Fandom: Peaky Blinders
Pairing: Luca Changretta x Shelby! OC
Prompt: "I can't do this anymore. Not with you."
Warnings: angst, bit smutty
Word count: 1188

DOROTHY SHELBY was a typical Shelby. Her brown locks and bright blue eyes made her look like a clone of her brothers and sister. Yet, she was the one Shelby sibling that differed from the others. She wasn't involved in any of her brother's businesses - she tried her hardest to stay away from all of it. She even tried to keep her younger brother, Finn, away from the gang life, but like most boys, they follow in their brothers' footsteps.

So Dorothy was the lone Shelby. The black sheep. She still, unfortunately, lived in Birmingham - but found a house far enough from her family and their business. It wasn't that she didn't love her family - she did, Dorothy could never stop loving Tommy or Arthur or Finn or Michael or Ada or Polly. She just couldn't stand them. Their morals were so tainted and vile that Dorothy rather despised her family. But she still loved them.

It was one thing that Dorothy strongly believed in. You can love someone but hate them at the same time. That was exactly how she felt about a certain Italian gangster.

Luca Changretta. Son of Vincente and Audrey Changretta. Brother of Angel Changretta. All people that her brothers had either killed or threatened.

Luca and Dorothy were quite close as children. Well, as close as the Shelbys and Changrettas allowed them to get. The two would see each other during the early mornings - when both families were still asleep so they wouldn't get caught. They were only children - barely even 12 yet - but for some reason, neither family wanted them to see each other.

But like reckless children, a simple rule wouldn't stop them. So for the next few years, Luca and Dorothy would secretly see each other. They would talk until the sun shone brightly over Birmingham when they'd have to separate for another day.

It wasn't until they had turned 18 when Luca stopped turning up their secret spot. One day turned into a week which turned into a month until Dorothy gave up. Luca had forgotten about her, so she had to forget about him too. But of course, life wasn't that easy.

Especially when she would walk past their secret spot every day. Especially when Dorothy had given Luca her first kiss. Especially when Luca was her first sexual partner. Especially when her brothers started a war against his family. Especially when his family killed her brother, John. And especially when she received the black hand at Christmas, signed 'Luca Changretta and family'.

She knew it was a death threat but didn't dare go to Tommy or Arthur about it. John had already been murdered - hopefully, they would deal with it without her getting involved.

However, life doesn't favour Dorothy very much as one rainy night, a knock rapped at her door. She wasn't stupid. She knew that whenever she opened her door, she was holding her life in her hands. Dorothy slipped on her sheer robe with a fur trim over her silk nightie, a gun in hand, hiding behind her back. She didn't unlock the door - she kept the chain locked in place as gingerly creaked the door open. Her blue eye peered through the gap, seeing a tall figure with its back turned to the door. His body was clad in a dark navy trench coat with a matching fedora placed lazily on his slicked-back, jet black hair.

"Can I help you?" Her soft Brummie accent ringing through the sound of the raindrops hitting the gravel.

The man turned around, his face illuminated by the sliver of light emitting from her doorway. His large nose stood out first, along with his hazel eyes and raised, slopping black eyebrows. He looked the same but different, was Dorothy's first thought. He had grown since he was 18-years-old. His skin was slightly more wrinkled and a tad more weathered with age - or stress, more like.

Parts of his skin were littered with tattoos - the most prominent one that caught Dorothy's eye was a classic cross on the side of his neck.

"Hello, Dottie," Luca's smooth, now New York accent, drawled out, his classic smirk overtaking his face. "It's good to see you again. It's been a while."

"20 years to be exact," Dorothy had since unchained her door and was now on full display to her past lover as she leaned against the doorframe. Luca should've felt awful for leaving Dorothy here without a word of where he was going, but he couldn't care when his eyes raked over her figure.

"You've changed, angel," Luca stepped closer. "Can I come in?"

Dorothy gutted, jutting her hip off the doorframe. "Depends. Are you gonna kill me?"

Luca chuckled. "You know that was only my way of telling you I'm back."

Dorothy hummed. "Yeah, sure. Like I believe that," she mumbled. "You killed my brother."

"Well, yours killed mine. And my father too," Luca deadpanned. "Let me in, I'm feeling like a drowned rat out 'ere."

Dorothy rolled her eyes, moving out of the way so he could walk in. "I hope you didn't bring any of your goons with y-" Dorothy began before she was cut off. Luca had stepped closer to her, backing her up against her front door, his body towered over her as he dipped his head down, connecting their lips in a long-awaited kiss. His tattooed hands travelled across her robe-covered body as his lips trailed down to her neck, pressing hot open-mouthed kisses to her hot skin.

Dorothy moaned at the forgotten sensation, her arms linked around his neck. "Ah, Luca," she groaned out as his hands looped under her thighs, hoisting her up so her legs circled around his waist.

What if he's just doing this to get closer to his family?

What if he's just doing this to fuck her and leave?

What if he doesn't love her anymore?

"Luca, stop, wait, wait, stop," the words rushed out of her mouth quickly as she turned her head away from his passionate attacks.

Luca obeyed, removing his lips from her skin to peer up at her, confused. "What is it, angel?"

A shaky breath left her mouth. "I can't do this anymore. Not with you."

"Why?"

"My brothers. Your family. They're at war. What if this is just a ploy to get more information out of me? I don't want to be dragged into my family's dramatics."

Luca chuckled, one of his hands trailing up to caress her neck fondly while his other remained under her thigh. "I know you're not involved in the Peaky business. I came here for you and you only, mi amore. I'm sorry I left you here, but I'm here now and I never stopped loving you."

Dorothy smiled. "I never stopped either."

Maybe Luca was an exception for her little mantra - perhaps you can love someone and not hate them at the same time.

THE END