Chapter 14

"Wait." I gulped down any fear or nerves as I called out to Tommy, made him halt his exit from the room, from this house, for god knows how long.

He turned and raised an eyebrow. Impatient.

"I want to speak to you," I said.

"It'll have to wait."

I scowled. "No. It won't. Sit back down."

"Or?" Tommy asked, eyebrow still raised, turning slightly.

"Or you'll have me to contend with, and you haven't seen me truly angry yet."

Tommy shook his head and muttered something I could not catch, but mercifully came back and sat once more. The house was quiet. It was dark. We were alone.

"I think I know what this is about." Before I could respond, Tommy placed a wad of cash notes on the table before us. "Your first wage. Welcome aboard."

I stared at him in shock. "You think I'm trying to extort money from you?"

"I think we had an agreement," he replied slowly.

"An agreement we haven't even undertaken yet."

He frowned. "Meaning?"

"You haven't even been here. Where have you been?"

"That is none of your concern," he said coolly.

"Actually, while I'm still being treated like a prisoner, it is. I haven't been able to even leave the house in days. Escaping from prison would have been easier than getting down to the Garrison."

"Don't be so sure," he muttered. Then, louder, "It's not safe. Your father will have men in Small Heath, you can count on it. You really want to come across them down a narrow alley?"

"Then arm me," I demanded. "I can protect myself."

"No. You can't," he said harshly. "None of us can. That's why we stick together."

"House arrest was never a part of our agreement!" I insisted. "If you want to work together, you're going to have to trust me."

"It's not that I don't trust you."

"Then what is it?"

"I'm trying to protect you." The words were practically a shout, echoing through the room, a stark contrast from Tommy's usual composed self. His face betrayed no emotion, his jaw tightened as he brought a cigarette to his lips. He flickered his lighter once, twice, then a third time, scowling when no flame came forth. Finally he closed his eyes and gave a deep, long sigh.

"You tried to kill me," I said quietly.

"No. I tried to set you free."

I squared my jaw. "Then do so." He still didn't answer. "Look, if you're really so worried, I'll stick with Arthur and John. I won't leave the house alone."

"It won't be enough."

"Why not?" I pressed.

"Because I don't trust them, alright? I don't trust anyone else with you."

His concern for my safety shocked me, and made me uneasy. This was my enemy. I was supposed to be manipulating him without a second thought. And he had just softened a very important barrier. My hatred for Thomas Shelby threatened to fizzle away — I couldn't let that happen.

"Let me make this very clear, Shelby. You do not have any degree of autonomy over what I do or where I go. Is that understood?" My chest heaved with each breath. I paced a little, unsure if I wanted to slap him or run from the room before he could stop me. "From what I can see, no other woman in the Peaky Blinders would be content in my position. Polly, a house slave? Ada, taking orders from her brother?"

"I wouldn't go looking to Polly and Ada for inspiration," Tommy said.

"I'm not finished," I glowered. "You have fucked off and left me here, alone. Given strict orders about what I can and cannot do. Cowardly, is what it is. And if you still want us to marry, you stop it this instant. My father's men be damned."

Thomas blinked. "You still want to go ahead with that?"

To my dismay, I flushed a deep shade of crimson. "That was your condition, was it not?"

He placed the cigarette back in his case and reclined a little, watching me intently. "I'm going to need you to say you want it, Kimber."

My heart thudded in my chest. "Excuse me?" I whispered.

"The way I see it, I'm in a position of power," he explained. "I've been waiting for you to initiate that particular part of our plan. I don't take my women without their consent, real or pretending. And you still haven't come within three feet of me."

"You haven't been here," I said slowly.

His gaze was piercing. "I'm here now, aren't I?"

I took a small, tentative step forward. My shoe scraped against the wooden floor. I will use this to my advantage, I decided, trying to clear any other thoughts from my head. Thoughts about the way Tommy looked at me sent ripples through my abdomen, and a sear of goosebumps across the back of my neck.

"You will let me leave the house," I whispered.

Tommy continued to conceal his emotions impressively well, but not perfectly. I caught the way his breath hitched in his chest as I took another step, so close now we were within touching distance, less than an arm's length away.

"And if I don't?" He challenged softly.

"I will leave anyway. And if you or your brothers try to stop me, it won't end well for you."

The corners of his lips threatened to lift. "I might have to re-purpose those handcuffs."

Scowling I turned, ready to leave the room in anger, but his hand shot out and clamped around my wrist. His touch was electric sending volts down my arm. I instinctively turned back to him, and found myself on the receiving end of his pleading blue eyes. Fuck.

"Maybe we can compromise," he suggested, pulling me in closer.

"No."

"We're going to have to get good at it. It's the backbone of every marriage, after all."

A chill dotted along my spine at his words. Marriage. He would be my husband. The agreement that had seemed so silly and ineffective at the time now loomed crystal clear, with his touch still grazing my wrist. Perhaps Tommy realised he had struck a nerve, because his fingers become gentle, his thumb rubbing softly against the joint of my hand.

"Come with me," he said. "You'll get to travel somewhat. Beats being stuck in Small Heath."

"Won't it be dangerous?" I asked.

"Not with me." His tone was firm.

"What... what will we be doing?"

"Taking care of business. Attending a few races. None involving your father," he assured me. "I've moved further south."

"I suppose it makes sense," I decided. "What better way to lay the foundation of speculation with your family, and relieve you of a lifetime with a Lee girl?"

Tommy actually smiled at that, though he quickly wiped it with a — finally successful — light of his cigarette. My wrist felt strangely cold with his touch no longer there.

"We'll need to lay some ground rules," he said seriously. He gestured to the seat beside me.

Reluctantly, I sat down. "Such as?"

"We can't let things get messy. Marriage is a lifelong commitment. We'll need to be convincing, but... no pretending when we're alone. Not if nobody's watching."

"Agreed," I said. "And no... no kissing," I hastily added. He raised an eyebrow. "I know we'll have to at some point," I explained. "Just not yet." I didn't want to confess to him that, with my overprotective father, I hadn't been kissed before. That I didn't want my first one to be some ruse. At least there wouldn't be any other firsts... would there?

As though he'd read me mind, Tommy said, "I was going to say no fucking, but I suppose your one takes care of that."

I blushed and nodded.

"And finally, no feelings," Tommy said. He frowned. "That won't be a problem, will it?"

"Definitely not," I said smoothly. "Unless they're feelings of annoyance."

"Agreed." Tommy stood from his seat. "Take your wage," he nodded to the pile of notes. "Pack your things. We head to Dorset this evening."

"I need to see Grace first," I said quickly. "I need to give this back, or..."

Tommy gave a sharp nod. "We'll make a stop by the Garrison. I hope you've got a plan."

I smiled as I stood to my feet. "Always."