It's always been you- Tommy Shelby

5 - film star

Lydia kept as much distance as possible between her and Kimber. She avoided his advances by complimenting his beautiful house, however, she wasn't lying. Kimber's house was truly gorgeous, Lydia had never seen anything like it, only in movies. 

Lydia was directed into a back room in the house, the room had multiple shelves of novels that she assumed he'd never read and were just for decoration instead, to make him seem like an intellectual. 

Kimber played some music on his record player and pulled Lydia into him, attempting to dance with her again. Lydia could only stand it a minute longer before she once again felt sick to her stomach at the feeling of Kimber's hands on her. 

She quickly stepped away and looked out of the window onto his beautiful garden. 

"I'd like a cigarette please." Lydia stated, fiddling with the hem on her dress. 

"There are cigarettes upstairs, come up with me." Kimber said, not asking but telling. 

"Mr Kimber I'm not a whore, and I will not be part of a deal between you and Mr Shelby." Lydia stood her ground, now fully understanding why Tommy let her go alone. 

"That's not what your man told me eh? Look at you, look like a bloody filmstar." Kimber said practically drooling over the girl, and walking towards her once again. Lydia took a step back but hit the pool table sooner than she expected. That didn't stop Kimber from advancing closer to her.

Kimber aggressively turned Lydia onto her front and pinned her chest down flat on the table. She struggled to get away from his grip as he started to pull up the back of her dress to her hips. 

"Right you little slag, I tried to be nice!" Kimber shouted grinding himself on Lydia. She whimpered, and once again attempted to get free of his grip. Flashbacks of last year came to her mind, the same feeling of vulnerability and helplessness came over Lydia. Kimber's grip on her wrist pained her, and the sound of him unzipping his trousers terrified her.

Abruptly Tommy stormed into the room, pushing one of Kimber's men off himself in the process. 

"Lydia" Tommy gasps as their eyes meet, the fear was evident in her eyes and the guilt in his. 

Kimber quickly released Lydia from his grip, she stumbled away from the man, unsure of what to do with herself. She attempted to catch her breath after being violated. 

"What are you doing 'ere, I've got another hour!" Kimber announced to Tommy, who looked between him and Lydia, checking for any prevalent cuts or bruises.

"Wait, listen to me. I was gonna let you through with it, but in the end...my conscience got the better of me... she looks good on the outside... but she's got the clap. Yeah syphilis, call it my better nature." Tommy said constantly hesitating to catch his breath from running through Kimber's house and to think of a lie on the spot to tell Kimber. 

Lydia decided to leave the room as quickly as she could, but in the process bumped into Tommy. His hand landed on her back to support her, which was not appreciated by Lydia as he was the reason she was in this situation in the first place. 

"Just go wait in the car." Tommy said, pushing her along out the room. 

"I can walk on my own Thomas!" Lydia gritted through her teeth, furious at him. 

As she left the house and quickly walked down the driveway, floods of tears streamed down her face, she was unable to hold them in any longer. She heard a set of quick footsteps jogging towards her. Tommy. 

"Lydia!" He called for her, hoping she didn't despise him and he hadn't ruined his chance of rekindling their short-lived relationship. 

"You're fucking bastard Thomas Shelby! My god how you've changed. Damn them for what they did to you in France. Never did I think you would ever use me like that! At the start of the day I was Lady Sarah of Connemara, by the end of it I was a whore with the clap. How dare you offer me like that!" Lydia announced, devastated that Tommy allowed her to go in the first place. But relieved he got there in time. 

She quickly turned on her heel, not wanting him to follow. But quickly bumped into a chest and looked up to see John's sympathetic eyes on her. His arms engulfed her and embraced her tightly. John and Polly were the only people that knew what happened to Lydia last year, even Freddie was completely unaware. 

"You're a blood bastard Tommy!" John said glaring at his brother as he comforted his best friend protectively. 

"Just get in the car Lydia, then we can talk." Tommy said trying to remain calm, but was ridden with guilt. He now knew there was something he hadn't been told about Lydia. 

"Not a chance Thomas, I'm going home with John and Arthur." Lydia sobbed into John's suit as they walked away from Tommy. 

Tommy kicked the gravel on the floor in anger and ran his hands through his hair aggressively. As he stormed towards his car alone he hoped that Lydia will forgive him. 

"Let's get you home eh?" Arthur said as he started the engine of the car. John sat in the back to stay with his friend. He took his jacket off and draped it over Lydia's shoulders as she leant on him and closed her eyes.