Living With Mr Shelby

Chapter Seventeen

My head felt like it had been split open and the open curtains just made the pounding vibration worse, I grunted weakly waving an arm in the direction of the light but gave up and attempted to call Tommy.

"Tommy?" I whispered, unable to stand any sound louder, heavy footsteps thundered through the room and when I rolled onto my back and opened my eyes Tommy was standing over me with a satisfied smirk and something that smelled horrible.

"Esme sent this, drink." He pulled me up with one arm and tried to force the cup to my lips despite my protests, I knew what it would taste like. Once I'd downed the drink I coughed and tried to rub the taste off my tongue with my front teeth. I glared at Tommy who looked at me innocently.

"Why would you make me drink that... it tastes like fish and feet." I said shivering, making Tommy laugh which caught me by surprise as he usually chuckled but never laughed. Tommy winked at me as Finn burst into the room and dragged his brother down to the Garrison so I pulled the heavy blankets close to my chin and fell back asleep.

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The Shelby's had been betrayed by their cockney business partners, Arthur was half dead slumped over in the Garrison. John was being locked up in a cell with Michael and Poll was going nuts because Tommy had been too distracted to notice anything going wrong. Once Poll had finished ranting at Ada and Tommy he stood up and put on his cap not telling either of the women where he was going.

"Are you just going to go back to your little whore now Tommy, not giving a damn about us anymore." Polly knew it was a cruel thing to say, she had grown to love Lola and deep down each Shelby knew they wouldn't want to be without her.

"I'll sort this, get him a doctor and some whiskey." Tommy added as he whistled to Finn and nodded his head towards the door leaving the women alone to tend to Arthur.

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Tommy hadn't been home all day and although Poll tried to tell me that he would be ok I wasn't convinced. Everything had been going wrong, Michael and John had been arrested and some of Danny's Blinders found a half dead, Arthur was dumped outside of London, Tommy however had vanished upon hearing what had happened. Once Poll knew Michael and John were out of prison she took Arthur and Michael to her cottage telling me to use the phone in her office if anything happened before Tommy came back. I hurried to the front door as the locks clicked open and a weary Tommy stumbled through the door.

"Thomas Shelby where have you been." I gasped almost in tears, my delicate hands balled in frustration as they punctuated each of my words with a gentle thud against his chest. Without a word Tommy wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me against his chest leaning his chin on my head, his other hand found its way to my neck and the Blinder let me sob against his chest as I realized just how worried I'd been that he had left me for so long. My legs gave way underneath me and Tommy gently carried me across the room to the sofa sitting down letting me tangle myself around him.

"We got Sabini." Tommy muttered after a while my head was laid on his chest as we sat silently together. Tommy's heart grew louder and louder as the seconds grew on and when I looked up at him he was staring off into the distance his jaw clenching and unclenching a clear sign that only Polly and I knew meant he was thinking something over, almost picking it apart in his head. His bottom lips were cracked and a bruise was forming across one of his cheeks, I fetched the little box of medicine Poll had put in the kitchen after the fight with Billy Kimber all those years ago and began heating some water.

He flinched as I pressed a warm damp cloth to his lip and let me sit on his left leg and tilt his head, I frowned at his relaxed facade and realized he was thinking again so I fixed him up quickly and tidied the medicine away. I lent on the door frame of the kitchen, and looked over Tommy who was falling asleep. His head began to fall to one side like a child who was attempting to fight the need to sleep, as if he could win over the sandman and claim more time for himself.

"Tommy you need to sleep." I said decisively as I crossed the room and lent over the back of the sofa while wrapping my arms around his neck, he sighed and lent his head on my shoulder linking a hand with mine.

"I have so much to do." He muttered bitterly and reached for a large square bottle of whisky that stood alone on the coffee table, he took several gulps from the bottle before setting it down and standing.

"Just sleep as long as you can. I can help you tomorrow." I offered knowing Tommy only let me help in the bookies because Esme, Ada and Poll had ganged up on him and forced him to let me help and that the chances of him letting me help him with the dodgier side of his business was slim.

"There's something you can help me with now." He offered. He watched me carefully. I smiled and waited for him to tell me what it was but found myself wrapped in his arms, basking in the electrifying gaze of the blue eyed Shelby.