A N G E L↠ Michael Gray

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗦𝗜𝗫𝗧𝗘𝗘𝗡

A letter came in the mail, addressed to Emilia. It was from somewhere she didn't know; however, a seal at the back of the envelope had the wax symbol her mother used all the time while sending letters. To cure her curiosity, she read the letter, letting her eyes scan over it. It was from her brother. Her brother Joey, the one her mom told her before her brains got blown out, said the situation was very urgent. And it turns out the same people who kidnapped her weren't satisfied with the outcome of their mission.

"Mum, what's that?" Edward strolled into the small, cramped kitchen that Emilia shared with Beatrice. The minute Emilia heard his small, curious voice, she hid the letter behind her back with a warm smile. "Don't worry about it." She sighed, pulling a seat out and making herself comfortable. "I made breakfast." She pointed to the counter, which had a steaming plate of pancakes. "Pancakes!" Edward squealed, hopping over to the counter and taking the plate joyfully. Meanwhile, Emilia was just thinking of a solution. 

In the letter, Joey specified that the only place that would be safe for her and Edward was at his safe house in Paris. But she can't just pack her bags and leave with Edward and Beatrice. How was she going to tell Michael?

"Boo!" Emilia flinched, craning her neck around to see Beatrice smiling at her teasingly. "Thinking about your bloke, huh?" Emilia shook her head and slid the letter to Beatrice. "Is it the rent? Cause I—" She started, and Emilia shushed her. "No, just read it." She ordered, and Beatrice nodded her head, focusing on the words on the paper. She looked so different from when they first met. Her sickly pale skin was now a rosy pink, and her thin brown hair was thick and curly, reaching her hips unexpectedly. The freckles that decorated her cheeks were now darker, and the dull look in her forest-green eyes was gone and replaced with a glossy shine.

"No." She murmured in shock as she folded the letter away. Edward was sitting at the table, devouring his breakfast without a care in the world. "We'll be right back, Edward," Emilia spoke, already dragging Beatrice by her gray cardigan. Edward only nodded too busy eating to even look up at Emilia.

The minute both of the girls made it to the living room, they both spoke in hushed whispers. "Didn't you and Michael get rid of them?" Beatrice said, and Emilia shrugged her shoulders. "I think he shot the leader, but I guess that he has more allies than we thought," Emilia says as she starts pacing. "So what are we gonna do? Are we going to pack up and skip town?" Beatrice uttered, flapping her arms to her sides, "I don't know Bea." Emilia panicked, and Beatrice noticed; in a swift motion, she placed her hand on Emilia's shoulder and gave it a tight comforting squeeze. "I don't know what to do, Bea," Emilia responded with a small, hushed voice.

"It's alright, we'll figure out a solution." Says Beatrice as she pulls Emilia in for a tight hug.

—

"You wanted to see me?" Emilia slithered into the busy garrison, taking a seat next to Michael. For some odd reason, everything about him was glowing. He was wearing one of his many suits, had a fresh haircut, and couldn't stop smiling. "Did you win the lottery or something?" He let out a chuckle. "No. But I got you." Emilia's cheeks stretched into a grin with her pearly white teeth on display. "You sure know how to be a charmer," Emilia muttered grabbing a small glass, "Only for you." Michael was a bit too affectionate today for Emilia. He was up to something for sure.

"Tell me, what's going on Michael?" Emilia asked peering up into his sky blue eyes. Michael chugged his whiskey and didn't say anything for a while. "Close your eyes." Emilia arched an eyebrow but eventually did when she saw his reassurance. Soon she heard movement around her and desperately wanted to open her eyes and see what was happening. "You can open them now," Michael said and Emilia wasted no haste.

"Oh, Michael..." Emilia trailed off seeing the man she grew to love on one knee before her with a ring in his hands that shined brighter than her own future. At this point everyone in the garrison had given the couple their full attention. Silence engulfed Michael until he spoke up. "Emilia you have taken over my stone-cold heart, I never thought I could learn to love with everything that's happened to me growing up." He started and Emilia's eyes began to water. "When I met you, at first I thought it was an obsession but it was far from that. The more I got to know you, the more I craved being near your existence. I come here today on one knee to ask for your hand."

"Yes!" Emilia wasted no time as she slid the ring on her finger by herself. Michael stood there stunned as she kissed him and spun him around as if she were the one who proposed to him. "I can't wait to tell everyone!" Emilia gushed before kissing Michael one more time before rushing out the garrison's door. 

-

"Beatrice, Edward!" Emilia called cheerfully as she opened the front door taking her shoes off in a hurry. However, the minute she stepped onto the threshold of the apartment she realized that the whole apartment was trashed completely. "Bea, Edward?" Emilia rushed into the living room to see Bea sobbing with Edward patting her back as a means of comforting her. "What happened?"

"Everything, Em." Bea lifted her red eyes, "They trashed the apartment." Emilia sat down on the other side of Bea. "Who did?" Edward immediately moved over to Emilia and laid his head on the nape of her neck for comfort. "The people in the letter, Em."  Emilia's eyes widened. "We have to leave, they're going to come back." Bea huffed getting up and Emilia remained seated rubbing Edward's back. "We can't go Bea." Bea turned around, "Why?" Emilia got up and showed the shiny ring on her wedding finger. "He proposed?" Bea's voice cracked and Emilia nodded.

"Oh I'm happy for you Em, but we can't stay."Bea whispered, "Em, they were going to kill us but John and the rest of the guys showed up and saved us. They said they were gonna come back with more men and they'd kill the peaky blinders." Emilia gasped, she couldn't imagine Michael in pain or dying without her chest clenching and tightening. How could she selfishly stay and drag Michael and everyone to their deaths? 

"You're right Bea, but where would we go?" Emilia asked and Bea rushed to the kitchen and showed the opened envelope from earlier. "Duh, we go to Paris and stay with your brother." Emilia nodded, "You guys should go and pack your bags." She motioned to Bea and Edward. "We already did I took the liberty to pack your bag as well."

"You packed my stuff?" Emilia asked in confusion. "So you just assumed I'd leave Michael?" She continued, "No, Em. But I know you would rather die than hurt the bloke." Emilia nodded taking her bag from Bea's hand. "Are we leaving mum?" Edward asked and Emilia couldn't do anything but kiss his head and comfort him. 

The three fled the apartment and to the train station, they'd have many more stops before they'd reach Paris. Emilia couldn't help but stare at the glimmering ring on her finger.  Why now when she's finally happy? Why must she be uprooted?  All she could do was pray that all of this would blow over and a couple of months she could return to Michael. But now she leaned closer to a sleeping Bea and Edward and made herself comfortably next to them.