Page 68 of Five

He’s miming, Bez suggests.

What is he miming a heart attack?

Lori glares at me, making even larger gestures with his arms up and down, pointing at his phone and then the bathroom door.

He wants you to put his phone inside that room!Bez suddenly exclaims. He sounds very taken by the game.

Why would he want that?I ask him. Lori is now waving at my phone and then the door.

Because of whoever is knocking at his door,Bez replies.

Whomever,I correct him.

Shut it, Gabe!

Lori suddenly gives up and lets out an exasperated sigh as he makes his way to the door.

A tall guy with a beer belly and a leery look is waiting on the other side. The way he slides his eyes over Lori rubs me the wrong way. And suddenly, that t-shirt and fishnets I gave an appreciative look to when I first saw him seem indecent. I feel the intense urge to cover him up.

“Boxin’ up your things.” The guy’s voice is an annoying slur. “You know, if you need more days, we could reach an agreement enjoyable for the both of us.” He’s the landlord then.

The meaning of his words is quite clear, and I’m already advancing, catching his eyes as Lori mutters, “I seriously doubt that, you twat.”

“Oh, I didn’t know you had company.” The landlord pulls his pants higher on his round belly, giving me an indifferent look.

“I’m Mr. Boone’s lawyer. Even though he has no written contract, a verbal agreement in Illinois is binding. He still has three days to vacate the room.” I stop behind Lori, my front plastered to his back. He turns his head up to me with a questioning look. I ignore him, keeping my stern gaze on the landlord. My hand lifts to the door, holding the edge just above Lori’s head.

Pissing on your territory, such animal behavior, Gabe, Bez taunts me.

Animalistic behavior.

Fuck. You.

The landlord crosses his arms in front of his heavy chest. “Well, I have another person interested in the place. So…”

“And I can take a legal route to acquire compensation for damages since you’re not giving me the required time to leave,” Lori replies, making my dick plump inside my pants. “I’ll sue you for all you’ve got!”

“Looking at the state of this building, it is not gonna be much,” I comment, earning a snort from Lori.

The landlord scoffs, not in the least afraid of our words. “I can do the same about your infernal beast. I’ve got tenants complaining about screeching noises.”

Infernal beast?

“Wednesday is not a beast, you wanker! And in this neighborhood, the screeching is the last noise I care about.”

“An anonymous call will be placed to the Housing Development Authority, they’ll send a structural engineer to carry out a detailed inspection, and if they find any warning signs—which they will—” I look around the decrepit room. “Then the entire building will be declared condemned.”

The landlord grits his teeth, giving me a scrutinizing look, probably trying to discern if I’m bluffing, which I never do. I have no need for that.

“Commissioner Ghallary takes public safety very seriously,” I add, wanting this clown to disappear already. I rarely use name-dropping but if it make this fucker leave faster I’ll give him more.

“This area swarming with police, I bet the Scorpions would find it brilliant,” Lori sarcastically finishes.

The landlord moves his glare to Lori. “You think you can scare me with some fake lawyer and your empty threats?” He takes a hostile step toward Lori.

I act quickly, sliding the tactical knife out of my jacket as I wrap my arm around Lori, pushing him to the side and behind me. I hear an oomph from him as I let him go, but I’m already grabbing the landlord’s greasy shirt collar while pressing the blade to his throat.

His eyes widen with fear as I push the tip of the knife against his skin until I see a small drop of blood roll down.