My Next Mistake || Book One

I could show you incredible things

'Have you picked one yet?'

'No, I cant decide! Which ever one I pick it won't win anyway.' Olivia complained. Tommy smirked as he took the betting slip from her hand and began to scribble on the paper.

'What are you doing?' Olivia asked as she snatched the paper back from him. 

'Making the choice for you' She looked down at the betting slip. 'Duchess'. She looked up at Tommy and raised an eyebrow a smirk forming over his handsome face.

'Trust me. Come on. Race is about to start.' Olivia smiled in excitment as they began to announce the start of the race. Meanwhile, Tommy was looking at the set up. Sabini has a lot of bookies at Cheltenham. Tommy would need a lot of men to get rid of this one. As he looked around more he could see a lot of coppers too. Too many in fact. They probably worked for Sabini as well. Maybe Olivia might know about his set up here? 

'Tommy I won! I won!' His thoughts were interuppted as Olivia jumped and rejoiced at her win. She grabbed Tommy by the neck and pulled him in close. Tommy could smell her flowery scent and it made him go dizzy. She pulled away and laughed.

'How did you know!?' She questioned. Tommy looked over at the winners circle and pointed out to the winning horse 'Duchess'. 

'That horse. That horse is my horse' Tommy stated. Olivia looked at Tommy in shock. Was he mad? If Sabini found out Tommy had raced a horse at Cheltenham he would go mad. Tommy looked at Olivia and she simply laughed. He certainly wasnt scared of Sabini that was for sure.

'Come on, Lets get a drink.' Olivia stated.

They headed towards the bar, busy with people spending their days winnings. The room was filled with alcohol and smoke. People were engaged in their own little conversations and dancing on the busy dance floor. Tommy and Olivia took a seat at one of the spare tables. Tommy looked over at Olivia. Her eyes were scanning the room. Tommy couldn't help but stare at the beauty in front of him.

'Liv, I want to apologise for last night,' Tommy said. Olivia looked over at him, Thomas Shelby didn't seem like the kind of man to do apologies. Olivia raised an eyebrow. 'I didn't mean to just leave like that...its just... I don't want you getting involved in my buisness here in London.' He sighed and as he did he pulled out his usual cigarette. Olivia moved closer to him and rested her soft hand on his thigh.

'And why wouldn't I want to be involved in your business Mr Shelby?' Tommy felt a smirk form on his face. He wouldn't tell anyone ever, but he loved it when she called him that. She was looking up at him with mischief in her eyes. Tommy rested his lips close to her ear, Olivia could feel her heart beat that little bit faster. Tommy was doing things to her no other man had done before.

'Because I do bad things, but you already know that,' Tommy breathed in her ear. He was right. He may not have told her everything he did, but Sabini had already told her the gory details.
Both of them smirked at each other. They would both be a bad influence on each other. Tommy ordered a bottle of whiskey for the table. It seemed like endless glasses of whiskey were being poured for Olivia. She could feel herself falling more into the alcohol. She didn't notice Tommy was still examining Sabini's set up at Cheltenham. He was keeping count of how many coppers came in and out of the bar. How many men worked for sabini. All the wheels in his head were turning.

He looked back over at Olivia. He couldn't get over how amazing she looked in the dress he bought her.  Her hair was falling lightly over her face and Tommy just had the urge to stroke her face and push the strand behind her ear. He wouldn't admit it, but this girl was something else. Nothing like the girls back home in Birmingham. 

'Mr Shelby. You have been staring at me for some time now. Is there something wrong?' Olivia questioned. Tommy noticed her words had become slurred. He shook his head and laughed to himself. Olivia held her out to him and stood from her chair.

'Come on. I want to dance,' She demanded. Her blonde curls were falling more over her face as she stumbled on the spot she stood. Tommy took hold of her hand and stood up next to her. As he did, he pushed the strands of her blonde tresses behind her ear. Olivia looked up at his piercing blue eyes. Fuck.

What is he doing to me?

She pulled his arm and he followed her to the dance floor. The music playing was upbeat and jazzy. Tommy pulled her in close, his hand placed on her lower back. Her frame was so petite, it felt as though he was protecting her. Was this girl getting to his head?

Since returning from France his only concern was himself and the buisness.  He was a changed person since the war, but was Olivia about to change all that? His thoughts were disrupted as the tipsy girl in his arms spoke up.

'Tommy, can I meet your horse?' Tommy was taken back by the request. He nodded his head and took her hand in his.

As they walked towards the stables, he noticed her small stumbles from the alcohol. He let go of her hand and placed it on the small of her back to help guide her the way. As they reached stables Tommy could see Curly brushing down the horse.

'Curly!' Tommy shouted. Curly looked over at Tommy and rushed towards him.

'We won Tommy! We won!' Curly exclaimed. Olivia chuckled at his enthusiasm,  especially when Tommy seemed so calm and collected. Curly looked over at the young woman stood next to Tommy.

'Curly, this is Olivia. Liv, this is Curly.' The two shook hands and Curly quickly pulled away.

'Curly, go get the cart ready,' Tommy ordered. And with that Tommy and Olivia were left alone in the stables.

'So this is Duchess', Tommy said as he approached the black horse in front of him. Olivia moved closer. Tommy placed his hand over the horses face and gave him a gently stroke. He looked over to Olivia who stood only steps away from him just gazing at the horse in front of her.

'Tommy, she's beautiful.'

Tommy reached forward and placed his hand in hers. He pulled her hand gently and she followed. He placed his hand with hers underneath on the horses nose. Olivia glanced at Tommy and simply chuckled. They stroked the horse together. Duchess responsed with a nod of her head.

Tommy looked at Olivia, her eyes admiring the horse she was stroking. Olivia could feel Tommy's blue eyes on her. She could feel her cheeks blushing red. She looked up at him and he was inches from her face. She could feel her heart beating fast inside her chest. She was supposed to make him fall for her right?

At that thought Olivia leaned in towards his lips and before she knew it, he closed the gap between them.