𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙭𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙧𝙖 • 𝙟𝙤𝙝𝙣 𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙗𝙮 [complete]

••• 32 •••

"ADRIAN DOYLE will be here any day," Finn said excitedly, practically jumping as he bounced on his heels.

I sat on his bed, folding my arms across my chest. "Why are you so happy about it?" I was silently stressing about the deal I made with Seamus. If he actually went through with it, was there any way Brian's death would be traced back to me? What would joining forces with him mean for me as a Peaky Blinder?

Finn shrugged, "The sooner he gets here, the sooner him and Tommy sign on the deal - and the sooner we own three of the biggest nightclubs in London."

"They aren't worth writing home about," I grumbled. "Besides, it's hardly like Tommy will let you go to any of them." He continued pacing around the room, playing with his fingers. I narrowed my eyes before sitting up and pulling his arm. "Okay, what is it that you're actually this excited about?" 

He bit his lip before turning back to face me, and lowered his voice before speaking. "I want to ask Maura to marry me."

My eyes widened, "What? Finn, you've barely just turned eighteen!"

"I don't care," He said with a grin, his eyes filled with delight. "The only thing is, her family's really traditional. I need her dad's blessing before proposing, but he lives in Ireland."

"You're gonna go all the way up there?"

"I don't know," He sighed, sitting on the bed next to me. "She said they're coming down for Christmas, but I can't wait over six months."

"Why not?" I asked before shrugging, "You're young; you shouldn't be in any rush to get married. You'll be married before any of your big brothers."

"Not John," He mumbled.

"Not for long," I whispered, my eyes on the ground.

"What?" Finn turned to me, his eyebrows furrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," I said quickly. 

"He's gonna leave Cara, isn't he?" Finn asked, small smile growing on his lips. "I knew it!"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "What do you mean, you knew it?" 

"I heard Tommy and John talking last night," He revealed, his tone filled with excitement. "Tom said something about Jared O'Neale having to be convinced, and the only thing I could think of was their divorce."

"Don't get your hopes up," I grumbled. "I've been under that impression for weeks. I'm beginning to think John's having second thoughts."

"That would never happen," Finn insisted, his eyebrows furrowed. "He loves you more than anything."

"Forget John, what are you gonna do about Maura?" I asked, still in shock at his revelation. "Maybe you should wait before proposing. I don't wanna lose another Shelby to an Irish woman."

He snorted, "You'd never lose me, Ally. But you're right, I don't want to scare her off by asking too soon."

I was beginning to feel anxious at how quickly things were changing. I still wasn't used to the fact that John was married; how could I handle another wedding that wasn't mine? I couldn't help but feel a dark dread looming over me, as though things would never be the same again.

♤

"AND YOU'RE sure it's Estelle Cruz?" Isaiah asked, his eyes wide.

"It has to be," I muttered, sorting through a pile of papers. "It makes perfect sense. She learnt the business from Danny, probably got better at it than him, and as soon as he died she took over where he left off. And of course she tried to get back at me-" I stopped midway, trying to change the subject. "We should warn Tommy before he signs Adrian's contract tonight; it could be a trap that Estelle's trying to catch us in."