Crown of a Prince (Finn Shelby)

114

Sorry about the delay! Will try to be more regular. Tensions buildingggg xo M

For the first time in weeks, Ailbhe woke only when Cara knocked on the door. She was warm and tucked down into the blankets, lying on her stomach. She could feel the weight of Finn's arm on her back. Her bare back.

He stirred when Cara entered, opening curtains and setting Ailbhe's tea on her bedside table.

Ailbhe was glad of the blankets that covered her for two reasons. It was cold, colder than it had been in weeks. And she was naked, as was Finn. Finn's fingers ran up her side, squeezing her breast in his hand before pulling away from her with a groan as he sat up.

She knew what his groan was about. It was 7 am. And he was likely quite sore from their exertions the previous evening, the kind of sore that made you smile when you thought of it and made your whole body loose and taut all at once.

"Mr Shelby has telephoned twice already this morning, ma'am"

Ailbhe groaned. All Shelby men were the same. Demanding and impatient.

He clearly had also decided that his insomnia should be a condition all his family suffered from. In Tommy's defence, Ailbhe was generally awake at all hours and available for whatever he needed. She had taken his calls at 3am when he couldn't sleep for fear of Mosley's plans, when it was the middle of the night in Small Heath and Ailbhe was having her breakfast in New York. When he called, she had always answered.

"What did he want, Cara?"

Finn's voice was slightly hoarse which Ailbhe noticed with a curl of pride, as well as the scratches on his back as he sat up in the bed.

"He said something about Montague St... he said he's dealt with it"

Cara was vague but that was how Tommy had been. Ailbhe trusted her lady's maid and therefore so did Tommy to a certain extent. He was content to let Cara in his sister's home, let her brush Ailbhe's hair and bring her tea. But that didn't mean he trusted her with the family's business. He barely even trusted the family with that anymore.

Ailbhe and Finn had sent word that Montague Street was where Arthur had been buying from. If they continued, there would be no more Montague Street. Ailbhe assumed that Tommy had made this abundantly clear to the residents of said street. She didn't want any more nights like they had had too many of with Arthur in recent weeks.

It was the same every time.

Someone would telephone the office or get in contact with one of the servants to let the family know where Arthur was and what state he was in. Either Ailbhe or Finn or Ada would go fish Arthur out and try to dry him out, keep him off the snow for a few days until he broke away from them and the cycle started again.

Finn closed his eyes for another few minutes while Cara held up a robe for Ailbhe who wrapped it around herself quickly and slipped from the bed.

"What do you think Tommy called this meeting for?"

She asked, looking over her shoulder at him when Cara had finished pinning her hair back and gone to fetch her clothes.

"If he hasn't told you, Alv he hasn't told anyone"

Finn shrugged a bare shoulder as he sat up in the bed and reached for the carton of cigarettes.

He knew that the smell bothered Ailbhe ever since the funeral so he took them to his adjoining dressing room where Leo was already waiting for him. But not before, wrapping an arm around her neck and shoulders from behind and pressing a kiss to the side of her head quickly.