Bête noire → Peaky Blinders [Tommy Shelby] [ BOOK 1 ]

Forty nine.

Chapter forty nine: Lethal injection

Around the breakfast table sat Thomas, Caroline, Charles and Oscar. Both adults came to the conclusion that it was best to keep Oscar within the walls of their own house in order to guarantee his safety. With all around the clock protection from staff, he was deemed untouchable. Whereas if he resided with his mother, she would toss him aside with any whiff of danger to save herself.

The seventeen year old had changed significantly. His hair seemed to be darker as though it were possible. Much taller and slightly more broader, his features always remained cold, mirroring the expressions he learnt from his in-laws. His nose had a bump, indicating a breakage from many fights he took part in alongside bad friends he'd welcomed into his life whilst escaping the grip of his mother.

He resembled his sister in more ways than one. He accepted the darkness with wide arms as he knew it was apart of the family curse to be evil. Every time he glanced to his nephew, he saw the lingering sins that would wash upon his body later in life. With both devils for parents, he would inevitably unleash hell on earth, and it was Oscar's job as his uncle to keep the family name by fighting by his side.

Caroline hated it. Long ago, the goal of Oscar's absence was supposed to reform him to his childhood purity but the separation from his sister only seemed to corrupt him until the blue in which swam in his eyes, turned darker beyond recognition. Perhaps it was for the best. With his strength and lack of emotions, he was the perfect candidate to rejoin the Blinders on their mission to rid their city of Italians.

"Now that you're back, what if you peruse things with Rosaleen?" Caroline suggested as she helped her son to eat his breakfast. "

Oscar remained cool. "I'd rather not. She's just extra baggage."

Caroline shot Thomas a glare upon hearing him snort. "She has been through a lot, Oscar. She needs time to heal and your arrogance won't help."

"Who said I wanted to help her?" He scoffed. "As far as I'm concerned, she only cares about herself, and as do I, which is what she told me the day I left. She told me I'm self-serving and she's not wrong. She made her bed and she can lie in it."

Caroline narrowed her eyes, almost repulsed by his lack of respect. "I did not bring you up to treat women this way, gangster or not. I understand that you haven't had the best of luck, but I know that she has feelings for you and you should not give up on her. Effort is a two way street, dear."

"How do you know?"

She glanced to Thomas, hesitant to say the man's name which rested on her tongue so perfectly. "Michael fills me in on minor details from time to time."

Thomas roughly cleared his throat, then spoke with a sneered tone. "I think that's enough of you playing match maker, sweetheart. Let him make his own mind up."

Caroline locked eyes with Oscar and understood that now, he was almost a grownup, but he'd been acting like one for the past two years to protect himself from his manipulative mother. She regretted ever sending him away when instead, she should be sending him away now. 

The Italians were creeping closer to their doorstep and she couldn't fathom placing Oscar nor her son in harm's way. But, Oscar nodded, telling her silently to listen to Thomas as he could handle himself. All she could do was release a sigh and continue feeding Charles.

***

Thomas had left, as expected. Most of the time, he left without saying goodbye, and when the words actually came out from his mouth, it terrified her to think that he was only bidding his goodbyes in case he wouldn't return home. Either way, she hated being left to defend their home whilst he was out doing God knows what.