Bête noire → Peaky Blinders [Tommy Shelby] [ BOOK 1 ]

Forty four.

Chapter forty four: Sensually sultry 

A milky white light poured into the room, spilling across the floor in a large puddle. The items soaking up the valuable, pale light cascading over the tender materials. The light flowed throughout the room, flooding the substantial amount of furniture, leaving a glow on Caroline's resting features.

Caroline turned around, the beams of the moon hitting her naked back, causing a halo of white against her frizzy chestnut curls. Her hand slid over her husband's tattooed chest with her eyes yearning for him to soften, but he remained stern with a signature cigarette handing from his bruised lips.

"Tell me that you love me, Thomas." Her voice whispered, afraid to seem weak. "Tell me that you are angry about business and not that you and I are married with the possibility of bearing a child."

It took him a while to respond, but when he did, he locked eyes with her, slightly hurt that she would contemplate his hardships being with her. "I love you, Caroline."

"So then what is it?"

"Bad business. That's all it is. Bad, bad business."

Caroline took a step back, her mellowed exterior hardening. "We've just made vows to share everything. Tell me what it is you're afraid of!"

She clicked her tongue when his head hung low, averting his cold gaze from her own. Already, she could sense trouble was brewing in their makeshift paradise and she knew that if things were to continue in secrecy, she'd lose her mind. Quickly, she gathered her second gown, one that was lilac in colour and less heavy than her wedding dress. Once it was on, she shot him one last glare before exiting the bedroom, slamming the door behind her to alert Thomas that she was furious and she'd get to the bottom of the mystery like she always done.

"Caroline, wait!"

Fast on her heels, she ignored him, bouncing down the stairs with anger spreading in her chest like a poisonous illness she could never cure. But, unlike any other time she was irritated, Thomas chased her, afraid to let her go because he knew that she'd summon hell just to win one over on him. Perhaps she was dangerous than any enemy he had with their steady aims to his temple.

Caught up to her after a sprint, he clasped her wrist, causing her to stop in her tracks. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I'll tell you everything you need to know tonight but right now, we need to walk into that dining hall together. Okay?"

Her cheeks hollow as she contemplated in disappointment, she nodded. "Okay, but the next time you attempt to hide anything from me, I'll gut you like a fish."

With their hands holding, they made their grand entrance, only thirty six minutes late. Their hungry guests looked up, a mixture of irritation and happiness both taking present on their expressions. They almost forgot about their ultimate appetite when the couple appeared, causing the audience in the room to rise to their feet whilst applauding.

Thomas lifted a glass of white wine into the air, proposing a toast. "To the bride!" After the mirrored response, he cleared his throat and watched his family sit down. "And now, according to tradition, my best man will say a few words."

"Yeah! Go on, Arthur!"

Arthur dismissed his rowdy relatives and rose to his feet, blatantly nervous. "I'm not one for speeches."

"Sing then!"

"I will later, John." Arthur weakly smiled. "But, uh, I do, uh, I do have some words written down here on this piece of paper." His fingers fumbled with the sheet. "This doesn't include everything I want to say."