Truly Mrs Shelby [T. Shelby || Peaky Blinders || Shelby's Girl Book 3]

- 9 -

In an abandoned building, Natasha held a lantern as she led Tommy through the halls, neither of them spoke until they reached a room where John and Arthur stood with Mr Changretta who was shirtless and tied to a chair. Natasha stood by a pillar as did John and Arthur, each looking at Tommy who removed his cap. Mr Changretta was muttering prayers in Italian while Tommy watched him and removed his coat, dropping it on another chair and doing the same with his blazer. 

Tommy sat on the chair in front of the older man, "Do you know what time it is, old man?" Mr Changretta continued praying, "I'll tell you," Tommy looked at the time on his pocket watch then pocketed it as he brought his attention back to Mr Changretta, "It's after 7 in the evening, and I'm gonna keep you alive until it gets light," He pulled his chair closer while the man continued his prayers, "I'll not deliver the final cut until we can both hear the blackbirds singing outside," The older man nodded.

Tommy grabbed the back of his head and pulled him closer to speak into his ear, "It's a beautiful sound, which my wife almost never heard again," Tommy stood up and held his gloved hand out, John walked over with a case, he opened it and razor blades were inside, Tommy picked out one and pulled the blade out of the cover, "Now, I'm gonna have to choose carefully which part of you I cut away first," John walked back over to the pillar he was standing against, "Open your eyes. Open your eyes, or I will cut away your fucking eyelids!" Mr Changretta continued his prayers and opened his eyes slightly, "Now look at me. Look at me. This is the end. This is the end," Tommy looked at the man, "It was your tongue that gave the order," Tommy grabbed his face, "I'll take your tongue first," Natasha walked out of the room and her twin and eldest brother glanced at her, "Then I'll take your ears," Tommy stood up straight and backed away, "Then I'll take your fingers," He moved the chair he sat on out of the way, "Then your fucking toes," He walked back to him and bent down to the older man, "See, I take your balls first, you drain too fast like you fuckers do. No, I think tongue first. Tongue first," Tommy forced the man's mouth open and Mr Changretta grunted as she struggled against him, "Tongue first," He decided.

Tommy glared at him, "If I take your tongue, you won't be able to explain, and I want you to explain. I want you to fucking explain," Tommy embraced him as the two breathed heavily and Mr Changretta continued praying, Tommy looked to the side before walking away a little then noticed Natasha wasn't in her original position. As he walked away he looked up, "Come on, Tommy," Tommy crouched down and exhaled heavily then stood up straight, "I forget who I am," He turned back around, "I forget who I am," He walked back to Mr Changretta, "I'm a Blinder. I'll take your fucking eyes first!" 

A gunshot was fired and Mr Changretta fell forward, Tommy, John and Arthur flinched and looked at the back of the room to see Astella holding a gun and panting, a blanket over her lap as Natasha, Oscar and Shane stood behind her, "I heard the blackbird sing... So, I took his life," Astella said and Oscar took her gun.

Tommy breathed heavily and looked at her, "Stell," He said.

Astella looked at him then looked at Shane, "Take me home, please," She said and Shane pushed the wheelchair forward as they moved closer to the Shelby brothers.

"And we let his wife board the immigrant ship to New York. We didn't kill Mrs Changretta," John said.

"It's alright. We're not those kinds of men," Arthur walked up to his brother and took the razor blade from Tommy then walked away, Tommy watched his older brother walk away as he wiped his face with his arm.