𝙿𝙴𝙽𝙼𝙰𝙽𝚂𝙷𝙸𝙿 - 𝚃. 𝚂𝙷𝙴𝙻𝙱𝚈

3

Juliet hadn't stopped since she had entered the Garrison that day. She was rushed off her feet serving men drinks after drinks. How they were still standing she wasn't sure but they paid her wages so she couldn't complain.

"Is it always this busy in a daytime?" Grace asks.

"No," Harry replies. "These boys are on their way to St. Andrews"

"To pray?" Grace asks, naivety in her voice.

"That'll be the day" Harry laughs as Juliet carries a tray of pints over to a table gracefully, serving the men with her enchanting smile. "It's a football ground. The Blues are playing. That's the forward line there"

Harry points at the men Juliet had just served and the brunette woman raises a brow, wondering how they were going to play a game of football in that state.

"That's the goalie," Harry says, pointing at a man who could barely stand. "Believe it or not"

"Hello," A voice says and Juliet turns to see a man standing in the small window that is connected to the private booth. "I need a bottle of rum"

"Juliet, whatever he wants it's on the house," Harry says and Juliet observes the man's jitteriness at the sight of the man in the window.

From Harry's behaviour and the blue eyes that mirrored Arthur's, Juliet concluded this was Thomas Shelby. The name which was whispered amongst the residents of Small Heath as if speaking it any louder would summon him as many believed happened with Satan. He really was the devil in disguise. He looked almost angelic in his features. He was slender in his build but the authority that radiated from him made him seem seven-foot-tall, he had prominent cheekbones and perfectly styled hair.

"A whole bottle?" Juliet asks.

"Yeah," Tommy nods and Juliet turns to see what they had behind the bar.

"White or dark?"

"Don't care," Tommy says.

Juliet grabs the first bottle on the shelf and hands it to Tommy who nods at her before sliding some coins forward.

"Harry said it's on the house, Mr Shelby," Juliet says.

"You know who I am?"

"I can see the familial resemblance to Arthur," Juliet nods.

"You've met Arthur?" Tommy asks, leaning forward and Juliet nods. "Are you a whore?"

Juliet rolls her eyes at Tommy who is taken back by her boldness.

"Enjoy your rum, Mr Shelby," Juliet says, before shutting the window doors in his face with a loud slam.

"He's one of the men you warned me about," Grace says.

"Look, Grace, Juliet," Harry says. "You're friendly girls, but be careful. If I say something's on the house, say nothing to whoever you're serving. If they decide that they want you, either of you, there's nothing anybody could do about it. Lucky for you pair, since he got back from France, Tommy doesn't want anybody at all"

After Juliet's encounter with Thomas, the rest of her shift at the bar went smoothly until the end when she and Grace were singing to the men at the bar and the doors slammed open. The men fall silent along with Grace but Juliet stares at the man defiantly.

"The boy I love is looking at me," Juliet sings, her voice sending ripples of fear through the men that she'd dare defy the orders of Tommy Shelby so openly. "Can't you see him standing there? Waving his handkerchief, as merry as a robin that sings on the tree"

Juliet raises an eyebrow at Tommy who stares at her before Arthur breaks their small stare down.

"Juliet girl," He says, wrapping an arm around the young woman. "It's nice to see such a pretty face around. Especially spending the day with these ugly mugs"

"Hello, Arthur," Juliet smiles at the man who had been nothing but kind to her since her arrival despite Harry's reaction upon hearing his name tumble from her lips. "I'm glad to be of service"

"Someone also has an apology for you," Arthur says, turning to his younger brother pointedly.

"I apologise for making the assumption that you were a whore," Tommy says, it was clearly insincere but Juliet took it and nods at the man.

"Now what can I get you, boys, to drink?" Juliet asks.

"The best whiskey you have," Arthur says and the young woman nods.

"Coming right up,"

Arthur presses a loud kiss on Juliet's cheek which the young woman took as a friendly gesture. But the rest of the pub took the gesture differently. The kiss was a sign that the young bartendress was under the Peaky Blinders protection and not to be messed with.