𝗂𝖿 𝖺𝗇𝗒𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗉𝖾𝗇𝗌. / P.B

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐫.

— 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲𝐧.

Evie was in her bed, drifting between the surface of consciousness and sleep.

She'd chosen to force all of the horrible scenes out of her head, or else she may have a psychotic breakdown.

Evie felt her eyes droop, but then felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. There was a presence with her. There was someone in her room. Her eyes snapped open.

Evie sat up hastily, and blearily tried to scan the dark room, noticing a figure by the closed door.

Evie breathed in, about to call, to shout, but she didn't know to who. It didn't matter anyway, as the figure silenced her. She recognised the tone of voice. It was Tommy.

Neither spoke; she was trying to make out his face and eyes in the darkness from her position on the bed, and he was lingering by the door, staring back at her.

"Just ask me, Evie," his quiet voice came, and in it lay regret. Just as she thought she heard that particular emotion, it was quickly gone.

He didn't have to say it, she knew Tommy was telling her to ask him to leave again. Ask him to leave so that he could say 'yes' and send her away from this horrid, horrid place.

Evie almost laughed bitterly, if he'd only agreed, she would have written to her Aunt and would probably be on the train by now.

Evie took a deep breath, "No," She was almost shocked herself, she could tell he was stunned too, probably expecting her to plead to him to let her leave.

No, she'd made up her mind.

"No, I'll stay here. To remind you that you could have let me go. That you could have saved me. I hope that every time you see me you're reminded that you caused this," Evie bit out, and she was surprised with the calmness of her voice.

There was silence on the other end of the room, before Tommy slowly said, "Tell me what they looked like."

"Why?" Evie scoffed, humourlessly. "What can you do?"

"As the leader of the Peaky Blinders, I will have those men killed,"

No going back, Tommy decided now was the appropriate time to tell Evie he was a gangster, a member of the Peaky Blinders. He would assure her protection from now on, he would promise her.

Evie was taken aback, "W-What?" The Peaky Blinders, she'd heard that before.

"I will have your mother explain it to you in the morning," Tommy uttered, before silently opening the door and slinking out, and she thought she'd imagined him saying 'sorry' but it must have been a dream because she fell into a restless sleep with murders, her attackers, and men with flat caps on.

.
.

When she awoke and got dressed, Evie knew what she had to do. So with that notion, she limped downstairs and found herself in the kitchen, taking a seat just as Polly came into the room.

Polly was shocked to see her, "Sweetheart, what are you doing out of bed? Esme said—"

"Who are the Peaky Blinders?" Evie went straight to the point, keeping her eyes on the table.

Polly steeled herself, who had told her? "What are you talking about, love?"

"Tommy said—"

So it was Tommy, that bastard.

"Tommy says a lot of things," Polly acquiesced.

"Tommy said he's the leader of the Peaky Blinders, and he said you'll tell me everything," Evie lifted her identical brown eyes and stared her mother down.