XII. The vendetta is won.

Maude was in the bedroom, getting ready for the big day ahead she was silently praying things would go their way. That by nightfall, she and her children would be back in their home. She prayed for all of this to be over with, to be a closed chapter in their books.

As she stood in front of the full-length mirror in the bedroom, she looked at her stomach. There was nothing there yet, no bump, no movement. But Maude was more than aware of the life inside her.

Tommy stood in the doorway for a second, silently admiring his wife before he entered and came to stand behind her. His arms wrapped around her waist, his hands coming to rest on her stomach. "You ready for today?" he questioned as he met her gaze through the mirror.

"I suppose so," Maude replied softly as she nodded her head. She was silent for a moment before raising her eyebrows. "Are you?" she asked him.

Tommy nodded his head without hesitation. He's been waiting for this day, and he wouldn't let it go to waste. "We're going to kill that bastard," he assured his wife. "Then it's done," he muttered as he slowly shook his head. "The vendetta will be done."

Maude turned around in Tommy's arms, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "We say the vendetta is won." she corrected, faking the smug tone Mrs. Changretta had used the previous day, making Tommy chuckle softly in agreement.

Tommy, Maude, Polly, and Finn gathered in the distillery building where Tommy and Maude had met with Alfie days prior. It was only the four of them. Two were aware of what was about to play out, and two were very unaware.

Luca Changretta stepped into the building with a few of his men behind him. But they were no longer his men, and he'd soon find that out. Whoever said you can't buy loyalty lied; you can buy loyalty, you just need a lot of fucking money.

"All that's left of the Peaky fucking Blinders." Luca mused as he looked between the four who stood in front of him, just a table separating him from them.

Luca slowly rounded the table and came to stand in front of Tommy. The two men silently stared each other down. Maude stood on one side of Tommy and Polly on the other side, while Finn stood slightly behind Tommy. The three shared looks among themselves as Luca stared Tommy down with a smug look.

Luca snapped his fingers and a man with a briefcase stepped forward. The man put the briefcase on the table and pulled out papers as Luca came to stand beside him at the table. "I've had my lawyer draw up these papers," Luca explained as the other man stepped back with his briefcase. "Cover, uh, every enterprise in your possession. Bars, restaurants, warehouses. Every fucking thing that you've taken all these years to gather together. You will sign them all over to my family or you're gonna die. Right here." he threatened as he stepped closer to Tommy again.

Maude watched the man silently, her eyes following his every move. Tommy stared back at Luca, his face blank and his eyes cold. He wasn't intimidated in the slightest. He let Luca ramble, let him make his threats. Let him play the big bad guy. Tommy took his time because he knew he had the upper hand. He knew he'd already won, and Luca was embarrassing himself.

"I would've buried you all but my mother, she, uh, she knows you, she said. It'll be worse for you if I let you live and take away everything that you have." Luca explained.

Maude pursed her lips. Last night, she had convinced Tommy of the same thing. Letting Mrs. Changretta live, having lost her sons and husband, letting her live on the run, always watching over her shoulder and wondering when her turn was.

Luca reached out, pulling back Tommy's coat and taking the gun out of Tommy's holster. "Search them," Luca demanded from his men. The men stepped forward to search the four, still playing their part. "Especially don't trust this bitch." Luca muttered as he stepped up to Polly, ripping her shirt open and checking her for any weapons on her body.

Then he turned to Maude. He recognized her as Thomas Shelby's wife. It didn't take a genius to truly find out Tommy's one weakness. His wife. It was obvious with how much power he gave Maude, it was obvious with how he protected her, how he loved her.

Luca stepped up to Maude. "You're the one my father had shot," he muttered. He sided-eyed Tommy with a smug look before reaching down and searching Maude himself. His hand ran over her sides, his hands lingering on her breasts. Then he hooked his finger into the neckline of her dress and yanked, ripping the material to peek inside.

"I am," Maude replied, clenching her jaw as she stared at him. Her eyes followed him as he crouched down in front of her. His hands slipped up underneath her dress and ran up the length of her dress. "Still have the scar. I like looking at it; reminds me how much he fucking failed and how much he lost." she taunted in a low voice.

Tommy's cold eyes followed Luca, his fists clenching as he watched the man touch his wife. It took everything in him not to attack Luca. So much so that he started trembling to hold himself back. He knew it was what Luca wanted, to provoke him into attacking.

Luca stepped back from Maude, glaring her down for a second. Then he returned to the table and picked up a pen, holding it up as he looked at Tommy. "So. Sign. Every fucking one of them," he demanded as he dropped the pen onto the table. He stared at Tommy for a moment before slowly pushing the papers off the table. "You can sign them on your knees. On the floor." he spat. Tommy blankly stared at Luca and the Italian snapped. He grabbed the table and threw it over before stepping up to Tommy. "Get on your fucking knees and sign."

Tommy stared at Luca and almost let a smile of amusement slip as he lowered himself onto the floor. "A friend of mine once said... " he began speaking, grunting as he keeled in front of the Italian. "Big fuck small," he told as he pointed at Luca and then himself. "So I had to find someone bigger than you. Now, you may know there are two families in Brooklyn, who want to take over your monopoly on the import of liquor into New York.

"But if they move against you in New York, they'll start a war between the families," Maude explained as she stared at Luca, an amused look gracing her face as Luca looked between her and Tommy.

"But if you were to die in a vendetta with some fucking bookmaker in Birmingham, they could take over your business without a war," Tommy added as he stared up at Luca with a smile. He could see the wheels turning in Luca's head as the man realized Tommy what Tommy had been busy with.

"We also contacted a businessman in Chicago. He's also interested in moving into the liquor business in New York." Maude informed Luca, her head tilting to the side as she raised her eyebrows. "His name is Alphonse Capone," she told him. Polly looked at Tommy and Maude with furrowed eyebrows, unaware of what game they were playing.

"You been talking to that fat fuck?" Luca questioned as his eyes turned to Tommy, and he visibly looked startled.

"You see, all the blood relatives you brought with you from New York, they're all dead, Mr. Changretta." Tommy reminded Luca before pointing at the men standing behind Luca. "And these men here, they work for money, for the highest bidder. They now have new orders," he informed.

"Is that right?" Luca questioned in a low voice before slowly turning around to face his men. "Is that right?" he asked his men, receiving no answer. " And you, Matteo?" he asked his right-hand man, who lowered his gaze in response. Luca turned back to Tommy. "Hey. Very fucking..." he mumbled as he pulled out his gun and lifted it in Maude's direction.

Tommy grabbed a pipe that lay on the floor and hit the gun out of Luca's hand before jumping up and attacking Luca. Every hit he delivered was for his brother John, and every extra hit he delivered was for how Luca had touched Maude.

Tommy dropped the pipe and punched Luca to the floor but Luca grabbed the pipe off the floor and swung it at Tommy. He got in three hits with the pipe before Tommy tackled Luca into a table that was lined up with gin bottles. Tommy grabbed the back of Luca's head and fueled by his anger of knowing Luca was about to shoot Maude; he smashed the man face first repeatedly into the table of glass shards.

Arthur entered the building, followed by Daniel and Henry who looked a little rattled by his presence. Polly stumbled back when she saw Arthur, and Finn's mouth fell open as his eyes widened.

Tommy looked at his brother and lifted Luca Changretta's bloody face, forcing him to see Arthur, alive and well. Luca looked at Arthur, and even though his face was hidden underneath the blood and wounds, they could see he was shocked.

Arthur made firm eye contact with Luca Changretta as he raised his gun, firing a single bullet into the Italian's head. Luca stumbled a bit as he fell to his knees before crashing face-first onto the floor.

Tommy spared the dead body a single glance before turning to the other Italian men, raising his finger at them. "Tell your people in Chicago that Michael Gray will sign the import license to New York. 300 barrels of English dry gin a month," he informed them.

"Leave. All of ya." Arthur grumbled as he looked at the Italian men. "Tell your boss what you saw here today," he instructed them as they began leaving. "And tell him...You don't fuck with the Peaky Blinders," he added as his gaze settled on Luca's body.

Tommy turned to face his wife and wrapped a hand around the back of her head, pulling her into his arms. Maude's eyes fluttered closed for a moment as she rested her cheek against Tommy's shoulder, clutching onto the fabric of his coat.

Just like Tommy had promised, they returned home that day. A big dinner for the whole family was held at Arrow House. Tommy had gone all out last minute to make it a grand affair.

Everyone was gathered in the sitting room, drinking expensive champagne as they chatted and listened to music. Maude sat on one of the couches, with Amelia on her lap. Tommy sat on the armrest, talking to his wife while letting his daughter fiddle with one of his hands. Charlie ran around the room and played with Archie, Edith, and Karl.

Tommy patted his wife's thigh and stood up with a glass of whiskey. "Hey! Listen up," he called for everyone's attention, and the music stopped. "Um. Before we go and eat, I'd like to say a few words. Last time we were all here, it ended badly." he began.

"Yeah." Arthur agreed as he nodded his head.

"And now, we're in a happier place," Tommy told them. He was silent for a moment before raising his glass. "That's it. I'd just like to raise a toast," he said and everyone raised their glasses.

"Hold on," Arthur called out before anyone could raise a toast. " A few words I want to say from the heart, and this time, you're gonna let me finish, Tommy," he said as he sat up, referring to his speech at Tommy and Maude's wedding. "Now, as you all know, Arthur Shelby is dead. 'Cause of that, Tommy's offered me a way out. A new identity. Start a whole new life for meself. I've thought about it. Made a decision." he informed everyone as he stood up and everyone stared at him with bated breaths. "I ain't fucking going nowhere." he declared as he laughed.

Everyone laughed and gave soft cheers for his decision, happy that he was staying.

"Now our enemies are gone." Arthur continued. "Dead, all of them. For the first time since me, my two kid brothers, Tommy and John, enlisted in the Warwickshire Yeomanry, we have peace." he declared before going silent for a second. "So. I think I'd like to make a proposal to all of you, the Shelby Company Limited, insist that Tommy here take some time off." he insisted. "Time you took a holiday, Tom. Put your feet up. War's over. No one wants to kill us."

"I'm all in favor," Maude spoke up as she raised her glass at Arthur and everyone laughed in agreement.

"To peace." Arthur toasted as he raised his glass of whiskey before downing it.

"To peace." Everyone couresed as they raised their glasses before taking a drink.