As the youngest Shelby child and twin to Finn Shelby, Kezia has spent the last 4 of her 10 years locked away for her mental defectiveness.
She returns to Small Heath under the legal guardianship of her brother, Thomas Shelby. Despite knowing she's s...
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CHAPTER EIGHTY
Finn stood across from Tommy.
He did not sense anger, or resentment from his elder brother--no more than usual, at least.
"How was your day?"
Finn inhaled, surprised by the question. "Yeah," he exhaled, "it was okay."
Tommy nodded, softly. In the soft light of candle flame, he looked much like Kizzie. From when she was younger. Finn was used to seeing her baby face all around the house, even at Tommy's new place. A memorial, it almost felt like. Tommy missed when Kizzie was a baby; too little to walk too far, unable to turn door knobs.
Before she fell in love with a man.
"Good man," Tommy said. "Well done... No trouble?"
Finn needed to watch over the betting house today. It was...an experience. He shook his head. "No. No trouble."
A knowing glance passed through his eyes. Like a phantom. Kizzie had the same look when peoples' colors changed suddenly. His twin was haunted by colors. But she never complained.
"And she looked after you?"
Embarrassment warmed Finn's skin. The women, aunt Polly included, arranged for a woman to sleep with him. Finn had lied in the past about sleeping with girls already. He wanted to feel part of the men. Sex was what men did. He didn't even have a girlfriend. Who would have thought that Kizzie would beat him to that.
But he was quite certain she hadn't had sex yet. Maybe it was a twin thing. She was private about her relationship with Alfie, worried anyone would relay information back to Tommy.
Tommy would...well, it would not be pretty if and when he discovered Kizzie was sleeping with Alfie.
Finn chanced a deeper look into his brother's eyes. There was no fury. Just exhaustion. Surely the man already assumed it would one day happen. If not with Alfie, than with another man.
He could only pray that her first time was not like his. A transaction. Passionless and without love or deep respect for the other person. Finn gave himself to a stranger.
"I don't want it like that ever again, Tom.... Not when they don't even want to do it except for the money."
"Everything is for the money, Finn."
"Yeah, I know, but, I... She said, 'Be a man'."
"And were you a man?"
"Yeah." And he was. He did it. Closed off all uncertainty, embarrassment, worry. But he had felt wrong. Like he was choking himself. "But, then I apologized to her 'cause she just looked so tired."
"Sit down, Finn." Tommy took his own seat.
Finn wanted to purse his lips, but knew better to. He did not want a talking to about sex. Or about women. But he complied and sat.
"Right," Tommy whispered. "Listen to me, Finn. She was right. You need to be a fucking man. People get tired. Working in a fucking factory gets you tired. I don't go around apologizing, do I?"
"No." Finn's voice was equally soft.
"There's an empty space here to be filled. Do you understand?"
The boy still commanded respect amongst his brothers, no matter how little. For being Kizzie's twin; he was physically closest to her more than the rest of them. A fact which drove Tommy mad.
"Yeah." His throat was tight. He wasn't sure if he wanted to cry or scream.
"So be a fucking man." Tommy searched his younger brother's face. Chills threatened to erupt from his body. He looked to fucking much like Kizzie. "Your sister is in danger. I know we've never been close...and I know I am to blame. But I need you now to do your part. Ozzy does what he can but he's hurt. Getting worse by the day, Finn."
"I know." Finn rarely saw much of Ozzy these days. If he wasn't Kizzie's shadow, he was locked up in his flat. The man's one eye was frightening; painted over with thick white. Each blink was reptilian, monstrous. But Finn felt terrible for him, too. He heard about the beating he received. Kizzie felt responsible. Everyone knew it. But Tommy never once told her not to feel that way.
"I am doing everything I can from preventing her from being taken." Tommy's lips quivered before he hid it with a lit cigarette. "Or killed. But I am strapped thin, Finn. She is your sister. Your twin. The enemy is in our backyard. If you cannot be a man for yourself, be a man for her."
He was right. The only thing he was right about. Finn needed to protect his sister. How? He wasn't quite sure. But he would try.
