LIKE STEEL || Tommy Shelby

XIV. NEW ROLES

He opened his lips to speak, but paused as the sounds of cars and hooves echoed off the street below. She held back a groan as he sat up, peering out the small window above the bed.

"What is it, Tommy," she asked, sitting up behind him and wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

"That copper," he said, shaking his head. "Him and his men are leaving. All of them."

She had to see it for herself. Pulling the blanket over her shoulders, she looked out the window to see a parade cars headed in the direction of the train station.

"Why?" she breathed, turning to look at him.

"Doesn't matter why, Rose!" he said, a smile pulling at his lips. He wrapped his arms around her and the two fell back down on to the bed, a fit of laughter bursting from Rose's chest.

"Doesn't matter why, Rose, because they're gone. And today's the day!"

"The day for what, Tom?" she asked, sitting up in his arms.

"The day we win the tracks," he said, finally tossing back the blankets and stepping out of the bed. Rose had half a mind to call him back, but only watched him as he pulled on his clothes.

"Today is the day the Peaky Blinders rise to the top."

She was sitting up, too, pulling the covers over her shoulders again. "Tommy, what are you going to do?"

He sighed. "There's a very powerful man that will be on his way to town today. With those coppers gone, we will be able to settle this once and for all."

"Tommy, what are you going to do?"

He sat next to her on the bed, smirking as she leaned over to fix his collar.

"Is this how things are going to be know, Rose?" he purred, leaning in to kiss her right below her ear. "You staying home and wondering when I'll be back?"

She scoffed, shoving his chest.

"I'm asking so I know what supplies to ready at the clinic. You and your men are as injury prone as children."

The smile on his lips did not falter as she stared in to his eyes. He just shook his head gently.

"I'm not the sit-at-home type, Thomas Shelby," she said, poking a finger in to his chest with a smirk of her own on her lips. "So tell me what you're going to do."

"It's a long story-"

She leaned in, pressing a kiss to his lips and wrapping a hand around the nape of his neck.

"We've got time."

***

Fires boomed from the factories, echoing across the streets as Rose walked towards The Shop. Women smiled at her and their children waved as she passed by. They were all none the wiser that she was a Peaky Blinder. She had no gun, no razors sewn in to her hat, but a smirk lifted her lips as she remembered Polly's words the night before.

She straightened her shoulders and pushed open the doors of the betting shop.

"We're closed," one of the men called out, pausing as he saw her round the corner.

"Nurse King," another man said, standing, a sheepish smile on his face. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here for the idiot" she muttered to the men, offering them a small smile. "Arthur!"

Arthur poked his head out of his office, a grin on his face.

"Oh hello, Rosie!" he said, walking towards her. He pulled her into a hug with a wink. "Busy night, eh?"