Daring, Charming , Real

Ch. 33

The morning crept up on the both of us, leaving the early birds calling from outside the bedroom window. Thomas's bare skin held tight against mine between tumbled sheets. He smiled softly before placing soft kisses across my face. My eyelids were heavy considering I had managed barely 30 full minutes of sleep. As for Thomas I'm not sure if he had even closed his eyes at all, the dark gaze of blue settling over me like the blanket we laid beneath. At no point in time was our bodies separated, my legs lazily draped over his sides. It was peaceful and I was happy.

"What do you want? Outside of work. Outside of it all. What does Tommy really want ?"

He sighed as if he wanted to change the subject, but his muscles relaxed and he smiled.

"I want a house in the countryside. I spend my days with you bickering over some flowerbeds and my nights here, like this. Maybe a few little ones screaming our ears off." He chuckled," On the weekends I'd go hunting with my brothers and in between shots I'd read over those wicked little stories you spin on my stolen type writer."

Blush arose to my cheeks and I laughed.

"Why don't you have that life?"

"Because that's what Tommy wants. But Thomas Shelby craves this. The money and the power. We are the same person , two sides of the same coin."

" I want more of this. More of Tommy and less of Thomas Shelby" I responded, "when we are out there I'll settle. But not here, not when we're alone. I deserve that at least."

"You deserve that and so much more," he nodded," I'll make a bargain with you."

I rolled my eyes running my fingers carefully through the top of his hair, " I'm not interested in bargains."

"Hear me out," he started and reluctantly I listened. "I'll stay home more. Have more time away from being a businessman. But I think you should consider staying home and quit work for awhile."

"As in awhile you mean forever." I retorted.

" I can take care of you. "

"No, Thomas. I can't just sit here while you are out there."

"What else will it take? Name your price. Anything and it's yours."

I sat up crossing my arms over my chest and looking over him, "Anything ?"

He lumbered out of bed in stark nakedness before retrieving his cigarette box from the side table. He waited until one was lit and tucked between his lips before nodding at me. Leaning against the dark wooden desk that still sat in the corner he spoke once more, "Anything."

"Two charities through the company that I will run. From home if you prefer that."

"Done."

"My own office here in the house so I don't have to use yours." I raised an eyebrow.

"Done." He repeated.

For a moment I thought over just how big this was and how far he'd go to convince me. He was offering the world if only I would reach out and take it.

"Part of the Shelby company unlimited." I smirked at my obvious joke and expected him to return the same. Instead I was met with fleeting eyes and a waiver of his Adam's apple as he swallowed hard. I shook my head, "you wouldn't."

" In the event that something happens to me, Shelby company unlimited will become entirely yours."  He adverted eye contact.

" You can't do that."

"I have." His words hung tight to the air around us. My heartbeat quickened inside my chest once the realization hit that he was being entirely serious.

"What about Jon and Arthur ? Are they upset?"

"We are all in agreement. In fact it's stated that if anything happens to one of us, our share goes to you." He shrugged, "Arthur wants out. Jon knows Esme would sell for petty change."

"And me..."

"What would you do, Emilia? Honest." His jaw feathered as if he was anxious for a response, "if I was dead and you were left with the company?"

I blinked at his question. "I'd run it." My answer seemed almost rushed enough to feel practiced but it wasn't, it as instinct. "Unless you had an heir, I would run it until I couldn't anymore. Until one of the others stepped up and proved they could handle it."

He smiled harder than I had seen him smile in a very long time. His shoulders shook with laughter, "You are amazing."

"There is one more thing I request before I will agree too quit work." I turned coldly serious.

"Yes?"

I tried to ignore the sides of my lips attempting to muster a sly grin, "Beg."

"Excuse me?" His eyes flared in disbelief and slight anger.

"Unless it's not that important." I shrugged messing with the hem laced on the comforter, "Then I could understand but would have to decline your bargain."

He scoffed looking over the room infront of us as if something would get him out of this. The one request I knew would be the hardest for him to grant , even worse then giving me the whole company. His lip twitched as he thought over every possible option he had and only landed on one.

"If I get on my knees , Mrs. Shelby, I will not be coming back up for a long while." His eyes dropped to my lower abdomen.

Heat sparked over my nerves as he spoke and I just gave him a small nod of understandment before he moved closer to the bedside. Each hand rested on my legs as he quickly pulled me over to the bedside and dropped to his knees infront of me. My legs grazed his shoulders from how close he had become. His breathing caressed against my stomach, his gaze turning upwards and through his lashes he stared at me.

"Please , Emilia." He bit out trying not to clench his teeth .

"I seem to remember you wouldn't anwser until you were satisfied with what I called you." I raised an eyebrow, "So let's try again. Shall we?"

This time his hands clamped down on my thighs , digging deep into the skin. A gasp pulled from my lips as i was looking down at him. His eyes changed from the dark brood of anger into a smolder. It was playful and God was it daunting.

"Please stay home and let me take care of you , Emilia Shelby." He leaned forward kissing the inside of my thigh.

I muffled a moan before gripping his hair as he moved inward leaving a trail of kisses in his path. As he drew near I clamped my eyes shut unable to watch without losing my composure.

"You have me groveling , Emilia. Take it in because you will not be getting it again."

The walls shook as someone started beating on the bedroom door. Sighing with obvious irritation, Thomas covered himself and went to anwser the door.

"Could you two stop urgh- dancin' in there so we could get down to buisness?" Alfies voice rang from the otherside of the threshold.

"I got a good mind to put a bullet in you for interrupting, Alfie."

"Not today, Thomas. I have things I gotta do."