"You have got such a pretty face but such a dirty mouth" The words ring true in her brain as she sips on her bourbon. She could almost hear her mother's voice in her ear. Irene bites her painted lip and searches the pub for his face, this was the sixth week in a row that he hadn't turned up. Irene was beginning to think that he was ignoring her. She rolls her blue eyes at the thought, of course, he was avoiding her. The last time she had seen him she had kissed him and then told him if he ever touched her again that she would blind him. Oh yes, how true her mother's words where. Irene has to fight off the urge to laugh from disbelief at her own actions. She had told the leader of the Peaky Blinders that she would blind him.
Necking the rest of her drink she slams the glass on the table. "Fuck this." Irene stands tall and determined. She looked too damn good tonight to not show it off. She shrugs off her navy coat and drops it on to a nearby chair revealing her dazzling emerald green dress. Shaking her hips she makes her way to the dance floor, well you could hardly call it dance floor it was just a clearing at the end of the bar without any tables. Irene begins to click her heels and sway her arms from side to side, she didn't need a partner to dance the Charleston and for that she was grateful.
The Charleston had always been her favourite dance, ever since watching a film at the pictures with the dace in as a teenager, she had memorised the steps and had run home to practice it in her room. Humming a tune to dance to as she didn't have the luxury of a gramophone back then. Irene had made Freddie dance with her and the had practised doing several tricks and turns but eventually, he had stopped practising with her and she had to pretend.
Irene spins on her black heels and is suddenly lifted into the air and her body is being flipped backwards. She lands on her feet with a wobble and has to put her arms out to stop herself from falling. Before she falls her someone grabs her arm and steadies her. "Thanks," She smiles turning to her saviour.
"Not a problem, It was my fault." Irene isn't sure she has seen brown eyes a chocolaty before in her life, it makes her gasps as she takes in the rest of him. He is tall, so tall that she has to look up at him to see those big milk chocolate saucers. He has messy dark auburn hair piled on top of his head in luscious curls "James." He smiles, knocking her out of her trance. Had she been drooling?
"Irene." She beams back at him before she goes back to dancing, not wanting to make small talk with him or anyone for that matter. James instantly joins in with her, mirroring her every action making her throw her head back with laughter. It had been a long time since she had danced the Charleston with anyone else, she had forgotten just how ridiculous it was.
"You ready?" He shouts to her over the music, a wide grin on his face. Irene raises her hands expectantly and allows him the space he needs. James begins to shake his hand and 'smacks the pony' as it were. It's enough to stop Irene from dancing for a moment as she spins around on her right foot, her brunette hair flying behind her as she snorts with laughter. As she stops she begins to copy him, the pair of them unable to finish the move without doubling over in hysterics.
Suddenly the music stops for a second before starting again and James's face turns sombre as he takes a step away from her. "What?" Irene raises her eyebrows, her anger building as he stares straight past her, as though she wasn't there. Turning on her toes she sees the reason for his sombre expression, instantly her mood worsens as Thomas Shelby stands at the door staring directly at her. Their eyes meet for just a second and he flicks his head upwards before turning on his heal and marching out of the door.
"You his girl?" James questions.
"Fuck off." Irene hisses, stomping to grab her coat before heading for the door. Why did she have to be anybody's girl? The cold air hits her like a slap to the face, quickly she slips on her coat and wraps it around her arms. She jumps as she hears him clear his throat. Tommy steps out from the darkness and into the light holding out a cigarette for her to take. Irene takes and lights it herself in order to avoid his usual 'Do you want me to smoke it for you?' Remark.
They stand in silence for a moment, neither of them looking at one another as they smoke their cigarettes. Irene couldn't help following him outdoors, she was too curious to walk away from him. "Who was that?" Her curiosity disappears as the words escape his lips.
Irene gives him a dirty look and rolls her eyes. "That is why you ordered me to come out here?"
"No one orders Irene Thorne to do anything." Tommy chuckles, a small smirk playing at his hardened features. Irene had to stop herself from laughing, he was right no one told her what to do. "I found Freddie." Tommy drops his cigarette to the floor. "I thought you should know."
"Thanks." Irene isn't sure how she feels, Freddie had been on the run for several weeks. She wasn't sure if he was running from Tommy or from the law, either way, he didn't want to be found and honestly, she couldn't care less if she tried. It wasn't that she did not care that he was safe it was just that she lived a separate life to her older brother and if he didn't want her to know about it then it clearly didn't involve her.
"Would you like to dance?" Tommy asks breaking the silence once again, he holds out his hand expectantly but Irene doesn't reach for him.
"We're done here, Thomas." She scoffs at his obscenity. He just waltzes back in and expects for him to fall into his arms? Irene could see the way that he looked at her at it made a rush of panic surge through her every time he did.
"I'm not." He whispers, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her to him.
"I'll break your heart," Irene whispers as he lures her closer, her nerve wavering as she gives him his final warning. Tommy's forehead is now touching her own.
"Already broken," Tommy whispers against her lips before pressing them to her own. Irene wraps her arms around his neck and allows him to cradle her back as he leans her back to kiss her deeper.
At that moment Irene could feel his heartbeat through his skin and she wondered if he could feel hers? It was racing just like his was but was that because of the lack of oxygen from the kiss or because she was excited to be kissing him again? This wasn't like there last kiss, that had been angry and an ends to a mean. This kiss was gentle and sweet and she wasn't sure if she liked it more or not.
Tommy pulls away from her to see her wicked smile and a naughty glint in her sparkling blue eyes. He laughs as he gives her another peck on her painted lips. "You will be the death of me, Irene Thorne."