Cruel To Be Kind - Peaky Blinders Fanfiction

Part 44 - Cheaters, Misunderstandings, Engagements, and Parties

"Put that down right now!"

Finn was laughing hysterically as Michael struggled with carrying a chair they'd been using to get John's hidden money from the shelf. Matthew and William were racing around the betting den and Jacob was calling my name, crying as he asked where his dad was.

"Mickey, Mickey, go, go, quick she's coming!" Finn shouted, encouraging his nephew to run around the den with the chair.

"I swear to god, Michael, if you don't stop right now I'm selling you to the Lee's!"

"I thought you 'ad 'em under control," John said as he came into the den, Arthur and Kyle following him.

As soon as I turned to face John I burst into tears, slumping into his arms. He awkwardly patted my shoulder and I could tell he was sharing a look with Arthur.

"Alright' you lot, piss off," Arthur said, gathering John's boys and Finn, leading them out of the betting den and into the house.

"What's wrong, Ellie?" John asked, bringing me over to a chair and gently pushing me down into it.

"I don't know if I can do this, John," I cried, wiping furiously at my eyes. John had always been one of my closest confidants. He'd looked out for me since the first time he met me and he was more like a brother than a brother-in-law.

"Do what?"

There was a frown on his face, and he'd gone all serious. It was strange seeing John all serious. He may not have been the brains like Tommy, but he wasn't as stupid as he let on.

"I got this," I said, slipping a note from my bra and handing it over to him. I bit my lip as I watched him read it and was surprised when he scoffed.

"You don't believe this." When I looked away I felt him lean closer gripping into my arm. "Elsie, you can't believe it. There's no way."

"Why not? He does what he wants." I shrugged pulling out of John's grip and rising from the chair, pacing in front of him. "Lizzie Stark's beautiful, why wouldn't he be with her?"

"Because you're his fucking wife!"

"I've been busy John! I've been neglecting him. I prance around and do what I want. I'm not the sort of wife, Tommy wants. I've pushed him away for the last two weeks so why wouldn't he seek comfort with someone else?"

"You're fucking stupid," John muttered sighing as he ran his hands over his face. "Look, Tommy ain't sleeping with Lizzie."

"That note says differently!" I snapped pointing to the note he had in his hand. "It clearly says that Mr Shelby and Lizzie Stark were arrested for indecent exposure. Why would it be sent to me if it wasn't him? Oh god, do you think everyone knows?"

"It was me! For fuck's sake, I was the one with Lizzie!" he snapped scrunching the note up as he rose and took my shoulders in his hands, stopping me from pacing. "I get lonely, Ellie. I miss Martha."

"Oh, John," I whispered, pulling him into my arms, rubbing his back as he sobbed into my shoulder. "You should have come to me."

"I don't think Tommy would want me sleeping with his wife."

"No, I wouldn't." We pulled apart at Tommy's voice, sharing a look before bursting into laughter. "John, what are you doing with my wife?"

"It was just a misunderstanding, Tommy," John told him, picking up the note and handing it to his brother.

As Tommy read the note, I felt ashamed of myself. How could I have ever thought he would cheat on me? Every night he held me in my arms, pressing a kiss to my head as he held me as I slept. Even when I turned away his advances, he still held me. That wasn't what a cheating man would do.