Breathing fire

Chapter seventeen

The first ray of light woke them all again.They stretched on their bed,sighing again for the day that comes

When they had their eyes squinted by the sunlight,she had them wide open.Sweat dripped down her head and her breathing was ragged.She could continuously hear gunshots.

She could see Tommy's limp body on the ground,blood dripping in pools under him.His blue eyes now drab of anu colour and staring right at him.

And the one to pull the trigger,was a blond woman.Grace.

Tommy was a light sleeper,he woke up when she did.He looked at her to see a look of horror on her face.He immediately shot up

"Ruth?"he shook her.She nodded telling him she was fine and held his shoulder for support

"What happened eh?"he asked.Ruth looked in his eyes,Tommy saw how tired they were.She had a nightmare that Tommy was at gunpoint just like Arthur was last night,but instead the bullet hit him

"I have them too Ruth,it's alright"he stroked her hair,Ruth leaned her head on his chest and sighed feeling much more safe with him

Both of them had a cold,hard side for the outside world.But they knew they could be miserable in each other's arms.They could be themselves without any fear of judgement or weakness

"What did you see?Tell me"he kissed her forehead and rubbed circles on her back in order to comfort her.Ruth closed her eyes reliving the scenes she witnessed in her nightmare

"I uh-I saw that....."

"Saw what?"

"You were shot"

"By who?"

She didn't want to answer that.But she knew he would get it out of her easily.Tommy brought his thumb to her chin and raised her head up locking eyes with her

"By who Ruth?"

Ruth couldn't hide anything from him.He could force it out of her without him saying a single word

"By your wife"She noticed the change in his looks,from comforting to confused

"My wife?"

"I saw grace holding you at gunpoint like Arthur was yesterday.But she shot you.And-I-wasn't able to do anything"she gulped the lump in her throat.

Tommy looked confused as to why she dreamed of that.

"She's dead Ruth.She's long gone.There's nothing she can do to harm us"

It was like Tommy was telling himself that.Not ruth.Like he was trying to convince himself that she can haunt his dreams but she can't haunt Ruth's dreams

"I know you see her Tommy"she spoke up.Tommy stopped abruptly.He stopped rubbing circles on her back and his body was now stiff

"What?"

"I know you see her.Ive seen opium on your nightstands Tommy and I know why people do opium"Tommy sighed closing his eyes and rubbing his hands on them

"How did you know I see her?"he asked after a minute of silence.Ruth sighed softly and cupped his cheek with her hand

"Because I know you better than anyone Tom.All I want if for you to tell me about it.When you see her and what she says to you.I want to know Tom"

She pecked her lips to lock her wish in his mind and he didn't pull back from it.He could never pull away from her

"Tea mr Shelby?"she smirked.Tommy huffed out a laugh and nodded leaning back on the bed.Ruth smiled and got off the bed and walked to the mirror above the dressing table