Stolen Heart [Tommy Shelby x OC]

PART III

 

CHRISTMAS EVE, 1925

A blood-spattered Thomas Shelby reached for the telephone and dialled his brothers' and cousin's residence. The war had begun and he needed the family together before the fucking Changrattas reached them.

Tommy waited for John but he didn’t pick it up. After calling Arthur, he called Michael and passed him the information and told him to check on John.

All taken care of, for now, he thought as he went to take Charlie from his room.

Fuck.

Turning back, he ran for the telephone and dialled the number he had been sworn off from calling.

‘Can I get Lily Peyton, please?’

He tried to control his anxiety as he waited for Lily to come.

‘This is Lily Peyton, the Queen of England.’

Tommy swore. All of the days, she had chosen this one to get drunk.

‘Who is this? And don’t you know it is wrong to curse?’ 

‘I need you and Oliver in Small Heath.’ He said as calmly as possible, even though it was useless.

‘What?’ She asked more in incomprehension than shock.

Hanging up, he knew there was no way she would come on her own. He had to go and get her.

Carrying the sleeping Charlie on his shoulder, he made a dash for his car. Only to revert when Charlie said, ‘Mummy.’

Pocketing the photo frame of Grace in his coat, he left Arrow House. Not for Small Heath. But a small town midway where the mother of his child temporarily lived.

Tommy took Charles with him as he climbed the stairs leading to her lodgings. Leaving him out in the car was too dangerous even if Johnny Dogs was accompanying him behind.

There was a hushed noise coming from the flat which suddenly quietened as Tommy rang the bell.

A young man with blonde hair answered the door. Fucking Lily, all surprises in one day, Tommy thought as he pulled Charlie up.

‘Yes?’ He asked as he took in Charlie and assumed Tommy to be an irritated father.

‘I need to -.’

‘The party's over. No one is here.'

‘Listen, -‘

He was cut off when a drunken voice intruded, ‘Tommy! What a pleasant surprise!’

And Lily, lovely in an emerald silk dress, wrapped his body in a perfumed hug. And Charles’ too, who woke up confused.

‘Come on in.’ She said as the man behind them said, ‘It’s Lily’s friend.’

She took his arm and led him inside the house, while he tried to control his trepidation.

About fifty people were in the large hall, some of them singing while most of them with a glass of gin or whisky in their hands. Lily stopped in front of an old man, dishevelled in an expensive suit, ‘Guess who?’ she asked as she wiggled her eyebrows at him.

‘Lily, please-’

‘Thomas Shelby, OBE. And the adorable Charlie Shelby too.’

‘Hello, Mr. Shelby. I am Gerard Davis, Lily’s boss.’

As she reached to tweak Charlie’s cheeks, Tommy gripped her wrist and leaned down to whisper harshly, ‘I need you to come with me, now.'

There was another ring and Lily sighed and gestured everyone to quiet down.