BITTER - Michael Gray.

THIRTY THREE.

♛

The car winded down the long road, bumps in the track, throwing the passengers around. Olivia has gripped on to Michael's hand. He was now well enough to go outside, much to his delight. They'd managed to smooth their disagreement over in a way that Polly would be best off not knowing about. Michael's mother was sat behind her newspaper, unable to see the two of them past the broad sheet of paper. Bonnie was also in the vehicle, gazing out of the window as he thought about the girl sat opposite him. She was undeniably pretty, but he dared make a move, Michael would knock his teeth in.

"Why are we here?" Michael asked, noting that surroundings. They were on a dirt track in a forest.

"Don't you worry Michael." Polly didn't appear from behind her paper.

Michael sighed, slumping in his seat. Olivia dropped her head onto his shoulder as he moved his hand onto her thigh, drawing circles with his thumb lazily.

A man with a shotgun slung over his shoulder came into view around the corner. The car slowed down as it approached a clearing. Polly folded away her paper and shut her bag.

"Polly what the fuck's going on?" Olivia asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It's okay. It's all under control." Polly patted her leg as Bonnie opened the car door, letting Polly out.

Bonnie hopped out of the car first. holding the door as Polly got out too. Aberama Gold seemed to have hitched a ride on the side of the car, suddenly appearing in the area. Olivia jumped down and flattened her dress. Michael grabbed onto her hand as he got out carefully.

"No. No fucking way." He sighed as he saw the sight in front of him. A caravan.

"You've never eaten hedgehog Michael?" Aberama casually posed the question. Some of the men around laughed, earning a large eye roll from Olivia.

"I'm getting back in this car." Michael pulled out his cigarette case. Olivia pulled his jacket as he went to turn away.

"You're number two on Luca Changretta's hit list. I don't want to be plugging my boyfriend's bullet holes with cloth again." Olivia sighed and rubbed his arm.

"I'll stay in a hotel. We will." He placed the cigarette in his lips.

"You stay in a hotel, I'll know where you are, so will Olivia, so will the people who take you there, so will the people that work in the hotel. And hotels don't move around. They don't even know where they'll be tomorrow. They follow the patrin and the crowd." Polly added. Michael took a drag of his cigarette, sighing in defeat.

"And if anyone should come for you Michael, the Palmers and the Boswells will put up a fair fight." Aberama joined in.

"Take your medicine and your pain killers." Polly handed the bottles to Bonnie.

"The healers up there will heal you much quicker." Aberama said.

"Fucking witches, the lot of them." Michael scoffed. Olivia smacked him on the back and shot the men an apologetic look.

"Show some respect Mr Gray. They've agreed to welcome you on the account of your blood." Bonnie finally spoke.

"Take your medicine. And the gun." Olivia pulled out the revolver from her inside coat pocket, handing it over to him.

"I won't be able to contact you, so you phone us." The women walked him over to the caravan. "We'll make a plan." Polly spoke.

"Tommy says it won't be long, then we'll be free." Olivia pushed her hand under his jacket and around his waist as she hugged him. Her cold hands could be felt through the thin fabric of his shirt, making him shudder.

"Can I at least have a minute with you?" Michael sighed deeply as he gazed at his girlfriend.

"Not got the time. Get in the caravan. I love you, and I'll see you soon." Olivia kissed him on the cheek.

"I love you too. Be careful, I don't want to stitch you back up either." He smirked before kissing her hard, knowing full well that Bonnie was watching.

"You might learn something." Polly shouted. Olivia pushed Michael towards the caravan, he was helped inside by two of Aberama's men. "Tell them your grandmother was a gypsy princess."

"Birdie Boswell." Olivia waved him goodbye before catching up with Polly.

"You're royalty up there Michael." Polly yelled. Michael simply rolled his eyes at his mother, not having the energy to say anything back. "You okay darling?"

"Mhmm. He'll be okay won't he?" Liv asked, her voice filled with worry.

"He's in the best hands possible. Us on the other hand, who knows."

♛

"Oi, where is everyone?" Olivia shouted through the house. She'd crashed and banged as she came in, but no one had made a noise.

"Shut the fuck up." A familiar voice groaned from upstairs.

"Finn!" Olivia laughed as she ran up the stair case. "Why are you in bed at 6? Are you 80?" She burst through his bedroom door. He was lying on his bed fully dressed, like a starfish.

"No. I had this weird thing called tiredness." He sarcastically snapped. She slapped him on the chest and sat down next to him. "I've met a girl."

"Oh my days Finn, what's she like? What's her name? How old is she? Is she pretty? Is she funny? Is she good in bed? Any hereditary diseases?" Olivia rambled as Finn sat up chuckling.

"She's lovely, her name's Hope, she's 17, she's stunning, she's hilarious and I don't know cause I only met her this morning." Finn answered the long list of questions.

"I want to meet her! She sounds amazing!" Olivia squealed and pulled Finn into a hug. "I take it you don't fancy me anymore?"

"You're always gorgeous, but I do think Michael quite likes you." He let go of the hug.

"Thank god. I was worried he was about to start a fight." Her smile dropped slightly.

"Everything alright?" Finn placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah. We put him into hiding today. I won't see him again for a while. Maybe never if Luca pops round." Olivia sighed.

"Nah. As John would say, we're the Peaky fucking Blinders."

♛

a/n: i've had another idea for a michael book, surprise surprise. would anyone be down for that??? x