Stolen Heart [Tommy Shelby x OC]

Chapter 40

After Tommy put on his coat and left for the hospital, Lily looked around the house for the lavatory. John was dead and Michael had been shot. The situation couldn’t get any more devastating. So the threats were real, she thought as she undressed and stepped into the tub. It was the second death Tommy had witnessed in two years and despite their past issues, she sympathised with him.

She might not have known John that well and was most probably not going to his funeral, she felt his death deserved proper respect. As she put on her only black clothing she’d brought, a wool dress with a boat neck and full sleeves, she couldn’t help but the think the last time she had been in Tommy’s vicinity.

The first few days had been difficult, with the constant fear of Tommy looming. Running away from Arrow House hadn’t been hard, she had only needed to beware of the maids. Living there for almost four months, she knew all about the back doors and car keys. Away from the eyes of the chauffeurs, she had driven straight to London, not even stopping for food or water. Oliver had slept through most of the journey and she had been extremely grateful for that. When she got close to the general store which led to the underground building of The Guild, she had parked the car and walked towards the company, shrouding Oliver from anyone who crossed her path.

Gerard had almost fainted at the sight of her and Oliver, considering he hadn’t seen her in three years. He hadn’t wanted her to get back in the business with Oliver so small, but had agreed to let her do the ‘office work’ and accounts of the Guild. It had been going smoothly for her. The pay was good and most of the work could be done from home, allowing her to stay with Oliver.

But when she had seen the red-haired man standing below her window, she knew she had to call Tommy. She had been coarse and nowhere near forgiving him then, still reeling from his betrayal. It wasn’t as if she had outright refused his proposal, she had only asked him to wait. But he had to have things his way.

And now she was back in Birmingham after more than a year. While she had had no intention of coming back, she needed to see Polly after her strange letter in response to the one she had sent. The only good thing had been the party her colleagues were hosting on Christmas Eve, driving from London just for her.

But Tommy had to ruin that, she thought bitterly as she combed her hair, which just reached the top of her shoulders now. The time with the women of the Guild had taught her a lot about the current fashion. They had taken one look at her bohemian clothing and ordered her to burn all her clothes. In good humour of course, they hadn’t forgotten her. But Lily had agreed. It felt good to restart everything, as if beginning a new life. Her clothes were now of the most exquisite taste, ranging from silks and linens and furs. The housedresses were a thing of her past now, just like her shirts had been. The sale of the farm combined with her past savings from the Guild had made her a rich woman and she would comfortably live the rest of her life without bothering about threats from Thomas Shelby.

But it wasn't as if he were after her anymore. Current situation notwithstanding, she hadn't had a run-in with him ever since her hostile phone call. Which had been a blessing, though she was a touch disappointed at his indifference.

She was sitting on the round table, looking at the photo album she had discovered in her ram-shackled room when Tommy came back, still shaken and silent. He was walking towards his room when she got up, almost at his side.

‘I drew you a bath in your room. Do you want anything else?’

‘No.’