Save him

Chapter 8

Lana had already warned Tommy of the IRA men offering Tommy money for the guns. He was prepared. Lana couldn't take the credit for Tommy asking Grace to the races. At first Lana wasn't pleased when she found out, she couldn't show that to Tommy but it was like he read her like a book. He'd said "Don't worry, i don't want to be around her any more than you want to." And then he'd laughed when he saw the look on Lana's face.

Lana was by herself, Tommy having gone to the Garrison to meet with the IRA men. She took this time to reflect on everything that she knew was going to happen to the Shelby's. She had the predicament of how much she was going to change and how much that was going to affect what she knew was going to happen. She knew that she was obviously going to stop any deaths she could and also stop any trauma happening to any of the family. But she also felt terribly guilty. Little Charlie Shelby wasn't going to exist. Not if she could help it. If Tommy was somehow seduced by Grace, even though he knew she was a rat, Lana would be heartbroken. It was all terrible confusing and Lana didn't like to dwell much on the future. She needed to tell Tommy what was going to happen in the future but she didn't want to tell him too much in fear that he got cocky and the whole thing going tits up because of it.

Lana had been waiting around ten minutes before deciding to go to the Garrison, knowing that Tommy's meeting was going to be over soon and she didn't have much else to do. She had been made Tommy's official secretary, but he didn't really give her any work, only asking her to accompany him on safe business and make sure that everything was running smoothly at the betting den.

She made her way down the smoke filled streets, lighting a cigarette she had just pulled out of her purse. Before she arrived Lana had been a social smoker, only smoking when offered it by others, but it was only so long being around the Peaky Blinders before she picked up the habit herself. She found it soothed her.

She pushed open the doors of the pub. Men would take one look at her before looking away, she was one of the Peaky Blinders now and any wrong looks would be dealt with. She headed for the bar.

Lana set her purse down on the bar, sliding onto the stool. Grace hadn't noticed and was still snooping and listening to Tommy's meeting in the snug. Lana decided to let Grace kill the IRA man as it did no harm and she knew of the girls past. She cleared her throat, catching the barmaids attention.

Grace looked over sheepishly. Lana rose her eyebrows at her before finishing the cigarette she had lit before and putting it out on the ashtray. "I won't tell if you won't." Lana winked, playing with the girls feelings. This made Grace go a darker shade of pink than she already was, being embarrassed that she was caught in the act.

"What would you like, Miss...?"

Lana suddenly noticed that she hadn't given herself a surname. She decided she liked it that way, the mystery of it all.

"Just Lana, I'll have a gin please." Grace nodded.

She handed Lana her gin just as Tommy exited the snug. His eyes landed on Lana at the bar, just as he expected.

"How are you?" He asked her.

"Fine Mr Shelby. How are you this fine morning?" She asked back, smiling. She took a sip of her gin and cringed at the taste.

"Is the gin not to your liking?" Tommy asked, placing a cigarette in his mouth the way he did and lighting it. Lana didn't know what it was about it but it was extremely attractive to her. And Tommy knew it, smirking while he did it, he knew it would tease her.

"It's not sweet enough, I like my gin sweet." He nodded.

"I'll remember that for future reference."