Truly Mrs Shelby [T. Shelby || Peaky Blinders || Shelby's Girl Book 3]

- 5 -

In Birmingham, in the betting shop, Natasha and Polly were pulling Angela through the shop and into John's office to find John with his feet up on the desk, cigar in his mouth looking at a newspaper. Polly folded up a newspaper and put it on the desk, "Did we run Kempton yesterday or not?" John asked.

"Danny Lee got drunk," John closed his eyes, "Instead of injecting the horses with cocaine, he decided to share it with his cousins," Natasha informed him.

"Jesus Christ..." John mumbled.

"He's your brother-in-law," John looked at Angela, "Tell Esme to speak to him about it if you're not man enough," Angela said.

"Angela, you're here to make up with John, not fight more," Natasha said and Angela clicked her tongue and looked away.

"Look, before I start," Polly closed the door and the three women sat down, "I don't want you to do anything about this," Polly said.

"About what?" John asked.

"Vicente Changretta's son," Polly stopped Angela from standing up, "The one Lizzie was stepping out with," Polly said.

"What, Angel? Well, he's no bigger than twopence worth of change," John said.

"Well, his father has obviously repeated your threat to him that you will shoot him in the knees. And now he's going around Nechells telling everybody he's going to kill you," Natasha said.

"I'll say good words at your funeral. I might even cry," Angela said sarcastically to John as he glanced at her.

"This is Lizzie's fault to start with, Tommy's for leaving it up to you," Polly said.

"What are you talking about?" John looked at his aunt, "We run London. We run the north, we run the whole fucking country. What do we care about some fucking Nechells Green Eyeties?" John said.

"We don't need to be getting involved in all these little piss pots," Polly said.

"What does Arthur say?" John asked.

"That's why we're here and not him. If he said it, there'd be a fight. He says, 'Apologise'," Natasha said.

John scoffed, "He fucking said what?" John asked.

"We run the city. But we don't need to rub everybody's noses in it," Natasha told him.

"If the old man decides to make a stand, he might get Sabini feeling sentimental-," Polly began to say.

"Sabini's done," John interrupted.

"They're all done. And they all pay up. But we don't want or need rebellions. Your actions will have consequences," Angela said.

"What does, erm, Tommy and Stella say?" John asked.

Natasha and Polly looked at each other before standing up and walking out of the office, "Tommy and Stella are busy. They left me in charge," John looked at Angela, "Daniel would have been the obvious choice, but being fourteen, he's too young. I'm sixteen and disposable, to an extent," Angela said.

"And what do you say?" John asked.

"Compromise," Angela said.

"Mhm," John said.

"I've asked Lizzie to do it for you. She's going to meet him, break up with him for good," They noticed movement outside the office and looked to see Daniel and Isaiah standing there then they looked at each other, "Apologise for any inconvenience, say it was all her fault-," Angela said.

John stood up suddenly and knocked off the contents of his desk, "For fucks sake!" John yelled.

"Wow, I really struck a nerve," Angela sighed, "John, talk to me," Angela said.