Flowers of Glass

A Charitable Heart

(Name) had actually rejected all of Tommy Shelby's forward approaches. It was rare for a woman to reject his advances, it seldom happened, and by seldom - he meant never.
He was the most powerful man in Birmingham. He could have anything he wanted or anyone for a fact. Most of the women simply became putty in his hands. How could they not? He wanted them and they wanted either power or money. It was simple. It was just like any other business.
But- (Name) was different. He had been pursuing her for so long that at this point he was perplexed. He couldn't pinpoint if she was actually rejecting him. The coy smile that would follow his bold approaches towards her told him otherwise.
It's not like it mattered...

It only made him want her more.

He sat in the church. She sat next to him.
Again, it was only them too and the empty temple. Like always, the couple met in the midst of the night. However, it had been happening more often that they would linger in the church for hours until before dawn.
She always opposed Tommy's request to escort her home. Regardless he would accompany her to her door.

Despite all the times he had entered the church, he still refrained from removing his hat in the House of God. Which irked (Name) off to no end.
Her body remained tense. No matter how charming and handsome Tommy was there was one important factor she would not allow herself to forget.

He was dangerous. Very, very dangerous.
In more ways than one too...

He stirred something inside of her. Something that had yet to awaken.

To this day she was surprised the Peaky Blinders hadn't come to chop her hands off in the middle of the night.

"I'm taking you out," he said after a moment of silence. She looked at him with her (eye/colored) eyes the size of saucers. Boom. There it was. Did he mean killing her?
"We'll go to the cinema and then for a fine dinner," he continued. Again, it was not a request.

"No thank you," she once again defied him with a polite smile, the glint in her eyes was coquettish despite her words.
"By the way, here's your jacket," she held his folded jacket in her hands. It served as a reminder of that horrifying night when they met. He didn't bother in acknowledging the jacket or her rejection. Like always, his sharp eyes remained on her face. The edge of his lips had curved into a sly smile, a look of amusement on his pallid features.

"I had a feeling you would say that," Tommy suddenly spoke. "Which is why I bought you this," Thomas sunk his hand into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box.
She looked at him oddly.
"It's yours," he said offering the gift to her. Her eyes looked at the small, dark, box in his hand. She couldn't help but note how long and thin his fingers were.
Taking the box in her hand she opened it to reveal a golden necklace. The necklace had a cross charm. The cross's design was intricate. It was dotted with small gems that glimmered with the dim light of the room. You could tell it was fine to work done by a professional in a bigger city.

"Thank you," she said breathlessly. Her eyebrows furrowed at the bridge of her nose as she said it. She reached for his hand and gave it a light squeeze. "Thank you," she said again. She was truly moved by the gesture.
He squeezed her hand back softly.

Tommy was satisfied.
Jewels. He should've tried that from the beginning. Despite having pleased her, part of him was disappointed. He couldn't believe it had been that easy. Maybe she really was just like the rest of the lot.

She stood up and walked towards the altar. His eyes narrowed when he saw that she took the necklace chain and had no hesitation when shoving it inside the tiny hole of the church's donation box. She slapped the top of it ensuring the expensive accessory had gone in all the way.
"Thank you so much! Your donation is going to do so much for the church." She pressed both of her palms against her chest gratefully.
"Perhaps now, the church will finally have a fully functioning organ." She smiled at him with an edge of sarcasm.

He couldn't take her seriously. He reached for his chin and covered what would be a rare growing smile.
Of course. It had been too easy.

She took a seat in the first pew to the right, as far away as she could from the man. Again, she knelt down on her knees. Did the sign of the cross and continued in her prayer.

(Name) was so odd. She intrigued him.
And he hated to admit that he found himself at ease and could sometimes be seen with a slight smile on his thin lips.

"What are your sins?" He asked curiously.
"Excuse me?" She coughed and turned to look at him perplexed. What kind of question was that?

"What is the reason for your loyal devotion?" he asked as he pulled a cigarette to his mouth and lit it.

"A gentleman would take off his hat and wouldn't light a cigarette in the House of God," she uttered through gritted teeth. She had told him at least a thousand times, but of course, he didn't care.

"Smoke?" he offered with that devilish smirk on his features. He knew it would irk her to no end. Besides, he was, after all, a gentleman of sorts.

"Who'd you kill?" He asked exhaling a cloud of smoke above their heads.

She scoffed at the question before removing the hat from his head. It was a fast reflex. He didn't bat a single eyelash. With a frustrated sigh, she placed it on the seat next to her.
Tommy enjoyed getting under her skin. He found it somewhat humorous.

"Why do you assume that I'm beginning for forgiveness? Are you projecting something Thomas?" she teased.
He rolled his eyes at the jab on him and his family's business.
"If you must know-" she said finishing her prayer. "I'm praying thanks to God."

He couldn't take his eyes off her. He couldn't say it enough times, she was so odd. He figured he could observe her for forever and always be entertained. He couldn't help himself. His hands reached for her face and he held it in place. His thumb traced the outline of her mouth as he slowly leaned in. His eyes darted from hers to her parted lips. She had fallen silent. There was an unbearable tension in the air. She could feel her knees turning into jelly as her eyes began to close.
He was dangerous. He was a murdered. A corrupt man. The leader of a band of vile assassins. In the eyes of (Name), he was as bad as a sin.

She felt an unfamiliar coldness and opened her eyes to see that Tommy had pulled away abruptly. He wore a cocky expression of satisfaction. An exhaled escaped

"Glad to know you're eager to sin with me, darling."

(Name) felt her ears burning from the embarrassment as her face flushed a bright shade of scarlet. She looked at him, her eyes turned into angry slits. She emitted an indistinguishable sound of frustration. Unable to conjure a follow-up retort she left the temple.

She tried but failed to ignore her racing heart.