The Darkness Within (Peaky Blinders) Thomas Shelby

26. The King

I wanna hunt like David,

I want to kill me a giant man,

I wanna slay my demons,

But I got lots of them, I got lots of them

- David, by Noah Gundersen

Kiara still wasn't happy the next day, something that was evident in her overly quiet nature. But no one said a word, thinking that she was just angry more than anything else and didn't want to be on the receiving end of that. And she was still angry which was how she got away with it. Tommy also wasn't in an overly happy mood. Polly had left to take Ada to the train station and he knew that Freddie would be there waiting, but they didn't hear anything back that day.

When the day came to an end, Tommy turned to her. "We're going to play cards at the Garrison. Do you want to come?" He said.

Poker was always a men's affair. She knew how to play, often passing the time with John when they were kids, but that was years ago. The reason for Tom asking her to join was because he knew that if he left without her company to the place where Grace worked, no matter what was going on, her mood would only worsen.

"And what would I do while you play cards with the boys?" She questioned. "Sit by your side and remain quiet or talk with Grace?" She stated bitterly causing her husband to sigh in frustration.

"You can do what ever you..."

"Except play cards." She cut in before he could finish.

Tommy stared at her for a long moment before replying. "Right, get your coat." He began heading for the door. "You're playing cards."

A small smile that Tommy didn't see came to her lips in a slight triumph before she followed after him. The boys didn't question it when she was dealt a hand, sitting between Tommy and John. John gave her a slight smile as if he'd been waiting for the day, missing when they used to play together.

"Stop grinning, Johnny Boy. You know I always used to beat you." She joked as Arthur scoffed and Tommy smiled, the both of them not looking up from their hand.

"That was a good nine years ago." He stated, thinking on when they were 15.

"She'll never let you live it down." Riley stated. "She beat me once and I still haven't heard the end of it."

"We only played the once, Riley." Kiara shot back, Tommy chuckling.

Grace served them all a round of beer and gave Kiara a glass of rum that she requested instead.

"Did you want whiskey as well?" Grace asked after they had been playing for some time when she came to bring them another round.

"No, just beer." Tommy shook his head.

"Why no whiskey, Tom?" Arthur asked.

"You expecting trouble?" Riley added, but there was no reply and Kiara glanced over to her husband, wondering what he was thinking.

It was Saturday night and now Saturday night meant singing. The hoard of drunken men and woman outside the private booth sung as loudly and with as little grace as they could muster.

"Jesus Christ, Tommy, what the hell made you let them sing?" John asked, his usual toothpick between his teeth. "They sound like they're strangling cats out there."

The boys laughed while Tommy smiled, taking a drag from his cigarette, but Kiara remained silent.

"All right. Twenty's the play, come on." Arthur said, wanting to move on with the game.