Devil's Backbone (A Peaky Blinders Fanfiction)

Chapter 16

Tommy waited in the drawing room for Ana. May and Bear were already ready to go, suddenly a shadowy figure arrived in the door way.

Tommy exhaled as his beautiful red head walked into the room, her lush curls hung around her shoulder "Good Gracious, I feel a little inadequate now" May gasped "You look beautiful Ana, stunning actually"

"Thank you May, and you certainly don't look inadequate" Ana smiled politely and walked towards Tommy. He held a fur collared coat up for her to put on.

××××××××

Ana watched her husband in awe as he moved effortlessly through the crowds of toffs. He moved so easily from one conversation to the next, mind you Tommy always said it was easy for him to strike up a conversation when he had his beautiful wife by his side "This is my wife Anastasia" Tommy gestured a hand towards Ana who extended a hand for the Military dressed man yo kiss.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Anastasia" the man smiled, he had obviously been hypnotised by Ana's beauty.

"Ana, please" Ana smiled knowingly "Anastasia sounds so formal"

××××××××

"She mingles so effortlessly doesn't she" May spoke softly to bear who was standing beside her. They ere both watching the Shelby's from a distance "Before when we were at the house...I saw...I saw scars on Ana's back"

Bear inhaled deeply and took a drink of his whiskey "Ana has many scars" he replied.

"Yes but the ones on her back, Guy they are identical to yours" May replied as she turned to face him "We're they caused in the same way?"

"Yes" Bear wanted to lie for Ana's sake, but he couldn't lie to May. Even in the short period of time he had known her, she could read him so well "From the same man too"

"A man gave you those..." May seemed stunned that a man could even attempt to hurt Bear, given his size.

"I was just a boy then" Bear replied with half a smile, he suddenly went quiet as he watched Ana "And she was just a baby, well 5 years old"

"What happened?" May wondered and Bear froze "I'm sorry that was bold, you don't have to tell me"

"No it's okay" Bear sighed "I'm don't mind talking about it, not here though back at your house tonight" May didn't speak she simply nodded "Even though the memory of how it happened doesn't effect me much, it still has a very haunting effect on Ana"

××××××××

"May I have this dance madam" A man's voice spoke from behind Hannah making her jump a little. She turned and smiled into her glass of champagne as the man held out his hand.

"Oh I don't know, my husband is around here somewhere and I don't think he would appreciate me dancing with another man..." Ana replied playfully.

"Oh I don't think he will argue if it's with an established gentleman like myself..." the man replied with an almost straight face.

Ana was finding it impossible to play along and now all she could do was laugh "Enough Tommy, are we going to fucking dance or not"

"Oh you want to fucking dance..." Tommy still had a playful look in his eyes as he grabbed Ana just behind her waist and pulled her close.

Tommy and Ana moved around the floor in time to the jolly music "So why are we really here?"

"To dance" Tommy replied smugly and Ana threw him a knowing glare.

"Thomas Shelby in all the years I have known me you have never once been able to lie to me...why even attempt it now..."

"Because as your husband it is my job to keep you safe..." Tommy paused suddenly and looked into Ana's eyes.