The Shelby Princess

13

As you could imagine, tommy was beyond fuming that same night. As much as he'd deny it one thing he did receive from his father was his temper, it surges through his veins and contaminates his every thought, so much so it's difficult to do and think about anything but that, now imagine that amplified significantly when Charlotte is involved. However returning home that night, one look and embrace from his Lottie calmed him almost instantly, smiling into her neck slightly at the power she had over him.

Now sat in the garrison in front of Charlotte, who stood behind the bar, the pair chuckled at something tommy had said before being interrupted by the clearing of one's throat, Grace.
"i'm sorry to bother you, but do you mind changing the barrel Charlotte?" grace asked, an in genuine smile on her face.
"can you not do it yourself?" she frowned at the blondes very obvious attempt to get her boyfriend alone.
"That's what harry pays you to do, doesn't he?" grace snickered, watching as tommy eyed his girlfriend wearily.
Arising from the bar she was leaned on, she angled her body to give grace her full attention, pissed off at how she got ahead of herself in front of tommy.
However before things could escalate tommy also rose from his seat, noticing the familiar expression on charlottes face signifying that she was going to blow at any minute, especially now as she watched grace seductively trace her eyes over his frame.
"grace if you know what's good for you, i'd leave it" he nodded, before gesturing his head towards the door that led to the barrels, encouraging charlotte to go on,scoffing lightly she glared at him one last time before leaving the pair.
"did you have to do that?" tommy sighed in disapproval,meeting the blondes intense gaze.
"so when are you going to tell her?" grace whispered,her accent thick releasing a deep frown from tommy.
"tell her what?" he questioned, purely confused observing grace as she scoffed.
"don't act stupid tommy, don't think i don't notice the looks you send me when she's not around" she muttered gritting her teeth ever so slightly
"don't make a fool out of yourself grace, there's nothing to tell and there's certainly no looks" he muttered, in slight amusement that the girl was under the impression they had their own rendezvous going on.
"are you trying to convince me or yourself?" she prospered watching as Tommy's eyes scanned her face.
"Grace" he chuckled, before meeting her gaze once again "i love her" he spoke, raising his eyebrows in conformation. "i love her" he reiterated, emphasising the her and not you.
"didn't want to embarrass you grace, but you didn't give me much choice there" he muttered,lighting a smoke as charlotte returned a slight smirk on her face after hearing the last bit of the conversation.
"As you were" grace nodded, accepting her fate in embarrassment before occupying the other side of the bar once again.

"Stop doing that tommy" Charlotte spoke, just above a whisper leaning down on the bar to face him again. Caressing her cheek lightly he let his eyebrows furrow  "do what?"
"sending me off and making me look like a fool, she thinks she has the upper hand" she watched as tommy placed his hand on hers gently squeezing it "i have to make her think she is Lottie, she talks that way" he lifted her head up by her chin, making her meet his gaze "yeah? she's now very aware where she stands with me sweetheart" he chuckled lightly,hoping to improve his girls mood.
"i'm not pissed off tom, but just imagine if it was the other way round" she shrugged, observing how his jaw clenched even at the mention.
"i know darlin' i know, come here" he spoke, his voice becoming raspy all of a sudden. Earning a smirk from Charlotte who could've sworn she could open a whole bloody butterfly sanctuary at that point, leaning in and placing a soft kiss on his lips.
"i love you" he muttered "i love you..." she watched as Tommy's eyebrows raised "don't say too" "it sounds like your agreeing with me" she finished for him, the pair speaking in unison earning a round of smiles from onlookers who watched them, a beautiful couple.

Truth is, tommy was being a hundred percent truthful when he said he didn't love grace, because he really really didn't. There was no denying that he thought she was beautiful but he wasn't attracted to her, there was a difference.
Tommy appreciated Charlottes beauty, ofcourse but he was attracted to her, he craved her and fucking hell she drove him crazy. What tommy was aware of however, was that Grace did fancy him as much as he and Charlotte saw it as just a burden tommy also saw it as a business opportunity if you like. Charlotte had mentioned briefly to him before that there was something off about her but to be honest they both brushed it off as Charlotte just genuinely despising the girl, although tommy did have his slight suspicions and knowing grace fancied him gave him an instant upper hand, a way to get close to her, a way to see if charlottes theories could be proven correct.
He just had to pray that charlotte wouldn't take it the wrong way, and his plan didn't go south.