Birmingham | Tommy Shelby x Reader

Part 12

Author's note: italicized dialogue showcased later in the part is taken from the series.

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"I'll allow you enough time to go home and come back here before the event starts," Tommy said to (Y/N) after he'd given the basic details of the event that was happening later that evening.

"Why is that necessary?" (Y/N) asked, her eyebrows furrowed.

"You'll need a nicer dress on," he answered her, taking that excuse to look her figure over. If she asked why he'd done that, he wouldn't admit to his secondary intentions.

She scoffed at him, the smile making its way onto her features showing that there was no actual harm in his words. "Mr. Shelby! I'm feeling quite insulted by your statement!" she playfully gasped, a hand over her heart for dramatic effect. Tommy chuckled and shook his head at her statement. "Exactly what type of an event am I attending?" she asked for more details then.

"It's a wedding."

"A wedding?" she asked, surprise now present in her voice.

"John's getting married," he answered nonchalantly, as if what he was going to say was obvious.

But it most certainly was not to (Y/N). "John's getting married?" Her eyes were wide now.

"Yeah," Tommy was still nonchalant.

"He found someone?" she asked yet another question. She couldn't recall John having a woman and wondered how much had happened over the month she'd been absent.

"I found him someone," he corrected her.

"Found? What is that supposed to mean? Does he even know this woman?" more questions escaped (Y/N)'s lips before she could slow them down.

"No," Tommy shook his head, continuing before she could jump on him - she certainly looked like she was ready to, "he needs someone to look after his kids...we need a way to settle the feud that's going on between us and the Lee's. This marriage will satisfy both. Esme's a good woman."

(Y/N) listened intently to his explanation, taking some time to let the pieces connect in her mind so that it'd, hopefully, make more sense. "Don't you think it's a little...backwards; medieval, maybe, to be marrying him off like this? You're treating him as if he's your daughter, which he most certainly is not," she pointed out.

"John will understand that this is what's best for the business," he answered her, dismissing her points without giving much thought to them.

(Y/N) pursed her lips and shook her head slightly. She had many thoughts about this major life decision that Tommy had made for his brother without even consulting him. She was sure that he had his reasons, as she's noticed by now that Tommy always does, but she couldn't help but wonder what John would think of the arrangement.

"(Y/N)?" Tommy's voice broke her out of her thoughts.

"Yeah?" she asked, focusing on him again.

"You didn't hear what I said, did you?" he asked her, the corner of his lips threatening to quirk upwards because he knew her answer already. She didn't give him a verbal one, but instead shook her head as a guilty smile formed on her face. "I'd said that you can go home now so that you'll be able to meet Pol back here...if you still want to go, that is," Tommy restated what he'd said before, then looking at her expectantly.

"No, yeah, I'll head home quickly and do that," (Y/N) nodded, grabbing the rag that she was using to clean down the bartop so that she could put it into the wash bucket.

"Grace, you'll stay here later tonight. Celebration might be in order after everything's finished," Tommy addressed the other woman, who had been wiping down the tables whilst the other two were talking.