devil's backbone 🗝 tommy shelby

chapter 6

"Don't forget to do your homework!" Sybil called out to her kids as they ran out of the doors. "And try to stay out of trouble, yeah? The last thing I want is for any of you to turn out like—"

"Who, me?"

Sybil jumped with a gasp, dropping the book she was holding at the sound of the familiar deep voice behind her. Placing a hand over her rapidly beating heart, she turned to face the man, who was standing there stoically.

"Actually, Thomas, I was going to say "mobsters". You know, like the Italian types. The ones you always see in the films."

"Tommy." He corrected.

"I beg pardon?"

"We agreed. You call me Tommy, I call you Billie."

Sybil blushed, feeling her ears and cheeks heat up.

"Sorry. Force of habit."

Tommy stared at her, a complete array of emotions underneath his cool façade he always seemed to wear. On one hand, she'd never been more beautiful to him. She was wearing a pretty blue dress, and her blonde hair was somewhat messily (yet elegantly all the same?) styled behind her ears. He'd been watching her for a few minutes outside the room before he made his presence known, and he found himself even more besotted with her than he ever thought imaginable. But when she jumped/flinched at the sound of his voice, he was reminded of all that happened. That night. Her attack.

Part of him wished that he'd kept the man alive, so that the bastard could feel all the pain that his Billie Day had felt over and over and over again until he was begging for death. But the other part — the more sensible part, that is — was glad that he killed him when he did. Sybil was still frightened, yes, but at least he knew that she would never get hurt by that man again.

"Busy?" Tommy asked, snapping himself out of it and looking at her as she tidied the room.

"Not at all," She laughed.

Tommy had never heard a melody so sweet in his life.

"But to what do I owe the pleasure, Tommy?"

He chuckled a little bit at the emphasis of the nickname, shaking his head and trying to keep his cool.

"I was in the neighbourhood," He shrugged. "Thought I'd stop by."

"And does the school know about your little visit?"

"Well, no one says no to the Peaky Blinders."

Sybil shook her head at the dashing man, stealing a look at him.

He was handsome — though everyone already knew that. He wore his signature outfit consisting of his suit, his coat, and his cap, and his eyes were bluer than any sky she'd ever seen in Birmingham. But there was something different about those very same blue eyes that surprised her: they weren't cold. In fact, he looked calm. Relaxed, even. By no means was he happy, but Tommy Shelby was never like this.

"And if they did?" She asked. "What if I told them not to let you in, eh?"

Tommy chuckled, "If you think that would stop me, maybe you're less intelligent than I thought."