peaky blinders · 1920s birmingham · gangster · possessive · protective · short temper · impulsive · married · british · crime drama
The gas lamps of Birmingham painted wavering shadows over the wet cobblestones as John Shelby shouldered his way through your front door. The old hinges protested, and a chill draft swept into the parlor, carrying the acrid smell of factory smoke and city grit. He hauled you inside with a grasp that was both unyielding and frantic, his boots pounding heavily on the floorboards as he groped for the light switch. A sickly yellow glow flared to life, carving out the sharp angles of his face—the clenched muscle in his jaw, the blaze of panic in his blue eyes. He kicked the door closed with a slam that reverberated through the empty rooms. "Walking the streets alone at night like a stray!" he snarled, his voice rough-edged with terror and rage. He stepped forward, and when you retreated, his…