Shelby Sister

Billy Kimber

When Riley got home that night she prayed that everyone had gone to bed. After her argument with Tommy she had gone to the stables to calm down. She found that whenever she was upset the horses made the best listeners and she had plenty to be upset about over the years. It was way past midnight when she finally entered her front door as quietly as possible. Riley slowly made her way to the stairs as she knew she'd be in trouble if she got caught. Unfortunately for her the light was on in the front room which was currently being occupied by a very annoyed Tommy.
"Where have you been?" Tommy demanded. She cringed as she silently cursed her luck. She met his eyes to see tiredness reflected back at her.
"No where."
Tommy's jaw clenched as he rushed towards her and grabbed her arm dragging her into the room.
"I'm not kidding Riley. Where the hell have you been all night?"
She ripped her arm out of his tight hold. "How is that any of your business?!" She angrily exclaimed as she glared at him. A look of anger washed over Tommy's face. "Because you're fourteen and until you're an adult, what you do and where you go is my business!"
She huffed as she rolled her eyes. She decided to keep quiet. She was still annoyed over their previous argument where he seemed to think she had to tell him everything but the same didn't apply to him. Tommy sighed as he sat down exhausted. "I really don't need this right now Riley. Ive got enough on as it is without worrying about where you are."
Riley crossed her arms. "And whose fault is that. Stealing guns and then not discussing it with the rest of the family. Not to mention Ada.."
Before she could continue Tommy interrupted her. "Enough Riley! We've already had this conversation. And stop mentioning the guns, too many already know about them."
She rolled her eyes again at her infuriating brother. "Whatever. I'm tired. I'm going to bed." She moved towards the door only for Tommy to block the exit. "No you're not. Not until you tell me where the hell you've been."
She glared as she realised he wasn't going to budge. Riley couldn't be bothered as she really was tired so she reluctantly answered him.
"The yard."
Tommy raised a brow skeptically.
"All night?"
"Yes all night."
She huffed annoyed.
"Can I go now?"
He kept eye contact with her trying to suss if she was lying but when he could see no signs of deception he sighed and moved out of her way.
"Yes but be up bright and early, you have to help at the betting den remember."
She nodded her head as she escaped too tired to speak. Tommy poured himself a glass of whiskey as he sat down.
"God that girls gonna be the death of me."

Riley spent most of the next day helping out at the betting den. Monaghan boy lost the other day and so they had a lot of people to collect from. She was currently sat in the private room in the garrison with her older brothers. John and Arthur practically had to drag her there as she and Tommy were still not on the best of terms. Arthur was unsuccessfully trying to get John to play cards with him.
"Terms of play John boy, terms of play." Arthur says.
"Go and play snap with Finn" John replied uninterested. Amused Riley smirked at them.
"He's too afraid to lose to Finn."
Everyone chuckled including Tommy as Arthur glared at her.
"Shut it Riley."
Before Riley could say anything else Grace entered the room.
"Did you want whiskey aswell?"
Riley had to reframe from rolling her eyes at the barmaids obvious looks she was throwing at Tommy. Riley had only ever had one conversation with the Irish woman but she felt like something was amiss. Like she wasn't as innocent as she came across.
"No, just beer." Tommy replied as he sat and relaxed with his siblings even though one of them wasn't speaking to him at the moment.
"Why no whiskey Tommy? Are you expecting trouble?" Arthur asked as he looked past John to Tommy who sat at the head of the table.
"When is he not." Riley muttered to herself. Tommy sent her an amused smirk as he ignored his brothers question's. The singing of the drunken men outside in the pub became louder which caused Riley to grimace as the out of tune song reached her ears.
"Jesus Christ Tommy, what the hell made you let them sing? They sound like they're strangling cats out there." John exclaimed. Riley was curious aswell as it wasn't often her brother changed his mind on something. Although that small smile Tommy sent to Grace when she left the room was probably the reason.
"Alright 20 to play. What did make you change your mind though Tommy?  Hmmm?" Arthur teased Tommy knowing full well what made him change his mind. John appeared to also catch on as he said, "Yeah I mean it's about time Tommy."
"Time for what?" Tommy asked.
"Time you took your self a women." John chuckled with Arthur as Riley rolled her eyes.
"Just play the bloody hands" Tommy replied as he tried to hold back an amused smirk.
"You just stay the way you are Tommy. Remember what dad used to say" Riley frowned as she heard her father be mentioned. " 'fast women and slow horses will ruin your life' " both Arthur and John quote as they laughed.
"Real classy brothers." Riley sighed slightly digusted at how her brother's used women. They both continued to chuckle as they heard her. John wrapped his arm around Riley to give her a side hug. "Eh come on Riley. We're only joking."
Riley smirked at him.
"You and I both know that your past record proves that's a lie."
Everyone chuckled as they heard her.

Suddenly, headlights of a car hit the private room windows causing the Shelby siblings to stiffen.
"Coppers?" John asks Tommy.
"No" Tommy answered as he looked out the window.
Riley listens as the garrison appears to go silent at the arrival of whoever was outside. "Holy shit it's Billy Kimber." Riley heard Harry say. Riley's eyes shoot to Tommy in shock at who is outside the room. He appears to be calm which helped steady her erratic heart beat. He can be an arse but I trust he knows what's he's doing, Riley thought.
"Is there any man here named Shelby?" Riley heard a man yell. At least he does most of the time she thought bitterly. Riley didn't hear anything and so figured everyone was too afraid to speak. Bang! Riley jumped as someone fired there gun. John felt her flinch so he squeezed her into his side to reassure her.
"I said is there any man here named Shelby!?"
Her brother's all got up and moved towards the door. However, not before Tommy grabbed Riley's face and made her look at him. "Riley stay here. I fucking mean it. Don't. Move."
Riley weakly nodded her head as she saw the seriousness in his gaze. As they opened the door Riley caught sight of a man with a moustache.
"Harry get these men a drink. Everyone else go home." Tommy said as he closed the door. Riley spent the next half hour with her ear pressed against the door trying to listen in on the conversation. From what she could gather Billy kimber suspected them of fixing the races and thought it was acceptable to call her family 'gypsy scum'. When she heard him so blatantly disrespect her family she wanted to storm out there and give him a piece of her mind but she knew that wouldn't have ended well for her. So instead she waited until she heard the pubs doors close again before she left the private room.
"So you picked a fight with the Lees on purpose? Arthur asks Tommy as he leans back in his chair, "Tommy we can't mess with Billy fucking Kimber!." Riley's eyes widen with shock as she heard Arthur.
"Holy sh..."
Tommy interrupts her.
"Get yourself a decent hair cut man, we're going to the races."