Contrary - Finn Shelby x Reader

TWENTY-EIGHT

PUBLISHED: 23/06/2022
THIRD PERSON'S POV

Your husband leaned down, breath hot on your ear as he promised to be back soon. You gave a hum of acknowledgement and continued talking to one of Tommy's friends in high places. What Tommy brought you and Finn to this dinner party for, you didn't know. Tommy was bringing his new business partners (Bonnie, your father, and your sisters) to meet some of his uppity friends over a dinner party, therefore the senior Shelbys were in attendance as they all had important positions in the company, but you and Finn weren't senior Shelbys. If you were being honest, you and Finn didn't even have proper positions in the company, just doing whatever bits and bobs Tommy told you to do. You supposed it made sense, but also didn't make sense at the same time.

Finn handed you his glass of whiskey, and walked off, happy to be out of that damned room but feeling slightly guilty for leaving you alone.

He headed towards the nearest bathroom, wanting a few moments of privacy to settle his nerves — and to play in the snow.

He knocked twice on the bathroom door, and no answer came. He tried the door but it was locked, making him frown. He hoped that no one was inside and unconscious. He put his ear up to the door and knocked again.

A faint, sniffly 'hello?' came through, making his heart drop. He knew that voice anywhere. Saoirse.

"Sersh, it's Finn. Can you open the door?" Finn asked, trying to sound calm.

She should have been well and truly snoring by now, tucked safely into bed, under the watch of her nanny, who Bonnie was so generously paying for.

Finn heard the door lock jiggle, then the door opened just enough for Saoirse to slip through and hug Finn in a bone crushing hug. He quickly wrapped his own arms around the child, rubbing her back comfortingly, her nightgown smooth under his hand.

"I got scared because it was a new room and I was going to ask Pippa for a nightlight because the shadows looked scary but I couldn't remember if she went right or left or what bell to ring to call her and I tried to find her but I couldn't and I ended up in there," Saoirse explained through sniffles, breathing quick and shallow, "She does it a lot but she usually puts a light on so I'm not scared."

"I'm here now," Finn reassured, making a mental note to tell Bonnie to get rid of that nanny.

Saoirse nodded, breathing still uneven.

"Take a few big, deep breaths — like this," Finn demonstrated, then gestured for Saoirse to do it.

Saoirse did so, clinging on to Finn as she did it, as if she was scared he was going to run away as soon as she turned her back.

Finn waited patiently until Saoirse was calm, then pulled his handkerchief out and told her to blow her nose with it, and she did. He suddenly heard the rapid 'click-click' that your heels made when you walked. He spun around, and you were hurrying over to the pair, dress bunched up in your hands so you wouldn't trip over it.

"What's she doing here? She was meant to be back at camp with Pippa," You said softly, giving her a hug and leaning down to place a kiss on her forehead.

"She just said that Pippa put her into one of the guest rooms," Finn replied, reminding himself to unclench his jaw, trying to keep himself standing in a relaxed way so Saoirse wouldn't see how stressed he was becoming.