could never eat it just as a slice in a meal. I mean I have but I would never do it willingly.

When I was first learning how to cook, Polly taught me how to make a full English breakfast ‘n of course I had to eat it! Unfortunately, I had to scarf down a lot of meals that I didn’t like.

I grabbed the loaf of bread ‘n I cut out two slices. I worked on getting everything prepped up before I began any real cooking. 

Unspoken words would be the end of them, Aliena was sure of this. However, Tom thought these “unspoken words” she was worrying about— were already implied. Tom’s practically in heaven right now because he and Ali are in a relationship. And he’s just praying to a higher power each day that nobody figures out that they’re dating.

‘Cause the minute Campbell ‘n the rest of England finds out that he’s with Aliena and not Grace or May— will be the day this “honeymoon” phase of theirs ends. They spent most of their time together with their limbs entwined, but what mattered most was the talks they had. The fun they had. There was this light to the beginning of their relationship, one found in the beginning of every.

And like with all new relationships, you hope this one is the last. 

Tom's heart was filled with adoration, even if he didn’t express it properly. Even if he wasn’t verbalizing it, Tom hoped she’d understand him as she always had ‘n knows that he’s displaying his affection through touch. 

While Ali was downstairs cooking breakfast, Tom was hastily completing some paperwork upstairs. It was “unimportant” business, but still had to get it done. When he was done writing out his signature, he collected the documents, straightened them out, and tucked them away into his suitcase. 

Tom grabbed his suit jacket before taking his suitcase, and walking downstairs. He walked toward the entrance, hearing Ali’s singing. Tom hung up his suit jacket next to his coat ‘n set down his suitcase— resting it against the wall. 

Tom straightened his back and walked to the kitchen where Ali was. 

“You know I'm just a flight away. If you wanted you can take a private plane.”

Tom stood at the threshold of the room ‘n admired the way she sang and danced.

“A kilómetros estamos conectando. Y me prendes aunque no me estés tocando.”

Tom kicked himself off the wall ‘n walked behind Ali— wrapping his arms around her stomach ‘n resting his chin on her head. 

“You know I got a lot to say. All these voices in the background of my brain.”

He leaned down to her neck, continuing where he left off in the room. 

Ali giggled, but continued to sing. “Y me dicen todo lo que estás pensando. Me imagino lo que ya estás maquinando.”

Enveloped in the passion, Tom’s hand had risen and he pulled out the pins that were holding her bun. Noticing this immediately, Ali gasped— horrified. The cooking utensils in her hands made a soft tapping sound as she released her grip on them. Her hands flew to her hair ‘n she tsked. Tom really took down her hair.

“Sorry.” His tone unapologetic.

“Mhmm. Sure you are. Now I have to put it back up. Go ‘n sit down. Stop bugging me.” 

Funnily enough, her scolding made Tom’s heart swell. Wouldn’t smile, though. That would make it obvious. So instead, Tom didn’t release his hold ‘n continued to “bug” her. Aliena tsked again, her body jostling around as she cooked. 

“Oi! I’m serious, Tommy. Go ‘n sit down. I’m almost done cooking.” She said. Ali bumped him with her arse and then tried sidestepping left. Tom muttered a “fine” before kissing her forehead ‘n plopping down in a chair at the table. 

Tom reached into his pocket and pulled out his cigarette case. He managed to pop one in his mouth before he released something he’d forgotten. He cursed under his breath before getting up. “I’ll be right back, love. I forgot the paper.”

Ali craned her neck back. “Shit, that’s right. Okay, then!”

Tom went to get the morning’s paper from outside while Ali was done cooking up the bacon ‘n the sausage. She plated them both before going back, cracking two eggs in one pan, dumping tomato slices in the other, and dropping the bread in the toaster. 

Tom had walked back into the kitchen soon enough, paper in hand, ‘n sitting down.

“What are you having to drink, Tommy? ‘N before you answer, you’re not having whiskey.”

Tom’s lip twitched upward, but he calmed himself. “Tea, then. Thank you.”

She hummed. “Coming right up.” Aliena took the pan with the tomatoes in it and slid them onto Tommy’s plate. She dumped that pan into the sink before getting the tea kettle ‘n filling it with water.

Ali placed it on the stove ‘n waited on her eggs, which didn’t take long— only about two minutes or so later. She scooped up one over medium egg, slid it onto her plate, and then plated the other. The toast popped up and she carefully plucked them out. Hastily throwing them on Tommy’s plate, she asked. “Do you want anything on your toast, Tom?”

He shook his head. “No.”

 Ali made sure all burners except the tea’s were off before taking their scran in her hands and serving them. “Do you want ketchup, Tommy?” She asked while walking over to the fridge. She bent down ‘n took out both the ketchup ‘n orange juice. The juice she had to freshly squeeze almost every week just so she’d be able to enjoy some in the morning. 

“No.” He repeated. 

Ali walked back to the table ‘n set both down. She spun around, slid open a drawer, and grabbed their eating utensils. Spinning back around, she gave Tom his first before setting down her own. 

Tom stared at Ali as she poured herself some orange juice ‘n squeezed ketchup on her egg. He’s been “blessed” to be able to enjoy some very domestic mornings. It was always a wish of his, ya know. But one that had to be put on the backburner— one that had to be sacrificed. 

One that still might be in the crossfire, especially since he has not only Campbell on his back but Sabini ‘n Solomons as well. He’s working on Solomons, though. They were allies, once— Tom was sure he’d get him back. After all, a man like Sabini is much more of a paranoid idiot than himself and Alfie combined.

Tom was sure Sabini wouldn’t follow through on anything he’d promised to Alfie. 

The man cleared his throat before folding up the newspaper ‘n paid attention to his meal. Made by his lover…

Ali didn’t sit down. She was waiting on that kettle to whistle, so she ate standing up. She didn’t mind. No harm, no foul. 

While taking his first bite, he said. “Thank you.”

Sheepishly, Aliena smiled and nodded. “Of course.” The kettle began to sing ‘n Ali was quick to turn off the flame. She tippy-toed to reach for a tea cup, got a set, and then set it down. Then, she reached for the tea bags. 

Tom’s eyes once again found Aliena’s figure. He can’t tell you how many times he’s wanted to snicker at her while watching her stand on her tiptoes for something. She walked over to him and set down his tea. He muttered another thank you.

Aliena finally sat down with a sigh of relief. The "couple" ate in silence for a while till Aliena couldn’t take 'n asked him about what was in the paper. That certainly got the ball rolling. The conversation had gone from the paper, to the company, to the family, then it took an unexpected turn. The topic turned sexual, but in the general sense not the flirting kind. 

Tommy, seemingly somewhat uncomfortable yet still curious enough to ask, asked.  "Well, do you, you know, masturbate?"

Ali dung her nails into the palms of her hands, harshly bit down on her lip, and hung her head. She wasn't ashamed— she was embarrassed! She was talking about this with the man she fancied! She—! She was mortified!

Ali took a deep breath before looking 'em straight in the eyes. "Yeah, I do."

"How often?"

She scoffed before splattering, a hand covering her mouth. "What are you my doctor? Um, no, uh. In a week… I'd say maybe two to four times a week. Maybe. Loosely. You?"

Tom's eyebrow raised him surprise. 'Huh?' "Um, uh. Perhaps five times in a month. I, uh—"

Ali raised her hand up, signaling him to stop talking. "Yeah, I know. You had your ways of relieving yourself other than wanking." Ali brushed it off and tried to look unaffected. 

Which unbeknownst to her, was only slightly achieved. Tom could tell she cared a little.

Ali blew raspberries before getting excited at the idea of a new question. "Oh! Oh! What's your record? Like how many times have you made yourself orgasm in a day?" 

Tom had to think about it. "Wanking… At most, three or four. Maybe five. Or six. Seven would be pushing it."

Ali chuckled. "Seven."

Tom felt his mind fry. "What?" He asked.

Enthusiastically, Ali repeated. "Seven. My record is seven." 

This is exactly how she wanted him to react. She always knew she'd get a reaction out of her significant other with that piece of information. She was so excited with the idea that Tommy’s male pride or ego might have been compromised 'n he's gonna want to one-up her record! Ah—! She can't wait!

"Really?" Tom asked in disbelief. Aliena really wasn't as innocent as he thought… 

Ali nodded. 

"Right, then." Tom said, cogs already turning and scheming. 

It wasn't that his "male ego or pride" was hurt. He's made women orgasm loads of times, but seven… Nope. Three or four, yes. Seven, nope! 

Tom swears up and down that he sees this as a playful challenge, at best! 

The couple went on to talk about more sexual topics before heading out for the day. 

Oh, he was scheming, all right!

It was a subtle change, but also a big one. We stopped having sex for two weeks. I didn’t mind. We conversed a lot more and filled our time with, ya know, getting to know each other more intimately. 

I was new at this “dating” thing, so I was following Tommy’s lead. How am I supposed to describe it? It was a dream come true to lay in Tommy’s arms, run my fingers through his hair, and cuddle with him. My favorite position was when he laid on top of me like with his head on my stomach. 

There's hardly anything to talk about when all you do is stay in town, doing the same stuff you did before, but just more intimately now. I mean we couldn’t even go south down to London. I thought about asking Tom if we could go to a restaurant here in the North since this was his territory, but I didn’t want to create any tension.

I’m sure there were a bunch of lovely, extravagant restaurants ‘ere in the North. But, south of England was, of course, popular 'cause of London. I kind of wished we could go to Liverpool, where I was born, but it wouldn’t be the same anyhow. It’s not like I had real lingering feelings for the city. I moved far too young to care about the city as much as I loved Los Angeles.

 Not going to tell a blag, I was actually really sexually frustrated. I made this harder on myself since I decided to not touch myself. I had a perfectly good partner, who would eventually want to have sex with me again. 

Right?

I mean I didn’t have to stop masturbating, but I did ‘cause I want sex to be with Tommy. 

And I read a bunch of fanfiction where the girl gets punished for masturbating without permission ‘n as much as I am a brat— there was no way I was getting punished!

Fact, mental health issues equals BDSM. Oh my god I don’t know the rest of that quote! Abort mission! Throw the thought away! 

I was currently holed up in my room while waiting for Cassie to arrive. I thought I was protected before— ha! Don’t make me laugh. I couldn’t even sneak away! Tommy put more men on me, men who would guilt trip me into coming back to them whenever I left their sight. 

I would’ve walked away regardless, if Tom and I hadn’t been sleeping together. If we weren’t, I wouldn’t believe a word ‘n tell them to take his order with a grain of salt— but… Well, not every time but most of the time we have sex, he asks me who I belong to. That obviously meant something, so no— I can’t leave the North.

I wore a pale blue floral print dress that had a square neckline ‘n went down to my knees. I had to use loads of makeup to cover up the love bites that littered my neck and chest. I even dared to put my hair up. The night before was one of the few nights that I actually spent by myself. 

It was weird and I found it difficult to go to sleep. It was crazy how fast my body had adjusted to Tom’s presence beside me as I slept, so much so that I couldn’t fall asleep properly without him. But, then again— knowing myself that should have been the obvious.

Cassie pulled up fifteen minutes later ‘n didn’t spare any of the complaints she had. She desperately wanted to dine together in London again, but I had to explain to her that I couldn’t leave the North. She huffed and puffed.

I told her all about how Tommy and I were faring. I told her that I was attempting to guard my heart, but I could feel myself slipping ‘cause after all, Thomas Shelby was a romantic. The bloody gobshite! He really was a fucking smooth talker!

Cassie praised me for holding strong and attempted to lift my spirits. Ya know since the whole plan was to not fall in love with him just yet. She told me that Grace had been staying at the Ritz. She had Simmons check the books ‘n sure enough— she and her husband had book a room, indefinitely.

Cassie said that Grace had looked ill. With eyebags as dark as skeletons, apparently. I know it’s probably bad, but I was glad Grace was unhappy. In my opinion, that meant she hadn’t seen Tommy.

I mean wouldn’t she be happy since she’d be pregnant? Well since I never asked if it occurred, I don’t have an accurate dating on her supposed pregnancy length. However, it usually takes six weeks for morning sickness to begin, so… If I have the timeline correct, Tom would have had to fuck her anywhere from the ending of last month to this month. ‘Cause the Derby takes place in May, May the 31st.

After having that little thought-bubble-rant, I grew a little anxious. I asked her if she knew what it meant— if it even had a meaning! That we stopped having sex for like two weeks. She told me not to fret over it ‘n that it was a good thing. The way that Tommy and I began was rather unconventional, so a break from the “honeymoon” behavior would be beneficial. Since it meant that we were actually talking to each other rather than just mindless throwing ourselves into pleasure. 

I didn’t know about that. I mean sex was important to me. Yes, important. It signified one of the most intimate types of physical touch and love between two people. Well, in this context and to me, at least. Then again, maybe she was right. The only time we talked was when we finished fucking and the morning after. But the last two weeks, we’ve gotten to speak more and disclose intimate details to one another that we hadn’t shared before.

Hate it when she’s right…

Cassie informed me that her father was a little peeved with my absence. I told her to apologize to me and tell him my excuse. Ya know, me being heavily guarded in the North ‘n all. She scoffed and said that would only be useful for so long. But what did she want me to do! If I actually have shot with Tom, I’m not continuing my work with her father! I would have no need! 

I already have money of my own as it is… A LOT of money! And the deal was that I could leave at any time, so I could honestly care less. But I also didn’t like the fact that I was missing out on deals. I had no idea what the future holds for Tom and I. I don’t know if he’s serious about me or if I’m another notch on his belt. So, some how some way— I’m going to have to find a way to “sneak” back into the South for certain jobs.

It’s not like there is a border that Sabini’s men are posted at, but I’m almost certain they knew my face. And I’m sure they would have no problem of hurting me the minute they figured out it was me. Since I work for the family ‘n all. 

Sometime during the week (technically week three of no sex), Tom had asked me out on a date. Said that we would be going to a restaurant this Friday and told me to be ready by seven. 

You know damn well your girl went all out! Technically that really meant doing a little shaving here ‘n there ‘n picking out a fine ass outfit— but I went all out, nonetheless.

I wore a pastel pink dress that had a deep v-neck that had short-sleeves with jewel accents around my midsection and sleeves. I kept my hair down and styled it in loose finger waves. As for my makeup, I put on black eyeshadow but kept it light, mascara, and eyeliner on both top and bottom. For lipstick, I went with a nude shade.

I debated bringing along a clutch or a purse while also debating whether or not to wear a cloche hat. I decided on a clutch, as always, and to wear the hat. All I had to do was wait for seven to come, which felt like it took forever. I expected that, but I guess I held this date in more regard than I thought.

When 6:45 rolled around, I left the main house ‘n headed to the garage where we planned to meet.

The citizens of Small Heath gazed with astonishment as their little light strutted down their streets with a box-office worthy smile while continuously ‘n anxiously fixing her hair. Anyone with common sense could deduct she was about to meet a special someone, about to go on a date. 

 There were whispers in the air about their little light having a special someone, but no one ever saw the lad— so, it was just that, a whisper. No one would ever believe that Aliena and Tom were a couple. They couldn’t. A sweet girl like her with a bastard like him! It would be a travesty. He had to have taken advantage of her. 

It didn’t matter that all of Birmingham knew that Aliena fancied Tom because they figured that Tom wouldn’t like someone like her. They believed Tom fancied women who would give him a challenge, someone who’d he have to fight with. Aliena was so naive and docile that they figured the poor girl would be used for a fuck then tossed aside like a discarded toy that was thrown aside due to own the child’s boredom. 

That’s what they thought ‘n that’s what the couple wanted them to think. 

Tom didn’t care for the opinions held about him, but he didn’t want anyone catching on about his relationship with Ali. Not even his family. Aliena, on the other hand, well— she “worked hard” on building her reputation in Birmingham. Some of it was common courtesy, but with certain individuals— oh, she had to manipulate them! 

She wasn’t ashamed of it either. The more people thought of her as a little girl, the more they’d favor her. Some people knew the truth of Ali’s guise, but they kept their mouths shut or were silenced, in fear of ridicule from their peers and backlash from the Peaky Blinders.

 While Aliena was waiting patiently in the garage, Tom was about to pull up with a bouquet of roses. Ali stood straighter once Tom’s car came into view. He pulled up beside her ‘n Ali was eager to get into the car.

“Wait!” Tom called out as he hastily grabbed the bouquet while rushing out of the car. 

Ali was quick to halt her movements and take in the sight before her. Tommy, kind of, skipping toward her with roses in her hands. 

She didn’t know whether to be overcome with affection, or cringe. She really expected Tom to be a complete douchebag, to be honest. The bar for this relationship was on the floor ‘n with just a simple bouquet of roses— he was surpassing that bar.

Ali took the roses from him just as he leaned down ‘n pressed a kiss on top of her forehead.

Against her skin, he said. “You look absolutely breathtaking.”

Looks like Ali decided on being overcome with affection as her curled up finger came up to her mouth ‘n she let out a series of giggles. 

Breathily ‘n peering up at Tommy, she said. “Thanks.”

Tom took her arm in his before leading her into the car and helping her climb in. Ali took the time to sniff the roses. 

Truthfully, the girl loved roses as a perfume. She could hardly ever catch their scent in their original form as flowers, but loved their significance ‘n appearance. So it was still a big deal for her to receive them from Tommy.

They began to talk once Tom had pulled out into the road. Ali asked him about his day ‘n he asked the same. A bunch of domestic topics. 

The pair would never know that both possessed the same dirty thoughts as Tom drove toward the restaurant. Just as Ali had done, Tom avoided wanking off. Honestly, it was stupid but he thought it important to what he had planned. 

Their eyes would fall on each other’s lips ‘n they would linger. Ali would stare at his hands while he dropped his gaze to her breasts. Her gaze trailed from his hands down to his clothed chest all the way down to his crotch. Tom’s gaze dropped to her thighs ‘n the desire to grip them as he drove was painful to deny. 

They shared an internal prayer to God when Tom finally parked. He climbed out of the car ‘n hurried over to the passenger side. Ali carefully set down her flowers as she giggled to herself. 

Tom opened the car door for her and held a hand out for her to assist her as she climbed out. Ali was always a sight when she climbed out of the car. Her short stature caused her to be wary of her footing when coming out. It didn’t happen as much as it did when she got older, but tonight— her steps were obviously hesitant ‘n calculated.

Ali thanked Tom under her breath before joining their arms, and walking toward the restaurant. The couple felt hyperaware for the same reason. They both thought people were looking at them ‘n they were right. Pedestrians turned their heads as they walked by. Admiring the stunning couple.

Tom felt Ali’s uneasiness as she clinged closer to him and held his arm with her other, rather occupied, hand. He tried comforting her by attempting to lighten the conversation with a joke ‘n a smile. He got the result he desired as she threw her head back in a fit of laughter.

The stares didn’t cease. They continued even as they were seated in their reserved table. Whispers about how well the couple suited or didn’t suit each other, how old they most likely were, and if anybody recognized them. 

They could hear the people around them, but they chose to get caught up in the “love bubble.” Being a gangster with a 24/7 overactive brain ‘n being a paranoid, mental-disordered riddled assassin wouldn’t allow them to ignore the fact they were being talked about ‘n gawked at. 

Anyway, the date overall was something out of a film. The conversation flowed perfectly and nothing went amiss. There was not a foolish lass who would walk up to them in hopes of stealing Tom’s attention nor was there an incident where the waiter dropped something on Ali. It was perfect, absolutely perfect.

After drinking some wine, Ali asked. “So, what’s the deal with Campbell? Have you come up with a plan.”

Tom averted his eyes. He didn’t want to think about business at the moment. He cleared his throat. “Uh, yeah. I have an idea.” 

Ali hummed. “Have you begun it?”

He nodded. “Yeah, I have.”

She chuckled. “I’m guessing by the vagueness of your answer, you don’t want to divulge anything.” Ali threw up her hands before clasping them together. “Is alright I get it.” She shrugged with a lazy smile.

Tom sniffed, flicking his nose before sitting up straighter. “Ali?” He began.

She hummed.

“How much do you know? How—? How much of my life do you know about?”

The couple both steeled their hearts for different reasons. Tom feared how much she knew about him. If she knew that he was alright with the possibility of dying. Aliena steeled her heart because she was about to tell Tommy a blag, and she had to make sure she could get away with it. 

While maintaining eye contact, Aliena replied. “I only know up to when Campbell barged into your office ‘n you changed the date to Derby Day. After that, well, the show was cancelled so...”

Tom had a new fear unlocked. Now, he had to worry about whether or not she knew he met up with Grace.

Tom’s mouth smacked as he shifted in his seat once more. He wanted to ask, but then his eyes drifted off to the side in thought. If he asked her and she knew, how would she feel— how would he feel? Asking her would just sour the mood ‘n ruin his plans completely.

“I guess I’ll have to trust that you’re telling me the truth.” He said while his head jerked back a bit.

Ali smiled, a hand reaching up for her glass, and raising it to her lips. “When have I ever lied to you?”

Tom shook his head before scoffing, a grin stretching across his face. He leaned forward and took a bite of his steak. Aliena did the same. 

With a hand covering her mouth, she asked. “So, are you working this weekend?”

He shook his head before taking a swig. “No.” He replied, breathily. “I’m not.”

“Oh?” Ali’s eyebrows furrowed. “Why not?”

Tom felt a rush of lust pass over him. His tongue prodded the inside of his bottom lip and he leaned back into his chair. “I’m going to be busy all weekend with something else.” 

Aliena stopped mid bite, her jaw dropped, and her eyes widened. ‘Break that dick, bitch. B-B-Break that dick, bitch!’ She thought. Calmly and with her eyes closed, Ali placed her utensils back down on her plate before opening her eyes. She couldn’t meet Tom’s gaze.

Aliena began shifting around in her seat from all the naughty scenarios she began imagining. Eventually, which wasn’t long, she couldn’t take it anymore.

Aliena shot up from her seat ‘n threw her napkin down on the table. “I’ll be right back. I’m gonna go freshen up.” She strutted off to the restroom, clutch in hand.

Tom craned his head ‘n watched as her hips swayed enticingly with each step she took. He turned back around and looked around him. The slightly upward stretch of his mouth was so miniscule that he wasn’t even sure he was smiling himself.

Meanwhile, Aliena beelied lined it for the sink. She looked around and saw that one stall was full. Four stalls in total, but she didn’t need to pee. She needed to calm down! Aliena turned on the faucet and ran her hands under the cold water. She thought about splashing some on her face, but then remembered she was wearing makeup. Then she thought about putting some on her neck, but then it would drip on her dress. 

The woman who was in the stall came out and used the sink beside Ali. She paid Aliena no mind. The poor girl, on the other hand, was still trying to calm herself down. She was painfully aroused ‘n she wasn’t sure if she was going to be able to keep a clear head for long. Aliena feared that she’d come on too strong ‘n turn Tommy off. At this point, she was even debating crawling under the dinner table and sucking him off.

Ali turned off the faucet and looked up just in time to see the woman walk away. Ali took several deep breaths before launching herself off the sink. She shook the excess water off her hands before rubbing her exposed neck and chest. Her cold hands doing very little yet brought comfort to her, simultaneously.

Aliena walked over to the paper towel dispenser and dried off her hands. She walked back over to the sink she was at, opened up her clutch, and began fixing her makeup.

Tom, who had been biding his time, walked toward the restrooms just in time to pass a woman who was coming out of it. He held the door in his hand and scanned the area. Deeming it safe enough, he entered the women’s restroom. 

Aliena just finished reapplying her lipstick. She capped it and threw it in her clutch. While throwing herself one last glance as she scrunched up her hair in the mirror, she looked ahead and gasped before it quickly contorted into giggles. Tom had walked through the door with his hand on the lock.

“Anyone else in here?” He whispered.

Aliena quickly looked, peering down a bit to see if there had been feet under the stalls. She whipped her head back to Tom and shook her head. Tom locked the door. The couple practically ran to each other’s arms, engaging in a passionate kiss. Tom led her back to the sink and once her back hit it, he propped her up on it. 

Their kiss was interrupted as Ali giggled. Tom used the opportunity to trail kisses down to her neck. Aliena bit her lip and pulled his hips closer to her by his belt. Tom let out a raspy chuckle against her neck, which made Ali cringe up. 

She squealed. “Tommy, don’t do that! It tickles!”

Tom made his way back to her lips, his hands on either sides of her head. “You. Need. To be. More. Quiet.” 

Aliena nodded, muttering a quick “okay,” before meeting his lips. Their exchange kept changing tempo, but one thing was consistent— their desire for one another kept growing. 

Aliena wrapped her legs around Tom’s waist and began grinding against him. Looking for any sort of relief. But Tom parted from their kiss and held up himself by leaning against the mirror. Throughout the restroom, all that could be heard was their heavy breathing. 

Ali was savoring this moment. She couldn’t believe something like this was happening to her. She couldn’t believe she might fuck in the restroom of a restaurant like something out of a movie. Her hand slid down from around his neck to his face ‘n she guided him toward her. 

Through her panting, she asked. “Are we…?”

 He shook his head. “Not here.”

Ali bit her lip and averted her gaze as disappointment washed over her. She looked back at him ‘n nodded. Her hand fell from his cheek and went toward her own as some type of coolant, hopefully. 

Tom took a couple of steps back, never breaking his gaze away from Aliena. She slid off the sink, her feet kicking a little as she searched for the ground. Ali twirled around and immediately began fixing herself. She looked at Tom in the mirror as she was cleaning up her lipstick and giggled at his disheveled appearance.

She quickly rubbed her thumb along her fingers to get the excess lipstick off them before opening up her clutch for the comb she stashed in there. Before walking over to Tommy, she yanked out another paper towel from the dispenser. 

“Here.” She said as she passed the comb to Tom. “I carry it out for you anyway.” Aliena brought the paper towel to his lips and began to gently rub off the lipstick that had transferred onto him. She chuckled. “I got lipstick on you.”

As Tom was combing his hair, he muttered. “Don’t mind.”

Ali threw her head back in a chuckle. “I figured. But I don’t want the whole restaurant knowing what we did in here.”

“They probably already do, love.” He replied, rolling back his shoulders before handing the comb back to his lover.

She hummed and nodded. “I know.” Aliena walked back over to the sink, grabbed her clutch, dropped the comb back it, and snapped it shut. She nodded her head toward the door. “Let’s go.” 

Tom straightened his suit jacket by his lapels. “You go out first.”

“Are you sure, isn’t supposed to be the other way around? After all, you would be hiding out in the women’s restroom?” She asked, teasingly. 

Tom rolled his eyes. “Do as I say, Ali.”

She stuck her tongue out at him before throwing the crumpled paper towel away. Unlocking the door, she practically strutted toward her table. Of course she felt self-conscious as if the whole restaurant knew what had transpired in that restroom, but she also didn’t care.

Aliena knew she was young, and she figured she was supposed to be doing daring things such as this. With as much grace as she could muster, she sat down and began sipping on her wine. 

Tom walked out, cool as a cucumber. Which didn’t not help Ali’s intense state of arousal. She quite literally had to look away. She took another set of calming deep breaths before having the courage and will to look at Tommy. 

In order to save themself from an awkward silence, Tom began the conversation. It was about little things, stuff they had already talked about before. But, Tom has to be honest— a lot of the personal things Ali’s told him went one ear out the other since she told him all these things when they had their little situation going on.

He asked about her childhood ‘n how it was. He asked how her parents were and how they looked. Aliena answered. Of course, she answered. But, she wasn’t focusing on the topic, at all. She was spewing all this information without putting much thought in it. After all, you get used to talking about this topic. 

Her mind was purely pondering about how she’d rile Tom up ‘n how she’d get him to take her home and use her like a whore, for lack of better words. Truthfully, Aliena wasn’t good at being forward. She could do it in her job, but this was different. This was different.

Ali bit her lip before slowly slipping her right foot out of her heel. As she spoke, she steadily raised her foot till her toes made contact with Tom’s leg. The bastard didn’t jump or flinch exaggeratedly. No, his eye just twitched before he raised an eyebrow. 

Ali’s foot kept trailing up till she reached his crotch. She rubbed her foot along his clothed cock, feeling it stiffen under her foot. Tom cleared his throat and his eyes fluttered shut. Ali couldn’t help but get an ego boost. 

She brought her fork to her lips and bit down on it. “Is everything alright, Tommy?” She asked teasingly.

Tom pursed his lips, scoffing, before shaking his head. “You’re playing a dangerous game, Aliena. I was planning on making this night gentle.”

She shrugged her shoulders while pouting. “Who said I wanted that? Besides, you’re taking the whole weekend off, right? There’s plenty enough time to be gentle.”

Tom dropped any facial expression on his face, but inside he was incredibly aroused by Ali’s taunt. He wondered if she actually loved teasing him and messing up his plans. It was almost second nature to Tom to numb his emotions, but lust was always one of the harder ones to suppress.

Tom caught the attention of a waiter and beckoned them to come over. Ali noticed this and dropped her foot in fear of getting caught. 

“Desert, love? What do you want?”

Ali’s eyes widened in surprise as her gaze kept shifting from the waiter to Tommy. “Uh… What’s on the menu?”

The waiter began rattling the items off the top of his head while clearing their table.

Ali cleared her throat. “The strawberry shortcake, then. Please, thank you.”

The waiter looked at Tom, and the man shook his head. 

Once the waiter left, Ali had a visible scowl on her face.

Tom had to bite back a smile. “Is there something the matter, love?” 

Aliena scoffed. 

She could feel her common sense flying out the window. It sucked to describe but she actually felt herself slip more and more into a bratty mindset. It was cringy and she hated that she felt like this, but it was happening since she wasn’t getting her way. 

Ali whipped her head the other way and hmphed. She blew out raspberries before picking up her glass. “Just so you know this is your funeral. I bet you’re harder than a rock and I’m not gonna fuck you on a full stomach so… Guess we’re taking a walk after this.”

Tom’s eyebrows raised and he nodded. “I’m doing just fine. Don’t know if you can wait out that long though. You’re all ready getting so riled up.”

Ali smiled and laughed humorlessly. “Who said I’m riled up? I’m not riled up.”

He just nodded. 

The desert eventually came ‘n Ali took her time eating it. She didn’t even try “seducing” Tom with her eating, but to Tom— it looked like she was. Aliena continuously had to lick whipped cream from the corners of her mouth ‘n the way she bit into the strawberries was enticing. 

Don’t judge the man. He was deprived. For three fucking weeks!

Tom paid the bill ‘n they left. The couple walked down the streets of Northern England as promised, but there was tension between them. Stubbornly, Aliena was walking at a fast pace ‘n ahead of Tom. He was letting her have her little fit. Knowing full well all he had to do was increase his tempo a bit ‘n he’d be right next to her.

At some point the gap between them grew so large that Aliena was crossing streets, leaving Tom behind. A group of men that were hanging outside a pub noticed Aliena ‘n began to whistle.

Ali immediately knew she fucked up. Tom’s annoyance finally began to make an appearance. He marched up to Aliena, took her by the crook of her arm, and hurried her along. She tsked and rolled her eyes. Once again disappointed as she half expected him to threaten the men outside the pub.

“All right, Ali. Knock it off now.”

She yanked her arm out of his grasp before sighing exaggeratedly while peering down at her nails. “Knock off what? I’m not doing anything.”

“Right.”

“Right.”

Tom stopped walking and tsked. His head hung and he was currently going through the multitude of women he’s been with in his head, and wondering if any of them were like her.

On the other hand, Ali was beginning to panic. She wanted to annoy him so that he was rough with her, not so he’d be turned off by her. Nervously, Ali bit her fingertip before rushing up to Tom— fully intent on apologising. 

Tom had other ideas and dragged her over to an alley. Aliena was completely breathless till she felt his cold, calloused hand wrap around her neck and pin her roughly against the brick wall. Giggles erupted from the girl and Tom’s unease was soothed.

‘She likes this kind of thing.’ He realized.

With a bit more ice in his voice than usually, he whispered. “Now, I took the time to plan this very romantic date. I was gonna be sweet, kind, gentle. A fucking gentleman. But—! Like the little, immature girl you are— you just had to go ‘n fuck it up.”

Ali’s mouth hung open a bit, inaudible breaths escaping her mouth.

Tom jerked her back flush against the wall before squeezing her jaw ‘n forcing her to look up at him. A smile broke out on her face.

“Well, whaddya have to say for that, Aliena? Eh?”

Ali gasped before replying, “I—! I’m sorry, Tommy.”

He cocked his head and tsked. “Not sure, love. Doesn’t sound sincere enough.”

Ali’s eyebrows raised and the tip of her tongue grazed her top left canine. “If you give me the chance, I can try and show you how sorry I am. What do you say, Mr. Shelby?” She began giggling at the end of her sentence.

Tom’s grip on her face tightened, getting a whimper out of her, before he threw her head to the side. His hand fell down. “Lead the way, then, girl.”

Aliena didn’t hesitate to take a hand of his into both of hers. Walking backwards with a wicked smile on her face, she led Tommy back to the car. The couple walked eagerly back to the car. Anyone who walked by the pair were envious at their obvious passionate display of affection. Either adoring or despising their relationship. 

Aliena and Tom hurriedly climbed into the car and the way Tom pulled out of his parking spot, just about almost caused an accident. Aliena couldn’t help but snicker at his enthusiasm. Tom’s hand rested on Ali’s thigh and he lovingly kneaded and stroked it.

Aliena just knew her panties were ruined. There was no saving them from how wet she was. It was almost painful. She looked at Tom from the corner of her eye ‘n thought of something completely crazy. However, she was drunk on lust and began to slip further into an intoxicated state.

Ali slid Tom’s hand off her thigh and leaned toward him till her mouth was near his ear. She placed an open-mouthed kiss there before sliding her hand down his inner thigh to his hard cock. 

“Can I, Tommy?” She asked while peering up at him through her eyelashes. 

Tom glanced down at her ‘n practically stared at her breasts. He gulped. “Go on. Show me how sorry you are.”

Ali chuckled before getting herself situated. She unbuckled and unsheathed Tom’s cock before giving it a few strokes. Aliena gathered all the saliva in her mouth before gathering up all her hair ‘n holding it back. Tom took one hand off the wheel to hold her hair back for her.

She wasted no time slowly taking in his cock, her tongue flat against him. What couldn’t fit would be stimulated with her hand. 

Tom was desperately trying to focus on the road, but it was becoming increasingly difficult. The feeling of her mouth and the pleasure she was giving him. He knew he wouldn’t last long. Secretly, he was thanking her for doing this now. If he had finished quickly like this when they were having sex, he’d be mortified.

Ali kept a slow rhythm before she got into the groove of it. Tom’s hips bucked and sent his cock to the back of her throat. She gagged but held herself there. Ali has given him a few blowjobs before and she’d describe them as rather tame. After all, he had to teach her and he was very considerate of her. Never losing control or using her. Not even when all she wanted was for him to make her choke on his cock.

Once she had her gag reflex under control, she continued bobbing her head. Tom was frustrated by the change of pace as it went back to tantalizingly slow. As an experiment, he pushed her down his cock by her hair. Ali gagged immediately but once again stayed. 

Tom muttered under his breath. “Fuck...” He waited till she got her breathing under control before lifting her up by her hair and then back down. Ali let him, totally turned on by the fact he was using her mouth to get off. As she moaned, it vibrated around his cock and Tom felt himself almost spill over.

Fully intent on achieving his orgasm now, he set his pace brutalizing fast. Aliena gagging the whole time. 

“Fuck! Aliena, I’m gonna come.”

Ali squeezed her thighs together and began to rub them. ‘Yes! Yes, give it to me!’ She internally screamed. Ali moaned and enthusiastically worked on him in sync with his grip on her hair.

Tom dangerously pulled over to the side. Getting nearer and nearer to his orgasm, he threw his head back in pleasure while beginning to thrust into Ali’s mouth. Ali’s gags got worse from the abuse, and she cried out. Tears stung her eyes, more like her mascara, and spit dribbled down to her chin. One last stuttering thrust into the back of her throat and a guttural moan expelled from Tom as he came.

Aliena hollowed her cheeks around him as much as she could, and tried to savor the feeling of his come going down her throat, then in her mouth. Tom roughly yanked Ali off his cock, to which the girl took deep gasping breaths for air. But as always, she was thrown into a fit of giggles.

Tom took in the mascara that ran down her cheeks and the saliva that glistened on her chin. Didn’t take much for him to get hard again. Funnily enough, Ali felt a little more exhausted than she thought she would. She felt almost completely satisfied with only getting him off, but the way her cunt was throbbing— obviously meant that she would not comfortably rest without getting off. 

And the fact that Tom was breathing heavy while smacking his mouth ‘n throwing his head back was not helping at all!

She wiped the spit off her chin ‘n was only able to do that since Tom pulled her in for a kiss. It was messy and rough. Teeth clashed, tongues fought, and Ali couldn’t stop tugging on Tom’s bottom lip with her teeth. 

Tom’s hands gripped her waist and he tugged her closer to him. Aliena squealed, as a result. He placed a few more pecks on her lips before trailing down to her chest. Nipping and sucking at the skin. Ali bit her lip, breathily gasping at the sensation. 

Raspily, she said. “Tommy...” She placed her hands on the sides of his head. “Tommy, please.” He continued to pay attention to her chest, so she made him look up at her. His eyes were wide ‘n his pupils were dilated. “Tommy, take me home. I want you to fuck me on the bed. I—! I, um... ”

Nerves had gotten the better of her, and the shame of liking what she did crept up on her. Tom shook his head, quick to regain control of the situation. He sat up straight ‘n wrapped a hand around her throat once more. 

Giving it a gentle squeeze, he demanded. “Finish what you wanted to say, love. I want you to.”

She shook her head.

He squeezed tighter. “I’m not gonna ask a second time, little one.”

Ali let out a sharp gasp ‘n felt goosebumps riddle her body. She took a deep breath. “I want you to use me! I want you to fuck me any way you want. Just please… It’s been so long, Tommy.” She whined while raising herself closer to him. Her breasts pressed against his chest as she hid her face in the crook of his neck.

He nodded. “All right, we’re almost home.”

The couple couldn’t keep their hands off each other. Not as they got out of the car, or in the doorway, hallway, or even going up the stairs. They had ripped off the other’s clothes as they made their way to Tommy’s room. 

Now in just their underwear, Tom slammed his door shut behind him before tossing Ali on the bed. He loved the way she laughed ‘n bounced on his bed. He slid his boxers off, stepping out of them as he walked toward Ali. 

Ali couldn’t believe her reality. It all seemed so surreal that this was happening to her. That sex would be such a positive thing in her life. 

Tom grabbed one of her feet and trailed kisses down all the way to her clothed pussy. He laid his tongue flat against her clothed core ‘n licked a stripe up. Her panties, as she predicted, were seriously soaked.

It made him happy that he aroused her this much. Tom didn’t waste any time sliding her panties off. Aliena was trying to control her breathing. The rate her chest was falling up and down concerned her. 

She knew Tommy would have this effect on her when she fantasized about him, but Aliena couldn’t help but worry if the man would send her into an early heart attack. Tom began to slowly lick her pussy. The noises that came from her sent a wave of embarrassment through her. One arm flew up to cover her eyes ‘n the other found a home in Tommy’s hair.

“Tommy,” she breathed. “Can’t you just fuck me already? I’m ready for you.”

Tom raised his head, only to bite her inner thigh. She whimpered and arched her back. “Don’t tell me what to do.” He lowered himself back down and increased his tempo without any mercy. Aliena gasped and her thighs clamped around his ears. He let her. He liked the feeling of them. 

It wasn’t long before Aliena was rocking her hips against Tom’s mouth. Once again, he allowed it to happen. He wanted her to finish. The catch was… he wanted more than two or three tonight. Tom switched between suckiling and licking her clit and that was enough to send her over the edge.

Aliena tried pushing his head away from her once she came down from her orgasm— not being able to withstand the overstimulation, but he wouldn’t budge. Growing tired of her antics, he parted from her sex. He propped himself up before spreading her legs wide and cupping her. “Oi!” He shouted.

Aliena’s arm fell away from her eyes, and she looked down at him.

“You either keep your hands ‘n arms away from your face and stop trying to push me away, or I’m fucking you slow. Choose.”

Ali giggled at his words. Tom didn’t like that. He raised his hand and sent a sharp slap against her pussy. Ali gasped and bucked up. 

“I asked you a fucking question.” 

Ali’s head rolled to the left, and she couldn’t help but grind her hips into the sheets. But she replied. “I understand, Mr. Shelby.”

“Understand what?”

“I won’t try pushing you away anymore. I won’t cover my face.”

“Good girl.”

Aliena threw her head back, spluttering before cackling. Of course, her little laughing fit was cut short once she felt Tom’s tongue lick a stripe up her cunt yet again. She hissed at the sensitivity. He teased her clit and opening for a little while before pushing in one finger. 

It wasn’t enough. It wasn’t nearly enough to satisfy her.

They both knew that ‘n that’s why it didn’t take long before Tom added another finger then a third. Tom had crawled up to his knees, so that he could gain some momentum behind his fingers. With his fingers inside to the knuckle ‘n his palm against her clit, he jerked his arm up and down rapidly. 

Aliena arched her back almost painfully off the bed. Letting out a loud gasp that became a drawn out curse. “Fuck...!” She was clenching down on his fingers painfully tight and the squelching that came from her cunt made them both impossibly more aroused. 

While chanting his name, Aliena came all over his fingers. Tom stopped jerking his arm and began to languidly thrust his fingers into her. When Ali had calmed down, he slowly slipped his fingers out.

Aliena whimpered at the slightfully painful sensation, and cried out when Tom smacked her cunt again. Tom crawled on top of her and leaned down for a kiss. Aliena figured Tom was painfully hard and she didn’t want to waste another second.

Against his lips, she whispered. “Now. Will you. Fuck me?”

Tom let out a chuckled, almost baffled by her tenacity. “Yeah. Yeah, I am.” He sat on his knees before flipping Aliena over on her stomach. With his right hand, he spanked her arse. “On your knees, now.” 

Aliena was quick to find her footing. Tom positioned himself behind her and lined himself up with her entrance. Aliena bit her lip in anticipation, even began swaying her hips like a bitch in heat. 

Something she’d regret when she would acknowledge she’d done that the next day.

“Stay still.” Tom muttered as he gripped her hips— steadying her. He lined himself back up and then slammed his hips into hers. 

Aliena cried out from the sudden intrusion and unfortunately, moans were ripped from her chest as Tom gave her no time to adjust. Aliena was self-conscious of her moans. She knew and more importantly, Tommy knew it. And he fully intended on hearing them all night long, so when Aliena hid her face into the bed— he growled.

He stopped thrusting and pulled her arms behind her back. She gasped at the new position. 

Tom resumed thrusting. He said through gritted teeth. “I want to hear those moans. No stifling them either or the same fucking consequence! You hear me, love.”

Aliena hid an exasperated groan by disguising it as a drawn out moan. “Yes, sir.” Tom’s cock twitched inside of her at the title. She thought it to be a coincidence and it slipped her mind. Aliena tried something out ‘n began clenching around Tom’s cock any chance she got.

Tommy groaned loudly, his grip on Ali’s arms slacking. He dropped her arms ‘n held her by her waist instead, driving into her. Aliena caught herself and felt a chill run up her spine as her lover set a new pace. 

The sounds of their endeavor filled the room and while it drove Tom to go at it even rougher— Aliena was adorably mortified by it. 

She didn’t want him to stop! She didn’t! But she couldn’t get over the fact that she was the one making such lewd sounds.

When Tom felt his climax grow nearer, he reached under Aliena and began to rub her clit. She squealed and her toes curled up. She raised a foot before slamming it back down into the bed. 

“Tommy! Tommy! Tommy!” She chanted. “Fuck!” 

Tom stopped thrusting and stopped rubbing her clit. He leaned forward and wrapped his left hand around Ali’s throat. He guided her up, so that she was somewhat flush against his chest. Carefully, he choked Ali while thrusting up into her. His free hand came over her thigh and stimulated her clit.

Aliena’s eyes rolled to the back of her head before she began spewing out every curse she knew, Spanish and English.

Tom’s breathing got heavier and he began cursing under his breath as well. A few strained whines escaped his lips. His hips began stuttering and they shared a moment few couples shared— they came together.

Ali’s stomach tightened almost painfully and her thighs shook. Her orgasm was violent, to say the least. After staying like that for a few moments, Tom slowly lowered her on the bed with him following after. When he pulled out, they both winced. Aliena was quick to ask for a cuddle, but Tommy was quicker to comply. 

They shared languid, sweet kisses while being entangled in each other’s arms. However, it all came to an end when the urge to pee became blatantly apparent in one individual. With trembling legs, at first, Aliena made her way to the bathroom. 

Tom, on the other hand, admired the view before getting up himself. He went downstairs ‘n poured himself a glass of whiskey. He knew Ali would scold him and tell ‘em to drink water instead, but she wasn’t there to see him do it. He stalked over to the kitchen and poured two glasses of water.

Yeah, they stopped right now, but that’s what this was— a break. 

Tom smirked to himself ‘n wiped it off his face once he stepped a foot out of the kitchen. He walked back up the stairs, and into his room— where Ali was waiting for him on the bed. She stared at Tom with a smile on her face ‘n eyes, and happily took the glass of water from him.  

He sat next to her. Aliena was drinking the water he’d given her while propped up by some pillows. Her head was doing a little dance, no doubt from the music playing inside her head. Tom felt his mouth twitch upward at the sight ‘n he reached over to tuck a piece of hair behind her ears. 

As they both recuperated, they laid down next to each other. Sometimes they talked or kissed or just cuddled. Aliena was reveling in the moment as was Tom. He wondered how long it’d been since he’d done something like this. 

Never did it was Lizzie for obvious reasons, Grace didn’t let him do anything like this, and Greta, well… She was the one “in charge.” They never had sex unless she dragged him off ‘n demanded it from ‘em. Which was fine by Tommy, he’d loved the girl. But it was— very one sided at times ‘n left him feeling used. 

But there were others Tom had wined and dined, just been awhile. Especially after the war. Eventually, Ali’s eyes felt like heavy bricks ‘n she began falling asleep. Tom took it as his cue to finally resume his plan. He leaned down and captured her lips. Ali moaned softly while shifting around to wrap her arms around his neck. 

Slowly, Tom crawled above her, settling between her legs. Ali hiked them up and around upon his waist. She slid one of her hands down between her legs down to her pussy and spread her folds apart. Tom gave a couple of weak thrusts, just trying to find her entrance. Ali took the tip of his cock and guided him. 

Tom took his time sliding inside of her. Ali slowly gasped and threw her head back at the stretch. She brought her head back down and began giggling before silencing herself in a kiss. Their lips didn’t part as Tom began thrusting. However, Aliena grew impatient and began bucking her hips up to meet his thrusts.

Getting the clue, Tom didn’t hesitate slamming his hips into hers. Ali’s gasps turned into high pitched moans. It was truly an erotic sight, one Tom didn’t think he’d ever get tired of. Their thoughts were filled with each other. Full of proclamations of love, but two very different reasons as to why they went unspoken.

Aliena was afraid that the word “love” slipping from her lips would end their relationship while Tom thought that Aliena already knew he loved her.

Aliena could hardly keep her eyes open, but she had to ‘cause Tom wouldn’t let her close her eyes. She whined and whimpered that she couldn’t help it, but he made the same threat as he did earlier. Honestly, he was quite surprised that she hated slow sex so much. Never would have guessed it. 

‘Don’t most women want gentle sex?’ He wondered. ‘Probably ask her later. She’ll tell me.’

And she would. Aliena's famous saying goes, “You ask, I’ll probably tell.”

Her nails dug into his back and left long scratches. He hissed at the burn, but it spurred him on even more. Her moans were never-ending and it was shameful to her. She hated sounding like she was a pornstar or a voice actress in a hentai, but she couldn’t help it. Years and years of watching porn was finally catching up to her, in the worst way possible. 

Not to mention she did the eyes rolling back and the tongue face, unironically. Aliena was stupid enough to mock the face enough times after coming that it became a natural reaction to her orgasms from time to time. It was fucking humiliating! 

‘Why—! Why does my fucking brain have to mimic the worst fucking things!’ She internally screamed.

Tom saw Ali’s mind drifting off. It was obvious. Her eyes were drifting away from him. Her fingers had curled up and were drifting near her face, palms facing him. He inhaled sharply, ceased thrusting, and grasped the crooks of her knees. Tom never pulled out as he hiked Ali’s legs onto his shoulders.

Tom didn’t give her anytime to adjust and continued pounding into her. Shakily, Aliena inhaled and fisted the sheets. Her legs shook ‘n she felt this overwhelming pit in her stomach. 

Her mind was beginning to go fuzzy like if she was losing herself. She didn’t like it. She didn’t like it at all! Why? ‘Cause that meant she was going to do the fucking face or worse— talk with her tongue out. It was so fucking shameful ‘n she seriously wishes she never found hentai when she was younger! 

Trying her best to remain sane, Ali raised her hands ‘n began smacking Tommy’s chest with her palm. “No! Stop, stop please! I-I can’t take it!”

The words sent panic to his mind and he thought about stopping, but then he saw the look on her face and eyes. She looked blissed out. Funnily enough, she was kind of acting like a scared virgin. 

Tom pulled out to his tip only to slam his hips back in. Ali squealed at the sensation.

“You don’t really want me to stop, do you, love?” He asked, teasingly. 

Aliena thought about his words. ‘Of course, I don’t want you to stop! Fucking dumbarse!’

However, what came out of her mouth was different. “Please, Mr. Shelby! Please, I—!” She gasped when he pulled out only to slam back in once more. 

Tom tsked. “You’re lying to me, princess. Be a good girl and take it for me.” He didn’t hesitate to resume his fast pace.  

You know in stories where people say they just feel like a string in their mind just snaps, well— that’s what Aliena felt. It was the names. It was “princess” and “good girl.” She said “fuck it,” and decided that Tom was just going to have to be disgusted with her afterwards.

A particular thrust sent Ali’s mind for a loop and she abandoned all hope for herself, as previously mentioned. Ali’s hands dropped from Tom’s chest with some parting scratches she left behind before she began to fondle her breasts. 

“Come—! I’m going to come!” She gasped. 

Tom admired the sight before him with euphoria. “It’s okay, love. Go ‘head ‘n come for me.”

Not really caring for his permission, Aliena’s back arched impossibly painful from the bed while squeezing her tits. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head as she stuck out her tongue. 

Shockingly enough, Tom felt his own orgasm wash over him. Why? ‘Cause of Aliena’s facial expression. Everything came crashing down. Tom had released his hold on her legs which caused them to drop to his sides, and he dove forward. Luckily, Aliena had snapped back from her “little episode,” but her back was still arched. With one eye closed, she heaved a big sigh and ran her fingers through Tom’s hair. They were both sweaty and somewhat exhausted. Perhaps Tom more so than Aliena, after all— she felt ready to go another round already. She was practically craving it. 

The couple focused on catching their breaths and slowing down their heart rates, which were soaring through the roof. 

Tom panted. “Where did you learn to make a face like that?”

Aliena dropped her head to the side, gasping for air. Her chest, face, and ears were all on fire. “Didn’t learn it. Felt natural.” She chose to lie through her teeth. 

Tom hummed before picking up his head. The man pulled out before hovering over Ali’s face and made out with her. Ali was satiated and happy. She happily received her full and expected that to be the last round since they have never gone more than two or three rounds. Seeing as they’ve both come orally, this one had to be the last one. 

Much to her surprise, Tom’s cock erected once more ‘n began prodding at her entrance. She could feel him prod. She hummed questioningly in their kiss. Tom, without a word or forewarning, snuck an arm under Ali’s body and flipped them over.

He pulled away from her lips ‘n whispered. “You all right for another round?” Tom teasingly bucked his hips up, to which Ali hissed.

Ali chuckled under her breath before getting herself situated. “Another round for tonight? Sure you can handle it, old man?” She lifted her hips and slammed down on his cock.

Tom hissed through a humourless chuckle. “Watch it, love.”

She rolled her eyes, her right shoulder raising before going back down, and smiled. “Yes, Mr. Shelby.” 

There was that fucking title again. It was going straight toward his cock. He’s heard it from prostitutes, but that didn’t arouse him like it did comin’ from his woman’s mouth. 

“Say it again.” He rasped. His voice, somewhat shaky from the force Ali was using to ride him. 

Aliena giggled, almost mockingly. “Yes, Mr. Shelby.”

Tom rolled in his bottom lip, biting it sensually. Aliena clenched around him at the sight. He’d had enough with her being in control. He propped his feet up, and Ali gasped. He began thrusting up into her cunt with the usual fast pace she loved.

One of Ali’s eyes closed in her pleasure, and the urge to knead her breasts came back. Hell, the desire to be choked washed over with full force. “He-Hey!” She shouted. “That’s not fair, Tommy!”

Tom raised his hand and slapped her left tit. She yelped, but didn’t do anything to defend herself or say anything to stop him. He continued his assault on both her tits till she got the memo.

Stutteringly, she cried out. “Mr. Shelby! I meant Mr. Shelby!”

Instead of stinging hits, he began to knead her breasts. She leaned forward toward his palms and relished the feeling. 

“Finally fucking caught on, huh? Dumb slut.” Tom said that with trepidation.

However, his feelings were immediately placated as a smile spread across Aliena’s face. “I’m sorry, Mr. Shelby!”

It would be quite sometime before either of them felt their orgasms grow near. 

Tom was the first to feel it growing near. How could he not with the way she rolled her hips and rode him so furiously? He wasn’t helping himself by bucking up into her as well. 

Aliena’s throat was beginning to go dry and scratchy, but that wasn’t the most important thing at the moment. “Mr. Shelby, please… Please choke me.” She pleaded. 

She never ceases to amaze. He suspected that she had a kink for it, but now he knew it. What really should’ve told him was when he choked her earlier that night!

Tom raised a hand from her tit to her throat and he applied pressure. Ali’s eyes fluttered ‘n she rolled her head as a way to placate the overwhelming arousal that washed over her. She circled her hips, swung them in and out, and bounced on rotation. 

“You’re mine, Aliena. Fucking mine. No one will satisfy you like I can. No one will ever fucking compare. Say it.” 

Aliena felt her heart swell with lust ‘n love. A giggle escaped her as she replied. “I’m yours, Mr. Shelby. N-No one will sa-satify me like you can. They’ll never compare.”

Tom’s eyes rolled to the back of his head ‘n his legs began to shake. His grip around Ali’s throat and tit tightened, and she loved the asphyxiation. He let out a loud, strained moan as he came inside Aliena. She couldn’t help but let out a little sigh at the sensation of his ropes of come painting her walls. It was warm. He let go of her throat ‘n both of his hands rested on her hips.

Even his sighs as he recovered from his intense orgasm were strained. Aliena was pretty giddy above him, looking down at him— lovingly. 

“Oi,” He began while bucking his hips. Aliena’s face contorted from the feeling. “Who told you to fucking stop? Go on. Make yourself come, girl.”

Ali whimpered at first, but slowly got into rhythm. She had lost her high since she chose to admire Tommy’s face instead, so it would take her a while till she found it again. Tom didn’t mind being used. He knew he couldn’t come again so soon, but he wanted her too. And when she did— god, was it worth it!

She fell to the side and winced when she could finally stretch her legs straight. Aliena was confident that that had to have been the last round. Tom let her think so too. He go up ‘n went to the bathroom. He left and Ali went in. He debated going downstairs and getting another secret glass of whiskey, but decided against it. Tom gulped down some water instead. Ali walked in on the sight. She stumbled over to her lover and crashed beside him. 

Tom lit a cigarette, taking the first couple of inhales before passing it over to his woman. He used to despise her smoking since she wanted so desperately for him to stop. Her smoking was just a constant reminder of how he corrupted her, but now— now it was more erotic. 

 Once they had rested up, well, more like when Tommy got hard again— he pounced. Aliena bursted in a cackle but welcomed it, nonetheless. The couple fucked till the sun came up. It was a difficult feat to complete, but with multiple breaks in between that included toiletries, rehydration, and food— they did it. 

 Aliena let out a high-pitched whine as she came. Tom groaned into the crook of her neck before littering the spot with kisses. Truthfully. Everything was aching for Aliena. Her hips had cramped up multiple times through the session, but she always pulled through it. Their little spooning position they had going on— yeah, wasn’t soothing her pain!

Not to mention, she felt numb down there. Wasn’t even sure she actually orgasmed, and her stomach felt weird. Like as if it was bloated! All she wanted was sleep now. 

Tom pulled out of her and they both let out a sigh. Ali rolled over with a huff and hid her face into his sweaty chest. 

She croaked. “What the fuck got into you?”

Tom hummed. “How many times?” He asked, ignoring her question.

Aliena’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “‘How many times’ what?”

“How many times didya come?”

She moved away from his chest and stared up into his eyes. Her brain quickly put the dots together and she gasped, horrified. “Tommy!” She shouted while socking his chest. 

He groaned and clutched the spot she punched. “What!”

“You did this on purpose! For what I fucking said last time! About how I’ve made myself come like 7 times on me own!”

He averted his gaze rather childishly. “No, I didn’t!”

“¡Hijo de tu puta madre!” She socked him again, in the arm this time. Tom couldn’t help but begin to snicker. “Is not funny, you—! You—! Tsk.” She flopped back down and hid her face in his chest. 

There was a bit of silence before she muttered. “One was your mouth. Two was your fingers. Three was doggy style. Four was missionary. Five was me on top. Six was on the wall. Seven was on the desk. Eight was on the chair ‘n nine was now.”

Pride bubbled in Tom’s chest. “Good.” He rasped while rubbing Aliena’s arms and kissing her affectionately on her temple. 

She pouted and hmphed. “Don’t touch me. You’re not allowed for a while. Bastard.”

In their hearts, they felt more at peace than at any other point in their lives.

TAG LIST: @amirahiddleston @nemesis729​ @salvatoreitmeanssaviour @tlfshelby1 @halepea @lilymurphy03 @marsfireeyes @masumiyetimziyanoldu @i-love-superhero​ @thatweirddaydreamer​ @xxbeckybeexx-blog​ @ilikealotofpeople-younotsomuch​ @well-hydratedpvssy​ @the-jess-life @babaohhhriley @7shadesofharold​ @melissamaine​ @urbankaite2

[elysiashelby]

In Another World - T.Shelby Imagine Ch. 25

Paring: (Eventual) Thomas Shelby x Aliena Welsh (OC)

Fandom: Peaky Blinders

Word Count: 18,006

WARNINGS: Angst, Cursing, Fluff, Continuous First Person to Third Person POV Shifts, ONE! Tom Third Person POV, Self-harm, Alcohol, SMUT! (NSFW): oral sex (female receiving), fingering, penetrative sex, unprotected sex

Summary: It’s March of 1922, Ali’s nearing the end of her stay with the Shelby’s. After years of waiting, she’s finally ready to move on, but will fate let her. 

MASTERLIST  CHAPTER 24.2  CHAPTER 26

A/N: This chapter contains some POV switches as will the next chapter! Y’all know the deal. Black line breaks are there as a warning for the self harm scene. Only 1 ‘n it’s small! 

Smut is finally here! I haven’t written a SMUT scene in forever, so I fear I’m a little out of touch. 

It’s March of 1922 and things are going great! Well, not really, I had a mental breakdown so... I mean, not as bad as my last one, which was like a year ago. But, I was coming to terms with the fact that I killed someone! Someone who I did not have a paid hit on, but I murdered out of pure hatred. 

So, I had to do some inner reflection on that, and it would have gone a lot smoother if I had chosen to stop doin’ my side job. But I didn’t. I kept on with my “assassinating.” 

So was I really healed? Probably not, but hey! I don’t think about it anymore. I did it, I got away with— let’s move on. The guy was a douche anyway. Probably did society a favor. 

Yeah…

Right now I was cleaning up at Cassie’s flat. The gang was coming over soon, and I had to get the blood of a client off of me. The job was easier than most. I infiltrated another big party, seduced the target, and shot them in the chest and in the head. It’s a rule of thumb I have that I took from Zombieland. I got some blowback on me, so that’s why I’m taking a shower.

I’m not in the best of spirits tonight. Why, you may ask? Well, it’s because Michael and Arthur were to be arrested tonight. The only reason I knew was because Moss tipped me off. He caught me while I was visiting his wife. He took me aside and told me that Campbell had reason to arrest Michael, and he told me when it was going to take place.

The only reason why he was letting me know was because Campbell had his own plans for me. He didn’t know if Campbell wanted me arrested, but if I was on the scene— I was to be taken in. 

Let me tell you, I was so fucking proud of myself for befriending Moss’s wife! The single best thing I ever did. I mean, I knew I would be “bailed out” in no time thanks to all my rich mates, but Michael would still be in the clink. I think. I could ask around for some connections, if I needed to or was asked.

But, yeah. Michael and Arthur were being arrested tonight while I was at Cassie’s. Of course I felt guilty that I couldn’t prevent it, but it’s not like I could in the first place. That would mess with the timeline too much. 

Eventually, I got out of the shower, dried off, and put on my underwear. I’ve been trying to get more comfortable with my breasts, so I haven’t been wearing my bra to bed. In nothing but my towels and underwear, I walked out into the room.

“So,” I began while walking over to the bed, where I had my clothes laid out. “What’s on tonight’s agenda? Some heavy flirting? A therapy session? Or some good old fashion gambling?”

Cassie giggled, a pillow in her grasp as she threw open her arms. “All of it, babes!”

I chuckled. “That’s what I like to hear.” I dropped my towel and put on my dress. It was a velvet robe-like dress. Very flowy and comfortable, though it had a deep v-neck. Again, trying to get comfortable with my tits. Luckily, this process has been going on for a while and Dougie and Horace are now used to seeing a bit of my cleavage.

The pair do not regard me as anything more than a mate. Dougie is like my male twin flame while Cassie’s my female twin flame. They just match my vibe so fucking well! While Horace...well, he only has eyes for Angie. We bond pretty well academically, though. He answers a lot of questions I have pertaining some of the hypotheticals I conjure while writing.

After I put on my dress, I lotioned up my legs and arms before moving on to caring for my hair. I was brushing it out when the gang came in.

Dougie came up to me and kissed my temple before heading toward the table with the rest of the group. I hurriedly scrunched up my hair as I desperately wanted to join the conversation in fear of being left out. 

I threw my hair towel aside and quickly shuffled to the table. Cassie saw me coming and got up from her seat.

While beckoning me to her, she said. “Ali, c’mere.” 

I sat in her chair and once I was settled down, she sat on my lap. I sighed before asking, “So, what are we playing first?”

Cassie was sitting on my lap sidesaddle. She reached over on the table to the carton of ciggies that someone had thrown, tapped it on the bottom before pulling two out. 

With a ciggie hanging from her mouth, Angie replied while shuffling the cards. “We decided on Go Fish. Your favorite.” She winked at me and I returned it.

I giggled before accepting the ciggie Cassie held for me. She rested hers on her lip and just as she went to lit it— Dougie leaned over to us.

“Here, just use mine.” He said while pressing the end his ciggie to hers. 

Muffled, Cassie replied. “Thanks.” She looked back to me, took my face in her hands, and connected the ends of our ciggies. Basically, repeating what she’d just done with Dougie.

I swear to God, this group is so sus. And I think I’m partially at fault for how close and open the group is. I’m sorry, okay, I’m a physical person and I cut through the bullshit with the people I hold dear!

Angie dealt the cards, and I slid them closer to my face. I was exhaling when Cassie decided to start the conversation flow again.

She asked. “So Tina, how’s your married man? What was his name again?”

Tina tsked, a scowl on her face. “Darren, his name’s Darren. And, he’s fine...”

I raised an eyebrow. “Just fine? Who the hell’s starting?”

Angie cleared her throat. “I dealt so Douglas goes. Cassie’s sitting in your lap, so either you or her is next and vise versa. Then, Tina goes and finally Horace before me.”

I nodded as a quiet “oh” escaped my mouth. I looked back over at Tina.

Tina replied. “Yes, just fine.”

“So, has he filed for a divorce from his wife? Any sevens?” Dougie asked.

Horace and Angie gave him their cards.

Tina pouted, her arms crossing defensively. “He—! He’s been avoiding the question.”

All of us shared a glance and some of us hummed.

Dougie asked. “Any fives?”

“You know, statistically and due to England’s current standpoint on divorce— Darren is less likely to actually ask his wife for a divorce. There is an even lesser probability that the divorce would even be granted in a court of law—” 

The four of us girls shouted. “Go fish!”

“--because we’re obsessed with this “Christian purity.” And, his wife would have to be the adulterer. And as it stands right now only he has—!” Horace was spewing before he was cut off. His face contorting in pain before hunching over. 

Collectively, we all glanced at Tina, who was not holding up well. 

This was not going good, and the urge to tell her that I told her so, was not helping. She should just dump him, but eh, who was I to judge? 

I cleared my throat before holding my ciggie away from my lips, and asking through an exhale, “Anyone got any Queens?”

Cassie didn’t hesitate to give me two. I took the two I had in my hands and laid the four cards on the table. 

“Anyone got any nines?”

Angie threw one of her cards to me. Cassie passed it to me before looking over to Tina.

She said. “Well, Tina. Whatever you decide to do, we’ll support you. If ya want to stay with him, or leave him. We’ll be right here for ya.” 

All of us tried comforting her ‘n all we managed to get was a small smile in return. It didn’t reach her eyes, I knew that. However, I really wanted to have a good time so I was looking to change the subject. 

‘Just—! Anyone please talk about anything else!’

As I inhaled, I asked. “Any threes?”

“Go fish!”

I tsked.

I was laying down on the floor with Horace. Our arms were extended up in the air and we laid opposite to each other, if that made sense. Like basically, our heads were right next to each other. 

Our arms were in the air because I was playing with Horace’s fingers. Angie, Tina, Cassie, and Dougie were either sitting on the sofas/couches, or somewhere else in the room. He was a little drunk and wanted to calm down, so I offered to stay with him.

“So, how are things going with Angie, buddy?” I asked while still playing with his fingers.

He sighed and then chuckled. “Better. I think she… I think she’s beginning to like me back.”

I hummed and chuckled under my breath. “Well, don’t get too cocky there. She’ll knock back down a peg or two if she finds out that you’re feeling like that.”

Horace scoffed. “Don’t I know it. Hey! The only way she’d find out is if you tell her!”

My eyes widened and I spluttered rolling over to my sides. When I calmed down, I repositioned myself and grabbed hold of his fingers again. I sighed. “Well, that’s true but I promise I’ve never told her a thing.”

That’s a blag, I’m almost certain. It probably slipped from my tongue from time to time. 

I was running my fingertips over his short-cut fingernails while blowing raspberries. I took a deep breath before asking, “Well, you guys went on that date like last week, right? Angie’s told us some things, but how’d it go from your perspective?”

He blew raspberries before replying, “I think it went rather well. I mean she actually paid attention to me this time.”

I couldn’t help but snicker. “Oh my god, Horace!”

“It’s true! This time I felt like she was actually like looking at me. I don’t know. She’s hard to read sometimes, but it’s endearing, really.”

“So, you’re saying that you like the mysterious side to her?”

“Yeah. Yeah, in a way, I am.”

“So, if you discover all there is to her, do you think you will lose interest in her?”

Horace and I grew quiet. His arms flopped down to his side which I repeated. I rolled over to my side, an arm supporting my head as my other hand scratched away at the rug.

Horace mimicked how I was laying, so that we were facing each other, and he sighed through his nose. “I don’t think I’ll ever know everything about her. People typically evolve over time as do their curiosities and interests. So, I don’t think you nor I nor Angie will ever fully know one another. However, to answer your question, no, I don’t think I would lose interest in her even if I knew everything about her. I—! I’ve been in love with her since I was a child, so it would be pretty odd if I were to just lose interest once we were together. I mean, then why the hell did I waste all these years pinning after her. You know?”

I hummed and nodded. “I feel that.” I continued picking at the rug. “Hey, Horace?”

“Yeah?”

“Well, um. Basically, you know what, nevermind, it’s dumb.”

“No, come on. Ask me.”

“No—”

“Just ask me.”

I sighed and looked down. “Well, I wanted to ask you since you’re a guy ‘n all. Um, why doesn’t Tommy like me?”

Horace’s tongue swiped over his bottom lip as he jerked his body around a little. Basically, shaking on his side like a mermaid out of water would, but not as violent. “Now, Aliena. Do you want an honest answer, or do you just want one that will solidify the ideas you already have in your head?”

I chuckled, a small smile spreading across my face before I shouted. “Both!”

Horace rolled over to his back and I inched closer to him. I hovered above him as he spoke. “Okay, then. The honest answer is, well, why does anyone not reciprocate a person’s love? It could simply be because you’re not the person’s type, or there could be any other extenuating circumstance. Why—? Why does Angie not acknowledge my love when I’m obviously ready to give her my all? She just has her reasons. Now, I’m not her nor am I your Tommy, so I can’t speak for him. I don’t know why he won’t look your way. Only he could truly tell you.”

I blinked, my mood souring. I took a deep breath and reached up to fiddle with the collar of his white dress shirt. “And the answer that would solidify my thoughts?” I whispered.

We stared into each other’s eyes as he replied. “You met him too early in life. You met him too early in life, and now all he can see is that 16 year old girl. Not to mention the 12 year age gap! I mean it would probably be nothing, if the both of you had met now, as you are 20 and he’s 32, but you met when you were 16 and 28. I—! Don’t get me wrong a lot of men would have gotten with you being 28 and you being 16. So, regretfully, I have to applaud the man.”

I rolled my eyes.

“It’s the truth, Ali. Men are—! Men aren’t the best. I’ve learned more than enough of the struggle women go through because of men from Angie, believe me!”

“Oh, I believe you!”

We chuckled before falling to a silence. 

Horace continued. “There’s also your personality!”

My jaw dropped and my face contorted. I smacked his chest as I gasped. “What’s wrong with my personality!”

He raised his arms and tried defending himself from my attacks. A big ol’ smile on his face. “Ali, you’re very affectionate! Do you know that? God, I’d have believed that Cassie would have fought with you if she didn’t know about Tommy. It’s honestly rather settling to know that you actually have your heart set on someone ‘cause you’d have fooled the rest of us!”

I pouted. Still fiddling with his collar, I asked in a childish voice. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Well, you flirt with everyone in the group. You know that, right? You sit on Douglas’s lap. You sit on my lap! You sit on Angie’s! You kiss us on the cheek. Dougie kisses your cheek or temple. Then, there’s your unique fashion sense. I’m not judging your choice to display what God gave you. Angie would kill me if I did! But, you can even ask Douglas, we—! Well, I! Don’t regard you all that innocent, anymore. If you get what I mean, I—!”

I waved my hands as a way to stop him from tripping himself over his words even more. “I, I know what you’re trying to say. I get it all the time. Your point is?”

Horace took a deep breath before rubbing his forehead and letting his hand rest there. “Well, don’t you think that a person will just either get used to the affection or eventually grow annoyed by it?”

I’m regretting talking to him entirely.

“I don’t act like that with him, Horace. He’s still my boss, you know. I—! I could never!”

His eyes widened. “O-Oh! Then, disregard that last statement. Uh...”

I mean, but I have thought about that. I debated whether or not my compassion and love for the man was being taken for granted. Well, that he was manipulating me into like placating his feelings. I’m more used to that treatment coming from girls. You know, they act like they’re sad just so that I can comfort them— that sort of thing! I don’t deny that it’s crossed my mind.

Horace cleared his throat. “Well, then, perhaps he’s the sort of man that can’t handle you. You’re very independent and upbeat. I mean you can be serious when the moment calls for it, but you’re quick to giggle. Maybe he just wants a damsel in distress. Maybe he wants a more serious, proud woman. Proud being opposite to your “down to earthness.” Is what I’m trying to say.”

I snickered. “Uh… Right, okay? That was a whole lot in a small package. Um, right, okay then! Well, thank you for giving me your most honest answers, sir.”

He nodded. “You’re welcome, madam.”

I snickered away while cringing and then stuck my tongue out at him. Eventually, we got up from the floor and rejoined the group. We chatted away while sipping our bevvies, and nursed our cigarettes before finding ourselves seated on the couches. 

Tina and Cassie were sitting on the couch opposite to Dougie and I. I was sitting rather close to him with my legs draped over his thighs. His right hand rested on my thigh while I ran my fingers through the back of his hair. 

Ah! I see what Horace was talking about. Yeah, all those Tik toks ‘n shit are coming back to me. Maybe I should ask Cassie how she feels about my touchiness? Oh, I definitely should. Great! Fucking dammit! Why did my love language have to be physical touch? 

He was telling me about his week when Angie’s voice was growing increasingly more loud by the second. She was pacing back ‘n forth in front of Horace, who was sitting on the arm of the couch.

Angie groaned exaggeratedly before snapping her fingers and shouting, “Ali, Ali! What about your opinion, eh? How do you feel living in these times while looking the way you do? Acting the way you do?”

I furrowed my eyebrows and glanced at both Cassie and Dougie. They both gave me shrugs. I sighed before pushing some of my hair away from my face. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

With a drink in her right hand and waving about her left, she said. “Well, I mean you don’t conform to beauty standards. Right? Your hair is still very long, you typically wear what you want to wear. You enhance your curves and you know, embrace the waves in your hair. I mean that’s almost the total opposite of the way women dress today.”

I get that I was out of tune with the modern style, but she was making it sound like I was trying to be some sort of trendsetter.

I giggled and waved a hand and dismissed her comment. “I don’t know what to say. I wear what I want to wear. I—!”

“Exactly! Exactly. You wear what you want to wear. And, and you scrap with men. You fight your own battles. I mean—!”

I scoffed, shaking my head. “Angie, Angie, wait a minute. I—! Look, we live one life. I intend on living it how I want. That’s all.”

She nodded. “I know! Exactly and that’s what I love about you. You don’t give a damn about what anyone else thinks. You live your life the way you want, and I don’t know... Well, like tell us—! No, tell me how you do all this without worrying about snagging a man.”

Ah! And the other shoe drops. 

I sighed and rubbed my left eye. “Ah, okay. There we go, something I can answer. First and foremost, I dress and act however I want regardless of how a man sees me. How he chooses to warp me in his head, in anyone one’s head, is their problem. I will talk, dress, act, laugh anyway I want because at the end of the day— I have to live with myself and love myself. That’s how I go about my business.”

She began clapping and nodding, her lips pursed. 

Oh god, she was tipsy.

Angie snapped her fingers. “Exactly. And! And the beauty standards men put on us and other women expect each other to uphold is ridiculous. Like how the hell is one figure more attractive than another. Women are—! Women, men, everybody should be appreciated. Why, Why do we have to favor one type more over the other? I-I mean, I understand preferences but to subject people to a set criteria when some of us aren’t even capable of accomplishing that standard. It’s—! It’s preposterous.”

Angie raised her free hand to her forehead and she scratched it. “Take Aliena and Cassie for example, they can’t become more flat-chested. They can’t make them smaller. Nor, nor can they help their curvy figures! Why should society tell them to, you know, bind their breasts or something. Or to hide their figures in loose fitted clothing! They’re beautiful! Beautiful!”

All of us shared a glance at one another before bursting with laughter. We laughed so much that I’m sure all of our stomachs ached in pain. 

Through her laughter, Cassied rasped. “Angie, Angie sit the fuck down ‘n take a breather, hon’! For the love of...”

I chimed in. “Yes, please sit down before you blow a casket ‘n like faint or some shit.”

Angie pouted through a smile and plopped down on the couch. “I’m just saying. I mean Aliena, you exercise, right? Like, you work out in a way that a man does. Not just take strolls or ride bikes.”

I wiped under my eyes before nodding ‘n sniffling. “Yeah, I do. I exercise for myself. I don’t do it to please society or any man. I do it for me.” I shrugged my shoulders and turned my attention back to Dougie’s hair.

Angie snapped her fingers and pointed at me. “Thank you. I love you. Thank you. And that’s why I want to tear down Hollywood.”

“Ah—!” I snickered and shook my head before blowing her a kiss.

After that fiasco, things called down a bit ‘n I went back to talking to Dougie. He was tapping my thigh when he quickly picked up his head and said, “You know I finished developing the photos.”

I furrowed my eyebrows. “The photos…? Oh, shit! The photos! How’d they come out?”

Some weeks ago, Dougie bought this camera and wanted to practice his photography skills. He loved the art, but it could never be his main job, for obvious reasons. His father was passing on the company to him, so we all know how that goes. Anyway, I made the suggestion that the gang could be like his practice models ‘n eventually I got everyone to agree.

It was fun, obviously! I helped position everyone and of course, I had to sneak in some 21st century gestures. I just hated that I wouldn’t be alive to see my grandbabies’ faces. I’ll break the timeline, just for this reason. To fuck with my descendents. 

During the day, we went to an empty grassland area and had like a cottagecore photoshoot. It was fucking fantastic! One thing from my bucket list I was lucky to complete. But at night, it was a more risque photoshoot. And yes, even Horace participated in it. I made him as did Angie.

Dougie smiled and nodded. “I think they came out to be pretty good. I’ll bring them next time. It just slipped my mind today.”

I psh-ed him and shoved his head away from me before throwing my head back in a cackle. We talked a bit more before I beckoned somewhere else. I eventually made it back to Cassie, and I was sitting on the couch while she was on the floor. I was messing around with her hair. Right now, I was making a bunch of braids. 

Cassie was eating some fruit while she was talking to Angie. “Okay, but like who was your first kiss?”

Angie hummed through hooded eyes with an arm hanging in the air. “Oh, it was Tina.”

I spluttered and began spazzing out. I scurried off the couch and started running around the room while shouting over and over again. “No way! No way! No fucking way!”

Cassie joined my freak out session by rolling around on the floor and slapping the couch behind her, where I was previously sitting. When I felt calm enough, I ran back to my spot.

I shouted. “No fucking way!”

Angie chortled. “What? Why is it such a big deal?”

“Uh...” Cassie and I just looked at each other. In an American accent, I said. “Well, I mean. I don’t wanna be a bitch, but like when I felt met y’all… You guys were kinda sus. Like Tina, full truth, I thought you had a humongous crush on Angie ‘n yeah so, um, yeah. Did y’all date or…?”

Angie’s eyes widened and she rose from Tina’s lap, who was stunned, by the way. Angie snatched a pillow from the couch and chucked it at me. 

“She’s. Just. Shy. And we were kids when we just did it! It was innocent.” Angie yelled. 

I cried out when the pillow hit me. Through my laughter, I replied. “I’m sorry!”

Angie huffed as she laid back down on Tina’s lap. “Yeah, yeah. You’re not the only one to think it. People just get the wrong idea. She’s just shy.” Angie reached up and caressed Tina’s face. “Oh, we’ve both kissed Horace, too.”

My jaw dropped and a hand flew over my mouth. I looked at Cassie and Dougie, who were just as shocked as me. I screamed into my hand and began running around the room again, only this time I wasn’t alone. Dougie was running in the opposite direction of me. 

He zipped over to Horace while I tackled Cassie on the couch. Well, I more like got her in a headlock ‘n swung her around a bit as I settled onto the couch. 

Tina groaned, averting her gaze from us before running a hand through her hair. She asked. “Well, who were your guys’s first kiss?”

I shrugged my shoulders. “Ugh, I guess my first kiss was with my childhood best friend too. Name was Brooklyn.”

“Mine was with Mary, she was a classmate.” Cassie replied.

Angie tsked. “See a girl, right? Why are you harping on us for?”

Cassie and I just shrugged. It was like we had this silent agreement that we weren’t gonna bring up the fact that we kissed each other on the lips as a greeting and a farewell.

“Hey, do you guys think I would look hotter with blonde hair?” I asked.

They all began telling me what they thought. 

Later in the night, we just went wild ‘n I was happy for it. Michael and Arthur didn’t cross my mind once. We blasted our records, danced the night away while chatting, drinking, and smoking away.

I was overwhelmed with emotions at the end of the night because—… Because I never thought I would have a friend group like this, and now that I did— it was surreal. I genuinely felt that I wouldn’t be in the mental state I was in, if they weren’t in my life.

They made everything that much better. I was always happy with Tommy, but that feeling was contorting into something else now. You know? It was becoming increasingly more platonic, and as much as that should feel liberating— it frightened me. 

I have a million reasons why I held out for him for this long and why it frightens me so, and I’m not going to dwell on them. To be honest, I think the moment he did reciprocate my feelings and he told me, I probably would numb myself immediately. I would just be in such a state of shock that I’d deny his feelings ‘n just move the fuck on. 

‘I mean that’s what is expected of me, right?’ 

Since I am the way that I am. I can’t just blame it on social media’s influence. I mean when I imagined the scenario I end up cringing a ton, and I send myself into like a “tic fit.” It’s the best I can describe it. 

Anyhow, back to how the night went! We got super drunk, super high, and probably pissed off Cassie’s neighbors but we settled down at like three or four in the morning. The people living downstairs were most likely the most grateful since we were jumping around like crazy people. 

We, collectively, all crawled onto Cassie’s bed ‘n knocked out. I was probably the first to sleep. I’m not going to tell ya a blag. It was completely plausible. But, what I loved most about tonight— it was that I was surrounded by people who loved me. It was warm and I felt safe. Something I wasn’t even able to feel in my own home at times when I was back in my own universe. 

Cassie was the big spoon while I was the little, and Dougie was her big spoon. I made sure to avoid being in the middle anymore. I talked to Cassie and she was fine with my touching. She said I showed her the same amount of attention, and she knew I didn’t fancy him— so we were good.

However, I didn’t want to interfere with a perfectly good moment. So, I chose to be on the outside while Cassie was in the middle. Yeah, that didn’t stop her from cuddling me instead. I was too intoxicated and tired to tell her to cuddle Dougie instead.

When I woke up, I found it to be fairly early in the morning because the sky was grey. There’s a difference to the 6 am sky and the 8 am sky, okay! I didn’t get up right away. I wanted to savor the tranquility that surrounded me for a little while longer. But like all sweet things, they must come to an end.

My guess is that I was probably stirring around too much by accident ‘n woke up Cassie, who inadvertently awoke Dougie. I tried coaxing her back to sleep, but it was too late for the both of them. Begrudgingly, I inched my way off the bed and strolled over to the table.  

Dougie was right behind me. I could hear his loud yawn from behind me, and then his hands gently fell on top of my head. My head bobbled as he kissed the top of my head. 

“Mornin’, Ali.”

I smiled and while my head did a little dance, I replied. “Morning, Dougie.”

He pulled out a chair for me before going to sit on his own. While gripping the arms of the chair, I scooted closer to the table. I craned my head back to see Cassie on the phone, no doubt ordering food. 

We really didn’t begin talking till the food came. I think we were just still sleepy, but food and orange juice helped. Horace was the first to get up ‘n he attacked the bacon. Then, it was Tina and finally, Angie. Who was very grumpy, by the way. So not happy about being awake.

I don’t know how it happened, but eventually we broke out into a food fight. It was awesome.

“Oi! Fucking watch it!” I exclaimed as I narrowly dodged a ketchup covered egg. I knew it was covered in ketchup ‘cause I saw Tina drown them in it. I grabbed a syrup-soaked waffle and chucked it at Dougie.

It got him right on the side of his face. He exclaimed and his face contorted in disgust. My mouth immediately contorted into deep frown ‘n my eyebrows raised, and when his crazed eyes found mine— I gasped. My gasp was so deep like a man’s that I hurt my throat doing it. 

I held my hands up as I croaked. “Wait.” He inched closer to me. “Wait! Wait!” I turned my back and started running. Something you should know about me, I never liked being chased. It gave me another type of anxiety and happiness— it was so weird. 

Eventually, Dougie caught me and we started wrestling with each other. Through our grunts, I heard the phone ring and Cassie hopped across the room to get to it. She landed on the bed and crawled to the phone. While sitting on her knees, she answered the phone.

I turned my attention back to Dougie and tried crawling away from him as he attacked my sides. It wasn’t my tickle spot, but I laughed at the pain of his fingers digging into my sides, nonetheless. 

“I’m sorry!” I yelled. “I’m sorry! I give, now cut it out.” 

Dougie loosened his hold and sat up on his knees, flipping his bangs to one side as he did so. I didn’t hesitate to get up on my feet. 

“Never!” He shouted. “You got syrup on my face.”

I scoffed and rolled my eyes. I playfully yelled as I charged at him ‘n I barely managed to get him into a headlock when Cassie shouted for me. She motioned the phone toward me, and my smile dropped as did my hold on Dougie.

I walked over to the phone and brought it to my ear. While taking some of the hair that fell into my mouth, I said. “Hello?”

“Aliena, love.” Polly sniffled before continuing, “Thank god you’re alright. Um, I need you to come home, darling.”

“Polly, you’re crying. What’s happened?” I’m only half-ashamed to admit that I was exaggerating my concern. Hard to actually experience when I already knew what was up.

“It’s Michael. He’s been arrested. You need to come home to the house in Small Heath. We’re gonna have a family meeting.”

“Is Tom there yet?”

Polly sniffled again before replying, “No, not yet. You still have time before it begins, so come quickly. Love you.”

“Love you too. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” I hung up the phone and looked back at my mates. They were all looking at me concernedly. I waved my finger around before finding the words. “I, uh… I need to go. Cassie, can you tell Simmons—!”

She nodded. “Of course.” Cass instantly grabbed the phone and began calling him. 

I glanced at my mates one more time before walking over to the closet. I put on this off-white frock with some black heels. I didn’t fix my hair up or put on any makeup. I just packed up my things, threw on my coat, and hurried out the door. I bade everyone farewell before leaving.

I ran out of the car and into the house. I threw my backpack on the couch before shouting, “Polly, I’m here!”

Faintly, I could hear Polly gasp and then we met each other halfway in the kitchen. She pulled me into a hug and squeezed the breath right out of me. 

“Thank god!” She said. “Thank god you’re okay.” Polly parted from our hug ‘n began stroking my hair and face. 

Footsteps coming from my right caught my attention, and I hugged Finn, John, and Esme as they came up to me. All us exchanging words about how we were all glad that one another was okay. John caught me up to date as Polly was fawning over me. 

She couldn’t stop stroking my hair and kissing my temple. I didn’t mind it, but everything she did was exemplified since I wasn’t used to this sort of treatment from her. Well, I was ‘n it always happened in some sad event in our lives, and that’s probably what’s upsetting me the most. 

I managed to get her to sit down, and smoked a ciggie with her. Tom sure took his time coming home. It took him, perhaps, twenty to thirty minutes later before he strided through the kitchen and into the shop. 

I stubbed my ciggie out, just as Tom said. “John?”

“Coppers have lifted 10 of our men in Camden town, the rest of them on the run.” He replied.

Finn added. “Tom, they've taken Michael.” 

Polly rose from her seat and walked closer to the family and I followed suit, taking the opposite door to lean on. 

Tom waved Finn off saying, “Business first.”

“They took Michael— ”

“I said business first.”

“They picked him up—!”

“Polly, business first!”

‘Great! Went from having an awesome time last night to an anxiety ridden morning. I love my life. Wow, way to make it about myself. I’m amazing!’

Tom gave Pol one last look before asking John to continue. Polly looked vulnerable. She looked, sorry to say, pitiful. She was desperate to help Michael, but— obviously, Tom had an agenda he was intending to follow.

John continued. “They took all our whisky. So no doubt they'll be supping that for Christmas. They've impounded all our vans, put their own locks on the warehouse. The Eden Club and all our pubs have been raided by the coppers and handed back to Sabini and Solomons. The Black Country boys think it was Arthur who killed Billy because that's what the coppers told them. So there'll be no more free passes for our whisky boats.”

“I don't give a fuck about whisky. I don't give a fuck about Billy Kitchen.” Polly said as she walked over to the table and began to lightly slam her hand down on it as she spoke, “I want my son out of prison now.”

Esme decided to speak up, at the wrong time. “Thomas, I spoke to Johnny Dogs.”

“This meeting should just be family.” Polly insisted.

‘Ah—! Ma’am, the fuck does that make me? Oh, wait, family! You, idiot, you.’

“I can help.”

“-It's family only, she's not blood.”

“Let her speak.” Tom interjected, but Polly kept on going.

“Tommy! Or is this a business… How you forgotten family—!”

“ENOUGH!”

My hand flew to my mouth and I swear to God, my heart sank to my arse. ‘Holy fuck is the wrong, but holy hell is it erotic!’

I was given the side eye by multiple people in the room, and I quickly numbed my feelings. Faster than I ever had to before. I stood up straight and cleared my throat.

Tom looked back at Polly as he said. “Enough, Polly. Esme.”

“I spoke to Johnny Dogs. The Lees are kin.”

“The bloody Lees!” Polly exclaimed

“They can give us men.”

“We don't need more fucking men! It's men that have done the damage! It's… It is men fighting like cockerels that have put us here in the first place.”

Tommy said. “Esme, I'll take up their offer. We need men.”

There was this pregnant silence that stilled between all of us, and it made me bounce on my heels. 

Polly pointedly stared at Tommy, inching closer to him as she said. “If Michael ever gets out of prison, I am taking him away from this family, for good.” She took a step back from Tom and waved her hands around her. “This life is bad.”

Polly walked over to Finn ‘n grabbed him by the arm. “This life is all bad.” She began dragging him away and made a beeline for me. Pol gripped my arm ‘n began pulling me away too.

“Ah!” I exclaimed as my feet skidded across the floor.

“Aunt Pol, what’re you doin’?” Finn cried out as we were both being tugged away.

“Shut up and walk.”

I managed to crane my head back for one last look at Tom before Pol had tugged Finn and I out of the house. Tommy didn’t meet my gaze. 

Polly ushered us in her car and drove us to the house in Sutton. She ordered us to stay in the house, but I knew where she was going. I saw her make a call, which went on for sometime, before she darted for the door. 

I think she was calling Ada.

I grabbed her arm as she turned to leave. “Polly, wait! Where are you going?”

She sighed before taking my face into her hands. “I’m going to go see if I can get my son out by myself. Thomas isn’t going to help, so I’m doing this on my own.” Polly stroked the side of my face as she looked into my eyes.

“Don’t go...” I whispered.

Pol sucked on her teeth before shaking her head. I gripped her wrists as they were still close to my face and said. “I can—! I can call someone. My mates can help. They’re Michael’s mates too, so I’m sure they won’t mind.”

She shook her head and gently tugged her hands away from my face. I let her wrists go without hesitation. With one hand on my shoulder, and the other waving around as she talked, she said. “No. No, I can’t have your friends knowing about this side of the family. They’re different from us ‘n they need to have the best image of you they can. I will deal with this on my own. I will deal with this on my own as I’ve always done.” 

Polly quickly kissed my forehead and left just as I was about to continue to beg her not to. I ran after her, but my reaction time was a little too late since she was already in the car. I shouted after her, but she took off.

I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t—! I couldn’t interfere when she didn’t want me to, so I just walked back into the house ‘n focused on taking care of Finn. We spent our time talking and playing card games. I finished making our lunch when Ada showed up. I knew she’d show up. ‘Cause of the episode, of course. 

She brought Karl, which made everything better ‘n brighter for a while.

I  spent time playing with the baby and catching up with Ada. Eventually, I left Ada alone with Finn since I’m sure she’d wanted to talk to him alone. I had the maid make dinner ‘n eventually sent Finn’s lanky butt up to a room. Had the maid prepare it for him beforehand.  Ada and I talked into the night till Karl grew tired. 

She took another room and retired for the night. On the other hand, I only went up stairs to change into something more comfortable, then I went back down to wait for Polly to come back home. I basically wore a nightgown and put my hair into a ponytail. 

I knew Polly was going to want to take a bath ‘n I wanted to be the one to help her. It was only right since she’d helped me when I needed it. 

I hated myself. I hated myself. I could’ve tried harder. I could’ve used better words to persuade her. I could’ve—!

Polly stumbled in at around eleven o’clock at night. I sprang up from the couch ‘n she didn’t even make a fuss about the fact I was up. Pol stumbled into my arms with the stench of alcohol on her breath. 

“Ali my love!” She slurred as she leaned all her body weight on me.

I muffled a groan as I held her up. 

Polly picked herself up a bit and slapped her hands on my face. I flinched at the force she put behind it. 

“Beautiful...” She whispered. “Absolutely beautiful...” Her thumbs roughly wiped the space under my eyes. Bringing them up and down and stretched back. 

“Polly,” I whispered. “What’s happened?”

Her head jerked back and she stumbled away from me. Averting my gaze, she replied. “Is done. Michael with—! Michael will be out within, at, in the morning.”

I smiled and clapped my hands in front of my mouth. “That’s great news, Polly!”

She smiled and nodded, drunkenly. Like she was nodding like a bobble head, someone who wasn’t in control of their motor functions. Polly’s gaze drifted to the side and she pointed to the tub. “Were you gonna take a bath?”

I shook my head. “Oh, no. I thought about it, but then I was waiting for you to come home. I had the fire lit. Why? Did you want to take a bath?”

Polly stumbled forward and gripped my arms, steadying herself before she nodded. “Yes. Yeah. Ali, darling, can you be so kind… And help me?”

I nodded, my eyebrows furrowing in concern. I ran to the kitchen and filled up the bucket for hot water. This house actually had a water heater ‘n that meant hot water from the tap. I had to make a few trips back ‘n forth but it was quicker than it would’ve been at the other house. 

“Alright, all done.” I turned back to Polly, who was sitting on the couch as she gazed into the fire. Her head shot up when I spoke. I turned around as a way to give her the privacy she needed to undress. 

I could sense her walking toward the tub and I turned my body more to the left while closing my eyes. Slowly, I got down to my knees ‘n sat on them. I wanted to give her the respect she deserved. The water sloshed as she dipped her body in the tub.

“Can you pass me the soap and sponge, love?” Polly asked me.

My eyes fluttered open instantly and I crawled to where I had placed the body soap and sponge earlier. I reached up for them and then crawled back over to her before giving them to her.

I sort of just sat there as she bathed herself. Her movements were sluggish and looked to be done with great difficulty. I knew it was wrong, but I wanted to pry. I wanted her to open up to me and just cry about it. I didn’t want her to keep it in. However, I knew that was wrong, so I just picked at the carpet below me. 

Eventually, I couldn’t stand doing nothing and I asked her if I could shampoo her hair. She gave me a sloth-like smile and gave me permission. I reached up for the shampoo, took off my sheer robe, and shuffled on my knees around the tub. 

Polly leaned forward to give me some room. I scooped up some of the water from the tub using the pitcher and poured it along her hairline, slowly making my way to the back of her scalp. 

Shampooing someone else’s hair was always something comforting to me. I did Cassie’s hair all the time as she did mine. It was a type of intimacy that was more innocent than others types. 

I began humming something from Billie Holiday. I didn’t know the song by heart, but I knew some of the words ‘n rhythm enough. I was rinsing her hair when Polly’s shoulders began to shake. Muffled sobs escaped her nose as she shakily took deep breaths. 

I didn’t know what to do or say. I didn’t know if it was appropriate to touch her and hug her, so I asked. I asked if it was alright if I hugged her. Like a child, she nodded through her sobs. 

I hugged Polly from behind. She was wet, I knew that. I was painfully aware of the new sensation of my dress sticking to my body and her cold hair against my cheek. Everything in my being was screaming and begging me to launch myself backward, away from her— but my heart was pleading for me to do the opposite. 

My heart wanted to absorb her pain, and it was my heart that won. I choked back my tears. I didn’t have the right to shed them. I could’ve saved her from this pain. I could’ve prevented this. But, ultimately when I blinked, they slipped down my cheeks. 

I didn’t pry, I stayed true to my word. We composed ourselves simultaneously and silently. 

“Love?” 

I wiped my nose on my arm before answering, “Yes?”

“Can you get me a cigarette? They’re in my purse.”

I nodded as I muttered. “Of course.” I rose to my feet and walked over to her purse, which was on the sofa. I put one in my mouth and lit it. With it still hanging off my lips, I took a quick puff as I grabbed the ashtray. I placed it on the stool that had the soaps on top, and then passed Polly her ciggie.

I walked back around to the chair that was behind her ‘n admired the fire crackling. Ada came in not too long after. I left… 

Truthfully, I didn’t know why I left. 

I trudged up the stairs all the way to my room. I closed the door behind me and slid down it.

I felt like a complete piece of shit and hollow and empty. My face scrunched up in a sob, but no tears came out. There was this increasingly more painful headache forcing me to acknowledge it, and with it came anger and annoyance. I wanted to punch the walls. I wanted to throw stuff around. I wanted to kill Campbell for what he’s done to this family.

I wanted his blood. I wanted to slit his throat. I wanted to bite a chunk of his neck out. I wanted…

I heaved a deep breath and found it still difficult to breathe. I crawled forward on all fours with one hand supporting my weight while the other clutched my throat. I took deep breaths till finally I couldn’t take it anymore. 

I had to release these emotions inside of me. The need to punish myself became overwhelming, and my eyes flickered to the suitcase that laid under my bed. 

I shook my head. ‘I couldn’t afford any marks’ I thought. 

With my other job, my body is a tool ‘n any harm to it hinders my ability to get it done. 

So, I yanked the straps of my gown down and let it fall under my waist. Ferociously, I began to claw away at my neck, arms, and stomach. The burn. The burn was what I needed. 

And when I stopped, the pain took over but as much as it meant everything— it was also nothing. 

Slowly, I brought the straps of my gown back up to my shoulders, rose to my feet, and sauntered over to my bed. I climbed in it and just laid there while staring at the lamp that was always on at my desk. I fell asleep, eventually…

The next morning, Polly came into my room ‘n asked if I wanted to come with her to go ‘n get Michael. I felt like she wanted me to go with her, so I said I’d go. While dressing up, I was glad to see that none of the scratches I’d made scarred up. 

I made sure to dress warmly since we would be going out so early in the morning and then we headed off to pick him up. We didn’t make any conversation during the drive or as we waited for him to come out. 

But nothing— and I mean nothing, could tear my eyes away from the scarf around her neck. 

I chose to lean against the wall as we waited while Polly was pacing back ‘n forth on the pavement. When Michael walked out, the first thing I noticed was the ugly bruise on his right cheek. Then, I noticed the little cuts all around his face. The need to comfort him was strong, but he walked straight toward his mother while smoking a ciggie.

“You need cream on them cuts or they'll go bad.” Polly said to ‘em.

Michael didn’t reply. He took a drag before saying, “The screws told me why I've been freed. They told me what you did.”

Polly looked away from Michael. Her gaze found mine, and she hurriedly looked away from me too. Polly stared straight on, instead. 

“They thought it was funny.” He continued. Michael took another puff before he said. “Maybe it is.”

The urge to degrade and make someone cry had never been activated so fast in me before now. I glared at Michael as he walked away. My blood boiled with each step he took.

With my foot, I launched myself away from the wall and walked to Polly’s side. I put a hand on her shoulder and whispered. “C’mon. Let’s go. He probably needs time is all.”

Polly said nothing, but allowed me to lead her over to the car.

Michael eventually had to come home, and he had the audacity to knock at my door. Of course, I let him in but only to give him a piece of my mind. 

“Do you even know what she did?” He shouted.

“She got you out, didn’t she? Why should you care how?” I shouted back.

“She fucked Campbell to get me out. She prostituted herself!”

I pretended to process it and be shocked before I continued. “And? So fucking what? Who are you to say that it was funny, huh? Fucking bastard! Fucking ungrateful prick!” 

I wanted to put my hands on him so badly, but I resorted to punching my palms repeatedly instead. As well as folding in on myself.

I whipped my hair back and ran a hand through my hair. 

“You’re tellin’ me you don’t see anything wrong with that? Are you fucking kidding me?”

“Of course there’s something wrong with that! Campbell abused his position and abused his powers. He raped your mother!”

His face fell.

I scoffed. “Did you actually think I would side with you? Oh, fuck you, Michael. I would’ve done the same for me own son and so much more. She did that out of desperation ‘n fear ‘n pure maternal love! And—! And, you threw it back ‘n her face! I mean look at you, Michael. How much more of that could you have withstood?”

“All of it! I would have taken every beating… Every fucking—!” Michael choked up and rose his fists over his eyes. 

I averted my gaze. My tongue prodded the inside of my cheek as I violently shook my right leg. I tsked before rushing toward Michael and pulled him into a hug. Weakly, he hugged me back. 

Muffled, I said. “I’m not the one who has to forgive you for the things you said, but me and you are not alright right now. And I need you to respect the fact I need some time to process and get over what you said to her. It was very insensitive and I don’t play when it comes to situations like that. I don’t care about the excuse. You should have comforted her or each other when you were given the chance.” I parted from the hug and turned around. 

I didn’t turn back around till I heard my door shut from behind me.

About a week and a half has passed since Michael’s release and we’re still not on good terms. He hasn’t apologized to Polly for what he said, so obviously I wasn’t going to just sweep that shit under the rug. Little shit would have no idea how much restraint it took to not slap him across the face!

Of course I encourage him to “get it over with” and “clear the air.” But the stubborn twat was like his mum, and he refused to do so. It was like that conversation we had went in one ear and out the other. So, I’ve just steered clear of ‘em. Pissed me off just looking at him.

Anyway, John and I went to visit Arthur in jail. He was pretty rough, but when was Arthur not? We just visited him to see him. Tommy didn’t have a plan drawn up yet. Other than that, I’ve been busy with work. Legit and side hustle alike. 

Since the coppers fucked with the inventory, Tommy needed my help with the numbers and had me running around more often. At the same time, Dom gave me hit orders every other day. 

Some of the hit orders were during the day as well! I had to run off to get that job done, then hurry back to Small Heath. I’m just lucky nobody gets on my arse. Tommy could, no doubt there, but he was busy himself and I got the job done anyway. 

I knew he had some Peaky men or juniors watching me, for my “protection.” I knew they told him what I was doing, where I was going, but they never found out what I did. I had to let Dom know what was going on at home, and he helped me get away from them. 

Was it suspicious? Short answer, yes. 

Not like I could stop the side, though. The second season was coming to an end soon and what happens on Derby Day determines if I’m staying in this family or not. I, myself, don’t even know what to expect. 

I mean, it’s obvious he’s going to sleep with Grace and knock her up. What the fuck did I even want to happen? Did I want him to just confess to me and we get together instead? Well, of course, I want that to happen! But it’s not. And I can’t even see Tommy doing something as cringy as that. Yes, cringy.

The idea of him just springing on a confession on me still made me cringe up. My feelings have never been recuperated, so if they were to finally be mutual— there’s a good chance I wouldn’t have the romantic reaction I would be hoping for. Sad truth, but what could I do? Not like I had control over what my crushes felt. 

So, basically, if Grace is pregnant— I’ll quietly go away. I haven’t brought it up to Cassie yet, but I’m planning on slumming it with her. Just for a while, I know I have enough money to buy a house of my own. I would probably get Dom to do it for me, though, since I had no idea how to do it. 

If Tom tried to find me, then I’d just hide at Dom’s place. I’m sure he’d let me. On the topic of Tom, though— I missed him. Like talking to him, bugging him, and especially seeing his face. I was being deprived of my daily dose of serotonin. It was a crime!

Despite all that, today was a night of relaxation. I’d planned to go out with my mates, but since it’d be too dangerous to go South— they had to come to me. Ridiculous, I know but Tom insisted on the idea the last time I saw him. Even though I’d been going all around the fucking country for a week and a half.

We were in the snug at the Garrison. Smoking a few cigs while sipping on our bevvies. It was a girls’ night despite the fact that Finn was here. Let him have two pints, and that was it. He was still working on his first like a good lad. 

Angie spat. “I mean who the fuck does that bitch think she is? Just because her mum is a famous pianist doesn’t mean she is too! Dumb dora doesn’t know about key or pitch to save her life.”

I raised my eyebrows and slurped my bevvy. I smacked my mouth before asking. “Hey, Ange. How are you and Horace?”

Her movements faltered and a smile crept up on her face. I gasped and my hand shot over my mouth.

“Oh my god! Oh my god, are you two finally dating? Are youse dating?” My hand flew back to Cassie’s arm and I gripped it while shaking her. She was just as excited as I was.

Angie couldn’t meet my gaze to save her life. “I-! We… Yeah, we’re dating. I, I said yes.”

All of us girls squealed and congratulated her. Internally, I was congratulating my boy, Horace. My mans was pinning after Angie since childhood and he finally got the girl. 

Even material to make a story out of, oop! Mayhaps.

She told us how it happened. They had been in a fight since her father secretly set her up on a blind date and he’d caught them as she was out. Horace didn’t blow up on them at the spot, but Angie felt compelled to follow him out the restaurant they were dining in. On the street, he aggressively professed his love and told her he couldn’t bear to beat around the bush anymore. He gave her an ultimatum, and she was thrown off by how assertive he was being. It made her heart flutter, and she confessed she felt the same. 

Another round of squeals at the table, please! Poor Finn, he had to suffer through us. His own fault for volunteering to, like, chaperone me.

The topic changed to the ball Cassie had for her 21st birthday. This happened like a couple of Fridays ago since her birthday was on the tenth of February. It was really extravagant and the theme was like a royal ball. So, we got to dress up in these really amazing ball gowns. I wore this beautiful green ball gown that was most likely akin to 16th century fashion, as one man told me. 

I wouldn’t know the exact period my dress resembled since that wasn’t my area of expertise. Glad the man knew, though!

Cassie tapped me on my arm, her face contorted in confusion. “Ali… What did we do for your birthday?”

I blinked before smiling. “Oh, we didn’t do anything.”

Her face immediately contorted in horror and she looked at Angie and Tina, which of course made me do the same. They had the same expression on their faces.

Tina raised a finger and began wagging it as she said. “Wait a minute… Did we even do something for your birthday last year?”

“Uh...no.” My eyes kept flickering between the three of them and I watched as the horror deepened in their faces.

They began showering me in apologies, and while it did comfort me— it annoyed me at the same time. ‘Like it was too late for apologies since the days already passed. So, like why sweat it now?’

The girls surrounded Ali and showered her in apologies. Finn watched from the sidelines. He saw the flicker of discomfort on Ali’s face before she began to smile. 

He knew that his family had forgotten about her past two birthdays as well, and he wanted to get something for her. But the last time he did that— he got in trouble for it. So, the best he did was wish her happy birthday. 

“Okay! Okay! We obviously just have to throw the biggest party ever to make up for them both.” Cassie said, her lips pursing as she talked. Tina and Angie nodded, but Ali sighed. 

She shook her head while clutching her forehead. “No. No, it’s alright really. My birthday passed. I don’t need anything.”

The girls dismissed her wishes, which annoyed the crap out of Ali and Finn. 

Ali rubbed her eyes roughly before waving her hands up. “Okay, okay, fine! We can have a little something. It has to be little. I’m not allowed South, so—!”

Cassie cut her off. “That’s completely alright. We can do it here like last time. You know?” She looked around the room. Tina and Angie nodded in agreement. 

Ali thought about it and just succumbed to her mates’ wishes. Ali took a breath and thought about it in a different perspective. Instead of holding onto the fact her birthdays were overlooked, she was just appreciative that they, at least, wanted to celebrate it now.

They girls talked it out and they decided they would reconvene next Friday at the Garrison. Finn was welcomed to join, and the lad was not going to miss it for anything in the world because of what they were planning.

These girls were planning to get “fucked up.” More specifically, Aliena “fucked up.” He had some idea of what that meant, and he knew he wasn’t going to like it. 

Eventually, Finn ended up asking Aliena what that meant, and she told him that her mates basically wanted to get her really drunk. He knew he wouldn’t like it. 

That week Finn, Aliena, and the girls were all just really preparing for the “doomsday.” Aliena was pumped up to have fun with her girls in her honor, and couldn’t decide what she to wear. The girls were trying to find gifts for her birthdays, you know, since they missed two of ‘em. 

While Finn, he was going through it. He was debating so hard whether or not to tell Tom. He didn’t know if he should. He usually would have, but with things being so tense lately— he really didn’t want to be the bearer of bad news or add fuel to the fire. So, he decided against it and was just glad to be invited. He also looked for a gift.

The day of the party both Finn and Aliena visited Tommy’s office. Aliena went to give him his dinner at around 5:30. She had yet to get dressed for the night, but her hair was beautifully done in waves from the braids she made the night before. She had half of it up since if it was all down— her hair would be too poofy.

Aliena knocked on Tom’s door before entering. Tom was finishing up some last minute paperwork. He didn’t tell Aliena, but he was going to Ada’s house to meet up with Grace. She’d called some weeks ago, and Tom was finally available enough to meet her. 

She rested the basket on his desk and moved a piece of her hair away from her face. “Here you go, Tommy. Have a nice night.” 

Tom picked up his head and his eyebrows wanted to furrow as he took in her appearance. Her hair was done nicely and she was wearing a nice outfit. 

Ali had on a white tank top with a sheer white long-sleeved blouse over it and wore a ribbed off-white skirt that hugged her curves. She didn’t think anything of it, but Tom sure did. 

He wondered if she got dressed up for another boy of hers, but then he realized he had no business admiring her or getting jealous. After all, he’d be meeting up with Grace in almost a half hour. 

Tom looked into Aliena’s eyes ‘n noticed she was wearing a bit of makeup and holding a vanilla folder in her hand as well. “Night, Ali.” He replied.

Ali smiled at him, gave him a nod, and knocked on his desk before spinning around on her heels. Ali was almost out the door when her hand knocked into one of the chairs and the contents of the vanilla folder went flying. Ali cursed under her breath and bent down to collect the papers from the ground.

Tom’s eyes never left her arse. Tom recognized that Aliena was blessed with well-endowed features— ample breasts and a large behind as well as thighs. He admired the way her breasts hung from her body as she had to reposition herself to get a paper that had flown under the chair. He admired the arch of her back. 

Tom realized he was acting like a pervert and resituatied himself. He silently cleared his throat and sat up straight while tugging on his pants. Aliena tapped the folder on the ground to straighten its contents before rising from her knees. 

She smiled at him, sheepishly, as she tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear. “Sorry ‘bout that, Tommy. Good night.”

Tom repeated the phrase under his breath and Aliena made it out the door without a mishap. 

Finn came in not five minutes later, passing Aliena on the way to the office. He walked straight into Tom’s office. 

Tom’s head shot up and he didn’t hesitate to begin speaking, “Finn, I want you to look after Aliena tonight. I’m going over to Ada’s and I don’t know when I’ll be back.” Tom had risen from his seat as he spoke. Putting on his coat and cap. 

Tom walked over to Finn and clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Alright?”

Finn nodded. “Yeah, got it.”

Tom nodded and began walking ahead of his little brother, but then turned around all of a sudden. Tom pointed toward his desk ‘n said. “Oh and eat that for me, yeah? Aliena made it so… It should be good.”

Finn chuckled and took his brother up on the offer. He’d been starving.

Aliena rushed home and practically inhaled her meal. She didn’t want to eat, but since was planning to drink till her liver bursted— she didn’t want to knock out on the third drink. After eating, she hauled the tub to her room and took a bath.

Aliena decided tonight was the night. 

She wasn’t going to wait for Tommy anymore. 

She’s been building up to it and she didn’t care anymore. Virginity was just some societal construct anyhow. Plus, she wouldn’t tell anyone but she owned a dildo in her other universe ‘n yeah… 

Aliena just assumed this body, that was very fucking different, had it’s hymen, so…

She freshened up and shaved her vagina. Not for the poor guy she was going to use, but for herself. Aliena was big on, “you like me for me or you can fuck off.”

Don’t worry Ali had her hair all tied up away from the water and when she was done— all she had to do was dry her body off.

Ali kept her towel on as she did her makeup. She kept it light and noir like she did for the Garrison’s reopening. After makeup, she slid on her dress. The best Ali could describe it was a loose body con dress that had ruffles that reminded her of a curtain. It was sky blue ‘n fit with the times. 

Ali took down her hair once she was done putting on her dress. She tried her best to keep her waves, but they had ultimately lost most of their volume throughout the day. Aliena tried to not let it bother her. She put on her heels, grabbed a matching clutch, and her white fur coat. 

Aliena walked over to Finn’s room ‘n knocked on his door, asking if he was ready. He didn’t answer from his room, but from downstairs. Aliena hurried down the flight of stairs, joined their arms once she was down, and then they were on their way to the Garrison. 

Isaiah met them on the way, which was a pleasant surprise. Finn had invited him along ‘n of course Aliena wouldn’t mind. She hadn’t seen him in a long time, and she figured it was due to the business. 

Aliena was escorted with two men around her arms to the Garrison and she chatted with them the whole way. She was all smiles and it warmed both the men’s hearts. More so Finn than Isaiah. 

When they got to the pub, they instantly walked to the snug. They quickly seated themselves down ‘n got comfy. Isaiah ordered their bevvies from the window and they were served not too long after. 

The gang couldn’t have gotten there not twenty minutes later. Their hands were occupied with gifts ‘n the boys were carrying the cake. Aliena couldn’t feel more loved ‘n appreciated. She greeted her mates with kisses and hugs ‘n thanked them for the party. 

Aliena ended up thanking Douglas and Horace for showing up and for their gifts separately since she wasn’t expecting them. First manner of business was the birthday cake. Horace revealed this magnificent simple cake that had twenty candles around it.  

Ali couldn’t stop covering her face as she smiled. She tried reeling in her emotions, but she never could act “right” when people sang her happy birthday. For her birthday wish, she wished that she’d continue on working on her happiness. 

Before having a piece of cake, Aliena opened her presents. Cassie gave her another set of expensive jewelry that was to die for! Ali loved it! Douglas gave Aliena a new pair of shoes, a clutch, and a purse. While it wasn’t to die for, Aliena appreciated it since after all he didn’t even ask her what she wanted. It was ballsy to get a gift for Ali without talking to her first since her face usually gave her true thoughts away.

She’s worked on that since she was young, but sometimes it will show. Hasn’t happened yet, but doesn’t mean it won’t.

Angie gave Aliena more designer clothing while Horace bought her a typewriter. She absolutely gushed over their gifts, especially the typewriter. Tina’s present was Pride and Prejudice, Anna Karenina, Little Women, Romeo and Juliet, and The Picture of Dorian Gray. Aliena loved the fact that Tina gave her books. Truth be told, she hasn’t really read a book unless they were someone else’s. 

Isaiah didn’t have a gift, so we can skip over him. Finn, on the hand, did. Ali was a little apprehensive about it since last time he got her a gift, he would’ve caught a charge if he was anyone else. It was a big box, too. Aliena shook the lid off the box to find a box of items packed inside. There were about five different shades of lipstick, two bottles of perfume, and a whole lot of makeup. 

Ali couldn’t help but be in awe at the gift. She hugged Finn and thanked him for something so wonderful ‘n thoughtful. Finn was able to let go of the breath he was holding and felt extremely happy that she loved her gift. Swear, the boy had a smile for a majority of the night.

The minute Aliena was done opening her gifts, the real party began. Finn watched as Aliena and her mates took shot after shot after shot. He participated a bit himself, but out of conditioning from Aliena— he took his time. Isaiah was faring no better. He’d received the same order as Finn. His sole duty tonight was to protect Aliena ‘n the way she was drinking— he had a bad feeling something was gonna happen.

Eventually they made their way out of the snug ‘n began dancing more freely. Isaiah expertly manipulated Ali into only dancing with their mates. The minute she tried catching the eye of literally anyone else, he’d step in. 

Out in the city, he had no problem with who she danced with or who she made out with. In Small Heath, his and every other person’s eyes were at stake. But more importantly, his eyes were at stake!

Truthfully, Aliena wasn’t actually drunk— she was buzzed! But, she wasn’t drunk. She was mimicking Cassie’s behavior, who was on a completely different level drunkenness than her. She did it in a sense of solidarity and recklessness. She felt that since they were celebrating her birthday, since it was her night— she should be able to act freely. Especially when she was trapped in Birmingham per Tommy’s orders. 

Aliena was getting bored with just dancing and began to sing. She sang ‘Ain't No Other Man’ by Christina Aguliera. At first, it was just the mates who were aware that she was singing, but then other patrons heard her voice. Aliena was lifted in the air by a particularly strong ‘n tall patron and he set her down on the bar top. 

Aliena “under the influence” began to sing as clearly as she could and belt as loud as she could, as much in tune as she could manage. 

Not like they would know if she butchered the song or not.

Finn, who watched all of this go down, had enough. In his opinion, Aliena had gotten out of control ‘n it was out of his hands. So, he decided to get the big guns involved.

His senses were filled with her. Her perfume, the texture of her dress, the taste of her lips and the feeling of pressing them against his own. 

So, what had changed for him?

Tom wondered why her kiss didn’t set him aflame like it did months ago. 

“Tommy. Tommy, do you have someone?” She asked him. 

Tom kissed Grace again. 

“It's too late, Tommy.”

“It's 11:00, Grace.”

“I mean, it's too late. If you'd come with me to New York...”

“I had things to do.” He kissed her again, searching for that feeling. That feeling of completion and—! And wholeness.

“You mean the coin landed the wrong way?”

“It couldn’t have worked. That was the question.” Their lips met once more ‘n fiercer this time ‘round.

Grace parted from the kiss and breathily asked. “Tommy… Tommy, do you have someone?”

‘Yes?’ He thought as the memory of Aliena looking back at him at the park flashed in his mind. Tom took a deep breath. “I have a racehorse. She’s gonna win the Derby.” He said. Tom joined their lips again and this time— they didn’t part after a few seconds.

Tom was desperately seeking that feeling of passion, but he figured he was gettin’ into his own head by rushing it. So, he took it slow. Grace slipped down the sleeves of her dress, and it hardly did anything for him.

It aroused him, of course, but—! It wasn’t the same. It was akin to the times he’s laid with a prostitute. 

‘You’re getting in your head, Tom. The feeling will come back. Take your time.’ He told himself. He led her backward toward the couch, his lips never parting from hers. 

The more time he spent kissing her, the more that pit in his stomach grew. 

That feeling wasn’t coming back. 

Tom trailed down to her neck, and he paid attention to Grace there before going back to her lips.

‘Nothing. Nothing. Nothing! Give it some fuckin’ time, man!’

Then by the grace of God, the phone started going off. Tom parted from the kiss ‘n Grace’s hands flew to his face.

“Let it ring.” She rasped while trying to pull his face back to hers.

Tom never averted his gaze from the phone ‘n it didn’t stop ringing either. Annoyed, he got up from the couch and walked over to the telephone.

Tom had barely gotten the address out when Finn’s voice cut through the phone. “Tom, Tommy, are you there?”

“Finn, what’s happened? What’s wrong?” Panic overwhelmed his being and Tom began buttoning up his shirt.

The pub could be heard through the phone and Tom swore he could hear Aliena, but he thought he was just imagining it. 

Finn cleared his throat. “Uh, Tom, it’s Ali. She’s kinda going outta control right now.”

“You are there when I'm a mess

Talk me down from every ledge

Give me strength, boy, you're the best!

You're the only one who's ever passed every test!” 

Aliena’s belting could be heard from over the phone ‘n Tom sighed, exhaustedly. 

Finn continued. “She’s dancing and singing on top of the bar at the Garrison. I just—! I don’t know. I thought you should know. I don’t know what to do! Do I just let ‘er or—?”

Tom exhaled deeply as he rubbed his forehead. “Finn, all right, calm down. I’ll be there as soon as I can. Get her off the fucking bar top ‘n make sure she doesn’t do anything else.” He hung up the phone, turned around, and faced Grace.

She looked confused with her eyebrows drawn together and Tom was half surprised to see that her dress was still down. 

“Tommy,” She began. “What’s happened?”

Tom blinked before replying, “I, uh, I have to head back to Birmingham.”

“What?” She asked softly as she rose to her feet and slipped her sleeves back over her shoulders. 

Tom began putting his coat on as he said. “I can drive you, if you’d like, or you can call a Taxi.”

Grace scoffed while shaking her head. “You're serious, Tom?”

Tom looked at her like she stated the obvious and gave her a curt nod. “Yeah.”

Grace’s jaw dropped a little as did her head. She picked up her head, steeled her gaze, and stood up straighter. “I can find my own way back.”

He nodded again before motioning her to follow him out the door. 

The night didn’t go as he’d planned. But he had more important things to worry about. 

‘Fucking Aliena!’

Aliena was just glad she was able to finish her song before Finn and Isaiah pried her off the bar top. She had her little moment ‘n that’s all that mattered to her. ‘Cause she managed to get the attention of most of the lads in the pub.

Some were just staring at her from afar while others actually walked up to her. But they only managed to get a few words in before they were run off by Isaiah. At first it was cute. Yes, Aliena thought it was cute that Isaiah was scaring off the blokes that approached her— but then it got annoying. 

Why? Because he was ruining her fucking plan to lose her viriginity tonight!

“I’ma tell ya right now, mate. You either piss off or you’re losing your eyes, which one are you gonna pick?” Isaiah threatened the man in front of him.

The man scoffed and was about to say something when Isaiah reached up for his peaky cap.

“One...” Isaiah said ‘n that was all it took for the bloke to run off. 

  Aliena scoffed as she tried to look over Isaiah’s shoulder only to catch a glimpse of the guy running off. Aliena groaned and roughly shoved Isaiah in the chest. “The fuck are you doing, Saiah!” She shouted.

Isaiah raised his hands in surrender. “Look I’m sorry, Ali. All right, I’m sorry.”                              

Aliena’s face contorted in confusion and her head shook. “No, what the fuck is going on! You’ve never done this before, so what the ‘ell is up?”

Isaiah sighed and looked all around the room. He debated tellin’ her the truth or not, and he decided it would be easier if she just knew what was up. “Look, Ali… I can’t let any bloke in here have a go at you, all right?”

Her face didn’t change. “The fuck is that supposed to mean? The fuck you mean ‘you can’t let me’? Who’s...” Her voice trailed off as did her gaze.

‘No way!’ She thought. ‘There’s just no fucking way!’

Aliena huffed. “Di-Did Tommy—! Does Thomas have something to do with this?”

Isaiah nodded. He hesitantly said. “Tom… He ‘n the family ordered a long time ago that no one in Birmingham is allowed to have a go at ya. They’re not even allowed to accept a confession from you. And any Peaky Blinder who tries to disobey or not try ‘n help ya if you’re in danger, or knew about it ‘n let it happen— gets their eyes and tongues cut.”

Aliena was taken back by the rule. Some part of her was in awe that Tommy cared that much for her while the other was annoyed that he was. 

Why the fuck did he have to go ‘n do that? Why the fuck was he preventing her from going out with guys when he had no intention of going out with her himself? It was fucking ridiculous!

Her nose wrinkled in her anger before she closed her eyes and tipped her head back. Aliena took a deep breath before clapping her hands in front of her. “Okay, Saiah! You have two options. One, you either keep on carrying out this ridiculous order Tom have you ‘n you’ll have to face my wrath. Or two, you call it a night and get out of my fucking way. So, what is it gonna be one or two?”

Isaiah didn’t hesitate. “Two.”

Ali raised her hand for a high-five, which Saiah reciprocated. “Good man.” Aliena said before walking off, on the prowl. 

It took sometime before the men in the pub realized Isaiah was no longer lurking around Aliena and began approaching her again. Aliena was picky when choosing the man she wanted to lose her virginity to. After all, what’s the point of doing it if she wasn’t going to enjoy it? She wanted a man she could look at and be aroused from. 

She was lucky enough to find one sitting at the bar when she walked over to get another drink. His name was Robert, last name unknown since she didn’t care for it. They made small talk, but Aliena wasn’t looking to get to know him. She just wanted to make sure she could get wet. 

And she found that she could, as she began imagining all the positions he could put her in. 

Tommy kept intruding on her imagination— hijacking her scenarios, but she’d just close her eyes ‘n take a moment. The next time she opened her eyes, he was gone.

Aliena brought her bevvy up to her mouth and took a sip before shoving Robert’s shoulder for something  he said. 

Unbeknownst to her, Tom had walked into the pub deadset on finding her. And that didn’t take very long. Tom witnessed Aliena’s little interaction firsthand. She was sitting on top of the bar top while flirting with some random fucking bloke. He didn’t know what infuriated him more.  

The fact that someone dared to go against his orders, or that she was flirting with someone in front of his face. 

Tom’s jaw dropped a little and his tongue prodded the inside of his cheek. He closed his mouth and nodded before he made a beeline for Aliena. As he grew closer, she’d finally noticed him. A smile on her face was quickly wiped off as Tom walked right up to her, tugged her off the top ‘n threw her over his shoulder.

Ali gasped and exclaimed. “What—!”

Tom hiked her further up his shoulder before spinning around and making his way toward the door. “Shut up, Ali.”

“--the fuck are you doing!”

Tom had no intention of letting her down. He feared she’d just talk her way out of it, or try to fucking run away. Tom was gonna give her the lecture of a lifetime whether she liked it or not. He wasn’t going to let her get the chance to go back to her mates and cause more embarrassment for herself. 

Aliena was shouting at Tom to let her down. She was pounding on his shoulder as an extra measure, but it wasn’t like she was doin’ it hard either. The pounding resembled more like knocking or somethin’.

Eventually, Aliena huffed and just let herself be carried to wherever he was taking her. From the streets he was walking, Ali soon realized they were going to his flat. She tsked and tried to support her head up. 

When they reached his front door, Tom hiked her up on his shoulder again before reaching for his keys. 

Aliena rolled her eyes as she muttered. “I can walk on my own two feet, you know.”

Tom ignored her as he struggled to get his door unlocked and open. It was difficult with a body over his shoulders, but he did it. The minute he walked through the door— he let Ali down. 

As she regained her footing, Tom locked the door behind him. Ali stabilized herself rather quickly and threw her head back with an overexaggerated groan as she stomped away from Tom ‘n toward the stairs.

Tom turned back ‘round and shouted. “Oi! Where the fuck do you think you’re going?”

Ali rolled her eyes and faced him. A hip dropped as she said. “To bed.”

He shook his head. “No.” Tom walked right up to her face and repeated. “No. We’re going to talk about the little show you put on at the pub. Huh?”

Ali averted her gaze from him and began shaking her leg.

Tom grabbed her chin and made her face him. “Huh? What the fuck was that t’night?”

Aliena couldn’t tell ya a blag. What he did went straight to her cunt and the fact she was looking to fuck tonight— did not help her case at all.

Tom released her chin and waited for Aliena to answer.

She sighed and waved her left arm out before letting it drop to her side. “I don’t know what the fuck you’re talkin’ about, Tom.”

He scoffed.

“I DON’T... know what you’re talking about ‘cause all I was doing was having some fun with my mates. That’s all.” 

Tom shook his head. “No, that’s not all. You got on that bar top and sang and danced. You got drunk ‘n started making a fool of yourself.”

Aliena tsked, rolling her eyes, and throwing her head back. “I wasn’t fucking drunk.”

“Yeah fucking right!”

Aliena looked at him in disbelief. “You know what! You weren’t even fucking there, so I don’t even know how the fuck you knew about what I was doing, by the way! Don’t tell me you had another Peaky Blinder looking after me. ‘Cause that’d mean you sicked three people on me tonight, and I’d want to know the fucking reason for that too. ”

“Finn phoned me, worried about ya. And I did not sick three people on you tonight. I only told Finn to look after you.”

Aliena sighed deeply at the news, her eyes rolling again. A hand came up to her forehead and she rubbed it. “Finn...” She whispered. “Of fucking course, that goddamn kid.” Aliena didn’t even look at Tom again. Instead, she waved him off as she turned around while walking toward the staircase. 

“And where do you think you’re going, Ali? We’re not done here!” He shouted as he watched her climb the stairs. His gaze naturally falling on her arse. 

She craned her head back a little as she replied. “Yes, we fucking are. Both of our emotions are high right now. There’ll be no moving forward in this conversation. So good night, Tom.” 

Tom shook his head, his pointer finger running over his bottom lip. Angrily, he ripped off his coat, and threw both it and his cap on his sofa. He marched up the stairs as he shouted for Aliena.

Dumbly, Ali was deciding which room she wanted to bunk in for the night, and it allowed Tom just enough time to catch up with her. He grabbed her by the crook of her arm and pulled her into his room. He threw her into it, to which she cried out. 

“Jesus Christ, Tommy!” She yelled. 

None of this was helping, by the way. This roughness he was handling her with. Yeah, she liked this! So, he wasn’t winning in the slightest.

His eyes were blown wide, and his hands were on his hips. With the wave of his finger, he asked. “Yeah ‘n who the fuck was that who you were talkin’ too? Eh!”

Aliena squeezed her hands into fists before letting them relax as she stifled her groan. “God, Tommy! Why the fuck does it matter?”

“Who was he, Aliena! I want a fucking name!”

“I DON’T KNOW! Okay? He’s name was Robert and that’s all I know.” She yelled louder than Tom, which was making his blood boil more. Aliena clapped her hands and with finger guns, she began. “You know fucking what? Answer my fucking question, Tom. Why the fuck do you care? Huh?”

Aliena inched closer to him, and making Tom stand up straighter, slightly.

“Why the fuck did you have your men scare away other men away from me? Explain it to me.”

Tom chuckled, humorlessly. “For your own protection, sweetheart.”

She shook her head. “No. I would’ve believed you if you only ordered them to maim anyone who tried assaulting me. That would make it believable. But to put a city wide order that I was not to be fucking approached in the slightest! That even if I went up to them, they better run the other fucking direction unless they wanted to lose their eyes! No… Fucking no. So, tell me, Thomas. What the fuck is up?” 

Aliena was standing directly under Tom. She could hear his heavy breathing with clarity. He didn’t respond. She scoffed and walked away from him further into the room. 

By the grace of “intoxication,” Aliena felt like she was finally bold enough. She was going to blame it on the alcohol. If what she was about to do, backfired on her— she’d deny, deny, deny.

Tom watched as Ali walked away from him before facing him. The air about her was different. She didn’t look angry and annoyed anymore; she looked like she was on a mission. It was attractive. Seductive. Arousing.

Aliena’s fingertips trailed up her arm, an eyebrow raised as she said. “You wanna know why I was even talking to Robert, Thomas.” Her fingertips grazed up her left shoulder and across her collarbone. “It’s because I intended on fucking him.” Her voice trailed off at the end.

Tom’s head snapped up and he looked at her straight in the eyes, flabbergasted. He couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. 

‘She—! She was gonna what?’

Aliena giggled, humorlessly, as she took in Tommy’s expression. Her fingertips stopped her dance as she did so. Ali composed herself rather quickly ‘n she continued. “I was going to fuck him...” She shrugged her shoulders and pursed her lips as she said. “To finally get over you.”

Aliena cocked her head to the side and waited for his reaction. Tom shuffled his stance and tucked his hands into his pockets. He could feel his eyes glaze over and lust creep on him as Aliena teasingly had a single fingernail under the strap of her dress.

Aliena looked away before looking back at him. “So, there it is, Tommy. I said it. Now, you have two options. You either walk out that door, or...” Aliena attempted to look sexual as she slipped both of the straps of her dress down her shoulders ‘n let it fall to the ground. 

Tom gulped at the sight of her. Her bare breasts. The sight of her in nothing but her panties.

“You fuck me.” She finished, fixing her posture. 

Truthfully, she was trembling in anxiety. She hoped to God she wasn’t making a fool of herself.

Tom had to internally fight his demons and he needed to do it quickly, out of respect for her. It was a whole lot of, “should he” or “should he not.” But then, Aliena just had to trail her fingertip down her neck again with this far-off gaze and he knew his choice.

Tom rushed toward Aliena and captured her lips, hungrily. Aliena couldn’t help but gasp happily. Her mouth opening wide. Tom didn’t waste the opportunity to shove his tongue inside. He made her walk backward toward the wall. The pace caused Ali to be shoved into the wall. The pain that erupted in her back made her moan into his mouth. 

Tom’s hands trailed up from her waist all the way to her breasts and he squeezed them eagerly. Almost wantonly, Ali gasped with a smile again as she arched her back into Tom’s hands.

This… This is what Tom was talking about. This passion, this feeling of completion! This was it!

Tom parted from her lips which made her pant for air. He pressed kisses on the side of her mouth, her cheek, before peppering her neck with them. Aliena’s fingers found Tommy’s hair and she found herself pressing him closer against her neck. 

‘So, she feels it here...’ He thought.

Tom increased his antics. Nipping, sucking, and kissing her neck all over. While Aliena wasn’t moaning, she was panting ‘n gasping as if she couldn’t breath. Hitching as if she were in pain. 

Tom left her neck and lowered himself down to her breasts. He rolled her left nipple in his mouth while still kneading her right breast. When he decided to tug on her nipple with his teeth, he tugged on her right nipple with his fingers. Aliena gasped and yanked Tom’s hair as she arched her back into him further.

“Tommy...” She rasped. “I—! Please.” 

Mentally, it hurt her to plead like this. It sent her cheeks aflame, and she would’ve hid her face in embarrassment if she wasn’t feeling so much pleasure from running her fingers through his hair.

As Tom moved to her right tit, he shushed her and whispered against her skin. “Patience, love.”

Aliena’s breath hitched once more as Tom nibbled on her nipple, her thighs rubbed together. It did nothing, but allow her to get some pent up energy out of her. 

Tom let go of her right nipple with one last tug before he rose up a little to begin marking up the space above her breasts. Aliena giggled at him.

“So, are you a tits man, then, Tommy?” She asked breathily, a giggle at the end of her sentence.

Tom stopped sucking on a particular spot on her chest as he began to smile. He picked his head up and pecked her lips repeatedly. “Yours. I’ve. Been. Wanting to. Do this. To yours.”

Aliena’s hands had slid down to his face and she stroked his cheek lovingly. She parted from their pecks and whispered. “Who am I to deny you, then?”

Tom stared into her eyes before hooking his hands in the crooks of her knees and carrying her. Ali yelped and wrapped her arms around his neck before going into a giggling fit. Tom walked over to his bed and plopped her down on it. 

Aliena bounced as a result. Tom hurriedly back to yank his clothes off and cursed himself for wearing so many accessories. While Tom was working on taking off his shirt sleeve garters, Ali had scooted herself down the bed and worked on getting his belt off.

The whole situation was laughable, so Tom began to laugh— which made Aliena laugh. Once Tom got the bloody things off, Aliena had already thrown aside his belt and unzipped his pants. Tom bent down and tried to kiss Aliena. 

She realized what he was trying to do ‘n met him halfway by standing on her knees. Grateful that she allowed him to bend less, he continued working on unfastening the buttons on his vest ‘n shirt while slipping off his shoes. He took off his shoes, stepped out of his pants, and kicked them both away while throwing his vest and button up off his shoulders. 

The pair broke their kiss to let Tommy yank off his under shirt. Tom found her lips once more as he slowly climbed on top of her and hovered above her on his bed. After a minute or two more of kissing, he parted and asked against her lips. “Are you sure you want this, Aliena? We can stop right now.”

Ali stared into Tommy’s eyes. His beautiful blue eyes. She nodded her head. “I want you, Tommy. It’s always been you.”

They stared into each other’s eyes a bit longer before Tom’s head ducked down and began trailing deep kisses all the way down to her groin where the hem of her panties lied. He placed kisses along the hem as he hooked his fingers into the side of the band, and slowly slid them down. 

Aliena’s eyes were closed shut and she was fisting the blankets of his bed. She flinched at every kiss he placed closer and closer to her cunt. 

Tom licked a long stripe upward toward Ali’s clit as he slid her panties down her legs entirely. Ali whimpered as her hips bucked. Tom couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped his mouth. Aliena was biting her bottom lip so harshly that she was afraid it would split. 

Tom spread her pussy and started off slow before working his way toward violently flicking her clit with his tongue and sucking on it. Aliena still didn’t allow her moans to escape her, instead, only letting out whimpers, gasps, and pants. 

Aliena’s thighs clamped around Tom’s ears, but that didn’t stop him. Hell, it couldn’t even stop him from hearing her little mewls. 

Ali felt that familiar build up growing in the pit of her stomach, and her hand flew to Tom’s hair. “Tommy, I’m close!” She said. “Stop, please. I don’t wanna... without ya...”

Tom didn’t stop, in fact, he worked her faster. “Go on.” He rasped. “Come.”

Aliena’s hands flew to her face as her face contorted in pure pleasure. Tom didn’t like that. She was blocking the view. Ali threw her head back and finally let out an audible moan. Her hips wildly bucked against Tom’s mouth and chin, and he let her ride out her climax. 

He let go of her with a pop and a hiss. Tom took a deep breath, trying to catch it before sliding a finger along her opening. Aliena’s hands had fallen to the sides of her head. An uncontrollable smile on her face. She outstretched her arms and whispered, lovingly. “Tommy...”

Tom felt his heart swell and without stopping his teasing— he leaned toward her and kissed her as she wanted.

Aliena didn’t mind the taste of herself on his lips, she was used to it. Having been a chronic masturbator. Ali tugged on Tom’s bottom lip and when she finally let go, she coquettishly whispered. “Fuck me, Tommy, please. I’m ready.”

Tom’s eyes looked over her face and he chuckled. He pecked her lips before replying, “No, it’s your first time, Ali. I won’t be rough with you. This time.”

Ali’s mouth stretched upward into a smile and she bit her lip. “Promise?”

As Tom finally slipped a finger inside her— making her gasp, he rubbed his nose against hers, replying, “I promise.”

Tom slowly pumped his finger in and out of Ali, and truthfully, the girl felt nothing. She’s teased her hole with her fingers loads of times. So, it was just a foreign feeling. But for the sake of seemingly “innocent,” she began panting a little.

Tom added a second finger and then a third— and that’s when she felt something. Her pants turned real and she wondered if he had to add the third finger so that she could accommodate to his size. She still hadn’t seen him. 

Meanwhile, Tom was handling his delayed satisfaction just fine. He wasn’t a teenager anymore, so he was lucky enough to just be able to focus on making this the best experience for Aliena as possible. When he felt that her pussy was sucking his fingers in, instead of trying to push them out— he removed them. 

Aliena moaned and looked up at Tom. Tom misinterpreted her gaze as her being scared and was quick to reassure her that everything would be alright. In reality, Aliena was just startled that her pleasure had been taken away from her.

She never thought she’d get off on fingers. She thought it was impossible for her. 

‘You really do need someone else’s fingers.’ She thought.

Tom pulled down his boxers and kicked them away. He was about to gather her wetness when Ali took his hand and pulled it toward her mouth. She gathered the saliva in her mouth and let it fall down onto his hand. His cock throbbed in his hand at the action. 

He couldn’t believe that she’d be this tempting. 

Tom lathered his cock in Ali’s spit and pumped his cock a few times, hissing at the pleasure he gave himself before lining up to Aliena’s entrance. Tommy hovered above her and took his free hand, and interlocked it with hers. 

“You ready?” He asked once more.

Aliena nodded. “Yes, yes, please...”

Tom kissed Ali as he slowly entered her. Ailena moaned from the sensation. Tommy began littering the side of her mouth and cheek with kisses. They both groaned when he was fully sheathed inside her. Her walls fluttered around his cock, squeezing him tightly. 

Made him grunt from the sensation. 

Aliena wasn’t in pain, but it has certainly been awhile since a cock has been inside her. Not to mention, she was still pretty sure this body was a virgin. There was no pain, but there was a lot of pressure. She couldn’t tell if he was big or not.

Aliena just felt very “full” and “satisfied.”

“Move, Tommy.” She rasped.

Tom breathily chuckled. “I can’t. You haven’t gotten used to it, yet.”

Aliena gripped his chin and made him face her. “Tommy, move slowly. I want to feel you.”

How the fuck could he deny that?

Slowly, Tom began moving his hips. He’d pull out just enough so his tip won’t fall out and then slide all the way back in. Ali whimpered at the feeling, but after enough times— she found herself wanted more. So, she vocalized it.

“Faster, Tommy.” 

Tom complied to her wishes and began thrusting faster. He found himself admiring this whole situation. Intoxicated on the feeling he’d been missing from… Yeah.  It was Ali. He’d fallen in love with Ali. 

Tom was taking in every reaction she had. With her legs wrapped around his waist, her breasts bouncing softly with each thrust, and her face contorted in pleasure. She couldn’t hide since their fingers were interlocked. 

Tom’s breath began to waiver as pants and grunts escaped his lips. He picked up the pace to which Ali couldn’t hold back her moans anymore. This only encouraged Tom to go even faster. 

“Fuck, Tommy! Yes!”

Ali was unsure of what she was feeling. She couldn’t tell if she was climbing toward her big O, or if she was getting off on pleasing him. She actually never orgasmed when using her dildo, but this was different. Sex with Tommy was different, of course it was, and that’s what threw her off. 

It wasn’t till Ali began bucking her hips upward did she realize she was really feeling it. Ali admired Tom’s blissed out face. She was doing this to him, and it absolutely gave her an ego boost. 

They were meeting each other’s thrust so roughly that all you could hear was skin slapping against skin along with the sloppy wet sound coming from Aliena’s pussy. It fueled them both with more lust for one another. 

Aliena felt that pit in her stomach again and she cried out as did Tom since her pussy tightened around his cock. He was so close and her tightening didn’t help at all. 

“Tommy, I’m clo—!”

Tom slammed his lips on hers before reaching down with one hand and began rubbing her clit. Aliena’s hips stuttered, her legs trembled, and her grip on Tommy’s hand turned iron. Tom pounded into her cunt, overwhelmed with pleasure. Aliena’s squeal as she came was muffled by Tom’s kiss. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head and her back arched into his chest. 

Tom wasn’t too far behind. He parted from the kiss and looked up at the ceiling as he came. Strained pants escaped him as he rode out their highs. Tom hiked Aliena’s legs up and got incredibly deeper which made Aliena giggle and sigh.  

Ali was surprised at how fucking nice it felt to be came inside of, but she loved every minute of it. Ali was the one to capture Tom’s lips this time and when she parted, she asked.

“You down for a round two?”

Tommy chuckled as he rested his forehead against her own. “Why the fuck not!”

Aliena gasped as he flipped them over with her now on top. Aliena laughed breathily and steadied herself by placing both of her hands on Tom’s chest. Tom was taken back at how sexy she was above him.

TAG LIST: @amirahiddleston @nemesis729​ @salvatoreitmeanssaviour @tlfshelby1 @halepea @lilymurphy03 @marsfireeyes @masumiyetimziyanoldu @i-love-superhero​ @thatweirddaydreamer​ @xxbeckybeexx-blog​ @ilikealotofpeople-younotsomuch​ @well-hydratedpvssy​ @the-jess-life @babaohhhriley @7shadesofharold​ @melissamaine​ @urbankaite2

[elysiashelby]

UPDATE! Chapter 25 & 26

I JUST FINISHED CHAPTER 26!

Now, all I have to do is edit then publish! Thank you guys for being patient with me. They will most likely be out Friday Feb 26.

A little heads up for what's to come.... Smut

AND! Chapter 25 is around more 17k words while 26 is more than 20k...

*Edit - Yeah, they'll be up Saturday and Sunday more likely. Things came up today and I was only able to edit Chapter 25. I still need to convert it to Tumblr, so...

** 2nd Edit - Chapter 25 will be out Feb. 28th, Sunday. Chapter 26 will be out March 1st, Monday.

[elysiashelby]

hey omg I love another world it’s amazing and I’ve cried sm and just wanted to ask is it everyday you upload a chapter? 🤍

Thank you so much for loving the series!! Um, I don't actually update everyday. I try to write up usually 3 chapters and then publish them back to back.

I'm writing Chapter 25 rn and I don't have a clear date of when I'll be ready to post it. But if you want to be added to the tag list or if you want me to message you when I do, I can.

[elysiashelby]

In Another World - T.Shelby Imagine Ch. 24.2

Paring: (Eventual) Thomas Shelby x Aliena Welsh (OC)

Fandom: Peaky Blinders

Word Count: 13,274

WARNINGS: Thomas Shelby’s 3rd POV, Angst, Cursing, Fluff, IF YOU’VE BEEN KEEPING UP WITH THE STORY MOST PREVIOUS TRIGGERING WARNING ARE PRESENT HERE!! (including a self-harm scene & continuous mentions of it), Third Person POV Shift (at the end), Continuous Sexual Intrusive Thoughts (Actual sex doesn’t take place!!)

Summary: Season two is near the end, but before that let’s take a trip down memory lane from a different point of view. Tommy’s point of view.

MASTERLIST  CHAPTER 24  CHAPTER 25

A/N: This chapter and the next will both be in Tommy’s 3rd POV. To be more precise, “This point of view (often called a “close third”) is when an author sticks closely to one character but remains in third person.” Hope this helps.

For these chapters, I’ll try my best to seperate flashbacks and time skips with their appropriate line breaks. As always gold represents a more calm scene while black represents trigger warnings.

THIS IS THE SECOND PART!! THERE IS A POV SHIFT AT THE END!!

The very next day after giving Ali a day off, Polly barged into his office and cried that Ali was missing. That she hadn’t seen her at all the day before and when she went into her room, she wasn’t there. 

Tom didn’t hesitate to call a family meeting. Her whereabouts were discussed, and nobody knew where she was or even saw her the day before. Tom feared for the worst. He feared that Kimber caught wind of his plan, or that Campbell made good on his promise. But, he took a deep breath, calmed down, and ordered his men to sweep the city first. When they came up empty, Tom decided to wait a bit, just to see if she’d come back on her own. 

Polly was more frantic ‘n furious, and demanded for something to happen. However, Tom didn’t comply. On the fourth day of her disappearance, he suddenly had the bright idea that she’d be in London with that girl she talked so much about. So, he contacted his mates in London ‘n asked them to be on the lookout for her. On the 6th day, his contacts found her, and he rang the hotel over ‘n over again. Till, eventually, Ali picked up.

What Tom remembered mainly about that day was being relieved that she was safe away from the chaos back in Small Heath since Campbell had found the guns and was looking to get him and the family. 

When Ali came back, everything went back to as it should’ve been. Everyone was talking to her again, except Ada, of course. But it was a success, nevertheless. For Tommy, it was even more than that. He knew there was a part missing since his sister still wouldn’t “forgive” him, but he had Grace. Grace made a lot of things better. 

The two were in some type of “secret” relationship. But they both knew that everyone knew. Tom liked it ‘cause it meant nobody would try anything with her, but Grace was coy about it. Another odd thing about their relationship is that they never defined it. They never said they were dating, but it was implied. 

His family got the news when he began inviting Grace into the snug. He’s asked her to join loads of times after the proper introduction. The distance between Ali and himself grew. He feared that this situation would be what it would take to finally drive that wedge between them, and it did. It took Tom getting a girlfriend for Aliena to steer clear of ‘em.

She latched onto Polly, instead. Well, “latched onto” is a strong phrase. Tom and Ali still talked— they just didn’t have the same engaging conversations as they used to. They were usually simple and restricted. Tom didn’t particularly like it, but he respected the change. He knew that she had to get over her feelings for him that were definitely still there. Plus, it would be disrespectful to Grace if he led Ali on. You know, allowing the girl to fawn over him would be an insult to Grace.

Speaking of Polly and Aliena becoming a pair again, they didn’t like Grace. That was a fact. They glared at Grace with every secret glance they got. Tom didn’t care. As long as they didn’t voice their opinion, they could glare all they liked. 

Despite all that, Tom couldn’t deny how much easier it was to talk to Aliena. To him, it felt like Grace was still holding something back. He didn’t miss the strange sad looks she’d give him from across the room, or right beside him. It worried him, but he wasn’t going to pry. Tom didn't want to do anything that would upset her and send her packing.

Navigating their relationship was hard enough. Part of him wanted to define it while the other didn't. But it seemed that Grace didn't mind, and that was the only thing. It was tougher dating someone who was out of your social class than Tom thought. Boy was he in for a hell of a surprise!

When December 3rd came, Tom remembered feeling excited like the kind of excitement only a child could experience. This was the day his family went up in the world even more, and he had a fool-proof plan at his disposal. His family would be completely reunited, and he got the girl! He was over the moon! Till he wasn’t. 

And god was it a kick in the balls. 

Someone had leaked his plan. Deep down, Tom knew who it was. He just didn’t want it to be her. Ali’s words had truth in them, he was using her as a scapegoat. 

Tom remembered the look on her face. How betrayed she looked, how exhausted. Tom knew it was his fault. It was his fault she was so exhausted.  By the end of it, he remembered how empty her eyes looked. But all he felt at that time was exactly how she felt. He stormed out of there when he heard her screaming in her room.

When Tom got shot, a lot of things ran through his mind. Grace, his family, Aliena. How he wished he'd die on a better standing with them all. But then, he ended up staying alive and winning… Like he’s always done. When he got dragged off to the Garrison, the adrenaline began wearing off ‘n the pain started kicking in. 

There was always a chance of dying from a gunshot wound, but after getting shot at the amount of times he’s been, you know your odds when it happens. You just do. 

It was really just overconfidence, but what could he say!

So, Tom knew he wasn’t going to die from the bullet wound, but it was going to be a bitch to fish it out. As his comrades held him down as it happened— Tom’s mind drifted off to Ali. Not the lover who had betrayed him, but the girl who comforted him. 

How fucking sick, right?

Tom still had to talk to Grace. He was furious and devastated, but maybe— just maybe he could get the girl. He seriously hoped he would, but then she just had to talk about running off to America. 

His night only got worse when he came back to the pub, and Aliena was there. God, the girl could give such mean stares. Usually they were directed at Grace, but to finally be under it. Made him want to chuckle at the way she sent shivers down his spine. 

Her mean glances made him proud, in a way. Thinking he may have had some influence in it.

Ali looked at him like he was the scum of the Earth. He’d never seen her so intimidating. He couldn’t find a trace of the 16 year old girl who walked into his pub crying. No, she looked like a woman scorned ‘n every man knew not to mess with a woman like that. Even the way she smoked her cigarette, Tom thought she looked like a seductress. 

Then, they took it outside. Tom really grilled into her, and he wasn’t surprised when she returned the energy back. He knew she had some things on her mind as well ‘n now was the time to clear the air.

Tom just never thought he’d take it too far. So far that Aliena absent-mindedly said that she should have gone to a whorehouse. Tom was not only reminded about what Campbell threatened, but for a split second— he found himself imagining how she would be, again. In the arms of another man fucking her as roughly as he did some of his whores. It infuriated him. Then, when she went on her rant about how she was actually terrified of the world and of men— it was like his whole image of her came crashing down. He put her on this pedestal, subconsciously, ‘n now he saw her for who she was. 

You know, sometimes, in other people you only focus on the good. When he thought about Aliena, all that ever popped into mind was her smiles and giggles. But, in reality, there was balance. For every giggle, she would cry herself to sleep. For every smile, she would stare blankly at a wall or at something. In a way, Aliena was like Tom. She kept a lot of her hurt bottled up, but she released it from time to time. Tom’s only ever talked about his demons to her and Grace, so it’s not very often that he releases them at all.

Afterward, after the whole doing in Kimber— Tom had to recover from the gunshot wound. Pol wouldn’t let him throw himself in work. But, since Tom was out of commission that meant she was in charge. Leaving the role of nurse to Ali. It was awkward, to say the least. 

But, that feeling only ever came when they would first catch a glimpse of each other and when they parted. When they were in the moment, it was like the last few months never even occurred. 

But, it wasn’t exactly all sunshine and rainbows either, if that made sense. They could bicker like old mates. Tom was used to winning every argument he's ever had, especially with Aliena. But ever since what happened on December 3rd, she's grown more of a backbone. The pair had true arguments now. 

Tom would just like to say that sometimes he finds her subconscious switch to Spanish and frantic hand clapping, very adorable. She truly has so much anger packed into such a small package. He found that Aliena’s accent switches to an American one when she angrily rants. He's asked her about it; you know, wanting to know why she does it. Aliena replied with, "Spanish sounds weird in a British accent. So, I just switch it."

Anyway, Tom rested for only two weeks before he became too restless and threw himself in work. It was a good distraction. Tom really intended on marrying Grace, you know. He dwelled on what could have been. It made him happy and feel pathetic simultaneously. 

Tom knows he’s not getting younger, and the concept of a union between him and Grace— the possibilities of a happy, domestic life made him gleeful inside. But that plan was shot to shit! Now, he had to roll with the punches for a while before he found his feet, and drew up another one of his plans. Business now, of course. 

Tom wasn’t satisfied with just Birmingham and Kimber’s territories. No, he needed Solomons and Sabini out of the game as well. And if not out of the game, then under him. Tom worked too hard to just settle or give it up. Nobody understood that, well, no one except…

Aliena worried him a little. He saw that Ali was looking a little lost, but he figured she’d pick herself back up as she always did. But then the partying started. The girl was coming home absolutely bladdered, and confused him to no end. Aliena despised it when he and his brothers drank excessively, but there she was— drunk to the point where she was passing out on the sofa. 

She began dressing differently too. The fact and concept that she was now a woman was finally being put on display. Something everyone experiences. Hell, Tom remembered how it was with Ada. How many fights he and his brother started in protecting his little sister. 

But this was Aliena. The family maid. 

‘Maid? When have I ever thrown her position in the family in her face?’ He would catch himself thinking, ‘When she was out partying, was she making out with random men? Would she eventually meet a fella, fall in love, ‘n have his babies? A rich man?’

That was becoming more of her reality, and Tom couldn’t fully comprehend it. So, he backed off as much as he could. Aliena hadn’t moved on from him, and this new partying lifestyle of hers could finally be that choice that does it. But he also couldn’t help getting her to bed and whatnot when she came home bladdered.

Unfortunately, Tom wasn’t afraid as much to see how “his plan” was working. To be honest, it was at the bottom of his list. He was still dealing with the whole Grace situation and the new incoming business. It felt good to be as busy as he was. 

Tom didn’t get the Aliena update on his own. Arthur was the one with the observation. Aliena began distancing herself from the family, and it was like every other night she was going out. 

Tom didn’t see a reason in getting mad, she was a diligent worker who lost a lot of things to do since Esme married John. It made the job easier for her to get over with during the day. 

By Arthur’s suggestion, Tom kept an eye on the girl ‘n sure enough— you could catch her when she was about to leave, but hardly when she was in the house. The distance— nobody was liking it.

With her 18th birthday coming up, Tom thought it would be a perfect opportunity to get her back into the family. So, he suggested a gathering at the Garrison. She accepted it, which was good. Only the day of, he caught her being weird. Her eyes were closed and her fists were clenched tight. 

He asked her about it, but she seemed her normal chipper self, so he left it alone. When Aliena walked into the snug, Tommy remembered thinking one thing only— beautiful. She looked absolutely beautiful. 

However, the main thing he remembered about that night was how she was happy for a short time. ‘Cause she was, he could hear her shouting outside of the snug with her mates. And then, there was a commotion instead. 

Lovelock, who was outside already, beckoned him to come out of the snug ‘n take a look. Tom came out just in time to see Ali grab hold of the girl in front of head bud her. The most frightening part about the whole situation was that she took a chair, and started beating the girl senseless. Ali couldn’t even hear him as he tried to stop her till the very end. 

Tom couldn’t even believe what he saw. His little Ali beat a girl almost to the point of unconsciousness, she broke her nose, and something else. Probably the girl’s arm. His sweet cheerful Ali. 

He’s not going to lie, the thought crossed his mind. ‘Did I have something to do with this? Did the family influence her?’

When she walked off, Tom ‘n the family had to decide how they were going to deal with her. Some voted to get to the bottom of it (Polly), while others said to go easy on her (Arthur, John, and Finn).

From Ali’s explanation, Tom decided she had a good excuse, even though he knew there was something more. They all did, that’s why it pissed Polly off so much. He tried getting her to open up to ‘em the next morning, but she didn’t let him in. Slightly annoyed by this fact, he decided to just walk it off.

Tom was torn between two sides of himself. One side of him wanted to talk to the girl and just found out what’s wrong. While the other side thought it was best to leave her alone. That she was growing and if that meant putting some distance between her and the family, then fine. It wasn’t as if she was going to stay with them forever!

Tom gave Aliena some space. Figured she’d probably need it. But of course the world just had to spite him! Aliena walked in on Tom as he was fucking Lizzie.

It was embarrassing— humiliating, to say the least. 

Aliena immediately began apologizing before darting right back out the door. Next time they saw each other it was goddamn awful. They couldn’t look each other in the eye, and before Tom could say anything Aliena was as good as gone. 

Eventually, they could look each other in the eye and have a conversation, but it wasn’t the same. It was saddening, of course, but Tom rationalized the distance yet again. It was for the fucking better! 

All things considered, though, Aliena handled it much more maturely than Tom thought she was going to handle it. He didn’t know what to expect really, but half of him thought she would be a real brat about it. Pouting and sulking ‘n whatnot. But, it didn’t look to phase her at all. She just couldn’t meet his eyes, of course, but neither could he. 

Around this time, he wasn’t home all that much, but that didn’t mean he didn’t notice that the atmosphere at the house never got any better. Aliena wasn’t going out as much and she wasn’t coming home drunk, but that didn’t close the distance between her and the family as he thought it would have. 

Then, there was the fucking day. The day she came in wearing a purple outfit. When she walked into his office, Tom found himself calling her cute in his head again. It sent him for a loop, and he forgot to let go of her hand.

Tom cursed himself once she walked out the door. ‘Cute. Okay, you thought she was cute, but in a friendly way or in the other way? …  Fucking bastard.’ Tom made the conscious decision that he called her cute in a friendly way, and nothing more. 

Tom stuffed that comment to the back of his mind, and didn’t intend on touching it anytime soon. He had too much work to do, and other demons in his head that he had to deal with first. Especially one named Grace.

A couple of days later, Tom went over to the house and crashed on the couch. He should have known not to have thought he would actually get some rest. Fucking dumbarse.

Tom had just gotten home. It was around the afternoon, he thought. Tom walked further into the room, and looked around. Arthur was sitting in a chair, his elbows resting on his knees. John was pacing around near him, and Polly was sitting in the other chair crying. Finn was crouched over her lap, his head on her lap.

“What? What’s happened?” He asked.

They didn’t answer him. Didn’t even look at him.

“Oi!” Tom shouted. “What’s happened? Is it Ada?” Tom dived to his knees in front of Polly, but it was like she was a doll. She was looking right through him. Finn. Finn wasn’t even looking at his brother. He hid his face away in their Aunt’s lap. 

Confused, he rose back to his knees and looked around the room one more time. John stopped and looked down the hall that led to the restroom. Tom walked toward his brother and put a hand on his shoulder. 

As if in a trance, John slowly turned and looked at Tom. He said nothing. 

“John, what’s happened?”

Again, his questions fell on deaf ears. John walked away from Tom’s touch and began pacing again. Tom scoffed under his breath while shaking his head. He turned around and looked around the room for what was wrong. 

Then, it hit him. Someone was missing. 

Tom rubbed his forehead before making his way down the hallway that led to the loo. He cleared his throat and asked while knocking. “Ali? Ali, are you in there?” 

No response.

Tom’s eyebrows furrowed and he jiggled the doorknob. It was locked from the inside. He knocked again. “Ali? Ali, I know you’re in there. You’ve got the door locked. Come on out. I-I just want to talk. Why is everyone acting strange? I—! Aliena?”

No response.

Tom huffed and knocked again. “Ali, can you please answer me?” 

No response.

Tom took a deep breath before roughly scratching the back of his head. He backed up from the door, and just looked at it. “Aliena, could you please—! Just...” Tom tsked and dropped to his knees. There was about a good inch of space between the threshold and the actual door, so he was able to see a good deal into the loo. And that’s what he saw.

Aliena was lying on the floor with her back to him. Her back was curved as if she were curled up on the floor. Tom felt his heart drop and he scrambled to get back to his feet.

With his palm, he pounded on the door. “Aliena! Aliena, open the door!” 

Tom kept pounding on the door and yelling out her name, yelling at her— begging her to open the fucking door! But, she never responded. 

“Aliena, for fuck’s sake, open the fucking door.” Tom fell to his knees and tried talking to her between the gap. “Aliena, love. Love, I need you to open the door. Can you do that?”

She wasn’t moving. She wasn’t even stirring. 

Tom cursed under his breath and got to his feet. He began pacing back and forth while rubbing the sides of his head. Begging himself to think. 

Then, he finally did. Tom stood in front of the door, backed up a bit, raised his foot and then drove into the doorknob. First time he got the door to crack, second time the door broke open. 

Tom pushed open the door, his eyes on Aliena the whole time. The door wedges itself between her bent legs, and that’s when Tom noticed the red puddles. 

Tom felt a breath escape him and his eyes fluttered close. But, nothing. Nothing could erase the image of what he just saw. 

Ali’s arms curled up beside her as she’d always done when she slept, but this time was different. This time they had deep slits. This time her lips were discoloured as was her face. 

Tom fell to his knees. Hesitantly, he brought her close to him. Tom stroked her cheeks softly, a tear belonging to him fell on her cheek. 

He croaked. “What’ve you done? ALIENA, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!”

After that it was white noise…

Tom shot up, gasping. His eyes darted around the room before he swung his legs onto the ground, and rested his elbows on his knees. The palms of his hands were digging into his eyes, his inhaled still sounding pained. When Tom managed to calm himself down, he ran a hand over his face and placed his hands on his knees, instead. 

While leaning toward the right, Tom’s gaze naturally drifted upward and he finally noticed that his gun was gone. He got up and checked the coat rack only to find that his holster ‘n coat was gone too. 

Tom’s heart dropped to his stomach, and he didn’t hesitate to run to his room first then to Ali’s. She wasn’t there, and he just connected the dots. In a rash decision, Tom found his second gun, just in case he was wrong. Just in case, there was a situation he didn’t know about, and he could pull the trigger on a third party rather than assume the worst about Ali. He ran through the streets of Small Heath looking for her while wild scenarios ran through his head.

‘Maybe she needed to gun because she’s being harassed, and she went to kill the guy. Maybe her mate Cassie got into some trouble again, and Aliena needed a gun just in case She didn’t take my gun to shoot herself, she didn’t!’

Tom didn’t stop searching for her around town till dawn. He hoped for once in all that he’s known her, he’ll be right about her coming home just this once. 

And he was.

When Tom saw her standing there, red in the face ‘and panting— flashes of his nightmare scared him even more. Aliena was there, standing with some red in her face. Her chest rising and falling rapidly, no blood dripping from her wrists.

Tpm couldn’t help but squeeze her against him to make sure she was real. But, unfortunately, he had his answer. Aliena tried killing herself.  

Her excuse... It was—! There was something more, and they both knew it. But that didn’t matter, the fact she was there did. She didn’t go through with it ‘n that’s all that mattered to him. 

When she told him what was troubling her, he promised her anything. Anything to make sure she’d be happy again and quickly. 

She fell asleep while he was talking to her and that's what he wanted. He knew she’d fall asleep like that since he’s lulled her to sleep with his voice many times before. But he couldn’t take his eyes off her, he knew she was in a fragile state. So, he lied to his family and said that she was sick, ‘n that he was going to take care of her. 

Pol was suspicious, of course, she was. But she couldn’t interfere much since Tom had holed up him and Ali in his room. 

Tom couldn’t deny that his favorite sound that day was her breathing. After that day, he made sure she was never alone. Couldn’t trust her, and didn’t know what else to do. She almost killed herself. He wasn’t going to tell anyone, and he couldn’t ask around for help or guidance because then people would call her crazy, mad— he couldn’t have that. So, he was just going to babysit her as long as he could, and the minute Polly said something about it— she’d basically be released back into the wild. 

Tom didn’t sleep in the same bed or room with her, but he made her follow him around. Or made sure she was going to one of her mate’s flats, or was definitely staying in bed the entire day. Tom didn’t do a whole lot like keep her away from rope, knives, or guns— he trusted that she wouldn’t do that again. But, he also couldn’t just leave her on her own.

A memory that Tom likes to look back on that makes him smile from time to time took place in his old office at the shop. 

It was probably around the morning, and he was working while Aliena was doing some work of his for him. Reading through some documents and writing down a summary of what the client wanted. Added some things up, or worked on filling out his upcoming schedules. 

He picked his head up from time to time just to see how she was doing, and so far so good. Some time passed before Aliena began blowing raspberries and singing under her breath. It was just a matter of time for her. 

She was still working, so he still had sometime before she got up ‘n started bugging him. Aliena couldn’t really sit still for long when she had some free will in it. Tell her to sit down, she will, but let her have the choice— won’t last for long. Ask Polly.

Tom glanced up just in time to catch her gaze, and he watched as a toothful smile spread across her face as she leaned forward. Her arms crossed as she rested them on his desk.

She said. “Hi.”

Nonchalantly, Tom replied as he dropped his head back to his work. “Hi.”

“Hi.”

“Hi.”

“Hi.”

Tom sighed and looked up at Ali. “Hi.” He replied with a stern tone.

He didn’t know if she willfully ignored it, or she was just looking to get on his nerves because she said. “Hi.”

“Hello, Ali.”

“Hi.”

“Aliena, this—! You’re annoying me.”

Ali bursted into a fit of giggles as she said. “Yeah, that’s like the whole point.” 

It wasn’t his most mature moment, but Tom shot to his feet and ran around his desk. Aliena was still giggling as she rose to her own feet, and tried getting away from him. 

She couldn’t.

Eventually, the reins did come off and he let her heal on her own. Better for him, in a way, he hadn’t had sex in about two weeks. It took like a month or two before Tom noticed a genuine smile on her face. Aliena was hanging around the family more and cracking jokes. Meant that she was doing better, mentally. 

Ada called Aliena to babysit while she and Freddie went on a date. Only she was actually very worried about leaving her alone with the baby, and was expressing those worries to Aunt Polly. Tom volunteered himself to go help out. Don’t know, he just wanted to see her. 

When Tom saw Ali walk in with Karl on her hip, it made him laugh. The babe was almost the size of her whole torso. Then, he got to thinking about how’d she look like with her own babe in her arms ‘n the man who helped her make it. The man wasn’t him in his imagination ‘n it sent a pang in his heart. Didn’t like... Didn’t like that at all. Another existential crisis that was sent to the back of the line.

When Tom asked her to join him on his day off, she was just the obvious choice. Tom always had a nice time talkin’ to Ali, so why wouldn’t he want to bring her along? She always knew how to make him smile ‘n  who doesn’t like surrounding themselves with someone like that. 

Plus, Aliena was growing to be such a beautiful woman, he’d known that she’d serve as a distraction wonderfully. Considering he was taking the fucking day off to do business. 

The day eventually came and when Aliena walked out of the house, Tommy was at a loss for words. 

‘Was this how she dressed up when she went out?’ He thought. 

Even when she climbed in the car, he still couldn’t process that this was little Ali looking all grown up. Tom knew this wasn’t the first time he’s had a thought like this ‘n he found himself feeling more and more guilty. But, he decided to shake it off for the time being.

When they were out ‘n about, Tom caught Ali eyeing this pair of red heels. He thought nothing of it, at first. Then he caught himself thinking that if he didn’t get them for her, then she wouldn’t be happy. That if he got them for her, then she’d give him that smile he liked seeing so much. 

Tom rationalized his decision by saying in his head that if she were with her mates— her rich mates, they might have gotten them for her without a second thought. So, he got her the red heels. And more.

At the dinner, he knew he angered her, but seeing her get over it without any coaxing from him— made him marvel at the woman. Tom caught himself thinking that if he was still with Grace ‘n he did this— she would’ve blown up at him. 

It seemed that the meal calmed her down even more, but when Mr. Taylor spoke to her. Tom figured she was getting nervous, probably even remembering Chadwick. So, he grabbed her hand. Fortunately, the business dinner went off without a hitch. Subconsciously, Tom wondered if Ali had anything to do with that. 

When they were walking in the park, Tom found himself feeling at ease. You know, he felt nostalgic. An emotion he hadn’t experienced in a long time. With the wind blowing and children's laughter as they ran past. It reminded him of a time before the war. 

Deep down, Tom knew it was Aliena making him feel this way, and he was growing increasingly more aware that he was going to have to face his feelings sooner rather than later. Truthfully, he was growing tired of having this feeling. Tom couldn’t help but think that his feelings were wrong. 

But, he managed to come to peace with the fact that the lass who walked into the Garrison was gone, and Ali was a grown woman. He couldn’t treat or think of her as a “child” anymore. It wouldn’t have been fair to her, or him— in a way. 

As the wind blew through her hair ‘n she turn ‘round to smile at him— all he could think was, ‘Fuck…’

When the wind was beautifully blowing through her hair on the drive home, Tommy had even more of an internal meltdown. This was the day, he finally thought of Aliena as a woman, and he was hating himself for it like no other time before. When she skipped along out of the car, he left her with a small comment ‘n saw the blush on her cheeks. As he drove away, he slammed on the wheel and hissed. “Fucking idiot!” 

Yeah, he didn’t dwell on it. Tom was Tom ‘n he threw himself into drinks and work. Even fucked a couple of prostitutes. 

A few days after that “date,” Aliena changed a lot. She was more confident ‘n stopped hindering herself. She would always hesitate about certain things, but now she was taking them on without hesitance. She stopped speaking in dialect ‘n began speaking in vernacular— out of nowhere. While it did send Tommy through a loop, he just chopped it up to her maturing.

God, then the day came. A day he never thought would come. Aliena asked for certain afternoons and days off because she wanted to try dating. The girl wanted special treatment ‘n Tom wasn’t having it. He denied the notion right away. What she wanted, wasn’t how a job worked. Especially, just so she could try and fucking find a boyfriend. 

No. No way.

But, of-fucking-course nothing goes his way. Polly practically bullied him into saying yes. She had good points. Good points that only a man without a fucking conscious would rebuke. So, begrudgingly, Tom approved Aliena’s special time off. Just so she can have her dates, get a boyfriend, fall in love, get married, get knocked up, and be happy. 

Needless to say, Tom was jealous. He had no reason to be jealous, but he was. It was idiotic and pathetic, but it was what he felt. He couldn't just deny his feelings. Multiple whiskies and the face of the woman who was serving him on particular night changing into Ali’s brought all suppressed feelings to the surface. 

The feelings were mutual. 

However, as he’d decided long ago before he even considered her in that way— Tom never planned or ever was planning to pursue something more with Ali. Like Grace, they both deserved a man who was better than him. Someone richer, kinder, gentler, and someone who wouldn’t put their lives at risk just by being associated with him. 

Didn’t mean it didn’t hurt like a bitch. Tom was consciously throwing away a shot at happiness, and it killed him inside. Not only because of that fact, but ‘cause Aliena wasn’t going anywhere. 

She would still be right next door. Looking at him with that wanting gaze for—! Well till she finally finds a man who she loves. A man that wasn’t him. Ali hasn’t expressed fucking off to anywhere else, so Tom would be stuck in England with her. Basically, Grace is in New York— there is no chance to pass her by on the street and reopen old wounds. Aliena, on the other hand, will probably pass him on the street every-bloody-fucking-Sunday! 

Tom did what any other man would do. He moved out and drowned himself in earthly pleasures more freely. 

By God, did Aliena move quick! Surprisingly, it was like she had a new boyfriend each week. It was obvious she was just trying to move on, and somehow— it made Tom feel better. A boyfriend not sticking around for very much long meant that she still had feelings for him. However, that kind of thinking made him happy only for so long. 

Tom had just gotten home. He walked in and saw Ali sleeping on his couch. He leaned against the threshold, and stared at her— admiring her beauty. He reminisced how it felt to lie beside her, and have her hair suffocate him. 

The memory made him chuckle under his breath.

How her fingertips felt as she outlined his features lovingly whenever she thought he was in a deep sleep. Then, he wondered why she was sleeping on his couch.

‘Was it because she’d been kept up all night? Another failed relationship?’ 

In his anger, he woke her up. Tom provoked her, but Ali only half-heartedly got mad at him. Always quick to giggle and compensate for his anger. 

“You know what, you’ve been cross abar me goin’ on dates from the beginning! Why? You and the rest of the family were beggin’ me to find a fella ‘n now— what? You’ve had a change of heart. Do you not like the idea of losing me, Tommy? Is that it? Afraid I’m going to be whisked away by some fella? Or! Do you want me to be more independent? Thinkin’ more modernly, lately, or what?”

No, he didn’t. He didn’t like the idea of losing her, but he had no right to keep her. She’d get out of here. Get out of the lifestyle that his family associated her with ‘n join her rich mates in their ignorant parties. That’s what had to happen.

Aliena took a deep breath before saying, “Well, fine, Tom. You win. I’ll lay off the scene for a while.” 

Tom took a swig of his whiskey before he said. “Polly rang and said that you didn’t have to worry about making dinner. Said that you looked pale when you came back from your break this evening, and that she had a suspicion you would doze off at one of our flats.” 

Ali chuckled as she drummed her fingers on the table. “Am I that predictable?”

He knew that she still fancied him, but it couldn’t happen. It couldn’t, so he tried pushing it.

Tom looked Aliena in the eyes and said. “Yes, you are.” 

Aliena sat up straight. Her smile falling from her face. 

They didn’t dare speak; the tension in the room was thick. 

Ali cleared her throat and rose to her feet. “Well, I better be heading back. Good night, Tommy.” She turned around and began making her way out the door.

He got what he wanted. She was leaving, so why did he jump up? 

 “Wait!” His chair scraped along the tile loudly. His head was hanging while he was holding himself up by his arms. Tom looked up at Aliena and tsked. “Stay. … For a little while more.”  Why did he plead for her to stay? 

‘You’re weak, Tom.’ He thought.

Ali scrunched her eyebrows. “Did you need something, Tommy?”

He breathily replied. “No. Just. Want you to stay a little while more.” He hung his head again by the end of his words. ‘So fucking weak.’

They both sat back down, and Aliena talked about her romances as he ate. To kind of fill the air. But, all it did was make Tom sick. He knew she was talking. He saw the smile on her face, but he couldn’t be happy for her. 

He couldn’t, even when he desperately wanted to be. Luckily, he didn’t have to fake a smile. Tom just had to look her in the eyes now and again ‘n nod his head.

When he was done with his meal, Ali was quick to make work of it. Tom stood beside her ‘n admired her figure, again. He racked his brain to ask her something ‘n settled on Freddie. He put it off for the longest, but he knew that she knew what Freddie was suffering from now. 

Ali told him that his best mate since childhood was dying of the same disease that took someone else that he loved, and he just needed her. Her scent, the sound of her breathing. Her fingers combing through his hair. 

When she began calling out his name—  it was so wrong, but his mind drifted to that place. He eased his grip on her, and hoped she’d let him hold her a little longer. Tom felt safe enough to rant to her as they used to do. Ali tried comforting him ‘n he let her. He laughed at the comfort she brought. Eventually, he took a really good look at her face. 

How defined her features had gotten. How kissable her lips were. And he knew she wouldn’t deny him. She wouldn’t protest him taking her on that table right at that second. But then, reality hit ‘n he knew he had to be away from her if he wanted to keep true to himself ‘n his promise.

So, Tom didn’t necessarily avoid Aliena, but he didn’t go out of his way to meet up with her either. He’d rather just let himself be consumed by work. Thomas Shelby was also a man who had to get laid about once a week, so… He started seeing Lizzie again, and he hated to admit it but he felt some guilt. Some shame, as well, but what the ‘ell, right?

Tom’s and Aliena’s relationship was steady and normal. There weren't any big mishaps. Some minor bumps in the road about his drinking, which he criticized her own. The point was—! Both of them were well versed and had some lengthy debates, but they always “made up.”

They never fought in the first place; more like debated. 

You know, Christmas and New Year’s passed ‘n things were good. The family could finally go all out. Of course, their smiles were strained as Freddie looked more and more sickly at each event. 

There was nothing they could do except wait till he… he just passed. And in January, Freddie Thorne died. Needless to say, the news devastated the whole family. Tom and Ada were the most affected. How could they not be? Ada lost her love, her husband ‘n Tom lost his best friend. 

Tom was almost beginning to think he was cursed, ya know? It seemed like everyone he cared for had to leave him in some way, whether it be death or something else. 

So when Ali tried to comfort him the day of Freddie’s death while he had already chosen to drink his sorrows away, Tom figured he’d speed up the process is all. 

Tom was stumbling around on the pavement toward his door. He’d drank too much, for sure.

“Tommy!” 

He picked up his head and watched as Aliena hurried toward him. She snatched the keys from his hands and went to open the door.

“Why are you, ‘ere?” He asked, his words slurred. He really didn’t want her there. Didn’t want her adding on.

Aliena looked back at him, just in time to see as  he took a few stumbling steps back. Ali groaned as she struggled with the door a bit more before she finally flung open the door. Ali ran over to Tom, and wrapped his arm around her shoulders to guide him through the door.

‘How humiliating!’ He thought.

Tom began protesting, but they fell on deaf ears. Once they had gotten through the door, Ali let his arm drop. He didn’t waste any time walking over to his bar cart for another drink.

She sighed loudly as she ran a hand through her hair, pushing her hair away from her face. Ali yanked her soaked coat off and threw it on the sofa. “Tommy, c’mon.” She began. “Give it here, and let’s get you to bed.”

His expression didn’t change as he stared at Aliena. ‘How annoying...’ He thought as he tossed back his drink. 

Ali huffed and started to walk closer to him. Tom started backing away from her..

“Go away.” He muttered.

“Stop it, Tom.” She closed the distance between them as she pulled on the lapels of his jacket. Like a child, or just a very drunk individual, he raised his glass in the air. “Tommy, please! Let’s just go to bed.” 

“Why are you, ‘ere?” He shouted.

“Tom! Give me the glass.” Ali’s nose was quickly turning red.

“Answer me, Ali!”

“Please!” Her voice cracked and she gasped for air.

Tom dropped his arm and she gunned for it, but instead he spun her around. Aliena huffed angrily from being played. He just had this shit-eating grin on his face. 

‘Maybe this’ll get you to leave.’

But instead, she foolishly stayed and pleaded. “Tommy, please, you’ve had enough.”

Tom stumbled back to his bar cart.  “You still ‘aven’t answered me question.” He said into the glass as he tossed another one back. 

Ali scoffed as her right hand rubbed her forehead while the other one was resting on her hip. She let both arms drop as she replied. “Polly sent me.”  

Tommy tsked before saying, “Bullshit.”

“Bullshit?”

“Bullshit!” 

They stood there staring at each other while breathing heavily. Aliena’s eyes fell from his face and down toward his torso. A droplet fell from the tip of his nose. 

 As Ali shakily raised a finger, she said, softly. “You-You’re still wearing…” She reached up and took off his cap. Ali threw it on the nearest chair. 

He was still looking down at her while breathing heavily. Tom wanted her to leave so fucking badly.

Aliena gulped as she tried to take his coat off of him. Her face scrunched up, and God, why did he have to find that cute…

“Help me. Please. You’ll get sick.”

Tom scoffed and tipped his head back. “Just piss off, will ya.” His voice trailed off at the end.

Aliena’s eyelashes just kept fluttering. Her eyes welled with tears and she kept meshing her lips together. She couldn’t meet his eyes.

‘No, no please don’t cry. Please don’t cry. No, wait! This is for the best. It’s for the best! I have to do this!’

But, then Ali rested her head on his chest, and slowly slid her hands up from his chest to his face. Ali stroked his cheeks with her thumbs. He tsked and stubbornly kept his head tipped back. 

After a while, she dropped her hands from his face, and slowly helped him remove his drenched coat. She folded it around her arm, walked over to the fireplace, and placed it on a hook. Ali bent down as she hastily set and lit the fireplace. Tom stared as she rubbed her arms and rose to her feet. 

She walked back to Tom, their eyes locking. She averted them rather quickly, and focused on getting his suit jacket off instead. 

‘Annoying. Annoying. Annoying.’

As she was about to set his suit jacket on her arm, Tom grabbed her free hand. His grip was deathly tight. 

She cried out in pain. “Tommy-!”

“Why are you, ‘ere, Ali?” He repeated.

Aliena scoffed. “I told you! Polly sent me.” She tried tugging her hand away from his grip. 

“And I said thatwas bullshit. Tell me why you’re really ‘ere!” Tom’s other hand quickly got a grip on her other, letting his jacket fall to the floor. He rushed them backward.

‘Hate me. For fuck’s sake, just hate me already! Leave me. Leave me alone!’

“Tom-Tommy, what are you doing?”

They were getting closer and closer to the wall, and Ali looked like she knew that as she got increasingly more afraid. Just as he was about to pin her against the wall, she whimpered loudly, squeezed her eyes shut, and tried protecting the back of her head.

‘She actually thought I was going to hurt her.’

In his shame, Tom rushed them against the wall. Making sure her body gently made contact with it while he hit his head.

They both began panting. Aliena wouldn’t even look at him. And that hurt, but—! The way she actually thought he had it in him to hurt her, that’s what got him. A whined escaped Tom’s mouth, and he buried his head into her neck.

 His hands wrapped around her waist ‘n he tugged her closer to his chest. He took a few stumbling steps forward, his thigh went in between her legs, ‘n he heard her breath hitch. 

“What doya want from me?” He repeated.

“Nothing.” She rasped while clawing at his back.

“Yes, you do. You want something from me.”

“Nothing, Tommy. I want nothing.” She whispered. Sounding so pained.

Laggardly, Tom raised his head from her neck. Aliena craned her neck as she looked up at him. His head was resting against the wall now, and he was maintaining eye contact from his peripherals. 

‘Why? Why do you fancy me? Why do you love me when all I ever do is make you cry? Hate me. For fuck’s sake, HATE ME!’

 Ali’s eyes fluttered closed and she swallowed harshly. 

‘Think, Tom. Think of something that will be the last straw.’

So, Tom remembered a suspicion he had long ago when Aliena was first starting out with the family. It was such a small hunch, but he thought it was enough to exploit it ‘n make her run away.

“Charlie.” He called out. “Charlie. Charlie!”

Aliena’s head shot up as she hummed. Surprised, his eyebrow lifted. He removed his hold from her waist, and trapped her against the wall. 

Tom scoffed. “You know, I noticed something a long time ago.”

“What?” She asked, defensively.

“Ever since I’ve knownya, you flinch at certain names. And sometimes ya don’t even notice when I’m callin’ forya. I have to shout for ya over and over and over again. But you want to know what name you flinch at the most…?”

Aliena’s chest was rapidly heaving up and down.

Tom leaned down to her ear and whispered. “You flinch at the name Charlie.” 

Aliena didn’t miss a beat. “When you call out for Charlie, I get it confused for Ali sometimes, Tommy.” She reached up and cradled his face. “That’s all.” Ali’s smile was small, and another tear slipped from her eye. 

He—! He wasn’t expecting that. That wasn’t his Ali. Why—? Why did she respond like that?

Tom flinched and pushed himself away from Ali. But, she grabbed onto his lapels and pulled him back. Tom caught himself, slamming his hands on the wall. 

After some silent heavy breathing from the both of them, Ali whispered. “You’re with me now, Tommy. You can let it out.” 

“I don’t know what you’re-”

“Yes, you do! You just lost your best friend.”

He cleared his throat before closing eyes and cocking his head to the side. 

“Tommy…”

“What!” He shouted in her face. “What! What do you want me to say, huh? You want me to cry to ya. You’d love that wouldn’t you!”

She said nothing. Ali tried cradling his face, but he caught her wrists and began to fight for control. She gasped as Tom roughly pinned her wrists to the wall. Another pained whine escaped him. 

His head fell onto her breasts. Her chest rising and falling rapidly again. Tom fell to the floor, his knees buckling. He let go of her wrists and hugged her stomach, where he buried his head as well. Tom’s shoulders wracked with sobs.

“Tommy…” Ali whispered as she ran her hands through his hair, and stroked the back of his neck. Above him, Ali let out little gasps as she cried with him.

Eventually, Tom was so disgusted by himself that he found the strength to rise to his feet ‘n run out of his own flat. He ended up finding refuge at his office, where he destroyed it. 

Things were a bit awkward afterward, he couldn’t lie but there were more pressing matters at hand. Like the funeral and then the pub’s bombing. 

When Tom barged into Ali’s room ‘n sees her in her undergarments, he freaked out. Tom had never seen her like that before. You’d think he’d accidentally catch a glimpse or two when they had their little arrangement goin on, but he didn’t. He never saw anything like that. Maybe a glimpse of her bra or underwear individually, but not with her half-naked!

He cursed himself endlessly for acting like a fucking schoolboy, but calmed down, nevertheless. His train of thought was completely destroyed since the only thing on his mind was what was under her nightie. He was ashamed to admit that he paid a visit to Lizzie that night.

The night that Sabini came ‘n banged him up pretty badly, Tom managed to still hear her voice through the ringing in his head. Tom desperately wanted to reach out to hear, tell her that he’d be all right, but his hand wouldn’t listen to him. She looked so beautiful. 

Tom couldn’t help but think, ‘She must have come from a party with her mates. She looked so elegant and posh. But where did she get the suit jacket from?’ 

Ali dove down to her knees. Her jaw was slacked ‘n she looked terrified. He hated the look on her face. That wasn’t his Ali. Then, his vision began to get blurry. Everything slowed down. The last thing he could remember was Ali craning his neck up.

When Tom finally came to, he wasn’t surprised to hear Ali’s singing. He knew she’d stay by his side. He just knew. Tom noticed how her eyes couldn’t meet his face. She made this painful wince on her face, and tears welled up in her eyes. He felt like shit. He tried making her smile or laugh, but instead she cried harder. He seriously wondered if she was gonna run out of there, but she didn’t. Ali nursed him to health, for the most part, and he was thankful for it. 

Aliena was there when he woke up and when he fell asleep. But then, he paranoia began creeping up on him. If Sabani came knocking wanting to finish the job— Ali would be killed right alongside him. So, he ordered her to keep away from him, but the stubborn girl kept coming. Since he couldn’t force her not to, he just let her.

Campbell decided to show his ugly mug again, and Tom remembered the fear that was stricken in him. He didn’t want Ali near the vile man. He ordered Ali to step out of the room for her own safety ‘n to spare her ears of the insults Campbell would no doubt spew.

The rage he felt as Campbell gripped Ali’s arm roughly was something he’d never be able to forget. Tom so desperately wanted to come between them, to protect Aliena, but he couldn’t. 

God! And spew them he did. Campbell insulted Aliena for coming to Tommy’s aid. 

“Light of the Shelby family, they call her. Even though she openly flaunts herself to you. More like the whore of the Shelby family. And you’ve tasted her haven’t you. A bastard like you probably couldn’t help yourself. Can’t blame you, the resemblance to Grace is striking.” 

Tom bared his teeth and Campbell choked him, in response. It was humiliating and infuriating.  Once Campbell left and Ali came back in, he knew what he had to do. He had to set things in motion if he wanted to ensure his family & his safety. 

If only he hadn’t pathetically fallen back asleep while waiting for Aliena to come back.

When his eyes opened again, Ali wasn’t there. He was going to try and get dressed and get out of there before she came back, but he was too slow. 

Aliena insisted she was coming too; Tom wanted to blow up on her. But he didn’t ‘cause he didn’t want to see her cry. 

So, he threatened her with termination if she didn’t listen to every word he said, ‘n she accepted it. Truth was, Tom wouldn’t be able to forgive himself if something happened to her ‘n it was his fault. Again.

Tom had to admit that having a girl younger than him to take care of him in such a state hurt his pride. But, he swallowed it since this wasn’t the first time she’s seen him in such a compromising position. He held it on par with his nightmares. 

During the trip, he had woken up as Ali was changing. Ali was about to put her hair up and he told her not to, then his eyes couldn’t stay open any longer. Tom felt like he could finally function on the third day. He got himself comfortable ‘n tried reading a book, but his gaze kept falling back on Ali, who was sleeping on the floor. The way her hair framed her face in all its lovely waves. 

Made him reminiscence on old times.

Then, right when she woke up, she had to suggest the most craziest idea. Aliena wanted to bathe him. Tom tried rejecting the idea, but the look on her face said that she meant business. Tom ended up in that chair, letting her bathe him. 

He just couldn’t help but imagine this— always. Him and Aliena together, being domestic. Aliena sang the same song that they’d danced to at the bonfire, and it made his imagination stronger. 

He was so glad that he finally made her laugh, even if it was at her expense— he still did it. After the deal with Alfie, of course, he’d want to celebrate it with Ali! 

Who else did he have? Who else would understand him like her?

As he was recovering, Tom understood that he was getting used to seeing Ali’s face all the time again. And he knew that he needed to create some distance for themselves ‘n luckily, work did it for them. No bad blood, just all smiles.

 Then, Arthur had to go ‘n kill a boy. And Ali insisted on coddling him. She was freaked out when Tom and Arthur were fighting. It startled him a little since he’d never seen her like that before. Granted, she hasn’t seen a family fight like this before either. 

He was concerned for her after the fact, but when he was in the moment— he saw it as her picking a side. It was insane to Tom, but he didn’t want their good streak to end. So when she came by the office the next day to drop off his lunch, he was going to apologize. Only in the moment, he felt like he was in the right and stood his ground. When she mentioned herself— his heart dropped. Every interaction they had after that was awkward and strained, but there was a sense of normalcy to it too. They were mad at each other, but could still talk so easily to each other. It was odd, to say the least. 

Tom watched as Ali walked through the pub doors. He was mesmerized. She looked ravishing. Especially, with the dip in the dress. When Arthur spun her around on the bar top, Tom got a glimpse of her bare legs and it honestly didn’t help his heart! Her hair was in her face, so of course, he had to move it out of the way. Of course, he had to lean down and whisper in her ear— it was fucking loud in the pub. Then, as she looked up with those wide eyes of hers— he knew he had to clear the air. He had to. All for that pretty smile. 

As Tom took out that letter, he felt very little. 

Did he still have feelings for Grace? Did he ever? 

The answer was yes, but then Ali’s smiling face flashed into his mind. His eyes drifting off to the side as he was in a trance. Tom blinked before raising the letter above to the candlelit fire, and let the corner of it burn. 

Memories sort of found its way to the surface of Tom’s mind. The first time he ever saw Grace to the first time he kissed her to the time they made love. But then the memories took a shift. He could hear her laughter so clearly from that day he took her out. 

Tom was staring deep into the flame ‘n all he saw then was Aliena. Aliena as she looked back at him, a hand brushing all her hair to the side just as she had done at the park. 

Grace was the better alternative, even if she was married. Tom was sure that she still held the same feelings for him...as he did her. Before he could think about his love life more, Polly walked in and his attention shifted. 

Tom got glimpses of Ali when she greeted Ada, but she left once Polly came to talk to his sister. His eyes trailed after her ‘n witnessed as she bee-lined it for Isaiah, Jeremiah’s boy. He didn’t know they knew each other, or even talked like that. He just thought the boy was mates with Finn. 

That and Polly irritated him even more. 

His aunt was acting like a child throwing a tantrum while Ali was chatting up Isaiah. What a fucking day for him!

When she walked up to him, he wasn’t in the mood to be bothered. Too much on his mind, so little he could fix. 

In hindsight, Tom knew that he could’ve minded himself, but he was irritated at the time, so…  

He regretted it right away ‘n was gonna give her that dance ‘n let that be the end of it, but then he grabbed her chin as gently as he could be ‘n she hissed in pain. Tom focused on the left side of her chin and noticed some discoloration. He asked for her permission to wipe it away. She gave him it, and he wiped some of her makeup off, only to see a nasty bruise on her face.

He saw red. 

Tom wanted a name, but then she had the fucking this story. You have no idea how much Tom wanted her story to be the truth because if it wasn’t then—! 

He was going to kill the bastard.

Tom couldn’t stop staring at that bruise ‘n imagining the worst. 

Did she have a fella who was abusing her? Was she just taking it? No. Not his Ali, his Ali wouldn’t let a man hit her. So, maybe she truly did just get hit at a club. 

The feeling of helplessness— it gnawed away at his stomach, and his brain kept reminding him that he had no right to be worried. That she’d learn to keep away from guys that would abuse her. That she’d be better off with anyone but him— but he’d never allow her to be with a man that’d do that to her. His brain telling him he’d have no control over that, and that it was better to just ignore the girl all together if he was truly never going to go further with her. His heart, however, was begging to protect her.

Then, she went to the restroom. Tom decided to leave her.

 She’s better off without him. She is. 

Two women came up to him ‘n he left with them. He wasn’t really thinking. 

Tom never went to sleep. His mind kept switching from Polly to Grace to Ali then to something else then back to Ali. Ali. Ali. 

Tom knew that Ali never came home that night, but he was only slightly worried. Maliciously, he thought that maybe she went home with Isaiah. When he got home with his brothers  after dealing with business, he didn’t miss the way Michael’s eyes always trailed off to Ali. 

Ali, on the other hand, wasn’t paying attention to ‘em or even himself. Her eyes followed the conversation taking place. Her smoking was always a sight to see. Tom couldn’t decide if he wanted to feel guilty, angry, or indifferent. However, business called ‘n he couldn’t allow himself to dwell on something so trivial for long.

The next time he saw Aliena, he finally managed to catch her on the street. He was happy, to say the least. She’d broken up with her boyfriend, who he still thinks abused her. And if she truly wasn’t being abused, then she wouldn’t have any new bruises. ‘Cause if she did, then that meant he was right. 

Tom knew violent men ‘n he knew they would’ve never let her leave without putting up a fight. When he didn’t find any fresh bruises, he let out a sigh of relief. She was telling the truth, then. 

Tom questioned her about not coming home the other night. She told him about going over to her spot ‘n he believed her. Just was worried about her safety is all. Overall, his mood was happy when she never mentioned Isaiah.

When Ali came home for the family meeting, he was shocked by what she was wearing. The dress was too short for his liking as was the neckline was too low. 

He didn’t like it, not in a room full of men. Then his idiot younger brother decided to spin her around, her dress started riding up ‘n everyone in the room could see her lace panties. They were purple as well, a light shade of purple. When John didn’t listen and spun her round again, he was practically showing Ali’s whole arse. 

Aliena didn’t listen when Tom suggested she go on up and change ‘n it infuriated him inside— but, of course, he couldn’t let it show. He had to act unaffected. Like seeing the sight of her panties didn’t want to make him run off and find a woman to scratch the itch. The whole meeting, his eyes kept finding her and it sickened him. Made him feel perverted ‘n ashamed that he was lusting after the girl.

The next day was auction day. When they pulled up, he wasn’t expecting to see Ali outside, in such a fancy outfit. In Tom's opinion, she looked like a film star. Someone who shouldn’t be near scum like him and his family. Her dress, lace gloves, heels, and coat were all white and she looked gorgeous.

Tom ended up asking her who bought it for her out of spite. It was confusing for him. To want to push her away as badly as he wanted to keep her close. And Ali. Ali didn’t help with her longing glances and her kindness. She was almost never mad at Tommy and he didn’t understand it. At all. If he treated Grace like this, he would’ve gotten a kicked puppy look. If he would have treated Ada or Polly like that, he’d gotten a lot more than a fucking look. Some fucking bruises would be more like it. It was funny, really. 

Ali was quick to want to appease his anger, make him understand her actions ‘n such— it was unusual. She’d rather placate him like a child than blow up on him for disrespecting her. 

Come to think of it, many of the times she’s been “mad” at him— it was pretend. Aliena would just end up giggling away. Of course, there were real times, but the majority ended with her laughing.

Tom watched as she walked away. He looked at her mates ‘n she looked apart for them, but in a good way. Like your eyes would naturally drift to Ali since she was the most beautiful in the group. Somewhere in the back of Tom’s head, he wondered if the fact that she wasn’t from their universe had something to do with it. Her knowledge and fashion sense obviously showed that she was unique, almost like she was from a different era ‘n Ali had no desire to hide it. 

Upon meeting May, Tom thought she could be a fun distraction. To ‘em, she represented both Grace and Ali. Ali, who was just in a gorgeous white dress going to a posh event, while Grace was married to some banker in New York. Now, here’s this posh woman obviously intrigued by him and wants something. Probably sex, so what the ‘ell. 

Why not throw himself into his revels as he’s always done. Maybe he can fall in love with Mrs. Carleton ‘n forget all about the women he can’t have.

Seriously, though— Tom knew he’d never fall in love with May. She’d be on the same level as Lizzie, or a little higher. Eh. Most likely not since Lizzie’s been around ‘em more than May. It was purely speculation on his part, anyhow.

A day after his meeting with Campbell and the Irish, Ali walked into his office carrying cupcakes, she was wearing another… nice outfit. Her skirt was rather short and her neckline was low, again.

 It wasn’t something any other woman, but her would wear. If more women dressed like how Aliena dressed, then they’d probably get catcalled on the street all the time, or get snide comments. Aliena would never experience that in Birmingham, but he worried for her in London. He hoped to God she didn’t dress like this in London, where he can’t protect her. 

Ali ended up running to him, and started tending a wound on his temple that he didn’t even realize was there. Tom can’t deny that he was staring at her tits. It’s just that, they were just there! He averted his eyes when he felt like he was being too obvious, and cursed himself for disrespecting her like that.

May tried to put up a front, but Tom knew. He knew she wanted to fuck him. Tom was just going to give her the benefit of the doubt. Didn’t want to be a complete arsehole.

A few days later, it was Michael’s 18th birthday. Polly wanted to celebrate it ‘n that what they did. When Ali walked in the snug wearing something modest “for once”, Tom was relieved. Any more of her provocative outfits ‘n he was going to cave in.

It was a horrendous thought and honestly, made him question his self-control. 

Tom made snide comments to Ali that he didn’t mean to make. He was just trying to make conversation, and the first thing that popped to mind was her attire for the evening. Luckily, Ali didn’t blow up on him. So, when he joked around that she was probably pregnant ‘n not sick or something— he didn’t think she’d blow up like that. He was just glad he was able to calm her down afterward ‘n that they were good. 

Tom remembers her having a good time for a while, but then she just got quiet ‘n distant. Sort of reminded him of the last time they gathered in the snug like this, and it worried him. Tom watched as her left hand trailed down and began rubbing her left thigh, and he knew the source of the problem. 

Memories of sleeping next to her when she was about to start her monthly flashed through his mind. Her cramps were bad, sometimes so bad they would make her cry or throw up. So, he was worried, to say the least. He asked if she was okay and she gave him a pained smile. Tom couldn’t have it and in hindsight, he can’t say he did it entirely with pure intentions. 

Tom motioned for her to sit on his lap, which she looked at him crazy for, but he was adamant. Ali walked up to him and just stood there adorably awkward, so he had to pull her into his lap. She began snickering, which was just like her. 

He couldn’t begin his plan since he was holding a cigarette in one hand. Once his hands were free— he trailed his hands on the insides of her thighs. They were warm and bigger than he thought. But, he had a rough idea of them since he’s burned every image of her into his mind. 

It just happened. Just happened. Please don’t question the man. He’ll have a mental breakdown.

Aliena’s reaction was cute, but he was shocked to see how quickly she recovered. Kneading her thighs was sort of relaxing to him, and he was surprised she wasn’t flinching or fighting off moans. Quite honestly, she looked like she couldn’t be bothered. And he had the sudden urge to make her look bothered. 

Things were going good till Michael had to butt in. Michael, who so obviously fancied her. Tom tried to look calm and not annoyed and he calmed himself by reminding himself that she was in his lap not his cousin’s. 

She’d probably even let him do something more, no, he knew she would. Tom was also confident that Michael would never get this type of treatment. Never. 

When Ali shifted in Tommy’s lap, he jumped up since she made friction against his cock. He was deathly afraid of growing a stiffy and her being able to feel it, his family being able to see it. Thank god, he controlled himself. 

Eventually, the kneading stopped and Aliena was just sitting in his lap. She eventually grew tired and Tom let her snuggle up to him. The next day, the first moment Polly saw him— she slapped him across the face. She warned him to not lay hands on her again. That it’d make it harder for the girl to move on. That it was obvious that Ali was still smitten with him. 

Thomas made an excuse, blamed himself— saying that he wasn’t thinking clearly & that he was drunk. 

Polly cocked her head ‘n glared. She knew her nephew was lying, and she didn’t have the heart to tell him the truth that was so clearly shown in his eyes. Selfishly, she didn’t want him to realize it, either. 

When Tom went over to May’s, he didn’t have any intention on making a move on her, but then he did. It was purely fucking. A distraction. And they kept the relationship. No label on it, but whenever Tom visited her place— they’d end up fucking. 

Ali had been visiting the office more often. She’d stay ‘n bug Michael. Tom would deny with his whole being that he was jealous. 

He wasn’t. 

He wasn’t! 

But the way, she and Michael joked around really did get under his skin. Eventually, Tom felt that he had to confront her about maybe having a crush on him, you know a mutual thing between her and Michael— she looked horrified. Aliena was almost appalled by the accusation of fancying the boy, and she grilled into ‘em too. 

As much as it might’ve been a dick move at the time, Tom couldn’t stop the smirk that spread across his face when she walked out. Yet, again understanding his “anger.”

Everything after that was going well for a while till out of nowhere Ali began to be in a pisspoor mood. She took it out on everyone ‘n didn’t even crumble when they yelled back at her. She was getting into arguments simply about the way she dressed and her attitude. Stuff that usually went without a fight. 

It was worrying the fuck out of everyone. Polly thought it might have been because of a boy, but Tom begged to differ. The partying didn’t go unnoticed by him, and he was scared of the pattern that was beginning to form. 

The last time she was like this minus the back talk, she tried killing herself. However, Tom had faith that this time like times before it— she’d come ‘n tell him what’s wrong. Only now his cousin came buggin’ him ‘cause of his crush on her. Tom knew Ali would come barging through his door sooner or later, and would tell him the truth— he knew. But here was his younger cousin, who fancied Aliena, who was around her age— worried about her, and asking him for help. 

How rich!

Made him all the more annoyed with the situation, and irrational. 

He had thoughts throughout the conversation like, ‘Nobody would know her better than me.’ Or. ‘Do you really think you can help her? You don’t even know how—! What she’s like!’

All this arrogant, egotistical bullshit was running through his mind because at the end of the day, almost all of it was wrong. There was someone who knew her better than him, who knew how to placate her better, and loved her better. He was hoping for that someone to come and sweep her off her feet. But he’d be damned if it was Michael, someone in his own family. 

Because if she and Michael got together and married, well… That’d be some twisted type of torture set up by the universe.

The next day when Ali came in, Tom couldn’t help but ask her what was wrong. He planned on not saying anything, and was going to leave it up to her to initiate the first move— but he couldn’t help it. 

His self-doubt quickly dissipated as Ali slowly picked up her head and began to cry. Tom sprang to his feet and pulled her to his chest, comforting her. Ali covered her face and sobbed into her hands. Tom kept asking what the matter was ‘n Ali began to speak through her sobs.

She told him that she got into an argument with Cassie. That Cassie thought Ali was getting too close to Douglas ‘n accused her of a bunch of things. Ali got mad and used things about the girl’s past against her. That she was so afraid that she’s going to lose her best friend because of the harsh words she spat. Tom cursed at the ceiling before dropping his head back down and began kissing her forehead. He rubbed her back while whispering comforting words. He was surprised that Ali had it in her like that. He was upset that she was upset. 

Tom kissed her on the top of her head one last time before telling her it would be all right. That’d she just need to apologize to Cassie, to everyone. Ali parted from their embrace, her hands on his chest, and looked up at him with a tired smile. She agreed ‘n Tom offered to help her practice how she was going to go about it.

They spent a good chunk of the afternoon practicing before going home and actually doing it. Tom gathered everyone before dinner, and Aliena said her piece. Polly took her into a loving embrace as did the rest of the family. 

Michael and Aliena walked off to the side as everyone else piled into the parlor to eat at the table. 

Michael leaned closer to Ali as he whispered hurriedly, “What do you mean you and Cassie got into a fight? You were having fun together yesterday! Did that actually happen?”

Aliena’s back straightened, her eyes widened, and she swatted his arm with the back of her hand. She hushed him as she whispered. “Of course, it didn’t happen! But it got everyone off my back. Look, I’ve just been—! It’s my mum’s birthday soon and I was pissed at the world. When Tommy talked to me, I realized I’d gone too far, okay. So, don’t go blabbering your mouth. I know your mum made him do it and she can’t fix this. I don’t want her coddling me either.”

Michael’s eyes widened and he felt his heart sink to his stomach. Swallowing harshly, he nodded and promised not to tell. 

The pair made their way into the parlor. Michael was ushered into the seat next to Polly while Aliena took a spot between Finn and Arthur.

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[elysiashelby]

In Another World - T.Shelby Imagine Ch. 24

Paring: (Eventual) Thomas Shelby x Aliena Welsh (OC)

Fandom: Peaky Blinders

Word Count: 14,086

WARNINGS: Thomas Shelby’s 3rd POV, Angst, Cursing, Fluff, IF YOU’VE BEEN KEEPING UP WITH THE STORY MOST PREVIOUS TRIGGERING WARNING ARE PRESENT HERE!!

Summary: Season two is near the end, but before that let’s take a trip down memory lane from a different point of view. Tommy’s point of view.

MASTERLIST   CHAPTER 23  CHAPTER 24.2

A/N: This chapter and the next will both be in Tommy’s 3rd POV. To be more precise, “This point of view (often called a “close third”) is when an author sticks closely to one character but remains in third person.” Hope this helps.

For these chapters, I’ll try my best to seperate flashbacks and time skips with their appropriate line breaks. As always gold represents a more calm scene while black represents trigger warnings.

First thing Tom can remember about Aliena was that she was weirdly dressed. Her blouse was puffy and was too baggy to belong to a girl. Her pants were baggy as well ‘n grey. Women wearing pants weren’t common and it’s amazing that she was outside in them without being hassled for it. 

Then, there was her face. Her young baby face. Her cheeks were round like a child, which spoke for her age. But, then she told him that she was actually 16. Could’ve fooled him, but then again Ada also had a phase like that when she was around that age. 

Her eyes were wide, but he couldn’t tell the colour of them at first glance. They were red and puffy as if she’d just been crying. She probably had been, and then he knew she had when she told him her whole life story.

It was sad, but almost laughable. A spoiled, coddled, rich girl was forced to become the maid of a family born lower than her. Tom and his brothers had a bet on how long she’d be able to handle such strenuous work. He’d bet the end of the month. 

Polly even had a bit of a laugh, but was more concerned about the girl. Tom chalked it up to the woman’s motherly instincts. 

Tom didn’t know how to feel about the girl at first. Was she a nark? Was she telling the truth? The only reason he had taken her in, despite his doubts, was due to the many debts he owed Jeremiah. Aliena didn’t act like a posh girl nor did she hold herself like one. She was timid and could hardly meet anyone's gaze. The only people she dared to look in the eyes were Ada, Polly, and Finn.

Most of the posh women and their daughters he’d pass on the street either looked at him like he was the scum of the Earth, or with lustful gazes. She couldn’t meet his nor his brothers’. They laughed about that as well. But, that meant that he couldn’t read her. Aliena was like a cat— she warmed up to certain people and avoided the others like the plague. Aliena was good at staying out of his and his brothers’ way. It was something he liked at first, but then something changed.

John was always good with people and he was closer to Aliena’s age, so when Tommy caught Aliena meeting John’s eyes— it surprised him. She was full of surprises because that same evening she was looking into Arthur’s eyes as well. Tom didn’t mind that she still couldn’t meet his gaze. He knew he was intimidating to some people. Hell, even his brothers sometimes had a hard time looking at him in the eyes. So, he didn’t hold it against her. 

A week turned into weeks then a month. The bet was off with no winners. Aliena never complained about work. She grimaced at certain work, but otherwise— she stayed silent. Well, not exactly silent. A month is quite some time for connections to grow. Aliena was full of giggles and weird arm, hand, and body movements. She had this one laugh where her tongue would thrill— it always managed to make a smile on Tommy’s face. It was just a really unique laugh.

Tom thought there was something mentally wrong with ‘er since she would spasm out at times, but that wasn’t the case. He didn’t know what was wrong with her, but as long as she was able to complete her work. He didn’t mind it. 

Tom later learned that Ali tics when she’s overwhelmed with emotions. He finds them endearing now. 

One month turned into two ‘n Aliena still couldn’t look him in the face. In fact, she didn’t even address him by his first name. She did all his other family members, but not him. It was laughable and irritating, a common combination he’d often feel in her presence. She was sometimes too giggly for him to withstand. 

Polly had come to him one evening gushing about how adorable Aliena was, and there was an impromptu family meeting in the shop about how cute Aliena was. Pol even wanted Tom to ban the men of Birmingham from trying to get with her. Tom was finally curious, and decided he was going to get close to the girl who managed to even blind his aunt. Blind was a strong word, but he couldn’t trust Aliena right off the bat. He couldn’t afford to.

Truth be told, he was planning on confronting her the next afternoon when she brought him his lunch, but she was all ready downstairs. Sitting by the fire— sidesaddle, hair wet, dozing off. He could see what Arthur meant when he said that she looked too innocent to be in a place like Small Heath. She really did look innocent. Maybe, that’s why he felt compelled to send her off to bed.

Instead, he made conversation about her hair being wet and she, who was half-asleep, nodded. Tom figured that now that he had her there and the fact she was half-asleep— he could ask her why she didn’t address him by his name. He was honestly surprised when she answered so candidly. Admitting to feeling intimidated by him. 

The conversation flowed easily. She even made a few jokes that only she laughed at. Overall, he’d gotten what he’d wanted and went up to bed. 

The next day, he invited her to sit and talk. And talk, she did. He was amazed by how much she could talk. She went from the quiet, timid girl to a girl who’d chat up a storm in a millisecond. He joked around about it with his brothers and they agreed. John said that Aliena told him that she’s not good with confrontation, so she generally doesn’t speak unless spoken to. Tom found that a very endearing quality.  

Two months turned into four, and the timid girl was still there— they were just more at ease with each other. Tommy found her to be good company. She could follow along in conversations that he’d usually only partake in with Polly. It only surprised him a little, after all, she was a rich girl. She’d have a better education than any bloke in Birmingham. 

Aliena liked routine. She tried her very hardest to never partake in anything that would disrupt it. She went to and from the main house to John’s without complaint or fail. She had to take a bath at a certain time without fail as well as cook at a certain time. Again, Tommy found the trait to be quite likeable about her. 

It lessened his worries about her being a nark by a ton, but she could always be fooling them for the long term. So, he asked some of his contacts about her. Told them to search for anything. Birth records, death records, her father’s war record.

Anyway, that was just happy Aliena. There was also the girl who would cry in her room till she fell asleep. Tom had to hear it all seeing as he was in the room next to her. She’d call out for her parents and beg for forgiveness. 

‘Forgiveness for what?’ He pondered.

There were nights where Tom wanted to comfort her. That was when they got to know each other a little better. He got to know the girl who plastered on a smile for his family in the morning, and throughout the day. Sometimes he wondered if she was giving them a genuine smile, other times, he couldn’t be bothered. He’d just accepted it as it was. 

The idea of comforting Aliena stemmed from his need to comfort Ada. That’s how he rationalized it. Her cries reminded him of a time where his little sister would cry at night for their mum. A time where he’d crawl into Ada’s bed and soothe her to sleep. But, Tom couldn’t do anything for Aliena. She wasn’t family and she wasn’t a friend.

Even if they became good mates in the future, it would be wrong for a man 12 years her senior to be coddling her. It just wasn’t appropriate. It would be better for Polly to do it. He even suggested it to his aunt, but she was all about tough love. Said the girl needs to come to terms with her loss herself.

Tom agreed but disagreed at the same time. A part of him wanted his aunt to agree with him in order to cease her endless crying at night. Tom knew he shouldn’t be one to talk since he doesn’t get much sleep as it was, but he’d rather lay in silence than with the cries in the next room.

Eventually, Aliena’s cries were rare and Tommy was simultaneously grateful for it and saddened at the fact. It meant she was coming to terms with her loss. Something that was hard for any child. 

In the five months of Aliena working for the family, Tom finally heard back from his contacts. Nothing. They found nothing. So, she’d been lying. A rich family couldn’t have not existed. They were all about papers ‘n documents, so something dodgy was going on and Tom wouldn’t have it affect his family. 

That’s what his initial thoughts were.

But then he took a deep breath, and assessed Aliena’s character. You can’t fake that kind of grief. You can’t fake the amount of tears she’d shed in her room. Not when he could see the puffiness in her eyes the next morning. Not when he could catch the longing gazes she would give when Polly would interact with Ada or Finn. How John would interact with his kids. She longed for family, it was obvious. 

So that begged the question, who was she really and why did she lie?

It was the worst timing to have such suspicion when he was dealing with other matters as well. Harry Chadwick was some low-level boot-licking criminal that was sniffing around the business. It was a quick fix, but a real fucking inconvenience. 

Tom was planning to move up in the world ‘n he wasn’t about to let some nobody fuck it up. Not when he was almost ready to enact his plan. So, he figured he’d kill two birds with one stone. Might’ve even had to literally do that. If he had to, he would’ve, for the sake of his family’s future.

His conscience minded, though. It was a shit thing to do to a girl her age. She was 16, and he was going to pressure her into “offering herself” up to some bastard low-life. Tom was confident he could kill Chadwick before he managed to assault the girl, but there’s always a chance for the plan to go haywire. Always. Plus, his aunt cared for the girl deeply, so that was going to throw a wrench in his plans. He’ll be beaten half to death by his aunt if anything happened to the girl, he knew it.

And he was right. When he invited Aliena to the family meeting and told his family the plan, Polly argued with him the loudest. His brothers protested, but they didn’t debate it. Polly did. Tom’s eyes drifted toward Aliena and she looked pensive. Unfortunately, the glance was only that since Polly was so adamant to keep Aliena out of the plan. Aliena surprised everyone even Tom, himself, when she spoke up and agreed to do it. 

He stared at her and could see that she was sure of herself. However, Polly didn’t think the same and continued the argument. He might’ve had to agree with his aunt because she walked out of the room without another word.

Tom thought about soothing her worries at night, but ultimately decided not to. It wasn’t his right since he was the one putting her in the position anyway. He made one of his men buy Aliena a beautiful dress that she could keep. It was to appease some of her worries, in his mind, it was the right thing to do. After all, what girl didn’t like pretty dresses? 

Then, the day finally came. He still had work to do, but Aliena had the day to get dolled up. The clock was ticking and he was glad to hear heels clacking against the floorboards when he could. 

Aliena looked beautiful. That’s it. Nothing more, nothing less. She just looked nice. 

There was no feeling behind it. It was just an easy deduction. She was too baby faced for Tom’s taste and too young. But anyone could recognize beauty when it was in your face. His brothers were kinder as they showered her in compliments, but Tom didn’t see the need. His brothers’ words should about sum it up, why add on?

Tom’s mind was more on the fact they needed to have that conversation about her not having any records. So, he got her out of the house and into the car. After being miles out away from the house, he decided it was time. 

“I’m sure you already know this, but I know you’re lying to us.” Tom said while taking a drag. “You don’t have a birth certificate, no record of any sort. I couldn’t even find your father’s war record. So, even though you are a hard worker, you’ve lied to us. After this… If you do it well and complete what needs to be done, I’ll let your lies slip and accept you into this family.”

“Okay, Thomas.” Aliena whispered. 

After that, it was quiet for a while. 

‘That’s it?’ Tom thought. ‘No explanation. People usually want to explain themselves after they get caught in a lie.’

Tom broke the silence, asking, “So, do you, maybe, want to tell me the truth?”

Aliena scoffed and looked out the window. She muttered. “You wouldn’t even believe me." 

‘What could a 16 year old have done, or experienced that would make her so mysterious? Give me a break.’ Tom thought.

"Try me.” He replied.

Tom could see Aliena about to massage her eyes from his peripherals before she slapped her thighs instead.  

“Well, I’m not from here. At all! I’m from another universe or Earth. To me, you and your family are characters on a TV show called Peaky Blinders. Do you believe me?” She shouted.

‘So, she really is mental? She’s good at hiding it. Poor thing. Well, she can do her job just fine. What the fuck is a “TV show”? Another universe, another Earth? The fuck did that even mean.’ Tommy raked his mind to try and decipher what this girl just told him. There were a couple of terms he didn’t know about. It could explain why she was familiar with the house and the business when he had no recollection of telling her about it. 

Well, she even knew where some things were without him ever telling her about it first. It could explain those eyes she gave. The eyes that told him that she knew something he didn’t. 

But, in the end, Tom threw away those thoughts and reminded himself of the theory he’d made a month back.

So after a good solid 5 minutes, he said. “Well, it has to be that. Or, you lied about your dad being in the war and your family avoided records with home births. That you’re Gypsy kin ‘cause there have been too many times that you have looked like you know something I don’t, and being a Gypsy would explain that. So, yeah, I believe you." 

Aliena pursed her lips as she leaned her head on her fist with her arm on the window. She replied.  "Yep, you got me. So why don’t you tell me what we’re really going to this bloke’s house for? I know it’s not for the bullshit you spat at the meeting."

Tom squinted his eyes at her. "How did you know I lied?”

She rolled her eyes. “Since Billy Kimber came out your mouth. What does Mr. Chadwick have to do with you planning to fix races?”

Tom knew she was staring at him now. His head was down, eyes on the floor of the car. His eyes darting back and forth rapidly. ‘How the fuck did she know I was planning on fixing races? I haven’t spoken a word of it out loud.’ Tom was silently panicking, but luckily for his amazing compartmentalizing— he’d save this problem for another day.

His Adam’s apple bobbed and he said, “He’s got something I need to actually fix those races. He’s not a cop. But he does want information on Kimber and I’m going to feed him false information. Not like he’ll be able to check, though.”

While gazing at her fingernails, she hummed. “Thank you for your candor, Thomas.”

Not knowing something was something unfamiliar to Tom. He was usually the one with the upper hand ‘n now he was sitting next to someone who knew something before he even breathed a word of it to his family. She had to have been Gypsy kin. Had to be.

As he said to himself, he made sure to stop dwelling on it and focused on getting this over with. True to his word, once this was over— Aliena was to be considered a proper member of the Peaky Blinders. Chadwick’s house was something to marvel at for someone who was low-level. Must have been born with a silver spoon, Tommy thought.

However, Chadwick himself was something that deserved to be six feet underground with the way he was eyeing Aliena like she was fucking meat. It was disgustingly creepy. If that’s the way he felt, Tom couldn’t imagine how Aliena felt.

The “deal” was done and like the sucker he was, Chadwick bargained for some of Aliena’s time. Tom wanted to get this over with as soon as possible, so he tried getting Chadwick to settle for a reasonable time. From Tom's point of view, he had four people to deal with and he was going to deal with them quickly. 

When Tom placed a hand on Aliena’s shoulder, it was meant to appease her worries somewhat. That he’d truly be back soon for her. However, he didn’t wait for her to respond. He had to keep his word, after all.

Unfortunately, that turned out to be harder than he expected. Four people turned into eight. As he was dealing with the last one, he could hear a glass shatter from the room. Tom didn’t hesitate to kill the man in his grasp before he went running over to where Aliena was. 

It was all in slow-motion really. Bursting into the room, hearing Aliena’s cries more clearly, and witnessing as Chadwick desperately tried to unfasten his pants. 

Tom didn’t hesitate to raise his gun and pulled the trigger. One in the shoulder. Another gunshot. One in the head. Tom began panting, struggling to put his gun away before running over to Aliena. 

Tom tugged down her dress, and then picked up her torso by her armpits. He wiped away her face.

"I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I was late, Aliena.” Tom whispered. His face was red and his jaw clenched. He was mad at himself. He barely fucking made it. 

Aliena tried speaking, but it was nothing coherent. 

Knowing her, though, Tom knew she was trying to appease him rather than the other way around. So, he shook his head. “I was late…” He tugged her a forward and then carried her bridal-style. Tom stepped on the glass that had fallen as he left the room with Aliena in his arms.

As they walked out, a maid was dead on the floor as well as a butler that was near the front door. He carried Ailena to the passenger seat and laid her down then rushed to get in the driver’s side. As he climbed in, he could see Aliena’s eyes closing. 

“Oi, Aliena! Aliena, wake up! Wake up.” Tom shouted at her while tapping her face. 

Aliena whimpered loudly but opened her eyes nevertheless. 

“Attagirl! Good girl, Aliena. Now, we’re going home. Okay?” Tom wrapped his free arm around her shoulder, and her face was tucked into his side. He hoped his touch was comforting. This made her start crying again to the point where she was sobbing uncontrollably. 

The sound of her slurred wailing made Tom feel guiltier than he already was experiencing. His face was contorted in anger and his eyes closed, slowly.

“Almost there, Ali. You’re all right now. Fuck!” Their bodies jolted as Tom struck the steering wheel. 

During the whole ride, Aliena kept trying to sleep and Tom kept making sure she stayed awake. Her pained whines almost made him want to cave into her, but he knew the dangers of the drugs used to incapacitate a woman. They could kill her. 

Tom carried Aliena out of the car and ran up to the door. He pounded on it 'til Polly opened the door. 

She gasped and shouted. “What-!”

Tom didn’t let her finish. He rushed past her and sat Aliena down on the couch. Her body fell limp on it. Her head fell back and her arms slumped to her sides.

Polly shouted. “What the hell, Thomas! You said nothing would happen!”

“There were more people in his house than I thought and got held up. He didn’t manage to do anything to her yet, but he drugged her." 

"Fucking christ! Make sure she doesn’t fuckin’ fall asleep! She needs to drink water.”

Aliena began to chuckle and was muttering something. Tom leaned his ear close to her mouth, heard something that sounded like milk, and so, he shouted for milk instead. Aliena was still laughing, but it came out breathily. 

Polly yelled for Arthur, and Tom watched as Aliena tried following her voice. Her eyes began drooping down again, so Tommy tugged her face back to where it originally was, and told her to stay awake. She attempted to stick her tongue out at him.

Polly came back, passed the milk to Tom, and she put a wet cold towel on Aliena’s head. Polly began wiping down Aliena’s neck and face while Tom was holding the straw for her to drink out of. 

“Slowly, love.” Polly whispered. “Slowly, love.”

‘Pitiful.’ Tom thought. ‘What a pitiful sight. And it’s all my fault.’

When Aliena was finally done drinking, she began lifting her arm up. It happened very slowly. Ali managed to push the cup away from her. Her eyes focused on Tom’s.

She tried saying something, but no one could distinguish it. 

Polly sucked on her teeth. “Her fucking speech is slurred.” By the end of her sentence, her voice was shaking. They fretted over her for a while until Polly said that she was going to have me be in warm water. 

Thomas and Arthur helped Aliena up the stairs. Felt like carrying a dead body, made them both grimace.

Arthur swooped her up in his arms and laid her on the bed. Aliena’s face was red and tears were welled up in her eyes. Tom couldn’t bear to enter her room, so he stayed outside— looking in. Arthur walked out and Tom stood there, watching as Aliena turned her head to face him.

A tear slipped out of her eye. 

‘Arsehole. You’re a complete and utter arsehole.’ Tom thought. 

Aliena’s arm had come up and draped over her eyes. Tom turned his head away and walked past Polly and Arthur as they were walking back up with the tub.

Tom remembered feeling incredibly guilty. Just a nasty pit in his stomach that wouldn’t seem to go away. It didn’t help that Polly was furious at him for putting Aliena in danger. Furious at what could’ve happened. He knew he was late, he knew!  

What he wanted to know was how to fix it. How could he make it up to the girl? Tom spent a day thinking about it when he figured it out. He ran it by Polly, who loved the idea as well. They would give Aliena more liberties, more work as a sign of trust. They would ask her what she thought she should do and accommodate her desires. 

See what they could do to make her more comfortable. 

What they weren’t expecting was that Aliena had dressed up for work the next day. They tried to get her to take a day to herself, but she insisted on going back to work. They decided to let her, what a fucking mistake. 

Tom and Polly did as they planned. They asked Ali if she wanted to do more and if so, what did she want to do. Ali, surprisingly, said that she wanted to teach the children how to read and write. When they asked her if she wanted anything else, Aliena was at a loss for words. So, Polly suggested that she get the groceries as a way to learn money. Aliena didn’t mind doing it. 

Then, the little meeting was done. They all went about their day. But, not really. Everyone was on edge, coddling the girl. Waiting for something. If she would fall or faint or begin to cry. They waited and hovered around her. 

Tom was in his office trying to think of a way to show Aliena that she was trusted in this family in his eyes. At the end of the day, at dinner, he told Aliena of his idea of her going to collect payments from some of the family owned businesses that paid for their protection. Once again, Aliena painted on a strained smile and nodded. 

She thanked him ‘n then left. 

Everyone knew she wasn’t okay, that she shouldn’t have been working right after something so traumatizing, but no one stopped her from doing it either. Not till Polly told Tom to do something about a week later. Said that Aliena burned herself when she was cooking dinner the other day and still insisted on working through it. 

Begrudgingly, Tom talked to her the night Polly had brought it up and told her she would be taking a few days off— no buts about it. Tom remembers Aliena’s mouth opening and closing like a fish before she nodded. Just nodded.

It was the afternoon. Tom had just come back from Charlie’s Yard when he heard hysterical crying from upstairs. Right when you walk through the door, you could hear it.

Tom’s first instinct was to check it out, but John and Arthur were already in the living room— obviously disturbed. John was up, leaning back, and was sniffing a bunch. Arthur was sitting down in a chair, drinking whiskey, and flinching at every new wail.

Tom asked. “What is it? What’s happening?”

Arthur sighed. “It’s, uh… It’s— ”   

John picked up his head and faced Tom. “It’s Aliena.”

‘The bomb finally dropped.’ Was all that Tom could think. He looked up at the top of the stairs, took his cap off, and clutched it in his hands. 

“What’s—! What’s happening?” Tom asked.

Arthur and John shared a glance before they both looked back at their brother. Tom shook his head and scoffed. He stomped up the stairs and walked toward Aliena’s room. 

The closer he got, the slower his strides. The door was eerily ajar and he slowly pushed it open. Polly and Aliena were on the floor. Polly was crying as she held Aliena in her arms. She kept brushing back her hair as Aliena was thrashing about, wailing. 

Her feet kept rubbing back and forth on the floor as she clutched onto Polly’s shirt. Her face hidden slightly in the crook of Polly’s neck. 

But what Tommy noticed the most was what the slip allowed him to see. Aliena’s arms were red, vertical welts ran down her arms. She’d scratched them raw. 

“...out! Get out, Thomas!” Polly screamed before reaching behind and chucking a pillow at the man. 

Tom dodged it and took one last look before running back downstairs. All three of the Shelby brothers were downstairs, listening and waiting for the chaos upstairs to calm. And it did, after a while. 

They strained their ears trying to listen for anything else and something finally echoed down. It was Polly’s heels clacking against the floorboards. They watched her come down the stairs, step by step. 

Polly sniffled, wiping her nose before standing up straight. “Get the tub. I want to draw her another bath.” 

Arthur and John scurried away while Tom, with his hands in his pockets, walked up to Polly. 

“How is she?” He asked, his voice raspier than he thought it would be.

Polly looked stern, as if she weren’t crying alongside the girl. “She said that once she stopped, it all caught up. She kept saying she was sorry.”

Tom’s head snapped up as he shouted. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Sorry for what?” 

Polly sniffled again, her head snapping to the left and back as she wiped her nose. “Sorry for hurting herself. She didn’t just scratch her arms, Thomas. She scratched up her the rest of her body as well.”

Tom tipped his head back and his eyes fluttered shut. ‘This was my fault. I knew she wasn’t okay.’ He thought. 

Tom dropped his head back down and nodded. 

Polly looked her nephew up and down before hissing at him. “I warned you about this. She’s just a girl, for fuck’s sake! Unlike you, she probably had a fucking wish about some first boyfriend caressing her gently. Not some man looking her at her like some fucking wild animal! Not a word of this to anyone. Don’t let it get out. Shut those men, in the shop, up. Agreed?”

Tom took a deep breath before breathily replying, “Agreed.” Tom walked past his brothers and into the shop. He gave out the order and like men, they all agreed to keeping this incident a secret. 

Tom trusted that his brothers and aunt would calm her better than he ever could, so he tried getting some work done. Only, he couldn’t focus on it. He just couldn’t. Tom began rethinking everything. Everything he was willing to do to raise his family up in the world. If this is what he’d become, a heartless man willing to use an innocent girl for selfish reasons. A girl who has no one else in this world. 

‘Well, isn’t that why we can use her?’ 

Tom tsked as the intrusive thought flashed through his mind. He ran a hand over his face and rose to his feet. He opened his door so harshly that it bounced against the wall. Tom didn’t pay attention to it. He walked straight for Aliena’s room. He wanted to see how she was doing.

He knocked on her door.

“Polly?” 

Tom took a deep breath before slowly craning the door open. He didn’t take a step forward seeing that she was still in the tub, and stayed by the doorway. He could only see her head and her right arm since she was smoking a cigarette. 

When Aliena finally realized it wasn’t Polly at the door, her eyes widened and she hurried to stub out her cigarette. 

“Oh, it’s you, Tommy.” She chuckled a little as she stubbed it out. Her hand was shaking. She looked back up at him and with a smile, she asked. “Is there something you need?”

‘How could she smile? Why was she smiling? Was she happy to see me?’ He wondered.

Tom cleared his throat. “I, uh. I wanted to check up on you.”

She hummed. “Oh, well. I’m better now. Better than I was this morning.”

Tom hummed in response. He debated asking, and he was about to open his mouth when she interrupted him.

“I don’t blame you. I had to tell you.”

He scoffed. “I put you through it.”

“I’m not family, Tom. I don’t have any records. You couldn’t take any of me words at face value. You needed to test me ‘n you did. I passed it, right?” 

Her face was full of anxiety, like she was worried he was about to tell her he had another “test” lined up for her.

He chuckled, humorlessly, under his breath as he nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, you did.”

Aliena smiled, her teeth showed and relaxed against the tub. 

Tom liked this Aliena better. He liked her better when she was giggly and chatty and annoying. He’d rather her be annoying forever than have to see her like she was this afternoon.

Tom averted his eyes, looking around the room. “So, calling me Tommy now, are we, Ali?”

Ali’s head rolled back toward Tom’s direction and she grinned. “Yep.” She did a little dance with her shoulders and let her head roll back, so that she was staring ahead. 

Tom felt his mouth twitch upward, but controlled the urge to smile. There was a moment of silence and that’s when he noticed that Ali was shaking. 

“Should I call Polly?” He asked.

“Hmm? Oh, no. I want to stay in ‘ere a little while longer. I’m not cold, is the ciggie. Haven’t had one in a while.”

Tom hummed. He tried thinking back when the shakes for him stopped, but it’s been too long for that. Tom’s eyes drifted to her arms. Welts turned into plain red scratches. Tom was too far away to see if any of them had scabbed up ‘n he wasn’t looking to know. 

But, then the question slipped from his mouth. “Are you truly okay, Ali?”

Her mouth twitched upwards and there was a sad look in her eye. She whispered. “I’ll get over it. And if I can’t, I’ll push through it. Always do. Today was just the climax of it, ya know. I stopped and everything I pushed down came up. I’ll be alright soon enough. Especially with that week off Polly promised me.” Ali rolled her head back toward Tom with a smug smile on her face.

Tom mimicked it. “A week, eh? Polly’s gone soft.”

Ali giggled before blowing raspberries at him and laughing again. That’s the last thing Tom remembered since as she was laughing— she’d sunk herself into the tub.

True to her word, Aliena had a week off. She took it slow and went back to her old self again. Tom and the family still kept a close eye on her, but Aliena was communicating better this time. She would tell Polly when she was feeling frustrated, even went to vent to Tom a few times. 

Scared the hell out of him the first time she did it. Aliena just marched right into his office, vented all her anger, took a deep breath, thanked Tom for his time, and then left in a fit of giggles. Tom was absolutely flabbergasted. 

When he asked her why she did it, she said it would spice up his day. Tom just shook his head, but didn’t tell her to stop it either. He found it rather amusing if he was being honest. 

A month had passed before something else occurred. 

It was nighttime and Tom was still up. Couldn’t sleep like any other day, only that night was special. That night Arthur was having a nightmare about the war. 

His brother was probably punching and kicking the wall ‘n air. He’d wake up in a sweat eventually and that’d be the end of it. His mind flashed to the girl who slept in the room next to him. Tom didn’t know if Aliena was aware of these thin walls this house had ‘cause she was humming and singing the night away. Then, he wondered if he or anyone else had already warned her against interrupting a fit when it happened. ‘Cause the girl had stopped singing.

Tom racked his brain and couldn’t find the memory. So, he sat up and swung his feet over the bed. Tom heard a thump, but ignored it as he tried thinking about it again. He was given his answer when he could hear his brother shout her name. 

Tom cursed under his breath and rushed out of his room. Arthur’s door was open. He could see his brother hugging Ali’s torso. The girl was sitting on her knees while his brother was practically laying on the ground. She stroked his back while combing his hair out of his face. She even started rocking them both back and forth after a while. Arthur was sobbing into her stomach. 

Tom let out a sigh of relief, but he was still concerned. He walked back to Aliena’s door and waited for her there. 

‘She shouldn’t have done that.’ He thought. ‘She was in family business. She had no right to comfort Arthur. It wasn’t right for her to be doing that.’

Aliena walked out and jumped when she noticed Tom at her door. A hand flew to her chest. Tom’s eyes squinted and he noticed that her neck was irritated. They met each other and Tom instantly began inspecting the damage done. 

“’m fine, ya know. Hardly even hurts." She whispered. 

Tom raised an eyebrow. "That’s a fucking lie 'n you know it. C'mon, we need to get it iced before it gets noticeable."  He tugged Ali down the stairs, and iced the forming bruises. Tom took it upon himself to tend to Aliena. She just sat there obediently. 

He sighed before speaking. "You shouldn’t have done that, you know? His fits aren’t gonna go away.”

Ali averted her gaze as she replied. “I approached him the wrong way is all. His fits won’t go away, but I can teach him how to deal with them.”

Tommy leaned back with a scoff. His smile was tight. He rubbed his chin while shaking his head. ‘This silly, naive girl.’ He thought, a little maliciously. The after effects of the war was a touchy subject, not something to be taken lightly. And he felt she was. After all, what does a 16 year old American raised girl know about war?

“You think you can cure us of what we have, eh, Aliena?” He asked, his tone dripping with venom.

Ali’s eyebrows furrowed and she began shifting in her seat. She stammered. “No. No, I can’t do that. That’s up to you and Arthur. And even youse can’t fully cure yourselves. It’s just not gonna be possible. But, you both can learn to deal with it.”

“We are— !”

“In healthy ways, Thomas! It’s not healthy to be drinking that much, either of youse! You can get alcohol poisoning or fuck! You’ll both damage everything in your bodies. Your mouth, esophagus, pancreas, brain! Your fucking brain, Tommy! Liver-!”

‘Who did she think she was? Criticizing how he and his brothers coped! She never went through the bloody fucking thing, so what the fuck did she know! Coming in here, in his house!’

“Enough!” He yelled while slamming his hand down on the table. 

Aliena flinched and yelped. She let out a shuddering breath before picking her head up. Tom felt his face soften and a wave of regret washed over him.

“Don’t yell at me…” She whispered. Her nose already turning red. Ali didn’t let him say anything . She got up from the chair and ran off to her room. 

Tom took a deep breath, tipping his head back, then hung it as he cursed under his breath. He pinched his nose before striking down on the table with his palm.

Tom was disappointed in himself that he managed to backtrack so early in his relationship with Ali. It had been just a month. A single month later since that night at Chadwick’s and he had already made her cry. It was an astonishing feat, even for his standards. 

The only thing was— Tom felt that he was in the right. The girl was young and hardly knew anything. Academically, she was very smart but socially inept. Aliena couldn’t read the room if her life depended on it in Tom’s opinion.

He still holds this to be true. She giggles at the worst of times.

Tom was just going to allow her to get over it or give in. Tom just wanted her to promise to never get into between another fit of anyone’s again. It was too dangerous for a girl her size to be doing, anyway.

He was ready for her the next day. Ready to stand his ground and probably not acknowledge her when she gives him his lunch. Sure enough, she came striding through the shop. Gunning for John first as always. 

Tom tried focusing on his work, but he was super conscious of where Ali was. She finally knocked on his door and walked right in. She was wearing a grey dress that covered her neck. 

She set his food down near his left elbow then just stood there in front of him. Her mouth smacked and before he knew it, she spun around on her heels and headed for the door.

‘That’s it?’ Tom thought.

Tom shot up from his chair and caught her wrist. He was looking down at his paperwork, shocked by his own actions. Tom swears it was like his brain just turned off for a second. Well, he knew he didn’t want her to leave like that, but he didn’t think he’d actually have it in him to grab her wrist. 

There was a short silence and Tom wished it could just swallow him whole.

“I- uh,” he said. “I’m sorry. Shouldn’t ‘ave yelled at you.” 

Aliena hummed and nodded. A small smile on her face, somewhat smug. Tom slowly let go of her wrist and sat back down as she walked out of the office.

‘So much for standing me ground.’ Tom thought before rubbing his eyes, furious at himself. Tom found himself doting on that small smile she gave him, and came to the conclusion once more that a smile from her was better than a frown.

It was just his luck that the same night he’d have a nightmare of his own. He was back in the war and then he heard Ali’s voice calling for him. Tom sprang up and began to gasp for air. Anxiety was riddling his body as it usually did after waking up from a nightmare. Slowly, his eyes found Aliena’s figure. She was kneeling a little further away from his bedside. Worry painted all over her face.

“Aliena?”

“Yeah?”

“What are you doing in here?”

“You were talking in your sleep. It worried me, so I came in ‘ere.”

His chest began heaving up and down, his eyes blown wide. ‘What did I just tell her? She just doesn’t learn. I even apologized earlier and this is how—!’

Tom wanted his words to get into her head. “I told you-!”

Aliena scoffed and began chastising him. Him! A 16 year old telling a 28 year old how to live his life. If someone had come along ‘n said Aliena was Polly’s long-lost daughter— he’d believe them. What he hated even more was that her argument made sense. 

He planned on heading this family till he died, and he knows with the way he’s going— there’s a chance deep down that he’ll end up like his father. That is he truly was planning on heading the family till the day he died, then he needed to make sure his mind was as well as his body. 

Tom didn’t read all those fucking tedious fucking books and articles about health, for nothing. But, at this point— he practically did. 

Looking at the girl, he couldn’t help but applaud her for standing her ground. Gone was the timid girl at the moment. Everything from her stance to her choice of words. What a cheeky girl she’s become. Half wanted to credit half of her attitude to Polly. But, something told him this was sort of the real Ali. You could see it from time to time when she was scolding the children.

Unfortunately, Tom didn’t have the clearest mind to critically think at the moment and agreed to her absurd methods of making him sleep. She talked the night away, and Tom was surprised the next morning when he woke up. She’d managed to get him to sleep— by talking to him.

The agreement was very absurd. If people found out, they’d probably suspect something more was going on. Tom didn’t know how to feel about it. Knowing his peers, they’d be more likely to ask him questions like how the sex was or how did she act around him. Or congratulate him for managing to have such a young girl on his arm. 

There’d be a few respectable men, who look at him funny which would make sense. Tom would do the same if he heard it from someone else. 

But no one ever did. Tom was usually up before her and Ali didn’t speak to anyone but the family. Any small talk she made with the people around town was purely that small talk. He knew Ali wouldn’t go blabbing her mouth around town. Especially when the circumstance would damage her image more than his. 

But Tom was hung up on something else. It was the fact that her methods actually worked. Being her living diary was nice. He dwelled on her problems at night instead of his own, and when he wanted to dwell on his— he’d have someone to talk to. Sometimes they were the most wonderful conversations, and other times, well. He can’t fault Ali since some stuff she just wasn’t interested in or didn’t know.

Most importantly, he could remember the joy the situation gave him. The shovels against the wall were for the most part gone. It became a rare occurrence. He couldn’t put it into words how grateful he was for that. Or for the rare nightmares ‘n dreams, in general.

There were also a lot of laughs. Aliena’s mostly. She’d make a joke and laugh at them by herself. It was cute, he couldn’t lie. Made the girl adorable. Don’t even get him started on the types of laughs the girl had in a night! Or the different accents she’d slip into from talking too much! Ali swore she wasn’t doing it consciously, but Tom begs to differ. No, he was only teasing her.

She sang, which was always something. Ali had a nice voice, but she wasn’t a professional singer. Still, Tom couldn’t deny that her voice was very soothing at night. Whenever she’d mess up, either a lyric or her voice would crack, she’d burst with laughter— it made it all the more real. And, he can honestly admit that the nights he spent with her were some of the best nights of sleep he’d had since the war.

Enough about that weird situation they put themselves in. Tom wasn’t the only one being comforted by Aliena. Arthur and Ali bonded pretty well ‘n Arthur often sought out Ali for a chat when there was stuff going on in his head. She never told Tom what they talked about either. It shocked him a little, he’s not going to lie, but he respected her even more for it. 

John and Ali were on good terms. John didn’t have the same type of problems like his brothers did. Tom and Ali both assumed he had a better grip on his demons than they did and didn’t bother him about it. The girls had a nice relationship as well, practically like kin. Not to mention, Finn’s crush on poor Aliena. The kid stuck to her like glue when he can manage it. 

But, quiet smugly— Tom knew that none of his family members knew her better than him. He went from being ostracized by the girl to being her living diary. Made him laugh.

But like all good moments, they came to an end. 

Two months. That’s all they had. Two good months since the incident at Chadwick’s happened, and there had to be something else. You know that afternoon was so nice too. Tom and his brothers had come back from a meeting at the Garrison and they walked in on Ali putting on a show for herself.

She managed the finish the whole song before noticing them. Thunderous applause from the Shelby brothers, even Tom, startled Ali. 

John hooted and whistled while clapping. "Whoo! We got ourselves our very own  singer!”

“You’re fucking right, John-boy! We 'ave our very own songbird.” Arthur shouted.

Tommy just had this smug smile on his face. 

Ali cringed at their antics and started swatting the air in front of her. She huffed, saying, “Piss off! Why didn’t youse say anything? I’ll make yez your scran then do one.” I balanced the broom on the wall and shoved meself past them into the kitchen. All three of them started to laugh. 

Tom snickered, inaudibly— throwing his head back before shouting, “Don’t tell me you got so flustered that we brought out your scouser! Eh, Ali!” 

Aliena tsked and gave Tom the meanest stare while blushing red. “Shut up! Now, are youse gonna eat leftovers or am I making sandwiches?” I reached for plates that were in the cupboards and put them on the counter. 

“We’ll have the leftovers, Ali.” Tommy replied as he trailed into the kitchen after her and took a seat. Him and his brothers continued to tease her for a while, earning all three of them smacks on the head. Or at least, she tried.

Of course, they all had to head back to their respective work, but decided to meet back up at the Garrison for a good time. 

Time came and passed. 

Tom and his brothers were at the Garrison. Arthur began feeling peckish, so he climbed out of the snug to get to the phone. It took Ali quite some time to get there, and when she did… She looked off. 

"Here’s your dinner. I’m off.” She said while placing both the pot and the basket down.

“Oh c'mon, Ali. Stay 'n 'ave a laugh with us!” John shouted as he passed out the plates and spoons to Tom and Arthur. 

Ali shook her head with a smile on her face. But, it was like she was forcing herself to smile. The corners kept twitching upward to make the smile, but wouldn’t stay up for long.

Tom watched as she stroked the edge of the table, a solemn look on her face.

“Aliena, are you alright?” Tommy asked. His eyebrows furrowed. 

Aliena’s head whipped up and she gave Tom a smile. It seemed like a genuine smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes.  “Yeah, just grand. I'mma head on home. See youse tomorrow. Night!”

Tom and his brothers’ bid her night, but Tom couldn’t get the lingering pit in his stomach to go away. Perhaps he was just reading into it too much, or it was his intuition. He didn’t know, but he tried to still have a good time. 

It couldn’t have been about 25 minutes later when Scudboat burst into the snug, wet from the rain, and his eyes blown wide as his jaw was slack. 

“It’s Aliena, Tom.” He said.

Arthur and John shot up from their seats. Tom’s head turned toward them and he held his hand up, as if to tell them to calm down. 

Tom turned back to Scudboat and asked. “What do you mean “It’s, Aliena”? What’s happened?”

Scudboat stammered for words. “Some bloke tried raping her. She—! She shot ‘em, Tom.”

Arthur and John practically flew out of that snug, Tom close behind. It didn’t take long for him to be leading his brothers.

As he was running all he could think, ‘Not again! Not fucking again!’

Thomas threw open the door and his eyes immediately found Aliena. She was in that fucking tub yet again. But this time was different. Tom dived to the ground, grasped her chin, and tilted her face toward him.

Blood was dripping from her hairline. The blood wasn’t hers. The area surrounding her left eye was red and irritated. Tom had been scrapping for most of his life to know a black eye forming when he sees one. There were hickies littering her neck. 

He knew what had happened, he’d seen enough. All he felt was anger. “Who did this? What the fuck happened!” He shouted. He paced in place before crouching back down and taking her face in his hands again. 

“Stop your fucking shouting! She hasn’t said a word… Aliena, love. Can you tell us what happened?” Polly asked. 

Ali’s eyes darted around the room and Tom took the chance to look over her body completely. There was blood on her breasts, dried, along with a welt that was surely a scratch. It looked like the bastard hit her in her torso the most. Ali’s legs were bent, so he could see the scrapes on her knees. 

Tom felt his blood boiling more and more by the second. Aliena didn’t struggle in telling him what happened, but then she looked down and noticed the dried blood on her breasts. Ali tried rubbing then scratching it off, but Tom was quick to bring her back. It was like what happened two months ago was repeating. 

It was fucking ridiculous!

Aliena calmed herself down and finished telling him what happened. She finished with a snide comment. It made Tom all the more livid. In a fit of rage, he slammed his right palm on the tub as he cursed.

He rose to his feet and bit down harshly on his finger. Polly asked Aliena if she heard anything about where they were planning on taking her, and she did. That’s all Tom needed. 

He and his brothers got a couple of other men. Scudboat, Lovelock, and some other member. They beat the bastards half to death before taking their eyes and cutting off their tongues. Then, they left. The others would kill them, not Tom and his brothers. 

Tom had to physically stop himself from killing them. John and Arthur had to pull him off. It was like his mind had gone silent and all that was in his head were those injuries on her body, and how they’d affect her. She was just healing and now she had to deal with it again! She would probably hurt herself again! She’d make it her fault again!

He wanted to kill them both. He wanted to. But he couldn’t. That wasn’t for him to do and he was taken aback at how far he was willing to go for the girl. But, she wasn’t some girl he’s known for eight months. No, she was a girl who’s helped his family in more ways than one. Who’s helped him in ways more than one.

When Tom got home, he didn’t hesitate to try and get the blood off of him. He didn’t want to traumatize her any further. He even put on his “pajamas.” Tom knocked at her door, half expecting for the girl to be asleep, or Polly was with her— soothing her. But, Aliena was alone and she allowed him to come in. 

Her bruises finally formed and it made his jaw clench. In a way, he finally understood what Polly meant when she said that she was just a girl. He told her that the job was done ‘n she was happy about it. She was glad they were dead. It was an unexpected reaction. He would have thought she would have a sullen look on her face because technically, they were dead in her honor. 

His gaze dropped to her arms and he was reminded once more of what happened last time. He was about to open his mouth when Ali ran to ‘em and wrapped her arms around him tightly. Hesitantly, Tom returned the hug. He even rested his chin on the top of her head and rubbed her back.

When he felt it was time, he kissed her forehead like he’d kiss Ada’s and insisted that she’d sleep with him. Truthfully, he couldn’t trust her to be on her own. Tom suspected that if she were left alone with her thoughts, she’d do something stupid.

So, she climbed into his bed. She faced the wall and sat up as Tom laid down and extended his arm for her to sleep on. Ali gathered her hair to the same side she’d be laying on his arm, and finally laid down. Tom wanted to chuckle. Aliena had to sweep her hair to one side because she had so much of it. 

He attempted to keep a reasonable distance as he’d always done before he started whispering comforting things for her to fall asleep too. In truth, they mirrored what she’d always tell him when he’d awaken from a nightmare. His hand came up ‘n he started combing through her hair. Just for comfort.

Tom didn’t go asleep that night till he was sure she wouldn’t wake up in a sweat. But as he laid there awake as he thought of ways he could protect her. Protect her so much that nobody in Birmingham would dare try something like this again.

And that’s exactly what Tom did. He and his family made it clear that if anything happened to Aliena, and it happened in Birmingham— whether it be by a fucking resident or a fucking tourist, someone would be losing their eyes. She could even be the one initiating it, but they still have to reject her. If not, eyes will be lost. 

Ali took two weeks off of work. She stayed around the family. Chatting, helping, and whatnot. Just to make sure she was relaxing and recuperating. She even went to visit her friends in London for a couple of days.  

When Ali did begin working again, Tom made her take things slow. She didn’t like that, of course, but decided to listen to him anyway. Well, more like “listen.” Ali just got back into the groove of things and she usually did them in the utmost haste. 

Then, the new year hit— it’d been ten months since Ali’s arrival. During those two months, there was a lot going on. Business was doing well, Christmas, and all Tom can remember is how everyone was smiling. Especially on Ali’s birthday. Tom, himself, even cracked a smile— he’s sure he did. 

Tom was certain that he’d unknowingly found an equal to him and his aunt. He could talk to her about anything, and he didn’t need to dumb it down. He liked how easy it was to talk to her. Especially at night, how she would just listen and wait till he wanted her opinion. Couldn’t really talk to the girl about business, though. She didn’t know much.

Tom was at a loss for words. Aliena had been with his family for ten months. That was inconceivable when she first began working for the family. He bet for like a week, not ten months. But, Tom found himself thinking that Ali genuinely changed his family for the better. Well, not change— but help. 

She brought a lot of joy to the kids, Ada, and Polly. She helped with Arthur’s fits, his fits, and well— John was always a people person so…

If there was one thing Tom regretted about those ten months, it was how close he allowed Ali to get. A 16 year old turned 17, but that didn’t make their “special” relationship any better.

That regret only deepened when they finally confronted the fact she was “from another universe.” Tommy walked off and went back to Charlie’s Yard. So, many things ran through his mind that he didn’t know what to dwell on first. 

‘Should I use her to get knowledge about the future? Should I tell Pol? How would I tell her? How much does Ali know? How many people knew him and his family in her universe? Did she know how he was going to die? Did she know when? She said she knew the fortunes of me and my family, right? So, does she know all of our deaths? Should I manipulate her into getting what I want to achieve faster? She must know how everything he’s planning plays out, right? She just said she would. No, I can’t do that.’

He couldn’t do that to her. He couldn’t treat her like some tool, not after what happened last time. Not if he never wanted her smile again. 

But it was too big of an opportunity he was going to pass up, and it gnawed away at him. So, he avoided her. Tom wanted to get his head on straight before even looking at her directions because at that moment— he wanted nothing more than to pressure her into telling him everything she knew. 

Thing was since he had that on his mind, he completely forgot it was her mother’s birthday coming up. In hindsight, the distance he put between them only drove her further toward the bottle. 

But in the moment, just seeing her rosy cheeks, stumbling steps as she clinged to the wall, and— for fuck’s sake, the smell! It made him disappointed and angry. Aliena hated drinking and smoking yet she went ahead and did it! It didn’t make any sense to him.

Deep down, Tom couldn’t even articulate a reason why he was upset with her. Because let’s be honest, it was unreasonable that he even was upset. So, she had a drink, so what? Tom didn’t like Finn smoking, but it’s not like he blew a casket over it. 

Then, Aliena gave him the reason for why she drank ‘n Tom felt like an arsehole. She was grieving and he interrupted that. But, he wasn’t sorry for doing that. Ali shouldn’t be partaking in something she doesn’t even like just because she was sad. She taught him that— the little hypocrite.

Tom and her made up and they began sleeping in the same bed again. Tom was used to it by now. It seemed right for her to be next to him, but that was wrong. Aliena was a 17 year old girl, who fancied him for now. 

It was so obvious that she did. Tom didn’t want to fully believe it, but he knew. He knew that gaze since he’s been the victim of it so many times. 

But, Ali still had time. She fancied him for the time being, but Tom was sure she’d get over ‘em. She’d see him for the scum he was. A lower person that wasn’t worthy for a young, posh girl like herself. Plus, her age— god, her age. What did she see in a man like him? Maybe it was his look. That’s what usually does the trick. 

But it couldn’t be just that ‘cause she’s received a sneak peak into his mind that not everyone gets, and she didn’t run for the hills. 

Tom feels it, though. He’s going to hurt her. He’ll hurt her in such a way that she’ll end up despising him ‘n will run off with her posh mates. He was a weak man. He was afraid that the second she stopped sleeping beside him— the shovels beating against the walls would come back. Tom would be able to face them months ago, but after these months of coddling— he wasn’t so sure.

Eventually, Tom decided it was time to take Monaghan Boy, and he set the course for something that was definitely life-altering. It was nice knowing that, at least, someone had his back in all this. A secret supporter in the background. ‘Cause nobody knew except Ali. 

What Tom remembered most vividly that day Campbell came into town was the conversation he had in the church with his aunt. Polly revealed to ‘em that she knew about his and Aliena’s “little sleeping arrangement.” He was almost tempted to ask if Ali blabbered to her about it, but Pol was quick to say the pair had heavy footsteps. That nothing could ever get past her in that house.

Pol wanted it to be over. Warned him that if anyone was to ever find out, it would ruin Aliena. He agreed, but he was crossing his fingers, mentally. It should’ve been easy for him. He’s been thinking about ending it, anyway. But, he didn’t want to. He didn’t want to, but it had to happen.

So, it did. He took his aunt’s warning seriously and put some distance between him and Aliena. He was busy, anyway. Then, one night he couldn’t fall asleep, but he wanted to. He wanted to go to sleep. So, what did he do? Tom whipped out his pipe again. 

When Ali opened the door, Tom had a fire lit, and was barely rolling out his pipe. He looked at her with a blank expression. Tom felt ashamed. He actually felt ashamed that he’d been caught! What a weird fucking feeling! 

Tom wanted to laugh. He wanted to laugh hysterically at what he was feeling then. ‘Ashamed, for what?’ He thought. But his eyes trailed over Ali’s face ‘n looked for her disappointed reaction.

He didn’t find it. Her eyes were trained on the fire he’d lit. Aliena walked up the light and blew it out. Still not looking at Tom, she whispered. “You’re not doing this. You have me.”

“I did this because I don’t want you.” Despite saying that, he rerolled up his pipe, and set it down on the nightstand.

Finally looking at him, she sternly said.“I outta break that thing, you know. Just chuck it into the fire downstairs.”

Tom’s head whipped up and he glared at the girl. ‘Like hell you will.’ He thought. 

Aliena glared back, and dropped her right hips while crossing her arms. Tom was used to the sight. 

“Don’t try intimidating me, Thomas. Not tonight. You want to sleep. Let’s do it my way as agreed. Because you have fallen asleep my way and you were the one who set up-!”

“Yeah! Okay, I got it.” Very childishly, he laid down with his arms crossed above his eyes. 

She sighed before she asked in a whisper. “Tommy, do you still hear the shovels? Even when I’m here… with you?” 

He felt himself tense up. Then, he dropped his arms. He looked up at the ceiling with his jaw clenched. He tsked, closing his eyes. “No. I don’t hear them.” 

“Do you still dream abar them?” 

“Yes. But not as often anymore.” 

“Then, why were you-?”

“Because. I shouldn’t be relying on you, a girl who’s not my family, to get me to sleep at night. One day we’ll have to go our separate ways. It’s only right that you find yourself a good man and you can’t sleep with me then, now, can you?” His gaze was locked with hers, and he knew his face was… not friendly. 

Ali laughed before saying, “You don’t have to worry abar that. I’m not gonna find meself a good man anytime soon.”

Tom scoffed. “You don’t-!”

“I do! So, let it go and let me help you. You’re a good man, Tom. I don’t want to see you suffer. Especially when all you want is to do is get a good night’s rest.” She stopped fiddling with her hands, and dropped them to her sides. 

Tom wanted to stop arguing for the night. He was running on fumes. He said. “Fine.”

Aliena took off her robe, climbed over him, and laid beside him. She said. “Lay lower than me. Don’t question it, just do it.” 

He sighed and did as she said. Ali scooted herself up then closer to ‘em. “Lift your head.” He did it and she extended her arm under his neck. “Face me.” He did it. His head near her chest. With her free hand, she brought it up to his face and began to stroke his cheek, and run her fingers through his hair. 

He knew she was whispering comforting things to him, but his mind was running a million miles per hour. His face was way too close to her breasts. Way too close. But he already chose not to fight her anymore. See that, that was wrong. And he knew it.

He was probably giving the girl more leeway than he originally thought. He was going to need to nip this in the bud a little harder than he thought. It was wrong to be leading her on like this when he had no intention of changing the nature of their relationship. Tom considered her as a friend, but as of the moment— he didn’t even acknowledge her as a woman.

He couldn’t. He absolutely couldn’t because he knew it he did— the situation they’re in would take a turn. Of course, it would! And he wasn’t going to allow it. So, Tom would allow himself to be weak for just one more night. But tomorrow night, he was going to have to put his foot down. 

Tom did. He stayed true to his promise, and he even found something to take his mind off Aliena. The new barmaid, Grace Burgess. She caught his attention. Appearance wise, Grace was very much like an older sister to Aliena. Anyone with eyes could see that the two women looked like they were related. 

There were minor differences like the mark on Grace’s forehead, the colour of her hair, her height, and the way they held themselves. Grace was more confident and a people person. Aliena kept to herself, speaking only when spoken too, and would hesitate at times. 

But they were both singers, both newcomers to Birmingham, had similar accents, wide eyes, and held so many secrets. The main difference Tommy found himself dwelling on was the fact Grace was closer to his age. Four years younger, he found out. Four-fucking-years compared to the twelve year gap he had with Aliena. Almost made him want to laugh. 

Grace lasted for some moments, business keeping his mind full, instead. But then Campbell began his games and Tom had a bonfire in retaliation. What a bloody mistake. Gave his brothers the opportunity to make Aliena sing. 

Tom remembered thinking that she was beautiful as she let loose and enjoyed herself. Her facial expressions as she sang forced him to stifle multiple bouts of laughter. Should’ve been an actress, he’d think. 

He’d watched as she danced with all his brothers. How she had fun with them. Him and his feared brothers, well, except Finn, of course. Tom caught the gazes of the surrounding crowd. They had no idea what she was singing, so they couldn’t sing along. 

They couldn’t show their displeasure at what she sang, either, in fear of incurring his or his brothers’ wrath. He didn’t necessarily take pleasure in it, but he liked it. He didn’t want them spoiling his family’s and Aliena’s mood. Despite that, he saw the way some men looked at her. How some women looked at her with jealousy written all over their faces. 

It was pathetic, in his opinion. Looking at the crowd soured his mood, so he turned away and admired the way Ali sang. Eventually, he’d decided he wanted a dance with her as well and cut in. 

Tom took in every lyric she sang. It was a love song. Of course, it was. Tommy wanted to see her smile and her laugh. So on a whim, he began making silly faces that were supposed to be a reaction to her song. He succeeded in making her giggle. 

Unfortunately, he was on a high that night and he conceded into his desires. Tom slept with Ali that night. They laughed and talked the night away. Tom stroked her hair till she fell asleep. 

Some days passed and Polly told Tom about Ada being knocked up. That she and Ali went with Ada to go check, and Ada was. Oddly enough, Tom felt betrayed, in a way. He was surprised that Aliena could even manage to keep a secret from him. Hell, the girl was so easy to read that everyone knew she was smitten with him! So, how the hell did she manage that. 

It sent him for a loop, a harsh loop. That feeling of confusion and anger at himself, at Ada, at Polly, and at Freddie— unfortunately, resulted in Aliena taking the brunt of it. He made her cry, again.

Tom really wasn’t angry at her, and was going to talk to her the next day, but he was busy taking care of business with Campbell. He wasn’t surprised that the stress caught up to him. Finally used his old pal, yes, he did. And like karma, he had nightmares about the war. 

When he woke up in a sweat, his first thought was to seek the comfort of Ali, who was supposed to be sleeping next to him. Only, she wasn’t there. He’d driven her away. So pathetic. With a heavy heart, he sat on his bed, waiting for the sun to beat the shovels. 

 Luckily, he didn’t have to deal with the shovels for long ‘cause Curly came and got him. Only it was for a grim reason. Putting down a horse was always difficult. Horses were such beautiful creatures, different from filthy human beings. 

You know after he shot the poor thing, his first instinct was to seek the comfort of Aliena. Made him sick. He just had to laugh at himself. Stubbornly, he avoided the house at all costs and made his way to the Garrison. 

Grace was the only one there, made it all the more better. After the whole confrontation part, it was like the air was clear between them. All Tom could think about was how Grace was beautiful and more attainable than...well, her. Tom found himself growing more and more intrigued with the woman. 

The next morning, Tom went into Aliena’s room with the intention of just clearing the air. He hadn’t meant to apologize. It was just—! When she looked at him with such annoyance or indifference, he sort of crumbled. It was worth it, though. It was worth the smile that crept on her face. 

Made him all the more confident about his meeting with Kimber. A few days passed after that, and Arthur just had to ruin it. Arthur had to point out that Aliena and Grace looked alike, and Tom did not miss the look of disgust that crossed the girl's face. 

Tom could understand the sentiment. He didn't want people assuming that he only liked Grace because she looked like Ali. It would be ridiculous, but it could be said. On the other hand, he knew Ali didn't like being compared to the "other woman." She was just going to have to get over it. Nothing was going to happen between them, so she'd need to learn to move on. 

Tom fucked up again that night and slept next to Ali. Moment of weakness. Fucking bastard was dumb enough to be happy! But, he was also genuinely worried that Aliena would throw up in the middle of the night, if she wasn’t careful. 

A few nights passed and Tom made sure to stick to his promise, even though he’s already broken it. Ali came into his room the one night he decided to use his pipe. It was crazy how she knew, he’d caught himself thinking. But then he would remember for a split second that she probably knew because of her “foresight”. 

He hadn’t even taken it out yet, and he ended up deciding against it. He just laid in his bed, waiting for Danny as Aliena said he’d come in the night. As he laid there in bed, he decided to finally think about something that’s been eating at him. 

‘Why was Ali so afraid of men?’ 

He understands that she could have developed a fear of the touch of men, but she’s still very affectionate with everyone. However, the second he or his brothers raises a voice at her or around her— she shuts down or cries. He wonders if she grew up with an abusive dad & it infuriated him. ‘How could anyone hurt—?’ He chuckled to himself, ‘a light like her?’ 

If only he remembered what she said about her father.

Cheltenham came and went. Tom was amazed that the same situation happened twice in his life, but he admits with Grace— he got there sooner. Guess you could chop it up to experience, after all. 

Tom had a nice time with Grace. A nicer time then he thought he would have given the circumstances. And because of it, he distanced himself from Aliena even more. He officially stopped the arrangement, and put some boundaries up. In a way, he stopped being a friend to her.

Tom didn’t acknowledge the hurt puppy dog eyes she’d give him from across the room. He had to accept that it was wrong for him to be as close to her as he was, even more so since he began developing an attraction toward Grace. 

If only those psychotic Lee boys didn’t choose to use a war tactic to confront him, then— then he wouldn’t have asked Ali to crawl into his bed. He didn’t want to dream or battle the shovels against the wall, waiting for the sun to come out. It was so much easier and nicer to talk the night away with Aliena instead. 

Aliena was truly a nice girl. A girl who had to deal with a lot at a young age, but then again— who didn’t. But, he admired the way she fought through her pain with a smile. With her laughter. On the other hand, he chose to push it deep inside and not look back. Tom spent enough nights with Ali to know she did routine personality checks, at least once a week. Mad it was. But, it made her all the more adorable.

Adorable. Cute. Pretty. Funny. Words you’d use to describe a child. This poor girl, honestly. He pitied her for falling in love with a man like him, someone his age. Part of him wished that she’d fancy John instead. 

A few nights and days passed before Tom had a little “meeting” with Campbell. Truly the fucking bastard crossed the fucking shit with what he fucking spat! 

“But, I hope to God that my dismissal doesn't come before your decision to hand back those guns. And I say this for your sake because, if I were to be fired, and it were your fault, I would do things that would shame the devil. 

My fury is a thing to behold. On my last day in power, for example, I would see to it that you and your scum brothers have your heads stoved in with mallets and spades. And your sister, too. That baby inside her would be of no consequence to me. 

The only one to be spared would be your little brother Finn. He would, however, be lifted, as a juvenile, and dumped in that part of the adult prison where men have the most appetite for boys like him. 

And that little maid of yours... Well, I don’t give a damn what the people of this town have to say about her. I’ll make sure she’ll end up in the worst whorehouse known to man. They’ll rip her apart, break her, and pump her full of drugs to keep her going.

Oh, that would be a dark day indeed, Mr Shelby, if my dismissal comes before your decision. You understand? And know this, the clock is ticking.”

When Campbell left, Tom ran back to the house, in the pouring rain with one person in mind. Tom ran through the house and to Ali’s room. She was getting undressed, in nothing but her slip, and her hair was soaking wet. He didn’t hesitate to bring her in his arms. 

He knew his hold on her was tight. But, he couldn’t help it. All he could think of was the images Campbell left him with. His family, his sister, his brothers, Finn, and Aliena… God, Campbell’s threat against her infuriated him just as much as the threats made against his family. And he couldn’t get that— fucking image out of his head. 

Aliena all drugged out, laying on the bed while some fucking bastard was writhing on top of her. His hand on her face as he made her look away from him. Her eyes were dead, a tear trailed from her eye, and she had an arm extended out as if she were reaching for someone. 

Tom just found himself yearning for the sound of her breathing, the way she talked, and her scent. Things that reminded him that she was safe there with him. Aliena always knew the right thing to say to calm down his nerves. It was frightening.

When Tom ‘n the family got their license, he couldn’t give you a reason why he spun Aliena around. The only excuse he could manage was that he was high on happiness, and that it felt right. 

If only that happiness could stay, right? He had to admit there was some happiness before the other shoe dropped. Like how Grace stayed after Tom kissed her, how John and him had a moment, ‘n how the wedding was good for a while. 

Then, Polly got it in her head that he shopped Freddie, and Ali attempted to come between them.

Big mistake on her part. 

But, surprisingly when Polly slapped her, Aliena didn’t cry or run away. No, instead she held her head up high and straightened her back. Tom knew this had to be heartbreaking on Aliena’s end. He’s sure she’s never been hit by someone close like that before. That’s all the more reason why he expected her to cry. Not look like she was about to strike his aunt back!

There was another thing about Aliena that only Tom had a lot of experience with, Aliena’s different types of anger. Anger number one dealt with a lot of attitude and cheek. Anger level number two meant her voice raised, the attitude was there along with the cheekiness, and she started bringing her hands into the conversation. Anger level three meant all the previous with some Spanish and clapping involved. Anger level four was indifference. It was silence, a weird sense of calmness. It was a look that Tom could only define as his resting face. 

So, he knew Aliena was pissed at what his Aunt had done. 

Family quickly chose a side. The only one on his side was Aliena, and she paid the price for that. Ostracism. Tom made the hasty decision to ignore Ali, for her own sake. He figured if he turned her against him, then at least she’d be spared of his family’s anger. He knew it caused her her relationships with not only Polly and Ada, but John as well. 

So while he was happy to know that she was still by his side, he wanted her off it. Unfortunately, Ali never got the hint and didn’t begin hating him like he wanted her too. But, he was so certain that she would begin to any day. Tom stubbornly listened to her cry, rant, and sing herself to sleep in her room. He was definitely sure she’d hate him the next day. 

After almost a month of this treatment, she wasn’t changing sides, and he could see how it was affecting her. Ali looked like a shell of a person whenever he passed her, and she was so much more quiet. It was painful to see. 

When he went into her room to tell her about the date he’d chosen to do over Kimber, he was shocked at how bad she’d gotten. Her hair was a little matted, her eyes dark like a racoons ‘n empty as well. 

When he spoke, her eyes fell to the side of him slowly as if in a trance, and her head began to twitch a little. It was unnerving. He told her to take the day off and he was glad she happily accepted it. Tom wanted her to rest. 

He just never thought she’d do something stupid like runaway.

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[elysiashelby]

In Another World - T.Shelby Imagine Ch. 23

Paring: (Eventual) Thomas Shelby x Aliena Welsh (OC)

Fandom: Peaky Blinders

Word Count: 14,103

WARNINGS: ANGST, Cursing, “Fluff,” “Vivid” Murder Scene, Drinking, Racist Douchebag Appearance, Violent Altercations, Michael’s 3rd POV Shift 

Summary: The year is 1922. Aliena is becoming more independent than ever, and some people are not liking these changes. What’s more, Michael is coming to terms with the crushing reality that Aliena has a big crush on his cousin. 

MASTERLIST   CHAPTER 22  CHAPTER 24

A/N: There’s an appearance of a sexist, racist asshole but that’s pretty much the only warning. From the tags, you can guess what’s ahead.

 SEE THE BLACK LINE BREAKS TO SKIP THE MURDER SCENE!! 

THERE IS A POV CHANGE! PLEASE LOOK AT MY GUIDE TO HELP YOU OUT IF YOU’RE CONFUSED. Line Break Survival Guide.

Time’s passed again. It’s 1922 now. I’m going to turn 20 in a week, but I think I’m not going to celebrate it again this year. Not in the mood for celebrating. But anyway, there weren't any awkward moments or strains on relationships. 

Tommy and I were fine since technically nothing happened between us. Just because I knew he was fucking his horse trainer didn’t mean that I had a right to be tense with him. I’m really just a family friend and more importantly, an employee. So… 

I blamed my pisspoor mood on my period which immediately created understanding with Michael and Isaiah, so everything was good there too. You know, I’m turning 20. That's four years since I’ve been in this universe and I’m planning on finally living! 

So, I’m not going to tell a blag, I’ve been more wild recently. Giving less of a fuck about what the Shelby’s think pertaining my fashion choices. My mouth has been kept in check, though. They still give me my paycheck! I won’t jeopardize a check!

You know, there’s this disconnect or distance growing between me and the family again, but I don’t mind as much as I did a year ago. Honestly, now I think it’s just a matter of time. Polly talked a lot, but she couldn’t cash that check. She’s sweet with me, but she is more focused on Michael’s well-being. I’m just his keeper.

Not that I was fucking babysitting him. He’s 18, for god’s sake! Whenever he chose to party with me and my mates, he did whatever the fuck he wanted. I wasn’t going to stop him from having a good time. I didn’t let anybody do that to me, why would I do that to him?

On that note, Michael has seen my wild side, and will continue to see it. I don’t care anymore. He wants to party with me then he will. Isaiah and him know the rule, they even think about snitching or telling anybody about what we do in London— I can easily cut them off. ‘Cause at the end of the day, these were my mates who were upper class ‘n could not give a damn about them. 

My mates didn’t perceive me in the same lump as Michael and Isaiah. They genuinely think that I would be on the same level of status as them if my parents were still alive. Which technically, I would be but I wouldn’t be accepted into their society. Cassie and Angie, they really groomed me into being a “proper” lady when the time came for me to enter their world. But everyone knows, I’m a “bruh” girl at heart. 

Which they don’t know that term and call me something else that is the equivalent like tom girl for instance. 

Only thing is since I’m their friend, they don’t mind my actions. If them two act out of line, they will tell me something. Which has only happened twice.

Anyway, despite how negative that may sound— Michael is growing to be like a brother to me. Let me rephrase that, a step-brother to me. 

I knew he liked me. It was obvious. I just ignore it. Isaiah, though, is really fun to party with. He matches my vibe very well. Michael is like his mum, he’s a little reserved. And he doesn’t like how I party. I know that and I don’t care. 

Tonight, we were in some club in London. Angie, Cassie, Tina, Horace, Douglas, Isaiah, and Michael were all here with me. I was smoking a ciggie on Isaiah’s lap chatting with him and Michael. 

Michael reminded me of a pup sometimes. He went wherever I went.

I was in a suit, though, my jacket was hanging over my original chair. My hair was done up in a messy high ponytail and I was wearing Isaiah’s peaky cap for fun.

Michael and Isaiah were talking about business now, so I couldn’t join them in conversation. I rolled my eyes and brought my bevvy to my lips.  

My eyes naturally looked over for my friends. Cassie was dancing with Douglas while Angie was dancing with Horace. Tina, on the other hand, was at the bar. I smiled, giddy and hopped off of Isaiah’s lap.

“Oi, I’m going over there.” I pointed over at Tina and they both nodded me off. I fought my way through the crowd to get to my girl. “Tina!” I shouted. “What are you doing all the way over here?”

She gave me a side eye before sighing and throwing back her bevvy. My eyes widened and I dropped my mouth into a deep frown. 

I chuckled. “Alright, what’s all that about? Come now, you can tell me if ya want.”

She sighed, running a hand through her hair before asking, “Ali, what would you do if your husband was cheating on you?”

I shook my head, closed my eyes, and raised my eyebrows. ‘Ye wha?’ I cleared my throat and kind of stumbled in place. “Um, okay, then. Well, it would depend. We’re married, right?” 

Tina nodded, slowly. Her eyes drooping. 

“Well, then. That leaves two options, or three. If I married him for love, I would leave him. Out of the question, I would find a way to divorce his sorry arse or at the very least, run away to America. Even if I had children. But if he showed remorse, I might think of staying for the kids. MIGHT! If we got married for financial reasons, then fuck him. He can do whatever he wants. Just so long as he never gets caught with his mistress, buys her a house, or starts a family with her.” I blew out the last of my ciggie before stubbing it out.

I smiled at Tina who looked even more distressed. “What is it, love?”

Tina’s eyes fluttered and she finally dropped her hand from her hair. She looked at me sullenly as she said. “It’s Darren. He’s… married.”

I didn’t react. I did react. I spluttered and a hand flew over my mouth. “Spill the tea, sis!”

Tina rolled her eyes. “He doesn’t even love his wife, you know. They got married since she got knocked up, but then she miscarried ‘n then they just stayed together. There’s no love in their relationship.”

I looked at her concernedly and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Love, I—!” I shook my head. “I don’t know.” I scrambled for advice. I absolutely despised cheating, so I wanted to tell her to get away from him. But I don’t think she’d listen anyway nor was she looking for that sort of advice.

I took a deep breath and asked. “Okay, Tina. How serious are you about this lad?”

“What?”

“You’ve told me that you and him have done the deed, so moving forward… Is he willing to get a divorce from his wife?”

Her mouth opened and closed. “H-He keeps telling me and promising me, but it hasn’t happened yet. I don’t know what to do.”

“Tina, if you love him— find out what’s going on. Either he’s playing you or he’s not. You need to find this out quickly since there’s a third party involved. If there wasn’t I’d let you tippy toe around all you like, but with another woman in the mix— that could mean blood. If you don’t love him, then you need to end it. If his wife is looking for a divorce, or just fucking finds out— you’ll be the one labeled as a whore not ‘em.”

Tina began to cry and I pulled her into a hug. She had to bend down, but she hid her face in my neck. She sobbed. “I think I love him.”

I sighed and looked up at the ceiling. ‘Fuck!’ “Then, you need to figure out if he loves you that much too.” I parted from her and cradled her face. I wiped away her tears with my thumbs. “It’ll be okay. I’m sure he’s a good man if he managed to steal your heart.”

Tina smiled, sadly, as she nodded. “He really is. He makes me smile. Makes me happy.”

I smiled for her and then ordered another round of bevvies. Once we got them, I nodded my head back toward the table. I shouted as I set down my drink. “We back, boys!” They acknowledged us. I pulled out a chair for Tina before sitting down on my own. My legs were wide open.

From the corner of my eye, I could see a man walking toward me. I made the executive decision to quickly sit back in Isaiah’s lap. He grabbed and settled me down on his lap with ease, which made me smile widely. My head did a little dance. I reached for my drink and took a sip.

I was about to say something to Tina when I was interrupted. “Oi, you.” He was pointing at me. “You’re a woman, right?”

I stared at him blankly. With my mouth still closed, I licked my top teeth. “I don’t know. What do you think?”

He scoffed, his eyes widening. “I think your mum is calling you home, sweetheart. Didn’t she ever teach you that suits are for men?”

My facial expression didn’t change, but Isaiah’s sure did. He leaned back in the chair and peered up at the man. 

He said. “Oi, piss off, will ya? Don’t you see we’re trying to have a good time?”

The man glared at Isaiah. “Nobody’s talking to you, darkie.”

I shot up to my feet and got up to his face. “The fuck, you say, cabrón*!”

The man took a step back, startled. Before he huffed and puffed and got back in my face, “You should really think about what you’re doing there, bitch. Talking to a black and wearing a suit. Maybe I should just teach you a lesson on how to be a real lady?”

I smirked and hissed. “¡Hijo de tu puta madre!*”

Isaiah scoffed from behind me and muttered. “Great, here we go again.”

I took one step back before throwing a right hook to his face. It was too fast for him to comprehend, so it landed. I held onto his collar and kept on punching him all the way to the floor. I could hear a commotion heading for me, but I wasn’t concerned about it. 

I was fiending off of the blood that was coming out of his mouth. Punching his face in was such a thrill!

However, it was short-lived as I felt someone wrapped their arms around me. Effectively trapping me. 

I was about to throw my head back to headbutt them, but the man behind me yelled out. “Ali, it’s Douglas! It’s Douglas!”

I craned my head back and smiled. “Oh, hi, Dougie.”

He smiled back. “Hey!”

With the same smile on my face, I said. “Let me go.”

Breathily, he replied, without hesitation. “Okay.”

Douglas dropped me and I sniffed while shaking my shoulders. I looked down at the unconscious man and pulled my leg back. I kicked him in the stomach and in the nose. There, I was satiated now. I looked over at Isaiah and Michael and saw they were done scrapping as well. 

I took a deep breath before shouting, “Let’s go!” All of us walked over to our table, grabbed our shit, and got the hell out of there. As we were walking in search of our next club, Michael caught up beside me.

He was, obviously, ticked off. He sighed. “Ali, why did you do that? You could have seriously been hurt.”

I arched an eyebrow at him before laughing. 

Before I could answer, Isaiah grabbed onto my shoulder and pulled me to his side as we walked. “Save your breath, Mickey. This girl ‘ere is a fucking vicious fighter. Should be more worried about the bastards she fights against. Seen her take men twice her size and win. Ain’t that right, songbird?”

I jumped up to lock Isaiah in a headlock. “Is right, la’!” I let him go and cackled. “Let’s paint the fucking town!”

We found another club to make a ruckus at. I was being watched the entire time by Michael. He was making sure I didn’t get into my second fight of the night, which was fine by me. I couldn’t have my knuckles getting bruised anyway. It would provoke unwanted questions. 

Also, the first thing I did when we found the club was ice my knuckles. We stayed there for a little while longer before I decided that we should head home. 

I bid Cassie, Angie, Horace, Tina, and Douglas night before taking off with Michael and Isaiah. Michael dropped off Isaiah first before heading to the house in Sutton.

I had my feet propped up on the car door window sill. I used Michael’s cap to hide my face. I was attempting to doze off, but once Michael cleared his throat— I knew I wasn’t falling asleep anytime soon.

He asked. “Why do you start fights all the time?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s not like I start them, for fuck’s sake. I just finish them. That’s what you’re not understanding. They fucking talk all aggressively to me or to Isaiah and I won’t ‘ave it. They wanna run up on me or us, well then, they're gonna catch these hands.”

Michael shook his head, his jaw clenching. “I—! I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

Taking a deep breath, I took the lapels of my suit jacket and yanked on them. “I know, Mickey, I know.”

Like a minute passed before he found his next question. He asked. “Hey, Ali. Cassie was telling me you wanted to be a writer, how come you aren’t?”

I snorted. “Could’ve sworn I told you about it.” I sighed before grunting as I sat up straight. “Life got in the way, Mickey. Didn’t have the luxury to write anymore. Not enough time in the day.”

Michael faced me before facing the road again. “Yeah, you didn’t but now you do. Mum considers you like family so I’m sure she and Tommy would finance you.”

I nodded, pursing my lips. “Yeah, maybe but I have other things in the way other than money.”

“Yeah, what’d that be?”

My tone softened as I said. “Love. I want to find love.”

It got silent between us. A few stolen glances later.

I cleared my throat. “Plus, that would feel like I’m taking advantage. I’d rather just work for the family how I am now for a little while longer.”

Michael hummed. “But, you’re so smart, Ali. Why don’t you work alongside me and mum for the company? You can do it. You’re good at mathematics ‘n your words. Hell, you could probably be a second secretary to Tommy!”

We both chuckled at his last statement.

I sighed, slowly. “Oh, Michael. I don’t want a life like that. I don’t want to work for the company that way. Numbers aren’t my thing. Doesn’t matter that I’m good with them. Me da’ was, so I inherited the natural ability to comprehend the concepts, but I don’t quite click with them. I love writing more.”

Michael nodded while humming. “I get it. You don’t want to be stuck doing something you don’t have a passion about. Yeah.”

I nodded. “Exactly.”

“Then, what do you want from life?”

I smiled, staring at the scenery as it passed us by. “I have three goals in this life, Mickey. Well, now I think they became two but what the hell, you never know. First and foremost, I want to be a mother. I want to have children of my own. The second would be to have the ability to write. I don’t need to make it big, but I’d like to be able to sit down at a desk and write. The last would be to be financially stable. I don’t need to be rich rich, but enough so that I’m able to do what I want.”

Michael nodded. “What changed?”

“Huh?”

“Didn’t you say it changed or something?”

I nodded. “Yeah. Um, basically, one of my life goals used to be becoming a wife, but I’m not too sure about that anymore.” I looked at him and grinned. 

Michael didn’t say anything, but I knew he was curious. I didn’t care, though. I didn’t owe him anything. 

We pulled up to the house and got in. I wasn’t surprised to see a half-asleep Polly waiting for us in a chair. She gasped and then sat straight then walked over to us. Michael and I leave the car windows down, so that the cold wind sobers us up. Sometimes it works like a charm, other times— it just feels nice. 

This time, it worked.

“How was it?” She asked me while cradling my face.

I nodded. “Uh, yeah, we had a good time.”

Michael echoed my response. “Yep, it was super!” Polly moved onto him and I had no idea what she was checking us for.

She hummed. “Well, then. Youse go up to bed. Love youse, goodnight.” Polly kissed Michael’s and my cheeks. We bid her goodnight and then raced up into my room.

It was a little ritual of ours to come back to my room after a night out on the town. I made the off-handed comment that it felt weird to be apart from each other so abruptly after a night out together, and Michael’s been in my room ever since.

He doesn’t sleep here, but we just talk for a little more. Most of the time, I fall asleep while he talks.

I clapped my hands as I walked through the threshold of my room. “Alright, Mickey! You know the rule. Assume the position!”

Michael threw his head back in a laugh as he faced the door. I didn’t hesitate to start undressing and slip into something more comfortable. I started singing Gwen Stefani’s “Bubble Pop Electric” as I did so.

Once I was done, I told him he could turn around. I was already climbing into my bed. Michael, on the other hand, took the chair by my desk and dragged it over so that he could sit down.

Michael sighed before muttering, more to himself. “Fuck it!” He looked up at me and asked. “Aliena, why don’t you want more out of life? All I’m saying is that I think you have the real potential to be someone in the company! I think you could be Tommy’s right-hand man. I think everyone in the family knows it too.”

I glared at him. I didn’t like people prodding about the subject. The only one who understood me was Cassie. I sighed, exhaustedly. “Michael, it’s not good to be greedy. I have different desires than you, which you’re making blatantly clear by the way.”

“Wha—”

“Yes, you are. You want to be someone important in the company and you’re projecting your desire onto me. Do you know what projecting means? It means when you have feelings about yourself and you displace them onto another person. Everyone has a role in a family such as yours, okay? Get this through your head before you fuck up.

Tommy is the leader. Nobody will replace him till he names a successor. He not only has the brains, but he has the brawn for it as well. No brute can be a leader. His right-hand men are Polly and Arthur. Arthur is his maddog. He takes out anyone just as easily as he strikes fear. Your mum, she’s his brains. She understands Tommy better than anyone. 

John. John can’t be big ‘cause of his loose lips. He can’t keep a fucking secret. AND! Not many people know this since he mainly takes care of the books ‘n shit, but he’s just as violent as his brothers. Probably even more so. Arthur and John can’t be leaders because they lack what Tommy has in their own ways. So, they’re stuck being footmen. Ada, well, she’s out of this equation since she doesn’t want anything to do with the business. So that leaves you! And you, Michael, you...”

I sighed, throwing a hand over my eyes before saying, “You have real grit, but you’re too young. You’re eager to prove yourself to your cousin and I understand that. Finn’s the same, but don’t get a big head. You are an account clerk, you are kept out of the family business. You don’t understand the way the dangerous side of this family works and you probably never will. You didn’t grow up around it.”

Michael scoffed and with a glare, he asked. “What? And you did? You’re better than me?”

I smirked wryly, turning my head to look at him. “You said it yourself. I have the potential to really be something within this company. And yeah, I did grow up around this type of stuff. I know how to act. I will obey Tommy like my life depends on it because it does. I will never bite the hand that feeds me. And people who do that shit, disgusts me.”

No, I didn’t grow up in this type of environment in the way I led him to believe. I watched a lot of mafia/gang movies as a child growing up. It’s part of the reason why I have such a deep loyalty to family and the leader, I think. I’m desensitized like no other fucker in this universe, so I’m able to act right when shit goes down. Well, I have less of a hard time wrapping my head around the shit that goes on around me. I’m sure everyone who watched this show is more or less the same. 

Speaking of the show, Michael’s betrayal pissed me off the most. He had no right doing what he did to Tommy over a suggestion from that bitch Gina. As long as I’m in this family, I’m going to make sure he never targets Tommy and if he does— maybe I’ll take it into my own hands...

Michael sniffed and his expression softened. I was snapped back into reality. I softened my expression as well and took a deep breath. “Look despite all the shit I said. You really are smart, Mickey. You have ambition, a type of ambition that I don’t have. Let’s leave it at that, alright? Also, don’t tell John or Arthur what I said. They’ll fuck with me for weeks if they found out.”

Michael chuckled, a tiny smile on his face. “Yeah, all right.”

Despite the “harsh” words I said, Michael and I managed to stay on good terms. Right now, I was messing with him at work. It was funny, seeing him so riled up. 

“Ali, I’m serious! I don’t want to get in trouble. I’m supposed to be working!” He said through a laugh while taking my hand off his head. 

I pouted, childishly, and kept trying to ruffle his hair. “But I’m so bored! I finished my work at de’ ‘ouse ‘n Polly won’t give me anymore work.”

Michael scoffed. “How is that my fault?” He was still blocking my hands

I shrugged my shoulders. “Don’t know, don’t care. Your fault.” We chuckled, still playing around. 

However, the entrance doors burst open— startled, I stopped trying to mess with Michael. My arms slowly retracted closer to my body, and I’m sure we all watched as Tommy walked toward his office. 

I could smell his cologne as he passed me ‘n it made me sigh, inaudibly, of course. My head whipped ‘round to continue watching him as he walked toward his office. I only stopped till Tommy’s figure disappeared into the room.

My gaze dropped to Michael’s desk then back at him. Michael was already looking at me. I flashed him a smile, tucked buck some of my hair behind my ear, and then tried ruffling his hair again. 

I was wearing something “modest” today. A flowy white, collared, long-sleeved shirt with a black skirt. My hair was down. I had it in a half up, half down style. Instead of just tying it back, I took my framing hairs on the sides of my face, did them each in a braid, and pulled them back that way. It was like a halo or a crown, I think. 

I don’t know. My mum used to do my hair in this style all the time as a kid. So, that’s who I learned it from. I put on a bit of makeup. Not for any particular reason, I just felt like it today. It was a film noir makeup inspired look, I guess.

Anyway, trying to ruffle Michael’s hair got boring since he deflected me well, so I stopped and chatted with him instead. 

I sighed, kicking my legs, which were hanging in the air. “Your job looks so easy, but I feel like I’d hate it.”

He scoffed, looking down at the books. “You know you do something like this over at the shop, right? You count how much money you’re given at your desk, that goes to John, and that goes to me. Then, at the end of the day when I’ve made sure you’ve done your jobs properly, I give that to Tommy.”

I hummed. I looked around his desk and decided a fountain pen was my best source of entertainment. “You know, you should really get some toys or something for your desk. Make it yours. Personalize it ‘n such.”

He chuckled, still not looking up at me. “You mean get some toys for you to fiddle with while you bug me. What happened to that one year being older than me, eh?”

I tsked. “Shut up. You saying you don’t want me here?” 

Michael glanced up at me with a mischievous smile on his face. 

A smile of my own creeped up on my face ‘n through a gasp, I smacked his arm. “¡Mentiroso!* You love me coming over here and bugging you. Just admit it, I add some colour to your day.”

Michael exhaled deeply while twirling his pencil between his fingers. “Never.”

I tsked and went to hit him again. Just as my hand made contact with his arm, Tommy’s office door opened with him standing at the threshold of it. His eyes immediately found Michael and I, and as he peered down at his pocket watch— he exhaled deeply.

Tommy said. “Ali, come here, yeah?” He went back into his office.

My eyes widened as I looked over at Michael. My mouth pulled back in an “Eee.” 

He just snickered while shaking his head. “Someone’s in trouble.” He teased.

I tsked, smacked his arm hard enough to make him clutch it, and hissed. “¡Tu cállate!*” I hopped off Michael’s desk, my basket in hand, and hurried along inside Tommy’s office. 

I closed the door behind me and then walked over to my favorite chair. “Eh, what’s up, boss?” ‘Don’t fucking laugh! Don’t you fucking laugh, Aliena!’ Slowly, I put my head down as I brought a curled finger up to my mouth.

Tommy continued to work on the paper in front of him and didn’t look up at me till he was finished. “Ali, you’ve been with this family for what? Three years now.”

I blinked. ‘Why the fuck is he phrasing it like that? Am I about to get fired?’ I hummed in the affirmative. 

Tommy stared at me a little before sighing ‘n pinching the bridge of his nose. He muttered something under his breath before saying, “Look, Ali. You are an important member within this family and I need to know if your feelings for Michael are going to jeopardize that.” 

I did a double-take. “Ye wha? What’s in the whiskey today, Tom, eh?” I giggled. “Look, I know I buzz around Michael a lot, but I don’t like ‘em like that. Polly-!” 

Wait, a mo’. I don’t remember if I told him about what Polly said to me at the house. Fuck!

Tom took my silence as me giving up my “time.” He said. “Exactly, Pol. We both know how much she cares for you. She treats you as if you were her own daughter. Now, this situation here can only go one of two ways with her. She’ll either accept it or go against it, and I just need you to understand that.”

I took a deep breath and looked away. He was pissing me the fuck off. My eyes flickered up and I calmly said. “Tommy, I do not like Michael. I don’t fancy him. Okay? Look at the words that my mouth is forming, okay?” I began to talk obnoxiously slow. “Michael and I are just friends. We are practically like siblings. Nothing is happening between us, okay? Okay.”

I stood abruptly from my seat and slammed the basket down on his desk. I muttered. “The only reason I was here so long bugging Michael is ‘cause I was waiting for you to come back to the office.” I chucked the sandwich on his desk and roughly closed up my basket. “There you are. Goodbye, Tom.” I carelessly threw the basket on my arm and rolled my eyes. 

While walking away, I waved my hand in the air and said. “Don’t worry, Tom. I forgive you for making assumptions. You were doing it for me and the family to keep the peace we have, I know.” I placed my hand on the doorknob and turned it. I looked back at him and smiled. “See you at dinner.”

As I walked out of the office, I said goodbye to both Lizzie and Michael then went about my day.

Another day, another party. I should seriously stop doubting the amount of social events these rich people have. 

You know what! I’m getting sick and tired of this! What do I call them? Huh? Aristocrats, rich people, nobles! Are they all interchangeable? Too bad I’ll never ask out of embarrassment. 

This time it was a kind of Halloween party. I say Halloween party purely because we had to dress up. Only it wasn’t in costumes ‘n stuff. Oh! A masquerade! It was a masquerade party.

I was a little disappointed when Tina had my dress made and it was simple. I was expecting to be in a ball gown, but c'est la vie. The dress was red and  so was my mask. I still couldn’t get over getting ready in a different fashion, you know? The iron curler was so different from the one I was used to, the methods of makeup and hair, and the styles. They all baffled me. 

The party was being hosted at a grand mansion, or manor. It reminded me of Arrow House. The evening was nice. There were some whispers about me, but not as bad as before. When I first began attending these parties with my mates, people (women especially) talked loudly about me. 

We all know how one of those instances turned out.

That was a dark time, we don’t speak of it. Now, I don’t care. I could give two shits if some Lady wanted to gossip about me, that’s fan behavior. 

Eee! Is that how that phrase is used? I really wish I had Google right now!

It wasn’t very Art Deco yet, which was always disappointing. The dresses, the parties— all kind of boring at the moment. I’m guessing the reasons for that is ‘cause it’s the early 1920s. However, the beauty of vintage clothes, dinning, and music were still there.

I was only happy that I didn’t mind music with purely instrumentals. It would’ve droven someone insane if they could only withstand music with lyrics and heavy background. Me, I was slightly describing myself. I was an emo kid. I loved heavy metal, hard rock, and all that. I missed heavy bass, scream-o, and indie. But I also loved all this jazz, and blues singing. Do you know how hard it was to not have modern music?

I didn’t have my phone and headphones anymore. I couldn’t just blast music through my headphones and maladaptive daydream my day away. I was forced to disassociate in real time, or sometimes I was forced to face my reality. I usually ended up either being overwhelmed, or shut down. 

Cassie stayed by my side for the most part, then Douglas came and I switched to Tina, then Angie, and finally Horace. Horace was a pure cinnamon roll. Just loved his academics and Angie. All he ever talked about. Made him easy to talk to and reminded me of my mum, a little. Since I find that every conversation we have, we’ve almost already had it.

When the room began to feel unbearably stuffy, I told Horace I would take a break outside. He asked if I wanted some company, but I knew he was itching to get back to Angie. So, I declined his offer and went outside to the garden.

Well, it was more like a backyard. It led into the woods and had flower beds near the doors line with red bricks. A bench was between them, so I rested there. I was always reminded of my height when I sat down. I was lucky if my feet touched the ground.

I had to sit at the edge of the bench for my feet to be firmly planted down. I admired the flowers after that. Roses and others. It’s really bad that I only knew a little bit of flowers by name. But they were pink, yellow, orange, white, and red. There was not a purple or blue flower in sight. 

Were flowers naturally blue? I don’t know. Wait, I think they are. I think the ones growing in the backyard of my childhood home were a shade of blue. Or were they purple? Fuck it!

I sighed, took off my mask, and craned my head to look up at the lovely night sky. I heard footsteps coming from the left of me, but I didn’t want to pay any attention. If I didn’t look at the person, maybe they would just go away. 

“Hello there. Is this seat taken?” This man asked. 

My eyes fluttered closed, I took a deep breath, and then looked at him. He was anywhere from 5’3 to 5’6, athletic build, brown hair, and— brown eyes, I think. 

“No, it isn’t.” I gazed down at the empty spot before scooting away from it some more. He sat beside me on the bench. 

‘I was over on the bench. Yeah, ‘cause I was over on the bench. I. Was. Over. On. The. Bench.’ God, I missed YouTube!

We sat in silence for about a good minute before I heard him take a deep breath. I squeezed my eyes shut as I waited for the impending questions.

He cleared his throat as he asked. “You are Ms. Cassiopeia Johnson’s friend right? The one who’s been going to every social event with her?”

I gave him a tight-lipped smile and nodded. “That’s me.” I held out my hand. “Aliena Welsh, you are?”

With a soft scoff, he looked at my hand with amusement before taking it. “Daniel Smith. I already know you. You are practically the subject of every social event.”

My eyebrow arched and my jaw dropped a little. ‘I knew I was going to be talked about, but not by that much. Maybe he’s over exaggerating it?’ I closed my mouth and said. “Oh, really! Well, then. What’s being said about me then?” 

He stammered for words, averting his gaze.

I shook my head and in a playful tone, I said. “Now, now. You brought up the subject, Mr. Smith. Please enlighten me what is being said about me.”

His tongue prodded his cheek before he undid his mask ‘n placed it in his lap. Mr. Smith looked back at me and he was attractive enough. I would shag him, but that’s about it for now. 

With a fist covering his mouth as he cleared his throat, he began. “They say that you are extremely beautiful and lovely to chat with. However—”

I chuckled, inaudibly, and interrupted him. “However!”

“Yes, however. However, you are… Unrefined in many aspects of your character. The way you dress, the way you talk, the way you dance, the topics you converse with others in. They all show that you are. Are, um—!”

I sat up straighter, my arms crossed over my chest. “Lower born, lower class, scum? That the word you’re looking for?”

Mr. Smith cleared his throat again and tugged at his collar. “N-No, not at all. Well, actually. Yes, but—!”

I smirked. “But oftentimes, people of high classes love to see those born in a lower status than them because we amuse youse. The manner in which we speak, how we conduct ourselves, our daily challenges. Every time I open my mouth and tell youse an anecdote, you are continuously reminded that you were born with the lucky stick.” I looked up at him. He seemed bashful, ashamed, guilty. “That about sum it up?”

He swallowed while nodding. His Adam’s apple bobbed.

 I sighed and waved my hand. “I have no problem with it. In fact, I was expecting it. Cassie, Angie, Tina— they are all my friends. They were also born with wealthy families as I’m sure you were too. As a lower class outsider, I knew the people around them were bound to make assumptions about me, and criticize my every move. Thing is,” I looked at Mr. Smith again. “I don’t come to these parties with an ulterior motive. When mates invite you out, it’s usually to have a good time. And that’s what I intend to do.”

Mr. Smith’s jaw dropped a little, he pursed his lips, and then nodded. “I would like to formally apologize on behalf of my peers.”

I let out a curt laugh. “Thank you, Mr. Smith”

A hush fell over us, but then he spoke up again. We talked about the party, how it was, and gossiped about the host. He didn’t hold anything back when spilling the tea about all his peers. 

That was the one part of the conversation that I actively listened to. Everything else was one ear and out the other.

Then, we chatted about the house, the flowers, ‘n all their beauty. He even had some knowledge about flowers, which I liked. But then he started getting personal, which sort of triggered my paranoia, but I just thought it was me. He insisted that we called each other by our first names since we were so close in age, and I noticed that he started leaning into me a lot.

Daniel asked. “So, how is Cassie? Is she still as ditzy as I remember her?”

I suppressed the urge to arch my eyebrow, painted on a smile, and asked. “Well, how long have you known her?”

He hummed. “Uh, about since she moved here from America. Our father’s aren’t on good terms, though. They used to be, but then they ended up being in two different political parties. So, they went their separate ways.”

I nodded, exhaling in a way that puffed out my cheeks. “Well, then. To answer your question, Cassie is good. I don’t know about how ditzy she is? But, I know her to drop a thing or two within a week’s timespan. But, as do I.” 

I wasn’t going to tell him that the reason why things drop around me is ‘cause my arse knocks them down!

He hummed again. “How about Angelica and Christiana? I know Horace came back, but everyone knows that Angelica will never give that bluenose the time of day. She’s a woman who needs a strong man on her arm ‘n— ” He laughed. “Horace is not the man for the job. Some question if he even likes women at all. And Christiana, she’s never even looked at a man.”

My heart was beating through my chest, my throat felt constricted, and my tongue was prodding my cheek.

I scoffed and shook my head. I rose to my feet, giving myself some leverage as I pushed myself up with my hands balled up in my lap. I sighed and averted my eyes from ‘em. “Mr. Smith, it’s been lovely chatting with you; however, I believe I’ve gotten quite enough fresh air now. Have a good rest of your evening. Goodbye.”

‘Walk away now, Aliena! Before you do anything stupid!’

With my tongue still poking my cheek, I walked away with a little attitude in my step. 

Something just told me he was going to do something or say something incredibly fucking stupid.

And he did. He grasped my wrist as I was walking away and told me to wait. 

“Hold on, wait, wait. Was it something I said?”

I blinked slowly before elongating my words. “You were bad-mouthing my mates right to my face. Yes, it was something you said.”

He waved his hand across in the air near my face. “You know what. I completely apologize. How about we seat down again and talk about something else instead?”

I averted my gaze to the woods, back at him, and then looked him up and down. ‘Should I just give him one more chance?’ I thought. ‘I am working on getting over Tommy. This guy doesn’t need to be anyone special to me, but for right now, he could serve a purpose.’

I sighed. “Okay, sure.”

He let go of my wrist and we both walked back over to the bench. I noticed this time we were both tense and reserved. I mean, I was always like that, but now he was too.

Mr. Smith’s mouth smacked as he opened his mouth. “So, tell me. What do you do for a living?”

I swallowed before saying, “I am a maid.”

“A maid? Oh, that’s right! I think I heard about that somewhere. Do you work for Cassie?”

I shook my head. “You wouldn’t know them. The family I work for.” I smiled just thinking about them. Tommy flashed through my mind, obviously. I liked thinking about his cheeky smile the most.

He chuckled. “That’s not a fair assumption. Come on, try me,”

I shrugged my shoulders. “The Shelby’s. That’s their family name.” I faced Mr. Smith and saw confusion paint his face.

He scrambled for words before his face fell as he whispered. “I don’t know them.”

I bit back a smile. “Yeah. I figured.”

After that he made more conversation about what I did, what I wanted to do, and about the Shelbys. I made sure to keep them as vague as possible but it was hard? It was becoming more and more annoying how pushy he was being.

Eventually, crickets were the only thing that could be heard and I was thankful for it.

Mr. Smith cleared his throat. “Aliena, it’s getting quite cold out here. Let’s find a room and talk in there, shall we?”

My head whipped toward him, my eyebrows furrowed, and my jaw dropped a little. I took a deep breath and sighed. “Uh, no.” I shot to my feet and faced him as I spoke. “You know what, I think I’ve been out here for too long. It was nice chatting with you, but I need to find my mates now.”

I got a couple of steps in before he caught my wrist again. “Aliena, hold on!” He tugged me toward him. My fists balled ready to push myself away from him. “Okay, wait! I know I messed up that one time, but we had fun, right? Let’s continue having fun. Don’t you want to have fun? What do you say?”

I took a deep breath. “Let go of my wrist.”

He let go of me like my touch burned him. “Sorry.” 

My nerves were finally starting to make themselves known. ‘Thanks for that.’ I rubbed my wrist and clutched it close to me. I peered up at him through my eyelashes, saying, “Maybe we can meet up another time. I really have to get back to my mates.”

He groaned and ran a hand through his hair. Under his breath, he cursed. “Fuck!” He looked up at me with a glare, and that’s when I knew what the fuck he was trying to do. 

My hip dropped as did my hands and I scoffed while shaking my head. 

He sniffed and flicked his nose. “Wha-What is it? Huh? Is it because I’m not rich enough? Maybe my family is not well-known enough for you to put out?” 

I knew I was looking at him like he was crazy and his eyes widened as a result.

He chuckled mirthlessly. “Oh, come on! Drop the fucking innocent act, Aliena. Everybody knows you’re nothing but a whore.” He hissed while pointing a finger in my face.

I held back a snicker and devoid my face of any emotions. 

Mr. Smith was shaking his head frantically now and rubbing his chin. “You know what, fuck you! Fuck you and those bitches you call mates. Cassie is nothing but a walking pair of tits. Angelica’s got a stick so far up her arse that a real man will need to teach her how to act properly, and Christiana—! Everyone knows Christiana is either a fucking lesbo or really good at hiding how much of a nympho she really is.”

I knew my facial expression was still deadpan. I could feel my eyes getting more hooded with each venomous word that spat out of his mouth.

I wanted to hurt him. I wanted to take their names out of his pathetic mouth.

He rushed forward and grabbed my chin. I pushed his arm away from my face and we struggled a little bit till I backed up enough to be out of his reach. We were both panting.

He took a loud deep breath through his nose and combed back his hair with his fingers. He ran his hands over his face before charging toward me. I steeled myself and didn’t dare back down.

He shoved his finger in my face. “And you. You, Aliena, everyone has a bet on who you’re fucking to be able to afford all the jewelry you wear and custom clothing. All you’ll ever be known for is being a gold-digging whore, who fucked her way into a social class she doesn’t belong in.” 

We stared into each other’s eyes and I knew I won when he scoffed. 

Shaking his head, he said. “It’s your boss, isn’t it? He may not be known within my social class, but he’s making money, nevertheless, right? I bet all his money goes to keeping you happy and pretty. A man will do anything to keep the mistress happy. After all, a mistress is a much easier piece of arse.” He sniffed, flicked his nose, and started sauntering back. “Isn’t that it, Aliena? Isn’t that who you are? Nothing but a gold-digging mistress to some low-level bookmaking nobody.” 

I watched him walk away, but just as he passed me. His hand reached back and he squeezed my arse. I arched my back away from his touch and took a few stumbling steps forward.

He scoffed. “Nice arse. See why’d he spend all his money on a whore like you.”

I wasn’t really thinking. All I could feel was rage. Uncontrollable rage. My eyes flickered to the bricks that lined up the flower beds. I rushed forward, tugged out the loose one I was eyeing out, and picked it up. I marched behind the bastard, brought it over my head, and brought it down on his.

He cried out before falling to his knees, then on his face. I straddled his body and kept whacking him in the back of his head with the brick. 

All that shit he was talking about Cassie, Angie, Tina, Horace, Tommy, Me! He had to pay! He couldn’t get away with that! Why should he?

I brought it down a few more times. His blood splattering on my face, my body. His head made the most disgusting wet sounds when I brought down the brick on it, but it was expected.

 I stopped and panted. I looked around me and saw no one in sight. 

I looked down at what I did, and only one thing ran through my mind, ‘What have I done?’ My mouth smacked as I took a gulp of air. I blinked a couple of times, but there was blood stinging my eyes a little. 

I shook my head and was brought back to reality. I scrambled off of him, and tried wiping the blood off the brick on his suit jacket. It wasn’t working, so I ran back over to the flower beds. I tried covering the brick in dirt, but when that wasn’t working— I walked over to the body.

I set the brick aside and worked on tearing off his jacket, which was met with a lot of difficulty. I laid the jacket down on the ground and then flipped his body on it. 

I bit down on my bottom lip harshly to cease the grunts of struggling that wanted to escape my mouth as I began dragging his body toward the woods with the brick resting on his torso. 

His face looked alright from the front, but I knew his head was caved in from the back. 

Courtesy of me. 

I dragged his body for what seemed like for miles. I kept stumbling around in the dirt and from sticks and nature! It was pissing me off and causing my anxiety to rise at the same time. 

I hissed at myself. “Why’d you do this, Aliena? Why’d you do this?” 

I whimpered, still trying to drag him deeper into the woods. Then, I finally fell back. I yelped and used my hands to catch my fall. My back and arms hurt. Shakily, I brought a hand up to my face. There were impressions from sticks and stuff, but no scrapes. I took a deep breath, and hauled myself up. 

I found my grip on the jacket again and continued dragging him away. 

I didn’t stop. I didn’t stop until I saw a stream of light at the farthest distance away from me that I could register as possible.

As I grew nearer, I realized that the stream of light was the moon hitting a cliff. With a new sense of motivation, I hauled arse to the sight. Once I got there, I dropped the jacket, which meant the body ‘n brick too, without a care. I peered over the edge and I was happy to see there was a body of water. I walked back over to the body, bent down and took out the pocket knife I had strapped to my thigh. I unlatched it, the blade came out, and I went down on my knees. 

I used my knife to rip open the rest of his clothing on his torso. That included the suit vest and the button down shirt. I heaved a deep breath before hovering my pocket knife over his lungs. 

The only reason I knew where they were was due to Dom’s insistence that I learn where every organ in the body was, so that I knew where to shoot or stab a target. I took Anatomy and Physiology in high school ‘n couldn’t remember shit! It was embarrassing!

I stabbed as hard as I could into his chest. I would have no idea if I stabbed deep enough or not. I did it multiple times before moving onto the other lung. Then, I had to puncture the stomach. This was a little less harder to do since all I had to do was cut him open and then stab his stomach. It would be messier though. My hands were covered in his blood by the time I was done.

I set my knife aside, stood up, bent back down for the knife, and then cut a piece of my dress off. It was absolutely ruined now. I whimpered at the sight of it. I closed my pocket knife, and put it back on the strap. 

I looked around me for a stone or something, and I eventually found one. I carried it over to the body and plopped it on him. I took the brick I killed him with, which fell a couple of fucking times, by the way! I trudged over to the edge of the cliff and chucked it over.

I walked back over to the body, picked up the stone, carried it over to the edge, and walked back to roll him near the edge as well. 

‘Please fucking work!’

I hauled his body up enough to get the strip of my dress that I cut off under him, placed the stone on his torso, used his torn in half clothes to cover up the stone, and then took the ends of the strip into my hands. I tied it with as much force I could put behind it as I could, then stumbled back to my feet. 

I took a few deep breaths before I gathered the strength to kick him off the edge. I peered over and watched as his body flew down. I don’t know if the stone stayed tied to his body or not.

I looked up at the night sky and remembered how beautiful I found it earlier this evening. My face contorted in a sob and I brought my hands above my head. The weight of my hands resting on my head made it teeter side-to-side. I ran my hands over my face, and cringed up instantly. 

I had forgotten about the blood on both my face and my hands. 

But, I found myself liking it. Liking the texture of it. The blood on my face was cold, but the blood on my hands were warm. I found myself running my fingers down my cheeks over and over again.  

I stared up at the moon and smiled. It was a twisted, maniacal, hysterical smile. Then, my face dropped and without hesitation, I took a step forward. 

Wind was all I knew. I wish this could be a TV show or movie moment where I could reflect on my life and make some apologies or promises. But, this was the real-world. One moment the wind enveloped my senses, then it was water. Harsh, cold water. I scrambled to the top and gasped for air. 

I had to keep kicking my legs to keep above, and I was fucking ecstatic to see my heels floating nearby. I held onto them as I swam over to the shore and trudged out of it. I dumped out the water in my heels and shook them. I threw them aside and walked back over to the water. 

I sat down and roughly rubbed my face using the water. I dipped and rubbed my hair in it too for good measure. Scrubbing my hands of it was the worst since I had no soap to help. I scratched and rubbed them raw. When I was done, with heels in hand, I began making my way back up the cliff and back to the mansion.

At one point, I began running back. I don’t know when, but I did. I got too paranoid with all the darkness and quiet surrounding me. I ran and ran till I was able to see the backyard of the mansion.

There was a person, a woman there. She was running around frantically. Blonde hair, and wearing a famili—! Cassie, it was Cassie! 

I ran faster and just with my luck, I tripped as I crossed the threshold of the woods.

“Oh my god! Ali! Aliena!” Cassie screamed, running toward me. She took me into her arms and gasped. I whimpered and tugged her closer to me.

Frantically, I shouted. “I need to get out of here! Cassie, I need to get out of here, right now!”

Cassie nodded. “Okay, okay! Come on, honey. Come on.” She helped me to my feet and held me close as we began walking, probably, to the car. “Douglas! Douglas!” She shouted.

Douglas ran into view. His steps stuttered when he caught sight of us. “You found her! What happened?”

Cassie shook her head, I could feel it. “She hasn’t said a word. Carry her to the car now!” Cassie let go of me and ran off. Most likely to either get the others or to bring the car ‘round. Dougie, Cass, and I came in the same one, but as a group we came in two separate vehicles.

Douglas walked up to me, bent down, and was hesitant to put his hands on me. I held up my arms for him and he finally picked me up. I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck and hid my face.

“It’s all right, Ali. We got you now. Let’s get you somewhere safe.”

I ended up telling them what happened in the car. I didn’t tell them the truth, of course. I told them that Daniel Smith lured me into the woods by taking away my mask. I didn’t think anything of it since I was kind of tipsy. I told them I didn’t even notice that we were that deep inside the woods, but he knew.

He knew since he tried to take advantage of me, I told them. I could practically feel their seething anger. Cassie’s hold on me grew tighter while Dougie struck the steering wheel. I told them that I managed to fight him off and ran away. I fell in a body of water as I was running, I said. They ate it up and I was glad for it. I snuggled into Cassie’s breast and closed my eyes.

 I was going to have to tell Dom and Cassie an altered version of that story in case his body floats.

Michael was beginning to grow more and more worried by the day about Aliena. The way she spoke, the way she dressed, the way she held herself— it was all different. Ali was getting into fights with Polly for the smallest things, and she even dared to challenge Tom whenever he, basically, had something to say to her. 

The way she dressed, it was different, too.  She was dressing like a prostitute, for lack of better words, with the amount of cleavage she showed, but it was also somehow modest. Michael didn’t know how to describe it, really. He was confused. He’d never seen a woman dress the way she did.

Aliena wasn’t as bubbly as everybody was used to, and it was seriously worrying everyone. She’d never spent a day without giggling once, but for a week now, she’s had a permanent pouty look on her face. She looked like she would break down at any second, someone just needed to ask the right words.

So, no one did. No one wanted to be the straw that broke her back.

Since the only ones who partied with her ‘n her mates were himself and Isaiah, he saw what his other family members couldn’t. He saw a side to her that he only knew. 

That fact made him happy; however, the way she partied with her mates— didn’t.

‘If he thought she was out of control then.’ He laughed.

Aliena engaged in more festivities than what he was used to seeing. Ali smoked weed like it was air, drank cocktails like they were water, and began starting fights rather than finishing them. 

Aliena was always different, in Michael’s opinion, like she was born in the wrong decade. That opinion only solidified when he saw the way she danced. It was so sexual and  again like nothing he’d ever seen before. If the woman who raised back ‘ome in the village caught a glimpse of the way Ali pressed her body against a man she’d barely met in a club, she’d immediately call her a whore ‘n warn Michael to steer clear of her. 

Michael wondered if she had any idea what she was doing to the men in these clubs they partied in. Or she did know, but she didn’t care. 

Michael couldn’t deny the jealousy that was burning in his heart whenever he saw Aliena make out with some random man or woman. Whenever he had to withstand the sight, he’d want nothing more than to rip her from their arms, throw her over his shoulder, and take her to the house in Sutton. But he knew she’d hate him for that.

Well, not hate, but she’d give him hell.

Michael tried getting help from someone about Ali, and because Ali’s and his mum’s relationship were on the rocks— he had to ask his last resort, Tommy. Michael waited till it was night to confront Tommy. He didn’t want to go any earlier in fear of Aliena walking in on their conversation, or being there if Tommy chose to have a talk with her afterward.

So, he waited till night ‘n knocked on Tom’s door. Tom let him come in. Michael walked in, sat down, and tried to phrase his words in the best way possible. 

He cleared his throat and while fiddling with his hands, he said in an octave about a whisper. “Tom, I— uh. I wanted to talk to you about Ali.”

Tom stopped writing and stared down at his paper. Not picking up his head, he asked. “What about her?”

Michael scoffed, turning his head away before looking back at his cousin. “Tom, you’ve seen how she’s been acting! I—! I think something’s wrong.”

Tom’s eyes flickered side-to-side pensively. His tongue slightly poking out as he wet his bottom lip. His gaze finally met Michael’s and he said. “Of course, something’s wrong. Thing is, what do you want me to do about it, eh? If you’re so worried about ‘er, ask her what’s wrong yourself.” Tom looked back down at his paperwork and picked up his pen as if he were done with the conversation and going back to work.

Michael swallowed silently before sighing. “I already asked her. A bunch of times. She won’t—! She won’t tell me...” His voice cracked at the end, making his words trail off. His hands felt sweatier.

Tom slammed his pen down and pinched the bridge of his nose before staring directly at Michael. “Michael, look, eh. Aliena!” Tom took a deep breath before continuing, “Aliena gets sad, okay? She gets like this sometimes. It happens out of nowhere like Arthur’s fits. Okay? Think of her like Arthur. That’s what I fucking do. When she’s had enough of being sad, she’ll come to me and vent what’s been bugging her, and I accommodate it. Then, it’s like the episode’s never even happened! She gets a big ol’ smile on her face and skips out of the room. Understand?”

Michael glared at Tom. ‘Why would she run to him? Why did his words sound so patronizing? Like he’s got her all figured out and he was the only one who had this knowledge?’ He thought.

Michael cleared his throat and shifted around in his seat, leaning forward. “Why would she come to you?”

Tom scoffed, a smirk spreading across his face as he leaned back in his chair. Tom studied his younger cousin’s face ‘n saw the glare. It was a jealous glare. 

Tom wiped the smirk off his face, looked to his left and then back at Michael. “Where else would she go?” 

“My mum.” Michael quickly suggested.

Tom’s tongue prodded his cheek and he nodded amusedly. “Fair enough. Aliena will tell Polly or me about her problems and I end up accommodating them. Understand?”

Michael realized that he was now the one being patronized, but since he got somewhat an answer to his question— he decided to not kick up a fuss. He nodded. “Yeah.”

Tom nodded as well. “Good.” He leaned forward, picked up his pen, uncapped it, and began working on his paperwork.

Michael rose from his seat and whispered. “I’ll say good night, then, Tom.” Michael left his cousin’s office without a word. 

Michael went back home, expecting to mull over his cousin’s words, but when he got home— he caught Ali about to leave for another night out. He stopped her and asked her where she was headed. Ali had a smile on her face, always did when she was headed out.

Told him that she and the mates were going to hit the city again. Michael turned around and saw his mates parked in a car across the street as they always did. He took off his cap and said. “Well, then. I’ll come with.”

Ali smiled hugely and locked arms with him, leading him to the car. “I knew you’d say that! C’mon, then!”

The two of them crammed themselves into the car ‘n then the lot of them were off to London. The car ride was chaotic. People screaming over each other, Michael and Horace were crouching down in the back with the girls, while the girls sat in each other’s laps. The lucky ones were Isaiah and Douglas in the front. 

The girls were giggling and talking loudly just like their male companions. That’s what made it a shouting match! The car ride was chaotic to the very end as Douglas made the car screech as he abruptly parked. It sent the lot of them in the back forward. They all scrambled to get out and were dramatic once they were. With their obnoxiously loud stretching and moaning. 

Michael’s gaze fell upon Ali. He watched her stretch. Ali had her arms over her head, palms reaching for the sky as she stood on her tippy-toes. She opened up her eyes as she fell back on her heels, and a big smile stretched across her face. It made Michael grin as well. Ali’s eyes did not look for Michael, instead, her head comically swished around as she tried to find her target. 

With a toothy smile, she ran toward her person. “Dougie!” She screamed. Ali ran toward Douglas, who turned around from his conversation with Isaiah. Douglas smiled at Ali, turned around with his back to her, knelt down with his arms extended backward, and caught her on his back. The pair laughed. Douglas hiked Ali further up his back and then stood up. 

“Hello there, love. Ready to wreak havoc tonight?” The lad asked her.

From the corner of Michael’s eye, he could see Cassie stroll over to the pair with a smile on her face. 

Ali nodded, fervently and childishly. She said. “Mhmm! When have I not?” 

Cassie stood in front of the pair, reached up, and ruffled Ali’s hair. Through a laugh, she said. “I’ll say.”

From behind Michael, Angie groaned loudly before saying, “Come on, people! Let’s party!” They all cheered in response and began walking around the city for a club. 

Michael didn’t know what to expect. For a couple of minutes, he was happy seeing her happy. A change that happened at night when he and her were done with work for the day ‘n they either fucked off to her room or with the mates. But there Ali was intoxicated, like a soldier who needed pain meds for an injury, dancing with a man in the middle of the dancefloor. 

In her beautiful red dress, her hair done up messily, and her black heels. Michael found that whatever she wore exemplified her beauty. Didn’t matter if she were in a suit, dress, work clothes, or sleepwear— she was a fucking cherubic sight. 

Michael was actively choosing not to focus on the sight of her hips grinding into the man behind her. He was captivated solely by her figure.

Isaiah looked at his mate ‘n saw him lookin’ at Ali. He shook his head ‘n grimaced. After an internal debate, Isaiah sighed and looked back up at his mate before hitting him on the arm.

“Oi!” Isaiah called above the music.

Michael was startled by the abrupt call for his attention. A blush spread across his face in embarrassment from being worried that he was caught staring at Ali. Michael slowly tore his gaze away from Aliena and faced Isaiah.

Michael said. “Yeah?”

Isaiah sighed. He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees, a hand stroking his chin, worriedly. 

He was worried about how he should go about talking about this to Michael. Michael and Isaiah became fast friends since his arrival. It was just easy, especially since they were the same age and with Isaiah being Ali’s permanent partner out. 

Isaiah sniffed before sitting up straight. “Mickey, look, mate. It’s not a good idea.”

Michael’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion before he chuckled softly. “What’s not a good idea?”

Isaiah’s eyes flickered toward Aliena and he nodded his head toward her as well. “Aliena, mate. It’s best if you don't.”

Michael’s eyes followed Isaiah’s and then he hung his head down. Embarrassment and anger were all he felt. A sense of inadequacy burned throughout his body. Michael shook his head and stammered. “I-I don’t know what you’re—”

Isaiah shook his head. “Mickey, I’ve seen the way you look at ‘er. It’s the way I’ve seen countless men look at ‘er. It’s the exact same way I’ve caught her lookin’ at your cousin.”

Michael jerked his head back at Isaiah’s words. “Fucking what? My cousin?”

Isaiah nodded, his hand rubbing his chin before he dropped his hand down. “Yeah, your cousin. She looks at Tommy like that. Everybody who has a pair of eyes knows that Ali’s had a thing for Tommy. Ever since she came into town. Well, not from the start but—”

“Wait, wait, wait! Aliena fancies Tom?”

Isaiah looked at Michael like he was crazy or dumb. “Yeah, mate. She does.”

Michael scoffed and hung his head. 

He was beginning to connect the dots. Mulling over every interaction Ali’s had with Tom, when she brought him up, when he’s walked into the room— everything! It was right in front of his face, but he chose not to see it. He didn’t want to.

Michael scoffed again, shaking his head before sitting up straight and taking his glass into his hands. He was flabbergasted. He brought the glass to his lips and slowly took a sip. Then, he had a thought, ‘She likes him. But there’s no indication that Tom likes her. That means—’ Michael looked up at Ali. ‘Well, why can’t I go for her? They’re not dating and she could always change her mind. Why not then?’

Michael faced Isaiah and said. “Isaiah, mate. She likes him now. That could change.”

Isaiah scoffed then started chuckling, humorlessly. “Mickey, it’s not that simple, mate.”

“Why not? They aren’t together. Look at her now. She’s!” Michael glanced at Aliena, who was craning her head up and making out with the man she was dancing with. “She’s fucking making out with that man, for Christ’s sake!”

“Exactly! If the woman was even a little bit smitten with you, you think she would be doing that in front of your face? She’s in love with Tommy!” Isaiah shook his head, slightly shocked at the brazenness of his friend. He leaned back in his seat with his left ankle resting on his right thigh. The side of his pointer finger rubbed against his lip. “Even the girls say that her crush on ‘em is bad.”

Michael averted his gaze to the left, staring at the floor. He had this pouty look on his face. “He’s too old for ‘er. Tom doesn’t even look at her like that.”

Isaiah wanted to scoff at his friend. He wasn’t so sure about that.

Isaiah said. “Yeah, Mickey, mate. I wouldn’t place a bet on that.”

“What?”

Isaiah nodded, noting the confused look on his mate’s face. Isaiah averted his gaze over to the woman in question. 

He couldn’t lie. He fell for the girl a little himself. How could he not? She wasn’t some damsel, she knew how to scrap. She could turn every man’s head in any room she walked into, she was that captivating! 

Isaiah cleared his throat before saying, “A long time ago, Tommy sent out an order about Aliena. No man in Small Heath, no man in fucking Birmingham in general was allowed to take a go at ‘er. Anyone who tried. Would get their fuckin’ eyes blinded.”

Michael’s face contorted horribly. “What? Fucking what? Who’s he to fucking send out that order? He’s not even fucking with her!”

Isaiah’s face softened as he recalled the supposed reason for the order. He cleared his throat again and shifted around in his seat. “Look, Mickey. Tommy actually gave that order twice. The first time was when she was first hired. It was like a general warnin’, you know. Like he was warning off the fathers in the Blinders ‘n town about their sons, in case any of them tried distracting her from her work. But the second time. The second time, well this was just a rumor but—!” Isaiah swallowed harshly. “But there was a rumor that these fuckers from out of town tried raping ‘er one night.”

Michael’s head whipped up, dumbfounded. 

Isaiah nodded. “Yeah. So, like the day right after. Tommy made it clear. Anybody in Birmingham seen trying to ‘ave a go at Ali or more specially— seen trying to take advantage of ‘er, was to be dealt with by the Peaky Blinders.”

Both boys sat there in silence after that. One in deep thought about Ali’s well-being while the other was hoping his little lecture got through to his mate. 

Isaiah prayed to God that Michael would see sense and get over his little crush for Aliena as he did. Nothing good would come out pursuing a woman who already had her heart set on another man. 

Well, maybe just this particular woman. Aliena’s case was a special circumstance. Besides, she’s capable of kicking both his and Mickey’s arses to Timbuktu. 

There was also their boss they had to worry about. Isaiah knew his dad would’ve gotten a warning for his eyes before it happened, but if it were any other bloke in Small Heath— their eyes were as good as gone. Now if Michael decided to still pursue Ali, Isaiah wasn’t sure how that would go down. He just knew it wasn’t going to be pretty. Not the way Isaiah’s caught Tommy eyeing Ali from time to time.

Michael didn’t add anything to the conversation and sat there in silence for a little while longer before getting up. His gaze stayed on Ali as he did so. The man was long gone. Was probably kicked to the curb while he and Isaiah were talking. Michael kept his eyes on the sight of Cassie running up to Ali. Smiles on both their faces as they hugged and spun around.

Michael took a second and thought about his next move. 

He could either head for the bar for another drink or fucking be a man. He chose to be a man.

He swallowed his anxieties and marched straight up to Aliena. She took notice of him immediately and pointed her smile at him instead of Cassie. Michael stood in front of her and asked her for a dance. Ali cackled, a hand covering her mouth as she did so, but nodded nonetheless.

Aliena didn’t grind her body against him. She never did. Instead, they swayed ‘n did whatever dance was popular at the moment. Michael minded silently. Always silently. 

They danced together till they were sweaty and panting. Ali was the first to stop. She caught herself and panted for air. With a hand clutching her chest, she waved Michael off ‘n told him that she needed to head for the loo.

He nodded and watched as she walked away from him. A figure stepped into his gaze. It was Angie. 

“Can we talk?” She asked.

Michael, who was still trying to catch his breath, passively nodded. 

Angie sighed, knowing full well where his attention was. “It’s about Aliena.”

Michael’s eyes fluttered shut and he winced. He thought, ‘Here we go again.’

“What about her?” He asked, calmly.

Angie sighed, glancing down before looking back up at him. “You shouldn’t get too close to her.”

Michael stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked away, nodding. 

Angie huffed, continuing. “You can’t handle her, Michael. What she wants is probably too much for you!”

Michael’s face contorted in anger and he spat. “How would you know that?”

Angie smirked, dropping her right hip. “Has she told you what she wanted out of life yet? I bet you already asked her. The girl’s a mystery, after all.” Angie took a step closer to Michael. “I bet you wondered, “What is an educated, intelligent girl like herself doing in this dump like Small Heath, Birmingham? Why is she letting herself be nothing but a maid?” I can tell you why. Aliena’s in love with your cousin, Tommy.”

Michael started shaking his head in disbelief. He couldn’t believe he was having the same talk in one night.

“Those life goals she was talking about, she wants to fulfill them with him. Aliena wants to marry Tommy. Hell, she wants to carry his children, Michael!”

Still shaking his head, Michael got into Angie’s face and yelled. “No! I can change her mind. I can make her love me as I love her.”

Angie took in Michael’s facial expression and scoffed. “God, you think you can change her mind? Seriously? Are you that daft? Ali’s fancied your cousin since she was 16.” Angie took a deep breath before continuing, “We’ve tried setting her sights on other men. Hell, you’ve seen her tonight! She can make out with strangers while we’re out, but that’s all she does with them! Why doesn’t she allow them to become more, you might ask? ‘Cause even if she makes out with anyone who wants her, she’ll never give them a chance. Why? ‘Cause she’s still waiting on him. She’s waiting for your cousin to set his sights on her.”

Michael could feel his blood boiling, but he bit his tongue. He resorted to roughly stroking his chin, slightly shaking his leg as well.

Angie averted her gaze ‘n took a deep breath before placing a hand on Michael’s shoulder. “Look, I know how you feel a little bit. I wish that Aliena was different. I wish she would use her talents and want more for herself, but I’ve had time to accept her wishes. Michael, she wants to be a mother more than anything else in this world. This life! You and I, we see that as ridiculous at our age— she doesn’t. And let me tell you something, okay? She will not wait for you to be ready for a child yourself. In her mind, she’s waited long enough.”

Michael’s demeanor changed as he grew more sullen with each word. “What does that even mean?” He whispered. 

Angie felt pity for the boy. She knew her mate would never look at him as a man. Aliena said so to the group herself. She sees Michael like a cousin. Tried seeing him as a brother, but said she gave that position to Douglas instead. 

Angie also knew that Aliena preferred older men anyway. Older men to her were more emotionally available, wealthier, and around the age to want to settle down. Men her age, or around her age wanted nothing more to explore multiple women and not be tied down. Aliena wouldn’t want to take a chance with Michael. She couldn’t, in her mind. 

Angie sighed and squeezed Michael’s shoulder. “It means you should give up while you still can, love. I’m sorry.” Angie patted his shoulder a little before walking away with Horace hovering a hand over her waist ‘n who gave Michael the same pitiful look. 

‘Seems like everyone knew.’ Michael thought, slightly irritated. 

It wasn’t till 3 in the morning that Michael and Aliena got home. Polly no longer waited up for them. She’s gotten used to both Michael's presence and “her childrens’ ” partying. 

Michael thanked his lucky stars that Aliena always had the common sense to sober up a little bit before heading home. It made it easier to corral her into her room. Michael was a bit ashamed as he stared at her arse as she walked up the stairs. It became a habit, one he would never share. 

Ali giggled to herself as she stumbled toward her room. A hand covering her mouth as if to muffle them. Michael smiled to himself. 

‘She wouldn’t even wake up a mouse with how low she was giggling.’ He thought. 

Michael opened the door to her room and allowed her to walk in first.

Aliena whispered. “What a gentleman!” Before snickering as she walked into the room. 

Michael walked in after her and closed the door as he did so. He faced away from her, but he figured she didn’t know about his little secret. You see from the corner of his eye, he could see her getting undressed. He made sure to not look too much since he was sure he would get a stiffy. 

Michael averted his gaze to the floor once he caught a glimpse of Aliena’s bare breasts and gulped harshly. He closed his eyes and focused on the ruffling of Aliena changing behind him.

“Alright, Mickey. You can turn ‘round.” 

Michael swallowed one more time before turning around. Ali was dressed in a nightgown now, hair down, and climbing into her bed. She situated herself, laid on her side, facing him ‘n smiled.

He returned the smile with a small chuckle. Michael reached out for the chair that was tucked away into her desk and pulled it out for himself to sit on. A grunt slipped his lips as he did so.

Ali exhaled loudly, her cheeks puffing. “So, what should we talk about?”

Michael hummed as he debated asking her what he so desperately wanted to know from her mouth. His mouth opened and closed.

Ali sighed. “C’mon!” She drew out. “Ask me anything!” 

Michael nodded and asked meekly. “Do… Do you fancy Thomas?”

Ali’s eyebrows furrowed and her lips pursed a little. She chuckled. “Yeah, I do. Practically all of London knows, I won't deny it.”

Right there, Michael wanted to crawl into a hole and die. He wished he could turn back time and never ask that damned question! 

Michael’s eyes stung a little and his chest felt tight. But he powered through it and like the masochist he was, he asked. “Why?”

Ali’s eyes fluttered before she spluttered. Her giggling echoed throughout the room. Ali shrugged, raising her arms out from the blankets, and then bending her arm so that her palms covered eyes. She dropped her left arm and let her right palm tug back her eye before letting that one drop too. 

“I don’t know.” She began. “How can you explain how you came to like someone?”

“Well, what do you like about him?”

Ali averted her gaze and took a deep breath. “I can’t explain it. There’s not a specific thing I like about Tommy. Well, there is but there isn’t. What I mean is that— no! Well, basically, I liked him for his looks at first, right. But, I didn’t know him all that well. He intimidated the fuck out of me!” She laughed.

Ali continued. “But then, we did begin talking and getting to know each other and it made it all real. It wasn’t just lust anymore, it was love. Ya know? I feel like… I don’t know that we have an understanding of each other.”

Ali went on and on about Tommy, but Michael tuned her out. She was absolutely smitten with his cousin. It was obviously that almost four years of pinning left an impression, and as much as it hurt Michael’s heart— he didn’t want to give up. 

But that was for another day. Preserving was for another day ‘cause right now— all he could focus on was how his heart ached and the pit in stomach was growing with each word that slipped from Aliena’s mouth.

*fucker! 

*“Fucking son of a bitch!” 

* “Liar! ...” 

*“You shut up!”

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[elysiashelby]

UPDATE!! CHAPTER 23 & 24

Hi, there! So, I just wanted to let everybody know that I am still working on the story!

I have chapter 23 ready, but chapter 24 is barely underway. Basically, I had this idea for a while, but chapter 24 is supposed be purely in Tommy’s 3rd POV!!

 I’ve been re-reading my series and taking it in on how I wanted Tommy to think and react ‘n all that!

So, while I have chapter 23 ready to go!! I’m not gonna post it yet. Plus, chapter 24 will probably need like two parts. Y’all have that to look forward too. Thank you for your patience!!