Subtle Invitation [Thomas Shelby]

Over the Hill

Tommy hadn't said a word yet as Polly pulled over a bottle of whiskey and placed it infront of him. The only sound in the room was her heels clicking and the crackle of a fire behind him. As he rubbed his face he thought about the woman upstairs in his bed, the woman that had saved his life and condemned herself all in one night.

"Did you clean the mess up?" Polly asked as she took her seat across from him and lit up a cigarette.

Tommy took a cigarette himself and nodded "Nobody is going to talk. The hotel manager said father Jensen arrived with a woman but she didn't stay. I think we're missing something here"

"So it's not over" she said, more to herself as she sank back into her chair.

Tommy licked his bottom lip before taking a deep breath of his cigarette, enjoying the small pleasure as the nicotine surged in his system.

"Until this woman is found Lily will stay here with us"

Polly snapped her head up, the sudden change in Tommy'a feelings towards Lily had taken her by surprise.

"She saved my life Polly" he mumbled, hoping his aunt didn't press for anymore information. "It's just until this woman is found. Then Miss Adler is free to leave"

"She could stay in another hotel" Polly pressed with a small smirk across her face.

"It will be another mess we have to clean up" he said as he roughly stubbed his cigarette out into the ash tray and picked up his drink. As he gulped down the brown liquid he quickly realised that he needed to clean up. There was dried block across his knuckles and face and he wasn't sure if it was his.

Leaving Polly in the kitchen he headed silently upstairs, shrugging off his coat and jacket before he gently opened his bedroom door. Lily was curled up in a tight ball in his bed and he tried desperately not to think about it.

All he needed was to grab some of his things and leave her be.

"Sorry" she whispered causing him to flinch. "I'll leave, this is your bed" she whispered sleepily as she uncurled herself and pushed off the covers.

Tommy stopped and through the darkness he saw that she was fully clothed, her long hair a wild mess around her face.

"No, go back to sleep" he demanded "I'm taking Ada'a room it's fine" and he stepped to his draws and began pulling out his clothes.

"Are the police coming?" She whispered.

Tommy let out a little laugh, she really was completely unaware of everything "No" and he turned around and placed a long shirt into her hands.

"Sleep in this" he demanded again before sauntering over the small room and leaving her alone. Tommy had never had a girl in his bed before and he didn't know how to feel about it.

As he made his way across the landing to Ada's room he remembered the frightened look across her face after she shot the father. It had stirred a feeling deep in his soul that he hadn't felt in years.

How would she feel tomorrow when he told her that she would have to stay with his family until they had found the mysterious woman? Shaking his head he told himself to stop caring. In a few more days their problem would be taken care of and she would go back to her life and he would go back to his.

—-

Lily woke up to the sun beaming across her face. It was a nice warm feeling and helped soothe her instant guilt that she woke up with.

As she slipped out of the bed she saw a pile of her clothes sitting at the bottom of her bed. Suddenly feeling vulnerable she wondered who had picked her clothes and placed them there.