Page 227 of When We Fall: Part Two
With my heart pounding, I stuffed his money into the register and clocked out. I grabbed my bag and met him on the sidewalk, knowing damn well Sabrina and Angela were still watching.
“Here.” I handed him the check he’d left. “I don’t want that.”
“You earn tips, yeah? That’s mine. Keep it.” He looked away from me.
“Klaus. Please. I-I don’t want it.” I grabbed his arm as he made to walk away. He rounded on me, making my heart jump into my throat. He was a hell of a lot bigger than me, that was for sure. He’d crush me if he wanted to.
“You talk too much,” he said.
I blinked at him. “You’re… annoying.”
That made him chuckle. “Come on, little hummingbird. Let’s go see this apartment.”
He gestured, and a moment later, a blacked-out SUV moved forward, and a man with black hair and blue eyes got out.
I glanced at the man, who inclined his head at me as he opened the back door. I slid onto the leather as Klaus followed.
“Where to?” the man asked.
Klaus looked at me for direction.
I rattled off the address before the man got back behind the wheel.
“That is not a good neighborhood,” Klaus said conversationally as we rode.
“It’s within my budget,” I said, looking out the window.
He laughed softly, but didn’t push it. We arrived several long, silent minutes later. The driver opened the door, and I followed Klaus out.
He went straight into the building.
“Which apartment?”
“Twelve.”
We walked up three flights of stairs. I could hear kids crying in the distance and police sirens.
A man was waiting outside the apartment when we got there. His face paled when he saw us.
“Mr. Seeley, sir. I-I didn’t know you were coming today.”
“Funny that, isn’t it?” Klaus said.
“I-I have the money. L-Let me grab it.” He dashed off to a room at the end of the hall while I stared after him.
“What’s going on?” I asked, looking back at Klaus.
“This is my building,” Klaus said, smiling at me.
“What? Yours?” I squeaked out.
He nodded. “It’s really not in a good neighborhood.”
My stomach sank. “You’d be my landlord?”
He nodded again. “Technically.”
Damnit. Did all these gangster men own every damn thing in this city? I couldn’t even find a bar to go into without running into someone from this world. And now an apartment?
