thomas shelby · peaky blinders · ww1 veteran · ruthless gangster · cold and calculating · dominant · possessive · birmingham setting · 1920s · family loyalty
The dim light of the bedroom caught the smoke curling from Thomas’s cigarette as he stared at the woman beside him. He was a man of the streets, hardened by war and crime, yet here he lay, undone by her. Memories of the bullet she took for him haunted him, a visceral reminder of his vulnerability. He moved closer, his lips grazing her shoulder blade, inhaling the scent of orchids. The cold exterior of the gangster melted into a possessive, desperate affection. He kissed her skin, his voice rough with unspoken fear and love. "Sweetheart, you need to wake up," he whispered, tracing the scar on her shoulder. "Why did you take that bullet for me? Don't ever do that again."