Anna [J.Shelby]

CHAPTER ONE

Anna was interrupted in cleaning up the pub by a loud bang on the door, a loud continuous bang that carried on and carried on and made her fear, a woman alone in a pub in the early hours of the morning is dangerous, no matter if you're in Small Heath or in the wealthiest town out there. Men have terrifying desires, and Anna has been on the receiving end of those one too many times.

Hastily, she grabbed her small, purse sized gun, checked that it was loaded and prepared herself as she crept closer to the door, undoing the locks and cautiously opening it.

"Do me a favour, pour me a drink, love" A male voice called, barging past her, taking off his peaky hat and revealing a hair-do classic to these parts.

"We're closed" Anna responded, glancing at him blindly as he sat at the bar.

"I'll have a whiskey, go on" He proceeded.

"Who the fuck do you think you are?" She bit back, walking around the bar until she was looking into the man's eyes.

"John-fucking-Shelby, you're not from around here, then?"

"How can you tell?" Anna asked, pouring him a whiskey and sliding it over to him.

"I drink in this pub everyday, never saw your face around 'ere. Small Heath isn't usually graced with pretty lookin' ladies. Besides that, any lady would know a Peaky Blinder when they saw one, and a Shelby at that"

Anna's eyes widened at the word "Peaky Blinder."

"Yeah, that's me love, a Peaky-fuckin'-Blinder. Grab yourself a chair and a drink, on me"

Anna sighed, deciding she won't be able to get into her lovely warm bed anytime soon and pulled up a chair, pouring herself a cheeky glass of whiskey.

Anna took the time to take in John Shelby, his light blue eyes, brown hair with just a hint of blonde and his face perfectly chiselled, he couldn't be any older than her, she concluded.

"What brings you to Birmingham then, new barmaid?" John asked her curiously. He was being one-hundread-percent honest when he said that there isn't usually any new pretty faces around Small Heath, and a new barmaid at that.

"Can't a lady seek a new place to live without getting questioned?"

"A lady could, if she didn't choose Birmingham to be that place. It's a bad place, and you'll soon learn to see that- what's your name?"

"Anna, the names Anna"

"And I should be the one asking you why you're in the Garrison at this hour, Mr Shelby" Anna continued.

"Its never too late for whiskey. Truth is, its my kids. Driving me mad, if it's not one thing its the other and there's four of them too. I never get a fucking break, so here's my break" He raised the glass.

"You have children?" Anna asked, surprised that the man who had presented himself to her at this hour would have 4 children.

"With my late wife, you love your kids to bits, you can't not, but sometimes they make you want to fucking poke your eyes out or turn deaf" His comment made her laugh, for the first time in a while.

"I heard they do that, Mr Shelby"

"Don't call me Mr Shelby, just call me John"

"So, John, am I going to have to kick you out of this pub just so I can get some sleep or are you going to go freely?"

"Nobody kicks a Shelby out of a pub, you've a lot to learn about us Peaky Blinders if you're going to be sticking around 'ere" He replied, lighting a cigarette and taking a drag, smoke billowing out of his lips.

"I'll take that as you're going to go freely, goodnight, John" Anna bid him, slipping her coat on and grabbing her purse, he followed Anna out of the door as she locked up.

"I'll walk you home"

"And why would I let a stranger walk me home?" Anna asked, humour behind my tone.

"I'm trying to be a gentlemen, but alright, if that's the way it's going to be"

"Something tells me you are far from a gentlemen half the time, John Shelby"

"It's your lucky day then, you got that other half of me, so I'll walk you home and then go back to my rowdy lot. With any luck they're all asleep at the same time for once"

"Small Heath is eerily quiet at night" Anna commented, the silence unusual and unsettling.

"You've just got to know what you're listening for, Small Heaths never quiet, always something going on around 'ere. You've just got to keep your ears open"

"Do you keep your ears open often?"

"I know everything there is to know about this place, the only person who would know more is my brother, Tommy. But he has his secrets, we all do"

"I better thank you for walking me home, then. The way you describe Birmingham, it's not the place to be at night"

"It isn't, but as long as you work in that pub, you're under the Peaky Blinders protection"

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Hope you enjoyed Chapter 1! Feel free to leave comments or suggestions!