Liliana Mae Rosa Shelby // A Thomas Shelby Fanfiction // UNDER EDITING

12- TIMES CHANGE

"Finn," Tommy called to his youngest brother, the ten-year-old chucking a half-finished cigarette into the fire in front of him.

"Arthur's mad as hell," Finn replied as Tommy bent down and picked up the cigarette his brother should definitely not have been smoking. Instead of the lecture, Tommy chucked it into the fireplace and decided to let his kid brother off, just this once. He was sure that if he was to find him doing it again, the young boy would have to face the wrath of Aunt Pol. 

"What does a ten-year-old know about hell? Eh?"Tommy asked as he playfully hit his brother over the head with his cap, a small smile on his face. It was rare to see the blinder smile, only around his youngest brother and daughter would you see the sight if you were lucky enough to catch it. Even then, his smile would appear and vanish in the space of a second. He was too hardwired to being miserable to allow it to happen for much longer. 

"I'm eleven Sunday!" Finn argued, trying to act all tough like his big brothers. Though the boys entertained it, for the most part, they relished on his innocence which they were sure would vanish soon. 

Leaving his brother to sulk, Tommy opened the doors to the betting den to be faced with the business that had booming for months now. Though they weren't the richest, they had something, and that meant a lot to the Shelby's. Growing up barefoot with nothing to eat was all they were used to as kids, and the boys vowed that they wouldn't allow their kids to grow up the same.

"Tommy!" Isabella called, beckoning her husband towards her with a glare. "A word." 

Tommy knew best not to argue with his wife, nor question her when she was angry. He hadn't even seen her yet but just fro her voice, he knew he was in trouble. 

"What do you want?" 

"An explanation as to why our daughter has just told me her friends from down the Lane saw you doing the black powder trick." 

He'd really fucked it now. He should have known that half the kids that were there went to school with his daughter, and he should have known she would have found out sooner or later and ran to her mother. 

"Look, the Chinese are there for the tak-"

With a hand slamming down on the desk and the heads in the den turning to her, Bella cut him off. "I don't give a fuck about the Chinese, Tommy. I care about our child, who has come to me with the knowledge that you're fixing fucking races now. She's nine, Thomas!" 

"I'll talk to her, alright? Is that what you want me to do?" 

Scoffing, Bella took one of his cigarettes and lit it aggressively. It was clear she'd had little sleep, was tired and exhausted, and now, fucking frustrated. "I have enough shit going on without having to worry about what petty business you have going on here. I have enough of it with you fucking whores every night. I thought we told each other everything, Thomas. What happened?"

Just as he was about to speak, she cut him off once more. "And don't you dare say France." 

"I was going to tell you, and I will tell you. Just not in front of these bastards." 

Turning around to see the faces of those in the den staring right back at her, Bella sighed. "Are you coming home tonight?"