Love from Gangsters

Chapter 26

Thomas POV 

Arthur and I got back, and Y/n wasn't here. I expected her to be waiting for me. I went back into my office and poured myself a drink while Arthur went upstairs to clean up. As I sipped on my drink, my mind wandered, wondering where Y/n could be. My patience was wearing thin. I walked into Arthur's office and watched as he buried his face in the snow.

"Oi-Tommy, where's Y/n?" he asked, wiping his nose.

"No clue, brother. Does she know about your problem?" I asked.

"She knows this helps me keep my mind off things." He said, wiping the rest of the residue off his desk. "I told her I would stop. I'm trying, Tommy; I'm trying to stop." I could see the frustration in Arthur's eyes as he spoke.

"I know you're trying, Arthur," I said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I'm done waiting for Y/n, let's head to the Garrison." Arthur nodded, his expression a mix of determination and resignation.

"Yeah, you're right." We made our way towards the Garrison, right as I went to open the door, it flung open.

"Oi-Tommy, we were just heading your way." Ada said, holding Y/n. 

I looked at Y/n and then back at Ada. I could tell Y/n had been drinking, and I wouldn't have thought out of all the people she was with, Ada would be the one to get her bloody drunk.

"Thomas Shelby we have a meeting." Y/n said slurring her words.

I sighed, realizing that this meeting was going to be more complicated than I had anticipated. "Alright, let's get you inside and sobered up," I said, guiding Y/n towards the entrance of the den. "Arthur make sure Ada gets home safe."

"Arthur! I missed you." Y/n said, throwing herself at Arthur. He wrapped his arms around her and spun her around. "Where have you been all day?" 

Arthur chuckled and replied, "Oh, just taking care of some business for Tommy. But don't worry, I'm here now." Y/n giggled and leaned into Arthur's embrace, seemingly forgetting about the meeting altogether. 

While the two "love birds" talked I made my way to Ada who was planning her escape route. "How did she get so bloody drunk?" I asked Ada, annoyed.

She looked at me with a mischievous grin and whispered, "You and I both know she knows how to have a good time."

"Bloody hell, Ada, you're back for one day, and you get her fucked up."

Ada shrugged nonchalantly, her mischievous grin widening. "Hey, it's not my fault; she can't handle her liquor. Besides, it's been ages since we've had a proper night out together." I rolled my eyes at Ada's justification, realizing that I would have to deal with the consequences of Y/n's drunken antics for the rest of the evening.

"Go with Arthur, tell him to wait until Y/n and I get back and make sure he stays away from the snow." I said, in a demanding tone.

"He's doing it again?" she asked.

"He never stopped Ada, now go." I said, walking back over to the den. Y/n followed me. I had Harry bring some glasses and made sure the only drink Y/n was having was water.

"Ada told me about Bill Kimber, I'm not getting involved." She said, crossing her arms and looking determined.

I sighed, knowing that convincing Y/n otherwise would be a difficult task. "Getting straight to the point, look Y/n I just need you to be arm candy. You'll distract Billy and catch him off guard."

Y/n stared at me, her expression skeptical. "Arm candy? Seriously, Thomas? I'm not just some prop you can use to manipulate people." Her words hit me hard, but I knew she was right. Convincing her to help would require a different approach.

"Your fathers business gains from this deal as well Y/n." I said, shooting my whiskey back. "Theres two options here, I bring you to convince Kimber to give me the tracks or I kill him."

Y/n's eyes widened at my blunt statement. She leaned back in her chair, clearly taken aback by the severity of the options I presented. I could see her mind racing, weighing the consequences of each choice. "You're a cold-blooded killer, Thomas Shelby."

"Just business, Y/n; your father does the same thing." I said.

Y/n took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "But killing Kimber—that's not just business, Thomas. That's murder," she replied, her voice filled with a mix of fear and disbelief.

I leaned forward, meeting her gaze with a hardened expression. "Sometimes, Y/n, in this world we live in, murder becomes just another tool to protect what's ours," I said, my voice dripping with cold determination.

"When is this meeting?" she asked, her voice now tinged with resignation.

"It's in two days; you need to get a dress."

"I have many dresses, Thomas," she said, her voice tinged with a hint of annoyance.

"You need something that will catch his attention." I said, my eyes narrowing as I emphasized the importance of her appearance. "This is not just any ordinary meeting, Y/n. It's a game of power and influence, and we need to play it right."

"Then take me shopping."

"I don't do that, Y/n; I have people for that."

"It wasn't a question Thomas." Y/n's voice held a note of determination as she asserted her request.

I nodded and we sat in silence. I continued filling my glass as Y/n watched. The silence was nice and I was surprised Y/n could stay silent for this long. All I wanted to do was take her to my bed and fuck all of the sarcasm out of her. She wasn't mine anymore; I fucked that up by making that deal with her father. 

Hey everyone. I just wanted to say thanks for reading my story so far. I hope you all have enjoyed it. I'm a first time writer, I'm still trying to get the hang of things. This is a shorter chapter compared to the previous ones. Your support and feedback mean the world to me, and I can't wait to continue sharing my writing journey with all of you. Stay tuned for more exciting chapters ahead!