Molly Shelby

Chapter 3

I lay on the armchair next to the fire, today had drained me, it drained the others too, being part of the Peaky Blinder family was a lot for anyone never mind an 8 year old girl. Finn entered the room and removed his cap, he sat next to me in the armchair, it was huge and I was tiny so there was room for two. He pulled me in to his side and I leaned in to him, he put his arm round me, "you ok?" He asked looking down at me as I played with my hands. "I don't know" I replied quietly, he adjusted his position to look at me easier "you know it's never easy being the youngest" he said, "no matter how hard you try, you're the weak spot in the family, the bad ones know that if they have the child they've got an advantage" he continued. I didn't say anything, I just nodded and leaned further in to his side.

My dad walked in with Polly, he signalled to Finn to get off the chair, I sat up as he got up and moved to the sofa and Tommy took his seat in the chair. I turned towards him with my legs crossed, "we've got another meeting with Mr Mosley tommorow, we need you to be there" he said, I nodded "what if he starts talking about the Italians again" I replied my body tensing a little. "You ignore it like he never said anything at all" he replied, I looked at Polly then Finn who both just nodded, I wanted to argue but I was too tired, I just nodded then turned around and lay my head on the arm of the chair. My dad sighed, "I know you don't like him" he said and put his hand on my back gently, "urât ticălos rău" (ugly evil bastard) I muttered, "watch your tongue" Polly chimed in from across the room. Tommy tried to hide a smirk and instead just briefly rubbed my back, "come on it's late" he said and I shook my head, "I'm not tired" I replied whilst letting out a yawn, he chuckled "come on I'll be up shortly" he persisted. I rolled my eyes and got up left the room, wondering up the stairs, I decided to go in to my fathers room and snuggled under the covers.

Tommy's POV:
I walked up the stairs of the large Shelby home, I peered in to Molly's room to check on her, she wasn't there. Panic rose in my body, I stopped the maid "have you seen my daughter" I asked frantically and she just smiled, "follow me Mr Shelby" she said and led me to my own room, and there she was, I should've known she had gone to my room, she often slept there if the nightmares came back. She was curled up in to a tight ball mumbling slightly, I removed my holster, waistcoat and white shirt and changed to a cotton shirt. Kneeling in front of the bed I placed a hand on her head, she settled under my touch, I smiled softly at her sleeping form. She didn't deserve any of this, the kidnapping, the gun fights and the constant fear of something bad happening, she was a child. "She adores you Tom" I heard Polly say from behind me, I turned to look at her "I wish I knew why" I replied and brushed my thumb over her forehead, "you're her father, in her eyes you're the most amazing man in the world, you're her rock" she said, "you're a good man Thomas, and an even better Father, your mother would be proud" she continued before quietly leaving the room and closing the door.