SACRILEGE | THOMAS SHELBY | PEAKY BLINDERS STORY (HIATUS)

viii. | heaven in hiding

ｃｈａｐｔｅｒ ｅｉｇｈｔ :

ｈｅａｖｅｎ ｉｎ ｈｉｄｉｎｇ

"The only heaven I'll be sent to

is when I'm alone with you."

✞

____________________________

TOMMY SHELBY WAS A MAN THAT PRIDED HIMSELF ON BEING CLEVER AND DETERMINED AND A GOOD
judge of character, but as he and Delilah meandered through the bustling crowds towards the docking yard he realized he hadn't been completely right when he had been laying awake the last few nights, since he'd stumbled upon her really, thinking about the auburn haired beauty and assuming he had her character pegged.

Yes, she was sweet and kind and quiet and a bit meek, he chalked that up to her being in an unfamiliar setting surrounded by a city full of strangers; of course she was innocent as well, much too prim and proper for the streets of Small Heath, anyone could see that. He told himself he would have helped any young woman he found in the same position Mr. Walsh, that lowlife bastard, had her in. But he knew that it was the innocence, almost like a beacon in the dingy dirty place he called home, that had caused him to act.

But just from seeing that fiery look in her eye, the same one he had seen when she thought he was making an ungentlemanly pass at her that first day, shining nearly as bright as her sunset colored hair after she had seen Lizzie Stark nearly trying to mount him at the market he gathered that she wasn't as meek as she led those around her to believe. There was a silent passion just simmering under the surface of that angelic package and it drew the nineteen year old in like no other woman had been able to before.

He looked down at her now, walking quietly beside him, smiling at the people that were chancing curious looks at them, some tipping their hats at him, and by default her, but still keeping a wide berth. It was rare to see Thomas Shelby walking about the city with anyone other than his family or either of the Callaghan boys.

Tommy knew she had no idea what his family and hers really did; the thieving and the fighting and the racketeering. He wanted to keep it that way as long as he was able. Surely someone as lovely and pure as she was would run from them, from him, the moment she knew. He wouldn't risk it. Not yet. The fact that she was still blissfully in the dark meant her family felt the same way.

They talked idly as they walked of inconsequential things; how she was adjusting, what she thought of what she'd seen of Small Heath so far. He wondered about how tea with Ada had gone, he already knew of course. Ada hadn't talked of anything but how wonderful Delilah was since this morning. He'd asked about Liverpool and what it was like growing up there. She had answered him with a fond grin playing about her pink lips, every word she spoke drawing his attention to them though he would avert his eyes to her sapphire orbs when she would look to him.