Crown of a Prince (Finn Shelby)

45.

That night, all over Small Heath you could hear the commotion from the Garrison. The Peaky Blinders had beaten the mafia and Niall Kennedy and Arthur Shelby were alive. It was cause for celebration, unbridled and unlimited celebration. Tommy had told them they were all invited to his house the following evening for an informal family meeting and a dinner to celebrate, but first it was the old fashioned way. Niall and Arthur were behind the bar, serving drinks and bottles of champagne as if it was going out of fashion. Ailbhe was halfway through a bottle of champagne with Ada and life was good again. Finn hadn't let go of her for more than a minute since they had left Tommy's distillery and she felt happier than anyone had right to be. There was a strange atmosphere hanging in the air, a sense of utter luck. Ailbhe had never been much of a gamber, but it was like winning at a hand of cards when you were sure you would lose it all, when you were sure you had no more tricks left.
 
The whole family were there now, Charlie and Curley had come as soon as they got word. Ailbhe knew he would deny it, but she thought there was a tear in Niall's eye when Curly saw for himself that neither Arthur nor Niall were dead and he wept. Aberama and Bonnie, Jeremiah and Isiah had arrived soon after too. Ailbhe was glad to see them all, even Johnny Dogs.
 
"As you can see, we're not dead" Arthur had announced upon his arrival, standing up on a stool and raising his glass and winking at Niall.
 
Everyone laughed, cheering to their survival. Somehow, the people of Small Heath were very accepting of the boys' ressurrections. Then again, Small Heath had learnt the lesson of never underestimating the family who might as well wear crowns.
 
"So here's to life and here's to my fucking family. The Peaky fucking Blinders" He roared, thrusting his glass into the air.
 
"To John" Liam added, putting his glass up.
 
She knew that Liam missed him with every piece of him. They all did. But they knew they were lucky to have survived with this many of their family still drawing breath.
 
Ailbhe held up her whiskey, toasting their family and she barely had it swallowed when she felt Finn's lips on hers and his arm tightening around her middle.
 
"Fuck the Mafia" He laughed; his cheeks already pink from the whiskey.
 
She looked around, seeing how Tommy leant in and kissed Lizzie for the first time ever in public, how Liam slung his arm around Ada's shoulder and how Isiah and Bonnie knocked back a whole glass of whiskey each without a second thought. Her family were all there and they had all made it.
 
Bonnie, Liam, Ailbhe, Finn, Ada and Isiah sat around the table in the snug, Ailbhe on Finn's lap with his arms around her. He had tugged her down there when Isiah took her seat while she grabbed another bottle and nobody had seemed to notice. She loved being in public with him, how people knew that they were together and would have to just get used to it. Ailbhe knew she could definitely get used to it, how Finn's arm was around her waist and his hand sat on her thigh. She could also definitely get used to being Finn's, having people know that Finn had a girl and he was loyal to her.
 
"I love you" he had whispered into her ear quietly while Ada and Liam argued and laughed over who had cried more at the funeral.
 
She had ran her hand over the curls on top of his head and leaned in, whispering she loved him too and kissed the ear she whispered in.
 
The longer they both sat there, the more champagne and whiskey they both consumed and as it got dark outside and everyone around them became more and more inebriated, the more Finn couldn't stop his mind wandering. He couldn't stop himself from thinking about how she had moaned his name, how euphoric it had felt to be inside her and how she had looked when she came. The more he thought about it, the less he could concentrate on the conversation at hand but since everyone else was drunk and starting to make no sense, he got away with it.
 
"Finn" She whispered, leaning in so close her breath was against his ear and making the hair on the back of his neck stand up.
 
He looked around, knowing nobody was paying attention since Isiah was trying to convince Bonnie to get the peaky boy's haircut and Liam and Ada were deep in conversation that looked like a good-hearted argument as always with them. He knew that voice, the Ailbhe after a few whiskies who looked at him with big doe eyes but really was anything but innocent.
 
"Betting shop, my office in five minutes" he whispered into her ear, squeezing her thigh in his hand before releasing her.
 
Ailbhe knew it wasn't a question, it was an order and she had no intention of ignoring it. Peaky Blinders don't ask, they tell. Peaky Blinders don't say please and don't beg. She knew this but she knew Finn loved her, respected her and would never take advantage of her. He just knew her well enough to know how much she wanted him too.
 
He stood up, excusing himself to go to the bathroom although no one was even listening to him.
 
Ailbhe waited a few minutes, knocking back the rest of her drink and disappearing on the pretence of getting another. Everybody was too drunk, too preoccupied or both to notice how Finn disappeared through the back door and Ailbhe went through the front door with a box of cigarettes even though she rarely smoked. As soon as she was out front, she ditched the cigarettes.