Seize it (mob Tom x reader)

Chapter 22: seize it

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"Hm?" Tom hummed, turning his head to look at me. "Yeah."

"How've I not seen this before?" I asked.

"Dunno," Tom mumbled. The words inked on his skin read seize it in messy black handwriting.

"Tell me about it?" I asked, tracing the curves of each letter. Tom was quiet for a minute or two, but I didn't say anything to press it farther. I knew if he wanted to talk, he would.

"I got it when I moved the family here," he said. His eyes were closed, and I wondered if he was tired or if he just didn't want to look at me while he spoke. "It's tradition in our family for the new boss to get a tattoo in the handwriting of his number two guy."

"So is that Harrison's handwriting?" I asked. Tom nodded. "What's it mean?" Tom sighed and peaked an eye open at me. "Sorry," I mumbled, moving my hand away from him.

"No," Tom mumbled. "Keep doing that. I like it." I smiled a bit and rolled my eyes at him but continued to trace the tattoo anyway. "I picked it cuz of something Al Capone said."

"Oh?"

"He once said, This American system of ours gives each and every one of us a great opportunity if we seize it with both hands and make the most of it ." Tom shrugged as much as he could considering he was still laying face down on the bed. "I figured if I was going to move the family to the states, I should get something to commemorate it. I was the first one in the history of the family to even consider uprooting and leaving London. Thought I'd mark the history on my skin." He sighed. "I was given this opportunity to take over the family, and I guess now I've got the constant reminder to seize it and make it count."

Tom and I were both quiet, and I moved my fingers from the tattoo to his hair. He hummed contently as my nails scraped his scalp gently. "What did your dad's tattoo say?" I asked.

It seemed like every muscle in Tom's body tensed. I regretted asking the question as soon as it left my lips. I didn't want him to lash out at me, and I wished I could suck the words right back up. "I'm sorry," I said, shaking my head. "I shouldn't have asked that. I know. I'm sorry." Tom didn't say anything, and I laid back down on my back. Tom sighed and turned around, mirroring my position.

" Family ."

I turned my head to look at him. He was staring up at the ceiling. Before I could say anything, he spoke again. "I was 16 when he made me his number two," he said, "and I didn't want it. I begged and begged him to pick someone else, but he was adamant on it being me. God-" He scoffed. "-I was so mad. I felt like, I felt like he was signing my death certificate." I frowned and crawled on top of him, resting my chin on his chest. Tom opened his eyes and looked down at me, then gave me a soft smile. He stared up at the ceiling again. "Whenever he saw the tattoo, I wanted him to think of me, his son, and what making me his second would do to me. That he was killing his oldest son. His family."

"Tom," I whispered, begging for him to look at me. He did. "How did he die?" Tom licked his lips and stared up at the ceiling again.

"There was a rat in the family," he said.

"A rat?"

"Mhm," Tom hummed. "Undercover with the LPD. His name was Lewis. One day, Lewis told my dad that there was a deal with another family going down at a warehouse, so my dad went to stop it or, or interfere or whatever his plan was. Instead, Lewis was there and confessed everything. Dad was so mad. He was ready to kill the guy, no hesitation, but then LPD showed up. Dad drew his weapon anyway-" He scoffed again. "He didn't stand a chance. He knew what he was doing. He made that choice. It was suicide by cop."