Red On Her Hands | Tommy Shelby

Chapter One

C h a p t e r O n e

Much to the relief of the two workers inside the Garrison, the visitors of the pub had dispersed earlier than any other night that week giving them the opportunity to finish their chores and possibly lock up early.

Lynette took delight in the silence as she cleaned the tables with a cloth in hand. It was one of the few occasions in those two weeks she had worked in the Birmingham pub that she did not have to clear away any broken glass off the floor. She had thought that luck was on her side until loud voices outside perked her attention, looking up she saw three shadows pass by the fogged window as they headed for the doorway.

The redhead shook her head with a faint smile as she recognised two of the voices as they entered the first set of doors. She dropped the cloth onto the counter while rounding the bar as the first individual greeted her.

"Awright Red!" the voice exclaimed playfully.

"Hello Arthur," she responded with a smile as she leaned her elbows on the counter waiting for their order as she noticed John and another man enter behind him.

Arthur took his cab off as he found a seat at one of the tables in the empty venue, he smirked up at the women from his place. "How is my Bonnie Lass?" he asked, causing John to laugh as he joined him at the table.

"Grand," she responded sarcastically before looking over at the new face. "You must be Tommy?"

Lynette had heard stories of this man from Harry and the two Shelby brothers that she had become acquainted to. She had learned in her time in the new city that the Shelby clan practically ran this city, surprisingly she had never heard of the group until her move. And had been even further surprised when she discovered she lived on the same street as their home and betting shop according to John.

She could only see a few facial characteristics that were similar to that of his brothers, but he was by far the most attractive of the three. He had the same shaved hairstyle that many of the Peaky Blinders wore, along with the expensive three-piece suit. His facial features were sharp, his jaw line and his cheekbones standing out at first glance. But those piercing blue eyes entranced her, having never met anyone with such a fierce gaze as he did.

"You're new," he simply commented as he approached the bar. "Where's Harry?"

"He's downstairs changing barrels," the Glaswegian responded with a faint frown as she realised that his attitude was not as playful as his brothers. "But I can serve you, if you don't have a problem with that."

"Don't worry Tommy Boy, she's well qualified!" John joked loudly before he and Arthur started talking amongst themselves.

Tommy ignored the joke before turning to the woman again. "A bottle of Irish Whiskey and three glasses. Get yourself a drink too."

Lynette turned and collected the bottle and the glasses while continuing to converse with the man as he removed his own cap. "Thanks but I don't drink on the job. And besides, it's a bit of a cop-out gesture to offer to buy a woman a drink when you aren't paying. Harry told me the Shelby lot don't pay for drinks."

She smirked at the man as she rested the items on the counter, before pushing the coin he had sat on the surface back across the counter towards him with her index finger.