Blackened Heart- Tommy Shelby

Heaven

Tommy watched her carefully as she watched the waiters placed their food down. Even in her nurses uniform she beautiful, standing out on sheer beauty alone in a sea of regular faces.

The night he opened his eyes to find her peering at him was one he would never forget. It was a moment where he felt safe and calm.

Since the moment he escalated their relationship by touching her he couldn't stop the burning of his finger tips. Truthfully she had been on his mind when he had nothing else to occupy it but when it escalated to touch he realised that he wanted more of her.

At first he thought it was just physical after having been without a woman in a long time but he knew deep down it was so much more.

"Are you done with your questions?" He asked her, pulling her attention back to him.

Throwing him a fierce look she sipped her freshly topped up champagne "No not even close"

Lighting up a cigarette he began to brace himself. Olivia didn't seem like the type to delve too deeply into his personal life but there was always a risk. Many women wanted to know what it was like to be with him, a dangerous man but none of them could truly manage the information.

"Why don't you eat and I'll talk?" He offered before waving over a waiter to top his drink up.

"Im not hungry" she breathed as she watched the waiter top up his glass with shaky hands. Tommy ignored the waiter out of anger, he knew Olivia had spotted the fear.

"Did you take care of the person that put you in the hospital?"

"Eat and I'll answer" he demanded before sipping his drink, hoping for a little strength.

Huffing she picked up her fork and began eating and when he didn't answer she raised an eyebrow for him to continue.

"I took care of the situation"

"Is that your life? Taking care of situations?"

Tommy knew what she was getting at, she wanted to know if a life with him would be full of turmoil and truthfully he didn't want to tell her the truth.

"Only when they present themselves. My line of business tends to upset a lot of people"

Looking up from her eyelashes she studied him carefully before she pursed her lips and he wanted to know what she was thinking.

"You must cause your family a lot of heartache" he knew instantly the double meaning behind her reply and felt his stomach clench.

"They're used to it" he lied hoping to steer the conversation away.

Olivia smirked "You're an awful liar Tommy. I think you forget we spent a month together. Your right eyebrow moves slightly when you lie"

Smirking to himself he raised his glass and sipped, hoping the burning liquid would suffocate his sudden nerves. Olivia Heart was a very perceptive woman. Not even Miss Polly Grey knew that.

"So you know me well then?"

"A part of you" she looked away and found that the people close to them were staring. Tommy had gotten use to it a long time ago but he could tell she didn't care for it.

"It's a good place to start" he started, trying to pull her attention back to him "You asked me questions about the war, is that because of Jack?"

Olivia closed her eyes quickly, stunned at the mere mention of his name "No it was just a general question. A lot of men your age would of been called upon"

"Were you together long?" He asked as their eyes connected once again.

"A few years" she replied in the clipped way she did when she didn't want to talk about it. Normally he would let it go but not tonight, he needed to know how closed off she was.

"You were engaged"

"Who told you this!?" She hissed as she pushed away her plate, a few of the people staring suddenly looked away.

"Your mother, she didn't require much persuasion either"

"Great" she spat before slamming her napkin down on the table "Yes I was engaged, 6 months before the war but I'm pretty sure Mary Hopkins filled you in on that already"

Tommy would drop it for now because she was on the edge of leaving him sitting in the restaurant alone and he needed more.

"I'm not asking you these questions to hurt you" he leaned back, away from her wrath but with a smirk on his face.

Scoffing she dismissed him with her hand "You've given yourself a lot of power Tommy"

"So have you" he breathed before stubbing out his cigarette. The power was in her favour and she still couldn't see it. It was an unsettling feeling but he was willing to endure it while he worked out what was happening between them.

——

The drive back was quiet and he would be a fool to not admit that even though she was completely furious with him he enjoyed her company. When she wasn't being protective he would see the same woman that nursed him back to health.

The only time she spoke to him was when she directed him to her home. It was a town house in a well established area. The house was three stories that was no doubt purchased by her parents.

As he pulled the car up he could feel her teeming with nervous energy and he wondered if it was because now he knew where she lived.

"Thank you for dinner" she muttered as she opened her door, pulling her coat around her as the snow began to flow.

Tommy got out of his car willing his brain to say something to her. This wasn't how he expected it to go. It had been a long time since he had tried to court a woman but he had never been so on edge before.

"Will you be there next week?" He asked as he helped her up her steps when he noticed the ice covering them.

Looking at him briefly she took her hand back when she got to her front door "Yes I'll be there" Looking in her bag she took out her key before stopping, her eyes catching his.

Olivia sighed "I'm sorry" she almost whispered "You caught me off guard at the hospital and I've been nothing but rude to you since"

Tommy would of smirked if he knew it wouldn't earn him a scowl but instead he leaned forward and moved a piece of hair away from her face. The snow was delicately landing in her dark hair and he knew she had to get in soon.

"You had your reasons"

Olivia laughed, a kind laugh that caught him momentarily off guard "How very polite of you"

Before he could help himself, the smell of he perfume and her laugh had him reeling. Leaning forward he pulled her close to him by the bottom of her back and found that she wasn't protesting to his touch. Leaning down he pressed his lips to hers.

It was better than he expected as her hands gripped at the front of his coat, bringing him as close as possible as his hands slipped up her back. Olivia tasted of champagne as his tongue intertwined with hers, his body trying desperately to be as close to his as possible.

A soft sigh fell from her lips when his hands slipped into her hair. It was heaven, ecstasy rolled into an atomic bomb that was sure to blow up in his chest at any moment.

Tommy had to pull himself from her before his body responded in ways that would give him way. As soon as he stopped he felt cold and knew she felt it too by the way her hands remained gripped to his coat.

Noticing herself she quickly pulled her hands away and shyly looking around, red faced from being caught kissing him on her doorstep.

Quickly placing a peck on her cheek he took a step back "I'll see you next week Miss Heart"

Moving quickly he fought with himself every step of the way as his brain told him to turn around. Tommy didn't want to push her, demand anymore from her until he was certain she was all in.

Leaving her dumbfounded on her doorstep was definitely a good sign.