Golden Liar.

17.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

FELICITY AWOKE BEFORE THE man beside her did and for this she was glad, because it gave her the realisation that he held in his features a softened expression. . . one that was not hard and did not include him clenching his teeth as he went about his day. This Tommy was different: more relaxed. This was a Tommy she had hardly seen before. She would never completely understand the inner workings of the Shelby patriarch, Felicity knew that, yet seeing him in a more vulnerable state whilst he slept at least brought her closer to knowing the slightest bit more about the raven-haired man.

And yet she also knew it wouldn't last ― knew that eventually, he would rise from his slumber to reign over the streets of Small Heath once again.

But as of right now, Felicity Woods did not care for the future. She cared for the man that slept next to her, for each and every breath that exited his lungs with the gentle rise and fall of his chest. She cared for Thomas Shelby ― patriarch of the Shelby clan, shockingly ruthless head of the razor gang ― and there was not a single fact in the world that shocked her more than this one.

She left the room as quietly as she could and padded down the stairs, hardly expecting anyone to be up at that time. As it happened, Polly was sat at the table with only the newspaper in front of her as her company, and she glanced up in surprise to see the blonde Woods girl standing before her.

"Thomas didn't mention you were staying the night," she remarked without a single expression giving away her emotions.

"Nothing happened, Polly," the girl reassured her sheepishly.

Polly let out a breathy laugh and in turn, she assured Felicity that she hardly cared what happened and that she should probably go back and return to rest. . . and so relief flooded through Felicity as she made her way back up the stairs.

She slipped back between the sheets as she caught sight of the still slumbering man beside her. Wriggled beneath the covers, attempted to pull them over her shivering shoulders without waking Tommy and sighed, wishing that sleep would take hold of her once again so that she might rest for even the shortest amount of time before the day's events came around.

Barely five minutes later did she feel the warmth of his touch as he snaked an arm around her waist, gently pulling her further towards his side of the bed.

"Morning," she heard him murmur, his voice husky from only just awakening.

Felicity returned the greeting with her eyes still half-closed as she prayed to any god out there that they might be able to stay like this forever, bodies intertwined as they attempted to protect one another from the wintery chill but instead only succeeded in shivering beneath the thin sheets together.

"G'morning."

And that was how they remained for the next twenty or so minutes - breathing in gentle synchronisation as they tried to keep the last few moments of sleep from being ripped from their grasp. Eventually, she turned onto her other side and their lips met briefly before she settled back to meet his gaze.

"Can't we stay like this forever?" Felicity whispered, taking her hand and drawing soft swirls around the Romani sun that had been inked upon his skin. Round and around and around the tip of her finger drew as though controlled by no one, simply moving slowly and slightly, outlining each individual stroke of midnight ink.