VULNERABLE | thomas shelby

✞ F I F T E E N ✞

"To be respectable you have to be limited." Grace replied still grinning from ear to ear and Beth couldn't help but glare knowing she was flirting. "That's what worries me." Tommy muttered turning around to face the barmaids once again. "I had the phone put in. It's in the back." Grace informed clear as days trying to show of infront of Tommy.

Tommy caught Beth's eyes and gave her a wink letting a small smirk play at his lips. "Well if we knew someone with a phone we could call them." Beth let out a small laugh pouring herself another drink. "And since we're celebrating-." Grace reached over taking a bottle of champagne that looked very expensive and very fancy. "I had this delivered from Rackhams department store."

Beth watched Tommy inspect the bottle her mouth parted in shock. "Aren't you going to open it?" Tommy shook his head, placing the bottle back onto the pub counter. "No. Save it for a special occasion." Beth scoffed rolling her eyes and turning away from the pair having heard enough of them flirting and her standing in silence. Tommy watched as she she began to walk away. "Bethany wait. I want you to hear this."

Beth groaned turning and walking back to Grace. "Right your first job for the company. I want you to get that to my sister." He held a letter in the air and Beth growled knowing full well she should have been the one to go see Ada. "You don't see her?" Grace asked folding a towel. "No one does. She's hiding from me. I am told she goes to the bathhouse on Montague Street, on women only days. She goes in disguise so I need someone to get inside."

"What am I delivering?" Grace challenged. Beth let out a huff of air before Grace could reply. "A funeral date. I'm about to kill Tommy." She murmured. "It's an invitation to a family occasion. I want her there so tell her there'll be a truce." Beth's head perked and she smiled widely at Tommy excited to see Ada again and have the family back.

"Am i delivering bait to a trap?" Grace pressed. "If you check that contract, I think you'll find it doesn't say anything about asking questions. Give her the invitation. And put that thing in the cupboard until I say." Tommy paused at the top of the bar and nodded down to Beth. "Come on." Beth turned to Grace giving her one last look over before walking down the bar and following Tommy outside the Garrison.

Tommy leaned against the wall putting a cigarette into his mouth and held one out to Beth who gladly took it, letting him light it. "I can't tell whether to scream at you for hurting John or hug you for bringing Ada back." Beth murmured, letting out a dry laugh as she leaned into Tommy's chest, placing her head onto his shoulder.

Tommy brought his hands up into Beth's hair and began to brush the stray hairs back behind her ears. "I didn't intend to hurt John. There's going to be a wedding. Tomorrow. Johns wedding to a Lee girl. He is not to know. It's to build a truce and I want Ada home for it. I didn't get time to tell you because you ran inside last night." Tommy explained in a hushed tone.

His hand reached up to far and brushed over the place that Campbell had hit Beth's hair into the wall and she hissed before she had realised what she had done. "Oh. Really? Good for John." Beth hummed trying to change the subject from the worried glance Tommy was giving her. Tommy however waisted no time and spun her around harshly and tugged her hair up slightly to look at the dried blood hid by her pinned up hair. "What the fucking hell is going on? And I swear to god if you say you fell I'll lose my bloody head."

Tommy's shout filled the street of Small Heath and Beth cowered under his glare affected from his words she knew she'd just have to tell him. "I had a run in with the inspector last night on my way home from the graveyard. That's why I was being weird. He pushed me against the wall too hard and then he pulled my head back so my head is kind of sore." Beth murmured looking down at her feet as she dragged on her cigarette.

Tommy's eyes darkened as he stared at her in disbelief. "And you weren't going to tell me?" Beth shrugged her shoulders looking up to meet his stare. "You were pretty occupied with the Irish barmaid." She teased dropping her cigarette. Tommy turned around before Beth could stop him and began to storm away in which looked like he was going to the betting shop.

Beth watched his storm through the streets and let out a laugh. "So much for being fucking early to work."

•

Beth got in late from the Garrison, she had stayed behind after her day and decided to clean the whole pub and give Grace the night off. By the time she locked up it was around midnight. The streets of Small Heath before empty so Beth felt as if she was a mouse, silently making her way home.

When she made it in through her doors she took her cardigan off and threw her heels into the corner, as she made was making her way up her family home she began to peel her dress off her body, wanting nothing more than to fall asleep. As she made it to her hall her dress was discarded to the floor leaving Beth in her undergarments.

When Beth opened her room door her eyes shut for a moment, breathing in the scent of her mother's vanilla perfume that still roamed around the house. "Now that is a sight I missed seeing." Beth's moment of peace's was ruined and her eyes opened slowly to peer at Tommy who was lay in her bed in nothing but his white briefs a cigarette hung between his lips. "You Shelby men really need to stop getting into my bed."

Beth grinned winking cheekily at Tommy, it was dark so she hoped that Tommy wouldn't see her cheeks flush a small tint of red at his comment but Tommy saw everything. "And here I was thinking I had you all to myself." Beth shrugged her shoulders and reached her hand up to rub her scab at the back of her head. "Last we were talking Tommy, you stormed off pretty angry at me, now you're in my bed. Near naked might I add."

Tommy chuckled glancing down at his hand. "Don't be bloody stupid. I'm not mad at you just myself for letting the inspector lay his hands on you." Beth scoffed rolling her eyes and crossed her arms over her bare stomach. "Don't be mad at yourself. I shouldn't been at the grave yard so late, I fell asleep and then I got the karma for it." Beth smiled.

Tommy in return scoffed at this and let his eyes wander back to Beth who was covering her mouth to hide her yawn. "You tired love?" Tommy purred opening his arms out. Beth walked around the bed sheepishly pulling the covers back and climbing next Tommy. Their legs entangled and Tommy's arms kept a tight hold of her to his body. Skin on skin touching.

Beth gleamed up to glance at Tommy. "Kiss me?" She murmured, grinning softly. Tommy's hands reached down to brush her hair out of her face as he leaned down to meet her lips with his. The kiss was soft and nice and Beth couldn't be more grateful for the man Tommy's had become- even if it did have his bad days.

"Talking about weddings-." Beth teased murmuring softly against his lips. Tommy laughed letting out a small groan. "And on that note- it's bed time."