Tommy holds his hand in the air and spins her around in a circle, directing her around the floor. For now, Irene was under his control. Suddenly he stops and pulls her back to him with a thud. Irene grins at him, she adores bossy Tommy. He doesn't smile back as he seizes the back of her neck and guides her back over his knee. Irene feels his hand slide down her arm, leaving a trail of goosebumps in his wake.
This Friday evening Irene had shown up late and alone as she did every weekend now that Freddie was in hiding. Tommy had had enough of her games, Irene was driving him insane. Just when he thought he had her, Irene would give him the cold shoulder and he was losing the will to live. As he stood at the bar, watching the clock hand slice through the dragging time, he had decided that enough was enough. It was time to give her a taste of her own medicine.
Tommy had gone all out with wooing her tonight. He had ordered the band to play all of her favourite songs so that they could do the dances she loves. Tommy had stood at the bar with a glass of rum and soda. When she had entered the room and had walked over to him, he had turned her around and slid her navy coat off her shoulders and hung it up for her.
As Tommy pulled her upwards and her body slid up his, he dips his head down and brushes his lips against hers. As Irene brings her lips to meet his, he pulls away and pushes her body up to a standing position. Quickly he spins her body around and begins to sway his body against hers before dropping her down to knee hight and quickly lifting her back up.
Irene's whole body feels as though it is on fire, every nerve ending is tingling. Tommy spins her back around and holds her close as they sway around the wooden floor. "Are you teasing me, Mr Shelby?" Irene's painted rouge lips are parted, her sky-blue eyes wide. Where had this come from?
Tommy doesn't respond to her, but a smirk flickers across his soft features. Was she on to him already? Irene had taunted him for months, always so close but so far out of his reach.
His silence confirms her question, Thomas Shelby was trying to tease her and as much as she hated it, it was clearly working. He had never touched her so roughly before and she was lapping it up. As Tommy holds her body close to his body and twists her around she feels the flush rising up her body. This wasn't a dance that they had done before and she wasn't sure they should be doing it in public.
"Stop," Irene mutters, her head pounding as she catches peoples eyes, they are all staring at them. Tommy doesn't stop, instead, he grabs her arms and spins her in the air. As soon as he petite black healed toes on the floor she pushes away from him. "I said stop," Irene hisses as she pushes past him, knocking Tommy's shoulder on the way past.
Irene pushes open the door to the Garrison and gulps the fresh air like she had been drowning in his arms. Irene frowns as she brings her hands to her face, surprised to find it wet, was she crying? "Get a grip." Irene wipes the tears from her eye's and laughs. Irene Thorne did not cry and being looked at by strangers.
Suddenly she feels a weight on her shoulder, she doesn't bother looking up at him as he wraps her coat around her shoulders. They stand there for a minute, neither of them speaking, her breathing shaky as she calms down.
"I am not your whore, Thomas." Irene spits, anger wracking through her body.
Tommy laughs, taking a drag of his cigarette. "Then what are you?" The words are enough to make the tears spring back in her blue eyes but she doesn't let him see. "Irene, I-" Tommy starts, but she doesn't let him finish as she walks away from him, not taking a second glance back at him as she makes her way down Garrison Lane.
She can hear his footsteps behind her but she ignores him, quickening up her pace as she turns the corner to her street. As she turns the corner she feels him pull on her arm, spinning her around to face him. They stand in the darkness, out of sight from any prying eyes. "Irene I-"
"No, I don't want to hear it Tommy, what you did back there was disgusting!" Irene spits, her anger bubbling over. He had taken her favourite activity and used it to embarrass in front of all her friends. She would be surprised if she could go back in there after tonight, her reputation would surely be tarnished as Thomas Shelby's whore.
"You are not my whore." Tommy pushes her against the cold brick wall, holding her in place. "I don't know what you are, but you ain't that." He admits, he was telling her the truth. If she had been a whore he would hack fucked her by now, no she was much worse. She was a cock tease of extraordinary measure.
Tommy doesn't wait for her response as he pushes his body against hers, slamming his lips against hers but she doesn't respond and pushes him away from her. "Stop!" Irene shrieks, pounding her chest. "This!" She motions between them. "Whatever the fuck this is, is done!" Irene huffs, "I'm serious Tommy, I don't want to see you again."
"Tough!" Tommy pushes her back now as he shouts in her face. "You don't get to make that choice!" Irene can't believe what she is hearing, was he delusional.
"I think all that fucking power has gone to your head! Listen carefully," Irene draws in a deep breath. "I" clap "Don't" clap "Like" clap "You!" Irene laughs hysterically, clearly, this man needed help.
"Then why do you keep coming back to me?" Tommy challenges.
"Because I get bored!" Irene hisses, shrugging her shoulders. "But it doesn't really cure my boredom because you are boring! I can predict everything you do!"
As soon as the words leave her mouth she regrets them because quite honestly it wasn't the truth, sure sometimes she could guess but sometimes she couldn't and right now was one of those times.
Tommy grabs her shoulders and spins her around, pushing her face to the wall. Irene tries to push away but it doesn't work, he is much stronger than she is. Tommy presses his body to her back and leans into her ear. Tommy pushes her dress upwards, dragging a finger between her legs, feeling her dampness. "If you don't like me, Irene, why is it that you are so fucking wet. As Tommy pushes her knickers to the side and slides into her she grins. "There the Tommy I like."