Arabella || Peaky Blinders [Michael Gray]

sixteen

Chapter Sixteen
"Get out."

Arabella smiled softly at the sound of Nick's smooth voice on the other end of the phone, chewing down on the end of her pen.

"So, I'll see you tonight?" He asked her hopefully. With Arabella's busy work schedule, they hadn't spent a lot of time together recently, but she'd had quite an easy day at the office, and was hoping to get off early so she could spend some time with him.

"If you're lucky," she told him, a grin toying on her lips as she spoke. On the other side of the room, Michael rolled his eyes, the whole conversation almost making him want to throw up. He coughed loudly, capturing Arabella's attention, and as she looked over at him Michael mimed sticking his fingers down his throat, to which Arabella gave him a hard glare. "Okay, I have to finish up some work, and then I'm all yours, darling," she said to Nick. "I'll see you later. I love you."

"Love you too."

Arabella put down the phone, her stare narrowing at Michael, but she didn't comment, instead burying her head in her work again, hoping to finish up early liked she'd promised Nick. Michael watched her for a few moments, expecting a snarky comment of some sorts, and was almost disappointed that he didn't receive one.

Arabella could feel his stare on her, but didn't look up, focusing her attention solely on the paperwork in front of her. Michael huffed at the lack of attention she was giving him, but quickly shook his head, dismissing himself of those thoughts, wondering why that even bothered him.

The office was quiet for about an hour, almost a record for the two of them. Arabella did not stop writing for the entire time, and Michael could not stop watching Arabella, nor could he stop thinking about her and Nick and what happened earlier when that special boyfriend of hers had payed him a visit.

"You know, Nick came to the office this morning," Michael spoke up. Finally, Arabella looked up at him, raising her eyebrows as she waited for him to elaborate. Michael struggled not to smile to himself, especially because of the puzzled expression on her face, which, combined with how she looked with her round reading glasses, was quite adorable.

"Why?" Arabella asked, her frown deepening. "Was he looking for me?"

Michael shook his head. "No, he wanted to speak to me."

"About what?" Arabella pressed, wishing Michael would stop being so bloody cryptic.

"About you."

Arabella gave him an unimpressed look, her patience wearing thing. "Would you just spit it out already?"

Michael released a heavy breath, leaning back in his chair. "He thinks we're spending too much time together."

"We work together," Arabella pointed out.

"Well, that's what I told him," Michael responded with a shrug. "He wanted to know if there was something between us. If that's why you were spending so much time at work." Arabella sat up straighter, her jaw tensing as she began to feel frustration surging through her veins. She'd had the same conversation with Nick so many times now, constantly assuring him that she was doing nothing but her job. "And when I set him straight, he threatened me to stay away from you."

Arabella almost scoffed. Nick had promised that he trusted her, and now he was coming round to her place of work and threatening her coworker. "Right." She stood up, her impulses taking over the rational side of her mind as she snatched her coat from the back of her chair.

"Where are you going?" Michael asked, sitting upright as he watched her gather some items from her desk.

"To talk to him," Arabella responded simply. Michael watched as she headed towards the door, part of him wanting to find an excuse for her to stay and not go off on one to her boyfriend, the other part of him desperately wanting to see her giving Nick a piece of her mind. "Also, why have you only just told me this?"