𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒 ♛ thomas shelby

x | ʙʀᴏᴛʜᴇʀ, ᴅᴇᴀʀᴇsᴛ

     He ran his hand through his shiny black hair, messing it in the process. "Did padre give you permission to do this? Or is this one of your independent escapades?"

     "Francis, this is for us. The company. With this expansion we can start mapping out a brighter future than killing people for money." She tried to keep the smile on her face, desperate to convince him to see the reality of their situation.

     "Legal activities, that's what we need."

     "Oh you want to feed the orphans now is that it?" He let out a short bark of laughter, crossing his arms. "This game you're playing will end all of us together. And you'll end this business with the Peaky Blinders, we don't mess with gypsy scum."

     That was enough for Caterina to burst with annoyance. "Who are you to tell me what to do? I'm old enough to have friends and I'm competent enough to make deals for the company."

     "I'm your fucking brother, or did you forget that, puttana."

     "For the greater good, Francis. You wouldn't understand." He scoffed, rolling his dark eyes.

     "No more smuggling! No more police breathing down our necks, the threat of prison or gallows! Just legal money we can invest in legal business." She counted. "Or are you too much of a inutile coglione to defy father's orders?"

     He turned sharply, advancing slowly, forcing her back step by step until her back was pressed up against the cold wall.

     Once again her tongue was quicker than her brains. A wild look gleamed in his eyes, and her head cracked against the wall, sending flashes of searing pain through the back of her skull. His strong fingers clutched her shoulders in a painful grip.

     "What did you call me, huh?" Francis's words came out in a growl.

     "You smell of booze." Her nose scrunched up, stomach turning in nausea as his breath fanned her face. "Since when do you drink?"

     Her frenetical straining against his grip made him press his hands harder against her arms. Purple bruises would blossom there, violets after rain. "Since the nights got longer."

     She desperately tried to escape his firm clutch, squirming like a cornered deer. "Get off me, you're drunk. Get off. Get off Francis." She despised the weakness in her voice, despised Francis for not seeing reason, despised father for being so damnably stubborn.

     "No more meddling in business till father gets home." With one last push he let her go, causing her to quickly scramble to collect herself before hurrying out of the room. Drumming heartbeat pounded in her ears. And yet she could not help herself; she turned and levelled her brother with one last glare.

     "And what then huh? He takes all our credit while we get our hands bloody." She said steadily, quiet determination seeping into her voice. "Not for long, Franco, I swear."

*:･ﾟ♛･ﾟ:*

     A squeal of delight made Caterina jump out of her comfortable nap, stretched out over some half-finished price list. She had not, by any means, intended to fall asleep but the documents were so delightfully boring it would have been a sin to waste such an opportunity.