His Blinder|| Thomas Shelby

2

Thomas' pov
Her ribs are severely broken. There's nothing for her to do but ice em, drink alcohol, or take pain meds and let 'em heal on their own. "Thomas I'm fine" she insists once more. As I help her sit in a chair for the meeting I called. No one knows what we do when we're alone but us. She doesn't want to come between the business. Though I assured her she won't. My brothers and aunt already want us together. They've even placed their bets. I say "ya heard what the doctor said" "since when do you care about orders Thomas?" She asks. I reply "since you got hurt and got orders on how to make movin and healing easier on ya" she's the only one that calls me Thomas, and it not be business, or out of respect or fear.

The way she calls my name brings a warmth to my entire being. I remind her to call me Tommy but I already know she'll refuse. My family and friends call me Tommy. Everyone else calls me Thomas. She calls me Thomas but it's...different. She replies "I'm fine" I raise an eyebrow "having 4 broken ribs isn't fine" she shrugs "I'll live" she shouldn't even be hurt right now. She is a Peaky blinder. Mine on top of that. Everyone alive should know that touching her means death. I've killed men for her, for less. This fucker tugged her into an alley, beat on, and tried to rape her. I'm gonna fuckin torture him and make him cry. Cut off a finger and have it taxidermied so she can wear it around her pretty lil neck as a warning for everyone else.

John says "the meeting?" "Someone attacked one of our own if you can't tell" I start. She sighs "this what the meeting is about Thomas? It's fine" "it's not bloody fine Emmy! He's gonna fuckin pay for what he'd done" I tell her. "You know who did it?" Arthur asks. "Patrick waters. John set up a meeting with his people for tonight." I order and he gets on it. Polly asks "a war?" "He touched her Pol. I've killed men for less. If his people are smart they'd hand him to us no fuss so it doesn't come to a war" I reply. Seeing her asleep in the chair. She's been through a lot today.

Ada says "why don't you ever tell her how you feel? We all can see she feels the same" I ignore her. I'm the one who fucked this up. Said the wrong thing and now we're 'just fucking' John jokes "she's a hot commodity here Tommy. You might wanna hurry before someone takes her off her pretty little feet" I stroke her hair gently taking in every wound she's got so I know what to check on and how to make the asshole hurt. If she didn't find strength within herself to win the fight...she coulda been found dead, raped in a ditch somewhere. The thought of it breaks me in a way. I swore I'd never let anyone hurt her. I failed. And it ain't the first bloody time either.

She thought she hid from me. Hiding bruises. Hiding what men, enemies have done to her. But I found out. I was worried about her. She didn't want to see me which is unusual. We're best friends, attached to the hip. She's my second in command honestly. But everyone sees her as weak because she's a woman. When really...she's what keeps it together. Me. She keeps me together. "No one will be stealing her. She's mine" I tell them. Not unusual words for my family to hear. I claimed her as mine before we ever even had sex. The peoples fear came from it and well...she was protected. But it seems people didn't learn as much as I fuckin thought.

Pol says "then make her yours. Eventually she'll want a house, a husband, children" she doesn't want for that. We've spoken. She only wants it if she knows that the family she'll create will be 10000% safe. She doesn't want to lose anyone else. Her entire family is gone. Her mother died from lung cancer when she was 8. Her brother died in the war. Leaving her and her father. He was one of us. It's how we met. She's two years younger than me. I hung around her brother. Her parents had the idea that we'd pull one another out of our shells and shoved us together. I pulled her out of her shell and now she's one of the most feared women alive. Her father got sick. I didn't see much of her.

When I did she was a wreck and worried about him and when he'll die. She wanted to be there when he did. Her dad made me promise to care for her. To keep her safe and happy. He made me promise that one day...I'll 'take my head out of my ass' and marry her. She doesn't know about that last part of the promise. But I promised. He even wrote his consent on it and documents. A betrothal. He had me sign them. And I have them. I'll only ask her if she wants it. I'll only reveal this to her if she's with me by choice. I want her to choose.

I shake my head "she'll have whatever she desires as the want comes to her Pol. I won't hold her back." She replies "I get the feeling you already are" I pick Emma up and set her on the couch and toss a blanket over her. Wanting her comfortable. "Pol. What are you getting at?" Annoyed by her words and prodding. "I'm getting at the fact that she's waiting to marry for you! She loves this family. She is family. But you won't make that official despite you two fucking!" She snaps quietly. How the fuck does she know?! "Don't look at me like that. It's not hard to figure you two out. Tommy you make that girl your bloody wife. And do it soon before she does have enough and leaves ya." She snaps. I roll my eyes "pol. Everything is fine" forcing myself to walk away from Emma. John comes back and says "the meeting is tonight. The Garrison 7 O'clock" I nod "very well." Arthur asks "the bloody hell happened to her?" "What's been happening to her. What you think you've been able to hide from me. You thought her avoiding me, and hiding would hide the fact that she's been abused and hurt? Thought it would save em yeah? Guess what? I know all about it. Dealt with it and those pricks who thought layin their hands on er was a good bloody idea" I snap glaring at my brothers.

"It's what she wanted Tommy" John sighs. "Piss on what she wants eh? She's one of us. It's on us to keep er safe the way we do Ada and pol. Now look at er. 4 bloody broken ribs and wheezing." I snap drinking. Arthur sighs "we all tried talking her out of hiding it, to let us handle it. But she doesn't want a war Tommy" I reply "if they don't comply and hand over the man who did this they'll have a bloody fuckin war. One they'll lose. Every man alive will now know better than to touch er"

Arthur speaks "what do you 'ave in mind Tommy" "don't worry bout it brother. I'll handle the twat that attacked my girl" the two words feeling natural to say. My girl. But she's not mine. We're best friends that fuck occasionally. Though we're both not with anyone else. She's refused a label. Though I take her out. Give her gifts, fuck her to sleep, stay the night with er. Protect and provide for her. But she said no labels. Our first time was that. Our first time. Then we never crossed the line again. Until a few months ago. She had the idea of us playin strip poker while we were both drunk. Then it turned to us dancing while well...naked. Then one of us kissed the other. The details a bit blurry. We fucked on the poker table and everywhere else we could get to.

Then I spoke the words, that fucked it up.  And now...we're friends that cross the line almost every night. John says "she yours now? That's it?" I roll my eyes "everyone breathing knows she's mine and that I'm hers. Everyone breathing. And yet that fucker still fuckin touched er. They're all gonna fuckin pay" downing the rest of my drink. My eyes on her sleeping form.