Read this book if you want to f-k Tommy Shelby.
You're Billy Kimber's daughter.
You've been accused of stealing the Peaky Blinders' shipment of guns.
And now you're forced to work with Tommy Shelby to solve the mystery of who's framing your father...
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"...The police, of course. They'll want official statements regarding what happened."
"Fuckin' obvious that, innit? That Italian fuckin' mobster broke into my house and tried killing my wife. Almost fuckin' succeeded."
"And Mr Shelby?"
"Don't give a fuck about him, alright? Now, kindly fuck off and let my wife wake up in peace, yeah?"
I don't expect Tommy's smooth voice to join the mix. "I'm well within visiting hours. And considering I had the eastern wing of this hospital built, I'll come and go as I please."
There's the sound of a nurse's footsteps fading away. My eyes snap open. "Tommy?"
Alfie snorts. "You see what you're doing to me? My own fucking wife, first thing she does is ask for another man."
I'm blinded by white at first. White ceiling. White bed. White hospital room. White bandages.
Then a hand presses on my forehead, and I feel peace. Recognising his touch, I feel at home.
"Easy," Tommy murmurs. "You lost a lot of blood."
"I hope they put it back."
He makes a small noise of amusement. "Yes, they bloody put it back. You've got stitches, and enough opium to sedate a Clydesdale."
Alfie sniffs and clears his throat. "Actually, Tom, I nabbed some of that when the nurse wasn't looking."
I force my eyes to focus. Tommy still looks angelic — but also unharmed. I frown.
"I thought I shot you."
"Shot the entire fucking house to pieces as you fell down. But the bullets managed to avoid me."
"I'll have to aim better next time."
His eyes fix onto me, and even through the pain, everything feels weightless. "So ready to kill the man you love?"
Fuck. I forgot I said the words. I'd been delirious, low on blood and high on shock, and I'd been expecting to fucking kill him.
I'm very, very glad I didn't.
Alfie clears his throat once more. "Right, well fuck me then, yeah? Little old Alf who dragged you to the hospital and now has to rebuild his fucking house, I'll just go fuck myself while you lovebirds do it in the hospital bed then, yeah?"
Tommy's eyes never leave my own. "Cheers, Alfie."
Alfie leaves the room, muttering something about the opium stores. I feel suddenly vulnerable. Just me and Tommy. And I'm unable to even push myself upright without wincing in agony.
"Bloody lie down," Tommy sighs, hands on my shoulders.
"No, I want to sit up. I don't... I didn't... I believe I said loved," I finally settle on. "Past tense."
Tommy's quiet a moment. "You never told me."
"Of course I didn't. You were only using me to find out who stole the guns."
He blinks. Twice. Three times. Then says, "For a clever girl, you can be very dense."
I scowl. "Call me dense again, and I'll make sure my next bullet lands."
"You consume my every thought, Kimber." His voice is quiet, his eyes unguarded. "You consume my fucking life. Guns or no guns."
I blink back tears. "You left me."
"To make sure you'd be safe among the Peaky Blinders. To make sure I could bloody marry you without putting you in harm's way."
"You assumed—"
"Assumed you'd want to marry me?" He finally flickers with impatience. "Yes. I did. And you set me straight pretty quickly, eh?"
I close my eyes. "I want to be loved, Tommy. I deserve that."
"And you fucking are." I open my eyes once more, and he cups my face in his hands. "I love you."
"Don't—"
"Don't what? Don't say it? Because it's true. I loved you enough to do nothing while you married Alfie Solomons. To make him swear to me he'd treat you with nothing but respect, and kindness, and protect you."
"You lied to me."
"I don't want to lie to you." He presses his lips to my forehead then stays there, murmuring into my skin. "I don't want to be on separate teams. I want to be us. I want to call you Mrs Shelby. I want you to be my fucking wife. I deserved your bullet, for putting you in danger with Sabini. But by the grace of god, it missed. They all fucking missed. What does that tell you, sweetheart?"
"Tommy..."
"It tells you we're meant to be together." His lips brush down my forehead, my cheeks, finally kissing my own. It feels like I'm home once more. "You are mine... and I am yours."
I breathe him in like oxygen. "I belong to you," I say. "And... You belong to me."
He nods, kissing me harder. "Now, tell me you didn't fuck Alfie, and we can get you a clean annulment and I'll take you to my own altar."
I bite my lip. "About that..."
His gaze darkens. An image suddenly flashes through my mind of Alfie missing every appendage not essential to life.
"Only joking," I add quickly with a guilty smile.
Tommy holds me close against his chest. I sigh into him.
He says, "I love you, Kimber."
"Even after I tried to kill you? We're pretty messed up," I whisper.
"Of course we are, love." He smooths my hair. "Of course we are."
