WOUNDS THAT NEVER HEAL || tommy shelby x reader

chapter twenty-one

If Polly and Ada were scared of your idiotic driving, they didn't show it. Their faces stayed steely and controlled as you whizzed down the road like a maniac, overtaking as many cars and carriages that you physically could.

The sun began to set an hour into the race. It was odd, driving on roads as the sky began to dim, getting darker and darker. You switched on the front lights and shivered slightly, getting more restless and anxious with every mile driven.

"What're you both thinking about?" You said, hoping to have any type of distraction. Polly looked into the backseat at Ada, who let out a huff.

"I'm thinking about what you're going to say to my idiot brother when we catch him," Ada smiled playfully; it was contagious, overtaking Polly's face as well.

"Truthfully, I'm also thinking that." Polly let out. "What're you thinking about?"

Not that.

In fact, you were thinking about literally anything, except what you would say to Tommy after reaching him—

You were thinking about what Alfie Solomons thought of you—

What Joseph Kinsmen had told his father after being banished from your club—

What Harry was doing at the Garrison.

You weren't thinking about what it would feel like for Tommy to know, for you to place your lips against his again, for him to embrace you once more, or glance at you from the bar, cigarette dangling from his teeth, reserved expression slapped across his face while his eyes shot fire in your direction.

Tommy fucking Shelby.

You had to let out a shaky breath that you'd been holding.

"Don't be nervous," Polly interjected. She looked you up and down, sensing your uneasiness.

"You never let Tommy give you crap, I don't expect that'll change when we catch him. God—I just want you to yell at him, to be honest," Polly let out a breathy chuckle, followed by Ada.

"Yell at him? I do an awful lot of that already, Poll," You let out, but a smile followed.

You tried not to dwell on your words, or how you'd say them. You knew that as soon as you saw his face, you'd know exactly what to say—

You'd know.

"I slept with Michael," You let out suddenly, taking yourself utterly by surprise. You had no idea why'd just said it.

Polly and Ada sat in silence, their faces revealing all you needed to know.

"And you already knew?" You added quizzically.

Polly was the first to break.

"Michael told me,"

"Then Polly told me," Ada chimed in.

"Right," You said, a mixture of relief and annoyance appearing. "Great."

"It doesn't matter, Y/N," Polly said. "You and Michael know the reasons why it happened. You've both moved past it. There's nothing wrong with what happened," She kept her eyes forward. "Besides, I had a feeling it was going to happen ever since you got back from Goring," Polly added, a smile creeping its way onto her face.

You glanced at Ada in the mirror; her smile was the perfect imitation of Polly's.

"Well, alright then," You said, and with it came all of your tension you'd once held about the subject. You had no idea why you'd been scared to speak of it, when the experience had been what gave you clarity.