VULNERABLE | thomas shelby

☆T W E N T Y-E I G H T☆

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT; DON'T LEAVE ME

THE NEXT DAY Beth and Finn were suffering from killer hangovers. Finn had decided to nurse his at home in the comforts of his bed but Beth had been so excited to see Tommy she had waited in his office and soon fell asleep in his chair. When Tommy walked into his office the door swung harshly behind him, not realising Beth was asleep and she quickly jumped up from the seat looking around wild eyed.

Tommy chuckled at her reaction and took off his jacket and hat, throwing them onto the coat hanger. "M'sorry love, didn't realise you had made yourself comfy in my office." Tommy teased. Beth rolled her eyes and walked around the desk ,falling into Tommys arms happily, her arms wrapped around his neck meaning Beth had to stand on her tippy toes to reach. "So how was bloody London. I've always wanted to go. Tell me about it Tommy." Beth cooed, leaning back to brush her fingers through his hair.

"I'll take you when it's safe. Just you and me. We'll go stay somewhere nice, eh?" Beth's eyes widened and she smiled widely, nodding her head. "Really?" Tommy grinned and leaned in planting a small peck to her lips. "Yes." Beth leaned out of his grasp and watched as Tommy walked around, sitting into his desk and picking up a sheet of paper. Beth grinned cheekily before walking over and planting herself onto his lap, trying her hardest to read the paper in Tommy's hand.

"If your so relaxed in my office you should get a job here. I need a secretary." Tommy muttered, his eyes never leaving the sheet as he wrapped an arm protectively around Beth's small waist. "Don't be daft Tommy, I'd be useless at that, eh?" She blurted quickly. Tommy placed the sheet of paper onto his desk and gazed towards Beth who stared down at her hands helplessly. "What is it Beth? Tell me." Beth shrugged letting her eyes wander back up to Tommy. "I can't read and can barely write."

Tommy let out a small chuckle and shook his head in disbelief. "So who the bloody hell was reading all my love letters before war then? Of course you can read Beth don't be daft." Beth let out a small sigh and looked down at her hands again in embarrassment and Tommy's eyebrows furrowed. "Who read them Beth?" He asked again, tensing under her. Beth bit her lip and reached up to tug at the roots of her hair. "Calvin read them to me Tommy. Helped me write them too. I never really bothered going to school but I regret it now."

Tommy blinked in surprise taken back by Beth's words and shrugged picking up the paper again. "Well I guess I'll have to teach you myself." Tommy grinned, placing his head on Beth's shoulder and reaching forward for a letter that lay on his desk, and began to read it, Beth following along with him. After Tommy had read the letter, Beth's smile faded and she turned in Tommy's grasp your face him. "What?" Tommy mumbled, staring back at her. "Arthur told me how you left your message. You poured his fucking medicine away?"

Tommy let out a huff of air and leaned forward and began to pour himself a drink. "All I poured away was opium and bromide." Tommy replied. Beth scoffed looking away. "So that's how it works in London? Every boss has to have a mad dog at his side. Somebody who can't be predicted, somebody mad in the head, eh Tom? But no Thomas fucking Shelby uses his own bloody brother." Tommy never reacted and tipped the drink back at once, slamming it down onto the table and glaring at the smaller girl in his lap. "Stop fucking fighting me."

"Somebody has to. Especially now." She shifted in Tommy's hold and reached into the pocket of her cardigan pulling out a letter, slamming it down onto the table. "That arrived an hour ago. There's no name on it but it came from Camden Town. Pol was going to burn it and of course I had to fucking stop her because that's all I ever do Tom, your dirty work. Should've fucking let her burn it." Beth grumbled. Tommy stared at the note on the table for a minute before pulling Beth closer to his body, placing a light kiss to her jaw. "Are you mad at me?"