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'𝙄 𝙋𝙍𝙊𝙈𝙄𝙎𝙀,
𝘿𝘼𝙍𝙇𝙄𝙉𝙂.'
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Victoria woke up to movement from beside her, it took a few minutes for her eyes to adjust to the lack of light in the bedroom, the curtains had yet to be opened. With a confused, light frown she rolled over and to her surprise, Tommy was still laying beside her. Since turning up on his door steps this had been the first morning that she had woken up beside him, it was something she could have quite easily gotten used to.
Slowly, she ran her index finger down his bare upper arm, his skin felt like silk against her touch. The light touch against his skin, alerted Tommy and his eyes fluttered open, blinking to adjust to being open before he rolled over to face her.
"Good morning sleepy head, care to explain to me where you were last night... I waited up for you to come home... " Victoria whispered before continuing to run her finger up and down his bare arm, her eyes looking down to avoid his gaze. Tommy shook his head and chuckled, "so is this what life with you is going to be like? Me out doing business and you waiting at home with a thousand worried questions for when I get home?"
"Well when it's business like yous, I have no other choice but to worry." She mumbled before sitting up, turning her back to him. He instantly began to regret his choice of words, he sat up behind her and snaked his arm around her waist and propt his head on her shoulder. "I was out doing some business, I will explain it all later. I would also like it if you were to join the family meeting tomorrow before we go off to the races." He whispered, sending shivers down her spine.
The idea of joining one of their important meetings that were only meant for family made Victoria feel more accepted amongst the Shelby family.
"But is that my shirt that you're sleeping in?" He questioned after she had stayed quiet for a minute. "It is indeed, problem?" Victoria responded as she turned herself so that she could see him and raised her eyebrow. "Not at all, looks better on you anyway." Tommy whispered, sending more chills down her back.
She pressed a light kiss to his cheek, allowing her lips to linger for a little bit longer before she stood up. Tommy laid back against the headboard with a Cheshire cat grin as he watched her put away the dress from the previous day before picking out her new dress from the trunk. He could see the thoughts processing through her mind by the expression on her face as she picked up the things she would need to get herself dressed before walking on into the ensuite bathroom that Tommy's room had.
Victoria closed the bathroom door behind herself and began humming a light tune to herself while slipping her night dress off, laying it over the counter. She then pulled on her navy blue dress and did up the white pearl buttons down the front before she fastened up the belt that pulled in around her waist. It was a short sleeved dress that had a small collar to the neckline that ruffled as it flowed down her legs, ending mid calf.
With a smile, the petite brunette looked back into the small mirror that she had found and lightly applied some light crème powder to her face, running her lipstick across her lips adding a coating of deep red and finally brushing on some light pink to the apples of her cheeks. Putting on her makeup and getting herself nicely dressed reminded her of how easy her life was before she had lost her brother, adding the small steps into her morning routine was helping her to feel normal again..
Victoria softly ran her fingers through her hair allowing it to hang over her shoulders naturally, she then picked up her belongings before leaving the bathroom. Without looking up she placed her things back into her trunk neatly. It wasn't until Victoria was slipping on the small navy blue pumps that matched her dress, that she looked up and spotted Tommy across the room picking up his tie to do up.
"Let me do that for you," She nodded as she wandered slowly over to him. She wrapped the tie around his collar and concentrating as she neatly did it up. Once she had it done she ran her hand down his tie before walking over to the bed, slipping on her navy kitten heels that matched her dress.
Victoria turned around with a smile before fully taking a look at Tommy's appearance. There he stood in front of her, dressed as smartly as can be in a light grey suit. To say that he was handsome and had stolen her heart would have been an understatement, but that wouldn't have been the first time either.
"And where are you off to today?" Tommy questioned as he raised his eyebrow. With a pleadant smile, she put her night clothes away in her trunk before looking back at him. "Arthur has asked me if I would help him with the numbers and asked if I would take a look over the Garrison's books for him." Victoria explained as she picked up her brown button-up dress coat, slipping it on over her shoulders.
Tommy nodded as he picked up his signature flat cap from the side counter, holding onto it as he admired her. "Well once you've finished looking over the books, I would like it if you could stay at the Garrison so that I know where to find you.
"And why would you need to find me?" She questioned, a frown setting in on her face as the thoughts ran through her mind. Tommy slowly walked over to where she stood, placing his hand on her cheek, his thumb slowly stroking over her porcelian skin. "There is some business that is going to be happening tomorrow morning and I respect you enough to let you in on what will be happening."
Not only did Tommy want her to be at their important family meeting but he was also going to confine in her about his business. Danny would be happy that his little sister had found somewhere that she was accepted into.
"Of course. See you later." Victoria nodded, before leaning up and pressing her lips to his cheek before stepping away. Victoria walked out of the bedroom that they shared with a smirk across her face as she left behind a star-truck Tommy. Just as she her small heels clicked against the staircase with each step that she took, a voice called out.
"Victoria? Is that you?" She heard, before Arthur stepped out of the living room, walking over to the stairs. "Ready to go when you are." She nodded as she finally reached the bottom of what seemed like a never-ending staircase.
Arthur walked on over to the front door and held it open for her, stepping out and closed the door behind them once she was out. "Thank you, kind sir." Victoria complimented, the light breeze of the day hitting her flushed cheeks.
"You know Arthur you will make any woman a very lucky lady to be with you. The Shelby boys are such gentlemen." She smiled, linking her arm into his as they walked down the lane. Arthur glanced down at her with a raised an eyebrow for a moment, "So, Victoria tell me... How do you feel about my brother?"
A light chuckle escaped her as she looked on ahead at all the busy workers in the street, "Tommy and I are just friends." She stated, keeping her gaze away from him, scared that he would be able to see through her. He turned his gaze ahead of them, the Garrison finally came into view. "Then why did he tell me last night that he wants you at the family meetings from now on... He doesn't just allow anyone to them." Arthur questioned, slight amusement in his voice.
"Your guess is as good as mine," Victoria chuckled. "If you or anyone else has anymore questions then please ask Tommy instead of me, he'll be able to give you better answers." Truth be told, she had started to grow feelings for him, but she wasn't about to reveal that to Arthur. Just as she had finished explaining to Arthur, they had arrived at the Garrison pub, Arthurs' prized possession. He let go and walked ahead so he could hold the door open for her.
"Thank you," Victoria smiled as she stepped inside, walking slowly towards the bar as she admired the finer details of the pub that she had missed when it was full upon their visit a few days previous. Arthur walked around the other side of the bar, picking up the accounts book and laying it down on the bar, a proud smile plastered across his face as she finished admiring his bar.
"Can I get you a drink?" He asked as she sat herself down on one of the bar stools, laying her coat down on the stool beside her. "Just a water please," she requested while picking up the small accounts book. Arthur noted this and poured out some water into a glass, watching as she slowly ran her fingers down the first page of the cook, the concentration set on he face. He softly placed the glass down on the bar beside her before walking around to the side of the bar she was sat on and sat down on one of the bar stools, pulling out a pen and some paper from his inside pocket.
Before they knew it, Victoria had finished scanning, making calculations in her head and double checked almost everything in the small book. However there seemed to be something that was a cause for concern with her. She looked up at Arthur whom sat only a few spaces away, "Arthur, there was a large sum of money taken from the accounts by an unnamed source. Do you know anything about this?" She questioned with a light frown.
Arthur stopped what he was writing and placed the pen down on the bar before looking back at her to explain. "That's correct, there's nothing to worry about. It was Tommy, he needed some money so I suggested that he take it from my business account instead of taking it from the family one, he didn't want the others to worry about it." Victoria nodded and took a sip of her water before going back to scanning each number making sure that they were correct.
While deep in concentration, Tommy walked through the door, his eyes instantly landing on her. His surprise entrance hadn't seem to interrupt her or Arthur as they still continued to work. It had just hit Tommy like a tone of bricks just how beautiful she was as he observed her every little movement. Even when she wasn't aware of it or even trying, she still managed to take Tommy's breath away. Her urge to help everyone that needed it, reminded him deeply of her late brother, one of his best friends. Danny had died to save him and his brothers and it still didn't sit well with him, it had joined he never ending list of nightmares that plagued him.
"Victoria, are you all finished up here then?" He asked as walked over to the bar where they both sat, Victoria jumping slightly upon suddenly hearing his voice. "Just about." She smiled, closing the book before sliding it along to where Arthur sat. Tommy looked over to his brother and gave him a night, with that he picked up the accounts book and walked into the back room, leaving them both alone.
"I actually came here to tell you something, something that I believe that you deserve to know about." Tommy began to explain, taking a seat in the bar stool beside her. Victoria smiled and turned as she sat on the bar stool to face him. Her eyes observing his facial features for some kind of sign to give her an idea on what he was about to say. "Is it anything I should be worried about?" she asked, putting her hand on top of his.
"Of course not," he reassured her, turning his hand over to hold onto hers. "Tomorrow at the races, as well as it being an event for pleasure, the boys and I will be doing some business. But you have nothing to worry about. I have a group of men that have been assigned to look after you and to protect you if anything does go wrong." He finished explaining, anxious to hear about her response. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she frowned, lowering her gaze away from his as he thought about it.
"Truth be told, I'm sure having a beautiful lady like yourself on my arm would make the business at the race course run smoother." He smiled, keeping his eyes on her while rubbing her hand softly with his thumb. Victoria shook her head hesitantly, "Tommy, I told you I couldn't get involved in any of this... What if another accident like my brothers happens?"
Tommy rubbed his forehead with his free hand before looking back at her. "You have nothing to worry about... nothing bad will happen, but we are prepared in case it does, just go with the men that I have assigned for you and you'll go to the safe house until I can come and get you. You'll have a chance to meet the men I have assigned for you tomorrow.
"Tommy, what you don't understand is I can't do any of this. It's all too much danger for me to be putting myself in." She whispered, pulling her hand away from his grip. Tommy stood up in front of her and let out a sigh as he looked down at her. "When It's all done I will have the biggest legal race track in the country... I'll close all the other dangerous stuff down. We will make a success of this." He finished explaining, pulling a small velvet box from his inside pocket.
Victoria stayed silent as she continued to listen to him, the thoughts running into over drive in her mind. She wanted to be on his arm as they attended an event for those with class and grace. But the thought of the danger that she was going to put herself in, it filled her with nothing but fear.
Tommy opened up the velvet box, revealing a necklace with deep blue sapphire with diamonds encapsulated around it, attached to a silver necklace. Victoria gasped when she caught sigh of it, she had never seen anything as beautiful as the necklace in front of her.
He placed the velvet box on the bar and picked the necklace out, stepping behind her as he wrapped it around her neck and attaching the clasps while she held her hair up to the side to give him a better view. Once it was all attached he moved back to the front of her, a smile plastered across both their faces as he sat back in the bar stool opposite from her.
"This was my mothers' necklace, it was passed on down from her mother and she wore it every day since. Just before she died she put a gypsy spell onto it, it protects the person wearing it so it will look after you when I can't." Tommy explained as he softly placed his hand on top of hers. "Listen Victoria, you weren't born to be with a man like me. But it's all going to change, for you, for me and for us."
Victoria kept quiet for a moment before clearing her throat. "Promise me Thomas, that everyone involved will be okay, no one will get hurt..." She whispered, her eyes looking up to meet his. He nodded his head slowly, keeping his eyes on her, "I promise, darling."
She bit her bottom lip for a moment as she thought, holding onto the sapphire and diamond pendant in between her gingers. "But I want you to do something for me in exchange." She shrugged as she stood up. He watched as she picked up her coat, pulling it on over her shoulders. Tommy nodded as he stood up from the bar stool, stepping to her side. He would have done absolutely anything for her if it meant that she was happy and safe. "Anything... You name it and I'll do it." He said, his tone of voice lowering.
The small brunette turned to face him and looked up at him with no emotion in her eyes, taking a step closer to him. "I want you to get me a gun, something powerful but small enough to fit in my clutch bag so I can conceal it." She whispered, her voice just loud enough for them both to hear. He stayed silent for a moment as he thought about it, how he would get the gun and how much danger she was putting herself into by having it. "I'll do it, if having that on you would make you feel safer then that is what I will get you."
Victoria leaned up onto her tip toes and pressed a light kiss to his cheek. "I'm going to go back to the house to finish getting things ready for the big day tomorrow. But don't worry I'll make sure not to make the mistake of waiting up for you again."
With that being said, she slowly walked out of the pub with Tommy's eyes glued to her petite frame, the click of her heels against the wooden flooring breaking the silence. The door slammed shut behind her and his mind wandered to her request she had left him with.