VIRAGO

trouble

She felt cursed. Doomed to always play out the same cycle, the same suffering, the same heartache. Would it always be like this? Only being wanted for her sources, her body, and her usefulness. And anyone who did truly love her, wanted her, protected her- they all fell mercy to the same fate. An execution, whether it be on their own terms or on the terms of her demons.

John. Well, he was embarrassed for one and disappointed. Not with her, but with himself. It seemed to him, he'd always want what he can't have or maybe what he doesn't deserve. First Martha, the mother to his children- she passed on, then without really having a moment to process he'd married Esme after Lizzie had shown her true colors. But Esme had a restless soul and the heart of a true gypsy, she couldn't stay caged in- she needed to wonder. So she left, in the night without a word.

Now, for the first time in years. He'd met Zoey. She was a dream, as though god himself had molded her in the form of John's vision of perfection. She was larger than life itself, capable of anything she put her mind to, and diabolical when it came to her passions but as diabolical as she was the girl was simultaneously tender, supportive, and vulnerable. John could see she needed someone and he wanted to be that for her.

So John had joined his brother and cousin as they waited in the corridor for Tommy to finish up the paperwork, while Zoey had returned to the bar where Spencer and May were sitting catching up. "Goodness, you look like you've seen a ghost." May had looked the girl up and down, taking note of her pale complexion and hesitant steps.

Zoey had simply downed the rest of the wine in a rather unmannered way, not usually how she behaved at events but like they say- you can take the girl out of Croydon but you can't take the Croydon out of the girl. "Top me up would you?" she directed to Spencer, lazily tilting the glass at his angle.

"That's enough wine for you." Spencer froze in his actions as he came marching into the bar, "Come on we're done here." He ordered Zoey, making the younger women roll her eyes and set down the glass about to follow after him before May had swiftly risen to her feet.

"You beat us to it." Her words had drawn him back into the room as Zoey and Spencer shared a knowing look, both attempting to suppress their smirks.

"Did I?" Tommy approached May, his hands sluggishly slipping into his touser pockets accompanied by that same blank expression.

"I was trying to nab a filly for my stud." May, explained as the pair watched their interaction unfold, both their eyes glued to the scene as Spencer helped Zoey into her overcoat.

"I'm sorry." Tommy had practically shrugged at her, and Zoey had to hold in a giggle as she turned to whisper in Spencer's ear.

"God it's like chatting up a wet sock, Spence." This made the man chuckle into his glass as he leaned into her side with his own observation.

"When you look like that darling you don't need to talk back." He let out a sigh, appreciating Tommy's beauty from afar causing the girl to pull a face as she buttoned up her coat.

"Tommy this is my friend May," Zoey cut in, stepping forward after giving Spencer a kiss on the cheek goodbye. "She breeds racehorses and trains them, you two should have a lot in common."

"Is that so?" this added to May's fascination with Tommy as her eyes remained fixed on his own. "And what is it you do?"

"I rarely answer questions is what I do." He countered, clearly wanting this conversation to be over so he could continue with his mission.

"As you can see May, Tommy isn't much of a talker." Zoey pointed out the obvious, popping a cigarette between her lips.

"Tommy! Come on, hurry up! We got to go!" Arthur started calling for his brother rather boisterously, making the girl smirk at his antics as she lit up her smoke.

"well before you go, If you ever decided to put that filly out, I'd be interested in her," May told him after a moment.

"I'm planning to race her." He revealed.

"Do you have a trainer?" She inquired further, prolonging their stay.

"I know people."

"I know people too." She responded handing him her contact details.

"Tommy! We've got to get this kid back before dark or Polly will have your balls!" John piped up from behind him, Zoey wanted to laugh but the brief eye contact the two made had her immediately looking to the floor instead.

"She will have 'em!" Arthur confirmed.

"We know different people, I would guess." Tommy ignored their calls, sliding the card into the instead of his coat.

"My father knows Mick Hancock. He trained three Ascot winners."

"That's impressive I'm guessing." Zoey lingered, trying to involve herself in the conversation so she didn't have to go over to John just yet.

"That was your father?" It was worded as a question but Tommy's tone hadn't matched, it always came across as a false interest. His rudeness almost threw May off as she paused for a second studying the man.

"Yes. We're joint owners of the stud." She continued, after sharing a look with Zoey. Both women telepathically agreed he was being quite rude. "He took the majority of the share when my husband was killed." Her toned had dropped slightly, Zoey picked up on this instantly and gently touched her arm with a sympathetic gaze which the women appreciated the gesture before looking back to Tommy. "Ypres."

"Tommy!" Arthur roared once more from behind him. "We got to get back to the caravans!" At this, Zoey couldn't hide her giggle. "The chickens are hungry." even Micheal and John were in bits and May let out an amused chuckle before moving back to her original point. "So will you consider me?"

Tommy stared at her for a moment before giving a subtle nod, "I will consider you. Come on Zoey." He went to turn around a leave but was stopped once more by May's voice. "You still didn't tell me what you do."

"Oh, I do bad things." He told her directly making Zoey roll her eyes at his cockiness, "But you already knew that." And with that he gave her a light smile and left, leaving the older woman to turn to her friend almost gobsmacked.

"See what I mean?" Zoey had an unimpressed expression as the smoke poured out from between her lips, "Trouble."