Kimber's Daughter - Tommy Shelby x Reader Fan Fic

Chapter 50

"Moved onto lords now, have you?" Tommy asked coldly.

"Not that it's any of your business," I glared, heat rising to my cheeks, "but I haven't moved onto anyone." Then, on an impulse, "Can you say the same?"

"Almost invited a lady today, in fact," he said, "but I thought it would be inappropriate. I see you thought differently."

It shouldn't have felt like such a stab in the heart. But it did.

"Don't refrain on my account." I looked anywhere but back at him. "Let's take this to my box, shall we?"

Each step felt like I was trodding through mud. I felt shaken, disarmed. I hadn't even considered the possibility that Tommy might move on. I didn't like this — didn't like this sadness, the return of this pain, with nowhere to put it. I couldn't get angry over it, after all. It was bound to happen at some stage.

My hands trembled as I poured the whiskey. Tommy said nothing. I wasn't sure if his silence was a mercy.

I passed him a glass. "To Cheltenham," I toasted.

He lifted his own and sipped.

"Unless it was Warwick you were after, after all," I said.

"Why would I settle for Warwick after you've put Cheltenham on the table?" He murmured.

He lit a cigarette. The smell made my head spin — and not in an altogether bad way.

"Because I don't trust your loyalty to Cheltenham. Not when you're bandying about at a chance for any other race that'll have you."

"You denied me Cheltenham," he said, pale eyes boring into my own. "Repeatedly. What do you expect me to do? Hang up my cap and retire?"

I leaned forward, across the table that separated us. Tommy's gaze flickered to my chest and back. I realised my dress was low cut. I made no effort to conceal myself — I wasn't about to shy away in this match. His gaze darkened.

"Who's the rat?" I asked gently. "Which of my men is the traitor?"

Tommy's lips lifted into a smile. "Ah. We never agreed to have this conversation."

"My price has gone up."

"Why's that, Kimber?"

"Because I felt like it." I tried to hide the way my voice threatened to shake. I drank more whiskey. I refilled our glasses. "Because I have your name on a bullet, and I will gladly accept any excuse to shoot it."

"You tried to steal from me. It's only sheer luck and John's pleading that stopped me from putting the bullet in you first."

He held no emotion as he said the words. I believed them.

"It's not stealing if I'm taking back what I'm owed."

Tommy scoffed. "Is that what you believe?"

"Tell me I'm wrong."

He exhaled smoke before answering. "You're wrong."

"Hmm." I gave a small smile. "And yet I have Cheltenham."

"And I have the guns." He knocked back his drink. "And my informant."

"Perhaps you'll prove me right, after all," I murmured. "Perhaps you don't want Cheltenham at all. Just the game."

"It's all a game, Kimber. But why should that mean I don't want it?"

I took a breath. "What are you willing to give."

"For five percent?" He asked.

"For five percent."

He sighed. "Five percent. After the increase in expenses, insurance, bookies, I'll be lucky to break even on that."