Welcome to another chapter!

Personal thanks to all who reviewed, favorited and followed! Special thanks to Sparky She-Demon for the DMs and the amazingly accurate guess on Anna's historical identity! Kudos to you :) Be sure to check out her work if you're in the mood for some Titanic fics!

A gentle warning that this story is rated M, explicit content ahead!

I present:

Chapter 7: Teachers and students

"Polly's not too happy with you, it seems," Anna said conversationally, forgoing the chair in front of his desk and plopping down on the desk itself. Tommy glared, but knew this wouldn't deter her. "Something about you calling the cops on Ada's husband?"

"Mind your own business," Tommy growled. Anna gave him a look that said everything. She was like a dog with a damned bone.

"Your business is my business," she shrugged. "Your personal life… eh," she motioned with her hands up and down. "Not so much my business, but I find it quite fascinating."

"Find a husband, you'll be plenty entertained then," Tommy tossed at her, knowing that it would burn. It did. Anna slid off the desk and walked back to the chair. She didn't sit down. He watched her as she leaned on it, looking around the office.

"I've got a suggested date for you," she said. "for taking out Billie Kimber." That got his attention. He looked up from the papers at his desk, motioning for her to speak. She walked back to the desk, picking up his agenda book and flipping it to the chosen day. "At this time and date, he will have fewer men surrounding him. His schedule has them running all over the place then. I'd advise taking him down then." She penned a cartoonish star on the paper, tossing it to him.

"Are you mad at me?" Tommy asked. Anna sighed. "Everyone's fucking mad at me," he said somberly. "My whole family hates me."

"Stop whinging!" Anna slammed her hand on his desk, getting in his face. "You don't communicate, that's why they're pissed! Just tell them the truth, for once." She moved back. "I'm not mad at you. Not when you look at me like that, all sad and lonely little boy look." His eyebrow went up, but she shook her head. "Something about men being all vulnerable gets the girls going, don't you know that, sweetheart?"

"Never heard that one before," Tommy chuckled.

"Well you have now," Anna huffed. "More work to be done." She hopped onto the window, as always, and swung her legs over.

"Use a fucking door," Tommy grunted. Every time she jumped out his window his heart jumped with her a little. She was shaving years off his life, that one.

"Where's the fun in that?" Anna laughed. Then, she stopped and gave him a smirk. "Forgot to ask on the account of your sister giving birth and all that," Tommy gave her a curious look and her smile widened. "Do you read fortunes?" At his glare she laughed loudly, which made him smile, and jumped out into the early morning darkness. Tommy sighed, standing up. He closed the window and decided to face the music. It was time to follow Anna's advice. Or at least try.

"Fuck," Tommy cursed as the glass broke in his hand. A bad omen. He went to get up and find a rag to clean up the mess, but a handkerchief was thrown into his arms. He looked up to see Anna standing in his office, obviously having taken the door. "I'll ruin it." How did she always manage to find him. Especially when he'd retreated shamelessly into his office in order to avoid the situation with Arthur Senior and Arthur Junior.

"I'll get another," she shrugged. "Little birdie told me your father was in town." She sauntered up to his desk. Tommy dabbed at the whiskey, then gave up. He tossed the handkerchief over the bottle of leftover drink next to the mess.

"Leave it alone," he warned a finger pointing at her unreadable face. Anna stood there, looking at him. "What did you come here for? You were in earlier." She shook her head with a smile.

"Got some info on your spy, sweetheart," she told him. "Figured you'd want to hear it." Tommy motioned with his hand for her to continue. "It's someone Irish. Someone who volunteered to work for the Crown. Also, there were some notes about an IRA man who's been killed. Know anything about that?"

"Ryan?"

"Yes, I think it was Ryan something," she nodded.

"Fuck," Tommy got up, walking over to fetch his coat and cap.

"Are you mixed up with the IRA, too?" Anna smirked. "Been a busy boy," she laughed. For some reason, that last dig, coupled with the events of that and the previous day, made Tommy snap at her.

"Stop meddling," he growled.

"I'm just working," Anna defended, but he forwent his idea of getting his things and rounded on her.

"No, you're meddling," his finger was in her face again. "You're meddling and you don't know the line. Or when to fucking stop." Anna glared right back at him, which made his temper skyrocket. Did she really believe she could push him all the time without retribution? He was Thomas Shelby, not some backwater boy, wet behind the ears.

"I personally think-"

"I don't care what you fucking think."

"Oh, right, I forgot." Anna's hands flew up in outrage. "A woman's only good enough on her knees sucking your cock, right?" The image of her on her knees in front of him, with that red lipstick, flashed through his head.

"You and I both know that I don't believe that," his voice was a dangerous whisper as he took a step closer to her. She stepped back, avoiding the accusing finger.

"Then why do you act like that?" She didn't back down. Tommy sighed.

"Anna, stop pushing me-"

"Oh, now I'm pushing you? I thought we-"

"We what?" Tommy's voice rose to a yell. "Enlighten me. We what? We have some weird flirting friendship? Let's get this right, you're the employee, I'm the employer. Mind your fucking business and stop talking back." Instantly, he regretted his words. He regretted saying that. Anna was not just an employee. She was his friend. The first friend he'd made after the War. Someone who understood him. Counseled him. Did right by him. Someone who showed him tender kindness despite his harshness. Someone very dear to him. And, he'd fucked it up.

"You," Anna paused when her voice broke. "Are. Insufferable."

"Welcome to the hating party," Tommy spread his arms wide, inviting her. "Join my family, they all think I'm a fucking insufferable bastard, too." He waited, but she didn't say anything. "Go on then, Anna. Let's have it. Knowing what you know, I'm sure you can think of a good way to hurt me with your fucking words." What was he saying. Why was he arguing more. Why didn't he just apologize. Apologize and be done with it. She'd forgive him. She understood. She knew the need to push everyone as far away as possible. She did it, too.

"Shut up, you meddlesome hag," Anna growled, grabbing the lapel of his vest and pulling him forward. In his rage, Tommy hadn't braced for it. His arms, previously spread wide, ended up on either side of the girl, catching himself against the wall before he smashed into her. Instead, she managed to push herself on her toes and smash their lips together. Now that, was different. Wholly unexpected. He was thinking she'd head-butt him or slap him. He'd deserved either. Maybe both.

Tommy quickly managed to get ahold of himself and wrap one arm around her waist. The other one sought out her hair, loose as always, in curls down her back. It slipped like silk through his fingers. He'd wanted to feel that hair for so long, he realized. He knew that she had no idea what she was doing. After all, she was just pressing her lips to his harshly. Tommy pulled slightly on her hair, making Anna step away from him. Her cheeks were red. Very, very red.

"Like this," Tommy pulled her back in, his lips finding her willing ones, before she could say something to ruin the moment. He broke the steady pressure into a few smaller kisses, leading her, teaching her. When he tasted her, she was like peaches and tea. The smell of her perfume, a cheap thing, but one he'd come to treasure, enveloped him. Tommy was lost in the kiss. Her fingers were trembling on the lapels of his vest, slowly letting go, going down, touching his chest, his waist, gripping his dress shirt tight. They separated and she gasped for air. Tommy looked at Anna, finding her dazed.

"Holy shit," she remarked.

"Interesting ending to a squabble, for certain," Tommy said with a lazy grin. Anna nodded, smiling.

"But a good one," she was completely out of breath. Her pouty mouth was bruised so beautifully in red, from his nips at her bottom lip. "I had no idea kisses could be like that," she whispered.

"I'll take that as a compliment," he chuckled. He didn't want to let go of her. She fit so well in his arms. So small. So delicate. So exquisite. The most expensive thing he'd ever seen. Tommy grinned to himself.

"Is there more?" She asked, looking up at him innocently. "Is there more to kissing than this?"

"Depends," he sighed, forcing himself to move away from her. It was cold without her in his arms.

"On what?" Anna asked, stepping forward. "During sex? Is it different?" Tommy was aware of the effect she'd had on him. Of how her words made him think only of her under him, moaning, naked. She was trouble incarnate. And he was hard as hell. But, not Anna. Not with Anna. He was hollow. Not with her.

"If you love the person, it's different," he said. "I suppose it's different during sex, too." Anna stayed silent for a moment and then her hands went to her blouse, unbuttoning it.

"Teach me," she asked and Tommy balked.

"What?" His brain seemed to have stopped functioning. Again, Anna had done something unexpected. She always did the thing he least expected. He'd always been the one to be able to predict things. Not through some gypsy sorcery, but through logic. He'd always had a quick mind. And, there she was, the trouble which made his brain take a break to frolic in imaginary meadows whenever she was around.

"Everything," Anna unbuttoned her blouse completely and then slipped it off, staying in her bralette. "Teach me all of it."

"Anna," her hands were on her pants then, unbuttoning them. Tommy sighed, his hands trembling at his sides. "This isn't a good idea." She toed off her shoes and then lowered her pants. Tommy sucked in a short breath. She was beautiful. He could see a scar on her shoulder, right next to her heart. Puckered pink flesh which hadn't healed properly. It didn't mar her beauty in any way. It made her more appealing. A warrior who'd seen violence, yet had tenderness still in her. Had innocence still.

"No, it's a great one," she retorted. "I like you, I trust you. So teach me." She slid her stockings down and tossed them away. Tommy was left staring at her mutely. The soft, pale skin a sharp contrast against the black lace. "You don't want to?" Anna looked at his crotch and then back up at him. "I don't understand. You don't want to? You don't like me?" Obviously, she'd seen the effect her little show had had on him. But, she didn't understand his internal struggle. She was so young. Too young. She was dear to him. Too dear. He was too damaged. She liked him. And he was too damaged. Too hollow.

"I like you more than I fucking should," Tommy admitted, sighing. He stepped back from her and she stepped forward.

"Then?"

"I shouldn't." He shook his head. "I took your first kiss. It doesn't feel right to-"

"I've had sex before," Anna said. Tommy stopped short, looking at her inquisitively. She was blushing an intense red. It stood out against the pale skin. "I did it, just in case… you know." Rape was a weapon frequently used in her line of work. He knew. "I never kissed anyone, though. I just asked a friend to do it with me." She shuffled on her feet, looking anywhere but at him. "I just… I want to know how it feels with someone I like."

"And that's me?" He managed to find his voice. Anna gave him a deadpan look.

"It's the cute butt, sweetheart," she giggled. "Can't resist the cute butt." Tommy laughed.

"That's hardly a reason to-"

"Never mind," Anna shook her head, bending down to get her blouse. Tommy watched as she quickly, with jerky motions, put it back on. He caved. He knew that he shouldn't have, but he did. He caved.

"Fuck," and with that, he crossed the small distance between them and his hands gently lifted Anna's face to his. He kissed her again. It wasn't gentle. It was open mouthed, his tongue guiding hers, teeth clashing, him showing her how to nip at his lip and make him groan. Her hands abandoned her blouse, leaving it loose on her shoulders and went to his vest's buttons. He helped. They separated for a moment while they got his vest and shirt off. His pocket watch clanked as it landed on the floor. Anna bent forward, kissing the place where his heart lay. "You're too much trouble," Tommy whispered and she looked up at him.

"Too much for you?" She asked with a smirk.

"Just enough for me," he smiled, grasping her hand. He led her out of his office and into his bedroom, one floor up. Then, with the door closing, he pushed her against it, kissing her again. She gasped into the kiss when his hands touched the skin of her bare waist. She kept working on getting his pants off. Tommy breathed her in when they separated, leaning his head down into the junction of her shoulder and neck. "Having trouble there?" He moved her blouse away and kissed the skin in front of him. Left a tiny mark with his teeth.

"They won't unbutton," Anna sighed, breathless. His hands went down to her trembling ones, helping. Then, he was stepping out of his pants. Anna pushed him back, moving him towards his bed. She took off her blouse on the way, bunched it up and tossed it to the side. Tommy thought that that must've been one of the most arousing things he'd seen her do. Short of sucking him in the bathroom. She pushed him towards the bed again. He managed to toe off his shoes in the process, making her stop for a moment to look down. She giggled. "You gonna fuck me with your socks on?" He sat down at her next push, pulling her onto his lap.

"Not unless you won't let me take them off," he chuckled, kissing the flesh in front of him. Her collarbone was so delicate. He kissed the top of her breast, enjoying the sigh she gave. Her hands were on the back of his neck, pushing him to her. He kissed the scar above her heart. Then, one of her hands was messing up his hair. Her nails dragged through the short part of it, making him sigh in pleasure. He nipped at her breast, making her gasp.

"That feels good," she said.

"Wait till you see what else I know," Tommy cheekily told her bending further down and catching her nipple between his teeth through the bralette. Now that got him a gasp. Her hips bucked into his and Tommy groaned. "Fucking trouble," he groaned. He knew that she could feel how hard he was through the underwear.

"Don't you know it, sweetheart," she giggled, pulling back. The look that she gave him made him think that she felt at least half of what he did. The dilated pupils, the lips apart, the gentle look in her eyes. He was certain that he wasn't hiding the erratic beating of his heart in his chest any better than she was. Nor the sheer adoration on his face.

"Fuck," Tommy said, gripping her waist and moving them so that she was under him. Hair splayed on his bed, only in her underwear, Anna looked perfect. He kissed her, sliding his hands up her body to her bralette. She raised her back a bit to let him undo it and pull it over her head. It made an odd thunk sound as it fell to the floor. Like there was something heavy in it. Then, she was back on the bed and his brain switched lanes back to her. Tommy kissed down her body, watching as she shuddered in anticipation for each touch. Her hands were on his shoulders, gently gripping them. He was aware of one naughty leg, touching up his thigh, caressing him. "Don't rush me," he grunted into her stomach, slapping at the leg gently. "Didn't you ask to be taught?" She smirked, obviously happy with the way she'd made him loose control.

"Then show me something," she huffed, her fingers tapping on his shoulders impatiently. And Tommy took that challenge seriously. He slid her underwear down, tossing it somewhere behind him and lifted one leg onto his shoulder, kissing her thigh. It made her gasp so beautifully. Then, he was tasting her. Now that. That made her moan in a different language.

"Was that Russian?" He asked curiously, pulling back a bit.

"Shut up and get back to it!" Anna ordered. Tommy grinned, but did as asked. It didn't take her long. A few licks and nips here and there. His finger at her clitoris. She was gone before he'd even placed a finger inside of her. Tommy sat back and rubbed at her as she rode out her first orgasm, rambling and whispering in what sounded like Russian, hands clutching at his sheets. Her head was thrown back so beautifully, showing him the long expanse of her delicate neck. "Holy shit," she commented, panting when he let her catch her breath. "Holy crap," again, she said.

"The best of compliments is the fact that I can rob you of your clever digs," Tommy commented planting a kiss onto her lips. She groaned into it, her legs coming up behind his back to pull him closer to her. Their bodies pressed together and he sucked in a sharp breath. She was so small, so delicate. So his.

"Can you do that again?" Anna asked innocently when their kiss broke. At his quirked eyebrow, she elaborated. "Make me feel like that." She was just too precious. He wanted to never let her go. Never let her leave his bed.

"Orgasms are the key to your heart, eh?" Tommy grinned.

"Orgasms are the door opener," she answered. "You've already got my heart, sweetheart." At that, he stopped short. Anna looked at him, then covered her face with her hand. "Ignore me. I shouldn't have said that." Tommy gently peeled her hand away from her blushing face. She looked very adorably vulnerable.

"Are you in love with me, Anna?" He needed to know. He really did. She looked to the side.

"Isn't it obvious by now?"

"No."

"Then you're as dense as you pretend to be," she commented with a sigh. "I've been in love with you since I took your first legal job." Tommy kissed her. He kissed her like he meant it. It was hard, but slow. Showing her exactly what he thought of her admission. It made her gasp, then sigh, then touch him all over his body.

And then, without talking, they separated. His socks and underwear came off and he was helping her get further up on his bed. Then, her legs parted and she hugged him to her, helped him position himself perfectly. Tommy breathed in and smelled her perfume. Her natural scent broke through, a little bit of crisp soap which she used and sweat, but also something sweet. She smelled sweet.

Then, he was inside her in one push. She gasped. He grunted. She was like heaven. So soft, so responsive. So warm. And so loving. She loved him, after all. His little thief loved him. The woman who had tried to quell his nightmares. The one who'd listened to his pain and accepted him loved him. Suddenly, he wasn't as hollow as he'd been ever since the War.

Tommy thrust into her, kissing her neck, biting at it. Her nails scraped down his back, her moans in his ear. He was aware of her legs pushing him down into her and her hips rising up to meet his. He moved one arm to better bear his weight.

"Ow, hair, hair," Anna winced under him and they quickly adjusted for her hair to be away from his hand.

"Sorry," he gasped out, helping her place the locks on her other side. Her look was full of annoyance, but also mirth.

"Shut up and fuck me," she demanded. Nobody dared to demand anything from Tommy Shelby. But, he complied. He thrust into her, reveling in the small gasps she made. The small noises of excitement. He was close. His hand went down, touching her clitoris, swirling his finger around it. He wanted to make her cum again. She gasped so beautifully, gripped him so tight and they both went over the edge. Tommy gave a few more thrusts, riding out his pleasure, hearing the way Anna gasped under him, clutched him close. And then, his forehead lowered to her shoulder, exhaustion from their activities taking over. Anna whispered something in a foreign language to him, kissing his neck gently.

"Stop that unless you want another go," he warned, pulling away from her and lying next to her. Anna giggled.

"What if I do?"

"You'll need to give a break to this… meddlesome hag, was it?" He chuckled and she slapped his chest.

"I hate you."

"You just said you loved me."

"Well, I do," Anna said. Her arm came around his middle and her leg was thrown over his in a possessive gesture. "I'm doomed by loving you."

"As am I." He didn't say anything else. He didn't need to. She understood.

Surprisingly, by the time Tommy woke up, Anna wasn't gone. Instead, she was sleeping peacefully in his arms. He looked down at her and smiled, slowly disentangling himself from her. He quickly cleaned up as best he could without leaving his room and got dressed. If Polly saw him now, he would never hear the end of it. He checked his watch, seeing that it was only afternoon. Anna had completely destroyed his morning plans and he had zero regrets about it, for once. A hole inside of him had been filled in some way. A mysterious hole that had been dug the first night in the trenches of France had been filled at least a bit. Something he'd never had with Lizzie.

Tommy stepped out of his room with a small smile on his face. He went downstairs, into the kitchen. He put on the kettle and grabbed some toast and jam.

"Thank God, you're done," Polly's voice made him freeze up. "I thought no whores in the house."

"She's not a whore, Pol," he commented, continuing to make food for what would surely be a hell raiser in his room.

"The barmaid?" His aunt asked, stepping closer. She was smoking. The smell made him want to light a cigarette, but he just placed the food onto a plate and turned around. Polly was inspecting him carefully. "No, someone you actually care for." Then, she gasped. "The little thief!"

"Pol-"

"Don't you Pol me! She's so young! Is she even eighteen?" He knew that he would never live that one down. "I know you need someone young to keep up with you, but a child!" That statement made him sick to his stomach.

"She said she's eighteen," Tommy retorted. "Besides, it's not like I forced myself on her. Believe me, she did all the seducing." Polly smacked his chest.

"Eighteen! Thomas! Eighteen!" Again, she smacked his chest. "Are you serious about her? Does she service on the side? Are they even allowed attachments in the guild?" Tommy ignored the questioning. Instead, he made tea and then grabbed the kettle and the plate, along with a cup.

"Nice to see you've taken interest in my personal business again, Pol." Tommy avoided her hand and headed for the stairs, laughing.

"If she's pregnant, you'd better marry her, you hear me?!" Polly shook her head, when he just escaped. "Eighteen. Men and their cocks." He heard her huff.

Tommy slid into his room, opening the door with his foot. He looked at the bed to see Anna on her side, eyes open, watching him.

"You're feeding me, too?" She asked with a grin and stretched. "I might just move in, you know?" Tommy shook his head at her, placing the plate and tea on the nightstand. Still, the sight of her naked body splayed out on his bed made him want to take off his clothes yet again and forgo the food.

"Nobody ever called me ungentlemanly," he retorted. Anna shrugged, pushing herself up to grab a piece of toast and jam. "Before you decide to move in, you ought to know that Polly knows," he said, making her eyes widen.

"Oh shit," Anna mumbled around the food. "I'm in for it, aren't I?"

"I was already in it, so I'll kindly toss you to the wolf in my place," Tommy poured tea and drank some, before offering her the same cup. She drank.

"How gentlemanly," Anna huffed. "I'll remember this, sweetheart." But, she still ate contently and drank the tea he offered. When she was done, she licked her fingers and tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Now, another round or business?" Tommy raised his eyebrow at her. "Right, business first." And then, she gave her report once more, this time in a rather suggestive, naked state. He couldn't help himself, he took her again quickly, this time with her on top of him, without even taking off all of his clothes, before she finally managed to get away to get cleaned up and dressed. Business first, after all.

That's all folks!

My first time writing smut, so do let me know how I did :P