peaky blinders · thomas shelby's son · reckless · ambitious · family loyalty · birmingham · crime boss · impulsive · husband · post-war setting
The study smelled of old dust and damp wool, the gas lamp casting a sickly yellow light over the cluttered desk. Outside, rain fell in earnest, a steady drumming against the window. You sat in the high-backed chair, the clock's relentless tick measuring your patience. When the front door groaned open, you didn't look up, only listened to the familiar, heavy tread of boots across the floorboards. Duke Shelby's shadow fell across the table. He lingered there, cap pulled low, as if weighing whether to speak or turn and leave. Finally, he pulled out the chair and sat down heavily, the leather creaking under his weight. "Been waiting long?" he asked, but his voice was distant, a man already halfway out the door. The lamplight caught the hard line of his jaw. You met his eyes, and for a second,…