Peaky Blinders Imagines.

•Alfie Solomons•

Lips glossed, hips swaying, hair blowing lightly in the breeze- you're the picture of hellish grace as you strut towards Alfie's car. Dangerous beauty. That's how he'd describe you if ever asked, it takes a lot of focus to keep his eyes in his head and his mouth shut as he watches you approach.

Alfie leans against his car casually, a cigarette perched between his lips as he stares you down like a predator assessing its prey. You can't help the way your heart skips a beat at the sight of him. But a thought lingers at the back of your mind: would he still be so keen if he knew that you're Shelby? That's not something you're willing to contemplate too deeply, not for now at least.

"Good evening Mr Solomons" you purr as you finally reach the man, Alfie smirks, dropping his cigarette to the floor and crushing it with his shoe, "Good evening Y/N, may I just say you look absolutely stunning" He replies, the gravelly roughness of his voice bringing goosebumps to your skin. Pushing himself off of the car, Alfie opens the passenger door for you "M'lady" he gestures for you to enter, you can't help but laugh and roll your eyes at the man "Oh what a gentleman" you fake swoon as you get into the car. "Would you expect anything less?" Alfie grins making you raise an eyebrow in amusement, "I've heard you're anything but gentle Mr Solomons" you reply, making him chuckle.

The car rumbles to life and you speed away through the streets of London, still bustling with life- the night only just beginning. A comfortable silence settles between the two of you, the kind people share when they have known each other for a lifetime- not just a few days. You turn your head to look at Alfie only to find he's already looking at you, a glint in his eyes brightened by the reflection of the street lights that you pass by. "Eyes on the road Alfie, I'd like to end the night alive" you jokingly scold, he averts his gaze back to the road ahead of you both, a boyish grin playing on his lips, "yes M'am" he replies in his most formal voice, you can't help the giggle that breaks past your lips. It's been a long time since you've felt so comfortable with someone.

•

You finally pull up in front of a club. It's already heaving with people, and by the way one of the doormen rushes to greet Alfie, you're made aware that this is one of his clubs. Stepping out of the car, you feel all eyes turn to you, watching every move you make- assessing the girl that Alfie has taken an interest in. Anybody else would have felt uncomfortable, but you've long since become used to prying, judgmental eyes- you're a Shelby after all. Alfie watches the way your eyes meet every single person's with cold indifference, you're not phased at all; in a weird way it lures him in further to you.

Alfie offers his arm to you with a smirk, although it's icier than it was earlier. You realise quickly that the notorious mask that he usually wears has slid onto his face once more. You take his arm, playing the game, but you wish you didn't have to. The Alfie you have seen in private is the one you're interested in, not the hard bastard that you now walk beside. He's just like your brothers. Fake.

As you make your way into the club the sound of music fills your ears, cigarette smoke permeates the air, there's people everywhere and you can't help but feel overwhelmed by it all. You've been to parties and clubs, of course you have, but this is like nothing you've ever experienced before. People, so many people, a lawless society tucked away behind closed doors. Countless people greet Alfie as you make your way towards the bar, they pay no notice to you- as if you're simply an accessory. You keep up the facade of being a doting date, although inside you wish you could just disappear.

When you finally reach the bar, Alfie finally manages to turn his attention back to you, "what are you drinking tonight then beautiful?" He asks with that stupid smirk on his face, you fake a smirk back "I'll take a rum, make it a double". As he orders you turn your attention back to place around you, the way that people seem so careless and free, while you? You feel shackled and heavy, the lightness you felt earlier feeling like a lifetime ago as you put on your best act, helping Alfie and his inflated ego. You feel an arm wrap around your waist and turn to see Alfie looking down at you, "are you alright?" He virtually whispers, a slither of the man you want breaking through the mask. "I'm fine, just taking it all in" you smile tightly.

•

Tonight really hasn't gone how you thought it would, while you'd agreed to go out with Alfie, you had not agreed to spend your night as an accessory while he talks business with his friends. You wanted Alfie, not the man beside you, and the more you're left to listen to the bland conversations, the more your mind struggles to figure out which of the two personalities is Alfie's real one. You wouldn't have minded so much, but you can feel the eyes of every man you meet roving over your body, the sly comments that you try your best to ignore, the way Alfie also ignores them.

"So is this your newest whore? I wouldn't mind a go myself when you're done" the words are cutting as they come out of the slimy dirt bag of a business man in front of you, you feel Alfie tense beside you but he still says nothing. You however have had enough of this, the alcohol in your system making your temper short. You throw your drink at the grotesque excuse for a man, a gasp of both shock and anger escaping his lips causing people to turn and stare. You step forward out of Alfie's grip, "I ain't no whore, besides, there ain't no amount of money you could pay anyone to spend time with you" you spit harshly, turning on your heels to leave.  Alfie grabs your arm, "where are you going?" He asks almost as if he's unaware of the way he's made you feel all night. You snatch your arm away from his, "anywhere far away from you" you snap, storming away leaving Alfie to watch as you disappear into the crowds of people.

•

Alfie gets out of his car in front of your townhouse, a bunch of flowers in one hand. When you left last night he was gutted, he hadn't realised how much of a dick he'd been, how much the words coming out of everyone's mouths were hurting you. How he'd done nothing to defend you against them.

He doesn't think of you as a whore at all, in fact you're the best thing to have ever stumbled into his life, though he refuses to thank Tommy for that. You're like nothing he's ever seen before, completely and utterly intoxicating in every aspect. He likes you. Sometimes he forgets about the act he puts on around everyone, it's become such a normal part of his life, in fact, you're the only person in a very long time to have witnessed his softer side.

He walks up the path to the front door of the house, he raises his hand to knock but hesitates. Would you even want to see him? Has he fucked this one good thing up?

He finally musters up the courage and knocks on the door.

There's a long pause before an older woman answers the door, "yes?" She asks quietly. She must be a maid, the way she's dressed suggests so anyways. Alfie coughs to clear his throat, "is Y/N home?" He asks as politely as he possibly can, she looks at him almost pitifully and shakes her head. "She left early this morning, gone back to Birmingham, sorry love" her words are like a punch to the gut, he manages a tight lipped smile, "ah right, sorry for the bother".

For the first time Alfie felt his heart crack a little as he walked away.