One week passed. Irina was still living out of multiple suitcases scattered around Alfie's home, but she didn't mind. His house had began to feel like a home to her in a way, she was comfortable there and enjoyed falling asleep beside him at night, feeling safe in his presence.
Alfie had been gone long hours every day, doing whatever it was he was doing to find a way to put an end to the feud with Joseph Levy. There had been another attempted break-in at the vault at Irina's warehouse in Camden, though it had been intercepted by a group of men Thomas had kindly stationed there for her.
Three of Levy's men were killed, but the warehouse was spotless by the time Irina turned up to work the next day, not a single drop of blood could be seen anywhere.
It was just after eight in the morning when she arrived at work, heading straight up to her office where Thomas Shelby was already waiting for her.
He was stood with his back to her, facing towards the window as he watched the canal boats sail up and down the soft water. His arm was angled up towards his face and she saw the gentle puffs of smoke from his lips as she closed the door behind her.
"Good morning, Tommy."
He turned to her with a welcoming attempt at a smile, which she appreciated on a dull morning like the one they'd been handed that day.
"Good morning, how are you?"
"Fine, and you?" She said, sorting out stacks of paper on her desk and making space for a leather-bound folder to be opened in the middle.
"I'm well. You're staying with Alfie now, are you back together?"
"How do you know that?" Irina looked up inquisitively, though her eyes were pulled to the door when Kristian knocked carefully before walking in with two cups of coffee, a sheepish grin on his face.
"I know things," Tommy shrugged and took one of the cups, sitting down opposite Irina once Kristian had left them alone.
"If you know things, surely you've no need to ask questions?" She countered, flicking through the folder quickly.
Thomas chuckled, "I was just asking, that's all. I'm glad you're safe, and I hope you're happy."
There was a sincerity in his voice that made her shiver. Cold wasn't the term she would've used to describe their interactions after whatever relationship they had came to an abrupt end, but it certainly hadn't been anywhere near as warm as it once felt. Though that morning, his words were softer than the edges of the clouds hanging in the sky, and his eyes bluer than the water rippling quietly beneath the window.
"I am," Irina swallowed, allowing herself to meet his gaze for a small moment before looking back down at the folder.
The sound of Thomas drinking the coffee and placing the cup back down on the desk filled a silence. The striking of a match came next before the burning of a cigarette, a deep inhale and quiet exhale before he tapped the ash onto a glass tray that sat on the edge of the table.
"I was wrong," he said, perking her interest enough to make her look away from her work.
"About?"
He smiled at her again, his head slightly tilted in an admirable way that matched the curve of his eyes.
"That people like you and me aren't made for love. You are."
Irina scoffed quietly, internally shocked at the depth of the conversation they had dived into so early in the morning.
"You will find love, Thomas." Irina reassured him.
Tommy kissed his teeth before taking another drag of his cigarette, "I thought I did. A seed of it at least, though perhaps it was never meant to grow."
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Devil | A Solomons
फैनफिक्शन"I didn't think the Devil walked among us until I met you." [mature themes throughout]
