Nicotine // [michael gray / peaky blinders]

Nine

[warning: more drinking and a bit of drug use at the end]

"Five pound on Nom De Guerre." I slap the money down.

"Name?"

"Florence Walker." I say and he hands me the stub. "Thank you!" I smile and walk towards the bar.

"Hello." A man says, two drinks in his hand and I turn to him.

"Hello."

"I'm Joseph."

"Florence." I smile, turning back to the bar.

"You can have this." He offers me one of the drinks he's holding.

"How generous." I muse, but take the drink.

"I've been watching ya. Who were you on the phone with before?"

"My boyfriend."

"So you have a boyfriend, but you take a drink from a stranger?"

"You seem nice." I shrug. "And you have a Brummie accent, so you can't be from too far from where I live."

"And where is that?"

"Small Heath."

"You're a Small Heath girl? And who are you here with today?"

"Thomas Shelby." I say and his eyes widen.

"Thee Thomas Shelby?" He asks and I nod.

"Did someone say my name?" Thee Thomas Shelby asks, coming up behind me, a hand going to my waist.

"He's from Birmingham. Where from?"

"Aston."

"That's nice. Off you pop." Tommy says and Joseph fucks off. "What're you doing talking to random men?"

"He seemed nice. Gave me this." I raise the glass to my lips.

"Don't drink that." He takes it out of my hand. "Come with me. Upstairs. Posh club."

"Where the King'll be?"

"Where the King will be. You get champagne." He says and I follow without a second thought.

I love champagne, even though I can rarely afford it.

"I have to talk to you." Grace, of all fucking people, approaches Tommy and I as we stand in line for the posher section.

"What the fuck?" I ask, looking at her.

"Grace, what are you doing here?" Tommy asks and I scoff.

"I need to talk to you." She repeats.

"Grace." He says, looking at the line. "This is not a good time. Stay here." He says before going down the stairs with her, leaving me on my own, again.

"What was it?" I ask once he's standing in the line with me again.

"I need a drink and then I'll tell you." He says and we step up to the man taking names. "Thomas Shelby. This is my sister Florence, and my wife will be joining us later." He says and the man nods, and we pass by.

"That was a lot of information you gave a man who just ticks boxes. Also, who's your wife? Grace? Gonna introduce her to your best mate the King?"

"I didn't know I was going to bring you in here until I saw you getting hit on. And no, it's not Grace."

"You made a last minute change?" I ask and he nods. "Well shit." I say and take two champagnes off of a tray, downing one before putting the empty glass back and Tommy looks at me.