Calloway // Michael Gray x Reader - Peaky Blinders Fanfic

Chapter 16

Michael

"Hi, Mum," he mumbles into the phone.

But it's Tommy's voice that greets him. "Michael. Enjoying yourself?"

Michael sniffs. He can still smell her all over him — like raspberries and vanilla. Like fucking heaven.

"It's not so bad," he answers, his voice even. "Everything alright?"

"No, Michael. Everything's not alright. Would you care to explain why I've just received a letter from Vanguard Wealth Management, informing us they've declined our application?"

Michael tenses. He absorbs the words, turns them over in his mind. Rubs a hand across his jaw. "Fuck."

"Yeah. Fuck's right."

"It'll be a mistake, Tom," Michael says, beginning to pace the short length the phone receiver can reach. "Some underwriter who doesn't know who we are."

"The letter's signed by a Miss Calloway. A broker. Isn't that who you met with?"

Jesus. Anger flares red hot in his stomach. She'd intended to fuck him over. This whole time. "That's the one."

Tommy pauses. "Alright. I'll go see her in the morning and sort this out."

Michael scrunches up his face. "That might be a bit difficult, Tom."

"Yeah? Why's that?"

"She's, uh, here. On the conference."

Tommy's silent once more as he absorbs this news. "Is she the woman you're sharing a hotel room with?"

"Mum bloody told you," Michael mutters.

Tommy exhales. "Credit where it's due, I suppose. I'd probably do the same thing myself."

"Yeah?" Michael frowns.

"Sleep with her if you must. Just get her to open a fucking account for us."

Michael's stomach turns at the thought of using her like that. "No, Tom, it's not—"

"If you can't do it, I'll handle matters myself."

His jaw clenches. "I'll take care of it."

Tommy hangs up without a word goodbye. Michael clicks the phone back into place, close to trembling.

It's his own fault, he decides, for thinking with his cock. He knew what she was like. Should have known from their first meeting that she'd try and pull something like this.

He just hadn't expected it.

Not after the past couple of days. Not after she'd spent the night holding him while he slept, kissing him like she had just moments before, like he was oxygen and she needed him to breathe.

She's playing a game. Fucking with him. Enjoying it.

Again, he should have seen this coming. Perhaps in a way he did.

He just didn't expect it to hurt so much.

Stupid. Is this the type of man he wants to be? One who gets fucked over, used and discarded, while he's left with a sick feeling in his gut? Would Tommy have let this happen? No, he wouldn't.

Once more, it reinforces the message into his brain — he's unworthy. Unloveable. Once more, the shame creeps in.

He goes to confront her, anger flaring hot in his gut. As soon as he's said the words, she freezes, her eyes wide.

Like a kid who's been caught stealing sweets.

"I forgot about that," she whispers.

"Yeah?" He asks.