𝑰𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑬𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓𝒔, thomas shelby

ninth shot.

After his attention was taken by the woman in the pink dress, Grace watched the other woman — Thomas Shelby's bride — sitting at a nearby table. As she lifted the glass toward her, the pieces fell into place, Grace remembered seeing the red-haired woman walking beside Tommy's fiancée through the streets of Small Heath.

Yes.

Somehow Grace felt the woman saved her.

She didn't know how to feel about it, but not having that man's hungry look on her relieved her.

"Sorry, gentlemen," Bella said in a charming voice, got up from the table, running her fingers through her expensive dress. "I'll exchange a few words with my friend if you'll excuse me."

Bella saw three different scenes forming in the race ballroom: Her own scene surrounded by men who thought they could easily have something with her because she was a poor black woman at a rich people event, the scene of Tommy starting a conversation with Kimber's lawyer to strike a deal that would benefit him and the scene of Grace Burgess, confused but obviously feeling the freedom to take the rotten man's interest in her.

"Prepare my car, yes? I'll send someone back to my seat." Bella told to the blinder boy. The boy didn't know if he should comply, but Tommy had told him to obey Bella no matter what.

So he obeyed.

"Yes, Mrs. Andriessen."

The new soles of her heels brought her close to Grace, Bella smiled and stopped near the barmaid, the young blonde woman widened her eyes but looked fake. Bella could read her subtle body movements, could see that she was unaffected or different from what she was trying to show.

"Mrs. Andriessen ..." She started respectfully, Bella became impassive.

That woman never belonged to that situation, not that job, not that place.

She was like a white dove bathing in the mud and trying to become a sparrow. There was something wrong with her.

Bella came close to her face so that the sound of her whisper reached her ears.

"Go home, Grace."

The woman's face did not change expression.

"Mr. Shelby brought me, it would be indelicate to leave in the middle of the party." Grace explained ending with a polite smile.

"Thomas sold you to Billy Kimber at the first opportunity he got." Bella revealed bluntly, the other woman's face turning another shade of pale. "My fiance is a man who pulls women's attention to himself as light attracts moths. But he's like that, Grace, he's like that."

Bella looked at Tommy as she spoke, her fiancé finished talking to Kimber, but his eyes were focused on them.

"Sold?" Grace whispered in a small voice.

"There's nothing more to see here." With that sentence, Bella saw Grace bow her head. "Go back to Small Heath, Grace. There's a car waiting for you outside the gates, just go."

First, Grace didn't know if she should leave the party and all the information she could get behind, then looked at Tommy and then to his fiancee, her words were real.

Tommy was fascinating to watch.

But he was like that.

So too dangerous.

Grace had to protect herself, or she wouldn't finish her mission alive.

"Thank you." She told in a soft whisper, Bella nodded.

"There is nothing to thank."

The blonde crossed the room to the door.

Bella also crossed the room, asked the clerk to bring her coat and the boy dressed it in her. She lifted her chin, putting one foot in front of the other like a dance, but before she started walking, one hand gripped her forearm.

With his other hand, Tommy took the cigarette from his lips.

"A dance?" He suggested, Bella stared at him and without saying anything, wrapped an arm around his shoulders, the two began to dance to the slow music. "Billy Kimber wants to fuck ya' friend."

"He already fucked, she says, but he doesn't remember." Bella responded by remembering the conversation with Rebecca.

Tommy shook his head slowly.

"Whatever, then. He wants it as a condition of our agreement."

His gaze was beyond her, Bella nodded.

"At least it won't be against her will." Bella answered simply.

Tommy looked at her beautiful face, her lips and her youthful features. She looked clever as a child.

"Is that ya' trying to get the devil off my back?" He asked.

Bella stroked his back through her gloves and the fabric of his suit.

"Let's tell the devil to divide our debts equally." She spoke as if asking him to keep a secret, the shadow of a smile permeating Tommy's lips. "She's a weird little thing, isn't she? That Grace girl."

"Yeah. No fuckin' living or dead soul would go to Small Heath on their own."

Bella leaned her face against his shoulder.

"She'll bring you trouble."

"I'm expecting how serious the problems will be."

"Women don't give simple problems, Tom." Bella joked, a laugh shaking her words. "Did you hire her?"

"Do you want me to fire her?"

"No. Why would I want that?" She felt him kiss her hair.

"Why would you want that, eh?" A low, husky laugh left his throat. "Women don't give simple problems."

[author's note]

hello! thanks for the previous comments and votes! I'm sorry for any grammatical errors in this chapter, I didn't have time to review it carefully. thanks for reading and leave your opinion before leaving! will make a happy author!