angel | the peaky blinders

6. something wicked this way comes

     GRACE STARED AT THE Original from the bar, watching her wipe down some tables and chat to the crowd. She noticed some were locals and some were casual that come to buy a drink from the Garrison every now and again.

Malaeya really was gorgeous, there wasn't a doubt about it but she was also quite intimidating to the blonde that it bruised Grace's pride. When you're in Grace's line of work you need to be prepared for everything and anything. To learn everything and anything at such a speed while keeping in character which was difficult for Grace to do sometimes because Malaeya made her heart jump out of her chest.

With Malaeya, Grace got this unfathomable vibe from her whose knowledge seemed to go beyond. Like she's from old money and knows how to run the world.

     When Grace asked the locals about the girl they had nothing but great things to say. How she's an angel to Small Heath. Their saving grace. She saved the women and children while the men were away at war. It was the same story from every single person she went to and each person spoke passionately about the girl to the point where you'd be stupid not to see and hear how big of an impact Malaeya has left on them.

     What made things worse for the Irish woman was Malaeya had wedged her way into cahoots with the Shelby brothers. The very family Grace had to get close to as a requirement for her mission but she was having no such luck. Especially getting close to Thomas Shelby was the hardest thing to do yet here Malaeya was literally flirting with him with nothing but her eyes whenever he came into the Garrison.

     Jealousy had always been an ugly trait and when you're use to getting everything you want, it does a lot of damage to a woman's pride.

     Malaeya walked back over and dropped a few dirty glasses into the sink. She washed them and placed them on the bench before grabbing a towel to dry them.

     "You and Mr Shelby seem close." Grace started a conversation, looking at the Original as she polished the clean set of glasses that Malaeya had washed and dried.

     Malaeya shrugged her shoulders, her guard up for obvious reasons. "I'm close with all the Shelby's."

     "You seem particularly close to Thomas Shelby though, am I right?" Grace innocently pushed the question, trying to get something out of her.

     The Original placed the dry glass in front of Grace so she could polish it and looked the woman in the eye. "Like I said, I'm close with all the Shelby's." Malaeya gave her a forced smile before continuing to dry another glass.

     Grace bit her lip, her back facing Malaeya as she thought of another way to get information out of her without being so obvious. This girl intimidated her so much butterflies swarmed through her stomach, trying to fly out of Grace's mouth.

     She swallowed the butterflies that felt like they were solidifying into a massive wall that's building up inside her, pushing herself to do her real job.

     Grace licked her lips before trying to apply some more pressure into the conversation. "I see the way he looks at you."

     "Mm-hm, how does he look at me?"

     "Like you're the only girl in the world." She told Malaeya, turning her blonde head to look at the brunette.

     Malaeya paused for a second, raising an eyebrow at the statement Grace said to her. But without a second thought she shrugged her shoulders, not forgetting who she's speaking to. "What's it to you?"

     Grace felt her mouth drop open but quickly recovered when Malaeya turned her head to stare at the barmaid. She walked over and placed another dried glass in front of the blonde to polish.