Too Late To Say Goodbye | Tommy Shelby {1}

80.

The stairwell was damp and cold.

It was where Bella and Tommy were to stay in order to be the look out for Johnny and Isiah, Who are on the street below.

Walking up the final step, Bella let out a deep breath. She hated to admit it, but with her growing baby she was starting to slow down. It made her feel weak, vulnerable.

"Bella?" Tommy asked standing next to her, leaning their shot guns against the wall then putting his hands on her waist.
His eyes held worry. He was started to have second thoughts about letting her come.

She shook her head as if to brush him off. "I'm fine, Tommy. Just a little nervous."

Hesitantly he nodded understanding. His brother was left unarmed with a number of Italians coming to kill him. It was risky, but a risk that has to be taken.

Bella took a seat on the stairs, while Tommy sat on the window sill lighting a cigarette.

It was quiet. And Tommy could tell that Bella had something she wanted to stay, but the words wouldn't leave her mouth.
He glanced up at her, she took to wearing his old work shirt and brown trouser, which she was fidgeting with a lose string on it.
It was her idea to wear them, said it was more practical for the events rather than a dress. Which he agreed.

He blew out smoke as she bit her lips. Just like she always did when deep in thought.

She looked up at him, feeling his stare, only to look back down at her fingers once they made eye contact.

"What's going on in that head of yours?" Tommy asked. It worried him and he couldn't have her distracted in a circumstance like this.

She was silent for a long moment and Tommy waited patiently and anxiously for her response.

"If-if given the opportunity...i dont think I can kill him." She confessed shamefully.

The thought was eating her up inside. Imagining the scenario over and over again in her mind and...she couldn't do it. She knows she wouldn't be able to.

Tommy froze, the ash on his cigarette building up. He knew she was talking about Vinny and didn't understand his emotion. It could've been disappointment, maybe it should've been but instead, it was empathy.

His mind went back to Grace. Flashes of her face went through his mind. She betrayed him and his family...but in the end he knew he never would have been able to kill her.

Bella kept her head down, feeling ashamed. But what surprised her was his response.

"I will do everything in my power to make sure you are never put in that situation."

Her head snapped up with surprise. She thought he was going to be mad at her, maybe even try to lock her back up in the house. But instead she saw sympathy and understanding. He gestured with his hand for her to come over, which she did. Stopping to stand in between his legs, as he put out the cigarette.

His hands rested in the back of her thighs and hers on his shoulders. He looked up at her with pride.

"I promise when all of this is over, we'll get married, then I'm going to take you somewhere. Anywhere you want in the world we'll go, just you and me."

Bella's heart warmed. Wishing they could go at this very moment.

With a smile on her face, she bent down kissing him slowly,
"Then We need to get this business over with fast."

Tommy nodded in agreement, standing up, holding her cheeks for a second before turning to look out the window.

They had eyes on the men below, yelling about selling meats, putting on a good front that they really were just merchants.