Devil | A Solomons

TWENTY SIX - TIES AND DRESSES

Irina awoke alone. Sunlight was streaming through the window, blinding her when she first fluttered open her dainty eyes that morning, holding a hand over her face to shield her vision.

Her memory from the night before was hazy to say the least, but for once, it wasn't because of alcohol. Her mind had been working overtime even while she slept, making trying to remember anything that had happened extremely difficult. On top of that, her feelings were all over the place, unable to depict one from the other, feeling overwhelmed yet numb all at once.

There was, however, one thing that was clear in Irina's memory, and that was Thomas Shelby.

Pushing herself up onto her elbows, she noticed his shirt and trousers slung over a velvet chair in the corner. Her heart immediately sank, an immense pit of guilt feeling like it was slowly creeping through her bones, consuming her inch by inch.

Only then, it stopped. The realisation that she had no ties to Alfie, no loyalty to lie down to him when he couldn't do the same for her made waking up after sleeping with Tommy a strangely sweet feeling.

Irina crawled out of bed, grabbing her black silk dressing gown and tying it over her naked body, pulling her hair up messily on top of her head with two loose strands framing her face.

She took a quick glance in the mirror on the wall in the hallway, rubbing the underneath of her eyes clean of any black smudges before walking down the stairs.

Irina followed the sound of a kettle whistling on the stove, wandering into the kitchen and finding Tommy stood in nothing but a pair of white boxer shorts, his hair an unusual mess but a welcomed smile on his lips.

"I didn't wake you, did I? I tried to be quiet." He smiled and poured the tea into two blue and white China teacups beside the stove.

"No, don't worry."

Irina shook her head and took a seat at the table, yawning quietly as Tommy carried over the two cups of tea, sitting down adjacent to her.

He stretched his arms out above his head, taking a deep breath before folding his arms on the table, hanging his head between his shoulders.

"So," he cleared his throat, "We should probably talk about-"

"Tommy," Irina interrupted, drawing his eyes up to meet hers, "We can pretend it didn't happen, don't worry."

"You think I want to do that?"

Irina wasn't sure how to answer and after the way he'd been looking at her from above the night before, his hair and sweat tickling forehead, she couldn't look into his eyes for very long without her thoughts driving her insane.

She just sipped her tea in silence, looking down at her nails.

"How are you feeling about Alfie?"

Irina sighed.

"Like I never want to see him again. Like I wish I'd never trusted him, I should've never fallen for the way he was so charmingly caring. Because they all seem like that, don't they?" She said, looking at him again, "But it's all an act. I'm just angry at myself for falling for it a second time, I thought I was smarter than that."

Tommy narrowed his eyes at her, "You remember what I said to you yesterday? At dinner?"

"Yes," Irina said quietly, "You compared me to a diamond."

Tommy held back a smile reluctantly, "And a miner's decision doesn't take away from the fact a diamond is a diamond and coal is coal. It might get hit and scratched with a pick axe but at the end of the day, it's still a diamond."

He leant back in the chair, linking his hands together at the back of his neck. Irina took a moment to draw her eyes up across his body, admiring the slim line down his chest and the veins running through his toned arms.

"You've never let a man determine how you see yourself before, don't start now."

Irina got a shiver of deja vu running down her spine when Tommy's words hit her ears. It was a painful reminder of the way Alfie had similarly consoled her after she'd discovered the truth about Luca.

Tommy drank his tea, allowing Irina some time to think in silence. The events of the day prior had been immensely unexpected, but he held no regrets towards any of it.

He hadn't particularly liked Irina when they first met, the way she came off cold and un-inviting wasn't at all what he had expected from her. Tommy had always found her incredibly attractive, of course, but watching the way she allowed herself to open up made him begin to find all parts of her attractive, not just the way she looked.

It bothered him that Alfie would treat her this way, especially when he knew Irina could quite easily ruin his life, but looking at the way her eyes were glazed over in vacant solemn, he knew that she didn't have the strength to do anything too crazy, not just yet.

"I'm supposed to be going to the races tomorrow," Tommy spoke up, "Would you like to join me?"

Irina looked up, "I thought you fixed the races?"

Tommy just smiled, "I do. You could win a hell of a lot of money, not that you need it."

Irina stifled a laugh. She enjoyed the way Tommy looked at her with interest, though it did make her unable to not wonder how many other women he looked at in that way.

"I've never been to the races, as it goes."

"Well, I'll pick you up myself in the morning. Let me know what colour your dress is."

"Why?"

"So I can get a tie to match."

Irina bit down on her lip, looking away from Tommy's gaze. She had often seen couples in town wearing coordinated suits and dresses, which was something that had never appealed to her. She had always wanted to stand out as an individual, but the idea of someone asking Tommy who he was there with and him introducing her was a pleasant thought to say the least.

"It'll be red, more than likely."

"Good," he smirked, "My favourite."

They drank their tea and Irina made the two of them some toast before showing Tommy where he could shower, giving him a fresh towel.

She took the time to bathe herself in one of the other bathrooms before freshening up her hair and dressing in black suit trousers and a white collared shirt. She spritzed the same perfume she wore the night before across her collarbones and neck before heading back downstairs and cleaning up the kitchen.

Tommy eventually descended the stairs, Irina walking out into the hallway when she heard him putting on his shoes.

"I hate to leave," he started, tying his laces, "But business calls, I'm afraid."

"I understand." Irina replied, lingering by the door.

She handed him his coat as he stood up, watching as he pulled his cap out of the pocket and fixed it onto his head, slicking back his damp hair beneath the peak.

"Tomorrow." He said.

"Tomorrow." Irina repeated, nodding once.

He unlocked the door and pulled it open, a fresh breeze blowing into the home. She watched with folded arms as he lit a cigarette, taking a long drag before blowing the smoke from between his lips.

He walked down the steps, Irina going to close it, only stopping when she saw Tommy turn on his heels to look back at her.

"For the record, Irina, I definitely don't want to forget what happened last night."