mozzafiato ➝ peaky blinders

sette

stratford upon avon

-

The boat ride had taken five days. Spending such a long time in a confined area with her father, Nico and the two Sicilian sentinel types Luca had elected to bring on the mission, had been tough. She had found herself holed up in her cabin or hiding on the top deck throughout the journey.

But now they were off the boat. Now, they were in Birmingham.

And it was Christmas Eve.

Christmas was one of the few days a year when the Changrettas would set aside their guns and simply enjoy themselves. They exchanged presents, Nico would take her to the markets, they would eat a hearty meal together - at Christmas, they looked scarily like a normal family. 

But this year, they were pursuing the men who had killed two of theirs.

And instead of spending time together, her father and her uncle had retreated to the other room of their fancy hotel suite, talking quietly amongst themselves.

She sat watching them through the wide of the suite, her jaw clenched. 

She knew they were there to deal with the Birmingham family, but why had her father defied her grandmother to bring her here? For her to sit quietly until he needed her skill set? She crossed her arms, her hard gaze fixed on the pair in the corner. 

Something moved in her. She wouldn't stand for this shit. 

The moment her father and uncle drew apart, she went into motion. Her strides wide, purposeful, she moved through the archway into the other room, approaching her father. She could feel Nico watching her as she moved. It may have been her imagination, but she swore she heard him curse under his breath. 

But still, driven by dangerous adrenaline, she raised her chin and called, "Papa?"

"Si, darling," Luca returned distractedly, not looking up.

Gianna planted her hands on the edge of the desk her father stood behind and leaned forward. And even as she opened her mouth to speak, she felt an urge in the back of her mind to retreat, to stop, to not do this, you idiot.

"Tell me why I'm here."

Luca's eye twitched. And Gia held her breath.

Then, giving Nico a sideways look, her father muttered, "Gianna, I don't know what has given you the idea that I have to tell you."

"If you expect me to kill for you here, then I think I deserve to know why," she shot back. 

"Gia."

Gianna's head snapped to her uncle, leaned back in an armchair. He mouthed something, his lips partially hidden by the hand he rested on the side of his face.

Gianna scoffed, shaking her head. "It's Christmas," she said, raising her voice, looking back at her father. 

Nico's eyes fluttered shut. 

"Whatever we do, even if it isn't opening presents or going to the market, we should be doing it together," she insisted, although, in truth, she didn't care that it was Christmas. She just wanted - needed - to know. "And since you got out, father dear - "

Luca's head snapped up suddenly. Gia tried to ignore the look in his eyes.

" - you and Nico have done nothing but exclude me from your plans," she managed to finish.