✓ | GOLDEN LIAR ↠ Thomas Shelby.

06.

CHAPTER SIX.

               THE WORST THING THAT Felicity Woods had ever done in her entire life was an act that would most definitely seem to be angelic in the eyes of Thomas Shelby and all that he had done.

She had only been thirteen and smitten with one particular boy, but that isn't exactly important. It was the fact that he was anything but interested in her, in her dull life and far from sleek hair and stormy hazel eyes. That is why, with her heart trampled by such an unrequited love, Felicity had broken the window of the pub down the road. She wasn't quite sure why she had done it, and afterwards she had felt ever so ashamed of herself after doing so... and yet she was never sure why, because she had, after all, grown up seeing worse crimes being committed and breaking a window was hardly even considered going against the law. She hated herself, though, but she hated that God forsaken boy even more because he had unknowingly crushed her blonde little heart by not showing the slightest bit of interest in Felicity Woods, with her blonde curls and her carefree attitude and floral dresses.

Thomas had knocked on her door at precisely nine o'clock and with her heart beating in her chest, Felicity had attempted to shake away any worries as he took her arm in his and led her towards his car. The pair had driven for what felt like far too long and Felicity, in her nervous, awkward state, had hardly uttered a word to the man as he drove them away from the smog of Birmingham and through the countryside to the Cheltenham Races.

Once there, Thomas had expertly led the girl through the backdoor and corridors.

Felicity pulled her thin coat further around her shoulders as she turned to Thomas. "Are you sure we're allowed in here?" She asked quietly, trying not to let the anxiety that was raging through her body show out through her words.

Thomas kept his arm firmly on her back as he led her past a group of rowdier men that were passing them. "Well," he said lowly, "I prefer to come to the races the back way. It keeps me out of trouble."

She raised an eyebrow at this, trying to keep her mind off the heat of his touch and instead on where the pair had found themselves. "Is that possible?" Felicity enquired with mocking surprise, speeding up as he did so.

His hand loosened and he nodded down the corridor that they were only a few paces away from turning down. "Tracks are lawless places," Thomas said, ignoring her quip and releasing his hand as he pointed in front of her, "I can't stand petty criminals."

"And I suppose you're only coming here for the horses, Thomas?"

Felicity thought she caught the ghost trail of a bemused smile on his lips and yet when she glanced back again, it was gone, replaced with the normal grim expression. "It's this way," he reminded her gently.

"Will we get to lay a bet?" She asked hopefully.

He chuckled. "Nah," Tommy told her with the laughter lacing his words, as though he were amused by her obvious naïve nature when it came to the races. "Gambling's for mugs. This way."

The heat of his touch appeared yet again as he gently pushed her towards the corridor on their left, and it felt to Felicity as though his hand was burning through the fabric of her dress and onto her fair skin. . . not that she was anywhere close to complaining of it being there.